1 00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:06,440 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Wire to Hunt podcast, your home for 2 00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:11,479 Speaker 1: deer hunting news, stories and strategies, and now your host, 3 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:16,920 Speaker 1: Mark Kenyon. Welcome to the Wired to Hunt podcast. I'm 4 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: your host, Mark Kenyon, and this is episode number tayn 5 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:23,560 Speaker 1: the show. We're joined by Witt Fostburg of the Theodore 6 00:00:23,640 --> 00:00:26,960 Speaker 1: Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, and we're going to be discussing the 7 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 1: top conservation issues for two thousand and sixteen. All Right, 8 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:51,120 Speaker 1: welcome to the Wire to Hunt podcast, brought to you 9 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 1: by Sick Gear. And today we're doing something that I 10 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:57,880 Speaker 1: want to continue to do more often here on the podcast, 11 00:00:58,360 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 1: and let's dive into the hortant issues related to conservation 12 00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:05,759 Speaker 1: across this country and across North America in general. I mean, 13 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 1: I know that I do and we all do love 14 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:11,840 Speaker 1: enjoy talking about exciting hunts and big deer, new strategies, 15 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:13,360 Speaker 1: all that kind of good stuff. But we couldn't do 16 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:16,080 Speaker 1: any of these things if we didn't have wild lands 17 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 1: and healthy animal populations on those lands which we can pursue. 18 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:23,080 Speaker 1: So I decided that I and we here at Wired 19 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:24,600 Speaker 1: to Hunt, we all need to do a better job 20 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 1: at giving back and working towards these types of goals 21 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:29,399 Speaker 1: and I'm hoping that maybe a few of you will 22 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:30,959 Speaker 1: want to do that too. So, you know, over the 23 00:01:30,959 --> 00:01:34,280 Speaker 1: past year so we've had a number of episodes where 24 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 1: we've talked about these types of topics. We've talked with 25 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:39,840 Speaker 1: Stephen Ronnella, We've talked with Randy Newburgh, Shane Mahoney, UM 26 00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 1: and a few are a few other people like that. 27 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:43,920 Speaker 1: But we want to continue and today I think we're 28 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:45,880 Speaker 1: really gonna take a step in the right direction with 29 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 1: that is we're gonna be tackling the top conservation issues 30 00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 1: for two thousand sixteen and joining us as someone who 31 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:54,480 Speaker 1: I think is going to be perfect to help us 32 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:57,760 Speaker 1: have that discussion. And that's what Fostburg, the President and 33 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 1: CEO of the Theodore Rose about conservation partnership. And if 34 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:05,800 Speaker 1: some of you aren't familiar with what the TRCP is, 35 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:07,680 Speaker 1: I'm going to let Wit tell you a little bit 36 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 1: more about them in just a few minutes, but at 37 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:13,040 Speaker 1: a super high level, just to give you a basic idea. UM. 38 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:17,720 Speaker 1: TRCP is one. It's a conservation organization that I've been 39 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:21,080 Speaker 1: really impressed with over recent years. I think that's because 40 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 1: their mission is is such an important one and it's 41 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 1: not focused, you know, just on one certain subset of hunters. 42 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:28,920 Speaker 1: You know, they're working for all hunters and anglers at 43 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:31,520 Speaker 1: a high national level. It's not just deer hunters, not 44 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:34,200 Speaker 1: just elk hunters, not just duck hunters or or anything 45 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:36,920 Speaker 1: like that, which, you know, those types of conservation groups 46 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:40,720 Speaker 1: obviously are important too. But I appreciate the Theodore Roosevelt 47 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:45,160 Speaker 1: Conservation Partnerships focus on habitat and you know the fact 48 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 1: that impacts all of our pursuits. So I think that's 49 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:50,880 Speaker 1: pretty clear when you take a look at their mission 50 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 1: statement in which they talk about their mission being to 51 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 1: guarantee all Americans quality places to hunt and fish. So 52 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:00,280 Speaker 1: with all that said, I know what can do much 53 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:02,640 Speaker 1: better job of explaining what the tear scup is all 54 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:05,080 Speaker 1: about and then share with us some interesting things about 55 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 1: what those top conservation issues are this year. But before 56 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:11,120 Speaker 1: we get wet on the phone, we do need to 57 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:13,440 Speaker 1: do what we do always on this episode or on 58 00:03:13,440 --> 00:03:15,360 Speaker 1: this podcast, and that's take a couple of minutes to 59 00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:17,880 Speaker 1: update you on what's going on new with me and 60 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:21,680 Speaker 1: Dan on the home front. So I don't know about you, Dan, 61 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:24,440 Speaker 1: but I'm kind of still recovering post a t A. 62 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:28,400 Speaker 1: How you doing. Yeah, I I ended up taking Friday 63 00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:34,600 Speaker 1: off as well. I got home about eight o'clock on 64 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:38,520 Speaker 1: Thursday night, so I had planned on go to work 65 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:41,480 Speaker 1: going to work, but my wife begged me to stay 66 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:43,400 Speaker 1: so I could watch the kids so she could get 67 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:46,240 Speaker 1: some because she works out of the basement for her 68 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:49,720 Speaker 1: part time job. And uh so I stayed home kind 69 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:52,520 Speaker 1: of relaxed this weekend and played with the kids and 70 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 1: went to one of my buddy's birthday parties and just 71 00:03:56,760 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 1: kinda kind of was a little lazy. That's that's needed 72 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:04,640 Speaker 1: after the long days we had last week. I'd say, 73 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:06,560 Speaker 1: I tell you what I made, the mistake of wearing 74 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:09,160 Speaker 1: a new pair of shoes to the show and walking 75 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 1: doing all that walking was uh it broke my shoes in, 76 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 1: but it also broke my feet. Yeah, And you can 77 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:19,400 Speaker 1: always tell. It's like you're walking for hours and hours, 78 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 1: and at least for me, I don't feel it until 79 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:23,000 Speaker 1: I sit down. And then when I finally sit down 80 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 1: for a meeting or something, all of a sudden, like whoa, 81 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:29,479 Speaker 1: there's a huge literal relief off of my feet now right, 82 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 1: So same here. The once I got back on Friday, 83 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:35,000 Speaker 1: I was just kind of a lump on the log 84 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 1: I just needed to rest and recover a little bit. 85 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:39,920 Speaker 1: That's a lot of social interaction for me, you know, 86 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 1: like after I sit in my office by myself most 87 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:43,760 Speaker 1: of the time, and then all of a sudden was 88 00:04:43,760 --> 00:04:46,000 Speaker 1: talking to a million people for four days straight, so 89 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:49,800 Speaker 1: that it wore me out and for me, like so 90 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:53,559 Speaker 1: my goal there was to try to get as many 91 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 1: contacts for from as many people for for my podcast, 92 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:03,839 Speaker 1: and it's I said the same thing over and over 93 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:06,560 Speaker 1: and over and over again, to the point where I 94 00:05:06,640 --> 00:05:10,680 Speaker 1: was going delirious. Did you ever like fall in an 95 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:13,640 Speaker 1: autopilot mode and then like accidentally stay the wrong company 96 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 1: name or something like that? Uh? Yeah, I did, really Yeah. 97 00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:19,800 Speaker 1: It was for a trail camera company. I just went 98 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:22,520 Speaker 1: from one trail camera company to the next trail camera 99 00:05:22,560 --> 00:05:24,960 Speaker 1: company and I said their name, and the guy looked 100 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:28,119 Speaker 1: at me funny, like like I insulted him or something. 101 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:32,440 Speaker 1: Oh man, I can't blame it. After talking to that 102 00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:37,040 Speaker 1: many people, I do the same thing, right, So, so 103 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:39,120 Speaker 1: hunting season is done for both of us. Now we're 104 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:42,520 Speaker 1: in the the next phase of the season. I guess, 105 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 1: like we always say, the season never really ends. It's 106 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:46,640 Speaker 1: just onto the next phase, which is postseason and all 107 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:48,719 Speaker 1: that good stuff. But I don't know about you, but 108 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:51,960 Speaker 1: this time of year especially, I start thinking about these 109 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:55,520 Speaker 1: bigger picture issues, like you know, all these different high 110 00:05:55,920 --> 00:05:59,840 Speaker 1: level national topics that influenced hunting and fishing. Um from 111 00:05:59,839 --> 00:06:02,640 Speaker 1: a conservation standpoint. Um, I've been doing a lot of reading. 112 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:05,080 Speaker 1: I'm always doing a lot of reading, but reading particularly 113 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:07,520 Speaker 1: these types of topics. So I don't know, I'm pretty 114 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:09,240 Speaker 1: excited to dive into this and learn a bit a 115 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:13,440 Speaker 1: little bit more, UM, are you? Yeah? Definitely, UM. I 116 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:19,720 Speaker 1: love I love hearing this stuff because although I guess 117 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:25,479 Speaker 1: I'm gonna call myself a wannabe conservationists because you know, 118 00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:27,880 Speaker 1: I I spend the money on my tags, I follow 119 00:06:27,920 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 1: all the laws I don't you know, I don't go 120 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:32,640 Speaker 1: out and I don't plant trees. You know, I'm a 121 00:06:32,640 --> 00:06:36,800 Speaker 1: member of I'm a member of some associations, but other 122 00:06:36,839 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 1: than that, I really don't do much. So it's it's 123 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:44,520 Speaker 1: good to hear from these guys on what guys like 124 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:48,880 Speaker 1: me can do to to be a better conservationist. Yeah. 125 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:51,840 Speaker 1: I think your situation is one that's probably common to 126 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 1: most guys and girls out there, you know, I think 127 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:56,920 Speaker 1: a lot of us realize these things are important, but 128 00:06:57,240 --> 00:07:00,440 Speaker 1: there's so much stuff going on. UM that's especially if 129 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:02,720 Speaker 1: you're just kind of focused on, you know, what you're 130 00:07:02,760 --> 00:07:04,719 Speaker 1: doing on a day to day basis from a hunting standpoint, 131 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:07,479 Speaker 1: it's easy to not know about these bigger picture things 132 00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:10,280 Speaker 1: that are happening that could really impact you and what 133 00:07:10,320 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 1: you do as a hunter or fisherman. But you never 134 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:15,120 Speaker 1: know about it unless you're actively trying to follow certain 135 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:18,520 Speaker 1: media places that they talk about these conservation issues and things. 136 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 1: So there's some serious things going on in Washington, d C. 137 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:23,720 Speaker 1: And across the country that could really influence, you know, 138 00:07:23,760 --> 00:07:25,680 Speaker 1: what we can do as deer hunters at home, or 139 00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:27,080 Speaker 1: what we could do in the future if we want 140 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:28,800 Speaker 1: to go on trips to different parts of the country 141 00:07:28,880 --> 00:07:31,760 Speaker 1: or whatever. Um, all sorts of stuff going on that 142 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:34,920 Speaker 1: I think just happens behind the scenes that if we 143 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:36,800 Speaker 1: didn't know about it, or if more people knew about it, 144 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:39,679 Speaker 1: I think more people would take action to make a difference. 145 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 1: So I think one way that I'm trying to um, 146 00:07:42,960 --> 00:07:45,120 Speaker 1: trying to make an impact, I hope a positive impact 147 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:47,480 Speaker 1: is by shedding light on some of these issues that 148 00:07:47,760 --> 00:07:49,640 Speaker 1: maybe a lot of deer hunters don't know about, but 149 00:07:49,720 --> 00:07:52,920 Speaker 1: we should so, right, That's that's what I hope we 150 00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:56,040 Speaker 1: can get today at this conversation is just bring awareness 151 00:07:56,040 --> 00:07:59,520 Speaker 1: to some important topics that maybe are flying under the radar. Yeah, 152 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:03,200 Speaker 1: that's one thing that I've I've found it's it's to 153 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:06,720 Speaker 1: do something like this. You can't really do it half asked. 154 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:14,000 Speaker 1: You have to make an attempt to focus on following uh, 155 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:16,080 Speaker 1: you know, something like what we're doing today or the 156 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:21,640 Speaker 1: National Deer Alliance or or whatever whatever you're whatever your cause. 157 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:27,840 Speaker 1: I guess is it literally takes focus and a real 158 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:30,680 Speaker 1: drive to do it because you know, then you get 159 00:08:30,760 --> 00:08:34,000 Speaker 1: someone like me, who you know, I get to hunt, 160 00:08:34,559 --> 00:08:37,160 Speaker 1: but the majority of my time is spent as father 161 00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:40,880 Speaker 1: and husband, and there's other things that consume my time, 162 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:43,199 Speaker 1: and you really got to focus on going out and 163 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:46,439 Speaker 1: finding this information. Yeah, that's that's the truth. I think 164 00:08:46,520 --> 00:08:50,120 Speaker 1: that's probably one of the greatest challenges is just keeping 165 00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:52,480 Speaker 1: people aware of keeping people aware of what's going on, 166 00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:54,719 Speaker 1: and then number two, you know, finding a way to 167 00:08:54,800 --> 00:08:57,079 Speaker 1: make it easy for people take action on some of 168 00:08:57,120 --> 00:08:58,920 Speaker 1: these things. I think that's you know, the second big 169 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:01,920 Speaker 1: channels we've talked about previous episodes is just, you know, 170 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 1: how do we actually do something about it, because sometimes 171 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:08,120 Speaker 1: it can kind of seem intimidating. You know, what can 172 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:10,520 Speaker 1: little old me actually do to make an impact on 173 00:09:10,559 --> 00:09:13,200 Speaker 1: this big issue? Um? And lots of times, you know, 174 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:15,679 Speaker 1: maybe writing a letter or sending an email, or showing 175 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:18,319 Speaker 1: up at a rally or talking to a congressman or 176 00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:20,040 Speaker 1: a woman or anything like that, and those things sometimes 177 00:09:20,040 --> 00:09:22,720 Speaker 1: can be tough to do if we don't know exactly 178 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 1: how we're supposed to do it or when to do it, 179 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:27,280 Speaker 1: or whatever it might be. So, UM, I don't know. 180 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:28,600 Speaker 1: That's one of the things I want to think about 181 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:31,960 Speaker 1: this year and try to find more opportunities to to 182 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:35,240 Speaker 1: raise awareness about certain things and then you know, demonstrate 183 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:37,080 Speaker 1: easy ways to take action. I think if we can 184 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:39,680 Speaker 1: do that, we can make we can make a positive difference. 185 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:41,120 Speaker 1: So that's kind of one of my two thousand and 186 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:44,440 Speaker 1: sixteen New Year's resolutions is to us work on those 187 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:46,520 Speaker 1: things and then actually practice what I preach. You know, 188 00:09:46,520 --> 00:09:47,960 Speaker 1: I really want to make sure that we're doing the 189 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:51,000 Speaker 1: same things we talk about that everyone should do. So 190 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:54,800 Speaker 1: I don't know that's my my hopes and dreams for 191 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:58,600 Speaker 1: for this year and for this episode. Um, so, I 192 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:00,839 Speaker 1: think we could probably learn a lot more, not by 193 00:10:00,840 --> 00:10:02,600 Speaker 1: listening to you and me, but but just getting Wit 194 00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:05,760 Speaker 1: on the phone and having him share his wealth of information. 