The Outdoor Pressroom

Pole-climbing bobcat electrocuted, ignites wildfire

Firefighters responding to a brush fire near Piru, Calif. Monday afternoon discovered the charred remains of a bobcat that had apparently scaled a power pole, gotten zapped by the electric line and fallen to the ground, igniting the dry grass. "It's very common to happen with birds; this is the first bobcat I've heard of," said Ventura County Fire Capt. Ron Oatman. Ventura County Star.

Ray Scott offers new BASS owners free Alabama property

The Birmingham News' Stan Diel, in his Insider blog today, reports that BASS founder and entrepreneur Ray Scott has offered the soon-to-be owners of BASS LLC 75 acres of free property—including a 20-acre lake—in Pintlala, Alabama, if they move the organization's headquarters back to Alabama from its present location in Orlando, Fl. In early August, ESPN Inc., announced an agreement sell BASS, LLC to a group of investors led by Don Logan, Jerry McKinnis and Jim Copeland.  

Canuck logger uses rock to stop charging bear

A logger assessing timber near Castlegar, BC used his baseball pitching experience to subdue a charging, aggressive black bear with a perfectly thrown rock to the head. "...He's ten feet away. I reached back and just threw the rock and struck it right between the eyes," recalled Jesse Mengler. "It was like I shot it. Knocked it right out." CBC News.

Cub rescued from downtown Missoula tree

In dramatic fashion, a young black bear cub that climbed 30 feet up into a downtown Missoula, Mont, tree Wednesday was rescued after a Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks specialist shot the animal with a tranquilizer dart and a crew below caught the little bruin as it tumbled through the air into their waiting net. The bear was revived and relocated outside the city. Great photo at The Missoulian.

Black bear breaks into van, gets stuck inside

After a black bear with a history of breaking into vehicles got stuck inside a van near Gardiner, Mont. Saturday, a Park County sheriff's deputy and a Fish, Wildlife and Parks game warden tied a rope to the door handle, took cover and pulled the door open. The bruin escaped unharmed, though the van received substantial damage to its interior. The Livingston Enterprise. 

Yellowstone NP has busiest summer ever

More than 2.5 million visitors came to Yellowstone National Park over the June, July and August summer season, marking an increase of more than 200,000 from the summer of 2009, a season which also set a new record for visitors. Via AP.

Wyoming sets record for grizzly captures

Wyoming Game and Fish Department bear biologists say they’ve captured a record number of grizzly bears due to conflicts in 2010—totaling 38 as of Aug. 27—many due to livestock depredations. All captures occurred in Wyoming but outside Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks. Jackson Hole News & Guide.

White House names 'Asian carp czar'

The White House announced today it has named former Indiana Department of Natural Resources chief John Goss as "Asian carp czar" to oversee the federal response to the invasive Asian bighead carp crisis in the Great Lakes. "When it comes to the Asian carp threat, we are not in denial. We are not in a go-slow mode. We are in a full attack, full-speed ahead mode," Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) said during a press conference. Chicago Tribune.

Stolen 1911 pistol recovered after 23 years

A .45 cal. Colt 1911 stolen during a 1987 Butler County, Ohio burglary was recently recovered 2,300 miles away in a Washington State pawn shop and will soon be reunited with its appreciative owner. The tale of the well-traveled gun illustrates how good, old-fashioned police work combines with modern computer technology for impressive results, says Oxford Township Police Chief Michael Goins. Cincinnati Enquirer.

Mass. woman, rescuers hammered by yellow jackets

Ever had an especially bad experience with yellow jacket wasps? A 53-year-old Attleboro, Mass. woman is recovering in a hospital intensive care unit after falling onto a nest and receiving more than 500 stings Sunday. Rescue crews fought the wasps inside the ambulance, and once the unidentified woman was taken to Sturdy Memorial Hospital, emergency room staff were stung. Three firefighters were treated. Scary stuff. The Sun Chronicle.

Facebook deer-skinning photo leads to charges

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has charged two Citrus County residents with wildlife violations after tips led authorities to a Facebook page showing them in the process of skinning a whitetail deer in May. William Andrew Buchanan and Tara Anne Carver were cited for possession of wildlife taken illegally. Florida FWC.

Rye Brook, NY: 2 coyote attacks in 1 hour, toddler hurt

A teenager and a 2-year-old were attacked by a lone coyote in separate incidents in the New York City suburb of Rye Brook yesterday evening. Medical attention was sought for the toddler, but the teen was unhurt. In June, the town of Rye—about 3 miles from Rye Brook— experienced two coyote attacks in four days. AP.

