1 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:14,160 Speaker 1: From Meat Eaters World News headquarters in Bozeman, Montana. This 2 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:19,480 Speaker 1: is Col's Week in Review with Ryan cow Calaian Here's Cal. 3 00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:24,400 Speaker 1: Residents of a small mountain community in British Columbia have 4 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:27,400 Speaker 1: been scratching their heads about a local deer wearing a 5 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:31,600 Speaker 1: high viz vest. The safety First servid has been videoed 6 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:34,360 Speaker 1: and photographed in and around the town of McBride, but 7 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:37,199 Speaker 1: even though only about one thousand people live in the area, 8 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:39,320 Speaker 1: no one seems to know how a deer ended up 9 00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:42,680 Speaker 1: wearing a zip up day glow vest. A local BC 10 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:46,519 Speaker 1: conservation officer has declined to speculate on how the jacket 11 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:49,520 Speaker 1: ended up on the animal, but in the understated humor 12 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 1: so typical of our Canadian neighbors, said quote, deer are 13 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:57,880 Speaker 1: not predisposed to wearing clothes. That might be true, but 14 00:00:57,920 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 1: it wouldn't be the first time a do good or 15 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:02,080 Speaker 1: I had to keep a deer safe by dressing it 16 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 1: like a construction worker. Back in twenty twenty, a deer 17 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 1: was spotted in Indiana wearing what appeared to be a 18 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 1: hunter's safety vest. It turned out that someone had illegally 19 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:15,000 Speaker 1: adopted the fawn as a pet and put the vest 20 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:17,360 Speaker 1: on it to keep it safe from hunters. I would 21 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:20,520 Speaker 1: imagine that something like that is what's happening here. The 22 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 1: deer is yet to be seen again, which makes me 23 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:25,600 Speaker 1: wonder if it found its way back home. And yes, 24 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:27,720 Speaker 1: if you can't tell from the tone of my voice, 25 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:31,679 Speaker 1: home is in quotes. Whoever did that to the deer 26 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:35,880 Speaker 1: is likely staying mum because it's illegal to own wildlife 27 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 1: without the proper permits. It's also illegal in BC to worry, exhaust, fatigue, anoi, plague, pester, tease, 28 00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 1: or torment animals, which seems likely to have happened at 29 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 1: some point between vest less deer and Bob the builder deer. 30 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 1: In any case, the vest will probably cause more problems 31 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 1: than it solves. While it might stay the trigger finger 32 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:09,200 Speaker 1: of a hunter, it's more likely to get snagged on 33 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:12,359 Speaker 1: something and get the deer stuck. Hopefully it falls off 34 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 1: on its own, but if conservation officers can catch up 35 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:17,800 Speaker 1: with it, they say they'll tranquilize the deer and to 36 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:22,080 Speaker 1: end its air traffic control dreams for good. This week 37 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 1: we've got killer whales the mail bag, talking turkey in 38 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:27,280 Speaker 1: the crime desk. But first I'm going to tell you 39 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 1: about my week, and my week was packed. Did a 40 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:33,800 Speaker 1: hot lap back to our nation's capital to meet with 41 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:37,440 Speaker 1: a bunch of conservation minded companies and the leaders through TRCP. 42 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:40,440 Speaker 1: We talked to politics and public lands. Talked a lot 43 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:44,280 Speaker 1: about Utah's current attempt to hornswaggle our public access and 44 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:48,320 Speaker 1: public acres away for short sighted, short term profit. Saw 45 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:52,200 Speaker 1: the Ute Tribe joined the Supreme Court in an amicus brief, 46 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:55,520 