195 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:07,720 Speaker 1: So if you're if you're ready, i'd say we should 196 00:10:07,720 --> 00:10:10,760 Speaker 1: give what a call. I think Wit is a badass name, 197 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:14,600 Speaker 1: Like I think like if I met a guy named Wit, 198 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:17,680 Speaker 1: I would never want to fight him. I'll give you 199 00:10:17,679 --> 00:10:20,480 Speaker 1: that I won't either. So let's stay, let's stand on 200 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:24,400 Speaker 1: what's good said. Okay, alright, alright, let's take a very 201 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:27,239 Speaker 1: quick break for a word from our sponsors of this podcast, 202 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:30,000 Speaker 1: and then we'll give what a call. So, as we 203 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:32,680 Speaker 1: do every week, we're joined now by SITA Product category 204 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:35,080 Speaker 1: leader Dennis Suck, and today I want to continue a 205 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:37,600 Speaker 1: conversation we started last week when he told us a 206 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:40,600 Speaker 1: little bit about the development process for new products at SICA. 207 00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:43,160 Speaker 1: So today I wanted us to elaborate a little and 208 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:45,480 Speaker 1: tell us about what kinds of different people and teams 209 00:10:45,559 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 1: are part of this process of actually taking something from 210 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:51,040 Speaker 1: just an idea to an actual finished product that we 211 00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:54,160 Speaker 1: somedays see on the shelves. So here's Dennis. Yeah. I mean, 212 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:57,439 Speaker 1: so for us, we have our athletes and our ambassadors 213 00:10:57,440 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 1: and the folks that we work with who kind of 214 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:00,960 Speaker 1: come up with, know, this is what I need or 215 00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:03,320 Speaker 1: this is what I don't have, and it flows, you know, 216 00:11:03,480 --> 00:11:05,959 Speaker 1: to me, and I'm sitting there thinking about, Okay, well, 217 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:08,280 Speaker 1: how can might we address that or what might we use? 218 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:10,520 Speaker 1: And so I write up what we call a brief 219 00:11:10,559 --> 00:11:13,000 Speaker 1: and we have designers that are sitting there who are 220 00:11:13,040 --> 00:11:15,320 Speaker 1: really experts in apparel and think about, well, how can 221 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:18,319 Speaker 1: I execute that in an apparel design. Then we have developers, 222 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:20,480 Speaker 1: you know, so that goes to them and they're really 223 00:11:20,480 --> 00:11:22,560 Speaker 1: good at making dreams come true, if you will, so 224 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:25,240 Speaker 1: they can take this really cool design that the designers 225 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:27,040 Speaker 1: come up with and work with you know, all of 226 00:11:27,040 --> 00:11:29,480 Speaker 1: our factories and folks to kind of bring that to life. 227 00:11:30,120 --> 00:11:34,080 Speaker 1: We have material specific people, you know, people who understand 228 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:37,000 Speaker 1: laminates and you know, the gortex wind stoppers kind of 229 00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:39,240 Speaker 1: the world. And we have people who understand you know, 230 00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:41,760 Speaker 1: good base layers. So we have you know, we have 231 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:45,560 Speaker 1: a variety of technical folks who understand materials, people who 232 00:11:45,640 --> 00:11:49,160 Speaker 1: understand design, people understand getting things done, you know. So 233 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:51,480 Speaker 1: we have a it's kind of an interesting group and 234 00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:54,080 Speaker 1: you know, a lot more hands touch it than probably 235 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:57,400 Speaker 1: most people realize. So there you have it. And if 236 00:11:57,400 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 1: you are interested in learning more about sick Gear or 237 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:01,880 Speaker 1: new items they have in store for us in two 238 00:12:01,880 --> 00:12:06,199 Speaker 1: thousand and sixteen, you can visit sick to gear dot com. 239 00:12:06,280 --> 00:12:10,880 Speaker 1: And now let's give what a call alright with us. 240 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:14,120 Speaker 1: Now on the line is wit Fosberg. Welcome to show 241 00:12:14,160 --> 00:12:17,760 Speaker 1: with thank you. It's great to be on the show. Yeah. 242 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:19,960 Speaker 1: We we were just chatting a couple of minutes ago 243 00:12:20,880 --> 00:12:23,240 Speaker 1: about kind of a renewed goal that we have here 244 00:12:23,240 --> 00:12:25,240 Speaker 1: at Wired to Hunt and with a podcast in two 245 00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:28,200 Speaker 1: thousand and sixteen to just you know, talk to focus 246 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:32,160 Speaker 1: more on conservation related issues. We focus so much on 247 00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:34,440 Speaker 1: the hunts and strategies and you know how we can 248 00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:37,559 Speaker 1: be successful hunters, which is great, but you know, none 249 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:39,960 Speaker 1: of that's possible if we don't have wild places and 250 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:43,000 Speaker 1: animals to pursue. So we're excited to have you on 251 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:44,800 Speaker 1: the line because I know that you are someone who 252 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:48,840 Speaker 1: is engaged in this topic. It sounds like probably every 253 00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:51,199 Speaker 1: day of your life most likely. So for those who 254 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:54,120 Speaker 1: aren't familiar with with TRCP in with yourself. Could you 255 00:12:54,160 --> 00:12:56,760 Speaker 1: possibly give us a quick high level overview of what 256 00:12:56,800 --> 00:12:59,840 Speaker 1: the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership is and what you do 257 00:12:59,880 --> 00:13:04,480 Speaker 1: with him. Sure. Uh. The partnership was created in two 258 00:13:04,520 --> 00:13:07,599 Speaker 1: thousand and two UM, sort of as an outgrowth of 259 00:13:07,679 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 1: the fact that the forces of his voice had become 260 00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:12,440 Speaker 1: pretty deluded. In Washington, you had, you know a lot 261 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:16,040 Speaker 1: of individual species groups working on their little niche issues 262 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:18,920 Speaker 1: and doing great stuff, you know, restoring wetlands, you know, 263 00:13:18,920 --> 00:13:22,280 Speaker 1: fixing up trout streams, you know, bringing back quite you know, 264 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:25,520 Speaker 1: a wild turkey, you name it. But they rarely, rarely 265 00:13:25,559 --> 00:13:28,120 Speaker 1: ever worked together and put their collected muscle to the 266 00:13:28,160 --> 00:13:31,600 Speaker 1: same big issues. We're really biggest, biggest, such big issues, 267 00:13:31,640 --> 00:13:33,440 Speaker 1: there were too much for any one group to tackle, 268 00:13:34,040 --> 00:13:38,240 Speaker 1: you know, the federal budget, agriculture policy, public lands policy, 269 00:13:38,360 --> 00:13:41,120 Speaker 1: you know some of those really overlaying issues. So the 270 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:44,439 Speaker 1: fellow named Jim Range, who had been a long time hunter, angler, 271 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:47,440 Speaker 1: hill staffer, who decided he was going to create an 272 00:13:47,520 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 1: organization that brought everybody together to work on conservation access. 273 00:13:51,920 --> 00:13:55,160 Speaker 1: And so today with about forty six different partner organizations 274 00:13:55,200 --> 00:13:58,360 Speaker 1: that range from you know, the Turkey Federation and Ducks 275 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:03,959 Speaker 1: Unlimited to Coastal Conservation Association too, you know q d 276 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:07,800 Speaker 1: M A White Tails Unlimited. You know, really a broad spectrum. 277 00:14:07,840 --> 00:14:10,959 Speaker 1: But also the Land Trust Community a f l C 278 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:15,480 Speaker 1: I oh, because there twelve million members hunting Fish Outdoor 279 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:19,760 Speaker 1: Industry Association. Because even though R E I E M. S. 280 00:14:19,800 --> 00:14:22,400 Speaker 1: TH stores may not be totally in line with all 281 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:24,720 Speaker 1: of our issues of sportsmen, you know, they grew with 282 00:14:24,840 --> 00:14:26,960 Speaker 1: that n of what we work on, and we can 283 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:30,440 Speaker 1: really use that extra collective economic muscle make our argument. 284 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:33,960 Speaker 1: So we're we have the forty six partner groups can 285 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:38,000 Speaker 1: also have a corporate Council of conservation minded companies. They 286 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:40,360 Speaker 1: come together see what they can do to help the causes, 287 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:45,560 Speaker 1: and those range from Orvis and plum Creek to Sitka 288 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:49,120 Speaker 1: and schlumbers a. So again a good cross section of 289 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:54,920 Speaker 1: corporate America. But companies really care about conservation. So what 290 00:14:54,920 --> 00:14:57,400 Speaker 1: what does your daily life or what's your daily role 291 00:14:57,480 --> 00:14:59,200 Speaker 1: look like in that? Because it sounds like this is 292 00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:01,000 Speaker 1: a lot of sounds like a lot of work. Really 293 00:15:01,640 --> 00:15:06,320 Speaker 1: I can't imagine, you know, it's uh yeah, it's all 294 00:15:06,360 --> 00:15:09,360 Speaker 1: federal policy focused. So I'm not out there, you know, 295 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:12,040 Speaker 1: fixing up a Wetland. I'm not running a you know, 296 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:14,600 Speaker 1: a Trout in the classroom class or a Jakes class 297 00:15:14,680 --> 00:15:17,480 Speaker 1: or anything like that. You know, we are focused on 298 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:19,760 Speaker 1: what the federal government is doing or not doing and 299 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:23,520 Speaker 1: how that affects our hunting and fishing and access. And so, 300 00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:25,600 Speaker 1: you know, part of my job as the CEO is 301 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:27,640 Speaker 1: you know, raising money for the organization. We have about 302 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:30,160 Speaker 1: a four million dollar annual budget. We have the twelve 303 00:15:30,160 --> 00:15:33,640 Speaker 1: staffers here in d C. Got about another dozen or 304 00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:36,520 Speaker 1: so out in the field, primarily Rocky Mountain West the 305 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:41,080 Speaker 1: public land states, but also in you know Louisiana, um, 306 00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:43,000 Speaker 1: you know, in some other places that are you know 307 00:15:43,040 --> 00:15:46,920 Speaker 1: more not exactly public land states. And then so we 308 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:49,520 Speaker 1: do is we really identify, you know, the issues that 309 00:15:49,560 --> 00:15:53,400 Speaker 1: are important to our members and our our partners, and 310 00:15:53,480 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 1: you know, we organized working groups. So it was something 311 00:15:55,840 --> 00:15:59,760 Speaker 1: like agriculture. We have a you know, wildlife and agriculture 312 00:15:59,800 --> 00:16:03,120 Speaker 1: work in group. It consists of physists, Forever Duck's Unlimited 313 00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:07,120 Speaker 1: Trout Unlimited, you know, the Ale Deer Foundations mothers. They 314 00:16:07,160 --> 00:16:09,240 Speaker 1: have a real you know steak and what happens on 315 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:11,640 Speaker 1: private and agricultural lands. And we get together and we 316 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:15,360 Speaker 1: coordinate and we developed joint positions. We do joint press, 317 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:19,400 Speaker 1: we do joint fly insto Washington, we do joint organizing 318 00:16:19,400 --> 00:16:21,360 Speaker 1: out in the field. We tend to be, you know, 319 00:16:21,440 --> 00:16:23,320 Speaker 1: sort of the group that tends to pull folks together 320 00:16:23,480 --> 00:16:25,680 Speaker 1: and get them organizing these bigger issues as well as 321 00:16:25,720 --> 00:16:29,160 Speaker 1: providing sometent of expertise, because this is what we do 322 00:16:29,360 --> 00:16:32,840 Speaker 1: here in d C. Do gosh. I mean, when I 323 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:35,120 Speaker 1: think about when I think about that type of thing 324 00:16:35,160 --> 00:16:37,040 Speaker 1: going on in d C, when I think about just 325 00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:41,880 Speaker 1: these conservation issues and the kind of play that they 326 00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:44,160 Speaker 1: do or don't get into washingt d C. I just 327 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:46,960 Speaker 1: think about the chaos of what seems to be going 328 00:16:47,040 --> 00:16:51,720 Speaker 1: on in Washington, and my assumption I kind of when 329 00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:53,320 Speaker 1: I think about this is it's got to be really, 330 00:16:53,320 --> 00:16:56,240 Speaker 1: really difficult to get across your message to some of 331 00:16:56,320 --> 00:16:58,840 Speaker 1: these people. As I think, you know, based on what 332 00:16:58,920 --> 00:17:01,440 Speaker 1: I've seen, a lot of our country is becoming more 333 00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:06,160 Speaker 1: and more disconnected from topics like habitat and conservation, all 334 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:08,240 Speaker 1: these things. Is more and more people are urbanized. You know, 335 00:17:08,359 --> 00:17:11,080 Speaker 1: do you face some significant challenges when you're trying to 336 00:17:11,080 --> 00:17:13,840 Speaker 1: speak to these people in Washington about these issues that 337 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:17,040 Speaker 1: maybe they can't relate to it all personally. Yeah, you know, 338 00:17:17,119 --> 00:17:19,120 Speaker 1: we do because I think it makes some really good points. 339 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:21,479 Speaker 1: I mean, the nation is changing. We're becoming a you know, 340 00:17:21,560 --> 00:17:24,720 Speaker 1: a less rural country and working a more urban country. 341 00:17:25,040 --> 00:17:27,000 Speaker 1: A lot of our old protectors in Congress and the 342 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:29,480 Speaker 1: old days, you know, listen, everybody hunted and fished and 343 00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:31,439 Speaker 1: it was sort of taken for granted that, you know, 344 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:34,480 Speaker 1: Congress was look out for interests. I mean, those times 345 00:17:34,480 --> 00:17:37,320 Speaker 1: have changed, so we which is really why you know, 346 00:17:37,359 --> 00:17:39,600 Speaker 1: we have to sort of band together and make sure 347 00:17:39,680 --> 00:17:42,040 Speaker 1: that you know, not just thinking about something from the 348 00:17:42,080 --> 00:17:45,679 Speaker 1: older perspective or white tail perspective or turkeys perspective, but 349 00:17:45,800 --> 00:17:48,920 Speaker 1: really thinking collectively because you know, you sort of look 350 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:50,920 Speaker 1: at some of the gun issues. An attack on any 351 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:53,880 Speaker 1: gun law any place is perceived as an attack on everybody. 352 00:17:54,080 --> 00:17:57,280 Speaker 1: But with us in conservation, it's exact opposite. If it's 353 00:17:57,320 --> 00:17:59,800 Speaker 1: a says of problem, it's not really a duck problem, 354 00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:01,960 Speaker 1: so not it's a duck problem. It's not a trout problem. 355 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:04,160 Speaker 1: It's not a red fish problem. So we die. It's 356 00:18:04,200 --> 00:18:07,040 Speaker 1: death with thousand cuts. And what we try to do 357 00:18:07,160 --> 00:18:10,119 Speaker 1: is bring together and present, you know, in a collective fashion, 358 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:12,280 Speaker 1: you know, what our cases and I think we have 359 00:18:12,320 --> 00:18:14,480 Speaker 1: a pretty strong case because we tend to be you know, 360 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:17,520 Speaker 1: the middle of the road people, you know, mois hunters, 361 00:18:17,560 --> 00:18:20,480 Speaker 1: angler as, they tend to be pretty moderate people, not 362 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:23,960 Speaker 1: extremeists on one side or the other. They care about conservation, 363 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:26,280 Speaker 1: they're they've been brought up in it, you know, they 364 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:29,240 Speaker 1: get it, and it's something they see as a fabric 365 00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:31,439 Speaker 1: of this country. And so I think that you know, 366 00:18:31,440 --> 00:18:33,280 Speaker 1: whereas you know, a lot of environmental issues has been 367 00:18:33,320 --> 00:18:36,960 Speaker 1: really heavily politicized and you know, polarize. These are buying 368 00:18:37,160 --> 00:18:39,480 Speaker 1: the rape and ruin guys on one side, and they 369 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:42,240 Speaker 1: save everything people on the other side. And we can 370 00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:44,960 Speaker 1: we can sort of steer that middle ground and really 371 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:48,480 Speaker 1: espouse solutions that make sense and that the majority of 372 00:18:48,480 --> 00:18:50,719 Speaker 1: folks can get behind. But part of the challenge has 373 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:53,479 Speaker 1: been sort of getting our message to stand out in 374 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:57,560 Speaker 1: you know, the broad clutter of Washington. So instead of 375 00:18:57,560 --> 00:18:59,880 Speaker 1: talking about what's good for quail or what's good for 376 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:02,480 Speaker 1: hasn't and we tend to talk about the jobs that 377 00:19:02,640 --> 00:19:05,760 Speaker 1: hunting and fishing provide in the rural economies. I mean, 378 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:08,199 Speaker 1: people don't really think about it, but you know, outdoor 379 00:19:08,240 --> 00:19:12,920 Speaker 1: recreation including hunting, fishing, the six billion dollar year industry. 380 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:16,400 Speaker 1: That makes it the third largest sector of the entire economy, 381 00:19:17,080 --> 00:19:20,800 Speaker 1: Bigger than oil and gas, bigger than pharmaceuticals, and we're 382 00:19:20,840 --> 00:19:24,880 Speaker 1: only behind healthcare and the financial sector. But we're so diffuse, 383 00:19:25,160 --> 00:19:28,959 Speaker 1: so disorganized, nobody knows that. So part of our challenge 384 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:31,879 Speaker 1: is really presenting it in different ways and using a 385 00:19:31,880 --> 00:19:36,040 Speaker 1: lot of facts to back up our arguments. He speaking 386 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:38,160 Speaker 1: of speaking of kind of these challenges of getting these 387 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:44,440 Speaker 1: various voices to come together. One, uh, I guess one 388 00:19:44,560 --> 00:19:49,000 Speaker 1: aspect of the outdoor recreation community, or one portion of 389 00:19:49,040 --> 00:19:50,760 Speaker 1: it being if you want to call them, the non 390 00:19:50,800 --> 00:19:55,479 Speaker 1: consumptive users like backpackers, bikers, hikers, all that kind of stuff. 391 00:19:55,960 --> 00:19:58,560 Speaker 1: We hear a lot about how hunters and anglers pay 392 00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:01,119 Speaker 1: for conservation in this country, right. We talked about how 393 00:20:01,160 --> 00:20:03,720 Speaker 1: our license fees and the taxes and everything that from 394 00:20:03,760 --> 00:20:06,919 Speaker 1: our purchases go to really manage most of these places, 395 00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:10,720 Speaker 1: to provide allow of the protection for these places. Um, 396 00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:12,720 Speaker 1: this is something I've just recently been hearing more and 397 00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:14,320 Speaker 1: more about, and I think it was something that actually 398 00:20:14,359 --> 00:20:16,920 Speaker 1: was proposed as a bill some number of years ago 399 00:20:17,119 --> 00:20:20,080 Speaker 1: and was shot down um, but recently have heard more 400 00:20:20,119 --> 00:20:24,600 Speaker 1: people rumbling about it. Do you think that non consumptive 401 00:20:24,680 --> 00:20:26,879 Speaker 1: use or is there a push for non consumptive users 402 00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:30,879 Speaker 1: too to begin to give financially back in some portion. 403 00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:34,200 Speaker 1: Maybe there's a recreational use fee or is that something 404 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:37,119 Speaker 1: that's does that make sense? Would that be good for 405 00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:39,320 Speaker 1: all of us? For hunters and anglers or from hunting 406 00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:42,040 Speaker 1: an angling perspective. Is it better than we foot the 407 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:44,880 Speaker 1: bill for conservation? Well, you know, I think there are 408 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:47,160 Speaker 1: you know, two arguments. One, you know, I think it's 409 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:49,000 Speaker 1: I mean, because we foot the bill, we have more 410 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:51,840 Speaker 1: ownership and you know, the management of the resources, and 411 00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:54,520 Speaker 1: that's a good thing. But at the same time, you know, 412 00:20:55,720 --> 00:20:59,080 Speaker 1: it's a shrinking pie out there and we cannot afford ourselves, 413 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:01,080 Speaker 1: our community to pay for the stuff the way we've 414 00:21:01,080 --> 00:21:03,680 Speaker 1: done it in the past. But I think it makes 415 00:21:03,760 --> 00:21:06,600 Speaker 1: total sense to you know, have you know some sort 416 00:21:06,640 --> 00:21:10,360 Speaker 1: of see excise tax whatever you may want to call 417 00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:13,119 Speaker 1: it on other segments of the community. Heck, if you 418 00:21:13,160 --> 00:21:16,399 Speaker 1: did something on mountain bikes and that was dedicated towards 419 00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:20,679 Speaker 1: trail maintenance on our public lands, you know, bird seed 420 00:21:20,760 --> 00:21:24,560 Speaker 1: and that goes toward neotropical migratory bird conservation. You know, 421 00:21:24,640 --> 00:21:26,040 Speaker 1: I think there are a lot of ways that you 422 00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:28,000 Speaker 1: can you know, earmark some of these funds to go 423 00:21:28,280 --> 00:21:30,400 Speaker 1: very specifically with you know, some of the interest groups 424 00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:33,359 Speaker 1: you're associated with them. But you know, it's a hard lift. 425 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:35,640 Speaker 1: I mean, Congress doesn't want to be seen as passing 426 00:21:35,760 --> 00:21:38,879 Speaker 1: new taxes. You know, a lot of the outdoor recreation 427 00:21:38,920 --> 00:21:41,960 Speaker 1: community argues and I think pretty fairly that they get 428 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:45,679 Speaker 1: hammered on tariffs and things like apparel and fabrics, and 429 00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:47,919 Speaker 1: if you can lowered the tariffs some then yeah, they 430 00:21:47,920 --> 00:21:49,600 Speaker 1: would love to see an exercise tack to have that 431 00:21:49,640 --> 00:21:52,440 Speaker 1: money they're already paying go to conservation in this country 432 00:21:52,480 --> 00:21:55,200 Speaker 1: and not just going into the general debt. So I 433 00:21:55,280 --> 00:21:57,600 Speaker 1: think there's a real room to have that happening. There 434 00:21:57,680 --> 00:22:01,080 Speaker 1: is a Bluebernd panel that's been assembled um by the 435 00:22:01,119 --> 00:22:03,680 Speaker 1: Association Official Wildlife Agency has to look at this very 436 00:22:03,760 --> 00:22:06,960 Speaker 1: question and it's being chaired by Johnny Morris at Best 437 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:09,600 Speaker 1: Pro Shops and Dave frieden Falls is the former governor 438 00:22:09,600 --> 00:22:12,720 Speaker 1: of Wyoming. And that panel has been you know, taking 439 00:22:12,760 --> 00:22:15,280 Speaker 1: testimony meeting for the past six months or so. And 440 00:22:15,560 --> 00:22:18,280 Speaker 1: I think we'll be coming out with his recommendations U 441 00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:21,520 Speaker 1: in the next two months if I am correct, and 442 00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:24,320 Speaker 1: then we'll see where that leads. Um. Some of this 443 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:26,560 Speaker 1: may be volunteering in the part of industry, so it 444 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:29,879 Speaker 1: may require you know, new legislation congressionally, but there was 445 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:33,320 Speaker 1: just such a sense right now that any increase in 446 00:22:33,359 --> 00:22:35,840 Speaker 1: revenue is a new tax, that it's going to be 447 00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:37,880 Speaker 1: a tough flooding. I mean, we we saw how hard 448 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:40,240 Speaker 1: it was to get the price of the Duck stamp increased, 449 00:22:40,840 --> 00:22:43,560 Speaker 1: which we did, you know, a year before last, and 450 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:45,280 Speaker 1: you know that is a straight user fee. I mean, 451 00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:47,359 Speaker 1: the Duck Honors were asking for that to be increased 452 00:22:47,400 --> 00:22:50,119 Speaker 1: so they could consider more wet lands, but it was 453 00:22:50,760 --> 00:22:54,920 Speaker 1: a multi year slog to get that through Congress. Yeah, 454 00:22:54,920 --> 00:22:58,000 Speaker 1: I cannot imagine the challenge of doing something like that, 455 00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:04,000 Speaker 1: or working with these sometimes very uh separate entity or 456 00:23:04,080 --> 00:23:06,480 Speaker 1: groups of people. I'm trying to bring them together towards 457 00:23:06,520 --> 00:23:09,160 Speaker 1: a common cause. Although sometimes you would think it makes 458 00:23:09,160 --> 00:23:11,679 Speaker 1: sense to work together, I imagine there's fringe elements of 459 00:23:11,680 --> 00:23:15,240 Speaker 1: both that don't want to. So yeah, and that's always 460 