1 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:06,840 Speaker 1: From Mediators World News headquarters in Bozeman, Montana. This is 2 00:00:06,920 --> 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 cal Callahan. Two 5 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:25,799 Speaker 1: hunters in Wyoming were severely beaten last month by two 6 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:29,400 Speaker 1: other hunters who claimed the Wyoming men had stolen their elk. 7 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 1: Dawson Handley and Joseph Boster were part of an elk 8 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 1: hunting group in the Upper Grays River area of western Wyoming, 9 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:40,720 Speaker 1: according to The Cowboys State Daily. There they encountered another 10 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 1: group of hunters that included the alleged assailants, thirty five 11 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:47,880 Speaker 1: year old Jared Alquin and thirty year old Shay Sanchez. 12 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 1: Alquin and Sanchez told Handley and Boster that they had 13 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:53,920 Speaker 1: shot a bull elk and a cow elk. They were 14 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:56,200 Speaker 1: in the process of cleaning the cow, but they hadn't 15 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:59,080 Speaker 1: located the bull. The two groups of hunters went their 16 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:02,880 Speaker 1: separate ways. Not long after, Handley and his group discovered 17 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:05,760 Speaker 1: a cow elk that had been partially processed but still 18 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:09,280 Speaker 1: contained a lot of meat. Handley told investigators that he 19 00:01:09,319 --> 00:01:12,680 Speaker 1: took the tenderloins off that carcass. It is unclear whether 20 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:16,720 Speaker 1: that was the same cow Algwyn and Sanchez had killed. Later, 21 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:19,640 Speaker 1: Handley and Boster found a bull elk that didn't look 22 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 1: like it had been touched. Another hunter in their party 23 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 1: put his tag on the bull, and the group processed 24 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:28,119 Speaker 1: the meat and took it back to their camp. That's 25 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:31,600 Speaker 1: according to an affidavit written by a Lincoln County Sheriff's 26 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:35,840 Speaker 1: Office detective. Now maybe this goes without saying, but if 27 00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 1: you find an elk in the woods, especially if you've 28 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 1: been told by another group that they're looking for a bull, 29 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 1: just leave it alone. When he gets cell service called 30 00:01:44,319 --> 00:01:47,760 Speaker 1: a conservation officer. If you're really concerned about it, you 31 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:50,400 Speaker 1: could feel dress the thing, help out make sure the 32 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 1: meat won't spoil anyway. Later that afternoon, Handley and Boster 33 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:58,680 Speaker 1: we're hunting by themselves out of a UTV when they 34 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:02,520 Speaker 1: ran into Algwn Sanchez. As he might imagine, these guys 35 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:05,600 Speaker 1: weren't happy. They demanded to know where their bowl was, 36 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:08,680 Speaker 1: but Algwyn told me Handley and Boster denied that they 37 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:11,680 Speaker 1: had harvested any elk that day. This is where things 38 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 1: got a little crazy. Handley and Boster claimed that the 39 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:17,480 Speaker 1: other pair started the fight, but Algwyn told me that 40 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:20,080 Speaker 1: Boster was the first one to take a swing at Sanchez. 41 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:24,280 Speaker 1: Agwyn says they had threatened to involve authorities about the 42 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:26,440 Speaker 1: stolen elk, which is when Boster got out of the 43 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:30,680 Speaker 1: vehicle and started throwing punches. It's a real uh he said, 44 00:02:30,760 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 1: he said situation. Agwyn claims they were acting entirely in 45 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:38,040 Speaker 1: self defense, but initial reporting indicates that Handley and Boster 46 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:40,800 Speaker 1: were on the losing end of the fight. Handley broke 47 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 1: his jaw and suffered other serious injuries. His father told 48 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:47,840 Speaker 1: the Cowboys State Daily that will need multiple surgeries. The 49 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:50,600 Speaker 1: fight ended when Sanchez uncle yelled at the younger men 50 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:53,799 Speaker 1: to knock it off. As Agwyn and Sanchez were leaving, 51 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:58,280 Speaker 1: they also allegedly stole Boster's backpack, which contained quote several 52 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 1: expensive hunting related item which is a funny way to 53 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:04,959 Speaker 1: you know, refer to matches and toilet paper like most 54 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:07,640 Speaker 1: folks backpack have in them. I think it's safe to 55 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 1: say that we haven't heard the end of this story. 