1 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:06,840 Speaker 1: From Mediators World News headquarters in Bozeman, Montana. This is 2 00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:11,360 Speaker 1: Cal's Weekend review, presented by Steel. Steel products are available 3 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:15,160 Speaker 1: only at authorized dealers. For more, go to Steel Dealers 4 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 1: dot com. Now here's your host, Ryan kel Callahan. You 5 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:25,759 Speaker 1: may recall last year when the Trump administration announced the 6 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:29,440 Speaker 1: opening of eight hundred and fifty new opportunities across more 7 00:00:29,480 --> 00:00:32,800 Speaker 1: than two point three million acres at one hundred and 8 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:37,640 Speaker 1: forty seven National Wildlife refuges and fish hatcheries. This was 9 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 1: at the time billed as the largest expansion of fishing 10 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:45,320 Speaker 1: and hunting opportunities in US Fish and Wildlife Service history. 11 00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:49,640 Speaker 1: Well recently, the Center for Biological Diversity filed a suit 12 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:52,960 Speaker 1: and a federal district court here in Montana. They claim, 13 00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:56,480 Speaker 1: like many similar suits brought by environmental groups, that the 14 00:00:56,560 --> 00:01:00,040 Speaker 1: US Fish and Wildlife Service failed to adequately consider the 15 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:04,640 Speaker 1: impact of hunting and fishing on endangered species. Specifically that 16 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:08,280 Speaker 1: lad shot could harm whooping cranes at the Kirwin Potoca 17 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:12,120 Speaker 1: and La Creek National Wildlife Refuges, lead fragments from bullets 18 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:15,640 Speaker 1: could harm jaguars at the Leslie Canyon National Wildlife Refuge, 19 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:19,080 Speaker 1: ocelots and jagg rundy at the Laguna at Acosta National 20 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:23,680 Speaker 1: Wildlife Refuge and auto bombs crested caracara at the Everglades 21 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:28,679 Speaker 1: Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge. They also believe grizzly bears are 22 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:33,280 Speaker 1: in danger from hunters in Montana's Swan River National Wildlife Refuge. 23 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:37,240 Speaker 1: They worry increased hunting in these areas will result in 24 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:41,840 Speaker 1: more grizzly deaths due to self defense shootings or mistakenly 25 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:46,840 Speaker 1: identifying grizzly as black bears. According to Section seven of 26 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:50,720 Speaker 1: the Endangered Species Act, federal agencies may not fund or 27 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 1: authorize any action that quote jeopardizes the continued existence of 28 00:01:56,080 --> 00:02:00,600 Speaker 1: any listed species. The Center for Biological Diversity argues that 29 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:05,520 Speaker 1: expanding hunting and fishing does exactly that. It's true that 30 00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:10,040 Speaker 1: lead in projectiles and fishing tackle can have adverse impacts 31 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 1: on wildlife, specifically on predators and waterfowl. Ducks, geese and 32 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:19,120 Speaker 1: cranes can ingest lead shot and become sick, and predators 33 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:22,520 Speaker 1: and scavengers can ingest lead bullet fragments when they're feeding 34 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:26,200 Speaker 1: on a carcass. However, this is still a hard argument 35 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:29,960 Speaker 1: to make. First lead shot for waterfowl hunting has been 36 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:35,240 Speaker 1: banned on all National Wildlife refuges since. Since whooping cranes 37 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 1: live and feed and wetlands, it's unlikely they'll be exposed 38 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:42,240 Speaker 1: to additional risk of lead poisoning if other hunting opportunities 39 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:44,359 Speaker 1: are expanded, which is what the U. S. Fish and 40 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 1: Wildlife Service determined in its review. The Center for Biological 41 00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:51,760 Speaker 1: Diversity claims that allowing hunters to use lead ammunition for 42 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:56,000 Speaker 1: big game predators and cotton tail rabbits will quote expand 43 00:02:56,120 --> 00:02:59,119 Speaker 1: use of lead shot on the refuge, increasing the risk 44 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:02,919 Speaker 1: to whooping cranes. They failed to explain exactly how shooting 