Special Forces soldier and former college QB killed in tragic hunting accident 🙏

Greetings from the dead zone - that period between Christmas and New Years where the days seem to blend together in some sort of cauldron of travel, gifts, family, food and cheer.

We took the liberty of having a few days to ourselves last week and hope all of you did as well. As it turns out, we weren’t the only ones as the news-cycle in the outdoor world has been slow, to say the least.

But alas, there is a new year on the horizon, so let’s go ahead and finish 2024 on a strong note.

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 today:

• Thank you for your service - Military man and college QB killed in tragic accident 🙏

• A-OK - Wisconsin’s celebrate elk expansion with 2024 results👍

• Ohio continues to clean up - Additional gun season proves fruitful 🔫

• Extended SZN - Georgia officials extend deer archery seasons 🏹

• Cyber-douche - If you’re going to drive a Cybertruck, don’t do this 🖕

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE
SPECIAL FORCES SOLDIER AND FORMER CMU QUARTERBACK DIES IN FREAK HUNTING ACCIDENT

27-year-old Tommy Lazzaro, a former college quarterback and active US Army sergeant was killed in a tragic hunting accident just before Christmas. The victim, who served with the 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, was hit by a stray bullet while on base at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. According to reports from a military news outlet, Lazzaro had gone out to the range to help a fellow soldier who was experiencing car trouble.

“We deeply mourn the loss of U.S. Army Sgt. Thomas Lazzaro of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne),” the group’s commander, Col. Patrick Nelson, the group's commander, told the outlet.

“We will never forget his dedication, courage, and commitment to safeguarding our freedoms,” Nelson continued…

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

Wisconsin DNR Celebrates Successful 2024 Elk hunting Season: The 2024 hunt represented a milestone in Wisconsin’s elk management. For the first time, hunters had the opportunity to hunt in both the Northern and Central Elk zones. Previous hunts only occurred within the Northern Elk Zone.  Read the full story.

Ohio hunters check 17,000 deer during additional gun hunting weekend: According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife, hunters checked 17,373 deer on Dec. 21 and 22. About a quarter of them were antlered deer.  Read the full story.

Georgia Deer Hunting Archery Season Extended:  The Georgia Department of Natural Resources extended deer hunting archery season until Jan. 31, 2025, to highlight the challenges of deer overpopulation in suburban areas like Peachtree City.  Read the full story.

Louisiana hunter cited for violations after shooting man he mistook for a deer:  Law enforcement agents responded to a shooting involving two hunters on property in Zachary, a city in East Baton Rouge Parish, on Dec. 23, the department said on Facebook. Read the full story.

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🖕Want to become a complete douchebag in life? Follow this guy in a Cybertruck. For many, driving a Cybertruck is the first strike. The second (and obvious) strike would be stringing up a dead deer spread eagle, without field dressing it, and parading it through town.

All I’m saying is, if these Cyber-guys want to improve their image, this ain’t the way to do it.

Grand Canyon N.P.

📸 : @mattballard_

Oh, and one more thing…