Speaker 1: which is like a friend of the Court, basically sighting 47 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:59,360 Speaker 1: with US Supreme Court saying U, Utah folks shouldn't be 48 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 1: trying to diose of our collective public lands. We talked 49 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:06,800 Speaker 1: about the good Sam Act, which enables abandoned mind site 50 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:09,640 Speaker 1: clean up by cutting some red tape and making sure 51 00:03:09,680 --> 00:03:12,360 Speaker 1: that the cleanup organizations aren't on the hook for the 52 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:15,840 Speaker 1: liability of the MIND site, which was obviously not a 53 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:19,320 Speaker 1: big deal for the previous MIND owner to abandon. They're 54 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:22,680 Speaker 1: somewhere between half a million and like seven hundred thousand 55 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:25,679 Speaker 1: abandoned mines in the US. They're a huge factor in 56 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:29,360 Speaker 1: clean water. Great news here the good Sam Bill passed 57 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:32,120 Speaker 1: the Senate and the House, which means we just need 58 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:36,200 Speaker 1: the President to sign this one bipartisan support makes things happen. 59 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:39,360 Speaker 1: Great job to everyone who worked on this one. Senator 60 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 1: Heinrich got a new Mexico sponsored it. Good time to 61 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:46,960 Speaker 1: call and say hey, thank you, Senator Heinrich. We also 62 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:50,800 Speaker 1: talked about Bruce Westerman's Fix Our Forest Act. If you recall, 63 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 1: Westerman was a guest on this podcast. This is a 64 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:56,920 Speaker 1: great bill that is currently stalled. So if you want 65 00:03:56,960 --> 00:04:00,280 Speaker 1: to make an impact, call your senators today and tell 66 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 1: them to get the Fix Our Forest Act moving. In short, 67 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 1: this one is more funding for state, federal, and tribal 68 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 1: forest management. We're talking cutting and burning to mitigate catastrophic 69 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:16,919 Speaker 1: forest fires. Healthy forest means bigger bucks and bulls, plentiful birds, 70 00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 1: plus your house is less likely to burn down. We 71 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:23,680 Speaker 1: talked about the Farm Bill funding cwds, so much more. 72 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:27,680 Speaker 1: Lots happening, folks. New administration is coming in hot. Let's 73 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:30,280 Speaker 1: be on our toes and ready to help guide them 74 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:34,760 Speaker 1: for the best results hunters, anglers, conservationists can wish for. 75 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:38,680 Speaker 1: If we don't, someone else will. I'm Mike Lee, and 76 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:43,159 Speaker 1: I approve this message. Moving on to the killer whale 77 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:47,599 Speaker 1: disc a pot of orcas in the Gulf of California, 78 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 1: have developed what researchers say is a unique technique for 79 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:54,520 Speaker 1: killing whale sharks and eating their livers. The new paper, 80 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:58,160 Speaker 1: published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science, documents for 81 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:01,520 Speaker 1: separate incidents in which the same pod of orcas attack 82 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:04,600 Speaker 1: and eat young whale sharks, which is the world's largest 83 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:08,520 Speaker 1: fish species. In each incident, the giant mammals ram the 84 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:11,720 Speaker 1: shark in a coordinated attack until it flips on its back. 85 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:15,719 Speaker 1: From that position, it enters a state of tonic immobility 86 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:18,919 Speaker 1: and can no longer move or escape to deeper waters. 87 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:21,080 Speaker 1: The orca has worked together to keep the shark on 88 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:23,839 Speaker 1: its back, which allows them to bite through the pelvic 89 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 1: area and access the liver and other lipid rich organs. 