00:23:15,240 --> 00:23:17,199 Speaker 1: going to be the case. So you just basically, you know, 461 00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:20,639 Speaker 1: pretty much ignoring those people, but you know that of 462 00:23:20,680 --> 00:23:22,800 Speaker 1: the focus are kind of in that middle range you 463 00:23:22,840 --> 00:23:24,800 Speaker 1: can work with. You may not agree on everything, but 464 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:26,520 Speaker 1: let's focus on the things we do agree on and 465 00:23:26,560 --> 00:23:28,159 Speaker 1: not to things we disagree on. I mean, that's one 466 00:23:28,200 --> 00:23:30,560 Speaker 1: of the fundamental problems of Washington, the way that today 467 00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:33,320 Speaker 1: is we let the things we disagree on, you know, 468 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:36,679 Speaker 1: dictate our relationships with everything else. And that's just not 469 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:38,680 Speaker 1: the way it ought to work, because nothing ever gets done. 470 00:23:39,520 --> 00:23:43,840 Speaker 1: How much how much of Washington I use that word 471 00:23:43,840 --> 00:23:48,280 Speaker 1: in quotations is uh, you scratch my back, I'll scratch 472 00:23:48,359 --> 00:23:52,760 Speaker 1: your back kind of mentality that may not actually do 473 00:23:52,880 --> 00:23:57,480 Speaker 1: what is absolute best for conservation, but it helps us 474 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:01,720 Speaker 1: gain a little bit of momentum going forward. You know, 475 00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:05,240 Speaker 1: Washington has changed a lot in recent years, and it's 476 00:24:06,359 --> 00:24:08,000 Speaker 1: it is some of the old rules have kind of 477 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:10,720 Speaker 1: broken down, and so it's actually much tougher today to 478 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:12,440 Speaker 1: get stuff done than it used to be because there 479 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:14,359 Speaker 1: used to be much more of that high scratch your back, 480 00:24:14,400 --> 00:24:16,200 Speaker 1: you scratch my back kind of stuff that went on, 481 00:24:16,960 --> 00:24:19,200 Speaker 1: and even that, I mean as distasteful somethings that was, 482 00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:21,560 Speaker 1: you coul at least get stuff done. Even that is 483 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:23,600 Speaker 1: you know, much harder today because there's just some of 484 00:24:23,600 --> 00:24:25,879 Speaker 1: the rules that are changed in Congress and just some 485 00:24:25,960 --> 00:24:28,920 Speaker 1: of the general polarization out there because nobody wants to 486 00:24:28,920 --> 00:24:33,400 Speaker 1: be perceived or been be described as working with the enemy. So, 487 00:24:33,560 --> 00:24:35,640 Speaker 1: you know, it's it's tough. I think this will come around, 488 00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:37,439 Speaker 1: And really the only way it makes a change is 489 00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:40,679 Speaker 1: when you know, sort of that that quiet middle majority 490 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:43,800 Speaker 1: you know, starts, you know, saying that, you know, let's 491 00:24:43,840 --> 00:24:46,200 Speaker 1: be sensible, let's do what everyone knows needs to be done, 492 00:24:46,240 --> 00:24:51,320 Speaker 1: fix some of these problems. Yeah, I can imagine this 493 00:24:51,560 --> 00:24:53,760 Speaker 1: type of conversation. I could talk to you for about 494 00:24:53,800 --> 00:24:56,400 Speaker 1: three hours just about what's going on with with these 495 00:24:56,400 --> 00:24:58,520 Speaker 1: types of things, but that's probably not our best use 496 00:24:58,560 --> 00:25:00,879 Speaker 1: of of our time. I kind of want to make 497 00:25:00,920 --> 00:25:04,000 Speaker 1: sure we're we focus from here and out on the 498 00:25:04,119 --> 00:25:08,320 Speaker 1: issues that are happening that are impacting, you know, impacting 499 00:25:08,320 --> 00:25:11,480 Speaker 1: the land, impacting our habitat, impacting our ability to hunt 500 00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:15,040 Speaker 1: to access these places. So my my kind of thought 501 00:25:15,080 --> 00:25:18,119 Speaker 1: process was, maybe we could you know, here on a 502 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:21,720 Speaker 1: high level, what you think are the top issues from 503 00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:24,400 Speaker 1: a conservation standpoint across the country. You know right now 504 00:25:24,440 --> 00:25:26,800 Speaker 1: that we need to be thinking about and then from 505 00:25:26,840 --> 00:25:29,720 Speaker 1: there maybe we can dive into each one individually and 506 00:25:29,800 --> 00:25:31,679 Speaker 1: really get into the nitty gritty of it. Does that 507 00:25:31,720 --> 00:25:34,480 Speaker 1: sound like a pretty solid playing to you, Yes, sounds great. 508 00:25:35,119 --> 00:25:37,879 Speaker 1: I think the just sort of top level and unless 509 00:25:37,920 --> 00:25:41,000 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna hit everything, because you know, some of 510 00:25:41,040 --> 00:25:43,359 Speaker 1: your listeners are gonna have other ideas and they'd be 511 00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:46,119 Speaker 1: right those big issues. But I just think that, you know, 512 00:25:46,119 --> 00:25:47,920 Speaker 1: in terms of the things that I see us working 513 00:25:47,960 --> 00:25:52,199 Speaker 1: on public lands is probably number one, just because you 514 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:54,680 Speaker 1: know they're under such threats right now. And you see 515 00:25:54,680 --> 00:25:57,560 Speaker 1: this clown show that's happening on Oregon with the Nortons 516 00:25:57,640 --> 00:26:00,440 Speaker 1: taking over the you know, the right National Eife refuge, 517 00:26:01,119 --> 00:26:03,720 Speaker 1: and that's emblematic of some of the dysfunction on our 518 00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:06,879 Speaker 1: public lands and some of the hostility out there. And 519 00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:09,639 Speaker 1: and listen, we've got six six million acres of public 520 00:26:09,720 --> 00:26:12,080 Speaker 1: lands open for hunting and fishing in this country. Her 521 00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:15,160 Speaker 1: majority of was open for hunting and fishing. And that 522 00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:18,600 Speaker 1: goes away somehow, then we're all in trouble. Uh. The 523 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:21,240 Speaker 1: second part I would say is related to that would 524 00:26:21,240 --> 00:26:24,760 Speaker 1: be access and not just access to our public lands, 525 00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:26,680 Speaker 1: and that's an important part of it. But also how 526 00:26:26,680 --> 00:26:30,480 Speaker 1: do we encourage landowners to open up the private lands 527 00:26:30,520 --> 00:26:33,800 Speaker 1: for public access. I mean, we've seen the demographic shifts 528 00:26:34,119 --> 00:26:35,760 Speaker 1: you know that are happening and a lot more no 529 00:26:35,920 --> 00:26:38,640 Speaker 1: trespassing findes going up and a lot more leases as 530 00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:41,879 Speaker 1: opposed to just open lands, and that's going to have 531 00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:45,400 Speaker 1: a direct result on hunter recruitment over time, and that's 532 00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:50,000 Speaker 1: not our interest. I'd say. Third is uh, forest management 533 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:54,280 Speaker 1: in particular public lands. It's really tough to do management, 534 00:26:54,320 --> 00:26:58,479 Speaker 1: even wildlife management, even management to reduce forest fire risk today, 535 00:26:59,119 --> 00:27:01,439 Speaker 1: and something's gonna need be changed there in order to 536 00:27:01,440 --> 00:27:05,440 Speaker 1: make things work a little bit better. Um, I think 537 00:27:05,480 --> 00:27:09,879 Speaker 1: agriculture and the whole conservation reserve program. You know, I 538 00:27:09,920 --> 00:27:12,879 Speaker 1: think we've seen what happens when land goes out of 539 00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:16,720 Speaker 1: the RP with especially with peasant populations, some of the 540 00:27:16,760 --> 00:27:19,520 Speaker 1: upland bird populations. But also you know, do you use 541 00:27:19,560 --> 00:27:22,520 Speaker 1: that land heavily? And we have to beet pride of 542 00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:25,760 Speaker 1: these descendives for landowners to keep that land out of 543 00:27:25,760 --> 00:27:30,439 Speaker 1: production in conservation with extent they can. And then um yeah, Finally, 544 00:27:30,440 --> 00:27:32,240 Speaker 1: I would say under the broad issue of sort of 545 00:27:32,280 --> 00:27:35,480 Speaker 1: engaging the next generation, it's not something that we do 546 00:27:35,640 --> 00:27:38,800 Speaker 1: and that you know, we're not out there, yeah, you know, 547 00:27:38,840 --> 00:27:41,359 Speaker 1: like the Jakes or the green Wings or some of 548 00:27:41,359 --> 00:27:43,560 Speaker 1: the programs is that some of the big national conservation 549 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:46,159 Speaker 1: groups have. But what we can we do on the 550 00:27:46,160 --> 00:27:49,439 Speaker 1: federal side to really you know, sort of help drive 551 00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:53,800 Speaker 1: you know, hunter and angler recruitment retention. UM. Yeah, So 552 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:55,600 Speaker 1: I'd say those are some of the really big issues 553 00:27:55,680 --> 00:27:58,080 Speaker 1: right there. Okay, so we've got we've got a road 554 00:27:58,119 --> 00:28:00,560 Speaker 1: map in a lot to cover. And and I'm glad 555 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:02,400 Speaker 1: you mentioned these topics because a lot of these things 556 00:28:02,400 --> 00:28:05,120 Speaker 1: were items on my mind that I've been following and 557 00:28:05,480 --> 00:28:07,760 Speaker 1: personally want to learn more about. And and given the 558 00:28:07,800 --> 00:28:10,000 Speaker 1: fact that I spend so much time looking into this stuff, 559 00:28:10,240 --> 00:28:12,159 Speaker 1: and the fact that I'm still confused or want to 560 00:28:12,200 --> 00:28:14,080 Speaker 1: understand some of these things better, I can't imagine how 561 00:28:14,080 --> 00:28:16,879 Speaker 1: other people might. UM, you know, people need to hear 562 00:28:16,880 --> 00:28:18,760 Speaker 1: about these things. So I'm glad that that you can 563 00:28:18,760 --> 00:28:20,960 Speaker 1: help us with this with UM. And and that first 564 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:24,280 Speaker 1: topic you brought up, public lands UM is so relevant 565 00:28:24,400 --> 00:28:27,960 Speaker 1: right now given what's happening in Oregon. But but I 566 00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:31,439 Speaker 1: think and I wonder if some people don't see the 567 00:28:31,560 --> 00:28:35,040 Speaker 1: tie in there, UM, with what's happening in Oregon right 568 00:28:35,040 --> 00:28:37,280 Speaker 1: now with the takeover of the refuge and how that 569 00:28:37,400 --> 00:28:39,600 Speaker 1: might be or how it very clearly seems to be 570 00:28:39,680 --> 00:28:43,400 Speaker 1: tied to this larger push to transfer and or sell 571 00:28:43,480 --> 00:28:46,600 Speaker 1: public lands. UM, can you give us? Can you give 572 00:28:46,680 --> 00:28:50,880 Speaker 1: us the low down on a what's happening in Oregon? 573 00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:52,240 Speaker 1: From you know, what do we need to know a 574 00:28:52,320 --> 00:28:54,640 Speaker 1: sportsman and women need to understand about what's happening there? 575 00:28:54,680 --> 00:28:58,120 Speaker 1: And then number two, what is what's going on with 576 00:28:58,120 --> 00:29:00,680 Speaker 1: this whole push for public lands transfer? Is that a 577 00:29:00,720 --> 00:29:05,480 Speaker 1: real threat? Yeah? So I think that I'll start with 578 00:29:05,520 --> 00:29:08,120 Speaker 1: the you know, the second issue first, which is, you know, 579 00:29:08,160 --> 00:29:11,560 Speaker 1: sort of the broader issue of public lands transfer. Um. 580 00:29:11,640 --> 00:29:14,040 Speaker 1: You know, about six hundred forty million acres of public 581 00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:17,920 Speaker 1: lands in this country and primarily in four main agencies 582 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:22,160 Speaker 1: and ASA Bureau Land Management, US Forest Service, US Fish 583 00:29:22,160 --> 00:29:26,200 Speaker 1: and Wildlife Service, and the National park System, and all 584 00:29:26,240 --> 00:29:29,160 Speaker 1: those lands are open for hunting and fishing, exception of 585 00:29:29,400 --> 00:29:31,240 Speaker 1: some of the Park Service lands are not open for 586 00:29:31,320 --> 00:29:35,200 Speaker 1: hunting all in all about you know, if you think 587 00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:38,280 Speaker 1: about hunting, about half the hunters in America hunt some 588 00:29:38,560 --> 00:29:41,200 Speaker 1: or all the time on public land. And that may 589 00:29:41,240 --> 00:29:43,560 Speaker 1: be the majority of obviously that's in the West, but 590 00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:45,800 Speaker 1: even you know, I'm in East Coast guy. I grew 591 00:29:45,840 --> 00:29:47,760 Speaker 1: up in the outeron Duck Mountains of New York State. 592 00:29:48,280 --> 00:29:51,360 Speaker 1: You know, it's state land, but still public land. Um. 593 00:29:51,440 --> 00:29:53,120 Speaker 1: You know, they're you know near here in d C. 594 00:29:53,400 --> 00:29:56,680 Speaker 1: Got the George Washington National Forest that provides some great 595 00:29:56,720 --> 00:30:00,400 Speaker 1: hunt and fishing. So it's not just a west An issue. 596 00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:02,719 Speaker 1: But in the West about three quarters of all behinding 597 00:30:02,720 --> 00:30:05,720 Speaker 1: happens of public lands. And there has been ever since 598 00:30:05,760 --> 00:30:08,560 Speaker 1: the over Roosevelt really created the public land network back 599 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:11,960 Speaker 1: in the early nineteen hundreds, there has been you know 600 00:30:12,040 --> 00:30:15,200 Speaker 1: a lot of chasing from folks that want to get 601 00:30:15,240 --> 00:30:18,640 Speaker 1: their hands in that land, primarily industry, and have tried 602 00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:21,120 Speaker 1: to undo the public lands network. Um. There was a 603 00:30:21,160 --> 00:30:23,480 Speaker 1: great book written by ga named Timmy Egan who was 604 00:30:23,520 --> 00:30:25,960 Speaker 1: a former New York Times reformer, called The Big Burn. 605 00:30:26,600 --> 00:30:30,400 Speaker 1: It talks about these huge fires in Montana, Idaho during 606 00:30:30,760 --> 00:30:34,120 Speaker 1: right after you know, THEA. Rosell's presidency, and how you 607 00:30:34,200 --> 00:30:37,160 Speaker 1: know that was really a galvanizing factor and having people 608 00:30:37,240 --> 00:30:40,480 Speaker 1: rally behind the public lands and all the pressures that 609 00:30:40,560 --> 00:30:42,200 Speaker 1: were to try to get rid of the public lands 610 00:30:42,240 --> 00:30:45,280 Speaker 1: at that time, and you know, we've seen that same 611 00:30:45,320 --> 00:30:48,320 Speaker 1: sort of thing you know, pop up periodically ever since. 612 00:30:49,240 --> 00:30:51,240 Speaker 1: Um you think back in you know, sort of the 613 00:30:51,280 --> 00:30:55,880 Speaker 1: old stage Brush rebellion during the nineteen eighties and uh, 614 00:30:56,200 --> 00:30:58,440 Speaker 1: you know where you know people are demanding that you know, 615 00:30:58,680 --> 00:31:02,400 Speaker 1: public lands burned over and sort of stuff like that. 616 00:31:02,400 --> 00:31:04,280 Speaker 1: It was kind of a sideshow at that time. But 617 00:31:04,320 --> 00:31:06,520 Speaker 1: when we're seeing today the sort of an outgrowth is that, 618 00:31:06,720 --> 00:31:10,280 Speaker 1: but a lot more sophisticated. We've seen a lot more 619 00:31:10,320 --> 00:31:13,960 Speaker 1: money going into this. Um. We have seen you know, 620 00:31:14,000 --> 00:31:16,520 Speaker 1: sort of some of these I would just sort of 621 00:31:16,560 --> 00:31:19,040 Speaker 1: call them, you know, sort of dark money groups that 622 00:31:19,160 --> 00:31:22,440 Speaker 1: we see in politics had been funding this whole push, 623 00:31:22,600 --> 00:31:24,480 Speaker 1: and it's at a sort of a different two level, 624 00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:28,680 Speaker 1: you know, every emphasis one. They've been funding a bunch 625 00:31:28,720 --> 00:31:31,960 Speaker 1: of stuff at the state levels to encourage states to 626 00:31:32,120 --> 00:31:35,520 Speaker 1: demand that the public lands, the federal lands, the national 627 00:31:35,880 --> 00:31:39,000 Speaker 1: our national lands in those states be turned over to 628 00:31:39,080 --> 00:31:42,200 Speaker 1: the states. And that is coming through you know, there's 629 00:31:42,240 --> 00:31:44,960 Speaker 1: a variety of these groups. Something called the American Legislative 630 00:31:45,000 --> 00:31:48,520 Speaker 1: Exchange Council has been writing all the bills that are 631 00:31:48,520 --> 00:31:51,440 Speaker 1: being pushed in these Western states, and really the purpose 632 00:31:51,520 --> 00:31:55,160 Speaker 1: behind that is to rally public support for this notion 633 00:31:55,240 --> 00:31:59,160 Speaker 1: of getting rid of the federal lands and to basically 634 00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:02,960 Speaker 1: give cover than to federal politicians. In d C. We 635 00:32:03,040 --> 00:32:05,640 Speaker 1: are the only ones that can transfer that land. I mean, 636 00:32:05,720 --> 00:32:07,760 Speaker 1: you talk and demand as much as it wants that 637 00:32:07,840 --> 00:32:11,080 Speaker 1: the Feds turn over their land in that state is 638 00:32:11,080 --> 00:32:13,880 Speaker 1: not going to happen without and after Congress. So really, 639 00:32:13,920 --> 00:32:17,520 Speaker 1: these state efforts were designed and you know something called 640 00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:21,120 Speaker 1: the American Lands Council is up there pushing this and 641 00:32:21,160 --> 00:32:25,040 Speaker 1: as multimillion dollar budget to lobby both state legislators as 642 00:32:25,040 --> 00:32:28,240 Speaker 1: well as the federal government on this very issue. And 643 00:32:28,320 --> 00:32:30,320 Speaker 1: you know their whole goal is to make this thing 644 00:32:30,360 --> 00:32:33,800 Speaker 1: mainstream because it sounds like a kookie idea, but you 645 00:32:33,800 --> 00:32:35,920 Speaker 1: know it's much more coordinated, there's a lot more money 646 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:38,080 Speaker 1: behind it, and you know they're making a much more 647 00:32:38,120 --> 00:32:41,840 Speaker 1: serious effort with it. I mean to wit. In the 648 00:32:41,920 --> 00:32:45,920 Speaker 1: year before last Congress passed the set US Senate and 649 00:32:46,280 --> 00:32:49,720 Speaker 1: Senator leaders from Murkowski, the chair of the National Resources Committee, 650 00:32:50,080 --> 00:32:52,680 Speaker 1: proposed a non binding resolution that ought to be the 651 00:32:52,680 --> 00:32:57,320 Speaker 1: federal government's policy to transfer or sell off all of 652 00:32:57,360 --> 00:33:00,000 Speaker 1: the lands that are not national parks and national monuments 653 00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:04,120 Speaker 1: and it passed in the US Senate. So I mean, 654 00:33:04,400 --> 00:33:06,320 Speaker 1: this is no longer just saying, you know, a kookie 655 00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:09,440 Speaker 1: idea that has no legs, and we see that, you know, 656 00:33:09,480 --> 00:33:11,840 Speaker 1: things like this, and then the Clive and Bundy fiasco 657 00:33:11,960 --> 00:33:14,640 Speaker 1: back in Nevada where he just hasn't been paying any 658 00:33:14,640 --> 00:33:16,600 Speaker 1: of his grazing fees, you know, it was of a 659 00:33:16,600 --> 00:33:19,360 Speaker 1: million dollars to federal government decides to make it, you know, 660 00:33:19,440 --> 00:33:22,760 Speaker 1: this cause about freedom, and you know, a bunch of 661 00:33:22,840 --> 00:33:25,440 Speaker 1: the he ha very you know, sort of right wing 662 00:33:25,520 --> 00:33:28,920 Speaker 1: you know politicians embrace that, which then he leads his 663 00:33:29,000 --> 00:33:32,040 Speaker 1: son to do this takeover of the refuge in Oregon. 664 00:33:32,440 --> 00:33:34,320 Speaker 1: So I think these are all related. I think it's 665 00:33:34,320 --> 00:33:36,080 Speaker 1: at all. Each one is a sort of step up 666 00:33:36,080 --> 00:33:39,080 Speaker 1: from the last. The idea is just so so discontent 667 00:33:39,160 --> 00:33:42,360 Speaker 1: out there and to give cover to the federal politicians 668 00:33:42,360 --> 00:33:45,760 Speaker 1: to make this happen. So there's there's a lot of 669 00:33:45,960 --> 00:33:47,800 Speaker 1: a lot of questions I have in here are things 670 00:33:47,840 --> 00:33:50,120 Speaker 1: I've heard talked about that I think people have common 671 00:33:50,160 --> 00:33:53,440 Speaker 1: questions about what I want to make one point um 672 00:33:53,480 --> 00:33:55,200 Speaker 1: and it and it comes down to the fact that 673 00:33:55,320 --> 00:34:00,200 Speaker 1: topics like this so often become politicized. You know you 674 00:34:00,240 --> 00:34:02,960 Speaker 1: mentioned one aspect of this. You know, we'll see far 675 00:34:03,080 --> 00:34:05,920 Speaker 1: right and they're saying, well, this is a this is 676 00:34:05,960 --> 00:34:08,759 Speaker 1: a this is a this is a conservative issue. This 677 00:34:08,840 --> 00:34:11,520 Speaker 1: is something that if you're a conservative, you would support X. 678 00:34:11,719 --> 00:34:13,560 Speaker 1: And then the other side there's people saying, well, no, 679 00:34:13,960 --> 00:34:16,359 Speaker 1: if you don't support this, you're superliberal or blah blah 680 00:34:16,360 --> 00:34:19,360 Speaker 1: blah blah blah. And I think that the topic of 681 00:34:19,400 --> 00:34:21,520 Speaker 1: public lands and this is something that I'm not coming 682 00:34:21,560 --> 00:34:23,960 Speaker 1: up with. This is something I've heard Randy Newburgh say 683 00:34:23,960 --> 00:34:25,480 Speaker 1: a lot, and every time I hear him say, I'm 684 00:34:25,480 --> 00:34:29,480 Speaker 1: just like, yeah, hallelujah. Topics like this, like public lands. 685 00:34:29,560 --> 00:34:33,279 Speaker 1: You mentioned there's you know, fifty of hunters either hunt 686 00:34:33,480 --> 00:34:35,160 Speaker 1: part of the time or all the time in public lands. 687 00:34:35,200 --> 00:34:37,759 Speaker 1: If we don't have access to this land, we can't 688 00:34:37,800 --> 00:34:40,360 Speaker 1: do what we love to do. This is a hunting issue. 689 00:34:40,480 --> 00:34:42,400 Speaker 1: This is a hunter and angler issue. This isn't a 690 00:34:42,440 --> 00:34:45,359 Speaker 1: democratic issue, This isn't a Republican issue. This isn't far 691 00:34:45,480 --> 00:34:47,560 Speaker 1: right or far left issue. This is a you and me, 692 00:34:47,880 --> 00:34:49,880 Speaker 1: this is you and me thing, And so I would 693 00:34:49,920 --> 00:34:52,560 Speaker 1: I would argue this is a fundamentally American issue. I mean, 694 00:34:52,840 --> 00:34:54,799 Speaker 1: you think about you know, go ahead and go to 695 00:34:54,840 --> 00:34:56,839 Speaker 1: England and try to do a hunt, and the only 696 00:34:56,880 --> 00:34:58,640 Speaker 1: way you're gonna do it is you can pay the 697 00:34:58,640 --> 00:35:01,680 Speaker 1: money to go on some private or someplace and shoot, 698 00:35:01,800 --> 00:35:05,799 Speaker 1: you know, basically team animals. And you know, our system here, 699 00:35:05,840 --> 00:35:08,880 Speaker 1: the whole North American model of you know, wildlife conservation 700 00:35:09,560 --> 00:35:12,759 Speaker 1: is grounded in that hunting and fishing are something that 701 00:35:12,880 --> 00:35:15,840 Speaker 1: everybody can do and we we don't have the opportunity 702 00:35:15,840 --> 00:35:17,799 Speaker 1: to do that on our public lands. And that's a 703 00:35:17,880 --> 00:35:21,200 Speaker 1: very shallow, you know, hollow thing. And uh, you know, 704 00:35:21,239 --> 00:35:22,759 Speaker 1: so I think it's you know, I think this is 705 00:35:22,760 --> 00:35:24,799 Speaker 1: that as Americans as you can get, and it's been 706 00:35:24,840 --> 00:35:28,319 Speaker 1: supported by Republicans and Democrats, and that expansion the public 707 00:35:28,440 --> 00:35:32,320 Speaker 1: land system we have has been expanded by Ronald Reagan, 708 00:35:32,680 --> 00:35:36,080 Speaker 1: by Richard Nixon. I mean, all these folks who are 709 00:35:36,120 --> 00:35:39,480 Speaker 1: not necessarily thought of as great environmentalists, they were really 710 00:35:39,560 --> 00:35:41,000 Speaker 1: good when it came to a lot of these public 711 00:35:41,040 --> 00:35:43,919 Speaker 1: lands issues. And you know they are you know, as 712 00:35:43,960 --> 00:35:47,239 Speaker 1: have Democrats as well. So this is the one issue conservation, 713 00:35:47,440 --> 00:35:50,480 Speaker 1: hunting and fishing public lands that has never been a 714 00:35:50,520 --> 00:35:53,480 Speaker 1: part of an issue, and it's you know, it's in 715 00:35:53,560 --> 00:35:56,280 Speaker 1: some people's interest to naketive part of an issue today, 716 00:35:56,320 --> 00:35:59,359 Speaker 1: but it certainly shouldn't be. What are the what are 717 00:35:59,400 --> 00:36:03,280 Speaker 1: the games for those lobbyists and those people who want 718 00:36:03,400 --> 00:36:06,279 Speaker 1: those lands turned turned over to the state. What is 719 00:36:06,320 --> 00:36:09,080 Speaker 1: the gain of that? Well, let's let's think about it. So, 720 00:36:09,520 --> 00:36:12,239 Speaker 1: all right, let's say all the land in Utah or 721 00:36:12,280 --> 00:36:15,320 Speaker 1: Nevada gets turned over to that state. Then the state 722 00:36:15,440 --> 00:36:18,040 Speaker 1: has the ability to do a couple of things with it. 723 00:36:18,520 --> 00:36:21,560 Speaker 1: It can manage exactly the way the sandge managing right now. 724 00:36:21,600 --> 00:36:23,560 Speaker 1: But the fact is they would never be able to 725 00:36:23,560 --> 00:36:26,080 Speaker 1: afford to do that, so they want't even deal that. 726 00:36:26,160 --> 00:36:29,440 Speaker 1: They want to deal forward the firefighting costs a loan 727 00:36:29,520 --> 00:36:31,920 Speaker 1: in those lands. So then they have a couple of choices. 