Conservation

Breaking down the latest news and unpacking the most critical issues surrounding conservation, climate & environment, and public lands & waters, and wildlife management.

Latest in Conservation

grizzly with ear tags in meadow

Conservation

Where Do All the Problem Bears Go? Where Do All the Problem Bears Go?

By Christine Peterson

walleye caught illegally lake cascade idaho

Fishing

Are People Illegally Sneaking Walleye into an Idaho Lake? Are People Illegally Sneaking Walleye into an Idaho Lake?

The bones of a Canada lynx on a stand in a workshop.

Conservation

Behind the Scenes of Skulls Unlimited, a World-Class Taxidermy Shop Behind the Scenes of Skulls Unlimited, a World-Class Taxidermy Shop

Story by Steve Wagner, Photographs by Jeff Wilson

dog wolf depredation CO

Conservation

Officials Determine Wolves Might Not Be to Blame for 40 Cow Deaths in Colorado Officials Determine Wolves Might Not Be to Blame for 40 Cow Deaths in Colorado

dead duck with avian influenza

Conservation

Deadliest Bird Flu Outbreak in U.S. History Is Killing Bears, Mountain Lions, and Marine Mammals Deadliest Bird Flu Outbreak in U.S. History Is Killing Bears, Mountain Lions, and Marine Mammals

A mule deer buck stands beside a whitetail buck on the prairie.

Conservation

Mule Deer vs. Whitetail Deer: How to Tell Them Apart Mule Deer vs. Whitetail Deer: How to Tell Them Apart

A big mule deer buck dusted in snow.

Conservation

The Biggest Threats to Mule Deer The Biggest Threats to Mule Deer

By John B. Snow

poisonous yew kills wildlife

Conservation

Poisonous Yew: This Backyard Ornamental Kills Wildlife—and Everything Else Poisonous Yew: This Backyard Ornamental Kills Wildlife—and Everything Else

Conservation

Minnesota Has the Most Wolves in the Lower 48 but Does Not Allow Wolf Hunting. Here’s Why Minnesota Has the Most Wolves in the Lower 48 but Does Not Allow Wolf Hunting. Here’s Why

By Keegan Sentner

Do elk bugle in accents?

Hunting

Do Elk Bugle with Regional Accents? Do Elk Bugle with Regional Accents?

In the War Against CWD, Deer Breeders in Texas Are Being Cast as Both the Enemy and the Answer

Conservation

In the War Against CWD, Deer Breeders in Texas Are Being Cast as Both the Enemy and the Answer In the War Against CWD, Deer Breeders in Texas Are Being Cast as Both the Enemy and the Answer

ghost dog coyote nevada

Conservation

When Coyotes and Dogs Mix: Wild Coyotes Adopt Stray Dog in Nevada Desert When Coyotes and Dogs Mix: Wild Coyotes Adopt Stray Dog in Nevada Desert

Utah shed antler hunting ban

Conservation

Utah Closes All Shed Hunting Until May. Some Hunters Aren’t Happy About It Utah Closes All Shed Hunting Until May. Some Hunters Aren’t Happy About It

grizzly bear montana

Opinion

Montana Legislators, Don’t Blow Our Best Chance to Delist Grizzly Bears Montana Legislators, Don’t Blow Our Best Chance to Delist Grizzly Bears

By Andrew McKean

mule deer bucks

Hunting

The $725K Mule Deer Tag: Auction Tags Set All-Time Record at Western Hunt Expo The $725K Mule Deer Tag: Auction Tags Set All-Time Record at Western Hunt Expo

By Andrew McKean

Maine moose hunt harvest numbers low

Conservation

Maine Reports Worst Moose Hunt Success Rate in Recent History Maine Reports Worst Moose Hunt Success Rate in Recent History

bristol bay protections EPA decision 1/31/23

Conservation

Alaska’s Bristol Bay Receives Additional Protections from Pebble Mine in EPA Decision Alaska’s Bristol Bay Receives Additional Protections from Pebble Mine in EPA Decision

Hunter eaten by lions fake article

Conservation

Viral Story on Hunter Eaten by Lions Is a Fraud. Here’s Where It Came From Viral Story on Hunter Eaten by Lions Is a Fraud. Here’s Where It Came From

poaching charge michigan

Conservation

Michigan Man Charged with Poaching: “I Am Addicted to Venison” Michigan Man Charged with Poaching: “I Am Addicted to Venison”

wyo braces for wild hog invasion

Conservation

Wyoming and Montana Brace for Wild Hog Invasion from Neighboring States and Canada Wyoming and Montana Brace for Wild Hog Invasion from Neighboring States and Canada

boundary waters receive greater protections under biden 1

Conservation

Biden Administration Bans Mining Near Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Wilderness Biden Administration Bans Mining Near Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Wilderness

colorado parks and wildlife destroys poachers' guns

Conservation

Watch: Colorado Parks and Wildlife Saws Poachers’ Guns in Half Watch: Colorado Parks and Wildlife Saws Poachers’ Guns in Half

tongass national forest

Conservation

A Local Perspective on the Return of the Roadless Rule in Southeast Alaska A Local Perspective on the Return of the Roadless Rule in Southeast Alaska

Mexican wolf captured outside recovery zone

Conservation

Mexican Wolf Captured Outside Recovery Zone to Be Relocated Mexican Wolf Captured Outside Recovery Zone to Be Relocated

Hunter sabotages another hunter's tree stand.

