1 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:14,160 Speaker 1: From Meat Eaters World News headquarters in Bozeman, Montana. This 2 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:19,080 Speaker 1: is Cow's Week in Review with Ryan cow Calaian. Here's 3 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:23,680 Speaker 1: cal You've heard of Wiley coyote, but what do you 4 00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 1: know about limp e coyote. Mark hines over at the 5 00:00:26,920 --> 00:00:31,080 Speaker 1: Cowboy State Daily reports this especially dramatic canine has made 6 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 1: his appearance known once again at Yellowstone National Park. Park 7 00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:38,960 Speaker 1: visitors report then an old coyote nicknamed Limpy exaggerates a 8 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 1: limp in his back leg. He uses this trick to 9 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:44,199 Speaker 1: tug on the heartstrings of good natured tourists in the 10 00:00:44,240 --> 00:00:47,600 Speaker 1: hopes of getting a snack. He's been spotted chasing rabbits 11 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:49,479 Speaker 1: without so much as a hitch in his gidda up. 12 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:51,280 Speaker 1: But when a tourist stops on the side of the 13 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:53,840 Speaker 1: road to get a closer look, he suddenly turns on 14 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:56,880 Speaker 1: the misery. He limps like his leg is broken, lowers 15 00:00:56,920 --> 00:00:59,760 Speaker 1: his head to the ground, and hits those tourists with 16 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:03,000 Speaker 1: the biggest puppy dog eyes you've ever seen. And it's 17 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 1: not entirely fake. Olympi did sustain an injury to his 18 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:08,840 Speaker 1: back legs several years ago, but he amps it up 19 00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:11,160 Speaker 1: for a shot at some trail mix or a Snickers bar. 20 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:15,479 Speaker 1: That's adaptability, folks. I didn't want to have to do this, 21 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:18,600 Speaker 1: but you leave me no choice. Here comes the smolder. 22 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:27,520 Speaker 1: This week we've got the FEDS Crime Desk, legislation and 23 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:29,640 Speaker 1: so much more. But first I'm gonna tell you about 24 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 1: my week. In my week, man, so much going on. 25 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:38,160 Speaker 1: Did an amazing trip with the West Virginia Chapter of 26 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:41,560 Speaker 1: back Country Hunters and Anglers. Charles Mooney and the crew 27 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:46,280 Speaker 1: over there treated us incredibly well. Floated the New River 28 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 1: Gorge with several members of West Virginia Department of Natural Resources, 29 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:54,680 Speaker 1: got caught up on what's happening in the state and 30 00:01:54,880 --> 00:02:00,120 Speaker 1: explored some new new places. Lots of interesting stuff you 31 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:02,480 Speaker 1: can find to growing out of the woods in those 32 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 1: old mining reclaim zones, pretty darn wild and just plain 33 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:10,800 Speaker 1: old pretty. We started off this show talking about coyotes, 34 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:14,840 Speaker 1: and one dude who's associated with coyotes is Dan Flores. 35 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 1: Dan started a brand spiketty new podcast called The American West. 36 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:23,760 Speaker 1: Everybody's super jacked about it and it should be a 37 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 1: good one if you want to learn about some uncommon 38 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 1: or a fresh take on the American West. Right here 39 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:36,160 Speaker 1: at the Meat Eater podcast network, so definitely check that out. 40 00:02:36,919 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 1: On top of that, Mark Kenny and I went out 41 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:42,760 Speaker 1: to d C immediately on the back end of my 42 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:47,520 Speaker 1: West Virginia trip, and we spoke with a lot of 43 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 1: new federal appointees and are duly elected both in the 44 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:55,679 Speaker 1: House and the Senate. So chatted with a bunch of 45 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:58,919 Speaker 1: folks talking about public lands, why we shouldn't sell them off, 46 00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:02,320 Speaker 1: how they shouldn't be included in the