45 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:05,960 Speaker 1: large predators with lead bullets will lead to the death 46 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:09,359 Speaker 1: of cranes. Search as we may, we could not locate 47 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:13,400 Speaker 1: any data suggesting, much less proving these birds eat the 48 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:17,360 Speaker 1: carcasses of dead mountain lions or bears. The Center also 49 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 1: worries that even though Kerwin National Wildlife Refuge in Kansas 50 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 1: prohibits lead ammunition for all hunting activities, the new rule 51 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:29,560 Speaker 1: could still harm whooping cranes. Why because, according to the lawsuit, 52 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:33,080 Speaker 1: the rule expands sport fishing to new acres, and the 53 00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:36,760 Speaker 1: reserve allows lead fishing tackle to be used there's just 54 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:40,440 Speaker 1: a problem. Sport fishing was already open at Kirwin before 55 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:43,240 Speaker 1: the new rule was put into place. The lawsuit claims 56 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 1: that the rule opens new acres to sport fishing, but 57 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:49,400 Speaker 1: that's not true. Fishing has always been permitted on all 58 00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:53,920 Speaker 1: refuge waters. The rule opens about hundred additional acres to 59 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:57,080 Speaker 1: motorize boats, but those acres had always been open to 60 00:03:57,120 --> 00:04:00,400 Speaker 1: fishing and fishing with lead tackle. It's also of noting 61 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:03,760 Speaker 1: that Kerwin suspends firearm hunting while whooping cranes are on 62 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 1: the landscape, in case anyone was worried about a hunter 63 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:11,080 Speaker 1: accidentally killing one. Accidental killing of cranes have happened, but 64 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:14,320 Speaker 1: they are rare. It's more of an education issue than 65 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:17,320 Speaker 1: a hunter in the field issue. There was just an 66 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:21,560 Speaker 1: interesting case in Oklahoma involving some cranes shot. The jury 67 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:23,919 Speaker 1: is still out on whether or not those were hunters 68 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:26,680 Speaker 1: in that particular piece of ground that is also closed 69 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:29,719 Speaker 1: to hunting while cranes are on the landscape. It's just 70 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 1: nobody knew the cranes were there, except for the a 71 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 1: hole who shot him. I'd also like to point out 72 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:38,279 Speaker 1: that the people that reported the shootings and the killings 73 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:42,880 Speaker 1: were in fact hunters. As for the Center of Biological 74 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:46,520 Speaker 1: Diversities investment in grizzly bears, the lawsuit claims that grizzly 75 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 1: bears are in danger of dying from mistaken identity and 76 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:52,240 Speaker 1: self defense shootings. You know, you put more hunters in 77 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:55,080 Speaker 1: the grizzly bear woods and there will be conflicts. But 78 00:04:55,279 --> 00:04:57,159 Speaker 1: you put a hell of a lot more grizzly bears 79 00:04:57,160 --> 00:04:58,960 Speaker 1: in the woods that everybody used, there's going to be 80 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:02,799 Speaker 1: conflicts anyway. The new rule opened a fall archery black 81 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:05,840 Speaker 1: bear hunt on the Swan River National Wildlife Refuge here 82 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:09,680 Speaker 1: in Montana. Archery hunting, as you know, requires hunters to 83 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:12,680 Speaker 1: get close to an animal before taking a shot. This 84 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 1: greatly mitigates the possibility that hunters would mistakenly identify a 85 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:19,919 Speaker 1: grizzly bear as a black bear, which is exactly what 86 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 1: the Fish and Wildlife Service found in its analysis. The 87 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:26,599 Speaker 1: overarching claim of the lawsuit is that the Fish and 88 00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:31,440 Speaker 1: Wildlife Service failed to consider potential impacts to endangered species. But, 89 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:35,320 Speaker 1: as the lawsuit admits, the agency did consider the possibility 90 00:05:35,320 --> 00:05:39,560 Speaker 1: of mistaken identity grizzly bear deaths. They found that only 91 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:42,640 Speaker 1: three percent of all grizzly bear mortalities are due to 92 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:47,320 Speaker 1: hunter misidentification among all types of hunting, not just archery. 