1 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:13,520 Speaker 1: From Mediator's World News headquarters in Bozeman, Montana. This is 2 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:17,479 Speaker 1: Kel's We Can Review with Ryan kel Kelly and now 3 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 1: Here's Kel. Gray squirrels in the UK have been found 4 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 1: mating with the country's famous oak trees. Sadly and obviously, 5 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 1: English sensibilities will not tolerate their proliferation of their offspring. 6 00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:41,519 Speaker 1: These part plant, part mammal acorn loving squokes, thus lee 7 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:45,320 Speaker 1: They are rolling out contraceptives in the form of squirrel 8 00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:49,120 Speaker 1: feed to reduce the squirrel tree coitus to reasonable levels. 9 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:55,360 Speaker 1: This contraceptive plan was, of course plan B. Plan A 10 00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: would have been to eat them. Gray squirrels are non native, 11 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:03,320 Speaker 1: and to be clear, they're not mating successfully with the 12 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:07,080 Speaker 1: local flora. I just like to tie the contraceptive approach, 13 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:11,240 Speaker 1: no matter the actors involved with that old joke, because 14 00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:15,319 Speaker 1: you see, the squirrels are not copulating the trees to death, 15 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:19,520 Speaker 1: your majesty, they're eating them. We have to hide those feelings, 16 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 1: keep them to ourselves. The gray squirrel population has boomed 17 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:27,120 Speaker 1: to an estimated three million animals since their introduction in 18 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:30,880 Speaker 1: two thousand nineteen, while the native red squirrel population has 19 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 1: dwindled to some three hundred thousand animals. Government spending on 20 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:39,399 Speaker 1: gray squirrels is estimated at an astonishing one point eight 21 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:42,480 Speaker 1: billion pounds per year. So the plan is to develop 22 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:46,160 Speaker 1: a species specific delivery system which would only allow gray 23 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:50,920 Speaker 1: squirrels to eat a hazelnut paste laced with an oral contraceptive. 24 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:54,600 Speaker 1: If anyone has attempted to prevent a squirrel from eating 25 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 1: out of a bird feeder. Yes, this sounds like money 26 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 1: well spent. Red squirrels will not enter a squirrel feeder 27 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:05,920 Speaker 1: when the sign says grays only. I mean everyone knows 28 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:11,120 Speaker 1: that I will. Periodic calling is part of the program, 29 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:15,680 Speaker 1: and for you entrepreneurial squirrel shooters, squirrel mitigation costs are 30 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:21,320 Speaker 1: estimated at fifty eight pounds per hector. This week, we've 31 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:24,440 Speaker 1: got the bad Bill, round up ducks, and so much more. 32 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:28,880 Speaker 1: But first I'm gonna tell you about my week. And 33 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:31,880 Speaker 1: my week as well as This podcast is sponsored by 34 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 1: Steel Power Equipment. We're just about to get serious chainsaw 35 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:38,520 Speaker 1: season here in Montana, and I've already got a couple 36 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:42,079 Speaker 1: of jobs lined up on the felling, bucking, and stacking front. 37 00:02:42,639 --> 00:02:45,959 Speaker 1: Cheaper than CrossFit and much more outdoorsy. I got to 38 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 1: wear my suspenders I'm just back from another trip to 39 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:52,320 Speaker 1: the Sacramento Valley, where I spent a few days with 40 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:55,240 Speaker 1: my good friend Shawn Doherty, a local rice farmer, as 41 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 1: well as Scott Feist, owner operator of Feisty Fish Guide Service. 