reconciliation process, and 47 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:05,480 Speaker 1: lots to be paying attention to if you like to 48 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:09,760 Speaker 1: do anything outside or you know, like drink water. I 49 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 1: sat down with Senator Martin Heinrich and Congressman Ryan Zink 50 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:16,440 Speaker 1: while we're in DC for a couple of short hits. 51 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:19,640 Speaker 1: I think they'll be very interesting for you. If you 52 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:22,320 Speaker 1: have anybody else that you want to hear on this 53 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:25,200 Speaker 1: here podcast, please let me know by writing end to 54 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:29,799 Speaker 1: askcl that's Ascal at the meat eater dot com. With that, 55 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:36,120 Speaker 1: we're moving on to the federal government desk. Interior Secretary 56 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:39,440 Speaker 1: Doug Bergham, whom I Darnier just ran right into in 57 00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 1: the Capitol one day, announced last week that he would 58 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:45,360 Speaker 1: be giving broad authority to a representative of the Department 59 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:48,280 Speaker 1: of Government Efficiency or DOZE, to make sweeping changes to 60 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:51,160 Speaker 1: the Department of Interior. The DOZE rep is a fellow 61 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:54,040 Speaker 1: named Tyler Hassen. He's been given authority to take a 62 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 1: hard look at the Interior Department to quote effectuate the consolidation, unification, 63 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 1: and optimization of administrative functions within the department to achieve effectiveness, accountability, 64 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:08,840 Speaker 1: and cost savings for the American taxpayer. He'll be looking 65 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 1: at things like human resources, IT, training and development, contracting, 66 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:16,320 Speaker 1: and communications for ways to cut costs. None of that 67 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:18,840 Speaker 1: sounds particularly frightening, and I'll say again that no one 68 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:22,839 Speaker 1: I know opposes increasing efficiency, cutting real waste, and saving 69 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:26,800 Speaker 1: taxpayer money. But if DOJ's track record is any indication, 70 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:29,560 Speaker 1: we're going to see a lot more than that. Hassen 71 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:32,719 Speaker 1: himself told Fox News that he would be reviewing every 72 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:36,920 Speaker 1: single contact, every single grant at anterior. Someone in Interior 73 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:39,719 Speaker 1: leaked an email to The Washington Post in which Hassen 74 00:04:39,839 --> 00:04:43,479 Speaker 1: asked the Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement to 75 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:46,919 Speaker 1: provide a list of discretionary grants that could save between 76 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:49,799 Speaker 1: thirty and fifty million dollars. That's a lot of Cheddar 77 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 1: and I have a hard time believing any office in 78 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:54,719 Speaker 1: the DOI is wasting that kind of money. But grant 79 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:57,080 Speaker 1: money isn't the only thing on the chopping block. The 80 00:04:57,080 --> 00:04:59,760 Speaker 1: Post reports that Hassen is also looking to cut staff 81 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:02,360 Speaker 1: as a way to cut costs. He's refused to say 82 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:05,120 Speaker 1: exactly how much they're looking to cut or how long 83 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:07,160 Speaker 1: it will take, but you can bet that, as with 84 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 1: everything coming out of this administration, it won't be a 85 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:14,160 Speaker 1: half measure. Secretary Bergham also announced that he will be 86 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:17,480 Speaker 1: rescinding a Biden error rule that created a pathway for 87 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:21,200 Speaker 1: conservation leases on federal public land, known as the Public 88 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:25,159 Speaker 1: Lands Rule. This program would have allowed companies, organizations, and 89 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:28,400 Speaker 1: individuals to lease public land for conservation in the same 90 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:32,040 Speaker 1: way timber or grazing companies lease public land for their activities. 