93 00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:50,440 Speaker 1: They concluded that such a risk would have only a 94 00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:54,479 Speaker 1: minor negative effect, if any at all. The Center for 95 00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:58,919 Speaker 1: Biological Diversity's lawsuit acknowledges these facts, but nonetheless maintains that 96 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:02,160 Speaker 1: the Fish and Wildlife Service didn't do its job. If 97 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:05,640 Speaker 1: you're questioning the self defense shooting, the lawsuit accuses the 98 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:09,279 Speaker 1: Fish and Wildlife Service of quote completely ignoring the effects 99 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:12,159 Speaker 1: of self defense killings on the grizzly bear population in 100 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:16,719 Speaker 1: the Swan River. Do self defense killings occur, Yes, they 101 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:20,440 Speaker 1: do in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem. For example, of the 102 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:24,520 Speaker 1: two eight four grizzly deaths recorded over the last five years, 103 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:28,520 Speaker 1: self defense killings accounted for thirty eight of those two 104 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:32,400 Speaker 1: and eighty four deaths. Now, I'll give you my opinion here. 105 00:06:32,640 --> 00:06:35,560 Speaker 1: I can't imagine this lawsuit to be successful, and I 106 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:38,160 Speaker 1: truly only mention it here on the Weekend Review as 107 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:41,480 Speaker 1: an opportunity to show that there is thinking done on 108 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:47,120 Speaker 1: behalf of non huntable wildlife while thinking about huntable wildlife, 109 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:50,919 Speaker 1: i e. Having an archery black bear hunt in grizzly 110 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:54,839 Speaker 1: bear territory. Although the Center for Biological Diversity claims to 111 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:58,400 Speaker 1: only oppose harmful hunting, I've never heard them name any 112 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:02,760 Speaker 1: kind of hunting they would just roundly support. This newest 113 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:06,800 Speaker 1: lawsuit uses a well worn strategy to attack hunters and anglers. 114 00:07:06,839 --> 00:07:11,080 Speaker 1: The Endangered Species Act rightly requires federal agencies to consider 115 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 1: the environmental impact of any given action, but groups like 116 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:18,640 Speaker 1: the Center for Biological Diversity use this requirement to fearmonger. 117 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:22,360 Speaker 1: If you were to follow their broad logic, you would 118 00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:24,920 Speaker 1: eventually get to a point of staying the hell out 119 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:28,080 Speaker 1: of the woods in general. Yes, every time you go 120 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:32,200 Speaker 1: in the woods, potentially something could happen that will impact 121 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 1: potentially threatened or endangered wildlife, for instance. Then this is 122 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:40,040 Speaker 1: just a For instance, a skier on Bald Mountain, which 123 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:42,640 Speaker 1: is part of the Sun Valley Ski Resort, just killed 124 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:46,160 Speaker 1: a mule deer fawn in a collision. The skier was 125 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 1: in the act of lift service downhill skiing. It was 126 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:53,160 Speaker 1: not his intention to do any grocery shopping or thrill 127 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:57,000 Speaker 1: killing while on the mountain. It just happened. Mule deer 128 00:07:57,080 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 1: are not threatened or endangered, but it's a good example 129 00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:03,880 Speaker 1: of the unexpected happening while being outside. It's a huge 130 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 1: part of why many of us choose to head into 131 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:11,000 Speaker 1: the out of doors. The unexpected. Hunting is an outdoor 132 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:14,960 Speaker 1: pursuit that shoulders immense responsibility. Every other thing you do 133 00:08:15,080 --> 00:08:19,720 Speaker 1: outside hiking, skiing, mountain biking, you name it has consequences 134 00:08:19,720 --> 00:08:23,640 Speaker 1: to the landscape and wildlife. But when it comes to 135 00:08:23,720 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 1: hunting and being a hunter, we are choosing to put 136 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:30,160 Speaker 1: ourselves in close proximity to game, and game is what 137 00:08:30,280 --> 00:08:34,600 Speaker 1: gets at by predators such as grizzly bears. The Swan 138 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:37,400 Speaker 1: is ripe with grizzlies. It is one of those parts 139 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:40,600 Speaker 1: of Montana that has always been full of grizzlies. If 140 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:43,400 Speaker 1: you are choosing to take advantage of this new black 141 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:46,400 Speaker 1: bear hunt, I would strongly consider pack and bear spray. 