42 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:02,600 Speaker 1: We filmed this adventure and you will be able to 43 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 1: see it one of these days. I promise a couple 44 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 1: of quick takeaways. The wild ass Sacramento River used to 45 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 1: flood and stay flooded throughout much of the valley for 46 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 1: much of the year. These floodplains are where the good 47 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:19,959 Speaker 1: farm ground is, and it is where the good duck 48 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 1: hunting is. If you were staying true to the idea 49 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:26,320 Speaker 1: of a flood, it's wild water going where it wants 50 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:30,720 Speaker 1: to go. Nowadays, the water is pretty much allowed to 51 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:35,640 Speaker 1: go places, so you could call it tamed. Massive series 52 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:41,920 Speaker 1: of elevated roads, weirds, diversions, dikes account for overflow, inflow, backflow, 53 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:52,320 Speaker 1: and probably flows I haven't thought of. This is called reclamation. 54 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:56,840 Speaker 1: My hunting took place in Reclamation District one oh eight. 55 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:00,720 Speaker 1: This area has been on the waterfowl map since long 56 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:05,360 Speaker 1: before Europeans or European descendants ever hit the continent. Webbed 57 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:08,960 Speaker 1: and web Bliss migratory birds were here in the billions, 58 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:11,960 Speaker 1: in part because of the giant wetland created by the 59 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 1: floodwaters backing up against the delta on their way to 60 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:19,600 Speaker 1: the ocean. Think of the words inland sea that big, 61 00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 1: the destruction of this marsh and inland see through that 62 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 1: reclamation of the area. In conjunction with market hunting supplying 63 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:31,920 Speaker 1: restaurants in San Francisco, feather markets for fancy hats, migratory 64 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:35,320 Speaker 1: birds took a serious hit. We currently see over a 65 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:39,480 Speaker 1: billion birds come through the Sacramento Valley. The Audubon Society 66 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 1: estimates three to five times that many birds came through 67 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:47,599 Speaker 1: pre European settlement. Flooded rice fields are now the closest 68 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 1: thing to a marsh in this part of the Sacramento Valley, 69 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:54,240 Speaker 1: and the waterfowl webb door web lasts take to them 70 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:58,640 Speaker 1: very well. Good place to hunt big fat birds teal, 71 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:03,839 Speaker 1: widgeon and tail were the most plentiful. Occasional small flights mallards, 72 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:08,800 Speaker 1: canvas backs, gadwall, blue bill and shoveler, ibis, cranes, swans, 73 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:14,400 Speaker 1: snow and specled belly geese. Kingfishers all out enjoying these 74 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:19,440 Speaker 1: surrogate marshes. We shot fat birds that were small, fat 75 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:22,520 Speaker 1: birds that were big, And the only troubling part of 76 00:05:22,560 --> 00:05:26,599 Speaker 1: this was no snort couldn't bring her with. Would have 77 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:29,880 Speaker 1: been painful at moments having bunch of birds flying around 78 00:05:29,920 --> 00:05:32,600 Speaker 1: our heads while we watched a puppy spin circles on 79 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:36,640 Speaker 1: diving birds out there in the rice field. But yeah, 80 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:40,400 Speaker 1: would have been good practice for next season. Let me 81 00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 1: just say I'm looking forward to it. I have lots 82 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:46,480 Speaker 1: more to tell you about and show you in regards 83 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:50,839 Speaker 1: to the Sacramento Valley, the water situation, waterfowl and salmon. 