91 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:35,560 Speaker 1: We covered this extensively at the time, including in an 92 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:39,320 Speaker 1: interview with BLM director Tracy stone Manning, but some were skeptical. 93 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:43,080 Speaker 1: They worried that protectionist groups would use these conservation leases 94 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 1: to lock up public land, and they questioned whether conservation 95 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:50,400 Speaker 1: should really be counted as a use. Those critics appear 96 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:52,360 Speaker 1: to have gotten their way. I don't know that any 97 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:55,680 Speaker 1: conservation leases were actually given out, so rescinding the rule 98 00:05:55,839 --> 00:05:58,600 Speaker 1: won't change much on the ground, but many see it 99 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 1: as a seriously opportunity, including the hunters and anglers who 100 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:06,760 Speaker 1: supported the rule during the public engagement process. Again, we 101 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:09,800 Speaker 1: didn't get to see this implemented, but the way it 102 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:14,080 Speaker 1: was designed is a conservation lease would be an overlapping lease, 103 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:18,000 Speaker 1: and it would not prevent other leases on that same ground. 104 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:22,720 Speaker 1: Would just bring conservation up a few notches as a priority. 105 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:26,160 Speaker 1: The Trump administration is also taking aim at the Endangered 106 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 1: Species Act and yet another proposed rule change. The US 107 00:06:29,279 --> 00:06:32,480 Speaker 1: Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fishery Service are 108 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:35,520 Speaker 1: looking to amend the definition of harm under the ESA. 109 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:39,240 Speaker 1: Their proposal would seriously threaten not only endangered species, but 110 00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:42,719 Speaker 1: all the other critters who live in those protected habitats. 111 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:46,599 Speaker 1: Here's why the Endangered Species Act prohibits the take of 112 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:55,600 Speaker 1: endangered species. The Act defines take as quote, to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, 113 00:06:56,080 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 1: or collect or, to attempt to engage in any such conduct. 114 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:03,120 Speaker 1: Most to those words have pretty specific definitions, but that 115 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:06,680 Speaker 1: word harm is more broad. Historically, the Fish and Wildlife 116 00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:10,080 Speaker 1: Service has defined harm to include both physically harming animals 117 00:07:10,320 --> 00:07:13,680 Speaker 1: as well as harming their habitat. This makes sense logging 118 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 1: a forest with spotted owls may not immediately kill any 119 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:19,960 Speaker 1: individual's owls. Those birds are smart and fast and would 120 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 1: likely get away, but eliminating that habitat will kill them. Nonetheless, 121 00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:26,360 Speaker 1: they won't have anything to find food and shelter or 122 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:29,640 Speaker 1: breed to create the next generation. This new rule would 123 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:32,600 Speaker 1: change that It would rescind the definition of harm that 124 00:07:32,640 --> 00:07:36,760 Speaker 1: includes habitat degradation and revert to the broader standard of take. 125 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:41,000 Speaker 1: This means that unless an individual or organization is actively 126 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:44,400 Speaker 1: killing an endangered species, their actions would not be subject 127 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:48,880 Speaker 1: to restrictions under the ESA. To justify such a sweeping change, 128 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:52,480 Speaker 1: the Trump administration cites a Supreme Court decision from last year. 129 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:55,040 Speaker 1: You may recognize all the way back in episode two 130 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:57,840 Speaker 1: ninety seven, we covered a case that involves something called 131 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 1: the Chevron doctrine. The Chevron Doctor basically said that when 132 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:04,400 