56 00:03:09,639 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 1: It's unclear why Handling Bosters group processed a bull elk 57 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:15,320 Speaker 1: they hadn't shot. Did they assume the other group wouldn't 58 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:17,600 Speaker 1: want the meet or were they really just trying to 59 00:03:17,639 --> 00:03:20,959 Speaker 1: steal someone's kill. While there's still a lot of questions 60 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:24,680 Speaker 1: to be answered, local prosecutors believe they have enough evidence 61 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:28,240 Speaker 1: to charge Algwyn and Sanchez with aggravated assault and battery, 62 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:31,919 Speaker 1: as well as theft. As of this recording, Handling Boster 63 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:35,120 Speaker 1: haven't been hit with any charges, but they probably won't 64 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:39,400 Speaker 1: have to hold their breath too long. This week Legislation 65 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:42,920 Speaker 1: quail and Veterans on the hunt. But first, I'm gonna 66 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:46,920 Speaker 1: tell you about my week. In my week, well, it's 67 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:50,680 Speaker 1: looking cold, friends and neighbors. I am prerecording this episode 68 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:52,280 Speaker 1: a week ahead of time so I can spend a 69 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 1: week of vacation in the wilderness, a place with the 70 00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:59,200 Speaker 1: capital W Jason mule Deer. I'm meeting up my friend 71 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:02,280 Speaker 1: Brad Brooks are Gully Outdoors, which you may recognize from 72 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:05,040 Speaker 1: their line of game bags and other cool items, as 73 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:08,440 Speaker 1: well as our buddy Cronk, who is, as his last 74 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:12,360 Speaker 1: name suggests, a person specially equipped with the mental capacity 75 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 1: to suffer for long periods of time in the cold, 76 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:23,960 Speaker 1: snowy mountains. Uncle, this is a long one. Ten days 77 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:27,120 Speaker 1: a camp on the back dehydrated food and hopefully some 78 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:30,000 Speaker 1: buck meat. I'll let you know how it all went. 79 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:35,920 Speaker 1: Moving on to the corrections desk. As many of you 80 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 1: pointed out, I misspoke on the Wyoming woman who was 81 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:42,039 Speaker 1: attacked by a mule deer in her front yard. I 82 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:45,039 Speaker 1: said white tail in there somewhere, which many of you 83 00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 1: caught onto if you get confused in the future. Mule 84 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:52,039 Speaker 1: deer are generally larger than white tail. Their antlers have 85 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:55,479 Speaker 1: two main beams that continue to split and create more points. 86 00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 1: White tail antlers have a single main beam on each 87 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:01,720 Speaker 1: side that sprouts points as it grow. Mule deer ears 88 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 1: are also generally larger, and they have a white rump 89 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:07,320 Speaker 1: with a black tipped tail. The tail of a white 90 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:10,800 Speaker 1: tail is only white on the underside. Mule deer are 91 00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:15,400 Speaker 1: generally considered a western species, while white tail rule the East. However, 92 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:18,520 Speaker 1: they do overlap in certain areas of several Western states, 93 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:23,560 Speaker 1: including Colorado, Texas, Montana, and Idaho. Another listener wrote in 94 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:26,799 Speaker 1: to ask what I thought was a great question about 95 00:05:26,839 --> 00:05:30,320 Speaker 1: the commercialization of wildlife my coverage of the dog food 96 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:33,560 Speaker 1: company that sells hunter harvested elk and deer. I said 97 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:38,160 Speaker 1: that whenever wildlife and commercial enterprises mix, wildlife usually loses. 98 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:42,039 Speaker 1: This listener pointed out that's not always the case when 99 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:44,760 Speaker 1: it comes to fisheries. There are several fisheries in the 100 00:05:44,839 --> 00:05:48,480 Speaker 1: United States that do a great job maintaining healthy populations 101 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:51,800 Speaker 1: and at the same time producing economic output. That's some 102 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:55,400 Speaker 1: great contacts that I should have included. It is possible, 103 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 1: given enough oversight and enforcement to make money on wildlife 104 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:02,919 Speaker 1: without endange during the resource. Of course, oversight and enforcement 105 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:06,120 Speaker 1: as well as you know, good old human behavior is 106 00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:10,160 Speaker 1: the key. Caveat now quick break for you Latin folks. 