90 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:31,360 Speaker 1: While orcas have been documented attacking whale sharks in the past, 91 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:34,680 Speaker 1: most notably in a viral video from last year, this 92 00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:37,960 Speaker 1: is the first time researchers have published images and videos 93 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:40,760 Speaker 1: of a group of killer whales working together to kill 94 00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:44,280 Speaker 1: this species of shark. The unusual nature of this phenomenon, 95 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:48,440 Speaker 1: researchers say, suggests that this particular pod may have specialized 96 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:51,760 Speaker 1: in this kind of attack, like navy seals going after 97 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:55,440 Speaker 1: terrorists or Liam Neeson chasing down his daughter's kidnappers. The 98 00:05:55,440 --> 00:06:00,440 Speaker 1: group of killer whales has developed a special skill skill 99 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:05,640 Speaker 1: to feed themselves with the ocean's largest fish. Biologists believe 100 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:09,400 Speaker 1: this is in part because a male dubbed Maktuzuma was 101 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:13,160 Speaker 1: present at three of the four attacks. A female orca 102 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:18,839 Speaker 1: previously observed in the presence of Maktozuma also participated in 103 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:23,599 Speaker 1: one hunt, suggesting they could be dating. Researchers obviously have 104 00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:26,120 Speaker 1: no way of knowing whether this is the only pod 105 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:29,120 Speaker 1: that engages in this kind of predation, but it's exciting 106 00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:31,039 Speaker 1: to be able to document it for the first time. 107 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:33,440 Speaker 1: Kind of makes you think of how you impressed your 108 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:38,560 Speaker 1: first girlfriend. Moving forward, the studies authors say more work 109 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:41,320 Speaker 1: needs to be done to determine exactly why these orcas 110 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:43,960 Speaker 1: started eating whale sharks. It could be that it's not 111 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:47,599 Speaker 1: a new phenomenon, it just hasn't been documented before. It 112 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:50,359 Speaker 1: could also be that some of their other prey species 113 00:06:50,400 --> 00:06:52,599 Speaker 1: are declining and so they were forced to look for 114 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:56,200 Speaker 1: a different calorie source or and stick with me on 115 00:06:56,279 --> 00:06:59,120 Speaker 1: this one. They tuned into Shark Week and learned that 116 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:01,760 Speaker 1: their cousins and so South Africa eat the livers of 117 00:07:01,839 --> 00:07:05,600 Speaker 1: great white sharks. Whale sharks also have livers, but they 118 00:07:05,640 --> 00:07:09,040 Speaker 1: don't have hundreds of razor sharp teeth. Makes way more 119 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:12,000 Speaker 1: sense that they're targeting the whale shark. Just a thought. 120 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:17,680 Speaker 1: Moving on to the turkey desk. Back in episode three 121 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:20,880 Speaker 1: twenty three, I read an email from a Missouri hunter 122 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:24,080 Speaker 1: named Whalen who was wondering why his state allows a 123 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:27,480 Speaker 1: fall hen harvest every year. He didn't think the fall 124 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:31,480 Speaker 1: hen harvest was wise given the declining turkey population, and 125 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:35,920 Speaker 1: he didn't buy the Wildlife agency's justification. Well. Nick Oakley 126 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:39,480 Speaker 1: from the Missouri Department of Conservation heard that mail bag 127 00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 1: segment and was kind enough to take some time to 128 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 1: elaborate on the agency's position. Nick is a wild turkey 129 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:48,560 Speaker 1: and roughed grouse biologist with the MDC, so he's one 130 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:52,160 Speaker 1: of the most qualified people to answer these questions. Nick 131 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:55,360 Speaker 1: sent a bunch of info, But here's the bottom line. 132 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:58,360 Speaker 1: When it comes to the turkey population in Missouri. The 133 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:02,800 Speaker 1: problem is with POLP mooretality, not hen mortality. What does 134 00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:06,000 Speaker 1: that mean? Basically, the number of hens harvested during the 135 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:09,880 Speaker 1: fall season is not enough to impact the overall population. 