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 --> 00:00:22,439 Speaker 1: dot com. Now here's your host, Ryan cal Callahan. A 5 00:00:22,600 --> 00:00:26,200 Speaker 1: Wyoming woman has been hospitalized after a white tail buck 6 00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:29,360 Speaker 1: gored her outside of her home. The buck was lying 7 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:31,760 Speaker 1: in the sun on her driveway when she opened up 8 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:34,400 Speaker 1: her front door and let her dog out. The buck 9 00:00:34,479 --> 00:00:37,680 Speaker 1: tried to gore the dog, whose name I believe is Baby, 10 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:40,159 Speaker 1: but Baby did the smart thing and ran underneath the 11 00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:44,520 Speaker 1: parked car. However, when Wanda Kaner saw her dog being attacked, 12 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 1: she ran at the ten point buck and tried to 13 00:00:47,479 --> 00:00:50,560 Speaker 1: hit it with her bag. You can imagine what happened next, 14 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:53,559 Speaker 1: but thanks to the Internet, you don't have to. The 15 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 1: entire incident was, of course captured on a doorbell camera 16 00:00:56,880 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 1: and published by the Cowboys State Daily. Here's a little 17 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:11,480 Speaker 1: bit of what that sounded like back again. Baby is 18 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:15,119 Speaker 1: a small, four legged non human and was totally unscathed, 19 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 1: but Wanda suffered seven puncture wounds in a broken vertebra 20 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 1: and had to be hospitalized. It could have been much worse. 21 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:25,319 Speaker 1: Wanda's husband, Daniel, was also on the scene. He grabbed 22 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:27,080 Speaker 1: the buck by the antlers when he saw his wife 23 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:31,039 Speaker 1: being attacked. Daniel didn't exactly teach the buck lesson he 24 00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:33,440 Speaker 1: suffered a puncture wound of his own, but he slowly 25 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:35,959 Speaker 1: pushed the animal back until it stood up and stopped 26 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:39,680 Speaker 1: being aggressive. Watching this video, it's clear that this buck 27 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:42,679 Speaker 1: has been around humans its entire life. It wasn't scared 28 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:45,800 Speaker 1: off by Wanda screaming, multiple dogs running around its legs, 29 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 1: or Daniel's attempt to grab its antlers. According to Cowboys 30 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 1: State Daily, it stayed in the Kanner's yard a few 31 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:54,600 Speaker 1: more hours after the incident, and as you can guess, 32 00:01:54,760 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 1: was dispatched as then killed by Wyoming fishing game. Interesting 33 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 1: takeaway from this video, if you care to watch it, 34 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:05,960 Speaker 1: is Daniel is the one being interviewed the entire time, 35 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 1: so you get Daniel's thoughts, and his thought was to 36 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:11,919 Speaker 1: have a whole new respect for wildlife that could be 37 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:14,760 Speaker 1: in your urban area, and he's just glad it wasn't 38 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:18,560 Speaker 1: a mount lion. However, we never hear Wanda's side. She 39 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:24,240 Speaker 1: received seven puncture wounds, Daniel only one. Daniel wasn't hospitalized. 40 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:28,160 Speaker 1: Wanda was, and I can't help but wonder to think 41 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 1: that Wanda doesn't really care if it's a mounta lion. 42 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:35,040 Speaker 1: I think the buck was scary enough. This week we've 43 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:38,919 Speaker 1: got that cheating thing, citizens Science, poison, and the GOP. 44 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:42,360 Speaker 1: But first I'm gonna tell you about my week, and 45 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:45,280 Speaker 1: my week was pretty darn amazing. First of all, if 46 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 1: you can't