107 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:13,560 Speaker 1: Caveat c A V E a T is an old 108 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:17,480 Speaker 1: Latin phrase from a dead language, which is Latin correct. 109 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:21,640 Speaker 1: I believe a V in Latin is actually a W 110 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:25,240 Speaker 1: type of sound, So the original Latin phrase would be 111 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:29,719 Speaker 1: kawayat and tor, which means buyer beware. You can go 112 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 1: ahead and track me down. If that's not correct, stay 113 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:37,760 Speaker 1: on upid state. You call it wid state anyway. Fisheries 114 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:40,599 Speaker 1: certainly aren't immune to the predations of the market. Many 115 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:44,240 Speaker 1: people don't know that black bass, which include the ever 116 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:47,600 Speaker 1: popular large mouth and small mouth bass, nearly when extinct 117 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:50,960 Speaker 1: in the early decades of the twentieth century, market hunters 118 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:54,279 Speaker 1: killed them by the thousands, and it wasn't until anglers 119 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:57,560 Speaker 1: and lawmakers stepped in that the species started to rebound. 120 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:02,800 Speaker 1: Point is conserving wildlife I requires careful oversight. Many fisheries 121 00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:05,120 Speaker 1: have exactly that, But as far as I can tell, 122 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:08,960 Speaker 1: the elk meat dog food market in Utah doesn't. That's 123 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 1: why it makes me nervous. Moving on, speaking of old 124 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:17,960 Speaker 1: stuff like Latin, you know that old Charles Dicklans novel 125 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:20,520 Speaker 1: A Tale of Two Cities. It was the one that starts. 126 00:07:20,560 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 1: It was the best of times, it was the worst 127 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:26,520 Speaker 1: of times. Well, sometimes following conservation kind of feels like that. 128 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:29,800 Speaker 1: On one hand, we've seen several stories over the last 129 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:32,400 Speaker 1: week that proved it's possible to save species from the 130 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 1: brink of extinction. For example, older listeners may remember a 131 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:39,320 Speaker 1: big fight in the nineteen seventies over a tiny endangered 132 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 1: fish called the snail darter. This fish from the southeastern 133 00:07:42,960 --> 00:07:45,119 Speaker 1: portion of the US was the subject of a legal 134 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:47,720 Speaker 1: battle that blocked the construction of a damn for two 135 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:50,640 Speaker 1: years and eventually made it to the Supreme Court. It 136 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:53,600 Speaker 1: was one of the first tests of the Endangered Species Act, 137 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:56,640 Speaker 1: as environmentalist groups went toe to toe with the Tennessee 138 00:07:56,720 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 1: Valley Authority or t v A. The fish were eventually 139 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:02,320 Speaker 1: scooped up and moved to another river, and the dam 140 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:06,040 Speaker 1: was allowed to be constructed. Now, nearly fifty years later, 141 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 1: the U. S Department of the Interior has announced that 142 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:11,440 Speaker 1: the snail darter has recovered enough to remove it from 143 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:15,200 Speaker 1: the endangered species list. It was downgraded from endangered to 144 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:19,560 Speaker 1: threaten in four and recovery efforts have been so successful 145 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:22,880 Speaker 1: that the population has been deemed healthy. It is the 146 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:26,240 Speaker 1: fifth fish species and the first in the Eastern United 147 00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:30,040 Speaker 1: States to be delisted because the population has recovered, according 148 00:08:30,080 --> 00:08:34,080 Speaker 1: to the agency. Colorado Parks and Wildlife also announced recently 149 00:08:34,160 --> 00:08:37,640 Speaker 1: that the green back cutthroat trout has been reproducing naturally 150 00:08:37,640 --> 00:08:40,520 Speaker 1: in Colorado waters. This is a big deal because the 151 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:43,680 Speaker 1: fish was considered extinct back in ninety seven. Then in 152 00:08:43,679 --> 00:08:46,960 