84 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 1: But we're moving on. Our newly elected public officials are 85 00:05:56,720 --> 00:05:59,520 Speaker 1: back to work. Along with good progress on a range 86 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:03,039 Speaker 1: of issue is a whole slew of bad legislation has 87 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:06,880 Speaker 1: recently been introduced in state houses across the country. It's 88 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:09,560 Speaker 1: time here on Cow's Weeken review for the crappy bill 89 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 1: around up. First up, from Connecticut Rep. David Michel has 90 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:19,480 Speaker 1: introduced proposed Bill Number five zero three one, which would 91 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:23,000 Speaker 1: prohibit the sale, trade, and distribution of new animal for 92 00:06:23,960 --> 00:06:28,120 Speaker 1: I do not doubt Representative Michelle's sincere concern for animals 93 00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 1: in the environment. He has passed some good legislation in 94 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:34,720 Speaker 1: Connecticut as well, But trapping will happen no matter what. 95 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:38,240 Speaker 1: In Connecticut, trapping is used all the time to control 96 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:42,479 Speaker 1: problem animals and to protect vulnerable species. So by outline 97 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:46,360 Speaker 1: the sale, trade, and distribution of fur, you just guarantee 98 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 1: that the fur from those animals goes to waste. Non 99 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:53,800 Speaker 1: nuisance trapping is dictated primarily by the fur market and 100 00:06:53,880 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 1: secondarily by food, meaning if furs are not paying well, 101 00:06:58,279 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 1: and in most categories they are not, people are not 102 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:06,880 Speaker 1: trapping anyway. Imposing a restriction on quote new fur may 103 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:11,480 Speaker 1: actually increase trapping as demand creeps up on supply, legal 104 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 1: or not. Outside of this, if you're running a legal, 105 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 1: respectful trapping line, meaning up before dawn, checking your traps 106 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:21,520 Speaker 1: daily and making sure they are set to target only 107 00:07:21,560 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 1: those animals legal to trap for food, but you don't 108 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:27,800 Speaker 1: want to just drop hides in a dumpster because it's wasteful, 109 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 1: you'd be in a real tough spot. Therefore, call eight 110 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:35,800 Speaker 1: six zero to four zero zero one zero zero for 111 00:07:35,840 --> 00:07:39,040 Speaker 1: the Connecticut State Legislature and urge those reps to vote 112 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:44,760 Speaker 1: against this one. Staying on trapping, jumping over to New Mexico, 113 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:50,560 Speaker 1: the Land of enchantment. State Senator Roberto Gonzalez has introduced 114 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:53,480 Speaker 1: Senate Bill thirty two, which would ban all forms of 115 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 1: trapping on public land. This includes live cage traps. You 116 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:03,640 Speaker 1: heard that right, all trapping of any sort on approximately 117 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:08,440 Speaker 1: twenty two million acres of New Mexico public land. That 118 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 1: means no ability to protect livestock or other vulnerable species. 119 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:16,520 Speaker 1: Through trapping. Wildlife biologists lose a critical tool for balancing 120 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:20,520 Speaker 1: populations and doing research in an ecosystem. No revenue for 121 00:08:20,560 --> 00:08:24,720 Speaker 1: wildlife conservation from sales of licenses and tags. This one 122 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:29,920 Speaker 1: has me concerned. Email s C O N C AT 123 00:08:30,400 --> 00:08:33,520 Speaker 1: N M L E G I S dot gov and 124 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:37,760 Speaker 1: express your opposition to SP thirty two. Before we move on, 125 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:41,000 Speaker 1: I will quickly wrap up the anti trapping side of things. 126 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:45,640 Speaker 1: Everything people do has a downside a negative in trapping. 