tell, I'm back recording out of the Black 47 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:52,560 Speaker 1: Series camper with my consistent Eastern Montana co host, a 48 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:55,640 Speaker 1: thirty mile per hour win. On top of that, I 49 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:59,040 Speaker 1: got pheasant stocks sitting on the stove. We're cooking and 50 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:03,440 Speaker 1: working to see of the double edged sword of our millennia, 51 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:08,680 Speaker 1: the dang elon Musk mobile satellite dish. I cannot believe it, 52 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:10,600 Speaker 1: but it's allowing me to sit out here and hunt. 53 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:14,120 Speaker 1: Still feel terrible about it and that it could be 54 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 1: the downfall of humanity, but I'm being honest with you anyway. 55 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:29,080 Speaker 1: I am fresh back from Aberdeen, South Dakota, where I 56 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:32,000 Speaker 1: was as was snort for the South Dakota Peasant Opener 57 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 1: Luke Thorkelson of Weatherby, and I joined Pheasants Forever's first 58 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 1: ever farm bill biologist Matt Morlock and pf q f's 59 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 1: chief conservation Officer Ron Leathers. Needless to say, if you 60 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:51,000 Speaker 1: find your head filled with questions regarding habitat, predation, invertebrates, pollinators, 61 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 1: ease months, raptors, and certainly anything to do directly with pheasants, 62 00:03:55,880 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 1: you would love to take a walk with these two. 63 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 1: I sure dip and they get sick of my questions 64 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:04,640 Speaker 1: from what I could tell on the outside. Anyway, Now, 65 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 1: some of you may be wondering why all the talk 66 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:10,720 Speaker 1: about a famous invasive species, the Sechuan or Chinese ring 67 00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 1: necked pheasant. Well, aside from being pretty and charismatic, people 68 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:17,320 Speaker 1: just love to hunt them. In fact, this town of 69 00:04:17,360 --> 00:04:21,120 Speaker 1: Aberdeen determined that above all else, the city survives on 70 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:25,040 Speaker 1: pheasant hunters. Lots of places claim to be the pheasant capital, 71 00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 1: but the difference and the reason for going to Aberdeen 72 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:33,000 Speaker 1: is the Aberdeen Pheasant Coalition. Business owners chipped into fund 73 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:36,960 Speaker 1: and create lease agreements with neighboring ranchers to provide more 74 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 1: public hunting access. So far they have about four thousand 75 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:44,080 Speaker 1: acres enrolled. We hunted some of this ground for an 76 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 1: episode of Cow in the Field that will be out 77 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:51,159 Speaker 1: this winter, and just like you, I thought, Holy cow, 78 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:55,560 Speaker 1: am I seriously uncomfortable with the marketing of specific areas 79 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 1: to bring pheasant hunters in. Talk about a spot burn. 80 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:02,359 Speaker 1: But once you get there, you see the enormity of 81 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:05,600 Speaker 1: the pheasant habitat in South Dakota. I'll tell you, no 82 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:08,560 Speaker 1: matter the size of the Orange Army, you will not 83 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:14,480 Speaker 1: kill off the pheasants. Why awesome habitat and lots of them. 84 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:17,680 Speaker 1: And pheasants get very smart after the first time they 85 00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:20,920 Speaker 1: get hunted, so they kind of have PhDs by the 86 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:24,480 Speaker 1: time the next week rolls around. Now, I'm positive all 87 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:27,680 Speaker 1: of you hard walking public land hunters and Aberdeen are 88 00:05:27,680 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 1: still very unhappy with me talking about your area. I 89 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:34,400 Speaker 1: know I would be. But the hope is we get 90 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 1: every town in America to sponsor additional public acres for 91 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:42,560 Speaker 1: hunting and fishing, and then we can spread that pressure out. 92 00:05:43,279 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 1: I know you public land folks over there have broad shoulders. 