Speaker 1: two thousand twelve, a population was discovered in Bear Creek 153 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:51,080 Speaker 1: near Colorado Springs, and the recovery efforts began. Today, green 154 00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:54,800 Speaker 1: back populations exist in four South Platte Basin streams, but 155 00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 1: only the fish in Herman Gulch have existed long enough 156 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:01,520 Speaker 1: to reach adulthood. And begin re producing. The green back 157 00:09:01,559 --> 00:09:04,560 Speaker 1: cutthroat is the state fish of Colorado, so all you 158 00:09:04,679 --> 00:09:07,880 Speaker 1: centennial state residents should be happy you don't have to 159 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:12,360 Speaker 1: pick another. So that's the best of times. Now for 160 00:09:12,520 --> 00:09:15,600 Speaker 1: the worst of times. The Alaska Department of Game and 161 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:18,600 Speaker 1: Fish announced last week it had canceled the winter snow 162 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:21,559 Speaker 1: crab season in the Bearing Sea due to the shrinking 163 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:25,800 Speaker 1: snow crab population, which means any of you folks who 164 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 1: frequent uh Asian buffets in all the small towns in 165 00:09:30,559 --> 00:09:33,600 Speaker 1: the Midwest and West, you're gonna be hurting because there's 166 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:37,040 Speaker 1: no snow crab on the menu. Biologists say the population 167 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:40,000 Speaker 1: has dropped by a whopping in the last two years, 168 00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:45,600 Speaker 1: which equals about one billion crabs. That's billion with a bee. 169 00:09:45,800 --> 00:09:49,240 Speaker 1: Scientists are still investigating the cause. Some believe disease has 170 00:09:49,240 --> 00:09:52,520 Speaker 1: played a role. Others think warming ocean temperatures have kept 171 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:55,960 Speaker 1: the cold water loving crabs from thriving. Whatever the reason, 172 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:59,640 Speaker 1: the decision is devastating for crabbers who make their livelihood 173 00:09:59,679 --> 00:10:03,040 Speaker 1: on snow crabs in the Bearing Sea. In an even 174 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:07,120 Speaker 1: more concerning trend, populations of monitored vertebrate species around the 175 00:10:07,160 --> 00:10:10,600 Speaker 1: world have dropped by an average of six from nineteen 176 00:10:10,679 --> 00:10:14,800 Speaker 1: seventy two eighteen. According to the World Wildlife Fund Living 177 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:18,440 Speaker 1: Planet Report, the drops have been more or less drastic 178 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:22,120 Speaker 1: from region to region. Monitored populations in Latin America and 179 00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:27,920 Speaker 1: the Caribbean drop on average, that's four percent on average. 180 00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:32,040 Speaker 1: On the other hand, monitored populations in North America declined 181 00:10:32,080 --> 00:10:35,680 Speaker 1: by twenty percent, and Europe and Central Asia saw declines 182 00:10:35,800 --> 00:10:39,040 Speaker 1: of eighteen percent. It's important to keep in mind that 183 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:42,160 Speaker 1: this report takes a huge number of species into account. 184 00:10:42,720 --> 00:10:49,000 Speaker 1: Researchers have been tracking nearly thirty two thousand species of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, 185 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:52,720 Speaker 1: and fish, and as we've just covered, not all of 186 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:55,319 Speaker 1: them are on the decline. But it's clear that from 187 00:10:55,320 --> 00:10:58,640 Speaker 1: this thirty thousand foot view, we're not exactly trending in 188 00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:03,000 Speaker 1: the right direction. Climate change is driving some of this decline, 189 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:07,040 Speaker 1: and it's forcing species to adapt and behave in unusual ways. 190 00:11:07,440 --> 00:11:10,760 Speaker 1: Mountain goats and bighorn sheep are battling over climate limited 191 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:15,080 Speaker 1: resources in Montana's Rocky Mountains, which isn't a behavior scientists 192 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:19,199 Speaker 1: have often documented. That's according to a study recently published 193 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:22,880 Speaker 1: in Frontiers of Ecology and evolution and covered in scientific 194 00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:27,600 Speaker 1: American researchers observed mountain goats driving off big horn sheep 195 00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 1: from muddy mineral deposits left by melting glaciers. Road construction 196 00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:35,880 Speaker 1: projects have destroyed many lower elevation mineral licks, so these 197 00:11:35,920 --> 00:11:39,560 Speaker 1: animals have turned to these new, more limited locations. In 198 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:42,880 Speaker 1: case you're wondering, because I know you are, Mountain goats 199 00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:48,079 Speaker 1: won these battles, and of one twenty documented run ins, 200 00:11:48,520 --> 00:11:53,640 Speaker 1: goats bluffed the billies bluffed the rams. Most battles didn't 201 00:11:53,679 --> 00:11:56,400 Speaker 1: come to blows. The sheep usually took one look at 202 00:11:56,400 --> 00:11:59,239 Speaker 1: the goats saber like horns and got out of dodge. 