Speaker 1: Congress wrote a law that wasn't clear, federal agencies had 133 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:07,120 Speaker 1: the power to interpret that law as they saw fit. 134 00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:10,520 Speaker 1: But the Supreme Court struck down the Chevron doctrine last year, 135 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:13,320 Speaker 1: which means agencies are more limited in how they can 136 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:17,200 Speaker 1: interpret unclear statutes. The Trump administration is saying that because 137 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:19,800 Speaker 1: of this ruling, they no longer have the ability to 138 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:23,760 Speaker 1: define take as something that destroys or degrades habitat. If 139 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 1: this rule is approved, the ESA will only protect against 140 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:31,440 Speaker 1: quote an affirmative act directed immediately and intentionally against a 141 00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:36,240 Speaker 1: particular animal. As conservationists, we should care about endangered species 142 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:39,680 Speaker 1: in their own right, but this proposal wouldn't just threaten them. 143 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:42,079 Speaker 1: The fish and animals we like to pursue as hunters 144 00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:46,559 Speaker 1: and anglers also benefit from habitat protections imposed by the ESA. 145 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:49,480 Speaker 1: If those protections go away, it could spell trouble for 146 00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:53,439 Speaker 1: all kinds of species. For example, listener and environmental consultant 147 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:56,480 Speaker 1: Blake Knob sent me a great email pointing to samonids 148 00:08:56,520 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 1: in the Pacific Northwest, such as Puget Sound, chinook, or 149 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:02,280 Speaker 1: wild steel heady. Under this rule, it would be legal 150 00:09:02,320 --> 00:09:05,520 Speaker 1: to degrade or destroy spawning habitat for those species, so 151 00:09:05,679 --> 00:09:07,560 Speaker 1: long as it's done during the time of year that 152 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:10,600 Speaker 1: they are not present in the spawning habitat. That would 153 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:13,040 Speaker 1: impact not only the species, but all the other fish 154 00:09:13,040 --> 00:09:15,600 Speaker 1: that live in those waters. Blake admits that there are 155 00:09:15,679 --> 00:09:18,480 Speaker 1: things about the Endangered Species Act that need to be reformed. 156 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:23,400 Speaker 1: The consultation process is overly burdensome, efficiencies can be improved, 157 00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:27,160 Speaker 1: and recovered species need to be more easily delisted. Landowners 158 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:31,680 Speaker 1: are also disincentivized from reporting endangered animals on their properties, 159 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:34,720 Speaker 1: which makes it more difficult for state and federal agencies. 160 00:09:34,960 --> 00:09:38,120 Speaker 1: But this proposal is, as Blake says, throwing the baby 161 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:40,480 Speaker 1: out with the bathwater, and it will be extremely bad 162 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:43,360 Speaker 1: for fish and wildlife across the spectrum. The good news 163 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:45,560 Speaker 1: is that you have until May nineteen to weigh in, 164 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 1: and you can do so by going over to the 165 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:51,560 Speaker 1: meat eater dot com forward slash col or by googling 166 00:09:51,960 --> 00:09:56,600 Speaker 1: rescinding the definition of harm under the Endangered Species Act. 167 00:09:57,480 --> 00:10:01,839 Speaker 1: Moving on to the crime desk, a woman who made 168 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:04,760 Speaker 1: international headlines last year for helping her son and his 169 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:08,120 Speaker 1: friends poach deer in Wisconsin has been convicted. Thirty six 170 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:11,760 Speaker 1: year old Jessica Croning was initially charged with contributing to 171 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:14,600 Speaker 1: the delinquency of a child, illegal shining of deer, and 172 00:10:14,679 --> 00:10:17,680 Speaker 1: resisting a conservation warden. She pled guilty to the first 173 00:10:17,679 --> 00:10:20,600 Speaker 1: two of those misdemeanors and will be sentenced later this month. 