93 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:50,240 Speaker 1: Let's make supporting public acres the hip thing to do. 94 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:53,880 Speaker 1: I'm really excited to show everyone this episode, and you 95 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:57,560 Speaker 1: also get to see something brand spanking new our pals 96 00:05:57,560 --> 00:05:59,920 Speaker 1: at weather Be are working on in the shotgun department. 97 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:03,600 Speaker 1: All I can tell you currently is I'd start saving 98 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 1: now you'll want it? I know, I sure do. Moving 99 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 1: on to the fishing desk, here's a quick update for 100 00:06:12,520 --> 00:06:15,719 Speaker 1: you on the Ohio walleye tournament cheating scandal. The two 101 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 1: men accused of cheating, remember they stuffed their walleyes with 102 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:22,839 Speaker 1: walleyfe fleas and lead weights, kind of like a ur 103 00:06:22,920 --> 00:06:27,160 Speaker 1: ducan of sorts. The pair, Jacob Runyon and Chase Kaminsky, 104 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:31,840 Speaker 1: have been charged with cheating, attempted grant theft, possessing criminal tools, 105 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:36,440 Speaker 1: and unlawful ownership of wild animals. All of those charges 106 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:39,800 Speaker 1: are fifth degree felonies, except the wildlife crime, which is 107 00:06:39,839 --> 00:06:43,679 Speaker 1: a fourth degree misdemeanor. Fifth degree felonies are the least 108 00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:46,599 Speaker 1: severe type of felony in Ohio, but they still come 109 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:49,640 Speaker 1: with a required six to twelve month imprisonment and up 110 00:06:49,640 --> 00:06:53,719 Speaker 1: to twenty dollar fine. In other words, these guys could 111 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:56,640 Speaker 1: be facing some serious jail time depending on whether they 112 00:06:56,640 --> 00:06:59,800 Speaker 1: take a plea deal. Whatever they get is probably a 113 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:02,280 Speaker 1: lot better than what they would have gotten had they 114 00:07:02,320 --> 00:07:12,560 Speaker 1: stuck around a bunch of angry fishermen. Get Moving on 115 00:07:12,640 --> 00:07:16,960 Speaker 1: to the citizen Science desk. A few weeks ago we 116 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 1: covered the story of a hunter who found what maybe 117 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:23,720 Speaker 1: one of the only full grown American chestnut trees in Delaware. 118 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:26,840 Speaker 1: That was some great citizen science. But you don't need 119 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:30,680 Speaker 1: to find a super rare tree or animal species to participate. 120 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:34,800 Speaker 1: Many state game agencies rely on hunter surveys to collect 121 00:07:34,880 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 1: data about wildlife. Hunters spend an enormous amount of time 122 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:41,600 Speaker 1: in the woods every year, and biologists try to use 123 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:46,840 Speaker 1: those observation hours to learn more about deer, wolves, elk, bobcats, 124 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:50,600 Speaker 1: and other species. In Minnesota, for example, the Department of 125 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:54,040 Speaker 1: Natural Resources is asking hunters to fill out an online 126 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:57,320 Speaker 1: survey so they can verify their population estimates of white 127 00:07:57,320 --> 00:08:01,000 Speaker 1: tailed deer. Hunters can take the survey on their smartphones. 