By Dave Hurteau & Chad Love

According to the California Highway Patrol, two officers sent to Louisiana to help with recovery efforts in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina are believed to have shot and killed a least one alligator, which is a violation of Louisiana state law. The officers are on administrative time-off pending dismissal. Click here for the story [ Read Full Post ]

By Dave Hurteau & Chad Love

For years now, whitetail deer managers in numerous states have been doling out doe permits, lengthening seasons, and expanding other regulations in an ostensible effort to reduce burgeoning deer herds. Well, Iowa may have finally gotten the job done, with a record harvest of nearly 212,000 deer. Whether this will make for stricter regulations next year—and how hunters might react to them—is yet to be seen.

Which begs the question: Are you willing see herd numbers dropped to healthier levels if it means fewer opportunities for you during future seasons?
Click here for the story [ Read Full Post ]

By Dave Hurteau & Chad Love

Last year, we ran a link reporting that several polar bears had drowned trying to swim to ice formations that had melted, apparently due to global warming--a problem some scientists fear could eventually lead to the species’ demise. Yesterday, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that it will review climate-change studies and the status of the polar bear population and decide within 12 months whether to place the animals under the protection of the Endangered Species Act. As the agency takes comments for the next 60 days, we welcome yours here. Click here for the story [ Read Full Post ]

By Dave Hurteau & Chad Love

After 12 years of service to Georgia Department of Natural Resources law enforcement officers, Bocephus the mechanical deer decoy is no longer fit for service--because it’s been shot too many times by poachers. The DNR is looking into an $1,875 replacement. To see pictures of the mechanical decoy in action, click on “Caught on Tape: Robo-Deer Nabs Poachers in Nassau County” at the end of the story linked below. Click here for the story and video [ Read Full Post ]

By Dave Hurteau & Chad Love

Mako sharks “are not commonly seen, especially in groups” off southwestern Florida, said a skeptical Robert Heuter, director of the Center for Shark Research at Sarasota’s Mote Marine. But then he saw pictures of the two 7-foot-plus makos brought to Sarasota’s Marina Jack by a four area fishermen—one of whom says he hooked and lost a 500-pounder. See the a picture for yourself in the link below. Click here for the story [ Read Full Post ]

By Dave Hurteau & Chad Love

Check out this great news from J.R. Absher's Outdoor Weblog:

You can't keep a good gun down. Dave Henderson, outdoor writer for the Ithaca (NY) Journal, reports today that Ithaca Gun is back in business , but, for the first time since the company was founded in the 1880s, its headquarters are not located in New York state.

Here's a link to the story. [ Read Full Post ]