Bullets, Gators, Firearm Time Capsules, Fat Bear Week & More  

Headline Outdoor News & Notes From The Past Week 

A lot happened in the past week. From bullets to gators to grants and more, check out the interesting headline roundup below. And, oh yeah, don’t forget about that interesting firearm time capsule a Pennsylvania guy received. 

Fat Bear Week Turns Deadly

In an upset no one saw coming, the bracket for 2024’s Fat Bear Week contest was delayed by a day due to a deadly grizzly-on-grizzly attack at Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve. The murderous bruin in question was Bear No. 469 (a.k.a. “Patches”), a male, who killed Bear No. 402, a female, in the Brooks River and then subsequently dragged her lifeless body ashore to feast upon her remains. Footage of the attack was caught on a live stream for horrified bear watchers to witness.

Hornady Voted Best Workplace in Town 

Located in Grand Island, Nebraska, Hornady was recently dubbed the best place to work in town. It’s received top honors for the fourth consecutive year. 

“A big thank you to our employees and the Grand Island community for voting for us in the Best of Grand Island competition,” said Steve Hornady, President. “We are a family-owned and operated company – 75 years strong! We simply would not be where we are today without our dedicated employees and we greatly appreciate the recognition,” he added. 

Hornady’s Lauryl Akenhead Wins Big at World Championship 

One of Hornady’s own sponsored shooters, Lauryl Akenhead recently won big in competition shooting. She performed very well at the 2024 International Precision Rifle Federation World Championship, which took place at the Cameo Shooting Centre in Grand Junction, Colorado. Akenhead won the Ladies Division. She used 6mm 110-grain A-Tip Match bullets. 

“The 2024 IPRF World Championships really tested the shooters with diverse stages and shifting winds,” said Akenhead. “The A-Tip bullets performed so consistently well, giving me the edge and securing the top spot in my division.” 

Whitetails Unlimited Grants More than $300,000 to Missouri Causes 

Last year, Whitetails Unlimited awarded $334,000 to the ongoing projects in Missouri. “These grants were for various projects within the four pillar programs that comprise the mission of Whitetails Unlimited,” WU said. “There are 28 WTU chapters in Missouri that were instrumental in issuing the grants. One of the most frequent recipients of these grants were numerous county 4-H groups throughout Missouri. 4-H shooting sports programs fall in line with WTU’s Staying On Target program which promotes shooting sports in various disciplines. Other grants awarded included chapter scholarships given to local students pursuing careers in an outdoor-related field.” 

Hook & Barrel Magazine Founder Appears on Blood Origins Podcast 

Blood Origins is a popular podcast for hunters and outdoorsmen. Recently, Hook & Barrel Magazine Founder John Radzwilla appeared as a guest. On the podcast, he and host Robbie Kroger talked about hunting, conservation, and much more. 

“I’ve spent a lot of time on podcasts about American hunting,” said Radzwilla. “Being on Blood Origins allowed me to talk with Robbie about hunting and conservation from a global perspective. What I love about the show is that it highlights that the trophy isn’t necessarily the animal, but the adventure itself.” 

Winchester Offers Waterfowl Ammo Rebate 

Winchester is offering a two-month waterfowl ammo rebate. For a limited time, waterfowl hunters can earn $5 back for each box of Winchester Xpert Waterfowl loads. They can also earn back $7 for each box of Winchester Drylok and Blind Side 2. The maximum rebate is $150 per household. Benefit from this offer from October 1, 2024, to November 30, 2024. 

Wildlife Agency Urges Utah Hunters To Have Deer Tested For CWD 

In Utah, to date, six elk and 262 mule deer have tested positive for CWD. As chronic wasting disease (CWD) continues to spread, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is striving to spur hunters to have harvested deer tested for CWD. Check the full list of checkpoint locations to find locations for testing. 

Popular Deer Processing Plant Burns Down 

On deer season even, a popular deer processor in Illinois burned to the ground. The business owner, and local hunters, mourned the loss of this great facility. It’s served hunters for many years, and it will be a great loss. They’re hoping to rebuild. 

Arkansas Gator Season A Success 

The 18^th annual Arkansas gator hunt was a big success. It was the second-highest harvested on record. The latest harvest produced 181 alligators, which is second to the 2023 harvest of 202. 

“Typically, we see about one-third of public land tags filled, but this year we had a 54% success rate on public land,” said Amanda Bryant, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Herpetologist. “And 96% of the private land quota was filled. 

“Most unfilled alligator tags are because people hold out for a larger alligator than what they’re seeing, but maybe some of the forecasted rain had people more willing to take a little smaller alligator,” Bryant continued. “Then the last weekend turned out pretty nice after all, and we continued to see decent numbers taken throughout the end of the season.” 

A Gun Turned Time Capsule? 

Bob Olson, a 67-year-old Pennsylvania hunter, received his late father’s deer rifle. Originally, it was a late-1950s gift from his mother to his father. Bob’s older brother had the rifle for several decades, but recently, gifted it to Bob. Wanting to deer hunt with it, Bob took it to a gunsmith to do a safety and maintenance check. While the gunsmith worked on the rifle, he found a rolled-up 1943 newspaper and matches in the buttstock. That’s pretty cool.