127 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:51,920 Speaker 1: Unseasoned or flat out lazy, inconsiderate individuals will set traps 128 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:55,360 Speaker 1: too close to hiking trails and roads, where these traps 129 00:08:55,400 --> 00:09:01,199 Speaker 1: can have consequences for pets. Additionally, as reported here, unused 130 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:06,120 Speaker 1: skinned carcasses dumped, sometimes intentionally in plain sight, do nothing 131 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:12,199 Speaker 1: to promote responsible trapping or responsible wildlife management. Trappers can 132 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:16,000 Speaker 1: be their own worst enemy. But trapping in and of itself, 133 00:09:16,040 --> 00:09:19,840 Speaker 1: Whether you liked the idea or not, if it's done properly, 134 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:23,560 Speaker 1: it is not different from responsible hunting and certainly not 135 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:30,280 Speaker 1: different than responsible fishing. Next, South Dakota Governor Christy no 136 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:35,120 Speaker 1: Hum has introduced House Bill on zero, legislation that would 137 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:39,920 Speaker 1: prevent conservation officers from entering private land to check licenses 138 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 1: or take a gander in the cooler to make sure 139 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:45,480 Speaker 1: possession limits were being adhered to. To explain this a 140 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:47,680 Speaker 1: little further, we're gonna take a quick trip to the 141 00:09:47,679 --> 00:09:51,960 Speaker 1: Fourth Amendment, which govern search and seizure. Now, if members 142 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:55,000 Speaker 1: of law enforcement want to enter your home, the Fourth 143 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:58,080 Speaker 1: Amendment makes it very hard for them to do that rightfully. So, 144 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:02,480 Speaker 1: but under something called and fields doctrine, officers are much 145 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:06,079 Speaker 1: freer to come onto private property that is away from dwellings. 146 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 1: Part of the idea here is that when wildlife is 147 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:12,240 Speaker 1: on someone's land, it still belongs to all of us, 148 00:10:12,760 --> 00:10:16,439 Speaker 1: and so we are justified in protecting it there. If 149 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:20,160 Speaker 1: South Dakota passes h B one one zero, it has 150 00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:24,680 Speaker 1: the probable implication of making enforcement of hunting and fishing 151 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:29,960 Speaker 1: laws on private land impossible, and that is potentially very 152 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:33,439 Speaker 1: bad for our communal wildlife that doesn't know if it's 153 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:37,360 Speaker 1: on private or public. Private property is sacred in America, 154 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:40,720 Speaker 1: but so is our wildlife. If someone walking a piece 155 00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:43,480 Speaker 1: of public access for pheasants in South Dakota can be 156 00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:47,040 Speaker 1: approached most typically at the truck by a wildlife officer, 157 00:10:47,559 --> 00:10:51,120 Speaker 1: so should a person on private land. In both cases, 158 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:54,280 Speaker 1: the hunter is the subject, not the game, and definitely 159 00:10:54,280 --> 00:10:57,959 Speaker 1: not the land under their feet. So keep that dialing 160 00:10:58,040 --> 00:11:01,480 Speaker 1: finger warm and punch in sick zero five seven seven 161 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:04,320 Speaker 1: three three to five one and call the South Dakota 162 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:14,600 Speaker 1: Legislature to let them know your position on HBO. Circling 163 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:18,679 Speaker 1: back home to Montana, and this one is a work 164 00:11:18,679 --> 00:11:22,880 Speaker 1: in progress. State Bill one, which would in its current 165 00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:27,720 Speaker 1: form make available six of nonresident tags associated with deer 166 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:31,880 Speaker 1: and elk combo licenses and DEAR combination licenses and individual 167 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:36,080 Speaker 1: dear for outfitter preference. Simply put, if you commit to 168 00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:39,720 Speaker 1: hunting with an outfitter and apply with that outfitters number 169 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:43,320 Speaker 1: and the proposed early draw, you will be guaranteed a 170 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:46,720 Speaker 1: nonresident tag. That is, if you make it within that 171 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:51,280 Speaker 1: six of the nonresident tags. If let's say non residents 172 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:55,680 Speaker 1: use of that nonresident tag number, then the remainder will 173 00:11:55,679 --> 00:12:00,360 Speaker 1: go back into the regular nonresident draw. This bill SB 174 00:12:00,400 --> 00:12:02,840 Speaker 1: one for three is very similar to a bill that 175 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:07,319 Speaker 1: was