Conservation

Michigan Hunter Gets Jail Time for Sabotaging Another Hunter’s Treestand, Causing 20-Foot Fall Michigan Hunter Gets Jail Time for Sabotaging Another Hunter’s Treestand, Causing 20-Foot Fall

collage of river, moose, fish

Hunting

The Pebble Mine Site Is a Moose Hunter’s Paradise The Pebble Mine Site Is a Moose Hunter’s Paradise

Mule deer emergency feeding Utah

Conservation

As Snow Piles Up in Northern Utah, Hungry Mule Deer Are Getting Extra Food from the State As Snow Piles Up in Northern Utah, Hungry Mule Deer Are Getting Extra Food from the State

Wildlife groups sue feds over grizzly bears

Conservation

Wildlife Advocates Sue Feds for Trapping, Relocating, and Killing Problem Grizzlies Wildlife Advocates Sue Feds for Trapping, Relocating, and Killing Problem Grizzlies

Nez Perce butchering a bison in Montana.

Conservation

Bullet Fragment Grazes Tribal Hunter in “Freak Accident” During Bison Hunt Near Yellowstone Bullet Fragment Grazes Tribal Hunter in “Freak Accident” During Bison Hunt Near Yellowstone

josh and sarah bowmar

Conservation

Celebrity Bowhunting Couple Sentenced for Conspiring to Violate the Lacey Act Celebrity Bowhunting Couple Sentenced for Conspiring to Violate the Lacey Act

Burmese python crossing road Everglades

Conservation

Watch: Everglades Tourist Films 15-Foot Python. Critics Say She Should Have Run It Over Watch: Everglades Tourist Films 15-Foot Python. Critics Say She Should Have Run It Over

Montana New Mexico wildlife habitat trust fund

Conservation

States Consider Using Budget Surpluses to Fund Conservation States Consider Using Budget Surpluses to Fund Conservation

TX airdrops oral rabies vaccines for wildlife

Conservation

Texas Health Department to Airdrop Rabies Vaccines for Wildlife Along the Southern Border Texas Health Department to Airdrop Rabies Vaccines for Wildlife Along the Southern Border

black bear on bait

Opinion

Federal Agencies Continue to Cut Hunting Opportunities in Alaska Federal Agencies Continue to Cut Hunting Opportunities in Alaska

Bowhunters caught hunting with poison pods

Conservation

Poisonous ‘Pods’ Are Still a Problem in Bowhunting Poisonous ‘Pods’ Are Still a Problem in Bowhunting

michigan lone wolf record journey

Conservation

Lone Michigan Wolf Travels a Record-Setting 4,200 Miles Across Great Lakes Region Lone Michigan Wolf Travels a Record-Setting 4,200 Miles Across Great Lakes Region

mule deer mass mortality 2017

Conservation

Looking Back on the Time When 122 Mule Deer Fell to Their Deaths in the Sierra Nevada Looking Back on the Time When 122 Mule Deer Fell to Their Deaths in the Sierra Nevada

Iguana hunters in Puerto Rico.

Hunting

Hunting the Invasive Iguanas of Puerto Rico Hunting the Invasive Iguanas of Puerto Rico

By Andrew McKean

Elk calf poached with arrow Cherokee

Conservation

Elk Calf Poached on Cherokee Tribal Land, $6,000 Reward Offered Elk Calf Poached on Cherokee Tribal Land, $6,000 Reward Offered

13 bison killed by semi-truck near Yellowstone National Park

Conservation

Semi-Truck Kills 13 Yellowstone Bison in Road Collision near National Park Semi-Truck Kills 13 Yellowstone Bison in Road Collision near National Park

butterbean the deer

Conservation

Louisiana Man Shoots Tame Deer “Butterbean” in Front of Wildlife Officer, Neighbors, and Kids Louisiana Man Shoots Tame Deer “Butterbean” in Front of Wildlife Officer, Neighbors, and Kids

Boxing Day trail hunting protest fights

Conservation

Watch: Animal Welfare Activists and ‘Trail Hunt’ Supporters Brawl During U.K. Boxing Day Celebration Watch: Animal Welfare Activists and ‘Trail Hunt’ Supporters Brawl During U.K. Boxing Day Celebration

crazy stories of 2022

Survival

The 15 Craziest Outdoor Stories and Videos of 2022 The 15 Craziest Outdoor Stories and Videos of 2022

By Outdoor Life Staff

Black bear travels 1000 miles relocation Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Conservation

Relocated Black Bear Returns to Original Campsite, Completes 1,000-Mile Journey Across the South Relocated Black Bear Returns to Original Campsite, Completes 1,000-Mile Journey Across the South