136 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:13,720 Speaker 1: In fact, hen survival in the state hasn't varied much 137 00:08:13,840 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 1: since the nineteen eighties. The same number of hens survived 138 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 1: from one year to the next, but unfortunately we can't 139 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:23,160 Speaker 1: say the same for turkey chicks also known as polts. 140 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:28,680 Speaker 1: Habitat loss, agricultural practices, and even recreational mowing have made 141 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:32,320 Speaker 1: it more difficult for hens to raise successful broods. According 142 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:35,000 Speaker 1: to Nick, that is the main driver of the turkey 143 00:08:35,040 --> 00:08:39,080 Speaker 1: population in decline in Missouri. Let's put some numbers on that. 144 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:43,080 Speaker 1: About twenty three thousand residents have purchased fall turkey hunting 145 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 1: permits this year. By contrast, about one hundred and twenty 146 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:50,400 Speaker 1: thousand hunters chase turkeys in the spring. Only about one 147 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:53,640 Speaker 1: percent of the total hen population is harvested every year, 148 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:57,000 Speaker 1: which is down from about four percent in nineteen eighty. 149 00:08:57,280 --> 00:09:00,320 Speaker 1: That comes out to twenty five hundred hens harvested during 150 00:09:00,360 --> 00:09:04,480 Speaker 1: the fall season, which is only one hen per seventeen 151 00:09:05,040 --> 00:09:08,880 Speaker 1: eight hundred and forty five acres or twenty eight square miles. 152 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:12,560 Speaker 1: Assuming what we know about poult size and survival rates, 153 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:16,200 Speaker 1: those twenty five hundred hens would have added about eight 154 00:09:16,280 --> 00:09:19,719 Speaker 1: hundred polts to the state's population. That's not a lot 155 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:23,120 Speaker 1: of turkeys, especially when compared to the state's overall turkey 156 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:27,000 Speaker 1: population of three hundred and fifty thousand birds. Here's how 157 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:30,680 Speaker 1: Nick explains how he decides whether to recommend a reduction 158 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:35,000 Speaker 1: or cancelation of the fall season quote. The calculation I 159 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:38,960 Speaker 1: make is whether keeping one hen per twenty eight square 160 00:09:38,960 --> 00:09:43,320 Speaker 1: miles from being harvested is worth eliminating that opportunity for 161 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:46,560 Speaker 1: turkey hunters in Missouri. It is not my view at 162 00:09:46,559 --> 00:09:49,320 Speaker 1: this time that such a move would be warranted. We 163 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:52,960 Speaker 1: simply do not harvest enough hens to impact the population 164 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:58,240 Speaker 1: at any scale that can be effectively regulated. Now I 165 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:01,280 Speaker 1: can understand why Missouri Turkey hundred might still be concerned. 166 00:10:01,559 --> 00:10:04,320 Speaker 1: There were about six hundred thousand turkeys in the state 167 00:10:04,360 --> 00:10:06,800 Speaker 1: in two thousand and three, and today that number has 168 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:10,040 Speaker 1: been reduced by almost half. That doesn't sound good, but 169 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:13,720 Speaker 1: biologists like Nick believe the turkey population is settling into 170 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:17,680 Speaker 1: long term stable state. During that transition, he says, the 171 00:10:17,679 --> 00:10:21,600 Speaker 1: fluctuation around the carrying capacity is to be expected, and 172 00:10:21,679 --> 00:10:24,959 Speaker 1: there will be periods where we see population decline. If 173 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:27,280 Speaker 1: that's the case, the numbers we saw in the early 174 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:30,800 Speaker 1: two thousands were more of an anomaly than anything else. 175 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:34,720 Speaker 1: Nick points out that Missouri turkey hunters harvested over forty 176 00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:38,679 Speaker 1: seven thousand birds last spring, which is actually an increase 177 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:41,439 Speaker 1: from the prior year. This doesn't mean we can stop 178 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:44,840 Speaker 1: worrying about turkeys. Missouri isn't the only state that's seen 179 00:10:44,920 --> 00:10:48,280 Speaker 1: a big reduction in turkey numbers, and state regulators did 180 00:10:48,320 --> 