142 00:08:46,679 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 1: If you're hunting the Swan in general, you already are 143 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:51,240 Speaker 1: on top of that, you need to know how to 144 00:08:51,360 --> 00:08:54,160 Speaker 1: use it. I would also speak with any hunter I 145 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:57,080 Speaker 1: came across in those woods and make sure that they're 146 00:08:57,200 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 1: bear aware as well. Whether you love that old grizzly 147 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:03,319 Speaker 1: bear like I do, or hate them. We don't want 148 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:06,520 Speaker 1: hunters making mistakes. We want to be able to hunt 149 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:09,160 Speaker 1: this bear. We want this species to be back under 150 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:13,000 Speaker 1: state management and as far away from the ESA as possible. 151 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:16,480 Speaker 1: And for some reason, that conflict number of people in 152 00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:18,920 Speaker 1: the out of doors running into bears and having a 153 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:22,680 Speaker 1: bad situation always gets used in an anti hunter sort 154 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:25,840 Speaker 1: of way. So be prepared. If you're a hunter, know 155 00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:31,320 Speaker 1: the risks, know your responsibilities, plan accordingly. This week we've 156 00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:35,200 Speaker 1: got Hunter Safety, Alaska and Venom. But first I'm gonna 157 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 1: tell you about my week. As you know, I've been recording. 158 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:40,320 Speaker 1: There's a couple of weeks out so we can take 159 00:09:40,360 --> 00:09:43,640 Speaker 1: a little vacation time here. That's right, Phil, We're thinking 160 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:46,320 Speaker 1: of you, and I can't deny the fact that you 161 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:52,160 Speaker 1: like me. Right now you like me, And now it's 162 00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:55,360 Speaker 1: the new year. Is it a new you? Of course not, 163 00:09:55,920 --> 00:09:58,760 Speaker 1: but it is an interesting time to consider what we 164 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:02,800 Speaker 1: would do differently. It appears that the ammunition shortage is 165 00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:06,040 Speaker 1: becoming less of a thing, as every chunk of state 166 00:10:06,120 --> 00:10:10,400 Speaker 1: ground around Bozeman is packed full of recreational shooters. If 167 00:10:10,400 --> 00:10:13,200 Speaker 1: this is you, as it is me, sometimes be sure 168 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:16,400 Speaker 1: to pick up trash, especially if it is in yours hell. 169 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:20,199 Speaker 1: Pick up trash in general, If you hate your politics 170 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:23,559 Speaker 1: and you hate when you're hunting and politics get combined, 171 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:26,880 Speaker 1: do something about it by, you know, getting a little 172 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:31,720 Speaker 1: bit more political right in, call in, email in, and 173 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:35,240 Speaker 1: go to your local fishing game commission meetings. Get acquainted 174 00:10:35,280 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 1: with your state and federal representatives. You can always start 175 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:40,480 Speaker 1: by letting them know what you think they got right. 176 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:44,640 Speaker 1: There will be something, at a minimum one thing that 177 00:10:44,760 --> 00:10:48,320 Speaker 1: your state legislature will have a public hearing on that 178 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:52,839 Speaker 1: has to do with your hunting and fishing rights. Go testify. 179 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:56,880 Speaker 1: It's not scary. It can be very impactful, whether you're 180 00:10:56,920 --> 00:11:00,920 Speaker 1: in support of or against of that issue. Make it happen. 