20-Year-Old Arrested After Deer Killing Spree in Wyoming

The weekend might not be here yet, but your favorite dispatch from the great outdoors is. 

So grab your coffee or whiskey (no judgement) and let's get caught up on the outdoor news and views from the past few days. 

Here's what's worth reading about so far this week:

• 20 years old?? - Young man implicated in serial poaching incident 🚔

• Botched investigation - Iowa wildlife officials are turning to the public for help 🙈

• Utah officials fess up - A secret cull was uncovered on church-owned land ⛪️

• When the boys get skunked - The wives make absolute fools of them 🐟

MAKE IT MAKE SENSE
20-YEAR-OLD ARRESTED IN DEER KILLING SPREE IN WYOMING

Following an alleged killing spree that included upwards of nine dead deer, a 20-year-old man has been arrested in Cody, Wyoming.

According to reports, the accused, Joshua Wielhouwer was arraigned earlier this week on 18 wildlife-related charges including nine counts of unlicensed taking of a big game animal and nine counts of wanton destruction of a big game animal, according to documents from Park County Fifth Judicial District Circuit Court.

All of the deer, which included one fawn, two bucks and six does, were found with broadhead hunting arrow wounds and were found scattered across Cody between August 27 and September 4.

😬 Iowa officials are looking for help in a botched poaching investigation. A massive deer, still in velvet, was found dead by a landowner on August 1st, prompting a call to the local Sheriff’s office. With two local game wardens out of town, a newly-hired Sheriff’s deputy was sent out to the scene.

“The landowner saw some blood in the gravel road next to his house, so he thought the buck got hit by a car,” Iowa conservation officer Joe Fourdyce says. “But he tracked the blood back a ways and realized the buck had actually been shot. The deputy got there and also confirmed that it had been shot. But he was brand new, and didn’t know he wasn’t supposed to issue a salvage tag.”  

In the state of Iowa, sheriff’s deputies can only issue salvage tags for roadkill, not in cases of suspected poaching. The landowner later took the head to a local taxidermist and disposed of the body, and evidence, at a local transfer center. 

Despite the hiccup and lack of physical evidence, Fourdyce has acquired the head and antlers as evidence. Iowa’s DNR is now offering a $1,000 reward for any information relating to the botched investigation.

⛪️ Utah officials confess to secretly culling 170 elk on church-owned land. Utah’s Division of Natural Resources has admitted to culling 170 elk on the Deseret Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit and attempting to keep it a secret.  According to records obtained by the Salt Lake Tribune, it looked as though state wildlife officials were worried about how public hunters might view the culling operation since they were not invited to participate.

Rather than including public hunters, the agency enlisted the help of paid contractors to bait, dispatch, test and butcher the elk before donating it. The Tribune referred to the cull as one of the largest in Utah’s history, but officials have yet to corroborate that claim. 

The cull was organized based on population objectives. The Deseret CWMU was home to roughly 7,000 elk last fall, far exceeding the unit's carrying capacity of 4,200 elk. In an effort to help struggling mule deer populations in the area, the cull was quietly approved and pushed through over the winter. Like all CWMU’s in the state, the Deseret CWMU is privately owned by the Church of Latter Day Saints, and as such, is jointly managed by the state. Despite the opportunities the cull would have provided for private hunters, the state is standing by their decision to utilize private contractors to ensure efficiency.

QUICK HITS // ^{_{FROM AROUND THE WEB}}

Bear hunting season opens in Upper Michigan: The Michigan Department of Natural Resources runs 10 bear management units, or BMUs, across the Upper Peninsula and parts of northern lower Michigan. The DNR’s Bear and Small Game Specialist says the U.P. bear population is strong. Read more at TV6.

Celebrate National Hunting and Fishing Day by shooting for free at 2 DWR ranges:  To celebrate, the DWR is offering its annual promotion of free and discounted shooting at its Lee Kay Public Shooting Range, located at 6000 W. 2100 South in Salt Lake City, and its Cache Valley Public Shooting Range, located at 2851 W. 200 North in Logan. Read more at Utah DWR.

Some changes, for the better, are coming to hunting in New York State: Hunting season in New York State officially begins on Oct. 1. This year, there are changes to the tags hunters use. One of those changes is hunters will be able to print out their tags. That way, hunters will be ready before the season begins. Read more at WBNG.

Michigan DNR aims to increase hunters, decrease deer population this season: Providing ample opportunities to hunt, Stewart and the DNR are hoping to get a good start bringing those numbers down during this weekend’s Liberty Hunt. Read more at WNEM.

Deer overpopulation becomes growing concern across Southwest Virginia: Deer overpopulation doesn’t just affect gardens and roads. Experts say deer bring along unwanted guests—ticks—that contribute to a higher risk of Lyme disease, both in humans and pets. Read more at WDBJ.

THE POD // ^{_{THANKS FOR LISTENING}}

Thanks to everyone that continues to listen each and every week. The growth we’ve seen on the pod is incredible and appreciate everyone who takes a few minutes out of their week to listen in.

We’ll have another Story from the Field episode for you this month, but in the meantime, make sure to tune it to our Week in Review episodes every Friday.

Listen on Spotify or Apple.

VIDEO // ^{_{SOME THINGS JUST HAVE TO BE SEEN}}

🐟 The boys got skunked out on the lake, so the Moms went out to clean up.  And clean up she did. As the boys settled into their defeat back in the cabin, mom and the gals went out on the lake to try their luck at this whole fishing game. You’ve got to see the boys faces when she struts in there with a massive lake trout.

🫎 Watch this idiot completely implicate himself by posting a video of his moose kill. I get it, I’d be excited as well…but if I was breaking the law?!? C’mon, man. Don’t do that and don’t gloat. Kudos to these conservation officers for checking in and busting this guy.

REWARDS // ^{_{TELL YOUR FRIENDS, WE’LL SEND YOU FREE SH*T}}

We sent out a bunch of giveaways last week to all those who have reached ‘status’ in our new rewards program. In addition to those that have already redeemed, there’s a bunch of you that need just one more buddy to join up to get your gift.

Sharing is caring and we always aim to build out this platform in the most organic way we know - through the people that already love it (that’s you).

Find your unique referral link below and get sharing to get your hands on some goods today.

⬇️

Oh, and one more thing…