203 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:02,520 Speaker 1: Of course, these aren't the only inner species conflicts to 204 00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:05,960 Speaker 1: be found in the scientific literature. According to this study, 205 00:12:06,080 --> 00:12:10,040 Speaker 1: scientists have documented about two dozen recent examples of conflicts 206 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 1: brought about by changing climate. Feral horses, for example, have 207 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:17,160 Speaker 1: been observed chasing prong horns, mule deer, and bighorn sheep 208 00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:20,760 Speaker 1: away from water holes in the American West. Conflicts are 209 00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 1: inevitable as the climate forces animals into different locations. As 210 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:27,880 Speaker 1: with the sheep and the goats, the question is who 211 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:30,880 Speaker 1: will come out on top. I bet Vegas has a 212 00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:33,920 Speaker 1: line on that one, and you're probably gonna win money 213 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:40,880 Speaker 1: if you bet on the sheet. Down in Florida, the 214 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:43,720 Speaker 1: mahi mah he population is facing another kind of threat. 215 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:47,880 Speaker 1: Florida recreational charter boat captains are claiming that commercial fishing 216 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:52,199 Speaker 1: is depleting the population of the mahi mah heat. Commercial 217 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:55,840 Speaker 1: operations use pelagic longline that can be over ten miles 218 00:12:55,880 --> 00:12:59,280 Speaker 1: long and fitted with over one thousand large jay hooks 219 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:02,480 Speaker 1: to catch the tab tasty fish. Charter anglers say this 220 00:13:02,559 --> 00:13:05,559 Speaker 1: is why their customers are catching smaller mahi mahi than 221 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:09,319 Speaker 1: in generations past. Of course, the mahimah he catch is 222 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:13,720 Speaker 1: driven primarily by recreational anglers. In two thousand twenty, commercial 223 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:17,160 Speaker 1: fishermen harvested more than two seventy five thousand pounds of 224 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:20,760 Speaker 1: mahi mahi in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, according 225 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:24,480 Speaker 1: to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. That same year, 226 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:28,280 Speaker 1: recreational fishermen harvested more than sixty three million pounds of 227 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:31,280 Speaker 1: the fish in the same waters. Well, it's sickening to 228 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:34,480 Speaker 1: find miles of discarded fishing line in the ocean. Commercial 229 00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:37,959 Speaker 1: fishing only represents about four percent of the total mahi 230 00:13:38,040 --> 00:13:42,000 Speaker 1: mah he catch. That's probably why even recreational anglers are 231 00:13:42,040 --> 00:13:45,400 Speaker 1: calling on state and federal authorities to reduce bag limits. 232 00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:48,520 Speaker 1: A petition launched in October of last year by Florida 233 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:52,280 Speaker 1: Sportsman is asking the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council to 234 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:55,600 Speaker 1: reduce the bag limit for recreational boats from fifty four 235 00:13:55,720 --> 00:13:58,839 Speaker 1: to thirty fish. They also want to impose a two 236 00:13:58,920 --> 00:14:02,840 Speaker 1: thousand pound maximum trip limit for commercial fishers and impose 237 00:14:02,960 --> 00:14:07,240 Speaker 1: a twenty inch minimum in all places it doesn't currently exist. 238 00:14:07,920 --> 00:14:12,280 Speaker 1: So far, the Council has not implemented these suggestions. Also 239 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:17,160 Speaker 1: known as dolphin fish, mahimah he means strong, strong in Hawaiian. 240 00:14:17,840 --> 00:14:21,080 Speaker 1: If you've ever hooked into one, you know why. They're big, 241 00:14:21,160 --> 00:14:24,200 Speaker 1: fast swimming fish that are known for jumping high and 242 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:28,000 Speaker 1: giving anglers a run for their money. Large specimens can 243 00:14:28,040 --> 00:14:30,280 Speaker 1: weigh as much as fifty pounds, and they can swim 244 00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:34,160 Speaker 1: upwards of fifty miles. The coolest thing about mahi mah 245 00:14:34,160 --> 00:14:37,680 Speaker 1: he is how they look. Males have large, protruding foreheads, 246 00:14:37,760 --> 00:14:41,000 Speaker 1: and both males and females sport bright turquoise, green and 247 00:14:41,080 --> 00:14:44,800 Speaker 1: yellow patterning. Oddly enough, those bright colors begin to fade 248 00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:49,040 Speaker 1: almost immediately after they die. It would be an overstatement 249 00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:51,960 Speaker 1: to say that the mahimah He population is in trouble, 250 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:54,880 Speaker 1: but I hope lawmakers and fisheries managers to take the 251 00:14:54,880 --> 00:14:59,240 Speaker 1: concerns of anglers seriously because we're the ones paying the tab. 252 00:15:00,640 --> 00:15:05,320 Speaker 1: Moving on to the quail desk. These are bad times 253 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:09,040 Speaker 1: for many species, but advances in technology are giving biologists 254 00:15:09,040 --> 00:15:11,400 Speaker 1: some of the tools they need to turn things around. 