Tag: hunter

Montana antler hunter kills grizzly bear during tense encounter

The man, who was not carrying bear spray, drew a handgun and fired five shots at the charging bear.

A Montana shed-antler hunter shot and killed an aggressive grizzly bear last week shortly after spotting the animal’s tracks.

According to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the incident occurred April 25 on private land near Wolf Creek, as the man searched for shed antlers with two dogs.

“After seeing a fresh grizzly bear track in a snow patch, he continued along his path and a few minutes later he first saw the bear standing near the top of the ridge about 20 yards away,” FPW explained in a news release.

“The bear dropped to all four legs and charged the man, who drew his handgun and fired five shots from distances about 30 feet to 10 feet, grazing the bear with a one shot and hitting and killing it with another shot.”

The man was not carrying bear spray.

The 12-year-old, 300-pound bear was a momma with a new cub. The cub was captured and will likely spend its life in a zoo.

6-year-old boy dies in South Carolina hunting accident

The boy was struck by a shotgun pellet while positioned in an elevated hunting stand.

Authorities in South Carolina have determined that the shooting death of a 6-year-old boy during a hunting trip Friday was an accident.

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources has not released the boy’s name or many details because the incident remains under investigation.

However, the agency did state via social media that the boy was struck by what appears to have been a stray shotgun pellet while positioned in an elevated stand.

The shot was fired by a hunter on the ground.

The incident occurred Friday morning in Orangeburg County.

–Generic hunting image courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Minnesota mistakes partner for turkey, shoots him

A 54-year-old Minnesota man is recovering from a gunshot wound inflicted by his hunting partner, who thought he was shooting a turkey.

A 54-year-old Minnesota man is recovering from a gunshot wound inflicted by his hunting partner, who thought he was shooting a turkey.

The victim of what authorities described as an “accidental shooting” is expected to survive.

The incident occurred Wednesday in Baytown Township.

ALSO: Probe launched as grizzly bear is found dead near Yellowstone

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office stated in a news release:

“Just before 1:30 pm, two members of the same hunting party were in an area east of Northbrook Blvd. N. and 51st Ave. N. when one hunter mistakenly identified the other as a turkey and fired a shot.

“Washington County deputies and first responders were immediately called to the scene and the victim, a 54-year-old man from Arden Hills, was transported to Region’s Hospital with apparent non-life-threatening injuries.”

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in helping with the investigation.

–Generic turkey image is courtesy of ©Pete Thomas

Poacher kills first black bear documented at NY wildlife refuge

A hunter has illegally killed what was described as “likely” the first black bear documented at New York’s Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge.

A hunter has illegally killed what was “likely” the first black bear documented at New York’s Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge.

The hunter was located after Department of Environmental Conservation officers responded to a Nov. 18 report that a K-9 unit had tracked a bear that had been shot earlier in the day.

The K-9 unit had been part of a nighttime spotlighting detail involving officers trying to catch hunters illegally using lights to locate and shoot deer.

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The DEC reported that after an investigation, officers interviewed the hunter at his home and he confessed to shooting the bear with a compound bow.

The refuge does not allow bear hunting and the hunter failed to turn in a harvest report that helps the state keep track of legal bear kills.

The man was cited and ordered to appear in federal court on charges related to the illegal harvest of a bear on a national wildlife refuge.

–Image showing officers with the poached bear is courtesy of the DEC

Geno Smith on why Seahawks have gone from ‘hunter to the hunted’

Seattle Seahawks starting quarterback Geno Smith explains why he believes his team has gone from the “hunter to the hunted” this season.

The Seattle Seahawks fell to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday in a heartbreaking, overtime loss at Lumen Field. Starting quarterback Geno Smith, who has seen better days on the field, was grilled about the performance after the game.

“Yeah, we can’t let it be a snowball effect,” Smith said. “Reality is that we’re going from the hunter to the hunted. People want to play us. As a young team, we’ve got to learn to be able to go out there and win those games. That’s our next step in the evolution as a really young team. We got to understand the moment, capture the moments, take advantage. I feel like we had plenty of opportunities to go out there and win that game, finish it late, and we just didn’t get it done.”

After an impressive win streak midseason, Seattle has dropped its last two contests and now, at 6-5 on the year, sits in second place behind the 49ers in the NFC West.

“Coming into the season, there were different expectations,” Smith explained. “Seeing what we have on this team, I believe we can do a lot of great things. I think everyone else can see that as well. We have to own that, accept that for who we are, because we are great players and we are a great team.”

The Seahawks have a week to right to the ship before squaring off against the Rams on the road next Sunday.

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Hunter’s Take on the 2022 Basketball Season

Clemson basketball season is set to get underway Monday night. The Tigers hope to make another run to the NCAA tournament. In this edition of ‘Hunter’s Take’ we take a look at the upcoming season.

Clemson basketball season is set to get underway Monday night.  The Tigers hope to make another run to the NCAA tournament.

In this edition of ‘Hunter’s Take’ we take a look at the upcoming season.

Hunter who shot at deer but hit occupant of a house gets prison

In an illegal-hunting incident, a man was struck in the foot by a bullet as he sat on the couch in his home with his wife and baby nearby.

A hunter in Ohio was sentenced to two years in prison after he shot at a deer and instead struck a man in the foot as he sat on the couch in his home with his wife and baby nearby.

In May, Kasen Smith pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm on or near prohibited premises, injuring a person while hunting, and hunting without permission and in violation of hunting ordinances, as reported by WKBN.