181 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:05,800 Speaker 1: Run for office, county commissioner, school board game commission, senator, 182 00:11:05,920 --> 00:11:09,280 Speaker 1: President of the United States, or the fricking trap Club. 183 00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:13,319 Speaker 1: If you feel that you are underrepresented and it's starting 184 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:16,400 Speaker 1: to really grind on you, these are things that you 185 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:20,600 Speaker 1: can do. We always need better people in office. Were 186 00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:26,199 Speaker 1: you kidding about the presidential thing? No? What White? Yeah, 187 00:11:26,679 --> 00:11:32,199 Speaker 1: because I mean generally speaking, people don't like him. No, 188 00:11:32,559 --> 00:11:35,040 Speaker 1: I could do that job. I can do that. Okay, 189 00:11:38,559 --> 00:11:42,920 Speaker 1: Moving on to a sticky topic. The hunting accident Desk 190 00:11:43,559 --> 00:11:46,240 Speaker 1: a few weeks ago has then probably a month ago, 191 00:11:46,520 --> 00:11:49,120 Speaker 1: I told you about hunting in the United States and 192 00:11:49,160 --> 00:11:52,439 Speaker 1: how it's never been safer. Fewer hunters are killed or 193 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:56,520 Speaker 1: injured today than at any time since state agencies started 194 00:11:56,640 --> 00:11:59,320 Speaker 1: keeping track, and much of that is thanks to hunters 195 00:11:59,360 --> 00:12:03,120 Speaker 1: following what they're taught in hunters Safety courses. Of course, 196 00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:05,960 Speaker 1: that doesn't mean we should let our guard down. Whether 197 00:12:05,960 --> 00:12:09,160 Speaker 1: you've been hunting for two years or two decades, it's 198 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:13,439 Speaker 1: super important to practice safe gun handling, prepare for inclement weather, 199 00:12:13,640 --> 00:12:16,760 Speaker 1: and where your safety harness and the tree stand. Several 200 00:12:16,800 --> 00:12:20,200 Speaker 1: tragic accidents from the last few weeks underlining the importance 201 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:23,440 Speaker 1: of staying safe in the woods. In Iowa, the Department 202 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:27,679 Speaker 1: of Natural Resources asking hunters to review safety procedures after 203 00:12:27,760 --> 00:12:30,480 Speaker 1: three hunters were shot and one killed during the first 204 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:33,880 Speaker 1: weekend in December. One hunter was shot in the stomach 205 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:36,720 Speaker 1: and another had his right hand grazed with a slug 206 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:39,840 Speaker 1: during a deer drive. Another pheasant hunter was hit with 207 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:43,120 Speaker 1: four pellets in the face and neck. Most tragically, a 208 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:45,920 Speaker 1: thirty seven year old Iowa white tail hunter was shot 209 00:12:45,960 --> 00:12:48,880 Speaker 1: in the chest and died while participating in a deer 210 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:53,480 Speaker 1: drive with a twenty person hunting group. Iowa DNR is 211 00:12:53,520 --> 00:12:57,040 Speaker 1: still investigating the incident, but a spokesperson reiterated that hunters 212 00:12:57,040 --> 00:12:59,960 Speaker 1: should know the layout of the property and the location 213 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:03,320 Speaker 1: of the hunters before setting out into the woods. In 214 00:13:03,360 --> 00:13:06,440 Speaker 1: another tragic incident, a fourteen year old white tail hunter 215 00:13:06,440 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 1: in Missouri named Jordan Griffey died from massive blood loss 216 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:12,840 Speaker 1: after he tripped and shot himself from the shoulder. Investigators 217 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:16,120 Speaker 1: have not provided any additional details, but his family described 218 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:19,640 Speaker 1: Jordan as a kind and loving person who enjoyed hunting, fishing, 219 00:13:19,720 --> 00:13:24,120 Speaker 1: four wheeling, and searching for arrowheads. In western Pennsylvania, three 220 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:26,199 Speaker 1: hunters have been shot in the past two weeks, two 221 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:28,560 Speaker 1: of whom have died. One was shot in the chest 222 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:31,000 Speaker 1: with thirty OT six by a fellow hunter during a 223 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:34,559 Speaker 1: deer drive. The Pennsylvania Game Commission told The Eerie Times 224 00:13:34,679 --> 00:13:37,959 Speaker 1: that five hunters were participating in the deer drive. One 225 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:40,000 Speaker 1: of the drivers took a shot at a deer and 226 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:43,240 Speaker 1: struck his fellow hunter in the chest. Thankfully, the man 227 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:47,199 Speaker 1: has undergone surgery and is expected to live Elsewhere. In 228 00:13:47,240 --> 00:13:49,800 Speaker 1: western p A, a hunter died after being shot in 229 00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:52,560 Speaker 1: the head with a two forty three rifle. A juvenile 230 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:55,120 Speaker 1: fired the shot at a deer, but it traveled beyond 231 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:57,480 Speaker 1: the animal