174 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:23,560 Speaker 1: Her son and his friends, who allegedly poached over one 175 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:26,640 Speaker 1: hundred deer, are being tried in juvenile court. They have 176 00:10:26,640 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 1: been accused of driving out in Croning's car on at 177 00:10:29,240 --> 00:10:32,360 Speaker 1: least fifty occasions and shooting deer from the window. One 178 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:34,680 Speaker 1: of those nights, they allegedly hit a deer with their car, 179 00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:36,240 Speaker 1: threw it in the trunk while it was still a 180 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:39,200 Speaker 1: live end quote messed with it until it died. They 181 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:41,160 Speaker 1: kept some of the heads from the bigger bucks, but 182 00:10:41,240 --> 00:10:44,319 Speaker 1: left most of the deer to rot. Croning's conviction stem 183 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:46,240 Speaker 1: from the fact that she let the boy's user car 184 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:48,400 Speaker 1: even though she knew what they were doing, and on 185 00:10:48,640 --> 00:10:51,520 Speaker 1: at least one occasion, went with them to hold the flashlight. 186 00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:55,680 Speaker 1: In another update, on a separate case, a father and 187 00:10:55,720 --> 00:10:58,080 Speaker 1: son who run a tax deermy shop in Idaho are 188 00:10:58,120 --> 00:11:02,000 Speaker 1: being charged with several felonies related to covering up poaching activity. 189 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:05,640 Speaker 1: Local media reports that Tom and Ryan Schrmeier accepted orders 190 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:08,200 Speaker 1: for trophy mounts of forty three animals that were taken 191 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:12,920 Speaker 1: illegally without proper documentation. Investigators first began looking into the 192 00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:15,440 Speaker 1: Shermers as part of a larger case involving a fella 193 00:11:15,559 --> 00:11:19,400 Speaker 1: named Carl Stutter. As we reported last year, Stutter has 194 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:21,880 Speaker 1: been charged with being the ringleader in a scheme to 195 00:11:21,920 --> 00:11:25,480 Speaker 1: illegally buy and sell game tags in Idaho. He is 196 00:11:25,559 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 1: also alleged to have poached several trophy animals himself. It 197 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:32,000 Speaker 1: sounds like the Shermeyers created mounts for stud even though 198 00:11:32,040 --> 00:11:35,240 Speaker 1: he and others didn't have the right tags. Tom Shermeyer 199 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:37,120 Speaker 1: was asked to provide a list of all of his clients, 200 00:11:37,120 --> 00:11:40,760 Speaker 1: but he didn't. Investigators later found forty three intake forms 201 00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:43,200 Speaker 1: neatly clipped together and hidden at the bottom of a 202 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:46,559 Speaker 1: filing cabinet. The names on those forms should keep investigators 203 00:11:46,559 --> 00:11:49,400 Speaker 1: busy for a while. For more details on the Stuter case, 204 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:52,520 Speaker 1: check out the article by Jordan Sillers over at themeateater 205 00:11:52,640 --> 00:11:58,720 Speaker 1: dot com. It's a good'un over in Wisconsin. Game wards 206 00:11:58,720 --> 00:12:00,960 Speaker 1: are searching for the person respond consible for killing a 207 00:12:01,080 --> 00:12:04,440 Speaker 1: giant bowl elk in Jackson County. Biologists were working on 208 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:07,360 Speaker 1: private property trying to capture a small herd of elk 209 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:10,200 Speaker 1: to radio collar and relocate them. They came across a 210 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:13,320 Speaker 1: dead bowl, and a necropsy revealed that it had been shot. 211 00:12:13,640 --> 00:12:16,319 Speaker 1: This particular bowl was one of the last elk left 212 00:12:16,360 --> 00:12:19,760 Speaker 1: from the group brought to Wisconsin from Kentucky in twenty sixteen. 213 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:23,040 Speaker 1: He was a primary breeding bowl for the Central elk herd, 214 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:26,560 Speaker 1: and the state DNR called it's killing a tremendous loss. 215 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:30,000 Speaker 1: Anyone with information is encouraged to leave an anonymous tip 216 00:12:30,040 --> 00:12:33,480 Speaker 1: by calling one eight hundred eight four seven nine three 217 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:38,880 Speaker 1: sixty seven. Someone is poaching pigeons, but not in a 218 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:41,520 Speaker 1: place you'd expect. Local media out of Brooklyn, New York, 219 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:44,400 Speaker 1: ran his story last week about a mysterious pigeon poaching ring. 220 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:48,200 Speaker 1: Residents who feed pigeons regularly say they've noticed dozens of 221 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:51,280 Speaker 1: the friendly foul go missing in recent weeks. One of 222 