728 00:36:32,080 --> 00:36:35,720 Speaker 1: They can either raise taxes pay for the management those lands, 729 00:36:36,040 --> 00:36:39,480 Speaker 1: or they can lease nut industry and generate profit, or 730 00:36:39,640 --> 00:36:42,919 Speaker 1: they can sell them Outright now, all the states were 731 00:36:42,920 --> 00:36:46,480 Speaker 1: granted a whole bunch of lands as a part of statehood. 732 00:36:47,000 --> 00:36:49,520 Speaker 1: Almost all those states have sold those lands off. So 733 00:36:49,560 --> 00:36:51,000 Speaker 1: I think we have a pretty good idea what's going 734 00:36:51,080 --> 00:36:53,359 Speaker 1: to happen. They're not gonna be raising taxes on their 735 00:36:53,560 --> 00:36:57,200 Speaker 1: citizens to maintain these lands. They're either going to develop 736 00:36:57,239 --> 00:37:01,040 Speaker 1: them or they're gonna sell them off, and that benefits 737 00:37:01,080 --> 00:37:03,600 Speaker 1: the folks that can either buy them or you can 738 00:37:03,640 --> 00:37:08,240 Speaker 1: make money off and creep if I'm wrong, but don't. 739 00:37:08,280 --> 00:37:12,080 Speaker 1: Most state governments have an obligation. If there's state owned land, 740 00:37:12,640 --> 00:37:15,920 Speaker 1: the obligation is to manage that for profit to support 741 00:37:16,040 --> 00:37:18,839 Speaker 1: various uh you know, school systems and things like that 742 00:37:18,880 --> 00:37:21,319 Speaker 1: within the state budget. Is that correct, Yeah, exactly, so 743 00:37:21,480 --> 00:37:24,839 Speaker 1: state trust lands and Arizona and Wyoming and a bunch 744 00:37:24,880 --> 00:37:27,719 Speaker 1: of the other Western states. You can't you can't hunt 745 00:37:27,760 --> 00:37:29,560 Speaker 1: on them, you can't fish on them, you can't hike 746 00:37:29,600 --> 00:37:32,600 Speaker 1: on them, you can't camp on them. They are solely 747 00:37:32,600 --> 00:37:34,640 Speaker 1: for the purpose of generating revenue, and that means they've 748 00:37:34,640 --> 00:37:37,879 Speaker 1: been leased out to somebody else. So you know, most 749 00:37:37,880 --> 00:37:39,359 Speaker 1: of the states want to do that. That's their right 750 00:37:39,360 --> 00:37:42,080 Speaker 1: to do it with their lands. Yeah, but I don't 751 00:37:42,120 --> 00:37:45,320 Speaker 1: see that with America's national lands, our public lands, yours 752 00:37:45,320 --> 00:37:47,360 Speaker 1: and mind, I don't see that you ought to have 753 00:37:47,400 --> 00:37:49,719 Speaker 1: the right to do that, right and then and then 754 00:37:49,760 --> 00:37:53,879 Speaker 1: also with federal lands. Right, most of these organs are these, 755 00:37:54,000 --> 00:37:58,000 Speaker 1: uh I'm groups that man whether to be the BLM 756 00:37:58,080 --> 00:38:00,880 Speaker 1: or the National Force Service, et cetera. They are mandated 757 00:38:01,160 --> 00:38:03,800 Speaker 1: to manage to certain other goals which are not necessarily 758 00:38:03,840 --> 00:38:06,640 Speaker 1: to be profitable, but to protect wildlife habitat or to 759 00:38:06,920 --> 00:38:11,320 Speaker 1: follow various other conservation mandates. So we have certain conservation 760 00:38:12,239 --> 00:38:15,480 Speaker 1: um requirements when it's managed by the federal government, which 761 00:38:15,520 --> 00:38:18,040 Speaker 1: is good for hunting, which is good for fishing for 762 00:38:18,080 --> 00:38:20,879 Speaker 1: as Yeah, you're exactly right. I mean, the Park Service 763 00:38:20,960 --> 00:38:22,920 Speaker 1: is the only one that does not have a quote 764 00:38:22,960 --> 00:38:27,600 Speaker 1: multiple use standing by multiple use means the national forests, 765 00:38:27,680 --> 00:38:30,680 Speaker 1: the del and lands, the wildlife refuges even have got 766 00:38:30,680 --> 00:38:35,080 Speaker 1: to balance multiple uses. It could be well and gas development, logging, grazing. 767 00:38:35,640 --> 00:38:37,640 Speaker 1: That can all be done, you know, just fine. I 768 00:38:37,680 --> 00:38:40,520 Speaker 1: mean requires people sitting down, working together. And actually the 769 00:38:40,600 --> 00:38:43,399 Speaker 1: irony of these guys designed to take over that now 770 00:38:43,480 --> 00:38:46,600 Speaker 1: you're a nationalilife refuge, because that's been a poster child 771 00:38:47,040 --> 00:38:50,640 Speaker 1: for cooperative management between the local landowners and the refuge. 772 00:38:51,440 --> 00:38:53,279 Speaker 1: And this is you know, the whole issue that these 773 00:38:53,320 --> 00:38:55,239 Speaker 1: guys came in here complaining about, which is the two 774 00:38:55,239 --> 00:38:58,120 Speaker 1: guys getting thrown in jail had nothing to do, you know, 775 00:38:58,200 --> 00:39:00,480 Speaker 1: with raising on the refuge or anything like that. I mean, 776 00:39:01,440 --> 00:39:03,399 Speaker 1: so it's it's really ironic. This is one of those 777 00:39:03,400 --> 00:39:05,839 Speaker 1: sort of classic cases where everyone's gotten together, they worked 778 00:39:05,840 --> 00:39:08,799 Speaker 1: out a system that works for everybody, and now they're 779 00:39:08,840 --> 00:39:12,480 Speaker 1: being you know, taken over as a symbol of federal injustice. 780 00:39:13,239 --> 00:39:15,880 Speaker 1: So no, you're exactly right. I mean multiple use means 781 00:39:15,920 --> 00:39:19,480 Speaker 1: that it's up to us, as hunters and citizens participate 782 00:39:19,520 --> 00:39:22,840 Speaker 1: in the process and to make sure that hunting and 783 00:39:22,840 --> 00:39:25,200 Speaker 1: fishing and fishing wildlfe get taken care of, as well 784 00:39:25,239 --> 00:39:29,520 Speaker 1: as grazing and timber and mining. And but that's not 785 00:39:29,520 --> 00:39:32,839 Speaker 1: gonna happen. It goes to the states. Yeah. So so 786 00:39:32,920 --> 00:39:35,080 Speaker 1: if I had to like sum this all up, because 787 00:39:35,560 --> 00:39:38,040 Speaker 1: people have all these questions about this, They ask you, well, 788 00:39:38,080 --> 00:39:39,520 Speaker 1: why would it be a bad thing for the state 789 00:39:39,560 --> 00:39:42,239 Speaker 1: to other land or why you know, why would why 790 00:39:42,280 --> 00:39:44,040 Speaker 1: would why wouldn't we want to sell some of these lands, 791 00:39:44,080 --> 00:39:45,600 Speaker 1: all these different things. If if I had to kind 792 00:39:45,600 --> 00:39:47,560 Speaker 1: of put it all into a nice little package, and 793 00:39:47,600 --> 00:39:50,400 Speaker 1: I'm going to give you my best best attempt at 794 00:39:50,400 --> 00:39:52,080 Speaker 1: at a kind of sound bite, and then you tell 795 00:39:52,120 --> 00:39:54,360 Speaker 1: me if I need to correct anything. But it sounds 796 00:39:54,400 --> 00:39:59,120 Speaker 1: like right, there is this push by certain certain groups 797 00:39:59,200 --> 00:40:03,200 Speaker 1: or people they want federal lands transferred to state agencies, 798 00:40:03,239 --> 00:40:06,000 Speaker 1: because when this land is owned in controlled by the 799 00:40:06,000 --> 00:40:09,080 Speaker 1: federal government, there's these multiple use mandates which are good 800 00:40:09,120 --> 00:40:11,480 Speaker 1: for hunting and fishing, but are bad for people that 801 00:40:11,600 --> 00:40:14,880 Speaker 1: want to make money. Maybe. Um, So if these lands 802 00:40:14,880 --> 00:40:17,520 Speaker 1: go to the state government, the state government is then 803 00:40:18,120 --> 00:40:20,520 Speaker 1: mandated to have to manage those lands for profit. So 804 00:40:20,560 --> 00:40:23,640 Speaker 1: all of a sudden, these these landscapes might become more 805 00:40:23,680 --> 00:40:27,640 Speaker 1: available to extractive industries or to be sold off to 806 00:40:27,760 --> 00:40:31,480 Speaker 1: development or whatever it might be. So that is good 807 00:40:31,560 --> 00:40:33,359 Speaker 1: for people like you said, who want to make money 808 00:40:33,360 --> 00:40:35,640 Speaker 1: off these lands, but it's bad for people who want 809 00:40:35,680 --> 00:40:41,640 Speaker 1: to use these lands right now, which are managed for access, hunting, fishing, wildlife, habitat, etcetera. 810 00:40:41,880 --> 00:40:44,919 Speaker 1: At a super high level. Is that the cliff Notes 811 00:40:45,040 --> 00:40:46,680 Speaker 1: version of this issue. Yeah, you know, I think that's 812 00:40:46,719 --> 00:40:49,520 Speaker 1: exactly right. And and this is not to say that 813 00:40:49,520 --> 00:40:52,239 Speaker 1: there are not problems with federal lands. There are. I mean, 814 00:40:52,280 --> 00:40:55,720 Speaker 1: everyone gets frustrated with something, but there is a public 815 00:40:55,760 --> 00:40:58,960 Speaker 1: process to go through to you know, deal with those 816 00:40:58,960 --> 00:41:02,479 Speaker 1: two steves made. Every single unit out there has land 817 00:41:02,480 --> 00:41:06,040 Speaker 1: management plan, has a public process the guidance management on 818 00:41:06,120 --> 00:41:09,000 Speaker 1: that unit, and it's up to us to engage. We 819 00:41:09,040 --> 00:41:12,200 Speaker 1: don't like something, you don't go take it over, engage 820 00:41:12,200 --> 00:41:14,759 Speaker 1: in the process and try to have things fixed. And 821 00:41:14,840 --> 00:41:16,440 Speaker 1: you know that is real lesson here. But I think 822 00:41:16,480 --> 00:41:20,319 Speaker 1: the bottom line is we know what we get when 823 00:41:20,320 --> 00:41:24,239 Speaker 1: we have federal lands or public lands, national lands, and 824 00:41:24,280 --> 00:41:26,400 Speaker 1: that is they're always going to be there for future 825 00:41:26,400 --> 00:41:31,120 Speaker 1: generations with joy just what have been since and I 826 00:41:31,200 --> 00:41:34,560 Speaker 1: have zero confidence that those lands will be there if 827 00:41:34,560 --> 00:41:37,800 Speaker 1: they get transferred to the states. Yeah. So, so is 828 00:41:37,840 --> 00:41:40,600 Speaker 1: there anything that I can do or their listeners can do. 829 00:41:40,640 --> 00:41:42,840 Speaker 1: Is there anything that an individual can do to to 830 00:41:42,920 --> 00:41:48,399 Speaker 1: help on this issue? Absolutely? You can go to www. 831 00:41:48,520 --> 00:41:51,319 Speaker 1: Dot sports is access dot org and we've been running 832 00:41:51,320 --> 00:41:53,919 Speaker 1: a petition there with a bunch of our partner organizations 833 00:41:53,960 --> 00:41:57,640 Speaker 1: and companies that basically that sends letters to members of 834 00:41:57,680 --> 00:42:01,280 Speaker 1: Congress depending on where you live and you're local representatives, 835 00:42:01,680 --> 00:42:04,640 Speaker 1: that basically says, you know, the federal lands are important 836 00:42:05,000 --> 00:42:08,080 Speaker 1: for us, don't get rid of them. And we have 837 00:42:08,160 --> 00:42:11,040 Speaker 1: got twenty five thousand signatures on that petition right now, 838 00:42:11,280 --> 00:42:14,120 Speaker 1: we've sent over two hundred thousand letters, and the more 839 00:42:14,120 --> 00:42:16,359 Speaker 1: of the merrier, and I would encourage everybody to do that. 840 00:42:17,080 --> 00:42:20,880 Speaker 1: And Frankie, you know it's already working. There were thirty 841 00:42:20,920 --> 00:42:25,000 Speaker 1: seven bills introduced in eleven state legislatures last year to 842 00:42:25,440 --> 00:42:29,640 Speaker 1: demand transfer of the public lands. Only I think it 843 00:42:29,760 --> 00:42:34,200 Speaker 1: was six of those tasked and four of them were 844 00:42:34,440 --> 00:42:38,719 Speaker 1: let's study the issue more bills. So we had you know, 845 00:42:38,800 --> 00:42:42,200 Speaker 1: sportsman with US National Wildlife Federation, back country hunters and anglers. 846 00:42:42,239 --> 00:42:48,000 Speaker 1: We held rallies and state capitals and Montana, Idaho, Colorado, 847 00:42:48,120 --> 00:42:51,600 Speaker 1: New Mexico, and you know, the sportsman really more than 848 00:42:51,600 --> 00:42:54,919 Speaker 1: any other constituency spoke up and said basically, not over 849 00:42:54,960 --> 00:42:57,399 Speaker 1: our dead bodies, you're gonna be doing this, And those 850 00:42:57,480 --> 00:43:01,239 Speaker 1: legislatures they got the message pretty darn quickly. But you know, 851 00:43:01,280 --> 00:43:04,240 Speaker 1: if we were quiet, we don't stay engaged in this issue. 852 00:43:04,520 --> 00:43:06,520 Speaker 1: It's just a matter of time before it pops back 853 00:43:06,560 --> 00:43:09,000 Speaker 1: up and we're gonna be at the worst situation. Yeah. 854 00:43:09,080 --> 00:43:12,080 Speaker 1: And if something like that ever happened, were some type 855 00:43:12,080 --> 00:43:15,439 Speaker 1: of mandate gut pushed through through Congress where they start 856 00:43:15,480 --> 00:43:18,600 Speaker 1: actually transferring these public lands away from the federal government, 857 00:43:18,640 --> 00:43:21,920 Speaker 1: I mean, I can't imagine a worse scenario for hunting 858 00:43:21,920 --> 00:43:24,160 Speaker 1: and fishing in this country, because, like you said, it's 859 00:43:24,239 --> 00:43:26,360 Speaker 1: it's a massive amount of land that's so unique to 860 00:43:26,400 --> 00:43:29,080 Speaker 1: America that we have access to. It's it's your land, 861 00:43:29,080 --> 00:43:31,359 Speaker 1: it's our land. You know, this is for us and 862 00:43:31,400 --> 00:43:34,720 Speaker 1: if that, if we lost that, I can't imagine a 863 00:43:34,719 --> 00:43:39,080 Speaker 1: a more dire doomsday scenario for my children and our grandchildren, 864 00:43:39,360 --> 00:43:41,759 Speaker 1: UM than that happened. So that scares the crap out 865 00:43:41,760 --> 00:43:43,880 Speaker 1: of me. And I really want to make sure this 866 00:43:43,960 --> 00:43:46,920 Speaker 1: is something everyone listening. UM. This is one of the 867 00:43:46,920 --> 00:43:49,000 Speaker 1: the biggest issues I think out there from everything I 868 00:43:49,120 --> 00:43:51,880 Speaker 1: understand and from who I've talked to. UM, So please 869 00:43:51,920 --> 00:43:56,520 Speaker 1: take wits uh recommendation. Go to sportsman access dot org. 870 00:43:57,320 --> 00:44:00,400 Speaker 1: Fill out, you know, sign the petition, Send letters to 871 00:44:00,440 --> 00:44:02,560 Speaker 1: your congressmen and women. UM. This is one of those 872 00:44:02,600 --> 00:44:05,640 Speaker 1: things that your action can make a difference. I think 873 00:44:05,680 --> 00:44:08,080 Speaker 1: in that way, and uh, you know, don't just think 874 00:44:08,120 --> 00:44:09,560 Speaker 1: about it. You know, this is something for me too. 875 00:44:09,560 --> 00:44:12,600 Speaker 1: It so I always here's something like, yeah, that's that's 876 00:44:12,600 --> 00:44:14,279 Speaker 1: an issue that I get fired off about it. This 877 00:44:14,320 --> 00:44:17,000 Speaker 1: is an important issue, but then I'm driving and then 878 00:44:17,040 --> 00:44:18,759 Speaker 1: I don't remember when I get home to do something 879 00:44:18,760 --> 00:44:21,040 Speaker 1: about it, or you know, the next week, I forget 880 00:44:21,080 --> 00:44:22,880 Speaker 1: that I need to send a letter or send an email. 881 00:44:23,400 --> 00:44:26,160 Speaker 1: I think personally that this is one of those issues 882 00:44:26,200 --> 00:44:28,319 Speaker 1: that you really need to take a note right now, 883 00:44:28,480 --> 00:44:30,799 Speaker 1: right in your finger, write in your hand on your finger, um, 884 00:44:30,880 --> 00:44:33,760 Speaker 1: right in your hand or piece of paper to do this. UM, 885 00:44:33,840 --> 00:44:37,680 Speaker 1: I think it's worthwhile. So for whatever that's worth UM. 886 00:44:38,320 --> 00:44:41,080 Speaker 1: Speaking of access, then you had mentioned that there's some 887 00:44:41,120 --> 00:44:45,399 Speaker 1: other sportsmen related access issues that are of importance, like 888 00:44:45,480 --> 00:44:48,440 Speaker 1: maybe the Land and Water Conservation Fund, or you mentioned 889 00:44:48,480 --> 00:44:51,240 Speaker 1: some of the different things going on opening up private 890 00:44:51,280 --> 00:44:53,720 Speaker 1: land for hunting. This is a big thing for deer hunters, 891 00:44:53,800 --> 00:44:58,239 Speaker 1: especially UM that especially in the East Coast or Midwest 892 00:44:58,280 --> 00:45:00,600 Speaker 1: where it's getting harder and harder and harder find places 893 00:45:00,600 --> 00:45:04,040 Speaker 1: to hunt. UM. Tell us more about this what's going 894 00:45:04,080 --> 00:45:08,160 Speaker 1: on nationally when it comes to access. But before we 895 00:45:08,200 --> 00:45:10,480 Speaker 1: hear from Wit on access, we need to take a 896 00:45:10,560 --> 00:45:13,760 Speaker 1: quick break for word from one of our partners, Bear Archery, 897 00:45:13,760 --> 00:45:16,480 Speaker 1: who is a sponsor of this podcast episode. I've been 898 00:45:16,480 --> 00:45:18,759 Speaker 1: shooting bear Bow for a number of years now. One 899 00:45:18,800 --> 00:45:21,320 Speaker 1: of the coolest things about this company is his history, 900 00:45:21,680 --> 00:45:24,880 Speaker 1: specifically the fact that it was founded by Fred Bear. 901 00:45:25,120 --> 00:45:26,960 Speaker 1: And if you're a little on the younger side and 902 00:45:27,000 --> 00:45:30,320 Speaker 1: you're maybe not familiar with Fred Bear, he is someone 903 00:45:30,600 --> 00:45:32,239 Speaker 1: you really need to take a little bit of time 904 00:45:32,320 --> 00:45:35,840 Speaker 1: to learn about. He's an absolute legend, do a little reading, 905 00:45:36,200 --> 00:45:39,319 Speaker 1: watch some of the videos. Quite simply, he's just an 906 00:45:39,360 --> 00:45:42,640 Speaker 1: amazing figure in the history of bow hunting and hunting 907 00:45:42,680 --> 00:45:44,960 Speaker 1: in general. So well, that said, I thought, over the 908 00:45:44,960 --> 00:45:47,480 Speaker 1: course of the next couple of weeks we could share 909 00:45:47,520 --> 00:45:50,440 Speaker 1: a few wise words from the founder of bear archery, Mr. 910 00:45:50,480 --> 00:45:54,360 Speaker 1: Fred Bear. So today I thought we'd start with these words, 911 00:45:54,719 --> 00:45:58,680 Speaker 1: and I quote, I've always tempered my killing with respect 912 00:45:58,719 --> 00:46:01,799 Speaker 1: for the game pursued. I see the animal not only 913 00:46:01,880 --> 00:46:04,520 Speaker 1: is a target, but as a living creature with more 914 00:46:04,600 --> 00:46:07,239 Speaker 1: freedom than I will ever have. I take that life 915 00:46:07,280 --> 00:46:10,719 Speaker 1: if I can, with regret as well as joy, and 916 00:46:10,760 --> 00:46:12,840 Speaker 1: with a sure knowledge that nature's way of fang and 917 00:46:12,880 --> 00:46:16,560 Speaker 1: claw and starvation are a far crueler fate than I bestow. 918 00:46:17,600 --> 00:46:20,120 Speaker 1: End quote. If you'd like to learn more about Fred 919 00:46:20,120 --> 00:46:24,840 Speaker 1: Bear or bear archery, visit bear archery dot com. And 920 00:46:24,880 --> 00:46:29,600 Speaker 1: now here's wit on the topic of access. Yeah, I mean, 921 00:46:29,600 --> 00:46:32,000 Speaker 1: I'm a you know, my main passion of deer hunting 922 00:46:32,080 --> 00:46:33,719 Speaker 1: is you know, white tail hunting as well. So I 923 00:46:33,760 --> 00:46:35,360 Speaker 1: mean this is one that you know, the sort of 924 00:46:35,480 --> 00:46:38,120 Speaker 1: nearer deer to my heart and listen to most of us, 925 00:46:38,200 --> 00:46:39,520 Speaker 1: you know, who live in the eastern Nited States, are 926 00:46:39,520 --> 00:46:42,319 Speaker 1: gonna be hunting on private lands. And if you look 927 00:46:42,360 --> 00:46:45,560 Speaker 1: at what's happening in Washington, d C. We're family thirty 928 00:46:45,640 --> 00:46:47,400 Speaker 1: years ago, he could drive half an hour outside of 929 00:46:47,480 --> 00:46:50,600 Speaker 1: town and as be wide open farmlands and anybody would 930 00:46:50,640 --> 00:46:52,920 Speaker 1: let you on there. And they were bob white quail 931 00:46:53,000 --> 00:46:55,800 Speaker 1: around d C. And yeah, it was great hunting, fishing. 932 00:46:56,280 --> 00:46:59,120 Speaker 1: And the suburbs have now sprawled out so far that 933 00:46:59,200 --> 00:47:01,520 Speaker 1: we just don't see that. Where you do have open lands, 934 00:47:02,000 --> 00:47:03,760 Speaker 1: I mean, you're very lucky if you get a landowner 935 00:47:03,760 --> 00:47:06,400 Speaker 1: give your permission to get on there, and uh, you know, 936 00:47:06,400 --> 00:47:08,880 Speaker 1: so we're just seeing this changing demographic in the West. 937 00:47:09,480 --> 00:47:11,440 Speaker 1: What we're seeing is, you know, you have big blocks 938 00:47:11,440 --> 00:47:14,320 Speaker 1: of public lands, but you know, then you have the lower, 939 00:47:14,480 --> 00:47:17,960 Speaker 1: more productive bottom areas those tend to be private lands. 940 00:47:18,560 --> 00:47:21,080 Speaker 1: And the old Ranching family never minded people cut through 941 00:47:21,120 --> 00:47:23,840 Speaker 1: his property get up to access the national forest. But 942 00:47:24,000 --> 00:47:26,719 Speaker 1: when it gets blought by some you know, we're just California, dude, 943 00:47:27,360 --> 00:47:29,880 Speaker 1: he immediately puts up the no trespassing signs and blocks 944 00:47:29,880 --> 00:47:33,120 Speaker 1: the old gate. So we're losing access to our public lands. 945 00:47:33,160 --> 00:47:36,640 Speaker 1: We're losing access to private lands. And look, there's not 946 00:47:36,719 --> 00:47:38,400 Speaker 1: much we can do about it's private lands. Land or 947 00:47:38,440 --> 00:47:40,080 Speaker 1: could do what they want with it, but let's give 948 00:47:40,120 --> 00:47:42,160 Speaker 1: them an incentives to do the right thing and to 949 00:47:42,560 --> 00:47:46,000 Speaker 1: keep the public on it. So in the uniteteen I 950 00:47:46,040 --> 00:47:48,839 Speaker 1: think it was the eighty, what was the ninety through 951 00:47:48,880 --> 00:47:50,920 Speaker 1: the I'm trying to think which farm built was That 952 00:47:51,000 --> 00:47:54,400 Speaker 1: was Actually in the mid two thousand's, we've created a 953 00:47:54,400 --> 00:47:57,879 Speaker 1: program called open SIELS Voluntary Public Access programent farm Built, 954 00:47:58,360 --> 00:48:03,760 Speaker 1: which provided incentives to landowners two open up their fields 955 00:48:03,800 --> 00:48:06,360 Speaker 1: for hunting and fishing. And what it would do is 956 00:48:06,360 --> 00:48:09,320 Speaker 1: not only given the payment to do that, but it 957 00:48:09,360 --> 00:48:12,040 Speaker 1: would also waive the nice reliability. So if you know 958 00:48:12,120 --> 00:48:14,359 Speaker 1: some you know guys fell on a ditch and broke 959 00:48:14,360 --> 00:48:16,319 Speaker 1: his leg, he's not going to sue the landowner. So 960 00:48:16,520 --> 00:48:20,520 Speaker 1: state assumed that liability. It's a grant program to the states. 961 00:48:20,880 --> 00:48:22,880 Speaker 1: And after the first Farm Bill when it came in, 962 00:48:23,800 --> 00:48:26,640 Speaker 1: it was it added about three million acres of private 963 00:48:26,680 --> 00:48:29,759 Speaker 1: lands to public access. It was renewed and expanded in 964 00:48:29,840 --> 00:48:31,919 Speaker 1: the most recent farm bill the past two years ago, 965 00:48:32,760 --> 00:48:35,960 Speaker 1: and we're fairly confident that it will add even more 966 00:48:36,000 --> 00:48:38,560 Speaker 1: than that this time around. And this is you know, 967 00:48:39,160 --> 00:48:42,799 Speaker 1: this program exists because you know the farm landourers like 968 00:48:42,880 --> 00:48:45,880 Speaker 1: it and you know sportsmen like us as well as 969 00:48:45,920 --> 00:48:49,600 Speaker 1: bird watchers and others they like it too. And uh, 970 00:48:50,080 --> 00:48:52,799 Speaker 1: you know it's it's the state's administrants, so you know 971 00:48:52,880 --> 00:48:55,480 Speaker 1: they there's you know, the folks that are you know, 972 00:48:55,840 --> 00:48:58,600 Speaker 1: the locals are used to dealing with their state governments. Yeah, 973 00:48:58,640 --> 00:49:00,560 Speaker 1: there's no issue of the fence coming in and taking 974 00:49:00,560 --> 00:49:03,319 Speaker 1: over their properties or anything like that. So it's a 975 00:49:03,320 --> 00:49:04,960 Speaker 1: really good program that we want to make sure it 976 00:49:05,000 --> 00:49:08,719 Speaker 1: gets expanded and works well. And it's called the Voluntary 977 00:49:08,840 --> 00:49:12,880 Speaker 1: Public Access you have to Improvement program administered by a 978 00:49:12,960 --> 00:49:16,080 Speaker 1: Department of Agriculture. So that's something that you know, we 979 00:49:16,120 --> 00:49:19,319 Speaker 1: want to make sure it is working gets expanded that 980 00:49:20,520 --> 00:49:22,120 Speaker 1: But I'm just gonna say, is that is that a 981 00:49:22,200 --> 00:49:24,840 Speaker 1: controversial issue at all? Is there anyone who's opposed to 982 00:49:24,840 --> 00:49:26,480 Speaker 1: that kind of program or is this something that just 983 00:49:26,520 --> 00:49:29,760 Speaker 1: needs to be you know, brought to more people's attention. 984 00:49:30,280 --> 00:49:32,359 Speaker 1: It needs to be brought more people's attention. You need 985 00:49:32,400 --> 00:49:35,279 Speaker 1: to make sure you tell your wallmakers. I mean lost 986 00:49:35,400 --> 00:49:38,320 Speaker 1: your Senator Debbie Stabina, was you know, critical and expanding 987 00:49:38,320 --> 00:49:41,440 Speaker 1: this and uh, you know, when you're at a meeting 988 00:49:41,480 --> 00:49:43,560 Speaker 1: with her or anybody else, just say, hey, great job, 989 00:49:43,680 --> 00:49:46,160 Speaker 1: is a great program. I hunted this area here with 990 00:49:46,160 --> 00:49:49,080 Speaker 1: a fabulous yeah. But also working your state, you know, 991 00:49:49,120 --> 00:49:51,600 Speaker 1: agencies make sure that they are really aggressively putting in 992 00:49:51,640 --> 00:49:54,600 Speaker 1: the program. We don't want them, you know, developing access 993 00:49:54,640 --> 00:49:57,160 Speaker 1: e's beens on you know, nuke's ground that doesn't have 994 00:49:57,200 --> 00:49:59,200 Speaker 1: any you know, fishing wilife on there. And if there 995 00:49:59,280 --> 00:50:01,759 Speaker 1: is that, you get back to your agency and say, hey, 996 00:50:01,760 --> 00:50:03,200 Speaker 1: you know what, this is not very good and we're 997 00:50:03,239 --> 00:50:06,400 Speaker 1: kind of wasting their money on this one. Is this program? 