about three hundred yards and struck the man 232 00:13:57,559 --> 00:13:59,960 Speaker 1: in the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene. 233 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:04,480 Speaker 1: In the final Pennsylvania incident, the retired police officer died 234 00:14:04,520 --> 00:14:07,800 Speaker 1: after being accidentally shot and killed by his nephew. The 235 00:14:07,840 --> 00:14:10,959 Speaker 1: pair were hunting black bears, and as they crossed creek, 236 00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:14,480 Speaker 1: the nephew slipped in the firearm discharged behind him, striking 237 00:14:14,520 --> 00:14:18,600 Speaker 1: his uncle. Investigators have released no further details at this time. 238 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:21,560 Speaker 1: I don't cover these stories to cast blame on the 239 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:25,320 Speaker 1: folks involved. I don't like them. I guarantee the responsible 240 00:14:25,360 --> 00:14:29,000 Speaker 1: parties are feeling guilty enough already. But these incidents should 241 00:14:29,040 --> 00:14:31,560 Speaker 1: remind us to never let our guard down in the woods. 242 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:34,560 Speaker 1: They're important to talk about for that reason. It only 243 00:14:34,600 --> 00:14:37,400 Speaker 1: takes a moment of forgetfulness to get to a place 244 00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:41,120 Speaker 1: of serious injury or death. The most common mistake I 245 00:14:41,160 --> 00:14:43,120 Speaker 1: have seen in the field is forgetting if there is 246 00:14:43,160 --> 00:14:46,360 Speaker 1: a live round in the chamber. I myself, after shooting, 247 00:14:46,640 --> 00:14:49,640 Speaker 1: have reloaded and left the gun in place after finding 248 00:14:49,680 --> 00:14:52,560 Speaker 1: that my first round was effective, only to come back 249 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:55,880 Speaker 1: minutes or sometimes hours later to pick up the rifle 250 00:14:56,080 --> 00:14:57,680 Speaker 1: and find that there is a live round in the 251 00:14:57,760 --> 00:15:01,680 Speaker 1: chamber with the safety off. That little incident with no loud, 252 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:07,240 Speaker 1: surprising bang, no injuries is a sobering moment. My preference 253 00:15:07,400 --> 00:15:09,680 Speaker 1: while walking in the woods is to have a loaded 254 00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:12,600 Speaker 1: magazine with no rounds in the chamber, but I will 255 00:15:12,640 --> 00:15:16,440 Speaker 1: admit there are a few very specific circumstances where that 256 00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:19,680 Speaker 1: preference will cost you an animal. If you choose to 257 00:15:19,720 --> 00:15:21,960 Speaker 1: carry live round in the chamber of your weapon, as 258 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:25,120 Speaker 1: we always do with shotguns for upland bird or waterfowl, 259 00:15:25,560 --> 00:15:28,680 Speaker 1: constantly check that the gun is unsafe and that the 260 00:15:28,680 --> 00:15:32,320 Speaker 1: barrel is pointed in a safe direction, keep your finger 261 00:15:32,520 --> 00:15:35,600 Speaker 1: off the trigger until you're ready to fire, and always 262 00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:39,320 Speaker 1: know your target and what's beyond it. If we recommit 263 00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:43,320 Speaker 1: to these responsible hunting practices daily, we can continue to 264 00:15:43,440 --> 00:15:46,960 Speaker 1: making hunting safer than it's ever been in the United States. 265 00:15:48,160 --> 00:15:53,760 Speaker 1: Moving on, a federal judge recently denied an injunction sought 266 00:15:53,760 --> 00:15:56,840 Speaker 1: by the State of Alaska against the Federal Subsistence Board, 267 00:15:56,960 --> 00:16:01,040 Speaker 1: which has been making some very controversial decisions lately. You will, 268 00:16:01,080 --> 00:16:04,680 Speaker 1: no doubt remember Wildlife Special Action Request twenty one DASH 269 00:16:04,680 --> 00:16:07,800 Speaker 1: oh one, which is still seeking to close public land 270 00:16:07,920 --> 00:16:11,160 Speaker 1: units twenty three and twenty six A to non subsistence 271 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:15,000 Speaker 1: moose and caribou hunters combined. This area is a little 272 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:18,400 Speaker 1: bigger than the state of Oregon. This particular case had 273 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:21,160 Speaker 1: to do in part with a more local issue. In 274 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:24,400 Speaker 1: two thousand twenty, an emergency hunt was declared near the 275 00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:28,080 Speaker 1: southeast Alaska village of Cake in response to COVID related 276 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:32,160 Speaker 1: food shortages. The Federal Subsistence Board delegated to its authority 277 00:16:32,240 --> 00:16:36,080 Speaker 1: to Cake's local Native tribe, letting them decide who specifically 278 00:16:36,080 --> 00:16:38,240 Speaker 1: would be able to participate in the hunt and who 279 00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:41,520 Speaker 1: would get the resulting food. The State of Alaska argued 280 00:16:41,560 --> 00:16:45,560 Speaker 1: that this violated so called federal Sunshine laws, which required 281 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:49,120 Speaker 1: decisions to be made through public processes, not as in 282 