shot down in two thousand ten by Citizens Initiative SBEE. 176 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:10,120 Speaker 1: Aside from the fact that many residents feel we have 177 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:13,200 Speaker 1: already dealt with this bill, a few other points have 178 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:17,160 Speaker 1: been brought up, mainly opportunity for those not willing to 179 00:12:17,200 --> 00:12:20,280 Speaker 1: hunt with an outfitter. Outfitter sponsored tags will be two 180 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:25,560 Speaker 1: dollars more expensive. Is this just favoring the wealthy? And 181 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:28,880 Speaker 1: what will happen to draw odds and what happens with 182 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:33,240 Speaker 1: the two license fee. After a very good talk with mcmannard, 183 00:12:33,320 --> 00:12:36,559 Speaker 1: the head of Montana Outfitters and Guides Association, the basis 184 00:12:36,760 --> 00:12:40,319 Speaker 1: is this. According to an ongoing economic survey out of 185 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:43,480 Speaker 1: the University of Montana in regards to tourism, it has 186 00:12:43,520 --> 00:12:48,640 Speaker 1: been determined that outfitted clientele outspend non outfitted clientele in 187 00:12:48,679 --> 00:12:51,199 Speaker 1: the state of Montana, perhaps by as much as five 188 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:55,600 Speaker 1: to one. If we can simultaneously help our independent outfitting 189 00:12:55,679 --> 00:13:00,480 Speaker 1: businesses by assuring the clientele they're already serving, they will 190 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:03,640 Speaker 1: be able to hunt with them next year. And remember 191 00:13:03,679 --> 00:13:06,280 Speaker 1: this part. I'll get back to it. This will allow 192 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:09,880 Speaker 1: those small businesses, the outfitters, to forecast and plan their 193 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:14,520 Speaker 1: businesses in a much more reliable manner, while also taking 194 00:13:14,559 --> 00:13:17,240 Speaker 1: care of the people who are contributing the most to 195 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:21,640 Speaker 1: the economy of Montana. So then why from an economic 196 00:13:21,679 --> 00:13:26,880 Speaker 1: health perspective would we not do that. Additionally, if historical 197 00:13:27,040 --> 00:13:29,640 Speaker 1: use stays the same, it will have no effect on 198 00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:33,880 Speaker 1: draw odds and no effect on resident hunters. On top 199 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:37,360 Speaker 1: of this, the additional money raised by the program will 200 00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:41,559 Speaker 1: go to public access. That is paraphrased, folks, but you 201 00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:45,120 Speaker 1: know it's a sound argument. And here's a disclaimer, and 202 00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:48,080 Speaker 1: I'm repeating this. This bill will be amended and we'll 203 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:51,160 Speaker 1: pick it back up in the amended form, So don't 204 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:53,800 Speaker 1: get wound around the actual quite yet. This is gonna 205 00:13:53,920 --> 00:13:58,240 Speaker 1: change quite a bit, or it should anyway. So number one, yes, 206 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:02,320 Speaker 1: this does favor the hunter willing to spend more. But 207 00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:04,720 Speaker 1: it is a choice you can make and you do 208 00:14:04,800 --> 00:14:08,599 Speaker 1: not have to play. In theory, not a single nonresident 209 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:11,480 Speaker 1: could apply for these tags and everything would stay the 210 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:16,040 Speaker 1: exact same draws. If the numbers stay the same, the 211 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:19,040 Speaker 1: historical amount of people that apply for nonresident tags stay 212 00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:22,520 Speaker 1: the same, then the same amount of people applying for 213 00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:26,240 Speaker 1: nonresident tags will get them. However, if there is an 214 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:30,440 Speaker 1: increase in demand and a portion of that increase goes 215 00:14:30,520 --> 00:14:34,560 Speaker 1: to outfitter tags, then the remainder will be competing for 216 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 1: fewer tags in the general draw, your nonresident unguided odds 217 00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:45,240 Speaker 1: will be less. The number the amount outfitters would be 218 00:14:45,280 --> 00:14:49,000 Speaker 1: able to swing in the early draw is a place holder, 219 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:51,880 Speaker 1: and we expect to see that number go down somewhere 220 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 1: closer to which, again, according to mcmannard, is a number 221 00:14:56,680 --> 00:15:00,320 Speaker 1: closer to what the outfitting industry is currently so irving. 