255 00:15:11,880 --> 00:15:15,680 Speaker 1: As we've covered before, population estimates are an essential component 256 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:19,120 Speaker 1: of any conservation plan. You don't know a species is 257 00:15:19,160 --> 00:15:22,360 Speaker 1: in trouble unless you can accurately estimate how many critters 258 00:15:22,360 --> 00:15:25,880 Speaker 1: are on the landscape. The problem is that these estimations 259 00:15:25,920 --> 00:15:28,160 Speaker 1: can take time and money that could be spent on 260 00:15:28,240 --> 00:15:32,240 Speaker 1: actually improving and protecting habitat. Researchers at the University of 261 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:34,760 Speaker 1: Georgia think they have a solution, at least when it 262 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:38,920 Speaker 1: comes to quail. Biologists can estimate quail populations by listening 263 00:15:38,960 --> 00:15:43,640 Speaker 1: for calls, rather than actually seeing the elusive upland birds. Normally, 264 00:15:43,880 --> 00:15:46,480 Speaker 1: this requires actually sitting in a field for hours or 265 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:49,000 Speaker 1: leaving a recorder in the field and then reviewing that 266 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:53,320 Speaker 1: recording new software developed by University of Georgia researchers could 267 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:57,800 Speaker 1: significantly reduce this workload by analyzing massive amounts of audio 268 00:15:57,920 --> 00:16:01,360 Speaker 1: data and identifying how many quail calls the recorder picked up. 269 00:16:01,920 --> 00:16:04,440 Speaker 1: They report that the software picks up between eighty and 270 00:16:04,520 --> 00:16:08,760 Speaker 1: one of the calls, even in the noisiest environments. What's more, 271 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:12,320 Speaker 1: because the software uses artificial intelligence, it will get even 272 00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:16,120 Speaker 1: more accurate as it's used by state and federal wildlife agencies. 273 00:16:16,680 --> 00:16:18,880 Speaker 1: We've covered this kind of tech on the podcast before, 274 00:16:18,920 --> 00:16:21,920 Speaker 1: and it's part of a larger trend biologists returning to 275 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:25,720 Speaker 1: machine learning software to do everything from predict migration routes 276 00:16:25,800 --> 00:16:29,160 Speaker 1: to catch poachers, and I'm hoping these tools help reverse 277 00:16:29,200 --> 00:16:33,000 Speaker 1: some of the negative trends we've been seeing. Moving on 278 00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:38,280 Speaker 1: to the legislative desk, our most powerful conservation tool will 279 00:16:38,320 --> 00:16:41,400 Speaker 1: always be in science based wildlife policy, and there are 280 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:44,400 Speaker 1: lots of opportunities for hunters and anglers to get involved. 281 00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:48,360 Speaker 1: In Utah, the increasing popularity of elk hunting is forcing 282 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:51,520 Speaker 1: the state's Division of Wildlife Resources to propose a new 283 00:16:51,560 --> 00:16:55,760 Speaker 1: plan to manage elk populations. The current plan is expiring, 284 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:59,120 Speaker 1: and Dax Mangus, the Big Game coordinator for the Utah 285 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:02,560 Speaker 1: dw R told local media the new plan is meant 286 00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:06,400 Speaker 1: to address concerns about obtaining a permit with overcrowding during 287 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:10,560 Speaker 1: the hunting season. For example, one proposal would divide the 288 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:14,600 Speaker 1: current thirteen day general season any Bowl Elk hunt with 289 00:17:14,720 --> 00:17:18,959 Speaker 1: any legal weapon into two separate seven day hunts. Another 290 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:22,600 Speaker 1: would add six additional general season hunting units to the 291 00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:26,679 Speaker 1: any Bowl Elk hunt, and other proposals would change the 292 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:30,200 Speaker 1: seasonal dates for the archery hunt. The agency is also 293 00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:33,760 Speaker 1: proposing redefining the restrictions on certain means of take to 294 00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:38,800 Speaker 1: allow for even more special handgun, archery, rifle, and muzzleloader seasons. 295 00:17:39,320 --> 00:17:41,560 Speaker 1: Those are just a few of the proposals, So if 296 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:44,159 Speaker 1: you live in Utah, now's the time to review the 297 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:49,680 Speaker 1: new elk plan and make your voice heard. Up In Ontario, Canada, 298 00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:53,680 Speaker 1: the provincial government is proposing changes to its housing policy 299 00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:57,520 Speaker 1: that will have serious impacts on wetlands conservation. In an 300 00:17:57,520 --> 00:17:59,840 Speaker 1: attempt to build one and a half million new homes 301 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:02,879 Speaker 1: over the next ten years, the province has proposed the 302 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:06,359 Speaker 1: More Homes Built Faster Act of two thousand twenty two. 303 00:18:06,760 --> 00:18:08,800 Speaker 1: The name tells you pretty much everything you need to 304 00:18:08,840 --> 00:18:12,480 Speaker 1: know to build more homes faster. The legislation would prohibit 305 00:18:12,520 --> 00:18:17,320 Speaker 1: conservation authorities from considering pollution or land conservation when assessing 306 00:18:17,320 --> 00:18:21,159 Speaker 1: whether or not to grant building permits. You know, small 307 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:25,800 Speaker 1: stuff that doesn't really matter, like pollution and land conservation. 