00:10:51,320 Speaker 1: reduce the overall bag limit from four to two for 181 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:54,679 Speaker 1: this year's fall season. If Nick is correct, that change 182 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:57,880 Speaker 1: won't have a giant impact, and so hunters in biologists 183 00:10:57,880 --> 00:11:01,520 Speaker 1: alike must continue to stay vigil and be willing to 184 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 1: do their part to slow and reverse the population decline. Gang, 185 00:11:06,679 --> 00:11:10,719 Speaker 1: it's still less hands, hands make more birds, I get it. 186 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:14,840 Speaker 1: This is part of wildlife management. You got to have 187 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:17,680 Speaker 1: people interested in the birds to give a crowd about them, 188 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:21,160 Speaker 1: and that's another reason for that fall season right. We 189 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:25,600 Speaker 1: will be at NWTF the National Wild Turkey Federation banquet 190 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:29,559 Speaker 1: this year. Expo the big one there in Tennessee. Supporting 191 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:35,880 Speaker 1: groups like NWTF habitat organizations really really do help move 192 00:11:35,920 --> 00:11:42,800 Speaker 1: the needle. Moving on to the crime desk, a repeat 193 00:11:42,800 --> 00:11:45,920 Speaker 1: poacher in Michigan is once again in hot water after 194 00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:48,960 Speaker 1: apparently getting drunk and shooting at least three deer on 195 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:52,760 Speaker 1: private property. Fifty nine year old Cecil Edward Day was 196 00:11:52,840 --> 00:11:55,719 Speaker 1: arrested at his home in the town of Johannesburg and 197 00:11:55,880 --> 00:11:58,720 Speaker 1: charged with felon in possession of firearm, a felon in 198 00:11:58,720 --> 00:12:01,720 Speaker 1: possession of ammunition, possession of a firearm with a blood 199 00:12:01,760 --> 00:12:06,079 Speaker 1: alcohol content of over point oh eight, and no hunter's orange. 200 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:11,439 Speaker 1: After conducting a further investigation, conservation officers are requesting additional 201 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:15,400 Speaker 1: poaching charges. This isn't old Cecil's first rodeo. He was 202 00:12:15,440 --> 00:12:19,440 Speaker 1: previously convicted of taking deer from a motor vehicle, trustpassing 203 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:23,000 Speaker 1: no hunter's orange, and possession of an untagged deer. He's 204 00:12:23,040 --> 00:12:26,000 Speaker 1: also spent a considerable amount of time in the Slammer 205 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:28,760 Speaker 1: doing stints from two thousand and six to twenty ten, 206 00:12:29,040 --> 00:12:32,880 Speaker 1: twenty ten to twenty seventeen, and twenty twenty one to 207 00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:36,120 Speaker 1: twenty twenty three. The official charge on all of that 208 00:12:36,240 --> 00:12:39,600 Speaker 1: prison time was drunk driving, but those plea deals almost 209 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:43,480 Speaker 1: certainly dropped many other charges in exchange for avoiding a trial. 210 00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:48,920 Speaker 1: Speaking deer poaching, a Massachusetts man was cited last month 211 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:52,080 Speaker 1: for dropping an eighteen point trophy buck with crossbow, but 212 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:55,800 Speaker 1: unlike mister Day, He didn't do it while truspassing, drunk, 213 00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:59,000 Speaker 1: or without the proper license. The only regulation he broke 214 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:03,320 Speaker 1: is that he discharged his crossbow within five hundred feet 215 00:13:03,360 --> 00:13:07,120 Speaker 1: of a house, which is against the state's regulations. Massachusetts 216 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:10,040 Speaker 1: law prohibits hunting of any kind within five hundred feet 217 00:13:10,120 --> 00:13:13,840 Speaker 1: of any dwelling in use, except as authorized by the 218 00:13:13,880 --> 00:13:17,559 Speaker 1: owner or occupant. This fellow was apparently within five hundred 219 00:13:17,559 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 1: feet of five dwellings, since that's how many citations he 220 00:13:21,080 --> 00:13:24,800 Speaker 1: received for his grave sim He was forced to surrender 221 00:13:24,840 --> 00:13:27,440 Speaker 1: what must have been a sweet set of antlers, and 222 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:30,160 Speaker 1: even had to donate as venison to Fish and Game club. 223 00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:33,920 Speaker 1: The Massachusetts Environmental Police didn't say whether he fired the 224 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:36,520 Speaker 1: crossbow at any of the homes, or if his shot 225 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:40,080 Speaker 1: had any chance of hurting anyone. Massachusetts isn't the only 226 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:43,240 Speaker 1: state