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:54,240 Speaker 1: these residents, a woman known as Mother Pigeon, says she 223 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:56,800 Speaker 1: spoke with someone who witnessed a man snaring birds with 224 00:12:56,840 --> 00:12:59,720 Speaker 1: a net. Others who spoke with CBS New York claimed 225 00:12:59,760 --> 00:13:03,080 Speaker 1: these have been operating for years. They catch the birds 226 00:13:03,080 --> 00:13:05,480 Speaker 1: from the park and sell them in Pennsylvania, where they 227 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:08,640 Speaker 1: are used for live pigeon shoots. It is legal in 228 00:13:08,720 --> 00:13:10,960 Speaker 1: New York to own a pigeon but not to hunt 229 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:13,920 Speaker 1: or trap them. Mother pigeon says the animal control unit 230 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:16,120 Speaker 1: knows who's doing it, but they don't care enough to 231 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:20,840 Speaker 1: enforce the law. Last one for you. A Connecticut man 232 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:23,920 Speaker 1: was charged last month with illegally killing a black bear 233 00:13:23,960 --> 00:13:27,000 Speaker 1: that he claims was threatening his family. That seems ridiculous 234 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:29,599 Speaker 1: on its face, but the devil is in the details. 235 00:13:29,640 --> 00:13:32,440 Speaker 1: Thirty nine year old Todd Topics told local media that 236 00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:34,440 Speaker 1: he woke up from a nap to the sound of 237 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:37,480 Speaker 1: his wife screaming outside. A black bear had found its 238 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 1: way into their garage, where their three and ten year 239 00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:42,679 Speaker 1: old kids were playing. Todd's wife got the kids inside 240 00:13:42,760 --> 00:13:45,480 Speaker 1: and he grabbed his handgun to investigate. The beard climbed 241 00:13:45,520 --> 00:13:47,600 Speaker 1: a tree and the family dog was barking at it 242 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:50,320 Speaker 1: from the bottom. Todd fired what he called a warning 243 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:52,720 Speaker 1: shot to scare the bear away. The bear started climbing 244 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:55,480 Speaker 1: down the tree about thirty seconds later, so Todd fired 245 00:13:55,520 --> 00:13:57,680 Speaker 1: another two shots. The bear made it to the ground. 246 00:13:57,920 --> 00:13:59,960 Speaker 1: Todd fired two more and the bear ran on off. 247 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:03,640 Speaker 1: Problem was Todd lives in a neighborhood. Someone heard the shots. 248 00:14:03,679 --> 00:14:07,079 Speaker 1: The police arrived and Todd was charged with negligent discharge 249 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:09,480 Speaker 1: of a firearm and breach of the piece. The bear 250 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:12,079 Speaker 1: was later found dead in a nearby ditch, so Todd 251 00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:15,120 Speaker 1: was also charged with illegally killing the bear. Todd claims 252 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:17,320 Speaker 1: that he never intended to kill the bear, He just 253 00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:19,440 Speaker 1: wanted to scare it off. He also argues that he 254 00:14:19,520 --> 00:14:22,920 Speaker 1: acted in self defense, which is legal under Connecticut law. 255 00:14:23,200 --> 00:14:25,040 Speaker 1: He feared for his dog's life, and the bear had 256 00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:27,400 Speaker 1: already been in his garage where his kids were. He 257 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:30,200 Speaker 1: undercuts his own argument by saying he was firing quote 258 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:33,400 Speaker 1: warning shots, which isn't something you do when you actually 259 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 1: think your dog is about to get maled. It's also 260 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:37,560 Speaker 1: worth pointing out that if the bear was already in 261 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:39,560 Speaker 1: the tree, the best thing to do would have been 262 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:42,920 Speaker 1: to go back inside called the state Wildlife Agency. The 263 00:14:42,920 --> 00:14:46,480 Speaker 1: good news is that Todd was granted accelerated rehabilitation on 264 00:14:46,560 --> 00:14:48,880 Speaker 1: all charges, which means they will be dropped if he 265 00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:52,800 Speaker 1: completes the required diversionary program. Sounds to me like even 266 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:56,280 Speaker 1: though Todd did technically break the law, the judge understood 267 00:14:56,280 --> 00:15:00,240 Speaker 1: why he did what he did under the circumstances. Going 268 00:15:00,280 --> 00:15:05,280 Speaker 1: on to the legislation desk, the Tennessee Wildlife Federation tried 269 00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:08,000 Speaker 1: and failed last week to get straight walled cartridges approved 270 00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:11,400 Speaker 1: for use during the state's muzzleoder season. The advocacy group 271 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:14,400 Speaker 1: says that seventy eight percent of their members support the change, 272 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:17,600 Speaker 1: so they asked the Tennessee Wildlife Commission to make it happen. 