998 00:50:07,200 --> 00:50:10,200 Speaker 1: Is this from it sounds like it's being administered by 999 00:50:10,239 --> 00:50:14,200 Speaker 1: the Department Agriculture mentioned. Is this responsible for some of 1000 00:50:14,200 --> 00:50:16,640 Speaker 1: these state access programs, like you know on Kansas and 1001 00:50:16,680 --> 00:50:19,680 Speaker 1: North Dakota states like that they have walking hunting access programs. 1002 00:50:19,760 --> 00:50:22,560 Speaker 1: Is that a part of this or those something separate 1003 00:50:22,560 --> 00:50:25,600 Speaker 1: that the state puts on it was it's something similar. 1004 00:50:26,080 --> 00:50:28,600 Speaker 1: It's actually, you know, they're the same things. So the 1005 00:50:28,640 --> 00:50:31,880 Speaker 1: federal program exists to encourage the states to create those 1006 00:50:31,880 --> 00:50:35,200 Speaker 1: block grant walk in programs. And actually Kansas is one 1007 00:50:35,239 --> 00:50:36,759 Speaker 1: of the first states that did this. And it was 1008 00:50:36,800 --> 00:50:40,520 Speaker 1: so popular in Kansas that local counties were giving the 1009 00:50:40,560 --> 00:50:44,240 Speaker 1: states grants to basically expand, you know, do this program 1010 00:50:44,239 --> 00:50:46,360 Speaker 1: in their counties because they saw what did too, you know, 1011 00:50:46,400 --> 00:50:48,880 Speaker 1: the hunters were coming in and using that What that 1012 00:50:48,920 --> 00:50:51,520 Speaker 1: did to local hotels and restaurants and all the rest. 1013 00:50:52,800 --> 00:50:55,239 Speaker 1: So it's, uh, it's very related to that. This is 1014 00:50:55,280 --> 00:50:57,280 Speaker 1: an opportunity to expand it in the states that already 1015 00:50:57,280 --> 00:51:00,360 Speaker 1: have those programs or to create those programs, and some 1016 00:51:00,400 --> 00:51:02,120 Speaker 1: of the states that didn't have them, and some of 1017 00:51:02,160 --> 00:51:04,440 Speaker 1: the big recipients in this last round that was announced 1018 00:51:04,440 --> 00:51:08,840 Speaker 1: over the summer, replaces like Massachusetts and Connecticut and Pennsylvania, 1019 00:51:09,560 --> 00:51:12,520 Speaker 1: which you know are kind of starved when it comes 1020 00:51:12,560 --> 00:51:16,080 Speaker 1: to the public lands. Yeah. Yeah, I'd love to see 1021 00:51:16,120 --> 00:51:18,680 Speaker 1: that happen more in these those types of states. Are 1022 00:51:18,680 --> 00:51:21,160 Speaker 1: here in Michigan or anywhere where you know, there's such 1023 00:51:21,200 --> 00:51:24,280 Speaker 1: a high density of hunters and like you said, limited 1024 00:51:24,320 --> 00:51:28,560 Speaker 1: public land access in private access is just dwindling drastically. 1025 00:51:29,120 --> 00:51:31,719 Speaker 1: Um So, gosh, I would love to see that type 1026 00:51:31,719 --> 00:51:34,360 Speaker 1: of program expanding. It sounds like the most places that 1027 00:51:34,400 --> 00:51:36,640 Speaker 1: I hear about it are on those states like Kansas, 1028 00:51:36,680 --> 00:51:39,480 Speaker 1: North Dakota, farther west where there's a little more availability 1029 00:51:39,560 --> 00:51:42,040 Speaker 1: where you know, it might be needed even more in 1030 00:51:42,120 --> 00:51:45,359 Speaker 1: states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, New York, etcetera. So I hope 1031 00:51:45,400 --> 00:51:48,400 Speaker 1: that's something that continues to gain momentum. Yeah, I think so. 1032 00:51:48,480 --> 00:51:51,200 Speaker 1: And you know, if the hunters out there at you 1033 00:51:51,200 --> 00:51:54,200 Speaker 1: figure out where those areas are and use them, or 1034 00:51:54,239 --> 00:51:56,120 Speaker 1: if they're not going to use them, at least you know, 1035 00:51:56,160 --> 00:51:58,319 Speaker 1: patrick local state government on the back for open them 1036 00:51:58,360 --> 00:52:01,800 Speaker 1: up to people. Yeah, Dan, do you have programs like 1037 00:52:01,840 --> 00:52:05,880 Speaker 1: that in Iowa? Um? I don't think we have. I 1038 00:52:05,920 --> 00:52:10,680 Speaker 1: know there's I think Nebraska or South Dakota have. If 1039 00:52:10,680 --> 00:52:15,200 Speaker 1: it's not posted, it's fair game type of uh you know, 1040 00:52:15,360 --> 00:52:18,680 Speaker 1: if you have if you have two acres and you 1041 00:52:18,760 --> 00:52:23,200 Speaker 1: don't put uh no trespassing sign or or stay off 1042 00:52:23,400 --> 00:52:27,239 Speaker 1: this property sign, then it's free game for whoever wants 1043 00:52:27,239 --> 00:52:30,960 Speaker 1: to hunt it. But Iowa I don't think has a 1044 00:52:31,000 --> 00:52:34,759 Speaker 1: program like that. Gotcha, Well, you gotta start talking to 1045 00:52:34,760 --> 00:52:38,279 Speaker 1: your lawmakers. I need I need some more access. But 1046 00:52:39,840 --> 00:52:41,920 Speaker 1: we can also use more money from Congress because I 1047 00:52:41,960 --> 00:52:44,480 Speaker 1: think literally as much as Congress is willing to appropriate 1048 00:52:44,520 --> 00:52:46,799 Speaker 1: the states we use and you know, buy access for us. 1049 00:52:47,440 --> 00:52:49,360 Speaker 1: And you know it's important to know too, this is 1050 00:52:49,400 --> 00:52:52,000 Speaker 1: good for conservation also because you know the areas that 1051 00:52:52,360 --> 00:52:54,840 Speaker 1: you know, if the lander wants to roll in this program, 1052 00:52:54,960 --> 00:52:57,640 Speaker 1: they get you know, they get higher scoring if they 1053 00:52:57,640 --> 00:53:00,960 Speaker 1: are engaged and rolled in conservation programs like CRP or 1054 00:53:01,040 --> 00:53:03,759 Speaker 1: some of those things that you know, really you know, 1055 00:53:04,280 --> 00:53:06,640 Speaker 1: so they have double win. You know, it's encouraging them 1056 00:53:06,640 --> 00:53:09,480 Speaker 1: to do conservation and is providing hunting and fishing access 1057 00:53:10,120 --> 00:53:13,680 Speaker 1: right right, it all comes down to incentivizing landowners and 1058 00:53:13,719 --> 00:53:15,920 Speaker 1: if you can make it worthwhile for them when you know, 1059 00:53:16,000 --> 00:53:18,520 Speaker 1: if they have a financial incentive to do something that's 1060 00:53:18,560 --> 00:53:21,279 Speaker 1: good for conservation, that's a good thing because otherwise, you know, 1061 00:53:21,320 --> 00:53:23,960 Speaker 1: they might do what's good from money standpoint in a 1062 00:53:24,000 --> 00:53:26,880 Speaker 1: way that's not so good for dear pheasants whatever it 1063 00:53:26,960 --> 00:53:28,840 Speaker 1: might be. UM. So, I think this is a perfect 1064 00:53:28,840 --> 00:53:32,200 Speaker 1: example of finding ways to find win win situations, which 1065 00:53:32,239 --> 00:53:33,719 Speaker 1: is probably the only way that we're going to get 1066 00:53:33,760 --> 00:53:37,840 Speaker 1: things done um towards these types of goals. So yeah, no, 1067 00:53:37,880 --> 00:53:40,279 Speaker 1: I totally agree with you. And uh, this has been 1068 00:53:40,280 --> 00:53:43,080 Speaker 1: a really good program to something that Secretary is Little Sack, 1069 00:53:43,120 --> 00:53:46,160 Speaker 1: who's the secretary of the Department of agriculture really likes 1070 00:53:46,520 --> 00:53:50,279 Speaker 1: He's an Iowa guy my hometown. Oh is that right? 1071 00:53:51,040 --> 00:53:54,839 Speaker 1: He loves his program. So it's great. But I mean, 1072 00:53:54,920 --> 00:53:56,799 Speaker 1: just you look at this year. I'm just pulling up 1073 00:53:56,800 --> 00:54:00,360 Speaker 1: in my computer while we're talking. You know, Massachusetts got 1074 00:54:00,400 --> 00:54:03,200 Speaker 1: you know, eight hundred and thirty six thousand dollar grant 1075 00:54:03,280 --> 00:54:07,040 Speaker 1: to you know, expand or create this program. There. Nebraska 1076 00:54:07,080 --> 00:54:11,280 Speaker 1: got one point three five million, Oklahoma one point five million. 1077 00:54:11,560 --> 00:54:15,440 Speaker 1: That's when we're talking real money. Um, Connecticut, you know, 1078 00:54:15,440 --> 00:54:18,080 Speaker 1: it's a six hundred and twelve thousand, which probably doesn't 1079 00:54:18,120 --> 00:54:19,640 Speaker 1: buy a lot in Connecticut, but it's better than not 1080 00:54:21,280 --> 00:54:25,000 Speaker 1: Illinois over half million, you know, Kansas two point seven million. 1081 00:54:25,200 --> 00:54:27,359 Speaker 1: You know. So it's uh, it's real money and it's 1082 00:54:27,360 --> 00:54:30,440 Speaker 1: a great program. Yeah. Yeah, that's it's encouraging to hear 1083 00:54:30,480 --> 00:54:33,400 Speaker 1: that kind of thing is happening because this issue of 1084 00:54:33,480 --> 00:54:37,200 Speaker 1: access is becoming one of the absolute keystone issues for 1085 00:54:37,200 --> 00:54:40,719 Speaker 1: for deer hunters, especially um east of the Mississippi River, 1086 00:54:40,760 --> 00:54:43,319 Speaker 1: where it's just getting really hard to find places. I think, Um, 1087 00:54:43,440 --> 00:54:46,120 Speaker 1: there was a recent survey a couple of years ago 1088 00:54:46,160 --> 00:54:49,640 Speaker 1: by the National Shooting Sports Foundation I believe, UM that asks, 1089 00:54:49,719 --> 00:54:52,239 Speaker 1: you know why do you not hunt anymore? Or why 1090 00:54:52,239 --> 00:54:55,239 Speaker 1: did you never get into hunting? And by far the 1091 00:54:55,280 --> 00:54:58,799 Speaker 1: most popular response was lack of somewhere to hunt. So 1092 00:54:59,160 --> 00:55:01,479 Speaker 1: if we're concerned about getting new hunters into our ranks 1093 00:55:01,480 --> 00:55:04,399 Speaker 1: and building our hunting family, uh, this is something that 1094 00:55:04,560 --> 00:55:06,200 Speaker 1: is right up there at the top of list. If 1095 00:55:06,239 --> 00:55:08,320 Speaker 1: we ever want to increase, let alone see our numbers 1096 00:55:08,320 --> 00:55:11,080 Speaker 1: continue to decrease. So no, you're exactly right, And that 1097 00:55:11,120 --> 00:55:13,200 Speaker 1: was the whole rationale behind and putting this program in 1098 00:55:13,200 --> 00:55:15,759 Speaker 1: place in the first place. And we're trying to sort 1099 00:55:15,800 --> 00:55:18,520 Speaker 1: of sort of create this sort of stack of things 1100 00:55:18,560 --> 00:55:20,720 Speaker 1: that make you know, giving you in centers for landowners 1101 00:55:20,760 --> 00:55:22,640 Speaker 1: to do the right thing with their land. So yeah, 1102 00:55:22,680 --> 00:55:24,400 Speaker 1: they get a payment for CRP, they can get a 1103 00:55:24,440 --> 00:55:26,440 Speaker 1: payment for other things, they get a payment for this. 1104 00:55:26,920 --> 00:55:30,200 Speaker 1: It's all of a sudden ascraptual landowner too. Yeah. Yeah. 1105 00:55:30,320 --> 00:55:34,040 Speaker 1: So so speaking of access in the land, then, uh, 1106 00:55:34,080 --> 00:55:36,879 Speaker 1: an acronym that's been thrown a lot. It's been thrown 1107 00:55:36,880 --> 00:55:38,600 Speaker 1: around a lot over the last couple of months, last 1108 00:55:38,600 --> 00:55:40,880 Speaker 1: half a year maybe or so, and maybe some people 1109 00:55:40,920 --> 00:55:43,160 Speaker 1: listening have heard it but haven't known. Really why it's 1110 00:55:43,160 --> 00:55:47,719 Speaker 1: important is LWCF the land and Water Conservation Fund. Can 1111 00:55:47,760 --> 00:55:50,719 Speaker 1: you fill us in on what that is, what's been 1112 00:55:50,719 --> 00:55:52,840 Speaker 1: going on recently with it, you know why it's important 1113 00:55:52,880 --> 00:55:56,600 Speaker 1: for for hunters and English. Yeah, So the Land Water 1114 00:55:56,680 --> 00:56:00,120 Speaker 1: Conservation Fund was created fifty years ago or fifth you 1115 00:56:00,160 --> 00:56:03,360 Speaker 1: one years ago now, and it was a deal that 1116 00:56:03,480 --> 00:56:05,640 Speaker 1: was struck when they were trying to do oil and 1117 00:56:05,640 --> 00:56:09,359 Speaker 1: gas development the Outer Continental Shelf, and they decided, okay, fine, 1118 00:56:09,400 --> 00:56:12,600 Speaker 1: we'll allow development the Outer Continental Shelf. This is Congress 1119 00:56:12,600 --> 00:56:14,960 Speaker 1: and you know, I think it was you know, whatever 1120 00:56:15,000 --> 00:56:17,759 Speaker 1: the president was in you know, Kennada or Johnson as 1121 00:56:17,840 --> 00:56:21,399 Speaker 1: Johnson and the you know, the deal was, but we're 1122 00:56:21,400 --> 00:56:23,279 Speaker 1: gonna have required a well and gas companies to pay 1123 00:56:23,280 --> 00:56:27,240 Speaker 1: into this fund called Lane Order Conservation Fund that will basically, 1124 00:56:27,280 --> 00:56:29,719 Speaker 1: you know, will develop a non renewable resource and will 1125 00:56:29,719 --> 00:56:34,200 Speaker 1: protect renewable resources. And so basically every year nine hundred 1126 00:56:34,640 --> 00:56:37,000 Speaker 1: million dollars in oil and gas receives gets positive into 1127 00:56:37,000 --> 00:56:40,239 Speaker 1: this account and then it gets appropriate by Congress, you know, 1128 00:56:40,320 --> 00:56:44,560 Speaker 1: to two different things. One to the agencies, uh to 1129 00:56:44,920 --> 00:56:47,800 Speaker 1: you know, to do you know, land acquisition or easyman 1130 00:56:47,880 --> 00:56:51,040 Speaker 1: so fish and whileye service may expand a refuge or 1131 00:56:51,120 --> 00:56:54,840 Speaker 1: made by a conservation useman adjacent to a refuge. UM. 1132 00:56:54,880 --> 00:56:57,759 Speaker 1: You know, there's good for hunting and fishing, and then 1133 00:56:57,920 --> 00:56:59,880 Speaker 1: the other part of it goes to the state agencies 1134 00:57:00,040 --> 00:57:03,719 Speaker 1: made build ball fields or parks in urban areas. UM. 1135 00:57:03,760 --> 00:57:05,600 Speaker 1: So it really is one of these programs that benefits 1136 00:57:05,600 --> 00:57:08,400 Speaker 1: both you know, urban users as well as you know, 1137 00:57:08,640 --> 00:57:13,160 Speaker 1: fish and wildlife and rural users. The problem is that 1138 00:57:13,280 --> 00:57:15,759 Speaker 1: even though that money is being paid for by the 1139 00:57:15,760 --> 00:57:18,160 Speaker 1: well and gas companies that goes into this fund every year, 1140 00:57:18,840 --> 00:57:21,680 Speaker 1: it basically routinely only once in the fifty years it's 1141 00:57:21,680 --> 00:57:24,600 Speaker 1: been around as Congress actually kicked the whole nine hund 1142 00:57:24,680 --> 00:57:29,560 Speaker 1: million dollars out. Instead, Congress you know, provides anywhere from 1143 00:57:30,000 --> 00:57:34,280 Speaker 1: two hundred million to four millions something like that, and 1144 00:57:34,320 --> 00:57:37,480 Speaker 1: then the rest just goes to deficit reduction. So what 1145 00:57:37,520 --> 00:57:40,560 Speaker 1: we've been yelling about is, you know, one, this is 1146 00:57:40,600 --> 00:57:42,680 Speaker 1: a dedicated source of funding is supposed to be paying 1147 00:57:42,720 --> 00:57:44,840 Speaker 1: for conservation. We ought to be using it for what 1148 00:57:44,880 --> 00:57:48,000 Speaker 1: it was attended for, which is conservation. And then you 1149 00:57:48,080 --> 00:57:52,160 Speaker 1: know two is the program expired this past year, so 1150 00:57:52,200 --> 00:57:54,439 Speaker 1: we were trying to get Congress to reauthorize it. Now 1151 00:57:54,920 --> 00:57:58,040 Speaker 1: Congress doesn't get around reauthorizing a whole bunch of programs, 1152 00:57:58,640 --> 00:58:01,480 Speaker 1: you know, the Clean Wall, are Acting, Dangerous Species Act, 1153 00:58:01,480 --> 00:58:04,919 Speaker 1: things like that haven't been reauthorized in years. But when 1154 00:58:04,920 --> 00:58:07,439 Speaker 1: it's not reauthorized, it makes it much harder to get 1155 00:58:07,480 --> 00:58:10,800 Speaker 1: money into it. So the real fear we were seeing 1156 00:58:11,000 --> 00:58:13,000 Speaker 1: is that this is the program that has never been 1157 00:58:13,000 --> 00:58:15,000 Speaker 1: fully funded to begin with, and it's going to get 1158 00:58:15,000 --> 00:58:18,880 Speaker 1: even more hampered with it if it became didn't get reauthorized. 1159 00:58:19,600 --> 00:58:22,080 Speaker 1: So in the budget deal that got cut at the 1160 00:58:22,160 --> 00:58:24,880 Speaker 1: end of the year, we got a three year extension 1161 00:58:25,120 --> 00:58:29,160 Speaker 1: on the authorization and four d fifty million dollars in 1162 00:58:29,200 --> 00:58:33,440 Speaker 1: funding for this year and next year, which is great 1163 00:58:33,480 --> 00:58:35,520 Speaker 1: because you know, that's way more than we've been getting 1164 00:58:35,520 --> 00:58:39,200 Speaker 1: in the past. So and it really sportsmen were pivotable 1165 00:58:39,280 --> 00:58:41,440 Speaker 1: this thing. I mean a lot of folks were considered 1166 00:58:41,440 --> 00:58:45,080 Speaker 1: this the program that really benefits the environmental community more broadly, 1167 00:58:45,920 --> 00:58:48,000 Speaker 1: but I think it was really our community that pushed 1168 00:58:48,000 --> 00:58:50,640 Speaker 1: this thing over the edge. We produced a report um 1169 00:58:50,720 --> 00:58:53,400 Speaker 1: in two thousand and fifteen. It really talked about the 1170 00:58:53,480 --> 00:58:55,920 Speaker 1: impact this fund has had on sportsman in terms of 1171 00:58:55,960 --> 00:59:00,000 Speaker 1: access projects, and uh, you know, by changing I think 1172 00:59:00,080 --> 00:59:02,120 Speaker 1: the terms of that debate, I think we're really able 1173 00:59:02,160 --> 00:59:04,320 Speaker 1: to bring and expand that coalition and make it much 1174 00:59:04,360 --> 00:59:07,800 Speaker 1: more palatable for particularly some of the Republican folks who 1175 00:59:08,120 --> 00:59:10,520 Speaker 1: legitimally say, well, were hard time taking care of our 1176 00:59:10,560 --> 00:59:12,480 Speaker 1: public lands anyway, why do we want to keep adding 1177 00:59:12,480 --> 00:59:15,040 Speaker 1: more to them? And I think our community was able 1178 00:59:15,040 --> 00:59:17,040 Speaker 1: to go in there and say, first of all, this 1179 00:59:17,120 --> 00:59:20,400 Speaker 1: doesn't make it more expensive to manage lands. I mean, 1180 00:59:20,600 --> 00:59:23,560 Speaker 1: think about in the West, we have these checkerboard patterns 1181 00:59:24,080 --> 00:59:27,080 Speaker 1: of landownership of public and private and public and private. 1182 00:59:27,480 --> 00:59:29,160 Speaker 1: You know, a lot of what this does is buyout 1183 00:59:29,200 --> 00:59:32,320 Speaker 1: in holdings, really consolidate federal lands and makes it easier 1184 00:59:32,360 --> 00:59:36,920 Speaker 1: and cheaper to manage. Second, it is also can be 1185 00:59:37,000 --> 00:59:38,680 Speaker 1: used in about half the money was being used right 1186 00:59:38,720 --> 00:59:41,680 Speaker 1: now for easements. So instead of you know, buying land, 1187 00:59:41,720 --> 00:59:44,640 Speaker 1: we're just going into a landowner and encouraging them to 1188 00:59:44,640 --> 00:59:47,920 Speaker 1: do the right thing, maybe for a species, maybe for sportsman, 1189 00:59:48,040 --> 00:59:50,640 Speaker 1: for access. And yeah, that's a great use of this 1190 00:59:50,680 --> 00:59:52,640 Speaker 1: program too. And actually your money goes a lot further 1191 00:59:52,680 --> 00:59:55,280 Speaker 1: when you're doing these working landscape type easements as opposed 1192 00:59:55,320 --> 00:59:59,360 Speaker 1: to an outright acquisition. And then uh, you know, go ahead, 1193 00:59:59,480 --> 01:00:02,320 Speaker 1: I'm sorry interrupt um, but could you elaborate a little 1194 01:00:02,320 --> 01:00:05,080 Speaker 1: bit on conservation easements, because that's something I think that 1195 01:00:05,160 --> 01:00:07,360 Speaker 1: some people maybe don't know a whole lot about or 1196 01:00:07,480 --> 01:00:09,320 Speaker 1: or here, and they don't know exactly what it means. 1197 01:00:09,320 --> 01:00:11,400 Speaker 1: And it's something that I think, you know, is popping 1198 01:00:11,480 --> 01:00:14,200 Speaker 1: up more and more really across the country and benefits 1199 01:00:14,560 --> 01:00:16,640 Speaker 1: a lot of us deer hunters, even you know, on 1200 01:00:16,680 --> 01:00:19,000 Speaker 1: the eastern start side of the country. So what exactly 1201 01:00:19,000 --> 01:00:21,040 Speaker 1: are those? How do you go about getting one? What 1202 01:00:21,120 --> 01:00:25,240 Speaker 1: to do? What're essentially doing is you're you're relinquishing your 1203 01:00:25,280 --> 01:00:28,440 Speaker 1: development rights, either for a tax benefit or for an 1204 01:00:28,440 --> 01:00:31,840 Speaker 1: outright payment. And you know, for example, I've got a 1205 01:00:31,880 --> 01:00:33,640 Speaker 1: you know, a small woodlot and upstate in New York 1206 01:00:33,680 --> 01:00:36,040 Speaker 1: and I grew up on and we have about nine 1207 01:00:36,120 --> 01:00:39,640 Speaker 1: percent of that in conservation easement, and it reduces our taxes. 1208 01:00:39,800 --> 01:00:41,840 Speaker 1: And you know, Frank and my brother and I, we 1209 01:00:41,880 --> 01:00:44,320 Speaker 1: don't never want that land developed. So it's how we 1210 01:00:44,520 --> 01:00:46,920 Speaker 1: it's beneficial to how we want to manage that property 1211 01:00:47,000 --> 01:00:50,080 Speaker 1: long term. And so it's a it's a great way 1212 01:00:50,480 --> 01:00:55,240 Speaker 1: to use, you know, incentive for you know, private landowners 1213 01:00:55,280 --> 01:00:59,919 Speaker 1: to conserve land in perpetuity. So if you have let's 1214 01:01:00,040 --> 01:01:03,080 Speaker 1: say we've got a family farm that we absolutely love 1215 01:01:03,200 --> 01:01:05,000 Speaker 1: and it's been a place that you know, our entire 1216 01:01:05,040 --> 01:01:08,120 Speaker 1: family has has learned hunt and has had incredible memories, 1217 01:01:08,120 --> 01:01:10,720 Speaker 1: and we want to protect that for you know, for 1218 01:01:10,800 --> 01:01:14,160 Speaker 1: animals and wildlife and future generations to enjoy that natural 1219 01:01:14,200 --> 01:01:16,800 Speaker 1: aspect of it. I can go ahead and put that 1220 01:01:16,880 --> 01:01:19,480 Speaker 1: property into a conservation easement, and that means that I 1221 01:01:19,520 --> 01:01:22,680 Speaker 1: can I can know for sure that even after I die, 1222 01:01:23,040 --> 01:01:24,800 Speaker 1: that's not going to turn into a parking lot. Is 1223 01:01:24,840 --> 01:01:27,280 Speaker 1: that what I'm hearing? That is exactly right. And you 1224 01:01:27,320 --> 01:01:29,600 Speaker 1: can either get the benefit in the outright, you know, 1225 01:01:29,720 --> 01:01:34,040 Speaker 1: cash payment from somebody like a land worker conservation fund grant, 1226 01:01:34,560 --> 01:01:36,760 Speaker 1: or just as a benefit or as a reduction in 1227 01:01:36,800 --> 01:01:40,640 Speaker 1: your taxes over time. So it may reduce your taxes 1228 01:01:43,560 --> 01:01:46,200 Speaker 1: because you're basically relinquishing all your development rights, which makes 1229 01:01:46,240 --> 01:01:51,080 Speaker 1: that land last worthwhile from a development perspective. So I 1230 01:01:51,200 --> 01:01:53,440 Speaker 1: would say it's great program. In fact, you know, we 1231 01:01:53,640 --> 01:01:57,080 Speaker 1: just got permanently extended. You know, that's another program that 1232 01:01:57,520 --> 01:02:00,520 Speaker 1: ran out in two thousand and fifteen, which is this innservation, 1233 01:02:00,680 --> 01:02:04,520 Speaker 1: the permanent conservation tax easements, the incentive program, and we 1234 01:02:04,600 --> 01:02:05,920 Speaker 1: got that, you know, right at the end of the 1235 01:02:05,960 --> 01:02:09,680 Speaker 1: year extended as well permanently, so that will always be 1236 01:02:09,720 --> 01:02:12,120 Speaker 1: a part of the tax code. Now, I think that's 1237 01:02:12,120 --> 01:02:16,280 Speaker 1: a pretty cool thing, especially for folks here who lots 1238 01:02:16,280 --> 01:02:17,960 Speaker 1: of times we think, at least I kind of think 1239 01:02:18,000 --> 01:02:20,120 Speaker 1: sometimes here in the Midwest, it just doesn't feel like 1240 01:02:20,160 --> 01:02:23,320 Speaker 1: there's many opportunities to to protect large pieces of land 1241 01:02:23,360 --> 01:02:25,440 Speaker 1: or really to make a difference when it comes to 1242 01:02:26,160 --> 01:02:29,840 Speaker 1: landscapes because of the fact that it's so much more developed, etcetera, etcetera. 1243 01:02:29,920 --> 01:02:31,440 Speaker 1: But this is a this is a case where an 1244 01:02:31,480 --> 01:02:34,560 Speaker 1: individual really can make a difference. You can actually help 1245 01:02:34,560 --> 01:02:36,080 Speaker 1: set us oude a piece of ground that can be 1246 01:02:36,160 --> 01:02:39,160 Speaker 1: great habitat for deer or whatever wildlife might be there 1247 01:02:39,200 --> 01:02:41,120 Speaker 1: for for a long time to come. So that's kind 1248 01:02:41,120 --> 01:02:43,200 Speaker 1: of a really neat way for for a single person 1249 01:02:43,680 --> 01:02:46,760 Speaker 1: to make a long lasting impact. That's exactly right. And 1250 01:02:46,800 --> 01:02:49,000 Speaker 1: you can dictate the terms of you know, what you 1251 01:02:49,000 --> 01:02:51,800 Speaker 1: can and can't do on your land. So for example, 1252 01:02:51,800 --> 01:02:53,320 Speaker 1: on our place, we have an upstate in New York. 1253 01:02:53,400 --> 01:02:55,960 Speaker 1: You know, yeah, we we do timber harvest, you know, 1254 01:02:56,040 --> 01:02:58,040 Speaker 1: we you know, can you know go in and do 1255 01:02:58,080 --> 01:03:00,560 Speaker 1: all the wildlife treatments and things like that. It we 1256 01:03:00,640 --> 01:03:02,640 Speaker 1: just can't do is you have to develop new houses 1257 01:03:02,640 --> 01:03:06,280 Speaker 1: on it. Yeah, so you know it's which we don't 1258 01:03:06,280 --> 01:03:08,840 Speaker 1: want to do anyway, right right? Does that Does that 1259 01:03:08,920 --> 01:03:14,440 Speaker 1: also mean that you allow other hunters to hunt that property? Nope, nope, 1260 01:03:14,440 --> 01:03:16,800 Speaker 1: not unless we wanted to. I mean, the state could 1261 01:03:16,840 --> 01:03:19,800 Speaker 1: have offered by an easement access from us. You know, 1262 01:03:19,840 --> 01:03:22,880 Speaker 1: we didn't have any interest in that. We're surrounded sort 1263 01:03:22,880 --> 01:03:25,080 Speaker 1: of by state land up there, so there's plenty of 1264 01:03:25,440 --> 01:03:28,080 Speaker 1: state access around us. But that would have to be, 1265 01:03:28,120 --> 01:03:29,840 Speaker 1: you know, just a term of the deal we worked 1266 01:03:29,840 --> 01:03:31,960 Speaker 1: out with the state or whoever is holding the easement. 