The Outdoor Pressroom

Annual Ala. coonhound graveyard festival approaching

The annual Key Underwood Coon Dog Cemetery Labor Day celebration will be held Sept. 7 at the historic Colbert County, Ala. rural graveyard. The celebration will feature bluegrass music, buck dancing,liar's contest, food and souvenirs. More than 200 coon-hunting hounds have been interred there since Underwood's Troop in 1937. The Florence Times.

Utah camper attacked by black bear

A 78-year-old man who was part of a Green River rafting party was hospitalized Friday with injuries he received when he was attacked by a black bear in a remote area of eastern Utah. The bear was shot and killed by another camper. In the Deseret News.

Wolf lovers urge Idaho spud boycott

They're anti meat, and now they're anti potato. What's next? The animal rights group Friends of Animals is urging opponents of Idaho's scheduled wolf hunt to boycott the state's famous potatoes. The same group urged tourists to stay away from Alaska to protest its aerial wolf management plan. We're guessing the Idaho boycott will prove equally successful. Via AP.

Bill would strike Kentucky's 'anti-dueling' oath

Kentucky State Rep. Darryl Owens, (D-Louisville), has prefiled a bill that would eliminate the provision in Kentucky’s constitution that requires all lawyers and political office-holders to swear they have never engaged in a duel with deadly weapons. The language has been part of official state swearing-in ceremonies since 1849. The Lexington Herald-Leader.

Deer/bicycle crash fatal to NY man

A 68-year-old Ulster Park, NY man died when he was thrown to the ground after striking a deer while riding his bicycle Thursday. Warren “Bud” Clark was wearing a helmet at the time of the collision, but suffered injuries to his head, authorities said. In the Daily Freeman. 

Yosemite hotel guests overcome by bear spray

Hazmat crews and six different emergency agencies responded to a report of an unidentified odor causing guests at Yosemite National Park's Wawona Hotel to suffer respiratory problems and nausea. A dozen people were treated at the scene. The cause of the noxious odor was later discovered to be someone's bear spray that had been accidentally discharged. NPS Morning Report (Aug. 24).

New wrinkle at Bass Pro: bowling

Bass Pro Shops' new store opening today in Altoona, Iowa features something unique for the mega-outdoors retailer: a 12-lane bowling alley. Uncle Buck's Fish Bowl and Grill, a 15,000-square-foot bowling facility, is a joint effort between Bass Pro and Illinois-based Brunswick Bowling & Billiards. The Springfield Business Journal.

Bear stuck in skate park climbs ladder

When the folks with the Snowmass, Colo. Parks and Recreation Department discovered a bear stuck in the town's new below-ground skateboard park bowl Tuesday morning, they decided to provide the bewildered bruin an avenue to escape--a ladder. Mission accomplished. More at my Slugs & Plugs blog.

Bear trapped in car trashes interior

So much for that new car smell. After a black bear got trapped inside Jeff Leistand's brand new parked Subaru Forester, it proceeded to deploy the vehicle's air bags, relieve itself on the front seat and chew away a portion of the steering wheel before responding police freed it. “My whole interior is totaled,” said the East Vail, Colo. resident. The Vail Daily News.

Big public land pot find in Colorado

Authorities in Colorado discovered and seized 14,500 marijuana plants growing in the Pike National Forest near Deckers after a hiker reported it to police. It is believed to be the largest pot-growing operation in state history and follows the discovery of some 5,100 plants in the Pike Nat'l Forest last month. In the Denver Post.

Montana governor vows to fight for wolf hunt

Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer said the federal government will have a fight on its hands if U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy rules to return Idaho and Montana wolves to the endangered species list--effectively blocking scheduled wolf hunts. "If some old judge says we can't (hunt wolves), we'll take it back to another judge," Schweitzer said. In the Helena I-R.

'World's largest' shooting range dedicated in Vegas

Dignitaries including NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid attended yesterday's dedication of the $60 million Clark County Shooting Park. Located in North Las Vegas, Nev., the facility is considered the largest and most comprehensive shooting complex ever constructed. In the Las Vegas Review-Journal and NSSF.

3 face charges in Yosemite NP poaching case

A trio of S. California men face state and federal charges for allegedly killing at least six trophy bucks inside the boundaries of Yosemite National Park over the past several years. Chief Park Ranger Steve Shackelton called the charges "the most egregious case of illegal hunting we have uncovered here in Yosemite." In the Union-Democrat.

PA Game Commission to hold special crossbow meeting

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners has announced it will hold a special meeting on Sept. 3 for the sole purpose of giving final consideration to a proposal that would restrict the use of crossbows to the early portion of the state's archery-only deer season--or not. 

Montana schedules sale of wolf-hunt tags

Licenses to hunt wolves in Montana beginning on Sept. 15 are scheduled to go on sale on Monday, Aug 31, though the hunt may potentially be blocked by pending court action. The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has set a quota of 75 wolves for the 2009 season. Michael Babcock in The Great Falls Tribune.