128 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:03,559 Speaker 1: Did I asked hunters to record the time and place 129 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:06,200 Speaker 1: they hunt, how many deer they saw, and the ages 130 00:08:06,240 --> 00:08:09,960 Speaker 1: and sexes of those deer. Hunters also have the opportunity 131 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:14,080 Speaker 1: to report observations about wild turkeys, black bears, coyotes, and 132 00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:18,480 Speaker 1: other animals just over. Hunters returned the survey when the 133 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:22,120 Speaker 1: Department of Natural Resources introduced it in two thousand nineteen, 134 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:25,680 Speaker 1: but since then the numbers have plummeted. According to report 135 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:29,080 Speaker 1: in MPR, Last year, just forty nine of the more 136 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 1: than four hundred thousand Minnesota hunters filled out a survey, 137 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:36,160 Speaker 1: which is a response rate of only point zero one 138 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:40,680 Speaker 1: per cent. The DNR has historically only opened the survey 139 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:43,280 Speaker 1: to bow hunters, but this year all hunters are welcome 140 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:47,959 Speaker 1: to participate. The information Minnesota hunters provide helps biologist make 141 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:52,280 Speaker 1: data driven game management decisions without spending millions of dollars 142 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:56,600 Speaker 1: collecting that data themselves. Iowa, which also runs a hunter 143 00:08:56,679 --> 00:09:00,280 Speaker 1: observation survey, told MPR that they would have to spend 144 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:02,520 Speaker 1: two and a half million per year to collect the 145 00:09:02,559 --> 00:09:06,160 Speaker 1: information that hunters give them for free. Running the survey 146 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:09,839 Speaker 1: only costs about fifteen thousand dollars, which means hunters are 147 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:12,920 Speaker 1: saving the state over two million every year just by 148 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:17,160 Speaker 1: filling it out. That money can be spent on habitat conservation, 149 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:19,920 Speaker 1: and other projects that help ensure the health of the 150 00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:23,520 Speaker 1: game populations. We love to hunt, so if you live 151 00:09:23,559 --> 00:09:26,360 Speaker 1: in Minnesota, be sure to fill out your hunter survey 152 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:30,120 Speaker 1: this year. For everyone else, your state probably has a 153 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:34,600 Speaker 1: similar program. Just search for your state name plus hunter 154 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:40,000 Speaker 1: Observation Survey. That should get you on track. Another key 155 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:44,360 Speaker 1: piece of information if you're thinking, you know, serveysh murvey 156 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:47,000 Speaker 1: or I'm not going to do anything the state sends me. 157 00:09:47,559 --> 00:09:53,440 Speaker 1: A lot of state agencies are mandated to include hunter information, 158 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:58,440 Speaker 1: so if you personally don't turn in information, other people's 159 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:02,760 Speaker 1: information will be you used, either for your benefit or 160 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:06,559 Speaker 1: your detriment. Fill out your surveys and get them filled in. 161 00:10:07,880 --> 00:10:12,960 Speaker 1: Moving on to the wolf desk. After months of investigation, 162 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:17,119 Speaker 1: Washington Wildlife officials have confirmed that six wolves were illegally 163 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:20,240 Speaker 1: poisoned in the northeastern part of the state. Animal rights 164 00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:23,120 Speaker 1: groups have been asking since May for Washington State Fish 165 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:26,040 Speaker 1: and Wildlife to release more details, and that's exactly what 166 00:10:26,080 --> 00:10:29,680 Speaker 1: they did earlier this month. Back in February, Steven's County 167 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:32,559 Speaker 1: deputies on a snowmobile patrol found a wolf they at 168 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:35,800 Speaker 1: first believed died of old age. They couldn't find any 169 00:10:35,840 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 1: blood or bullet holes, and there didn't appear to be 170 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:41,960 Speaker 1: any fresh snowmobile tracks, but they began to suspect foul 171 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:45,839 Speaker 1: play when they