1267 01:03:32,720 --> 01:03:35,560 Speaker 1: Nature conservancy in our group side that can hold an 1268 01:03:35,560 --> 01:03:39,880 Speaker 1: easement as well as your state visuality agency and you 1269 01:03:39,920 --> 01:03:43,960 Speaker 1: can make sure, let's say hypothetically, um, well, well, I 1270 01:03:43,960 --> 01:03:45,520 Speaker 1: guess and in most cases, right, if you had a 1271 01:03:45,520 --> 01:03:50,320 Speaker 1: conservation easement, Um, that would that would remain true even 1272 01:03:50,360 --> 01:03:53,040 Speaker 1: if you know your land after you die was sold 1273 01:03:53,040 --> 01:03:55,240 Speaker 1: to someone else or anything. Right, It stays in perpetuity. 1274 01:03:55,320 --> 01:03:59,880 Speaker 1: Is that correct? Correct? It goes with land. Okay, interesting stuff? 1275 01:04:00,040 --> 01:04:05,120 Speaker 1: Interesting stuff. Um So when it comes to the LWCF, 1276 01:04:05,160 --> 01:04:07,840 Speaker 1: which which does help fund a lot of things like that, 1277 01:04:08,080 --> 01:04:11,160 Speaker 1: and you mentioned it's been it's been reauthorized for several years. Now. 1278 01:04:11,480 --> 01:04:15,040 Speaker 1: Is there anything that we hunters need to be keeping 1279 01:04:15,160 --> 01:04:18,040 Speaker 1: tabs on or paying attention to or pushing still or 1280 01:04:18,080 --> 01:04:19,720 Speaker 1: is this something that we can say, Okay, check it 1281 01:04:19,720 --> 01:04:21,560 Speaker 1: off the box. It's good to go. We don't need 1282 01:04:21,600 --> 01:04:24,240 Speaker 1: to worry about it. You can. Uh, it's it's it's 1283 01:04:24,240 --> 01:04:26,600 Speaker 1: not an immediate crisis, but it's you know, given the fact, 1284 01:04:26,640 --> 01:04:29,320 Speaker 1: well we got a three year extension on this as 1285 01:04:29,320 --> 01:04:32,840 Speaker 1: opposed to the permanent reauthorization we wanted, you know, it's 1286 01:04:32,880 --> 01:04:34,600 Speaker 1: it's always going to be a fight. And then also 1287 01:04:34,640 --> 01:04:36,439 Speaker 1: we got you know, funding locked in for the next 1288 01:04:36,480 --> 01:04:39,080 Speaker 1: two years, but then you know, after that, who knows, 1289 01:04:39,760 --> 01:04:42,160 Speaker 1: and it's it's gonna It's really incumbent on our community 1290 01:04:42,240 --> 01:04:45,560 Speaker 1: not to assume that this stuff goes on without us, 1291 01:04:45,600 --> 01:04:49,120 Speaker 1: but to engage and participate when it's comes time to 1292 01:04:49,960 --> 01:04:52,640 Speaker 1: yell at Congress, make sure they're funding it, to make 1293 01:04:52,680 --> 01:04:55,880 Speaker 1: sure they're reauthorizing these programs, things like that, because if 1294 01:04:55,880 --> 01:04:58,560 Speaker 1: we're not speaking up, either nobody's going to or people 1295 01:04:58,640 --> 01:05:01,880 Speaker 1: we don't want to have representing us gonna doing it. Yeah, yeah, 1296 01:05:02,040 --> 01:05:06,600 Speaker 1: that makes sense on some of these issues you mentioned 1297 01:05:06,600 --> 01:05:10,440 Speaker 1: this earlier. Kind of like the corporate America um the 1298 01:05:11,120 --> 01:05:15,320 Speaker 1: companies that support hunters, like you know an archery company 1299 01:05:15,480 --> 01:05:19,400 Speaker 1: or a tree stand company, or or any Cabella's bass 1300 01:05:19,400 --> 01:05:23,520 Speaker 1: Pro shops and stuff like that. There's also the term 1301 01:05:23,720 --> 01:05:27,600 Speaker 1: money talks, b s walks kind of mentality, how much 1302 01:05:27,840 --> 01:05:33,280 Speaker 1: of this corporate America is actually their funds actually helping 1303 01:05:33,280 --> 01:05:37,560 Speaker 1: this movement. Well, you know, they think the hunting of 1304 01:05:37,600 --> 01:05:40,120 Speaker 1: fishing community does not have the deep pockets with the 1305 01:05:40,160 --> 01:05:42,800 Speaker 1: exception of you know, Cabellas or bass Pro or a 1306 01:05:42,800 --> 01:05:45,960 Speaker 1: couple other industries or companies that you know, some of 1307 01:05:45,960 --> 01:05:49,280 Speaker 1: the big oil and gas or developers or things like 1308 01:05:49,360 --> 01:05:52,640 Speaker 1: that have. So, yeah, we're relatively small potatoes because we're 1309 01:05:52,680 --> 01:05:54,720 Speaker 1: so diffuse and there's so many a little mom and 1310 01:05:54,760 --> 01:05:58,520 Speaker 1: pop sporting good shops and things like that. So while 1311 01:05:58,560 --> 01:06:02,160 Speaker 1: we are really significan and industry economically as an aggregate, 1312 01:06:02,680 --> 01:06:05,760 Speaker 1: you know, our individual members, you really don't engage all 1313 01:06:05,800 --> 01:06:08,000 Speaker 1: that much and in that significant way, which is always 1314 01:06:08,000 --> 01:06:09,720 Speaker 1: gonna put us on the defensive, which is why we 1315 01:06:09,760 --> 01:06:12,520 Speaker 1: need people just stick up for us, because we're never 1316 01:06:12,560 --> 01:06:15,320 Speaker 1: gonna be able to match from money standpoints some of 1317 01:06:15,360 --> 01:06:18,720 Speaker 1: these bigger companies. Now that said, there are you know, 1318 01:06:18,880 --> 01:06:22,720 Speaker 1: wil and gas companies. There are timber companies that are 1319 01:06:22,760 --> 01:06:24,680 Speaker 1: really good stewards, and I really want to do the 1320 01:06:24,760 --> 01:06:27,200 Speaker 1: right thing and see that doing the right thing is 1321 01:06:27,240 --> 01:06:29,080 Speaker 1: not only a good thing to do, but actually helps 1322 01:06:29,120 --> 01:06:32,440 Speaker 1: them from a business standpoint, to decrease some certainty. They 1323 01:06:32,480 --> 01:06:34,960 Speaker 1: know where they can go, they know where they can't go, 1324 01:06:35,760 --> 01:06:38,120 Speaker 1: and they know what the rules are and as long 1325 01:06:38,160 --> 01:06:39,480 Speaker 1: as they do with the rules, and they're happy to 1326 01:06:39,480 --> 01:06:41,440 Speaker 1: play by them. But it's when the you know, the 1327 01:06:41,480 --> 01:06:45,280 Speaker 1: goalposts are commonly shifting, they have problems. So you know, 1328 01:06:45,320 --> 01:06:49,360 Speaker 1: I mentioned you Slumberget is a support of ours, Potlatch 1329 01:06:49,480 --> 01:06:52,520 Speaker 1: plum Creek. You know, these guys which are not exactly 1330 01:06:52,560 --> 01:06:56,240 Speaker 1: you know, sort of commonly associated with environmental stuff. You know, 1331 01:06:56,280 --> 01:07:00,280 Speaker 1: they're really good on these issues. So so what you're saying, 1332 01:07:00,280 --> 01:07:03,520 Speaker 1: I think is that there are ways for these two 1333 01:07:03,800 --> 01:07:06,320 Speaker 1: constituencies to find ways to work together. Right Because you 1334 01:07:06,360 --> 01:07:11,840 Speaker 1: look at and there's extraction related industries like timber, oil 1335 01:07:11,840 --> 01:07:14,919 Speaker 1: and gas, etcetera that sometimes I think, um, I even 1336 01:07:14,960 --> 01:07:17,800 Speaker 1: have the tendency to look at and say, lost of times, 1337 01:07:17,800 --> 01:07:21,600 Speaker 1: that's hurting our habitats, that's hurting our hunting and fishing opportunities, etcetera. 1338 01:07:21,680 --> 01:07:26,240 Speaker 1: But um, maybe there's there's more recently we're finding ways 1339 01:07:26,280 --> 01:07:28,680 Speaker 1: for those groups to find wind wins. Again, you know, 1340 01:07:28,720 --> 01:07:31,960 Speaker 1: there's ways that we can still use the land for profit, 1341 01:07:32,040 --> 01:07:33,320 Speaker 1: but also do it in such a way that it 1342 01:07:33,320 --> 01:07:38,240 Speaker 1: can be still productive for habitat and wildlife. Absolutely, so, 1343 01:07:38,240 --> 01:07:40,400 Speaker 1: I mean, let's see as the example of your timber harvest. 1344 01:07:40,480 --> 01:07:42,880 Speaker 1: You know, you have groups like you Plumb Creek or Potlatch, 1345 01:07:42,920 --> 01:07:46,520 Speaker 1: which are major you know, timber producers. You know, listen, 1346 01:07:46,560 --> 01:07:49,200 Speaker 1: I mean a lot of our forests will benefit from 1347 01:07:49,200 --> 01:07:51,480 Speaker 1: some management. You know, white tail hunters know that a 1348 01:07:51,520 --> 01:07:55,080 Speaker 1: little bitally sucessional habitat is great. But that's even true 1349 01:07:55,080 --> 01:07:57,360 Speaker 1: for elk, it's true for mule deer. Some you like 1350 01:07:57,440 --> 01:07:59,960 Speaker 1: having that mosaic of habitat. I mean, you don't want 1351 01:08:00,040 --> 01:08:02,760 Speaker 1: the place you mowed to the ground, but at the 1352 01:08:02,800 --> 01:08:04,520 Speaker 1: same time you don't want it all just standing there 1353 01:08:04,520 --> 01:08:06,880 Speaker 1: and burning with no management at all. So you know, 1354 01:08:06,960 --> 01:08:08,880 Speaker 1: that's a place where we can find common ground with 1355 01:08:08,920 --> 01:08:11,520 Speaker 1: the timber companies and they know that. You know, I 1356 01:08:11,560 --> 01:08:15,120 Speaker 1: think we understand that, and again that's sort of sensible center. 1357 01:08:15,640 --> 01:08:18,280 Speaker 1: You know that, I think our community is always represented. Yeah, 1358 01:08:18,320 --> 01:08:20,880 Speaker 1: and that that's the challenges is getting people to come 1359 01:08:20,880 --> 01:08:23,200 Speaker 1: to that middle where we can find ways that they 1360 01:08:23,200 --> 01:08:26,679 Speaker 1: can work for everyone or at least make a positive step. So, 1361 01:08:27,200 --> 01:08:31,600 Speaker 1: speaking of you mentioned fire, I know that force management 1362 01:08:31,800 --> 01:08:35,640 Speaker 1: and firefighting forest fires has been a big topic, but 1363 01:08:35,880 --> 01:08:38,599 Speaker 1: I wonder if some people don't necessarily understand how that 1364 01:08:38,680 --> 01:08:42,759 Speaker 1: really impacts hunting and fishing and in larger issues across 1365 01:08:42,760 --> 01:08:44,880 Speaker 1: the country. Can you kind of explain why this whole 1366 01:08:44,920 --> 01:08:47,400 Speaker 1: fire funding issue and force management is something that we 1367 01:08:47,439 --> 01:08:50,040 Speaker 1: all need to be aware of. Yeah, that's a great question, 1368 01:08:50,200 --> 01:08:53,120 Speaker 1: and it goes back to the you know, this is 1369 01:08:53,120 --> 01:08:56,200 Speaker 1: primarily issue on the public lands, you know, so we 1370 01:08:56,240 --> 01:08:59,040 Speaker 1: have you know, it's primarily issue on the national forest system, 1371 01:08:59,080 --> 01:09:03,240 Speaker 1: which is that hundred ninety two million acres, and uh, 1372 01:09:03,320 --> 01:09:06,160 Speaker 1: you know, fire has always been a part of you know, 1373 01:09:06,240 --> 01:09:10,240 Speaker 1: the ecosystem, especially out west. But you know, twenty years 1374 01:09:10,240 --> 01:09:13,320 Speaker 1: ago the agency was spending about six of his budget 1375 01:09:13,400 --> 01:09:16,599 Speaker 1: fighting fires. Now it's up spending more than fifty percent 1376 01:09:16,800 --> 01:09:20,479 Speaker 1: budget fighting fires, and as a result, it is doing 1377 01:09:20,680 --> 01:09:25,160 Speaker 1: precious little else than fighting these huge fires. It does 1378 01:09:25,200 --> 01:09:29,360 Speaker 1: not know why managing wildlife habitat it is not you know, 1379 01:09:30,720 --> 01:09:34,320 Speaker 1: clearing areas around urban the urban forest interface, you know, 1380 01:09:34,360 --> 01:09:38,599 Speaker 1: which are really prioriful, sort of very prone to fires. 1381 01:09:39,400 --> 01:09:41,639 Speaker 1: You know, it is not doing you know, yeah, pretty 1382 01:09:41,680 --> 01:09:44,400 Speaker 1: much anything. Is not managing his campground Sports Services had 1383 01:09:44,439 --> 01:09:47,559 Speaker 1: i think two thousand you know, sort of developed campgrounds 1384 01:09:47,560 --> 01:09:49,800 Speaker 1: they've had shut down the last few years. They don't 1385 01:09:49,840 --> 01:09:51,880 Speaker 1: have the money to operate them anymore because they're spending 1386 01:09:51,880 --> 01:09:55,000 Speaker 1: them all in damn fighting fires. So the way national 1387 01:09:55,080 --> 01:09:59,440 Speaker 1: disasters are handled in every other situation in this country, tornadoes, 1388 01:09:59,560 --> 01:10:03,559 Speaker 1: hurricane means, anything like that, is that you know, the 1389 01:10:03,600 --> 01:10:06,280 Speaker 1: majority of those costs come out of you know, FEMA, 1390 01:10:06,600 --> 01:10:10,360 Speaker 1: the Federal Emergency Management Act, in emergency funds. So we're 1391 01:10:10,360 --> 01:10:13,040 Speaker 1: trying to do is to sure fire is always gonna 1392 01:10:13,040 --> 01:10:15,880 Speaker 1: be a part of the Forest Services responsibilities. It's going 1393 01:10:15,920 --> 01:10:17,800 Speaker 1: to be part of their budget. But and if you 1394 01:10:17,840 --> 01:10:21,439 Speaker 1: get above you know, a certain level, then let's tap 1395 01:10:21,479 --> 01:10:23,839 Speaker 1: some of these emergency funds and not have the agency 1396 01:10:24,120 --> 01:10:27,639 Speaker 1: basically keeps cannibalizing itself, which prevents it for doing everything 1397 01:10:27,640 --> 01:10:30,880 Speaker 1: else it needs to do. And uh, you know, that 1398 01:10:30,960 --> 01:10:33,040 Speaker 1: was one big frustration. We had a very good budget 1399 01:10:33,040 --> 01:10:34,360 Speaker 1: deal at the end of the year, which is actually 1400 01:10:34,479 --> 01:10:37,960 Speaker 1: very good for conservation almost across the board, with the 1401 01:10:38,000 --> 01:10:41,559 Speaker 1: exception of fixing this fire funding stuff. And until we 1402 01:10:41,560 --> 01:10:44,559 Speaker 1: can fix this, we're going to continue to have major 1403 01:10:44,640 --> 01:10:48,040 Speaker 1: problems of management on the national forest system, which then 1404 01:10:48,880 --> 01:10:52,800 Speaker 1: feeds the discontent for the people who really ticked off 1405 01:10:52,800 --> 01:10:55,759 Speaker 1: of the general agencies and how they're managing our public lands. 1406 01:10:56,240 --> 01:10:58,400 Speaker 1: But it's not necessarily the agency's fault because they're so 1407 01:10:58,600 --> 01:11:02,559 Speaker 1: hamstrung with their budget right right, so that this issue 1408 01:11:02,680 --> 01:11:07,080 Speaker 1: with the fire funding ultimately could negatively impact the larger 1409 01:11:07,840 --> 01:11:10,280 Speaker 1: debate around whether or not we should have public lands 1410 01:11:10,320 --> 01:11:12,280 Speaker 1: and if they're going to be managed by the federal government, 1411 01:11:12,280 --> 01:11:14,320 Speaker 1: which is good for running and fishing and all those things. So, 1412 01:11:14,720 --> 01:11:17,719 Speaker 1: even though I think a lot of people assume it's 1413 01:11:17,840 --> 01:11:21,080 Speaker 1: it's understandable that this fire issue is is a Western thing, right, 1414 01:11:21,080 --> 01:11:24,959 Speaker 1: I don't see massive fire forest fires here in Michigan. 1415 01:11:25,160 --> 01:11:28,719 Speaker 1: But regardless, this is something that could impact my ability 1416 01:11:28,760 --> 01:11:31,040 Speaker 1: to to have access to public lands, whether be out 1417 01:11:31,080 --> 01:11:33,839 Speaker 1: west or here on the East Coast or Midwest or anything. 1418 01:11:33,880 --> 01:11:36,479 Speaker 1: These things are all tied together. And I think also 1419 01:11:36,880 --> 01:11:39,320 Speaker 1: it's a rocking issue in Michigan, not because you're gonna 1420 01:11:39,320 --> 01:11:42,240 Speaker 1: get the fires, because the management supposed to be happening 1421 01:11:42,240 --> 01:11:47,200 Speaker 1: on maneste here on whatever national forests maybe is being 1422 01:11:47,240 --> 01:11:51,519 Speaker 1: taken into fun fires in Ida exactly exactly. So you know, 1423 01:11:51,600 --> 01:11:54,880 Speaker 1: it is impacting land managers and the Green Mountain National 1424 01:11:54,920 --> 01:11:57,840 Speaker 1: Forest in Vermont, and the White Wrapped Mountain National Forests 1425 01:11:57,840 --> 01:12:00,599 Speaker 1: in New Hampshire, intersecting you guys in Michigan, in the 1426 01:12:00,600 --> 01:12:04,360 Speaker 1: Wayne National Forest in Ohio. I mean, it is impacting 1427 01:12:04,439 --> 01:12:07,680 Speaker 1: every single national forest out there, whether folks know it 1428 01:12:07,760 --> 01:12:10,360 Speaker 1: or not. Yeah. Yeah, It's one of those things that 1429 01:12:10,400 --> 01:12:12,840 Speaker 1: could easily you know, I don't think most people I 1430 01:12:12,880 --> 01:12:15,160 Speaker 1: wouldn't have known this unless I had read some read 1431 01:12:15,200 --> 01:12:18,280 Speaker 1: some of these things that that how that funding mechanism works, 1432 01:12:18,280 --> 01:12:20,720 Speaker 1: and the fact that it's taking away so much of 1433 01:12:20,720 --> 01:12:24,080 Speaker 1: what the Forest Service should be doing in Ohio, Michigan, etcetera. 1434 01:12:24,280 --> 01:12:28,000 Speaker 1: So and again, and this is an assumption on my part, 1435 01:12:28,080 --> 01:12:31,799 Speaker 1: but is it true that really on this front again 1436 01:12:31,880 --> 01:12:35,760 Speaker 1: comes down to communicating with our with our legislators and saying, hey, 1437 01:12:35,760 --> 01:12:38,320 Speaker 1: this is an important thing. Is there anything that's happening still? 1438 01:12:38,840 --> 01:12:41,200 Speaker 1: You mentioned that the this wasn't passed in the most 1439 01:12:41,240 --> 01:12:43,360 Speaker 1: recent spending bill. Is there any action being taking to 1440 01:12:43,360 --> 01:12:46,040 Speaker 1: try to change things. Oh yeah, no, it's our top 1441 01:12:46,080 --> 01:12:49,040 Speaker 1: priority you know this year. I know it's Secretary hill 1442 01:12:49,120 --> 01:12:52,519 Speaker 1: sax top priority. Gets this thing fixed because you know, 1443 01:12:52,600 --> 01:12:55,000 Speaker 1: it is the one big miss that we had last year, 1444 01:12:55,640 --> 01:12:57,800 Speaker 1: and we just need to get to fix Russ's just 1445 01:12:57,960 --> 01:13:02,040 Speaker 1: to continue to snowball cannibalize an agency. And I think 1446 01:13:02,040 --> 01:13:06,240 Speaker 1: there is broad bipartisan support fixes in Congress, Republicans, Democrats, 1447 01:13:06,760 --> 01:13:08,920 Speaker 1: you know, people get it, they understand what it's doing. 1448 01:13:09,560 --> 01:13:12,200 Speaker 1: But just some sort of laugh minute shenanigans, you know 1449 01:13:12,240 --> 01:13:15,519 Speaker 1: in Congress prevented this from happening. You know, Speaker Ryan 1450 01:13:15,640 --> 01:13:18,639 Speaker 1: supported this getting fixed, but I just didn't get done 1451 01:13:18,640 --> 01:13:21,479 Speaker 1: for last second. So I think that we uh, I 1452 01:13:21,520 --> 01:13:23,320 Speaker 1: think we're all going to be working very hard to 1453 01:13:23,320 --> 01:13:26,080 Speaker 1: make sure this gets done and gets done quickly recognize 1454 01:13:26,160 --> 01:13:28,880 Speaker 1: that not a lot gets done in election year. Okay, 1455 01:13:28,960 --> 01:13:31,360 Speaker 1: fair enough. Uh So I kind of want to move 1456 01:13:31,479 --> 01:13:34,240 Speaker 1: now to While the last couple of things we talked 1457 01:13:34,240 --> 01:13:38,320 Speaker 1: about might be indirectly related to the core deer hunter's 1458 01:13:38,360 --> 01:13:40,880 Speaker 1: daily life, this is a topic that I think, especially 1459 01:13:40,920 --> 01:13:43,040 Speaker 1: anyone who hunts in the Midwest, this is something that's 1460 01:13:43,040 --> 01:13:45,280 Speaker 1: near and dear to a lot of our hearts. Um. 1461 01:13:45,360 --> 01:13:49,160 Speaker 1: And that's CRP, the Conservation Reserve Program. This is something 1462 01:13:49,240 --> 01:13:52,439 Speaker 1: that UH provides and funds habitat that a lot of 1463 01:13:52,520 --> 01:13:55,760 Speaker 1: us love to hunt for deer. It's tremendous habitat for deer. 1464 01:13:55,840 --> 01:13:59,080 Speaker 1: But to your point, which I think you made minutes ago, 1465 01:13:59,320 --> 01:14:02,720 Speaker 1: it's something that's rapidly we're rapidly losing it. Um. Can 1466 01:14:02,720 --> 01:14:04,640 Speaker 1: you can you elaborate on what's going on with the 1467 01:14:04,640 --> 01:14:08,080 Speaker 1: CRP program right now? Well, let's let's take a little 1468 01:14:08,160 --> 01:14:10,439 Speaker 1: history just to explain to the listeners. Just you know, 1469 01:14:10,439 --> 01:14:12,439 Speaker 1: why THERP was created in the first place. So it 1470 01:14:12,520 --> 01:14:15,479 Speaker 1: was created back in the eighties, has really a farm 1471 01:14:15,560 --> 01:14:18,960 Speaker 1: safety net program. I mean, commodity prices were really crappy. 1472 01:14:19,400 --> 01:14:21,840 Speaker 1: Farmers are having a very hard time. This is a 1473 01:14:21,880 --> 01:14:24,679 Speaker 1: way to give them some funds for not planning some areas. 1474 01:14:24,720 --> 01:14:27,160 Speaker 1: And it was good for a while life too. And 1475 01:14:27,200 --> 01:14:29,439 Speaker 1: really it has sort of grown from you know, that 1476 01:14:29,560 --> 01:14:31,559 Speaker 1: idea which is just sort of helping the farmers out, 1477 01:14:31,600 --> 01:14:35,559 Speaker 1: you know, survive these tough periods to really indispensable program 1478 01:14:35,600 --> 01:14:37,960 Speaker 1: if you know, like to hunt and fish and you 1479 01:14:38,080 --> 01:14:41,639 Speaker 1: like clean water and butterflies and all the rest. But 1480 01:14:41,800 --> 01:14:44,720 Speaker 1: you know, since you know CRP had about you know, 1481 01:14:44,800 --> 01:14:49,320 Speaker 1: thirty almost thirty seven million acres enrolled back in two 1482 01:14:49,320 --> 01:14:52,439 Speaker 1: thousand and seven. The new farm mill has passed kicks 1483 01:14:52,520 --> 01:14:56,280 Speaker 1: that down to about twenty four million acres. That is 1484 01:14:56,320 --> 01:14:59,720 Speaker 1: a huge production. Um. Yeah, there was a farm mill 1485 01:14:59,760 --> 01:15:02,400 Speaker 1: created some other conservation programs to sort of taking his place. 1486 01:15:03,200 --> 01:15:05,519 Speaker 1: But you know, I think that we're still pushing to 1487 01:15:05,520 --> 01:15:08,080 Speaker 1: try to get that cat back up. And you can 1488 01:15:08,120 --> 01:15:11,160 Speaker 1: look at some of the historical numbers with what happens 1489 01:15:11,280 --> 01:15:15,080 Speaker 1: when you reduce CRP funding in terms of hunting populations. 1490 01:15:15,720 --> 01:15:21,759 Speaker 1: I'm looking at a stat right now. Um, the crproduced 1491 01:15:21,800 --> 01:15:25,040 Speaker 1: about five point five million acres between two thousand and 1492 01:15:25,080 --> 01:15:29,480 Speaker 1: six and two thousand and twelve, and remarkably saysant populations 1493 01:15:29,520 --> 01:15:32,759 Speaker 1: simultaneously dropped by about half, from five point seven million 1494 01:15:32,800 --> 01:15:35,720 Speaker 1: birds to two point nine million birds. So there is 1495 01:15:35,760 --> 01:15:39,320 Speaker 1: a direct one to one correlation between you know, certainly 1496 01:15:39,360 --> 01:15:43,479 Speaker 1: says'tsin crap, but also a whole lot of other species. Yeah, 1497 01:15:43,479 --> 01:15:45,840 Speaker 1: I think. Um. We talked with Kip Adams from the 1498 01:15:45,880 --> 01:15:49,680 Speaker 1: Quality Deer Management Association last January UM, and he'd been 1499 01:15:49,680 --> 01:15:52,080 Speaker 1: looking into this issue and how it pertains to white 1500 01:15:52,080 --> 01:15:56,320 Speaker 1: tailed deer populations and how we've been seeing massive reductions 1501 01:15:56,320 --> 01:15:59,760 Speaker 1: in populations and harvest numbers in states like Iowa where 1502 01:15:59,800 --> 01:16:03,040 Speaker 1: you're seeing this huge loss of habitat because of CRP 1503 01:16:03,240 --> 01:16:05,960 Speaker 1: going out. Um. So, I think it's something that's definitely 1504 01:16:06,160 --> 01:16:09,720 Speaker 1: definitely impacting deer too, especially in these states where CRP 1505 01:16:09,760 --> 01:16:13,719 Speaker 1: provides some of your only or best whitetail habitat when 1506 01:16:13,760 --> 01:16:16,320 Speaker 1: everything else is in crops if it's not in CRP. 1507 01:16:16,560 --> 01:16:20,519 Speaker 1: So I mean, and I was a poster child of 1508 01:16:20,560 --> 01:16:23,800 Speaker 1: you know, they have wall to wall acrops and you 1509 01:16:23,800 --> 01:16:26,080 Speaker 1: know these good years where we had high crop prices, 1510 01:16:26,120 --> 01:16:29,120 Speaker 1: and you know it is just as devastated the peasant 1511 01:16:29,160 --> 01:16:32,920 Speaker 1: population has devastated the deer population. And uh, you know 1512 01:16:33,560 --> 01:16:35,639 Speaker 1: we're sort of on the same track in South Dakota, 1513 01:16:35,720 --> 01:16:37,639 Speaker 1: but you know, as again we've got a lot more 1514 01:16:37,760 --> 01:16:40,200 Speaker 1: enrolled there. So no, that's a huge issue, and it's 1515 01:16:40,200 --> 01:16:42,080 Speaker 1: a huge issue. And you know across you know, a 1516 01:16:42,160 --> 01:16:45,040 Speaker 1: bunch of the corn belt near where you guys live. Yeah. 1517 01:16:45,080 --> 01:16:50,559 Speaker 1: So so, um, this CRP, the reduction in the CRP funding, Um, 1518 01:16:50,600 --> 01:16:55,200 Speaker 1: does that mean that the landowners are getting less money 1519 01:16:55,280 --> 01:16:59,639 Speaker 1: per acre for their CRP dollars or is the government 1520 01:16:59,680 --> 01:17:03,439 Speaker 1: not newing contracts now, so there's an actually an acreage 1521 01:17:03,479 --> 01:17:06,400 Speaker 1: cap associate with the farm bill. So right now you 1522 01:17:06,439 --> 01:17:08,439 Speaker 1: know U. S. D A is not allowed to enroll 1523 01:17:08,520 --> 01:17:11,040 Speaker 1: more than two million acres in the program. The farmers 1524 01:17:11,040 --> 01:17:13,000 Speaker 1: are still getting their money. In fact, the probably getting 1525 01:17:13,000 --> 01:17:15,439 Speaker 1: more money because you know, well they're not hutting that 1526 01:17:15,520 --> 01:17:17,920 Speaker 1: high right now. But when corn and corn and you know, 1527 01:17:17,920 --> 01:17:20,720 Speaker 1: swaving prices were higher, you know they were getting it 1528 01:17:20,800 --> 01:17:22,559 Speaker 1: was you know, you had to provide the more money 1529 01:17:22,520 --> 01:17:25,840 Speaker 1: and be competitive, you know, with commodity prices. But no, 1530 01:17:25,960 --> 01:17:28,040 Speaker 1: it's an acres cap, and we're trying to get that 1531 01:17:28,080 --> 01:17:31,200 Speaker 1: acres caps kicked back up to get more land enrolled, 1532 01:17:31,240 --> 01:17:34,400 Speaker 1: particularly now that the commodity prices are down. So now 1533 01:17:34,439 --> 01:17:36,840 Speaker 1: it's actually in the farmer's interest to enroll more land 1534 01:17:36,880 --> 01:17:38,639 Speaker 1: in the c RP as opposed to just to wall 1535 01:17:38,680 --> 01:17:42,160 Speaker 1: to wall you know, road cross and hypothetically in the 1536 01:17:42,200 --> 01:17:44,240 Speaker 1: past when it was you know, the cap was thirty 1537 01:17:44,240 --> 01:17:46,559 Speaker 1: seven million acres or something like that, now that's only 1538 01:17:46,560 --> 01:17:49,360 Speaker 1: twenty four is it Is it possible that there could 1539 01:17:49,360 --> 01:17:52,400 Speaker 1: be people that currently have ground in CRP that when 1540 01:17:52,400 --> 01:17:54,840 Speaker 1: it comes back up for renewal, they're gonna be told 1541 01:17:54,880 --> 01:17:57,040 Speaker 1: at no, we can't renew it because our cap has 1542 01:17:57,080 --> 01:17:58,760 Speaker 1: met in this area or whatever it might be. And 1543 01:17:58,800 --> 01:18:00,320 Speaker 1: so we're gonna see ground that used to be in 1544 01:18:00,400 --> 01:18:01,880 Speaker 1: CRP that we used to be a hunt that all 1545 01:18:01,880 --> 01:18:04,080 Speaker 1: of a sudden now and it's not gonna make it's 1546 01:18:04,080 --> 01:18:07,599 Speaker 1: not gonna make the cap. Yeah, that's definitely a possible scenario. 