308 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:30,800 Speaker 1: The proposed changes would also force conservation officials to identify 309 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:34,600 Speaker 1: public lands suitable for housing developments and institute a variety 310 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:39,200 Speaker 1: of changes to make development happen faster and quote streamlined. 311 00:18:39,760 --> 00:18:43,159 Speaker 1: As you can imagine, these sorts of policies are extremely 312 00:18:43,200 --> 00:18:46,000 Speaker 1: troubling to the folks who use these lands to hunt 313 00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:49,200 Speaker 1: and fish. One listener named Sam wrote in to tell 314 00:18:49,240 --> 00:18:52,520 Speaker 1: me that these are areas overwhelmingly wetland and have some 315 00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:55,720 Speaker 1: of the best waterfowl habitat in the province. It's some 316 00:18:55,760 --> 00:18:58,520 Speaker 1: of the only public land available to hunt in large 317 00:18:58,520 --> 00:19:01,399 Speaker 1: swaths of the southern ont area, and it's where Sam 318 00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:05,600 Speaker 1: does of his hunting. In fact, the weekend before he 319 00:19:05,640 --> 00:19:08,359 Speaker 1: wrote me the email, he said he'd just gotten to 320 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 1: quote nice Honkers. I'm assuming Honker is a goose saw. 321 00:19:13,960 --> 00:19:17,000 Speaker 1: You hosers up in Ontario should get involved before they 322 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:21,720 Speaker 1: start building neighborhoods on Honker habitat, and all you hosers 323 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:24,560 Speaker 1: south of the border who liked to hunt honkers, keep 324 00:19:24,560 --> 00:19:27,960 Speaker 1: in mind they fly, and what's good for wetlands in 325 00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:32,000 Speaker 1: Ontario is very good for hunters all the way down 326 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:37,280 Speaker 1: to Alabama. In New Mexico, a wildlife bill passed in 327 00:19:37,320 --> 00:19:39,960 Speaker 1: two thousand nineteen is starting to have positive effects. The 328 00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:42,480 Speaker 1: Wildlife Corridors Act was a first of its kind of 329 00:19:42,560 --> 00:19:47,200 Speaker 1: legislation that required New Mexico's agencies to protect migratory habitats 330 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:51,000 Speaker 1: used by animals like elk, mule deer, and pronghorn. In 331 00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:54,400 Speaker 1: accordance with that law, the New Mexico Department of Transportation 332 00:19:54,560 --> 00:19:56,840 Speaker 1: and the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish just 333 00:19:57,040 --> 00:20:01,840 Speaker 1: released the final Wildlife Corridors Action end. The plan identifies 334 00:20:01,960 --> 00:20:05,680 Speaker 1: ten wildlife vehicle collision hot spots that these agencies will 335 00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:09,080 Speaker 1: be focusing on in the coming years. I admit I 336 00:20:09,119 --> 00:20:12,320 Speaker 1: haven't read the entire seven hundred and fifty six page report, 337 00:20:12,560 --> 00:20:15,520 Speaker 1: but I can't tell you. It includes an extensive analysis 338 00:20:15,560 --> 00:20:19,240 Speaker 1: of each hot spot and proposes things like overpasses and 339 00:20:19,359 --> 00:20:22,639 Speaker 1: underpasses to help these big game animals make their yearly 340 00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:26,399 Speaker 1: migrations without ending up in the radiator of a semi truck. 341 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:31,080 Speaker 1: Sounds like a win to me. Speaking of wins, I 342 00:20:31,119 --> 00:20:35,040 Speaker 1: have some great news from Pennsylvania. Back in episode one, 343 00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:38,600 Speaker 1: we discussed Senate Bill four thirty one, which authorized the 344 00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:42,040 Speaker 1: sale of antler List dear licenses through the Commonwealth's new 345 00:20:42,119 --> 00:20:45,280 Speaker 1: Hunt Fish p A website. The bill was designed to 346 00:20:45,359 --> 00:20:48,959 Speaker 1: modernize an old system that required hunters to purchase their 347 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:52,359 Speaker 1: antler list tags through the county treasurers via mail and 348 00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:55,200 Speaker 1: pay by check. It sounds like a no brainer, but 349 00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:58,359 Speaker 1: don Rank the Pennsylvania Chapter of Back Country Hunters and 350 00:20:58,359 --> 00:21:01,600 Speaker 1: Anglers told me it faced some op position in the legislature. 