that requires hunters to be beyond a certain distance 227 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:46,840 Speaker 1: from homes, but most of those laws pertained to firearms, 228 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:50,960 Speaker 1: not bows. Here in my neck of the woods, three 229 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:53,440 Speaker 1: people have been charged with a variety of felonies and 230 00:13:53,480 --> 00:13:56,400 Speaker 1: misdemeanors for poaching three elk in three deer. In twenty 231 00:13:56,440 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 1: twenty three, a concerned citizen sent a tip to Montana 232 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:03,439 Speaker 1: Fish Wildlife in Parks, and a year long investigation revealed 233 00:14:03,440 --> 00:14:06,360 Speaker 1: that the animals had been illegally killed on public and 234 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:10,599 Speaker 1: private land in Broadwater County. Very little additional information is 235 00:14:10,640 --> 00:14:13,080 Speaker 1: available as of this recording, but will stay on this 236 00:14:13,120 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 1: story and let you know what we find right now. 237 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:18,360 Speaker 1: The bottom line is that game wardens rely heavily on 238 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:21,120 Speaker 1: tips from the public, so if you find evidence of 239 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:25,239 Speaker 1: this kind of gross violation, give your friendly neighborhood conservation 240 00:14:25,280 --> 00:14:30,600 Speaker 1: officer recall. In what officials have called New Hampshire's biggest 241 00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:34,520 Speaker 1: poaching case in recent memory, five individuals have been convicted 242 00:14:34,520 --> 00:14:38,360 Speaker 1: and charged with a multitude of wildlife violations. Game wardens 243 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:41,680 Speaker 1: received tip about poaching activities in the town of Gilminton, 244 00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:44,680 Speaker 1: and they executed a search warrant on the cell camera 245 00:14:44,760 --> 00:14:47,720 Speaker 1: and cell phone of a man named Thomas Kelly. That 246 00:14:47,880 --> 00:14:52,800 Speaker 1: evidence led to two other suspects, Sherwood Dubrie and Randy Inman. 247 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:56,160 Speaker 1: Inman and Kelly were also in possession of twenty two 248 00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:59,720 Speaker 1: caliber rifles top with night vision scopes that could record video. 249 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:03,200 Speaker 1: As you can imagine, that video footage provided a treasure 250 00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:06,000 Speaker 1: trove of evidence proving that the three men had been 251 00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 1: joined by two other men for dozens of illegal night hunts. 252 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:12,040 Speaker 1: The men were a hit with a total of thirty 253 00:15:12,160 --> 00:15:16,480 Speaker 1: night hunting violations, along with illegal baiting of wildlife, illegal 254 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:19,320 Speaker 1: take of a black bear, illegal possession of a deer, 255 00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:23,080 Speaker 1: as well as other violations. Their penalties ran the gamut, 256 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:25,440 Speaker 1: but Inman got the worst of it. He was fined 257 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:28,200 Speaker 1: about fifty five hundred dollars and had his hunting and 258 00:15:28,240 --> 00:15:31,840 Speaker 1: trapping privileges suspended for ten years. He was also fined 259 00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:35,160 Speaker 1: an additional nine thousand dollars and sentenced to twelve months 260 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:39,160 Speaker 1: in prison, but those sentences were suspended pending good behavior 261 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 1: for five years and two years, respectively. Moving on to 262 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:49,480 Speaker 1: the free land Desk, the US government is suing a 263 00:15:49,560 --> 00:15:52,160 Speaker 1: Colorado group that built a fence in the San Juan 264 00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:56,400 Speaker 1: National Forest and claimed ownership of about fourteen hundred acres 265 00:15:56,480 --> 00:16:00,320 Speaker 1: of public land. The aptly named free land Holders began 266 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:03,240 Speaker 1: construction on the fence over the summer, and authorities with 267 00:16:03,280 --> 00:16:06,480 Speaker 1: the Forest Service were notified on October fifth. The free 268 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:09,360 Speaker 1: land Holders are an offshoot of the fundamentalist Church of 269 00:16:09,440 --> 00:16:11,760 Speaker 1: Jesus Christ the Latter day Saints, as far as I 270 00:16:11,800 --> 00:16:13,960 Speaker 1: can tell, they're one of these groups that claims to 271 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:17,120 Speaker 1: be able to assert some kind of sovereignty even while 272 00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:19,880 