found three additional dead wolves later that day, 172 00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:49,080 Speaker 1: none of which had been shot or injured. They found 173 00:10:49,120 --> 00:10:51,760 Speaker 1: two more wolves in the same area over the course 174 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:55,559 Speaker 1: of the next month. Toxicology reports confirmed that the wolves 175 00:10:55,720 --> 00:10:59,520 Speaker 1: had been poisoned. The Center for Biological Diversity has been 176 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:02,560 Speaker 1: all over this one. They've been joined by a variety 177 00:11:02,559 --> 00:11:05,320 Speaker 1: of Washington animal rights groups and calling for the arrest 178 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:08,920 Speaker 1: and prosecution of the offenders, and they're even offering a 179 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:13,440 Speaker 1: reward of fifty four hundred dollars for information leading to 180 00:11:13,480 --> 00:11:19,120 Speaker 1: a conviction. I might argue that four hundred dollars in 181 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:23,280 Speaker 1: a program that provides non lethal deterrence to ranchers may 182 00:11:23,320 --> 00:11:26,560 Speaker 1: go a lot further. It's illegal to poison a wolf 183 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:29,319 Speaker 1: in the United States, and while I'm sympathetic with communities 184 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:32,440 Speaker 1: that oppose wolf reintroduction, there are better ways to deal 185 00:11:32,520 --> 00:11:36,160 Speaker 1: with the problem. Most states, including Washington, have ways to 186 00:11:36,200 --> 00:11:40,319 Speaker 1: compensate landowners for predator depredation, and several states have open 187 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:44,160 Speaker 1: wolf hunting and trapping seasons. Poaching is poaching, even if 188 00:11:44,160 --> 00:11:47,000 Speaker 1: the animals aren't harvested for their meat, hides or antlers. 189 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:50,199 Speaker 1: Of course, the Center for Biological Diversity can't resist a 190 00:11:50,200 --> 00:11:53,439 Speaker 1: little hyperbole, especially when it comes to wolves. Their press 191 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:55,760 Speaker 1: release on this topic makes it sound like wolves in 192 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:59,240 Speaker 1: Washington are hanging by a thread and these poisonings will 193 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:02,800 Speaker 1: send the species back to extinction. They described wolves in 194 00:12:02,920 --> 00:12:07,240 Speaker 1: Washington as being quote attacked on all sides and say 195 00:12:07,280 --> 00:12:11,679 Speaker 1: it's been a quote devastating year for Washington's wolf population. 196 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:15,800 Speaker 1: In reality, the wolf population in Washington is doing fine. 197 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:19,080 Speaker 1: Becky Elder, a spokesperson for the Washington State Fish and 198 00:12:19,080 --> 00:12:23,000 Speaker 1: Wildlife Police, told Oregon Public Broadcasting that the wolf population 199 00:12:23,040 --> 00:12:26,160 Speaker 1: in the state continues to rebound. The latest wolf survey 200 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:28,920 Speaker 1: showed at least two hundred and six known wolves in 201 00:12:29,040 --> 00:12:33,840 Speaker 1: thirty three known packs, including at least nineteen breeding pairs. 202 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:38,079 Speaker 1: Six wolves make a dent, but it's not a catastrophe. 203 00:12:38,679 --> 00:12:43,440 Speaker 1: If only there was a child's tale about crying and wolves. 204 00:12:44,200 --> 00:12:47,120 Speaker 1: Wolf poisoning has a long and unfortunate history in the 205 00:12:47,200 --> 00:12:50,800 Speaker 1: United States. Wolves are smart animals. They're difficult to trap 206 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:53,600 Speaker 1: and even more difficult to shoot. So to more quickly 207 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:57,840 Speaker 1: and efficiently eliminate wolves from the landscape, contracted wolf hunters 208 00:12:57,920 --> 00:13:01,160 Speaker 1: often turned to poison. In his account Out of Yellowstone Wolves, 209 00:13:01,360 --> 00:13:04,760 Speaker 1: Paul Showlery notes that as far back as eighteen seventy seven, 210 00:13:04,800 --> 00:13:08,240 Speaker 1: park officials were poisoning ungulate carcasses in their efforts to 211 00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:12,920 Speaker 1: eradicate wolves. In the Southwest, ranchers and government officials used 212 00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:16,240 Speaker 1: the same tactic. According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, 213 00:13:16,360 --> 00:13:20,520 Speaker 1: the concerted eradication efforts worked, and wolves were extirpated from 214 00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:23,000 Speaker 1: the vast