1547 01:18:08,000 --> 01:18:10,639 Speaker 1: Another scenarios just say, you know one of their maintain 1548 01:18:10,680 --> 01:18:12,479 Speaker 1: your enrollments up, they just take it out because they 1549 01:18:12,520 --> 01:18:15,479 Speaker 1: think they can make more money you're growing corn. Yeah, 1550 01:18:15,920 --> 01:18:18,040 Speaker 1: and that that's that's something that I think a lot 1551 01:18:18,040 --> 01:18:20,320 Speaker 1: of deer hunters need to be worried about. And this 1552 01:18:20,360 --> 01:18:24,200 Speaker 1: is one to pay particular attention to because, as we said, 1553 01:18:24,240 --> 01:18:26,679 Speaker 1: I mean, that's some of your most productive ground for deer, 1554 01:18:26,680 --> 01:18:30,559 Speaker 1: that early sessional habitat the grassy, it's terrific betting cover. 1555 01:18:30,760 --> 01:18:32,760 Speaker 1: It's I mean, I don't know if any of you 1556 01:18:32,800 --> 01:18:35,479 Speaker 1: have have hunted in or near CRP, but that makes 1557 01:18:35,520 --> 01:18:37,679 Speaker 1: for some of the absolute best places to to observe 1558 01:18:37,760 --> 01:18:40,679 Speaker 1: dear and for dear to feel safe and comfortable um 1559 01:18:40,760 --> 01:18:43,120 Speaker 1: in those types of habitats uh. And then of course, 1560 01:18:43,120 --> 01:18:45,639 Speaker 1: as you mentioned, pheasants, all sorts of upland burst species, 1561 01:18:45,680 --> 01:18:48,519 Speaker 1: everything I think benefits from that type of ground. Yeah. 1562 01:18:48,520 --> 01:18:50,040 Speaker 1: I mean one of the things we're really seeing now 1563 01:18:50,120 --> 01:18:53,759 Speaker 1: is that the pollinators, butterflies, things like that are really dependent, 1564 01:18:54,439 --> 01:18:56,800 Speaker 1: you know, on those CRP lands and when they go, 1565 01:18:57,160 --> 01:18:59,519 Speaker 1: you know, so go to the pollinators, which has wrecked 1566 01:18:59,520 --> 01:19:04,599 Speaker 1: impact no props. Now, I come from a farming family. 1567 01:19:04,720 --> 01:19:11,920 Speaker 1: Both of my grandparents farmed. Um, so from you're asking, 1568 01:19:12,200 --> 01:19:14,160 Speaker 1: and I'm gonna play a little devil's advocate and I'm 1569 01:19:14,160 --> 01:19:17,280 Speaker 1: gonna ask you kind of a hypothetical question. You're asking 1570 01:19:17,320 --> 01:19:20,479 Speaker 1: a farmer. Um, you know, they want to renew it 1571 01:19:20,479 --> 01:19:23,719 Speaker 1: into the CRP program. Uh, there's gonna be a potential 1572 01:19:23,760 --> 01:19:26,280 Speaker 1: that the crpro P program is not going to be 1573 01:19:26,320 --> 01:19:30,080 Speaker 1: there for these farmers to do. So they want to 1574 01:19:30,080 --> 01:19:33,840 Speaker 1: make money off their land somehow. So they they're going 1575 01:19:33,880 --> 01:19:35,920 Speaker 1: to turn it into crops or they're gonna turn it 1576 01:19:35,920 --> 01:19:38,840 Speaker 1: into grazing lands or whatever they're gonna do with it. 1577 01:19:38,920 --> 01:19:41,519 Speaker 1: They want to make money to, you know, for their family. 1578 01:19:42,040 --> 01:19:45,960 Speaker 1: Is there something you could tell a farmer if they 1579 01:19:46,000 --> 01:19:48,920 Speaker 1: if they don't if they don't get that renewal or 1580 01:19:48,960 --> 01:19:52,320 Speaker 1: they don't get it, to say, hey, we don't want 1581 01:19:52,360 --> 01:19:55,080 Speaker 1: you to farm all your land or graze all your land. 1582 01:19:55,080 --> 01:19:56,960 Speaker 1: You're not gonna make money off of it, but you're 1583 01:19:57,000 --> 01:20:02,200 Speaker 1: gonna be doing what is right for conservation. Oh sure. 1584 01:20:02,240 --> 01:20:05,080 Speaker 1: I mean he groups like Pheasants forever, their local chapters 1585 01:20:05,080 --> 01:20:08,520 Speaker 1: are having those discussions with farmers and probably every day. 1586 01:20:08,840 --> 01:20:11,960 Speaker 1: But it's awfully nice to you know, farming as you know, 1587 01:20:12,160 --> 01:20:13,599 Speaker 1: you know, they need to do it to make money 1588 01:20:13,760 --> 01:20:16,720 Speaker 1: and it's not a charity, and you know they're you know, 1589 01:20:16,720 --> 01:20:18,879 Speaker 1: it's tough for them to just sort of set aside acres, 1590 01:20:19,000 --> 01:20:20,760 Speaker 1: you know, for just because it's the right thing to do. 1591 01:20:21,520 --> 01:20:23,639 Speaker 1: And if we can provide you know, some money through 1592 01:20:23,680 --> 01:20:25,960 Speaker 1: CRP form and a tenure contract, we can give us 1593 01:20:25,960 --> 01:20:29,200 Speaker 1: some additional money maybe for open fields rant allow folks 1594 01:20:29,240 --> 01:20:31,720 Speaker 1: to hunt and fish, you know. Those Those are the 1595 01:20:31,720 --> 01:20:34,439 Speaker 1: type of things that you know, I think, you know, Peasants. 1596 01:20:34,520 --> 01:20:36,000 Speaker 1: I use them as just an example because they have 1597 01:20:36,040 --> 01:20:38,200 Speaker 1: all these sort of young farm bill biologists out there 1598 01:20:38,320 --> 01:20:41,759 Speaker 1: working with landowners to figure out the different payment mechanism 1599 01:20:41,800 --> 01:20:44,200 Speaker 1: they could put together and make it worthwhile to keep 1600 01:20:44,200 --> 01:20:48,160 Speaker 1: this in a while. I tabitat is there anything? I 1601 01:20:48,200 --> 01:20:50,719 Speaker 1: guess I'm not sure when the next farm bill comes 1602 01:20:50,960 --> 01:20:53,280 Speaker 1: comes out or when people start working that again. But 1603 01:20:53,920 --> 01:20:56,240 Speaker 1: is there anything happening right now to try to actively 1604 01:20:56,280 --> 01:20:58,599 Speaker 1: increase that cappers or anything? Is this Is this one 1605 01:20:58,600 --> 01:21:01,400 Speaker 1: of those issues again? Is this like high priority item 1606 01:21:01,560 --> 01:21:03,880 Speaker 1: right now for for individuals? No, it is viber And 1607 01:21:04,200 --> 01:21:06,320 Speaker 1: in fact, we're advocating they're trying to kick that cap 1608 01:21:06,360 --> 01:21:10,240 Speaker 1: up to thirty million, thirty and thirty thirty anniversary. You know, 1609 01:21:10,360 --> 01:21:12,760 Speaker 1: let's kick it up to thirty million, and you know, 1610 01:21:12,800 --> 01:21:16,280 Speaker 1: try to get that up there. So it's a you know, 1611 01:21:16,400 --> 01:21:18,120 Speaker 1: it can be done, and I think this is a 1612 01:21:18,200 --> 01:21:20,800 Speaker 1: pop is a program that is popular enough among all 1613 01:21:20,880 --> 01:21:23,960 Speaker 1: stripes of people. Um, but again it's just you know, 1614 01:21:23,960 --> 01:21:25,640 Speaker 1: it's a tough year to get anything done and we 1615 01:21:25,680 --> 01:21:28,160 Speaker 1: need some clamoring from our hunting and fishing friends to 1616 01:21:28,160 --> 01:21:31,000 Speaker 1: get it done. Okay, So so basically we need to 1617 01:21:31,000 --> 01:21:34,519 Speaker 1: make some noise, that right, make some noise, all right. 1618 01:21:34,640 --> 01:21:36,280 Speaker 1: That that is something that me and Dan are pretty 1619 01:21:36,280 --> 01:21:39,760 Speaker 1: good at. So one one of the few things, one 1620 01:21:39,800 --> 01:21:41,840 Speaker 1: of the few things. So we'll do our best. And 1621 01:21:41,880 --> 01:21:44,240 Speaker 1: if anybody as questions that this are you know, at 1622 01:21:44,400 --> 01:21:47,080 Speaker 1: one woman who runs our agg program, Aerial we Guard, 1623 01:21:47,200 --> 01:21:49,960 Speaker 1: is really good on the subject and you just call 1624 01:21:50,040 --> 01:21:53,680 Speaker 1: here at the TRCP office or email her a we 1625 01:21:53,880 --> 01:21:57,920 Speaker 1: guard um TRCP dot org and she can get you information. 1626 01:21:57,920 --> 01:22:00,519 Speaker 1: Our contact information is also on our website w ww 1627 01:22:00,640 --> 01:22:04,320 Speaker 1: dot TRC dot org. Awesome, We'll definitely have to take 1628 01:22:04,320 --> 01:22:07,920 Speaker 1: a look at that. UM. Excuse me now, I want 1629 01:22:07,960 --> 01:22:10,840 Speaker 1: to I want to touch on another topic that that 1630 01:22:10,880 --> 01:22:13,920 Speaker 1: you didn't necessarily mention at the beginning, but at least 1631 01:22:13,920 --> 01:22:15,000 Speaker 1: I think it's on the minds of a lot of 1632 01:22:15,040 --> 01:22:17,240 Speaker 1: deer hunters today. And I'm not sure if this is 1633 01:22:17,280 --> 01:22:19,840 Speaker 1: a larger conservation issue that's being talked about the federal 1634 01:22:19,960 --> 01:22:22,240 Speaker 1: level or not. Maybe it's just in the deer community, 1635 01:22:22,280 --> 01:22:25,559 Speaker 1: but I'm curious to hear from you. Is there anything 1636 01:22:25,600 --> 01:22:28,880 Speaker 1: going on when it comes to diseases like CWD, like 1637 01:22:28,920 --> 01:22:31,840 Speaker 1: chronic wasting disease. This is something that within the deer 1638 01:22:31,840 --> 01:22:35,000 Speaker 1: community we're talking about a lot. We're talking about in 1639 01:22:35,040 --> 01:22:38,960 Speaker 1: relation to the high fence industry UM and how that 1640 01:22:39,000 --> 01:22:42,080 Speaker 1: ties into disease issues. Is there anything going on at 1641 01:22:42,120 --> 01:22:43,840 Speaker 1: the highest levels that you guys are working on when 1642 01:22:43,880 --> 01:22:46,160 Speaker 1: it comes to these types of things and how it's 1643 01:22:46,200 --> 01:22:50,280 Speaker 1: impacting deer pot deer issues and things on those lines. Yeah, 1644 01:22:50,600 --> 01:22:53,360 Speaker 1: I think, you know, it's a very timely subject and 1645 01:22:53,840 --> 01:22:56,519 Speaker 1: you know, really more this is a primarily a state 1646 01:22:56,560 --> 01:22:58,800 Speaker 1: issue as opposed to a federal issue. But yeah, there's 1647 01:22:58,800 --> 01:23:02,240 Speaker 1: stuff that SAIDs couldn't be doing the Department of Agriculture 1648 01:23:02,360 --> 01:23:06,240 Speaker 1: has in my mind. And again Kip Adams at q 1649 01:23:06,360 --> 01:23:07,920 Speaker 1: D m A and you know, some of those guys 1650 01:23:07,960 --> 01:23:11,200 Speaker 1: are far greater experts than I am, but they have 1651 01:23:11,320 --> 01:23:15,280 Speaker 1: been way to accommodating to you know, try to you know, 1652 01:23:15,600 --> 01:23:18,720 Speaker 1: I mean they see this as you know, an agriculture 1653 01:23:18,720 --> 01:23:21,559 Speaker 1: issue like cattle, like how do we maximize profit and 1654 01:23:21,560 --> 01:23:23,639 Speaker 1: make us so this can be done profitably for people 1655 01:23:23,680 --> 01:23:25,799 Speaker 1: who want to do it, be it you know, growing 1656 01:23:26,200 --> 01:23:28,200 Speaker 1: meat for you know the vent as the market or 1657 01:23:29,200 --> 01:23:31,280 Speaker 1: big deer to be you know, sold off to stud 1658 01:23:32,200 --> 01:23:35,559 Speaker 1: and uh, you know I think that you know my mind, 1659 01:23:35,680 --> 01:23:38,760 Speaker 1: you know, dear are not and never should be a commodity. 1660 01:23:38,880 --> 01:23:41,120 Speaker 1: You know, they're special and they're not going to be cows. 1661 01:23:41,160 --> 01:23:43,560 Speaker 1: I shouldn't be treated like cows. And the state agencies 1662 01:23:44,200 --> 01:23:47,080 Speaker 1: we would really like to see them managed under by 1663 01:23:47,120 --> 01:23:50,519 Speaker 1: the sexual Wildlife departments and not the agriculture departments. And 1664 01:23:50,640 --> 01:23:52,400 Speaker 1: we would love to see U s D A show 1665 01:23:52,400 --> 01:23:55,439 Speaker 1: a little more backbone here to try to make sure 1666 01:23:55,560 --> 01:23:58,639 Speaker 1: that you know, what is an incredible resource in this country, 1667 01:23:58,640 --> 01:24:02,559 Speaker 1: which is white til deer, fule deer is not you know, 1668 01:24:02,600 --> 01:24:04,360 Speaker 1: screwed up by this, because it's just a matter of 1669 01:24:04,400 --> 01:24:08,320 Speaker 1: time before c w D spreads everywhere, especially if the 1670 01:24:08,360 --> 01:24:12,080 Speaker 1: agriculture guys are control at least that's my personal opinion. Yeah, 1671 01:24:12,240 --> 01:24:14,160 Speaker 1: is this getting any play at the higher levels of 1672 01:24:14,520 --> 01:24:16,840 Speaker 1: our conversations being had, you know when it comes to 1673 01:24:16,880 --> 01:24:19,680 Speaker 1: this in you know, departments such as the USDA or 1674 01:24:19,680 --> 01:24:21,840 Speaker 1: anything like that, or is it really just a lot 1675 01:24:21,840 --> 01:24:24,040 Speaker 1: of fighting going on the state level. Well, you know, 1676 01:24:24,080 --> 01:24:25,920 Speaker 1: I think this is going to change. And I mean, 1677 01:24:26,720 --> 01:24:28,960 Speaker 1: I mean you're obviously where you know of the whole 1678 01:24:29,040 --> 01:24:32,120 Speaker 1: creation this new National Deer Alliance, and Mark, I think 1679 01:24:32,120 --> 01:24:35,360 Speaker 1: you've been involved with it. And this is the first 1680 01:24:35,360 --> 01:24:37,400 Speaker 1: time with the sort of deer community has sort of 1681 01:24:37,880 --> 01:24:41,280 Speaker 1: linked arms to speak in a single voice on these 1682 01:24:41,280 --> 01:24:42,680 Speaker 1: big issues. And I think this is going to be, 1683 01:24:43,240 --> 01:24:45,120 Speaker 1: if not the biggest issue, is certainly one of the 1684 01:24:45,120 --> 01:24:47,040 Speaker 1: biggest issues with the alliance. You know, it takes on 1685 01:24:47,800 --> 01:24:51,120 Speaker 1: and I think, yeah, we're eager to help the alliance, Um, 1686 01:24:51,680 --> 01:24:53,559 Speaker 1: but I think I'm just then thrilled to see that, 1687 01:24:53,600 --> 01:24:55,759 Speaker 1: you know, the community has finally sort of gotten together 1688 01:24:55,920 --> 01:24:58,360 Speaker 1: and you decided to work together as opposed to the 1689 01:24:58,400 --> 01:25:01,960 Speaker 1: sort of a variety of difference alorentities. Yeah, I think 1690 01:25:02,000 --> 01:25:03,559 Speaker 1: to your point at the very beginning of the show, 1691 01:25:03,920 --> 01:25:09,479 Speaker 1: there's there's been such a segmented approach to conservation or 1692 01:25:09,479 --> 01:25:11,839 Speaker 1: some of these other issues within the hunting and fishing community. 1693 01:25:12,000 --> 01:25:14,759 Speaker 1: It's you know, this species, that species, or this state 1694 01:25:14,800 --> 01:25:18,639 Speaker 1: and that state. UM. And I think more and more 1695 01:25:18,720 --> 01:25:20,920 Speaker 1: today to to make any four progress, we need to 1696 01:25:20,960 --> 01:25:24,240 Speaker 1: start coming together and speaking with one single voice UM 1697 01:25:24,280 --> 01:25:27,160 Speaker 1: as best as possible, because our influence grow or our 1698 01:25:27,560 --> 01:25:34,000 Speaker 1: influences shrinking probably unless we don't do that. So totally UM. Moving. 1699 01:25:34,000 --> 01:25:38,160 Speaker 1: There's the folks that's saying the benefit financially from captive gear. 1700 01:25:38,320 --> 01:25:41,519 Speaker 1: They're pretty dark organized, and we need to get organized 1701 01:25:41,560 --> 01:25:45,840 Speaker 1: as well. Right right, So now I'm kind of jumping 1702 01:25:45,840 --> 01:25:47,559 Speaker 1: around here, but I've taken some notes here and a 1703 01:25:47,560 --> 01:25:49,160 Speaker 1: couple of things that want to make sure that we 1704 01:25:49,280 --> 01:25:52,880 Speaker 1: kind of answer some questions about because CWD has been 1705 01:25:53,000 --> 01:25:55,360 Speaker 1: a hot issue over the last year, but another really 1706 01:25:55,360 --> 01:25:59,280 Speaker 1: hot issue has been the stage grouse. And this is 1707 01:25:59,280 --> 01:26:00,880 Speaker 1: a this is a tope like that. I'm not sure 1708 01:26:00,960 --> 01:26:03,920 Speaker 1: a lot of deer hunters understand or know why they 1709 01:26:04,160 --> 01:26:06,479 Speaker 1: should even care about it at all, but I'm cure 1710 01:26:06,600 --> 01:26:09,000 Speaker 1: I think that they should. Um, But can you can 1711 01:26:09,040 --> 01:26:11,240 Speaker 1: you share with us? Okay? Perfect? So can you share 1712 01:26:11,240 --> 01:26:13,800 Speaker 1: with us what's been all the hullabaloo about the stage 1713 01:26:13,840 --> 01:26:16,400 Speaker 1: grouse lately over the last six months or year? And 1714 01:26:16,439 --> 01:26:20,000 Speaker 1: then why does this matter for deer hunters? Alright? So 1715 01:26:20,479 --> 01:26:22,600 Speaker 1: for those who don't really know what the stage gross is, 1716 01:26:22,680 --> 01:26:27,480 Speaker 1: it's a very cool Western game bird. UM that's population 1717 01:26:27,560 --> 01:26:30,080 Speaker 1: has been steadily declining from the past, you know, probably 1718 01:26:30,080 --> 01:26:33,000 Speaker 1: fifty years. And there are a number of reasons for 1719 01:26:33,000 --> 01:26:36,840 Speaker 1: that decline, you know, from oil and gas development, wind development, 1720 01:26:36,920 --> 01:26:41,040 Speaker 1: to grazing too, you know, who knows what else. Um, 1721 01:26:41,040 --> 01:26:43,880 Speaker 1: But the the science is pretty clear that the populations 1722 01:26:43,880 --> 01:26:46,599 Speaker 1: have been going down. And you know what makes this 1723 01:26:47,080 --> 01:26:51,240 Speaker 1: interesting thing is that, um, the stage gross the range 1724 01:26:51,520 --> 01:26:53,439 Speaker 1: is probably that a hundred million acres in the West. 1725 01:26:53,560 --> 01:26:55,400 Speaker 1: It's a lot of ground. It goes all the way 1726 01:26:55,439 --> 01:27:00,760 Speaker 1: from Montana down you know, through Utah, and it has 1727 01:27:00,800 --> 01:27:02,560 Speaker 1: impact on a lot of people. So that's why it 1728 01:27:02,640 --> 01:27:05,519 Speaker 1: became such a you know, such noise that everyone was 1729 01:27:05,520 --> 01:27:07,960 Speaker 1: hearing about because this bird was petitioned to be listed 1730 01:27:08,080 --> 01:27:10,960 Speaker 1: under the daneous species fact and if that had happened, 1731 01:27:11,000 --> 01:27:14,479 Speaker 1: it would have had an impact on literally everything from 1732 01:27:14,520 --> 01:27:18,800 Speaker 1: oil and gas development, to grazing to hunting and uh 1733 01:27:18,840 --> 01:27:22,040 Speaker 1: you know so but in a pretty cool story, you know, 1734 01:27:22,080 --> 01:27:25,520 Speaker 1: folks started to you know, get together and develop voluntary 1735 01:27:25,920 --> 01:27:30,760 Speaker 1: conservation plans across the range. And because understanding that as 1736 01:27:30,840 --> 01:27:33,400 Speaker 1: of September thirty of two thousands fifteen, the US Fish 1737 01:27:33,439 --> 01:27:35,320 Speaker 1: and Wallets sort of had to make a decision but 1738 01:27:35,400 --> 01:27:37,400 Speaker 1: whether this is getting listed or not, And really that 1739 01:27:37,439 --> 01:27:40,280 Speaker 1: decision was gonna be predicated on the fact of how 1740 01:27:40,320 --> 01:27:45,080 Speaker 1: well everyone's coming together conserved the species um without a lifting. 1741 01:27:45,560 --> 01:27:48,200 Speaker 1: So you had, you know, about the habitat is on 1742 01:27:48,240 --> 01:27:51,160 Speaker 1: federal lands as mostly BLM lands. You had to involved, 1743 01:27:51,160 --> 01:27:53,719 Speaker 1: you had the Fourth Service involved, You had the states involved. 1744 01:27:54,200 --> 01:27:56,240 Speaker 1: The State of Wyoming was a real leader on this one. 1745 01:27:56,240 --> 01:27:58,879 Speaker 1: You had the weil and gas community involved, the grazing community, 1746 01:27:59,400 --> 01:28:02,280 Speaker 1: and basically they came up with a plan that you know, 1747 01:28:02,640 --> 01:28:05,040 Speaker 1: allowed the fisher willits sort of say okay, we're not 1748 01:28:05,040 --> 01:28:08,439 Speaker 1: gonna lift it. And it is a real showcase in 1749 01:28:08,520 --> 01:28:11,719 Speaker 1: terms of you know, avoiding the hammer of the same 1750 01:28:11,920 --> 01:28:15,160 Speaker 1: everyone coming together. Now, why does it matter for hunters? 1751 01:28:16,080 --> 01:28:18,120 Speaker 1: I mean, the stage graphs of cool species begin with it. 1752 01:28:18,240 --> 01:28:20,519 Speaker 1: Not that many people hunt for him, but it's what 1753 01:28:20,560 --> 01:28:23,880 Speaker 1: we call an umbrella species. So this habitat is critical 1754 01:28:23,920 --> 01:28:28,080 Speaker 1: habitat for about three hundred and fifty different species, including 1755 01:28:28,760 --> 01:28:32,960 Speaker 1: mule deer and prong horn and elk. So as the 1756 01:28:32,960 --> 01:28:37,479 Speaker 1: stage risk goes, so would go these other species. And uh, 1757 01:28:37,600 --> 01:28:39,880 Speaker 1: you know, and I also think that it's just a 1758 01:28:39,880 --> 01:28:42,720 Speaker 1: really meet example of you know, instead of you know, 1759 01:28:42,760 --> 01:28:46,880 Speaker 1: sort of having this nasty dispute among various parties about 1760 01:28:46,880 --> 01:28:48,840 Speaker 1: what the federal government is going to do to them, 1761 01:28:48,880 --> 01:28:51,000 Speaker 1: it came together and they're doing this stuff themselves as 1762 01:28:51,000 --> 01:28:53,519 Speaker 1: the way I'm supposed to have worked again with instead 1763 01:28:53,520 --> 01:28:56,320 Speaker 1: of you know, triage after the fact, with the federal 1764 01:28:56,400 --> 01:28:59,879 Speaker 1: law of conserved habitat well before we have a crisis. 1765 01:29:00,800 --> 01:29:03,120 Speaker 1: So so just to make sure I'm clear on this 1766 01:29:03,160 --> 01:29:06,960 Speaker 1: and everyone else's, there was the risk of the Endangered 1767 01:29:07,000 --> 01:29:09,880 Speaker 1: Species Act or the sage grouss being listed under the 1768 01:29:09,960 --> 01:29:12,800 Speaker 1: Endangered Species Act, and if that were to happen, a 1769 01:29:12,880 --> 01:29:16,360 Speaker 1: whole slew of new regulations comes down on habitats and 1770 01:29:16,400 --> 01:29:18,559 Speaker 1: places where there are sage grouse or where there should 1771 01:29:18,560 --> 01:29:22,479 Speaker 1: be stage grouse. So you know from a from one 1772 01:29:22,479 --> 01:29:24,599 Speaker 1: time like, oh, we want good things for sage grouse, 1773 01:29:24,760 --> 01:29:27,280 Speaker 1: regulations for sage grows so they can you know, repopulate. 1774 01:29:27,360 --> 01:29:30,400 Speaker 1: But what it sounds like happened is that all these 1775 01:29:30,400 --> 01:29:33,400 Speaker 1: other constituencies, all these different groups said, Okay, we want 1776 01:29:33,400 --> 01:29:36,360 Speaker 1: to conserve sage grouse, we want to help the populations rebound. 1777 01:29:36,400 --> 01:29:39,519 Speaker 1: But if we have these regulations come down, it could 1778 01:29:39,560 --> 01:29:41,760 Speaker 1: be detrimental to a whole slew of thing. So rather 1779 01:29:41,800 --> 01:29:43,639 Speaker 1: than wait until it gets so bad that this has 1780 01:29:43,680 --> 01:29:47,240 Speaker 1: to happen, let's just make let's proactively, let's take a 1781 01:29:47,280 --> 01:29:50,559 Speaker 1: preemptive strike on conservation and do the right thing now 1782 01:29:51,000 --> 01:29:53,000 Speaker 1: before we get hit with the big stick of the ESA. 1783 01:29:53,320 --> 01:29:56,320 Speaker 1: So that's what happened, right, Yes's exactly right. And I 1784 01:29:56,360 --> 01:29:59,000 Speaker 1: think that you know, you could either you can figure 1785 01:29:59,000 --> 01:30:01,000 Speaker 1: out what to do about a locally with various parties, 1786 01:30:01,040 --> 01:30:03,160 Speaker 1: where you can wait and have Washington d C tell 1787 01:30:03,200 --> 01:30:05,200 Speaker 1: you what to do about it later. So I think 1788 01:30:05,240 --> 01:30:08,160 Speaker 1: most people felt the of course A was a good 1789 01:30:08,280 --> 01:30:10,760 Speaker 1: route to go. Yeah, So so is this kind of 1790 01:30:10,800 --> 01:30:14,680 Speaker 1: a precedent center. Is this something that maybe could have 1791 01:30:14,680 --> 01:30:16,720 Speaker 1: a longer term impact not just for the stage us, 1792 01:30:16,760 --> 01:30:20,880 Speaker 1: but for other conservation or species situations in the future 1793 01:30:21,000 --> 01:30:24,559 Speaker 1: across the whole country. I don't think so. Yeah. I 1794 01:30:24,560 --> 01:30:27,240 Speaker 1: mean I think that, you know, the whole I mean, 1795 01:30:27,640 --> 01:30:29,640 Speaker 1: you know, I think you need to be sexect. You 1796 01:30:29,640 --> 01:30:31,160 Speaker 1: know there are problems with it. I mean, I think 1797 01:30:31,200 --> 01:30:33,280 Speaker 1: that everyone acknowledges that. At the same time, it gets 1798 01:30:33,280 --> 01:30:37,240 Speaker 1: a bad rap because you know, it's uh, it's it's 1799 01:30:37,280 --> 01:30:39,479 Speaker 1: a if we get to the point where something has 1800 01:30:39,479 --> 01:30:42,679 Speaker 1: to be listed, we've already screwed it up. So let's 1801 01:30:43,040 --> 01:30:45,400 Speaker 1: use that you know out there and half folks come 1802 01:30:45,439 --> 01:30:47,679 Speaker 1: together and do us right before we get to that point. 1803 01:30:47,840 --> 01:30:50,599 Speaker 1: Because all we're really talking about is just planning. Okay, 1804 01:30:50,600 --> 01:30:52,719 Speaker 1: where can you have development? Where do you not want development? 1805 01:30:52,720 --> 01:30:54,760 Speaker 1: If we're going to do development, how should we do 1806 01:30:54,760 --> 01:30:56,960 Speaker 1: it to minimize its impact? How do we do mitigation? 