222 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:04,800 Speaker 1: The public access component, and to be clear with everybody, 223 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:07,000 Speaker 1: this is something that I do not see set up 224 00:15:07,040 --> 00:15:10,280 Speaker 1: to succeed. State Bill one forty three states that in 225 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:13,760 Speaker 1: order for a landowner to be eligible for funds to 226 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:17,480 Speaker 1: allow access to public ground like public ground, you know, 227 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:19,080 Speaker 1: like stuff that we should be able to hunt and 228 00:15:19,120 --> 00:15:22,040 Speaker 1: fish and camp on and watch birds and catch bugs 229 00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:25,400 Speaker 1: and whatnot, but are blocked by private land like a 230 00:15:25,480 --> 00:15:28,360 Speaker 1: landlocked situation, of which we have a lot of in Montana, 231 00:15:28,920 --> 00:15:31,920 Speaker 1: that landowner also needs to have the lease to that 232 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:35,160 Speaker 1: public land or that public land needs to be free 233 00:15:35,280 --> 00:15:39,400 Speaker 1: of leases. And what bugs me here is all it 234 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:42,680 Speaker 1: says is lease, So it's very ill defined. So it 235 00:15:42,680 --> 00:15:45,360 Speaker 1: could be a mineral lease, a grazing lease, could be 236 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 1: part of an outfitters concession. We do not know max 237 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:52,920 Speaker 1: payment for the program. The most landowner can get paid 238 00:15:52,920 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 1: by the state is fifteen thousand dollars a year. I 239 00:15:56,600 --> 00:15:58,480 Speaker 1: do not believe this portion of the bill is set 240 00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:02,080 Speaker 1: up to succeed the state dollar will not be able 241 00:16:02,120 --> 00:16:05,920 Speaker 1: to compete with the dollars. A landowner who has access 242 00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:09,280 Speaker 1: to landlocked public land and the lease on that land 243 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:13,960 Speaker 1: already gets meaning prime deer an outground in Montana is 244 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:16,040 Speaker 1: going for more than what the state it's going to 245 00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:19,320 Speaker 1: be willing to pay. If you have an opinion, maybe 246 00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 1: a list of receipts from your last do it yourself adventure, 247 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:25,480 Speaker 1: you need to call her right in to Jason dot 248 00:16:25,560 --> 00:16:29,320 Speaker 1: Ellsworth E L L S W O R T H 249 00:16:29,560 --> 00:16:32,960 Speaker 1: at mt L e G dot G o V. Jason 250 00:16:33,040 --> 00:16:37,000 Speaker 1: dot Ellsworth at Montana leg dot G o V. His 251 00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:42,040 Speaker 1: number is four oh six three zero zero zero zero nine. Lastly, 252 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:45,880 Speaker 1: maybe the highest profile of the bunch, the proposed ban 253 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:51,120 Speaker 1: on black bear hunting in California, State Bill to five two, 254 00:16:51,200 --> 00:16:54,240 Speaker 1: the so called Bear Protection Act, was introduced by State 255 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:57,280 Speaker 1: Senator Scott Wiener and would make it illegal to kill 256 00:16:57,320 --> 00:17:00,240 Speaker 1: a black bear unless you have a depredation per meant 257 00:17:00,280 --> 00:17:04,159 Speaker 1: to protect property or livestock. A ton of listeners wrote 258 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:06,879 Speaker 1: into us about this one. Thank you for your emails. 259 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:09,840 Speaker 1: Sam Longren has an excellent article over on the Meat 260 00:17:09,840 --> 00:17:13,960 Speaker 1: Eator website laying out the details. Additionally, our resident bear 261 00:17:14,080 --> 00:17:17,560 Speaker 1: expert Clay Nucom also has plenty of insight here. Take 262 00:17:17,600 --> 00:17:20,520 Speaker 1: a look at his instagram for more. We here at 263 00:17:20,520 --> 00:17:23,320 Speaker 1: the Weekend Review could run down some additional downsides to 264 00:17:23,359 --> 00:17:25,480 Speaker 1: this bill, including the fact that it would have led 265 00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:29,600 Speaker 1: to the waste of beautiful bear meat and hides. But 266 00:17:29,960 --> 00:17:33,040 Speaker 1: happily we don't have to, because as of February second, 267 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:36,680 Speaker 1: State Senator Wiener withdrew SP two five two, after intense 268 00:17:36,800 --> 00:17:41,199 Speaker 1: outcry from constituents in and outside the state. This is 269 00:17:41,240 --> 00:17:44,720 Speaker 1: the perfect way to end our crappy bill. Round up 270 00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:48,600 Speaker 1: the death of a crappy bill. When we all make noise. 