majority of the lower forty eight states by 215 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:27,160 Speaker 1: the nineteen sixties. But there's a big difference between isolated 216 00:13:27,160 --> 00:13:31,160 Speaker 1: individuals poisoning wolves and a nationwide effort with the backing 217 00:13:31,160 --> 00:13:34,240 Speaker 1: of the federal government. No one should be poisoning wolves, 218 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:38,600 Speaker 1: but the growing population in Washington will be just fine. 219 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:46,040 Speaker 1: Moving on to the policy desk, the mid term election 220 00:13:46,120 --> 00:13:48,280 Speaker 1: is only a few weeks away, and it's worth taking 221 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:51,559 Speaker 1: some time to educate yourself about your choices. For local, state, 222 00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:55,360 Speaker 1: and federal office. Candidates post their own policy positions, but 223 00:13:55,440 --> 00:13:57,720 Speaker 1: I also encourage you to take a look at each 224 00:13:57,760 --> 00:14:01,760 Speaker 1: party's official platform. In mid Anesota, for example, the official 225 00:14:01,800 --> 00:14:05,199 Speaker 1: Republican party platform calls for the elimination of the Clean Water, 226 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:09,080 Speaker 1: Land and Legacy Amendment. This amendment to the state's constitution 227 00:14:09,360 --> 00:14:11,440 Speaker 1: was passed in two thousand and eight by fifty six 228 00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:15,120 Speaker 1: percent of Minnesota voters. It increased the state's sales tax 229 00:14:15,160 --> 00:14:17,600 Speaker 1: by three eighths of one per cent and use that 230 00:14:17,640 --> 00:14:21,600 Speaker 1: money to fund clean water projects, restore wildlife habitat, promote 231 00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:25,080 Speaker 1: arts and culture, and maintain parks and trails. Since two 232 00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:27,720 Speaker 1: thousand and ten, the fund is generated over three point 233 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:31,800 Speaker 1: six five billion in revenue for these project categories, including 234 00:14:31,880 --> 00:14:35,800 Speaker 1: over one billion for wildlife habitat projects. Just this year, 235 00:14:35,920 --> 00:14:38,360 Speaker 1: the Minnesota DNR will use about two and a half 236 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:42,160 Speaker 1: million for shallow lake and wetland enhancement and restoration work 237 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:45,880 Speaker 1: throughout Minnesota, with a focus on the Prairie region. Pheasants 238 00:14:45,920 --> 00:14:48,440 Speaker 1: Forever received a grant for three point eight million to 239 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:51,800 Speaker 1: permanently protect and restore six hundred and fifty nine acres 240 00:14:51,960 --> 00:14:55,840 Speaker 1: of public waterfowl habitat, and Ducks Unlimited will use three 241 00:14:55,880 --> 00:15:00,360 Speaker 1: point nine million dollars to enhance wetlands. This isn't free money, 242 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:04,640 Speaker 1: but Minnesota voters, including many Republican legislators, voted to raise 243 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:07,720 Speaker 1: taxes during the two thousand eight recession because they cared 244 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:12,080 Speaker 1: so deeply about protecting water and habitat. Since at least 245 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:15,920 Speaker 1: two thousand eighteen, the GOP has made repealing this funding 246 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:19,400 Speaker 1: an official plank on their platform. You might think they're 247 00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:21,920 Speaker 1: motivated by a desire to lower taxes, but they don't 248 00:15:21,960 --> 00:15:26,320 Speaker 1: list this proposal alongside other tax cuts instead. This is 249 00:15:26,440 --> 00:15:29,560 Speaker 1: likely related to the next item in the Natural Resources section, 250 00:15:29,800 --> 00:15:33,480 Speaker 1: which calls for reducing or restricting the government ownership of land. 251 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:36,160 Speaker 1: The d n R can you use Legacy Amendment funds 252 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 1: to purchase property that might otherwise be sold to a 253 00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:42,800 Speaker 1: private developer. They're required to make that land accessible to 254 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:45,720 Speaker 1: hunters and anglers, but the fund gives them a powerful 255 00:15:45,760 --> 00:15:49,760 Speaker 1: tool to conserve habitat and wildlife species. If you don't 256 00:15:49,760 --> 00:15:52,400 Speaker 1: like the idea of public land to begin with, it 257 00:15:52,440 --> 00:15:55,160 Speaker 1: would make sense that you wouldn't support a fund