351 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:04,120 Speaker 1: I'm happy to report that, thanks to the hard work 352 00:21:04,119 --> 00:21:07,520 Speaker 1: of Pennsylvania hunters, the legislature just passed the bill and 353 00:21:07,560 --> 00:21:10,280 Speaker 1: it's headed to the Governor's desk. The bill passed by 354 00:21:10,280 --> 00:21:13,200 Speaker 1: wide margins and both chambers, and I'd be shocked if 355 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:16,680 Speaker 1: Governor Tom Wolfe tried to veto it. Still, it doesn't 356 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:19,240 Speaker 1: hurt to send the governor a quick note of support, 357 00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:22,040 Speaker 1: and while you're at it, see if you're state representative 358 00:21:22,119 --> 00:21:24,560 Speaker 1: voted for the bill, and if they did, give him 359 00:21:24,600 --> 00:21:27,680 Speaker 1: a quick thanks. Most of the calls and emails legislators 360 00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:30,600 Speaker 1: received are from people who you don't want to tell 361 00:21:30,680 --> 00:21:34,199 Speaker 1: them things that aren't nice. I know they appreciate it 362 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:36,600 Speaker 1: when people stop to say thank you, and it will 363 00:21:36,640 --> 00:21:39,520 Speaker 1: make them more likely to take calls from hunters in 364 00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:46,040 Speaker 1: the future. Moving on to the Veteran's desk, Veterans Day 365 00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:48,879 Speaker 1: was on Friday. Thanks to all the folks in our 366 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:52,720 Speaker 1: armed forces who have served or are serving. I'm thankful 367 00:21:52,760 --> 00:21:55,359 Speaker 1: for the sacrifices you've made to protect our country, and 368 00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:57,359 Speaker 1: I want to make sure you know about the groups 369 00:21:57,359 --> 00:21:59,920 Speaker 1: and programs that help veterans get out in the field. 370 00:22:00,359 --> 00:22:03,439 Speaker 1: There are a lot of state and national organizations that 371 00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:06,120 Speaker 1: host hunting and fishing trips for vets and give them 372 00:22:06,119 --> 00:22:09,480 Speaker 1: a chance to connect with other hunters and anglers. Operation 373 00:22:09,560 --> 00:22:13,760 Speaker 1: Injured Soldiers takes disabled veterans on tailored hunting or fishing trips. 374 00:22:13,800 --> 00:22:17,320 Speaker 1: They've held over one thousand events across the country. Other 375 00:22:17,400 --> 00:22:22,200 Speaker 1: similar groups include Heroes Hunting, Freedom Hunters, Wounded Heroes Hunting Camp. 376 00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:25,320 Speaker 1: At the state level, groups like United Veterans of Michigan 377 00:22:25,359 --> 00:22:27,960 Speaker 1: give vets a chance to connect with other local hunters 378 00:22:28,040 --> 00:22:31,280 Speaker 1: and get plugged into a like minded community. I spoke 379 00:22:31,320 --> 00:22:34,360 Speaker 1: with Dave Locker, who served in two tours of combat 380 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:37,359 Speaker 1: with the Marine Corps from two thousand three two thousand seven. 381 00:22:37,680 --> 00:22:39,800 Speaker 1: He went on a pheasant hunt and a muskie trip 382 00:22:39,880 --> 00:22:42,919 Speaker 1: with Operation Injured Soldier, and he's also been involved with 383 00:22:42,960 --> 00:22:46,240 Speaker 1: the Michigan group called Vets with Nets. He'd never been 384 00:22:46,280 --> 00:22:48,920 Speaker 1: pheasant hunting or muskie fishing, and he landed two good 385 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:51,400 Speaker 1: sized muskies on his trip. He also told me how 386 00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:54,439 Speaker 1: hunting and fishing are great activities for veterans who have 387 00:22:54,520 --> 00:22:58,080 Speaker 1: returned home from combat. What really held with the hunting 388 00:22:58,200 --> 00:23:01,040 Speaker 1: and fishing is just the solid to to be out there. 389 00:23:01,359 --> 00:23:04,879 Speaker 1: It's quiet, it's calm, and you just get to be 390 00:23:04,920 --> 00:23:07,720 Speaker 1: at peace and just focused on the one thing. It 391 00:23:07,760 --> 00:23:10,639 Speaker 1: just takes a crazy world and it just makes it 392 00:23:10,760 --> 00:23:14,320 Speaker 1: simple and relaxing. It's probably the best way to describe it. 393 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:18,880 Speaker 1: You just forget about everything else going on. Additionally, if 394 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:21,879 Speaker 1: you are a veteran or still an active service you 395 00:23:21,880 --> 00:23:26,400 Speaker 1: can always check out Backcountry Hunters and Anglers Armed Forces Initiative. 396 00:23:26,840 --> 00:23:30,440 Speaker 1: They have multiple chapters right now, and they help connect 397 00:23:30,520 --> 00:23:34,600 Speaker 1: service members with hunting opportunities. At the minimum, they're going 398 00:23:34,640 --> 00:23:36,720 Speaker 1: to help you connect with other folks who would like 399 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:40,000 Speaker 1: to hunt an angle and are probably more familiar with 400 00:23:40,040 --> 00:23:42,600 Speaker 1: those opportunities on the base you just showed up too. 401 00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:45,639 Speaker 1: That's all I've got for you this week. Thank you 402 00:23:45,720 --> 00:23:49,119 Speaker 1: so much for listening. Remember to write in to a 403 00:23:49,200 --> 00:23:52,080 Speaker 1: s K C. A L. That's ask Cal at the 404 00:23:52,119 --> 00:23:54,560 Speaker 1: Meat Eater dot com and let me know what's going 405 00:23:54,600 --> 00:23:57,560 Speaker 1: on in your neck of the woods. Also, if you 406 00:23:57,640 --> 00:24:00,240 Speaker 1: were chucking wood in the stove like it was going 407 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:03,160 Speaker 1: out of style this week as the temperatures finally dropped, 408 00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:05,800 Speaker 1: you may be in the market for a new chainsaw. 409 00:24:06,320 --> 00:24:10,240 Speaker 1: Go to www dot steel Dealers dot com to find 410 00:24:10,320 --> 00:24:13,640 Speaker 1: a local, knowledgeable steel dealer near you. They're gonna get 411 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:15,600 Speaker 1: you set up with what you need and not try 412 00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:18,159 Speaker 1: to send you home with what you don't. Thanks again 413 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:19,520 Speaker 1: and I'll talk to you next week.