271 00:17:50,320 --> 00:17:53,119 Speaker 1: All the proposed laws I just described could end just 272 00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:56,120 Speaker 1: this way. It is up to us, up to you. 273 00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:58,480 Speaker 1: Driving to work or making launch or scrubbing the grout 274 00:17:58,520 --> 00:18:00,520 Speaker 1: in the shower to make your voice has heard when 275 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:03,640 Speaker 1: elected officials do something you don't like. This is how 276 00:18:03,760 --> 00:18:08,240 Speaker 1: legislators understand their constituents. It's a give and take, and 277 00:18:08,280 --> 00:18:10,880 Speaker 1: they will listen to people from all across the country. 278 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:13,480 Speaker 1: After all, they want us to travel to their state 279 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 1: to spend money, to go home and tell people how 280 00:18:16,119 --> 00:18:19,040 Speaker 1: great it was and that they should go to and so. 281 00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:22,040 Speaker 1: Even though trapping in Connecticut are making sure a warden 282 00:18:22,119 --> 00:18:25,280 Speaker 1: can check licenses in South Dakota may not strike at 283 00:18:25,320 --> 00:18:27,919 Speaker 1: the heart of the way you hunt in Michigan or 284 00:18:27,920 --> 00:18:31,280 Speaker 1: Florida or Nevada, but make those calls anyway. Protect our 285 00:18:31,400 --> 00:18:35,640 Speaker 1: rights everywhere. If badge legislation passes in one place, anti 286 00:18:35,760 --> 00:18:39,440 Speaker 1: hunting advocates can take note and propose similar bills elsewhere. 287 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:42,639 Speaker 1: If you need a handy tool to keep track of 288 00:18:42,760 --> 00:18:47,480 Speaker 1: some of this legislation, check out the Sportsman's Alliance Sportsman's 289 00:18:47,560 --> 00:18:52,800 Speaker 1: Alliance dot org, forward slash Government Affairs. They do a 290 00:18:52,880 --> 00:18:54,760 Speaker 1: nice little round up of what you need to keep 291 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:59,440 Speaker 1: track of. Although we should feel very proud of the 292 00:18:59,520 --> 00:19:03,439 Speaker 1: Northman model of conservation, we shouldn't get too cocky We 293 00:19:03,480 --> 00:19:05,119 Speaker 1: were not the first to come up with the idea 294 00:19:05,160 --> 00:19:08,000 Speaker 1: of conservation laws, not by a long shot. In fact, 295 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:10,720 Speaker 1: the Incas of South America beat us to it by 296 00:19:10,760 --> 00:19:14,240 Speaker 1: about six hundred years. At its peak in the fifteenth century, 297 00:19:14,280 --> 00:19:17,840 Speaker 1: the Incan Empire covered more than three hundred thousand square 298 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:21,520 Speaker 1: miles and had as many as twelve million people. Key 299 00:19:21,520 --> 00:19:25,000 Speaker 1: defeating that many miles was Incan farming technology, which was 300 00:19:25,040 --> 00:19:28,000 Speaker 1: the most sophisticated in the world at the time. Not 301 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:32,760 Speaker 1: only had the Inca's mastered irrigation and terracing techniques, they 302 00:19:32,800 --> 00:19:38,639 Speaker 1: also discovered an extremely effective fertilizer, bird poop. Although people 303 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:41,400 Speaker 1: all over the world had long used manure to fertilize 304 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:43,960 Speaker 1: their fields, the Incas were the first to use sea 305 00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:47,560 Speaker 1: bird droppings known as guano, which is much much higher 306 00:19:47,560 --> 00:19:51,240 Speaker 1: in nitrogen than other kinds of manure, and nitrogen is 307 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:54,680 Speaker 1: what makes crops grow. Using bird poop, the Incas were 308 00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:58,280 Speaker 1: able to cultivate the Atacama Desert, place so dry that 309 00:19:58,440 --> 00:20:01,080 Speaker 1: NASA now goes there to test stout equipment they're going 310 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:04,840 Speaker 1: to use on Mars. The three most important poop producers 311 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:08,160 Speaker 1: for the Inca where the guano cormorant, the Peruvian pelican 312 00:20:08,440 --> 00:20:13,720 Speaker 1: and Peruvian booby. That's right, none of these look particularly distinctive. 