Recycling Christmas trees for fish habitat

Conservation

Turn Your Old Christmas Tree into New Habitat for Game Fish Turn Your Old Christmas Tree into New Habitat for Game Fish

Conservation

Funding for Chronic Wasting Disease Research and Other Conservation Efforts Included in $1.7 Trillion Spending Package Funding for Chronic Wasting Disease Research and Other Conservation Efforts Included in $1.7 Trillion Spending Package

P-22 mountain lion dead Los Angeles

Conservation

Californians Are Losing It After the Death of the ‘King’ Puma. That’s Not a Good Thing for Mountain Lion Conservation Californians Are Losing It After the Death of the ‘King’ Puma. That’s Not a Good Thing for Mountain Lion Conservation

video moose shed antlers

Conservation

Doorbell Video Shows a Bull Moose Shedding Its Antlers in Alaska Doorbell Video Shows a Bull Moose Shedding Its Antlers in Alaska

Cold weather iguanas fall from trees

Conservation

Watch Out for Falling Iguanas This Christmas, and Other Cold-Weather Wildlife Hazards Watch Out for Falling Iguanas This Christmas, and Other Cold-Weather Wildlife Hazards

FL key deer suffering when shot

Conservation

Elderly Florida Woman Charged in “Mercy Killing” of an Endangered Key Deer Elderly Florida Woman Charged in “Mercy Killing” of an Endangered Key Deer

FL shark beating video

Conservation

Video: Florida Angler Under Investigation for Beating a Shark with a Hammer Then Releasing It Video: Florida Angler Under Investigation for Beating a Shark with a Hammer Then Releasing It

AK brown bear cub bird flu

Conservation

Brown Bear Cub Becomes the Second Bruin in Alaska to Die from Bird Flu Brown Bear Cub Becomes the Second Bruin in Alaska to Die from Bird Flu

Wolf pack in german

Conservation

After EU President’s Pony Is Killed by a Wolf, Europe Considers Easing Protections for Wolves After EU President’s Pony Is Killed by a Wolf, Europe Considers Easing Protections for Wolves

By Andrew McKean

grizzly bear reintroduction washington state 1

Conservation

Is There an Ulterior Motive Behind the Fed’s Proposal to Reintroduce Grizzlies in Washington State? Is There an Ulterior Motive Behind the Fed’s Proposal to Reintroduce Grizzlies in Washington State?

By Keegan Sentner

Rand Paul puts hold on CWD bill

Conservation

Sen. Rand Paul Is Final Holdout on Chronic Wasting Disease Bill, Sources Confirm Sen. Rand Paul Is Final Holdout on Chronic Wasting Disease Bill, Sources Confirm

Wyoming poaching bust 100 charges three men

Conservation

3 Men, 100 Wildlife Violations, and $300,000 in Fines: One of Wyoming’s Biggest Poaching Busts Explained 3 Men, 100 Wildlife Violations, and $300,000 in Fines: One of Wyoming’s Biggest Poaching Busts Explained

Crazy Mountains land swap proposal Forest Service

Conservation

Public-Land Hunters Object to Land Swap in Montana’s Crazy Mountains Public-Land Hunters Object to Land Swap in Montana’s Crazy Mountains

michigan man shoots hawks to spite utility company

Conservation

65-Year-Old Michigan Man Says He Poached Three Hawks to Spite His Utility Company 65-Year-Old Michigan Man Says He Poached Three Hawks to Spite His Utility Company

Magnet fishers find guns legal to keep them

Conservation

As Magnet Fishing Booms, More Guns Are Being Pulled from America’s Waters. Can Magnet Fishers Legally Keep Them? As Magnet Fishing Booms, More Guns Are Being Pulled from America’s Waters. Can Magnet Fishers Legally Keep Them?

Swans fly over a body of water in Utah.

Conservation

The Utah Swan Season Closed Early Because Some Hunters Are Targeting a Protected Species The Utah Swan Season Closed Early Because Some Hunters Are Targeting a Protected Species

By Ashley Thess

Alaska mountain goat poacher

Conservation

Watch: This Mountain Goat Poacher Was Caught on Camera by a Ketchikan Hunting Guide. Now He’s Going to Jail Watch: This Mountain Goat Poacher Was Caught on Camera by a Ketchikan Hunting Guide. Now He’s Going to Jail

locals riled rare piebald buck poached in PA

Conservation

Pennsylvania Poacher Riles Local Community by Taking Rare Piebald Buck Out of Season Pennsylvania Poacher Riles Local Community by Taking Rare Piebald Buck Out of Season

NJ black bear hunt moves forward after delays

Conservation

New Jersey Black Bear Hunt Moves Forward After Court Delays New Jersey Black Bear Hunt Moves Forward After Court Delays

Michigan deer starved to death

Conservation

Michigan Couple ‘Abandoned’ Deer Farm During Divorce, Starved 41 Deer to Death Michigan Couple ‘Abandoned’ Deer Farm During Divorce, Starved 41 Deer to Death