00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:52,800 Speaker 1: this case, in private by the tribe. The judge declared 283 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:56,640 Speaker 1: this objection moot or meaningless, as the federal delegation of 284 00:16:56,680 --> 00:16:59,440 Speaker 1: decision making in the case of the emergency hunt has 285 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:02,920 Speaker 1: expired and is not likely to be renewed. The second 286 00:17:02,920 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 1: part of the State of Alaska's beef is more relevant 287 00:17:05,359 --> 00:17:08,560 Speaker 1: to you and me. They sought to overturn the Subsistence 288 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:12,359 Speaker 1: boards special action closing moose and caribou hunting on federal 289 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:16,040 Speaker 1: public lands in game Management Units thirteen A and thirteen B, 290 00:17:16,359 --> 00:17:20,760 Speaker 1: two non federally qualified users Alaska argued that the closure 291 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:25,000 Speaker 1: decision was arbitrary and capricious because outside hunters had not 292 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:28,879 Speaker 1: been shown to threaten population numbers, which is supposed to 293 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:33,160 Speaker 1: be the standard. The federal judge disagreed. When we've talked 294 00:17:33,200 --> 00:17:36,280 Speaker 1: about the importance of taking action on units twenty three 295 00:17:36,359 --> 00:17:39,240 Speaker 1: and twenty six A, that much bigger stretch of land, 296 00:17:39,440 --> 00:17:42,280 Speaker 1: we have referenced these smaller units thirteen A and thirteen 297 00:17:42,359 --> 00:17:45,080 Speaker 1: B because they were closed while no one was looking 298 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:47,520 Speaker 1: examples of the kind of thing we can't let slip 299 00:17:47,560 --> 00:17:50,880 Speaker 1: by us. Well, now we have another reason to keep 300 00:17:50,880 --> 00:17:53,399 Speaker 1: the pending decision about twenty three and twenty six A 301 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:57,160 Speaker 1: on our radar. If those areas are closed, the precedent 302 00:17:57,280 --> 00:18:00,919 Speaker 1: is now established that overturning that closure will be difficult, 303 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:04,719 Speaker 1: if not impossible. Will obviously stay on top of this 304 00:18:04,760 --> 00:18:09,520 Speaker 1: Alaska situation, there will be another call to action. Now, 305 00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:14,640 Speaker 1: moving on to the venom desk, scientists at the University 306 00:18:14,680 --> 00:18:18,800 Speaker 1: of Queensland and Australia have demonstrated the evolutionary downsides to 307 00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:23,440 Speaker 1: developing venom resistance. You would think the more impervious animal 308 00:18:23,640 --> 00:18:27,359 Speaker 1: is to venom, the better, but the story is more complicated. 309 00:18:27,760 --> 00:18:30,879 Speaker 1: In our episode, after snorts rattlesnake around and we talked 310 00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:34,120 Speaker 1: about how snake venom consists of the same proteins as 311 00:18:34,119 --> 00:18:36,679 Speaker 1: the ones already in our bodies, just in all the 312 00:18:36,680 --> 00:18:41,240 Speaker 1: wrong combinations and amounts. For example, your body uses specific 313 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:45,240 Speaker 1: protein keys to set off nerve impulses, but when you 314 00:18:45,320 --> 00:18:48,880 Speaker 1: get bitten by a cobra, the cobra's venom uses copies 315 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:51,879 Speaker 1: of those same keys to turn off the nerves that 316 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:56,040 Speaker 1: move your diaphragm, causing you to suffocate. One strategy for 317 00:18:56,160 --> 00:18:59,639 Speaker 1: surviving a snake bite is anti venom, either produced by 318 00:18:59,640 --> 00:19:03,719 Speaker 1: the bo or injected as medicine. Anti venom binds too 319 00:19:03,800 --> 00:19:07,119 Speaker 1: venom proteins before they can bind two receptors in the body. 320 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:11,040 Speaker 1: The anti venom molecules are like fake locks for venom 321 00:19:11,119 --> 00:19:14,120 Speaker 1: keys to fit into, and the venom molecules then get 322 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:17,720 Speaker 1: flushed out of the system. Those with natural venom resistance 323 00:19:17,800 --> 00:19:20,520 Speaker 1: could be described as having body locks that are more 324 00:19:20,560 --> 00:19:24,359 Speaker 1: complex and specific, so that fewer and fewer venom keys 325 00:19:24,560 --> 00:19:27,960 Speaker 1: can work to unlock them. You could probably pry open 326 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:30,919 Speaker 1: your little sister's diary lock with a hairpin, but that 327 00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:34,440 Speaker 1: hairpin won't work on the bank vault. So unless we 328 00:19:34,480 --> 00:19:38,560 Speaker 1: intend to do this job in reno women, Bonnie Bonnie 329 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:43,040 Speaker 1: Rubble trouble. To see how this kind of resistance functioned, 330 00:19:43,160 --> 00:19:46,720 Speaker 1: the Australian scientists zeroed in on one particular neural site, 331 00:19:46,720 --> 00:19:49,679 Speaker 1: called the acetle coline receptor, one of the targets of 332 