Speaker 1: living within the United States. The group's leader, a fellow 273 00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:24,240 Speaker 1: named Patrick Pipkin, calls himself an ambassador and has requested 274 00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:27,360 Speaker 1: to meet with a diplomat representing the United States. He 275 00:16:27,400 --> 00:16:30,760 Speaker 1: asserts ownership of one thy four hundred and sixty acres 276 00:16:30,880 --> 00:16:34,360 Speaker 1: of National forest lands within the constructed fence line. He 277 00:16:34,440 --> 00:16:37,720 Speaker 1: clans the land belonged to them under many documents, including 278 00:16:37,760 --> 00:16:40,880 Speaker 1: the Homestead Act of eighteen sixty two in the Treaty 279 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:44,680 Speaker 1: of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which is convenient because the property in 280 00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:47,440 Speaker 1: question is adjacent to the Blue Mountain Ranch, which you 281 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:51,800 Speaker 1: guessed it is owned by Pipkin. Some landowners try to 282 00:16:51,800 --> 00:16:55,080 Speaker 1: expand their property by prohibiting access in the checkerboard pattern 283 00:16:55,360 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 1: like we've seen in the Corner Crossing case. Others start 284 00:16:57,840 --> 00:17:01,120 Speaker 1: their own cult and then just put up a fence anyway. 285 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:04,640 Speaker 1: To his credit, Pipkin hasn't restricted access to the public 286 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:08,480 Speaker 1: and there haven't been any violent conflicts all he's done 287 00:17:08,520 --> 00:17:10,640 Speaker 1: as far as I can tell. His post claims at 288 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:13,480 Speaker 1: the noticeboard at the local post office. These claims, call 289 00:17:13,640 --> 00:17:16,800 Speaker 1: on quote all those with an equal, previous, or superior 290 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:20,160 Speaker 1: claim to the property to reply or be it this 291 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:24,280 Speaker 1: claim has been resolved forever now to his credit or not. 292 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:28,280 Speaker 1: Putting up a fence on public land is a hindrance 293 00:17:28,320 --> 00:17:31,280 Speaker 1: to you and I, who share equal right to that access, 294 00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:34,800 Speaker 1: and it's a hindrance to wildlife. Give this guy the boot. 295 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:38,160 Speaker 1: The US government has answered that call and sued him 296 00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:41,960 Speaker 1: in federal court. Meanwhile, thanks to a group of local volunteers, 297 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:44,280 Speaker 1: some of the fencing has already been taken down, but 298 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:47,800 Speaker 1: the materials have not been removed. The free land holders 299 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:50,600 Speaker 1: should be responsible for taking down or removing all offence 300 00:17:50,720 --> 00:17:54,600 Speaker 1: material and paying for these volunteers time. That hasn't been 301 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:57,800 Speaker 1: done yet as of this recording really gets my goat. 302 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:03,800 Speaker 1: Moving on to the mail bag, a listener named Nick 303 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:07,280 Speaker 1: from Nippewin, Saskatchewan wrote in with some praise for a 304 00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:11,520 Speaker 1: recent decision by officials in Alberta. There, Alberta Forestry Minister 305 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:15,520 Speaker 1: Todd Lewin has lifted many restrictions on fur bearer trapping, 306 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:19,679 Speaker 1: including links, river otters, fissures, and wolverines. Lewin says that 307 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:23,560 Speaker 1: restrictions on trapping these animals was not defensible since current 308 00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:27,080 Speaker 1: population numbers for the animals are not known, especially in 309 00:18:27,119 --> 00:18:30,160 Speaker 1: the case of wolverines. He says that allowing more trapping 310 00:18:30,200 --> 00:18:33,800 Speaker 1: will provide the data biologists need to better manage these species. 311 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:36,560 Speaker 1: While some might argue that it's a bad idea to 312 00:18:36,640 --> 00:18:40,560 Speaker 1: allow more take of a population that hasn't been studied extensively, 313 00:18:40,960 --> 00:18:43,720 Speaker 1: Nick likes that the forestry minister is turning to hunters 314 00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:48,240 Speaker 1: and trappers as partners in this citizen science initiative. He said, quote, 315 00:18:48,359 --> 00:18:51,199 Speaker 1: it is refreshing to see that the forestry minister in 316 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:54,560 Speaker 1: Alberta is looking out for hunters and trappers. Luckily, the 317 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:57,960 Speaker 1: animal rights crowd aren't steering the management decisions in Alberta. 