1807 01:30:57,560 --> 01:30:59,400 Speaker 1: How do we you know, sort of fixed our offenses 1808 01:30:59,479 --> 01:31:01,760 Speaker 1: so the stage grass don't fly into them? Where do 1809 01:31:01,800 --> 01:31:04,040 Speaker 1: we sign a wind farm? Because you know, the way 1810 01:31:04,080 --> 01:31:06,920 Speaker 1: stage grausts have evolved is they don't want to be 1811 01:31:07,000 --> 01:31:11,040 Speaker 1: aiding tall nearby because for the predators perch to kill them. 1812 01:31:11,080 --> 01:31:13,679 Speaker 1: So if they see, you know, a windmill, they're gonna 1813 01:31:13,680 --> 01:31:16,080 Speaker 1: be miles away from it. So I mean it's all 1814 01:31:16,160 --> 01:31:19,040 Speaker 1: this idea of just let's plan ahead and how we're 1815 01:31:19,040 --> 01:31:22,640 Speaker 1: going to development, which makes sense for everybody. And I 1816 01:31:22,680 --> 01:31:25,240 Speaker 1: guess that's something that you know, hopefully people will be 1817 01:31:26,080 --> 01:31:29,559 Speaker 1: thinking about, whether it's out west or in Michigan or 1818 01:31:29,560 --> 01:31:32,000 Speaker 1: in Florida or anywhere. Right, we want more and more 1819 01:31:32,040 --> 01:31:35,040 Speaker 1: of this working together to try to be smart about 1820 01:31:35,240 --> 01:31:37,479 Speaker 1: because development is happening, whether you like it or not, 1821 01:31:37,800 --> 01:31:40,360 Speaker 1: unfortunately some instances, but we have a growing populations to 1822 01:31:40,400 --> 01:31:42,920 Speaker 1: the country that's expanding. So I hope that this is 1823 01:31:42,960 --> 01:31:47,000 Speaker 1: an example of Okay, if if to some degree growth 1824 01:31:47,040 --> 01:31:49,080 Speaker 1: is inevitable, how can we do it in the right 1825 01:31:49,160 --> 01:31:52,800 Speaker 1: way so that we can still preserve habitat in wildlife 1826 01:31:52,800 --> 01:31:55,400 Speaker 1: and all those things? Right, That's exactly right. I couldn't 1827 01:31:55,400 --> 01:32:00,400 Speaker 1: have said alf Well, thanks, um Dan, what are you 1828 01:32:00,400 --> 01:32:02,080 Speaker 1: thinking over there? What's on your mind as we're as 1829 01:32:02,080 --> 01:32:04,200 Speaker 1: we're going through these different issues, any other topics you 1830 01:32:04,200 --> 01:32:06,679 Speaker 1: want to make sure we we talked? What about Well, 1831 01:32:06,720 --> 01:32:12,040 Speaker 1: just to just to elaborate, um, just because something er 1832 01:32:12,520 --> 01:32:14,840 Speaker 1: it's more of a question, but can can you elaborate 1833 01:32:15,000 --> 01:32:20,640 Speaker 1: on if there is a way for expansion and conference 1834 01:32:21,000 --> 01:32:27,200 Speaker 1: in conservation to happen on the same plane. Yes, I 1835 01:32:27,240 --> 01:32:31,320 Speaker 1: mean is can you do basically development and conservation at 1836 01:32:31,320 --> 01:32:34,960 Speaker 1: the same time. Is that the basic question? Yeah, for 1837 01:32:35,000 --> 01:32:38,120 Speaker 1: the most part. Yeah. Yeah. So I think that I 1838 01:32:38,160 --> 01:32:39,720 Speaker 1: think goes back to this fort of last coming in 1839 01:32:39,920 --> 01:32:42,040 Speaker 1: made about planning, and I think you can certainly have 1840 01:32:42,120 --> 01:32:44,320 Speaker 1: development and conservation. I mean, listen, there are some areas 1841 01:32:44,680 --> 01:32:47,400 Speaker 1: they're too special to be developed. And you look at 1842 01:32:47,400 --> 01:32:50,240 Speaker 1: a place like you know, the Bristol Bay in Alaska 1843 01:32:50,240 --> 01:32:52,200 Speaker 1: where they proposed a pebble of mind. You know, no 1844 01:32:52,360 --> 01:32:56,960 Speaker 1: amount of mitigation or you know, you know, alternative development 1845 01:32:57,000 --> 01:32:59,200 Speaker 1: schemes is going to work there because it's such a 1846 01:32:59,200 --> 01:33:01,760 Speaker 1: fragile and such unique ecosystem. That's just one of those 1847 01:33:01,760 --> 01:33:04,880 Speaker 1: special places we need to protect. Other places like where 1848 01:33:04,880 --> 01:33:06,800 Speaker 1: the stage gross lives, like where a lot of white 1849 01:33:06,800 --> 01:33:10,639 Speaker 1: tails live. You know, it's you can have development and 1850 01:33:10,720 --> 01:33:13,800 Speaker 1: you can have you know, conservation and species and they 1851 01:33:13,800 --> 01:33:16,040 Speaker 1: can do really well together as long as you're smart 1852 01:33:16,040 --> 01:33:18,759 Speaker 1: about it. You know, let science guide it, not emotion 1853 01:33:19,720 --> 01:33:21,960 Speaker 1: and uh, you know, just come to the table and 1854 01:33:22,000 --> 01:33:24,280 Speaker 1: sort of leave your prejudice at the door and hammer 1855 01:33:24,280 --> 01:33:30,280 Speaker 1: on some solutions. Yeah, I hope that's This is one 1856 01:33:30,320 --> 01:33:32,519 Speaker 1: of those things that it sounds like that's so easy 1857 01:33:32,520 --> 01:33:34,960 Speaker 1: when you say that, but unfortunately just seems like it's 1858 01:33:35,000 --> 01:33:38,200 Speaker 1: really difficult to get people to actually do those things right. Oh, 1859 01:33:38,280 --> 01:33:40,640 Speaker 1: you're absolutely right. But there, I think there are a 1860 01:33:40,680 --> 01:33:43,479 Speaker 1: lot of cases where, you know, at the local level 1861 01:33:43,560 --> 01:33:45,840 Speaker 1: as well as in a more macro level like stage growth, 1862 01:33:46,000 --> 01:33:49,000 Speaker 1: where we see that's happening. I mean I think that yeah. There. 1863 01:33:49,040 --> 01:33:50,360 Speaker 1: You know, I used to work for a group called 1864 01:33:50,360 --> 01:33:52,519 Speaker 1: Trial Limited, and you know we did you know a 1865 01:33:52,520 --> 01:33:55,200 Speaker 1: lot of these sort of watershed scale projects that would 1866 01:33:55,240 --> 01:33:59,960 Speaker 1: bring you know, ranchers, you know, timber industry, fishermen, local 1867 01:34:00,240 --> 01:34:03,840 Speaker 1: you know, business interests together to figure out, okay, how 1868 01:34:03,880 --> 01:34:06,439 Speaker 1: do we have you know, a vibrant economy in the space, 1869 01:34:06,560 --> 01:34:09,160 Speaker 1: and but also a really good trout fisher and you 1870 01:34:09,160 --> 01:34:12,360 Speaker 1: know Blackfoot River in Montana, you know the Wood River 1871 01:34:12,439 --> 01:34:15,479 Speaker 1: in Idaho. There are tons of examples where this has 1872 01:34:15,520 --> 01:34:18,400 Speaker 1: really worked, and you know that's the kind of thing 1873 01:34:18,439 --> 01:34:21,320 Speaker 1: that we can Yeah, we can replicate any places as 1874 01:34:21,360 --> 01:34:23,439 Speaker 1: long as our people willing to come together and work 1875 01:34:23,439 --> 01:34:27,519 Speaker 1: things out, Yeah, And I feel like this is one 1876 01:34:27,520 --> 01:34:31,559 Speaker 1: of those things, um, when it comes to conservation of 1877 01:34:31,640 --> 01:34:34,920 Speaker 1: landscapes and habitats where to to the point that Dan 1878 01:34:35,040 --> 01:34:36,760 Speaker 1: made and you just made, we you know, there's there's 1879 01:34:36,760 --> 01:34:39,240 Speaker 1: some places we're gonna be smart about planning and we 1880 01:34:39,320 --> 01:34:43,519 Speaker 1: can you know, there can be wildlife and humans can coexist. 1881 01:34:44,160 --> 01:34:46,000 Speaker 1: And then to your point where there are also some 1882 01:34:46,040 --> 01:34:49,040 Speaker 1: places that are so special, that are so fragile that 1883 01:34:49,120 --> 01:34:51,000 Speaker 1: we need to protect them. And I think one of 1884 01:34:51,040 --> 01:34:53,880 Speaker 1: the I think about this a lot. I love wilderness, 1885 01:34:54,400 --> 01:34:57,400 Speaker 1: wide open spaces where you can still get away from 1886 01:34:57,400 --> 01:35:00,680 Speaker 1: it all, where wildlife can exist, you know, on uninhibited 1887 01:35:00,720 --> 01:35:03,599 Speaker 1: by humans. And when it comes to all these different 1888 01:35:03,600 --> 01:35:07,680 Speaker 1: things to landscapes, the fight to conserve habitat, it's one 1889 01:35:07,680 --> 01:35:10,280 Speaker 1: of those things that on on our side, I don't 1890 01:35:10,320 --> 01:35:11,720 Speaker 1: I don't want to sit there side our side, but 1891 01:35:11,720 --> 01:35:15,600 Speaker 1: on the side of protecting habitat for wildlife, that's a 1892 01:35:15,640 --> 01:35:17,960 Speaker 1: fight that you need to continue winning. That You're gonna 1893 01:35:18,000 --> 01:35:20,240 Speaker 1: be challenged over and over and over again, and you're 1894 01:35:20,240 --> 01:35:21,760 Speaker 1: gonna have to come back up. You have to step 1895 01:35:21,760 --> 01:35:23,719 Speaker 1: back up to the plate and fight that fight again 1896 01:35:23,760 --> 01:35:25,679 Speaker 1: and again, because there's gonna be people trying to knock 1897 01:35:25,680 --> 01:35:28,720 Speaker 1: it down, trying to develop, trying to do different things. 1898 01:35:28,760 --> 01:35:30,400 Speaker 1: That's going to keep on happening. So even if you 1899 01:35:30,439 --> 01:35:32,760 Speaker 1: win today, probably three years from now you're gonna have 1900 01:35:32,760 --> 01:35:34,639 Speaker 1: to go back up to the plate. On the other hand, 1901 01:35:35,040 --> 01:35:38,200 Speaker 1: if you lose that fight, it's lost forever. Once that 1902 01:35:38,960 --> 01:35:42,479 Speaker 1: piece of forty acres, that terrific whitetail habitat, or that 1903 01:35:42,880 --> 01:35:45,439 Speaker 1: two thousand acres of mountains or whatever it might be, 1904 01:35:45,520 --> 01:35:47,960 Speaker 1: once that's developed and taken over, that's a piece of 1905 01:35:48,439 --> 01:35:51,559 Speaker 1: wildlife habitat that's probably gone forever in most cases. And 1906 01:35:51,600 --> 01:35:54,559 Speaker 1: so I think it's just and maybe I'm biased because 1907 01:35:54,600 --> 01:35:57,760 Speaker 1: I'm a sucker for for the outdoors, but I feel 1908 01:35:57,800 --> 01:35:59,400 Speaker 1: like this is one of those places where we just 1909 01:35:59,680 --> 01:36:01,840 Speaker 1: have to keep fighting, we have to pay attention to it, 1910 01:36:01,840 --> 01:36:03,760 Speaker 1: and we just have to be involved because there's there's 1911 01:36:03,800 --> 01:36:06,040 Speaker 1: not a whole lot of people out there who are 1912 01:36:06,080 --> 01:36:09,240 Speaker 1: thinking and caring about this type of stuff anymore. Most 1913 01:36:09,240 --> 01:36:11,439 Speaker 1: people are are watching TV and hanging out in the 1914 01:36:11,520 --> 01:36:13,760 Speaker 1: higher rise and going to the club, and they're not 1915 01:36:13,760 --> 01:36:15,559 Speaker 1: even thinking about it. And I think for the few 1916 01:36:15,600 --> 01:36:17,680 Speaker 1: of us that so many million hunters and there so 1917 01:36:17,760 --> 01:36:20,800 Speaker 1: many million anglers and the so many million hikers and 1918 01:36:20,840 --> 01:36:23,160 Speaker 1: backpackers and all of us have to realize that this 1919 01:36:23,200 --> 01:36:26,920 Speaker 1: is a pretty precious resource that if we don't you know, 1920 01:36:27,320 --> 01:36:29,240 Speaker 1: with it, excuse my friends, but if we don't give 1921 01:36:29,240 --> 01:36:33,200 Speaker 1: it damn enough, nobody else will. So that's yeah, Mark, 1922 01:36:33,240 --> 01:36:35,080 Speaker 1: I think you're exactly right about that. I think you know, 1923 01:36:35,120 --> 01:36:37,519 Speaker 1: the hunters, you know, really have a closer connection to 1924 01:36:37,560 --> 01:36:40,200 Speaker 1: that land than anybody else because you know what it's like, 1925 01:36:40,280 --> 01:36:42,400 Speaker 1: I mean, you get out there and you he's just 1926 01:36:42,560 --> 01:36:44,880 Speaker 1: to become a part of that wilderness. And you know, 1927 01:36:45,240 --> 01:36:47,400 Speaker 1: even wilderness sort of a small w and it can 1928 01:36:47,439 --> 01:36:50,200 Speaker 1: be you know, your acres behind your house that you hunted, 1929 01:36:50,240 --> 01:36:52,680 Speaker 1: you know, if it's you're a kid, and uh, you know, 1930 01:36:52,720 --> 01:36:55,439 Speaker 1: it's just it's I think we appreciate a very different level. 1931 01:36:55,520 --> 01:36:57,160 Speaker 1: And if we're not gonna be willing to speak up, 1932 01:36:57,160 --> 01:37:01,439 Speaker 1: you know, you know who's going to. Yeah, So I 1933 01:37:01,479 --> 01:37:04,639 Speaker 1: guess at least number one, is there any other major 1934 01:37:04,680 --> 01:37:07,720 Speaker 1: issue that we didn't touch on yet that you brought up? Um? 1935 01:37:07,760 --> 01:37:09,880 Speaker 1: And if not, then are there any kind of final 1936 01:37:09,960 --> 01:37:12,760 Speaker 1: thoughts on your end that that we all should be 1937 01:37:12,840 --> 01:37:14,920 Speaker 1: should be keeping in mind moving forward? How can we 1938 01:37:15,000 --> 01:37:18,599 Speaker 1: individuals again make an impact on all this because we've 1939 01:37:18,640 --> 01:37:20,200 Speaker 1: talked about a whole lot of issues. There's a lot 1940 01:37:20,240 --> 01:37:22,600 Speaker 1: of acronyms, there's a lot of things talked about in 1941 01:37:22,680 --> 01:37:25,400 Speaker 1: Congress and with legislators and all this, and it can 1942 01:37:25,400 --> 01:37:27,479 Speaker 1: be a little intimidating. Um, So I always want to 1943 01:37:27,479 --> 01:37:28,840 Speaker 1: make sure we can try to bring it back to 1944 01:37:29,320 --> 01:37:33,479 Speaker 1: what can I personally do today or tomorrow. Yeah, you know, listen, 1945 01:37:33,479 --> 01:37:36,200 Speaker 1: I'd much rather talk about you know, tree stand placement 1946 01:37:36,439 --> 01:37:38,760 Speaker 1: and you know, and all that storm and stuff, just 1947 01:37:38,960 --> 01:37:41,800 Speaker 1: like everybody else would. But you know, in order for 1948 01:37:41,880 --> 01:37:44,080 Speaker 1: us to enjoy that and have that conversation, we have 1949 01:37:44,200 --> 01:37:45,840 Speaker 1: to have a place to go and hunt and fish 1950 01:37:45,840 --> 01:37:49,480 Speaker 1: and get outside. And you know, it was the sportsman 1951 01:37:49,600 --> 01:37:51,680 Speaker 1: he really led by a Feodore Roosevelt back in the 1952 01:37:51,880 --> 01:37:55,280 Speaker 1: Lady to Hunters really nineteen hundreds, that created this amazing 1953 01:37:55,360 --> 01:37:58,320 Speaker 1: system that we have and then unfortunately too many of 1954 01:37:58,400 --> 01:38:01,400 Speaker 1: us take for granted. And if we want that to 1955 01:38:02,000 --> 01:38:04,080 Speaker 1: go on to our kids and they are grandkids, and 1956 01:38:04,080 --> 01:38:07,800 Speaker 1: they're grandkids, you know, we cannot assume that is going 1957 01:38:07,840 --> 01:38:09,760 Speaker 1: to be there if we don't stand cup for it. 1958 01:38:10,240 --> 01:38:11,840 Speaker 1: And that's the only message I would just put out 1959 01:38:11,880 --> 01:38:15,000 Speaker 1: there is that for too long. You know, we're too 1960 01:38:15,000 --> 01:38:18,360 Speaker 1: happy to play with our toys and to you know, 1961 01:38:18,400 --> 01:38:20,639 Speaker 1: really you think about the next hunt and just forget 1962 01:38:20,680 --> 01:38:23,040 Speaker 1: all this other stuff. But I think it's an obligation 1963 01:38:23,080 --> 01:38:26,280 Speaker 1: we all have if we want to continue doing this. Yeah, yeah, 1964 01:38:26,400 --> 01:38:29,960 Speaker 1: I couldn't. I couldn't agree more. Dan, Do you have 1965 01:38:30,000 --> 01:38:32,240 Speaker 1: any any final thoughts on this topic over there too? 1966 01:38:33,240 --> 01:38:38,120 Speaker 1: Just I don't know. Like I said it, I'm like 1967 01:38:38,200 --> 01:38:39,960 Speaker 1: the rest of the people out here out there who 1968 01:38:40,000 --> 01:38:45,160 Speaker 1: are listening, I very rarely think about it until you know, 1969 01:38:45,240 --> 01:38:47,559 Speaker 1: things until like like this, until it's too late. You know. 1970 01:38:47,600 --> 01:38:50,120 Speaker 1: I I'm so focused on my family, and I'm so 1971 01:38:50,200 --> 01:38:54,599 Speaker 1: focused on my job and and everything else, and then 1972 01:38:54,600 --> 01:38:56,960 Speaker 1: by the time hunting season comes around, you're you're focused 1973 01:38:57,160 --> 01:38:59,400 Speaker 1: on hunting. So I'm gonna make it a goal to 1974 01:38:59,600 --> 01:39:03,439 Speaker 1: from myself and challenge everybody else who's listening here too. 1975 01:39:04,320 --> 01:39:07,400 Speaker 1: I'm not saying give all your time, but open the 1976 01:39:07,640 --> 01:39:12,200 Speaker 1: at least open the book and start reading. Start reading it. Absolutely, yeah, 1977 01:39:12,240 --> 01:39:15,479 Speaker 1: and if you can, just you know, find some small 1978 01:39:15,520 --> 01:39:18,000 Speaker 1: way to start making impact. Every little bit I think counts. 1979 01:39:18,000 --> 01:39:20,200 Speaker 1: It's so cliche to say, but it's just the truth 1980 01:39:20,400 --> 01:39:22,400 Speaker 1: right and there there are a lot of opportunities out there. 1981 01:39:22,439 --> 01:39:24,800 Speaker 1: They're fun too, I mean, you know, join your local 1982 01:39:24,840 --> 01:39:27,519 Speaker 1: Turkey Federation chapter, q d M, a group or you 1983 01:39:27,560 --> 01:39:30,360 Speaker 1: know whatever it maybe and they're cool people. Is fun 1984 01:39:30,520 --> 01:39:34,360 Speaker 1: and you all are you know, there's strengthen numbers. Yeah, yea, 1985 01:39:34,479 --> 01:39:38,280 Speaker 1: so true. So speaking of groups, you, of course are 1986 01:39:38,840 --> 01:39:42,000 Speaker 1: the CEO and president of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. 1987 01:39:42,080 --> 01:39:44,160 Speaker 1: Is there any way that our listeners ourselves can get 1988 01:39:44,200 --> 01:39:47,240 Speaker 1: involved with what you guys are doing at the t RCP. Yeah, 1989 01:39:47,320 --> 01:39:52,120 Speaker 1: just go on you know TRCP www dot trcp dot org. 1990 01:39:53,120 --> 01:39:55,360 Speaker 1: You learn a lot more about the organization, how we work, 1991 01:39:55,400 --> 01:39:58,280 Speaker 1: what of issues are You can sign up. It doesn't 1992 01:39:58,280 --> 01:40:00,960 Speaker 1: cost anything to sign up. Do you want to give 1993 01:40:01,000 --> 01:40:03,320 Speaker 1: us a gift and get a cool you know president return, 1994 01:40:03,400 --> 01:40:06,360 Speaker 1: we'd love to have it, But we're really interested in 1995 01:40:06,479 --> 01:40:10,880 Speaker 1: just having people engage and make your voice heard awesome? Well, 1996 01:40:10,880 --> 01:40:13,559 Speaker 1: I think that that's our goal here too. We hope 1997 01:40:13,600 --> 01:40:16,160 Speaker 1: that that everyone listening. Will you know, think about these 1998 01:40:16,160 --> 01:40:19,200 Speaker 1: different topics we've covered and uh, you know, be curious 1999 01:40:19,200 --> 01:40:21,719 Speaker 1: about them, dive in more, do more research, learn about 2000 01:40:21,720 --> 01:40:23,800 Speaker 1: these things. Because the number one thing. The first and 2001 01:40:23,920 --> 01:40:27,719 Speaker 1: foremost priority I think is is knowledge. Right understanding these issues. 2002 01:40:27,760 --> 01:40:29,960 Speaker 1: Knowledge is power. Once you understand these things, then you 2003 01:40:30,000 --> 01:40:32,879 Speaker 1: can then begin to see how you can make a difference. 2004 01:40:33,240 --> 01:40:35,519 Speaker 1: And I don't think any one of us maybe maybe 2005 01:40:35,520 --> 01:40:37,960 Speaker 1: with maybe you can have an impact on all these issues, 2006 01:40:38,200 --> 01:40:39,640 Speaker 1: but I'm not sure any of the rest of us 2007 01:40:39,680 --> 01:40:42,320 Speaker 1: could impact every single one of these. But you know, 2008 01:40:42,400 --> 01:40:44,719 Speaker 1: see what what impacts you the most, or where's your passion, 2009 01:40:44,840 --> 01:40:47,280 Speaker 1: or where do you think you could have a disproportionate impact, 2010 01:40:47,920 --> 01:40:50,400 Speaker 1: And then focus there, spend a day a month or 2011 01:40:50,520 --> 01:40:52,280 Speaker 1: a couple of times a year, think about maybe I 2012 01:40:52,280 --> 01:40:54,680 Speaker 1: can volunteer some time, or maybe I can take a 2013 01:40:54,680 --> 01:40:57,120 Speaker 1: couple hours this week and send some letters. I know 2014 01:40:57,200 --> 01:40:58,920 Speaker 1: that's paying them butt, but maybe this year I'm going 2015 01:40:58,960 --> 01:41:01,679 Speaker 1: to do that, find some small way to make a difference. 2016 01:41:01,720 --> 01:41:04,240 Speaker 1: And I think, um, obviously it will make an impact 2017 01:41:04,240 --> 01:41:06,479 Speaker 1: in the long run when it comes to our ability 2018 01:41:06,479 --> 01:41:09,200 Speaker 1: to hunting fish and have landscapes and habitest to do so. 2019 01:41:09,280 --> 01:41:12,040 Speaker 1: But then also I think you'll, um, I think it'll 2020 01:41:12,080 --> 01:41:15,439 Speaker 1: be pretty personally fulfilling too, So for whatever that's worth, 2021 01:41:15,520 --> 01:41:19,320 Speaker 1: that's my my final preach of the day. But this 2022 01:41:19,400 --> 01:41:22,120 Speaker 1: has been terrific. I don't know many other people who 2023 01:41:22,160 --> 01:41:24,519 Speaker 1: we could get on this show too, to speak to 2024 01:41:24,600 --> 01:41:26,920 Speaker 1: so many of these different, diverse topics. So we really 2025 01:41:26,960 --> 01:41:29,719 Speaker 1: appreciate the time you took care of that. But Marcos, 2026 01:41:29,840 --> 01:41:31,800 Speaker 1: I appreciate you guys getting the word out about this. 2027 01:41:32,000 --> 01:41:34,960 Speaker 1: Uh it happens, you know, too infrequently, and anytime you 2028 01:41:35,000 --> 01:41:36,599 Speaker 1: want me back on, just let me know. I'm happy 2029 01:41:36,600 --> 01:41:38,680 Speaker 1: to join you. All right. We'll be careful what you 2030 01:41:38,760 --> 01:41:41,880 Speaker 1: offer because we have been known to do that. So 2031 01:41:41,880 --> 01:41:44,280 Speaker 1: so we have a have a great evening and hopefully 2032 01:41:44,280 --> 01:41:46,320 Speaker 1: we'll be able to talk to you against soon. Thank 2033 01:41:46,360 --> 01:41:50,479 Speaker 1: you very much, all right, bye bye. Alright, Well, I 2034 01:41:50,520 --> 01:41:53,599 Speaker 1: know that's probably a lot to digest, but these are 2035 01:41:53,600 --> 01:41:56,439 Speaker 1: just some super important issues and might be in the case. 2036 01:41:56,439 --> 01:41:58,240 Speaker 1: I'm just really glad that Wit was able to help 2037 01:41:58,320 --> 01:42:00,960 Speaker 1: us walk through them. And I'm also glad that you 2038 01:42:01,040 --> 01:42:03,120 Speaker 1: all took the time to hear about these things, because 2039 01:42:03,200 --> 01:42:05,519 Speaker 1: that's an important step and I know it can be 2040 01:42:05,520 --> 01:42:08,880 Speaker 1: a little overwhelming, I imagine too, to hear all these 2041 01:42:08,920 --> 01:42:11,400 Speaker 1: different issues that maybe you weren't aware of, and all 2042 01:42:11,439 --> 01:42:13,760 Speaker 1: of a sudden, what you know is dumping a lot 2043 01:42:13,760 --> 01:42:15,320 Speaker 1: of new information on, so it's kind of hard to 2044 01:42:15,400 --> 01:42:16,880 Speaker 1: keep track of it. Also, if you need to listen 2045 01:42:16,920 --> 01:42:19,760 Speaker 1: to it again, I encourage you do that. Um. And 2046 01:42:19,840 --> 01:42:23,120 Speaker 1: of course, you know, as we talked about, if nothing else, 2047 01:42:23,200 --> 01:42:26,360 Speaker 1: you know, try to take some action on some of 2048 01:42:26,360 --> 01:42:28,160 Speaker 1: these items, or at least on one of these items, 2049 01:42:28,200 --> 01:42:31,000 Speaker 1: whatever it is that compels you the most, do something 2050 01:42:31,000 --> 01:42:33,719 Speaker 1: about it. Uh. It's really easy to listen, it's easy 2051 01:42:33,800 --> 01:42:36,200 Speaker 1: to read, it's easy to to hear about these things. 2052 01:42:36,240 --> 01:42:38,479 Speaker 1: But what really makes a difference in the end is 2053 01:42:38,520 --> 01:42:42,200 Speaker 1: actually doing something about it. So if I could encourage 2054 01:42:42,200 --> 01:42:44,920 Speaker 1: you to do to do one thing in particular, I 2055 01:42:44,920 --> 01:42:47,960 Speaker 1: would love to see all of our listeners take one 2056 01:42:47,960 --> 01:42:50,920 Speaker 1: small piece of action regarding the public lands issue that 2057 01:42:50,960 --> 01:42:53,200 Speaker 1: we talked about near the beginning of the show. This 2058 01:42:53,280 --> 01:42:56,200 Speaker 1: is really a serious threat and it's one unfortunately does 2059 01:42:56,240 --> 01:42:58,400 Speaker 1: seem to be picking up some steam politically. So we 2060 01:42:58,640 --> 01:43:02,720 Speaker 1: sportsmen women need to make our voices heard. We need 2061 01:43:02,760 --> 01:43:04,479 Speaker 1: to keep our public lands and then we need to 2062 01:43:04,560 --> 01:43:09,320 Speaker 1: keep them accessible to hunters and anglers and productive for wildlife. 2063 01:43:09,320 --> 01:43:13,519 Speaker 1: So is what said. Visit Sportsman's Access dot org that 2064 01:43:13,720 --> 01:43:19,320 Speaker 1: sports men with an s Sportsman's Access dot Org go 2065 01:43:19,439 --> 01:43:22,000 Speaker 1: there to sign that petition and to get more informed 2066 01:43:22,040 --> 01:43:24,160 Speaker 1: on what's going on and what you can do, so 2067 01:43:24,800 --> 01:43:26,400 Speaker 1: if you can go ahead and do it right after 2068 01:43:26,400 --> 01:43:28,640 Speaker 1: this podcast, it's one of those causes I think is 2069 01:43:28,640 --> 01:43:30,960 Speaker 1: going to be very worth your time. Now, with all 2070 01:43:30,960 --> 01:43:33,200 Speaker 1: that said, before we wrap this up, we also do 2071 01:43:33,320 --> 01:43:35,280 Speaker 1: need to send a big thank you to the companies 2072 01:43:35,320 --> 01:43:38,160 Speaker 1: that have helped make the Wire to Hunt podcast possible. 2073 01:43:38,320 --> 01:43:41,799 Speaker 1: So big thank you to Sick Gear, Trophy, Ridge Bear Archery, 2074 01:43:41,920 --> 01:43:46,840 Speaker 1: Redneck Blinds, Hunter ra Maps, Ozonics, Carbon Express, Lacrosse Boots, 2075 01:43:46,920 --> 01:43:50,960 Speaker 1: and the White Tail Institute of North America. And finally, 2076 01:43:51,120 --> 01:43:53,640 Speaker 1: as always, thank you to each and every one of 2077 01:43:53,680 --> 01:43:55,800 Speaker 1: you who tuned in today. I hope you were able 2078 01:43:55,880 --> 01:43:57,439 Speaker 1: to learn a thing or two about what's going on 2079 01:43:57,479 --> 01:43:59,960 Speaker 1: across the country when it comes to conservation, and hope 2080 01:44:00,040 --> 01:44:02,920 Speaker 1: fully you were inspired to take some action. And finally, 2081 01:44:03,280 --> 01:44:08,000 Speaker 1: of course, I hope you'll stay Wired to Hunt. H