273 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:20,040 Speaker 1: Only private land hunters would have been allowed to use 274 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:22,960 Speaker 1: straight walled cartridges under the proposed rule, and the guns 275 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:25,800 Speaker 1: will have to be single shot, but the Commission rejected 276 00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:28,239 Speaker 1: the idea. When the motion was officially made by Commissioner 277 00:15:28,240 --> 00:15:31,360 Speaker 1: Bill Cox, some expressed hesitation that the move would end 278 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:35,120 Speaker 1: up eliminating muzzleoder use altogether, but most simply said they 279 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:38,600 Speaker 1: hadn't enough time to formulate a good opinion. That tells 280 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:40,760 Speaker 1: me that Tennessee hunters should expect the issue to be 281 00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:43,840 Speaker 1: raised again in future years. Big thanks to listener John 282 00:15:43,880 --> 00:15:48,560 Speaker 1: Klepp for sending us that story. Idaho is also considering 283 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:51,520 Speaker 1: making a few changes to its big game hunting regulations. 284 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:54,200 Speaker 1: A twenty three member citizen committee called the Hunting and 285 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:58,440 Speaker 1: Technology Working Group unanimously recommended a prohibition on using aircraft 286 00:15:58,520 --> 00:16:03,040 Speaker 1: while hunting. Specifically, the recommendation would ban aircraft including drones, 287 00:16:03,080 --> 00:16:05,360 Speaker 1: from being used to spot, locate, or aid in the 288 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:08,320 Speaker 1: taking of big game ungulates from July one through December 289 00:16:08,320 --> 00:16:11,960 Speaker 1: thirty first. The group also unanimously supported maintaining a ban 290 00:16:12,120 --> 00:16:15,440 Speaker 1: on smart optics, which automatically determined range and move the 291 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:19,000 Speaker 1: aim point in the redical. The group also recommended restricting 292 00:16:19,040 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 1: transmitting trail camps from July one through December thirty first. 293 00:16:22,560 --> 00:16:25,200 Speaker 1: None of these recommendations have the forced law. They must 294 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:27,960 Speaker 1: be approved by the Idaho Fish and Game Commission, which 295 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:33,440 Speaker 1: will vote after receiving public comment. The North Dakota legislature 296 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:35,560 Speaker 1: passed a bill last month that prohibits the Game and 297 00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:38,640 Speaker 1: Fish Department from restricting the use of bait while big 298 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 1: game hunting on private property. The bill passed both chambers 299 00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:45,240 Speaker 1: by wide margins and was signed by Governor Kelly Armstrong. 300 00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:47,960 Speaker 1: The media has called this a win for hunters, and 301 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:50,400 Speaker 1: I'm sure there are many North Dakotas who would agree. 302 00:16:50,440 --> 00:16:53,840 Speaker 1: But this legislation also removes a tool that biologists were 303 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:57,520 Speaker 1: using to fight the spread of chronic wasting disease. CWD 304 00:16:57,760 --> 00:17:00,400 Speaker 1: is not prevalent in North Dakota, but there were baiting 305 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:03,560 Speaker 1: restrictions in some parts of the state. Now the Game 306 00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:06,720 Speaker 1: and Fish Department can no longer use that wildlife management 307 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:10,560 Speaker 1: tool across ninety percent of North Dakota. CWD may not 308 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:13,200 Speaker 1: be prevalent now, but I'm sure the department was hoping 309 00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:15,400 Speaker 1: to use baiting bands to help keep it that way. 310 00:17:17,359 --> 00:17:20,359 Speaker 1: Oklahoma is cracking down on non resident hunters looking to 311 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:23,080 Speaker 1: chase game on public land. Senate Bill four four to 312 00:17:23,119 --> 00:17:26,160 Speaker 1: eight will require non residents to obtain written permission from 313 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:30,280 Speaker 