318 00:18:58,280 --> 00:19:00,720 Speaker 1: It is good to see a resource user in charge 319 00:19:00,760 --> 00:19:04,080 Speaker 1: of overseeing these decisions. Thank you for your email, Nick. 320 00:19:04,359 --> 00:19:06,760 Speaker 1: If there are any Alberta trappers out there who want 321 00:19:06,760 --> 00:19:09,120 Speaker 1: to weigh in on this issue, shoot me an email 322 00:19:09,520 --> 00:19:16,440 Speaker 1: askcal at the meeater dot com listener Derek Towels or Toles, 323 00:19:16,640 --> 00:19:19,480 Speaker 1: who serves as a district director for the Kentucky Chapter 324 00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:22,160 Speaker 1: of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, sent me an email about 325 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:25,360 Speaker 1: a public land attack in his state. There. The Kentucky 326 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:29,080 Speaker 1: Department of Fish and Wildlife Resource Commission is considering transferring 327 00:19:29,119 --> 00:19:32,840 Speaker 1: the Otter Creek Wildlife Management Area to the Mead County government. 328 00:19:33,200 --> 00:19:35,800 Speaker 1: The Wildlife Division supports the decision as long as the 329 00:19:35,840 --> 00:19:40,080 Speaker 1: county agrees to grant public hunting and phishing access in perpetuity. 330 00:19:40,320 --> 00:19:42,920 Speaker 1: That sounds good, but Derek believes this could be a 331 00:19:42,920 --> 00:19:46,320 Speaker 1: step towards the privatization of this property. He said, quote 332 00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:49,800 Speaker 1: the Mead County Judge executive believes the county can make 333 00:19:49,880 --> 00:19:53,480 Speaker 1: money off the WMA. They also only have one hundred 334 00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:56,320 Speaker 1: and seventy five thousand dollars in their budget for recreation, 335 00:19:56,880 --> 00:20:00,360 Speaker 1: and the judge executive is not an outdoorsman and does 336 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:04,399 Speaker 1: not understand what goes into hunting, fishing, and wildlife conservation. 337 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:06,840 Speaker 1: It will be quite a loss to local hunters and 338 00:20:06,840 --> 00:20:10,679 Speaker 1: anglers if they eventually lose access to Otter Creek. Derek 339 00:20:10,760 --> 00:20:14,560 Speaker 1: reports that the twenty two hundred acre WMA offers some 340 00:20:14,680 --> 00:20:17,040 Speaker 1: of the best fly fishing access in that part of 341 00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:20,119 Speaker 1: the state, along with deer hunting, turkey hunting, small game 342 00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:24,240 Speaker 1: and waterfowl hunting. Fortunately, the Commission isn't rushing into anything. 343 00:20:24,520 --> 00:20:26,560 Speaker 1: In a follow up email. Derek told me that they 344 00:20:26,600 --> 00:20:29,360 Speaker 1: were able to drum up enough opposition at a December 345 00:20:29,440 --> 00:20:32,639 Speaker 1: sixth commission meeting that the commissioners decided to make this 346 00:20:32,840 --> 00:20:36,240 Speaker 1: a new business item, which will allow for more public comment. 347 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:39,840 Speaker 1: He also reported that quote the Mead County Executive Judge 348 00:20:39,920 --> 00:20:43,040 Speaker 1: himself even said he was in no hurry. He also 349 00:20:43,160 --> 00:20:46,400 Speaker 1: told Kentucky BHA members that he is open to discussion 350 00:20:46,560 --> 00:20:50,800 Speaker 1: with us for input. Nice work, Kentucky BHA. This is 351 00:20:50,800 --> 00:20:53,879 Speaker 1: a great example of how local engagement can steer public 352 00:20:53,920 --> 00:20:57,320 Speaker 1: officials in the right direction. Big thanks to Derek for 353 00:20:57,400 --> 00:21:00,760 Speaker 1: keeping us in the loop. Kentucky folks, or you know 354 00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:04,479 Speaker 1: everybody in general. You got a local BHA chapter around you. 355 00:21:04,560 --> 00:21:06,840 Speaker 1: This is exactly the type of stuff they work on, 356 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:11,880 Speaker 1: keeping that public land publicly accessible. Another reminder that that 357 00:21:11,920 --> 00:21:17,280 Speaker 1: word access can mean surprisingly a lot of things, and 358 00:21:17,359 --> 00:21:21,800 Speaker 1: wording really matters here to some. Keeping hunting and fishing 359 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:25,520 Speaker 1: access in perpetuity would mean Okay, I'll just charge a 360 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:28,960 Speaker 1: bunch of money for it, which obviously excludes a lot 361 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:33,000 Speaker 1: of people in this country. So thanks for staying observant 362 00:21:33,040 --> 00:21:36,480 Speaker 1: and on your toes, Kentucky BHA. That's all I got 363 00:21:36,520 --> 00:21:38,840 Speaker 1: for you this week. Thank you so much for listening, 364 00:21:38,840 --> 00:21:42,960 Speaker 1: and remember to write into ask c Al that's Ascal 365 00:21:43,119 --> 00:21:45,199 Speaker 1: at the meat eater dot com and let me know 366 00:21:45,240 --> 00:21:47,119 Speaker 1: what's going on in your neck of the woods. You 367 00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:49,960 Speaker 1: know we appreciate thanks again. We'll talk to you next week.