313 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:17,040 Speaker 1: They're all medium sized birds with black and white plumage, 314 00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:20,639 Speaker 1: though the Peruvian pelican has a distinctive multicolored beak and 315 00:20:20,680 --> 00:20:24,080 Speaker 1: throat pouch, kind of like an old aunt. But despite 316 00:20:24,080 --> 00:20:27,200 Speaker 1: the fact that they're not going to win any beauty contests, 317 00:20:27,320 --> 00:20:29,560 Speaker 1: the Incas were not messing around when it came to 318 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:33,080 Speaker 1: protecting these birds in their habitat during mating season, the 319 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:36,320 Speaker 1: Inca forbade anyone from setting foot on the islands these 320 00:20:36,320 --> 00:20:40,080 Speaker 1: birds lived on. Stealing their eggs was harshly punished, and 321 00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:42,720 Speaker 1: if you were caught killing one of these birds anywhere 322 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:45,159 Speaker 1: at any time, or even if you disturbed one of 323 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:50,160 Speaker 1: them on the nest, the penalty was death. Now I'm 324 00:20:50,200 --> 00:20:52,399 Speaker 1: not saying I want to adopt the Incan penal code, 325 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:54,920 Speaker 1: but these people were not messing around when it came 326 00:20:54,960 --> 00:20:57,960 Speaker 1: to protecting wildlife. And you know, you have to admire 327 00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:01,919 Speaker 1: that these three species were so important to Inca expansion 328 00:21:02,119 --> 00:21:05,320 Speaker 1: that the native range of these birds almost exactly overlaps 329 00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:08,359 Speaker 1: with the known boundaries of the Incan Empire. It's hard 330 00:21:08,359 --> 00:21:10,879 Speaker 1: to know whether the birds expanded into a range that 331 00:21:10,960 --> 00:21:14,080 Speaker 1: the Incas protected for them, or if the Incas could 332 00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:16,400 Speaker 1: only expand as far as they could carry the guano 333 00:21:16,520 --> 00:21:20,200 Speaker 1: to fertilize their fields. Either way, you can understand why 334 00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:24,040 Speaker 1: someone threatening this resource could end up in deep doo 335 00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:29,080 Speaker 1: doo or boo boo. I guess huh, yeah, I gotta 336 00:21:29,160 --> 00:21:33,119 Speaker 1: try killing people over bird droppings might seem extreme, but 337 00:21:33,200 --> 00:21:35,199 Speaker 1: the Incas were far from the only people to go 338 00:21:35,320 --> 00:21:38,800 Speaker 1: so far. Once Europeans learned about guano from the Inca, 339 00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:42,000 Speaker 1: they started extracting it from those same South American islands 340 00:21:42,080 --> 00:21:45,080 Speaker 1: for use on their fields back home, and that allowed 341 00:21:45,080 --> 00:21:49,159 Speaker 1: their agricultural output to explode, and so they used military 342 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:52,040 Speaker 1: force to seize and protect those islands and the guano 343 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:55,120 Speaker 1: on them, and our government got in on that game 344 00:21:55,160 --> 00:21:58,600 Speaker 1: as well. In fact, there is still an active statute 345 00:21:58,800 --> 00:22:01,840 Speaker 1: in United States federal law called the Guano Islands Act, 346 00:22:02,040 --> 00:22:05,480 Speaker 1: which allows the US to take possession of any unclaimed 347 00:22:05,480 --> 00:22:08,919 Speaker 1: island anywhere in the world if it has guano deposits 348 00:22:08,960 --> 00:22:11,080 Speaker 1: on it, which means, if you're living in one of 349 00:22:11,080 --> 00:22:14,399 Speaker 1: those places where the birds cover all your cars with poop, 350 00:22:14,840 --> 00:22:16,800 Speaker 1: you should clean it off. The government could seize them 351 00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:20,760 Speaker 1: don't start a conspiracy theory. Okay, did you ever look 352 00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:23,160 Speaker 1: at a dollar bill man? There's some spooky stuff going 353 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:25,120 Speaker 1: on on a dollar bill man. I mean, and it's 354 00:22:25,160 --> 00:22:29,120 Speaker 1: green too. Chemical fertilizers came along in the twentieth century 355 00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:32,040 Speaker 1: and replaced bird poop in the farmer's tool kit. But 356 00:22:32,160 --> 00:22:34,840 Speaker 1: now guano is back in demand with the rise of 357 00:22:34,960 --> 00:22:39,080 Speaker 1: organic agriculture. So who knows. In a few years, maybe 358 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:42,800 Speaker 1: vegan asparagus farmers will be urging the military to annex 359 00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:46,440 Speaker 1: islands and trying to prevent people from visiting under penalty 360 00:22:46,480 --> 00:22:54,720 Speaker 1: of death. Stranger things have happened. That's all I've got 361 00:22:54,760 --> 00:22:57,120 Speaker 1: for you this week. Thank you so much for listening. 362 00:22:57,600 --> 00:22:59,800 Speaker 1: As per usual, let me know what's going on in 363 00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:02,119 Speaker 1: your neck of the woods by writing in to a 364 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:05,520 Speaker 1: s k C. A L. Let's ask cal at the 365 00:23:05,560 --> 00:23:08,520 Speaker 1: Meat Eater dot com. If you're loving what you're hearing, 366 00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:11,440 Speaker 1: tell us some friends, share the wealth, and I'll talk 367 00:23:11,480 --> 00:23:20,720 Speaker 1: to you next week.