00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:53,240 Speaker 1: the neurotoxic venom. Using the published genetic code of a 333 00:19:53,359 --> 00:19:57,360 Speaker 1: range of different primate species, the scientists created each primate 334 00:19:57,359 --> 00:20:01,000 Speaker 1: it's different acebtle choline receptor structure in the lab, and 335 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:04,080 Speaker 1: sure enough, the scientists found that the more closely the 336 00:20:04,080 --> 00:20:08,960 Speaker 1: primate species evolved with poisonous snakes, the less well neurotoxins 337 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:13,160 Speaker 1: bound to that specific kind of acetocline receptor. The more 338 00:20:13,280 --> 00:20:16,680 Speaker 1: difficult it was for the venom key to fit into 339 00:20:16,840 --> 00:20:20,840 Speaker 1: the lock. Primates that evolved primarily in Africa and Asia 340 00:20:20,880 --> 00:20:24,440 Speaker 1: with more snakes in their habitat, like humans, bonobos and chimps, 341 00:20:24,640 --> 00:20:28,800 Speaker 1: had better resistance to neurotoxin binding, while those who evolved 342 00:20:28,880 --> 00:20:32,520 Speaker 1: in the America's with far less exposure to venomous snakes 343 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:35,600 Speaker 1: like the white faced capuchin or the Peruvian spider monkey 344 00:20:35,880 --> 00:20:39,800 Speaker 1: were very susceptible to venom binding, and we know in 345 00:20:39,880 --> 00:20:43,080 Speaker 1: practice that New World monkeys are much more likely to 346 00:20:43,160 --> 00:20:46,360 Speaker 1: die after being bitten by a snake than, for example, 347 00:20:46,520 --> 00:20:51,200 Speaker 1: chimps native to Tanzania, or you and me for that matter. However, 348 00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:55,320 Speaker 1: even those animals in closest contact with snakes only ever 349 00:20:55,440 --> 00:21:01,440 Speaker 1: develop around resistance. That's because acetocline receptors can't completely shut 350 00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:04,359 Speaker 1: out every key. They have to bind readily to save 351 00:21:04,440 --> 00:21:07,840 Speaker 1: proteins in the body, or else they won't work. Subtle 352 00:21:07,880 --> 00:21:10,840 Speaker 1: coline reactions let your heart beat and your eyes blink. 353 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:15,639 Speaker 1: They're very important for memory formation and cognitive function. The 354 00:21:15,720 --> 00:21:18,840 Speaker 1: lead author of the study, Brian Fry, said, quote, we 355 00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:21,480 Speaker 1: have shown that resistance to snake venoms comes with a 356 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:25,240 Speaker 1: fitness disadvantage, whereby the receptors don't do their normal function 357 00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:28,000 Speaker 1: as efficiently. So there is a fine balance to be 358 00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:31,080 Speaker 1: struck where the gain has to outweigh the loss. In 359 00:21:31,119 --> 00:21:34,200 Speaker 1: the case of humans, the partial resistance we have is 360 00:21:34,320 --> 00:21:37,200 Speaker 1: enough to survive the defensive snake bites we most often 361 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:41,080 Speaker 1: get hit with without losing too much neurological function as 362 00:21:41,119 --> 00:21:44,600 Speaker 1: a result. This same balance happens in other species as well, 363 00:21:44,800 --> 00:21:49,760 Speaker 1: and sometimes losing venom resistance actually increases fitness, which is 364 00:21:49,840 --> 00:21:53,080 Speaker 1: interesting to think about that this were a video game. 365 00:21:53,359 --> 00:21:56,679 Speaker 1: Would you want your avatar to jump higher or be 366 00:21:56,800 --> 00:22:00,280 Speaker 1: more resistant to venom? If you could choose right now 367 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:04,040 Speaker 1: to increase your physical abilities but lose that built in 368 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:06,880 Speaker 1: an I been um you didn't even ask for, would 369 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:10,159 Speaker 1: you do it? Probably not with a ticket to Australia 370 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:12,560 Speaker 1: in your hand, or, in my experience, a good excuse 371 00:22:12,560 --> 00:22:14,440 Speaker 1: to wander for a few days in the y He 372 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:18,040 Speaker 1: Wilderness in Idaho. That's all I've got for you this week. 373 00:22:18,119 --> 00:22:21,560 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for listening. Remember, if you didn't 374 00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:24,399 Speaker 1: get exactly what you wanted for Christmas, you can always 375 00:22:24,480 --> 00:22:28,960 Speaker 1: go to www dot Steel Dealers dot com and find 376 00:22:28,960 --> 00:22:32,080 Speaker 1: a local, knowledgeable steel dealer near you. They'll get you 377 00:22:32,119 --> 00:22:34,280 Speaker 1: set up with what you need and not with what 378 00:22:34,359 --> 00:22:37,120 Speaker 1: you don't. And if you're looking for one more good 379 00:22:37,160 --> 00:22:40,199 Speaker 1: deed to do this new year, right in to a 380 00:22:40,480 --> 00:22:43,760 Speaker 1: s k C A L. Let's ask Cal at the 381 00:22:43,760 --> 00:22:46,359 Speaker 1: Meat Eater dot com let me know what's going on 382 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:48,879 Speaker 1: in your next the woods. Thanks again, i'll talk to 383 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:49,440 Speaker 1: you next week.