On Dec. 20, 2021, Smith was deer hunting without a license and without permission to hunt on land near Market Street and West Calla Road in Beaver Township. Shooting at a deer, the bullet flew across West Calla Road and struck a resident in his house.

Smith admitted to investigators that he fired in the direction of houses, but he thought he was at a safe distance well inside the woods, according to the police report.

Also on FTW Outdoors: Poachers of five elk sentenced; must publish apology in local paper

Smith was sentenced Tuesday by Mahoning County Court of Common Pleas Judge John Durkin, who lessened the prison term after the county assistant prosecutor suggested he do so because of a family tragedy involving a vehicle on June 19, when Smith’s 18-month-old son died, according to The Vindicator.

From The Vindicator:

But in a brief discussion at the bench with the judge and [attorney Tom] Zena, [county assistant prosecutor Mike] Yacovone recommended a way to sentence Smith that would allow the judge to grant judicial release to Smith after one year served in prison instead of the 18 months that was anticipated earlier.

The change was to recommend a one-year sentence on discharging a firearm, in addition to the one-year gun specification, instead of three years on the discharging a firearm. That allowed Smith potentially to get out after one year…

“He’s probably already gone through the worst possible thing,” Yacovone said of Smith’s son’s death after the hearing.

Smith surrendered a Ruger American .450 Bushmaster Bolt-Action Rifle to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and paid $10,000 in restitution to the victim for his medical bills.

Trophy moose poacher receives lifetime hunting ban

A Montana hunter who illegally killed a trophy-size moose in 2019 has received a lifetime ban from hunting and trapping in the state.

A Montana hunter who illegally killed a trophy-size moose in 2019 has received a lifetime ban from hunting and trapping in the state.

Shiloh Berry, 41, pleaded guilty last fall to unlawfully possessing and waste of a game animal, and hunting without a valid license. He was sentenced Friday in Broadwater County Court District.

According to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Berry also received a three-year fishing ban and was ordered to pay $12,100 in restitution. He also received a suspended five-year jail sentence.

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An investigation was launched in November 2019 after Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks received a tip on its anti-poaching hotline. Wardens found the decapitated moose 17 miles east of Townsend. Nearby were “distinctive” tire and boot prints.

In April 2020, wardens were tipped off that Berry was in possession of moose antlers said to have been found at the same location. An authorized search of Berry’s premises turned up the antlers, which were an impressive 56 inches wide.

His boots and truck tires were found to have made the prints discovered at the scene. Berry confessed to killing the moose during interviews with wardens.

–Moose image courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Who stood out at Penn State’s first winter football workout?

Penn State coaches named their standout players from the first day of winter workouts.

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It was just over a month ago that the final game of Penn State’s 2021 season was played, and spring football is still a little more than a month away. But winter workouts are underway in Happy Valley as the Nittany Lions begin preparing for what they hope will be a big rebound season, and some new faces are starting to get to the grind with their new teammates.

Winter workouts officially got underway bright and early Tuesday morning and assistant coaches made sure to spread some encouraging news about who showed up to compete in the practice sessions.

Both coordinators took to their Twitter accounts to share who their unit’s best player was. Offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich named starting quarterback and team captain Sean Clifford as the offensive competitor of the day. Clifford announced his return for a rare sixth year of eligibility prior to Penn State’s appearance in the Outback Bowl. It will be the first offseason in which Clifford has had the same offensive coordinator to work with leading into a new season, and Clifford would like to make up for a few down moments in 2021 in his final year of eligibility.

Penn State’s new defensive coordinator, Manny Diaz, also went with a team captain for his defensive competitor of the day, with Jonathan Sutherland getting the props of the day from the new defensive playcaller. Sutherland has been a standout on special teams during his time at Penn State, with some defense mixed in. But Sutherland is expected to be a top candidate to take on a larger role in the defense in 2022.

Other notable players from Penn State’s first winter workout included cornerback Kalen King, defensive end Nick Tarburton, cornerback Ji’Ayir Brown, running back Keyvone Lee, wide receiver Jaden Dottin, tight end Tyler Warren, offensive lineman Juice Scruggs, and punter Barney Amor.

These winter workouts are the first that have been opened to early enrollees in Penn State’s Class of 2022, so we will be keeping an eye out for possible shoutouts from the coaching staff for any of the new faces in the crowd. Penn State will eventually be adding to its roster with other recruits in the Class of 2022 that have not enrolled early and any possible additions from the transfer portal, including recent commit from Cornell, Hunter Nourzad.

Penn State’s spring game, the Blue-White Game, is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, April 23 in Beaver Stadium.

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Quick-thinking hunters survive grizzly bear attack

An Idaho hunter who was attacked by a grizzly bear Friday might have saved his own life – with help from his companion – by deploying bear spray as he was being knocked to the ground.

An Idaho hunter who was attacked by a grizzly bear Friday might have saved his own life – with help from his companion – by deploying bear spray as he was being knocked to the ground.

According to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, the unidentified victim was archery hunting for elk with a friend when the two encountered what they described as a grizzly bear at close range in dense foliage.

The bear charged as the victim began to deploy his spray. His companion also sprayed the bear, which fled after a few tense and harrowing seconds.

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The hunters walked out of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest backcountry and the victim was transported via ambulance to a hospital in Rexburg, where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

The incident near Two Top Mountain led to the posting of bear warning signs and prompted this statement from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game:

“Hunters and other forest users are reminded to always be prepared when in bear country by carrying bear spray and knowing how to use it.”

–Grizzly bear image courtesy of IDFG