1: the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission to hunt on state Wildlife 314 00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:33,720 Speaker 1: Management Areas or refuges managed by the state. The bill 315 00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:36,280 Speaker 1: also allows the Commission to create a lottery system that 316 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:38,879 Speaker 1: hunters will have to enter to obtain a tag for 317 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:42,720 Speaker 1: some WMAs. It's unclear whether all WMAs will be put 318 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:45,720 Speaker 1: under a lottery system for non residents, but all non 319 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:48,160 Speaker 1: resident hunters will now have to pay a one hundred 320 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:51,159 Speaker 1: dollars permit fee on top of their standard licenses. The 321 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:53,919 Speaker 1: legislation is being billed as a way to protect recreational 322 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:58,159 Speaker 1: opportunities for Oklahoma's and prevent overcrowding on state properties, but 323 00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:01,880 Speaker 1: opponents say Oklahoma already makes it cost prohibitive for most 324 00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:05,040 Speaker 1: non resident hunters. The annual hunting fee is two hundred 325 00:18:05,040 --> 00:18:07,320 Speaker 1: and nine dollars. You can get a five day license 326 00:18:07,359 --> 00:18:09,439 Speaker 1: for seventy five, but you still have to get a 327 00:18:09,480 --> 00:18:13,080 Speaker 1: five hundred dollars permit to hunt deer, elk, antelope bear. Now, 328 00:18:13,160 --> 00:18:15,560 Speaker 1: unless you have access to private land, you have to 329 00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:17,879 Speaker 1: pay an additional one hundred dollars on top of that. 330 00:18:18,280 --> 00:18:20,880 Speaker 1: But those complaints are falling on deaf ears. SB four 331 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:24,160 Speaker 1: four to eight past the state Senate with a unanimous boat, 332 00:18:24,560 --> 00:18:27,440 Speaker 1: then proceeded to the House where it passed seventy eight 333 00:18:27,480 --> 00:18:30,040 Speaker 1: to one. It was then signed in law by Oklahoma 334 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:34,160 Speaker 1: Governor Kevin Stitt and will go in to effect November one. 335 00:18:35,720 --> 00:18:38,879 Speaker 1: Moving on to the muscle dog desk, and I'm not 336 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:43,960 Speaker 1: talking about weightlifting pooches. We started the episode with a 337 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:46,720 Speaker 1: smart canine and that's exactly where we're going to end it. 338 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:49,879 Speaker 1: Several listeners sent me a story from California, where a 339 00:18:49,960 --> 00:18:53,119 Speaker 1: pack of detection dogs are helping slow the spread of 340 00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:57,359 Speaker 1: invasive aquatic muscles. CBS News reports that a woman named 341 00:18:57,400 --> 00:19:01,760 Speaker 1: Debbie DeShawn operates a service she called Muscle Dogs. These 342 00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:05,479 Speaker 1: sixteen dogs and mostly rescues. They've been trained to sniff 343 00:19:05,480 --> 00:19:09,000 Speaker 1: out quagga muscle zebra muscle and the Golden Muscle. On 344 00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:12,000 Speaker 1: the day, reporters caught up with DeShawn. She was working 345 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:16,160 Speaker 1: on Rancho Seco Lake, southeast of Sacramento. Before every boat 346 00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:19,439 Speaker 1: went down the ramp, two of Deshawn's dogs, Splash and Minnow, 347 00:19:19,680 --> 00:19:22,159 Speaker 1: sniffed around the hole like police dogs sniff around a 348 00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:26,320 Speaker 1: suspicious vehicle. They're powerful noses. We're searching for golden muscle larvae, 349 00:19:26,320 --> 00:19:29,280 Speaker 1: which are spreading through delta waterways in the Bay Area 350 00:19:29,359 --> 00:19:32,840 Speaker 1: By attaching themselves to boats. The muscles clog pipes, decrease 351 00:19:32,920 --> 00:19:37,720 Speaker 1: water clarity, and harm native aquatic species. Biologists haven't found 352 00:19:37,800 --> 00:19:40,760 Speaker 1: any yet in Rancho Seco Lake, in part thanks to 353 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:44,000 Speaker 1: the good work of Splash in Minno from all of 354 00:19:44,080 --> 00:19:48,639 Speaker 1: us at Cal's Week in Review. Good dogs, that's all 355 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:50,280 Speaker 1: I got for you this week. Thank you so much 356 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:53,880 Speaker 1: for listening, and remember to write into ask cl that's 357 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:56,520 Speaker 1: Ascal at themeateater dot com and let us know what's 358 00:19:56,560 --> 00:19:58,960 Speaker 1: going on in your neck of the woods. We appreciate it. 359 00:19:59,320 --> 00:20:00,920 Speaker 1: Thanks again. We'll talk to you next week.