Taxidermy company faces fine for ESA violation

Sentencing will be held November 22 in the case of Michigan-based taxidermy services provider Wildlife Company after it was found handling animals listed on the federal endangered species list. Court filings indicate probation and at least a $10,000 fine are likely. Via AP.

Beserkley: Memorial placed for shot Cali cougar

In Berkley, California, where police shot and killed a 100-pound mountain lion found roaming a residential and business district early Tuesday morning, a makeshift memorial has been placed near where the predator died. One sign reads: "Let's honor life by not killing wild animals..." We don't make this stuff up. Berkleyside.com and KTVU.

4 reasons why the EPA should not ban lead tackle

As the Environmental Protection Agency investigates the possibility of banning all lead fishing tackle under the Toxic Substances Control Act with the aim of reducing bird deaths caused by the ingestion of lead sinkers and jig heads, the public comment period ends Sept. 15. Writer Lee Stokes of te Island Packet offers his four reasons for opposing an EPA ban.

Spraying deer pee in bar nets arrest

A man who entered a busy Jacksonville, Fl. nightclub Friday night and spayed foul-smelling deer urine, sending patrons running for the exits was arrested for disorderly intoxication and public disturbance. Joshua Brunke, 26 told police he was given the bottles from a friend named "Ricky", who offered him $20 to spray the substance inside the club. First Coast News.

Calif. game wardens bag pot, growers

Two illegal aliens were arrested after attempting to load 127 pounds of processed marijuana into a truck they thought belonged to their supplier but was actually inhabited by two California Department of Fish and Game wardens spotlighting for deer poachers in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest Monday. “Things unfolded so quickly that they immediately commanded them to keep their hands within view,” said DFG spokesman Pat Foy. The Redding Searchlight.

Mass. town uses trail cameras to catch dumpers

The town of Savoy, Mass. aims to utilize the remote trail cameras usually employed by hunters to locate big whitetail bucks to nab something equally elusive--clandestine trash dumpers who leave their junk and discarded appliances in roadside gulches and ditches. The cameras were supplied by the state Department of Public Health, which has used the trailcam tactic to identify illegal dumpers elsewhere. The Berkshire Eagle.

Guv hopeful says 'outside auditor' should count WI deer

Milwaukee County Executive and Republican candidate for governor Scott Walker on Thursday called for an independent auditor to monitor Wisconsin's whitetail population, saying many hunters have lost faith in how the Department of Natural Resources manages the herd. Walker, who said he has been hunting for three or four years and has not killed a deer, also pledged to "put more deer in the forest." Journal-Sentinel All Politics Blog.

Lake Tahoe boater fined $5k for evading inspection

A Lake Tahoe boater was slapped with a $5,000 penalty for allegedly evading watercraft inspectors who had ordered that the vessel be decontaminated after it was brought from out-of-state waters, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency officials said. "We have a zero-tolerance policy for the threat of aquatic invasive species at Lake Tahoe," said Ted Thayer, TRPA's invasive species program manager. Reno Gazette-Journal. Hat tip to Trout Underground.

Colorado toddler trampled by charging moose

A 2-year-old playing on the shore of Shadow Mountain Reservoir in Grand County, Colo. received minor injuries when a female moose charged out of the forest and trampled the youngster. "We think it was just a freak incident," said Capt. Nowell Curran of Grand County Emergency Services. "We don't think the moose attacked the child." Denver Post.

Florida's Gulf coast snook fishing to remain closed

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted 7-0 Thursday to extend the ban on Gulf coast snook fishing until next Sept. 1 in an effort to allow the species to rebound from last winter's cold snap that killed thousands of the fish. On the Atlantic coast, commissioners voted to end the emergency closure this Sept. 17 and allow snook to be caught through Dec. 15. Via AP.

Goats on the lam: Lost critters rescued from 60-foot bridge

A pair of wayward goats stranded for two days on a 6-inch angled ledge atop a 60-foot high railroad bridge near Roundup, Montana were safely rescued Wednesday after being spotted by Sheriff's deputies. "We have absolutely no idea how or why these little critters would go out on this bridge," said Sandy Church of the Rimrock Humane Society. "The only thing we can figure is it happened at night and they were unsure of their surroundings." The photo series and story at the Billings Gazette.