that 258 00:15:55,200 --> 00:15:59,200 Speaker 1: makes public land possible. But don't think the Democrats are 259 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:02,320 Speaker 1: getting off the hook. As Rob Dreisland points out an 260 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:07,120 Speaker 1: Outdoor News Minnesota's Democratic Party also includes several provisions some 261 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:11,120 Speaker 1: hunters and anglers might find objectionable. For example, the party 262 00:16:11,160 --> 00:16:14,560 Speaker 1: opposes wolf hunting and traffic, including the use of snares, 263 00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:18,120 Speaker 1: and wants to increase public education efforts. Quote as to 264 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:22,400 Speaker 1: how wolves live, The wolf population in Minnesota is perfectly 265 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:25,680 Speaker 1: capable of handling a regulated hunting season, so calling for 266 00:16:25,720 --> 00:16:28,280 Speaker 1: a hunting band is more about throwing a bone to 267 00:16:28,360 --> 00:16:32,600 Speaker 1: the animal rights crowd than following sound science. Wherever you live, 268 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:35,840 Speaker 1: be sure to check out each state party's platform before 269 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:39,600 Speaker 1: you vote. Individual candidates don't always hold the same positions 270 00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 1: as their party, but that gives you an opportunity to 271 00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:45,320 Speaker 1: ask them to clarify their stance, and you should. It's 272 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:48,680 Speaker 1: part of the process. The campaign trail is a great 273 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:51,520 Speaker 1: place to ask these sorts of questions, and you still 274 00:16:51,560 --> 00:16:54,000 Speaker 1: have a few weeks before the final votes are cast. 275 00:16:55,080 --> 00:17:00,400 Speaker 1: Moving on to the market hunting desks. A few months back, 276 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:02,680 Speaker 1: a listener named Annie wrote in to tell me about 277 00:17:02,680 --> 00:17:05,399 Speaker 1: a dog food company that claimed to be selling wild 278 00:17:05,440 --> 00:17:08,439 Speaker 1: elk and dear meat. Annie asked how this was legal, 279 00:17:08,600 --> 00:17:12,280 Speaker 1: since all fifty states prohibits selling meat from wild animals. 280 00:17:12,840 --> 00:17:16,600 Speaker 1: Market hunting decimated wild populations in the nineteenth century, and 281 00:17:16,680 --> 00:17:20,840 Speaker 1: states responded by eliminating commerce and wildlife. But this company, 282 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:25,320 Speaker 1: whose name is Raw Wild Kids, be sure you're with 283 00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:27,359 Speaker 1: an adult if you try to look that one up 284 00:17:27,359 --> 00:17:31,120 Speaker 1: on the internet. They claim to be selling organic wild 285 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:34,600 Speaker 1: elk and dear meat harvested by hunters from the Rocky 286 00:17:34,640 --> 00:17:37,920 Speaker 1: Mountain West. They have a website and social media accounts, 287 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:40,560 Speaker 1: and you can order raw dog food for about ten 288 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:43,280 Speaker 1: dollars per pound. The way they pitch it. This is 289 00:17:43,359 --> 00:17:46,120 Speaker 1: high quality deer and elk burger taken from the same 290 00:17:46,160 --> 00:17:49,680 Speaker 1: animals hunters used to feed their families. We looked into this, 291 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:52,399 Speaker 1: and you can check out a more detailed report in 292 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:55,080 Speaker 1: an article on the meat eater dot com. I'll give 293 00:17:55,119 --> 00:17:58,080 Speaker 1: you the highlights. We reached out to the Law Enforcement 294 00:17:58,080 --> 00:18:01,440 Speaker 1: Division of the Utah Department of Wildlife Resources. They told 295 00:18:01,520 --> 00:18:04,520 Speaker 1: us they've received numerous tips about Raw Wild and they 296 00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:07,640 Speaker 1: sent an officer to investigate in August of this year. 297 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:10,280 Speaker 1: He found that Raw Wild gets all their meat from 298 00:18:10,320 --> 00:18:15,120 Speaker 1: a single butcher called Myer's Game Processing. Myers sells Raw 299 00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:18,359 Speaker 1: Wild what they call shop scrap. This is meat that 300 00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:21,639 Speaker 1: gets cut off during the butchering process because it's dirty 301 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:25,040 Speaker 1: or bloody or harry. They also grind up bones and 302 00:18:25,080 --> 00:18:27,880 Speaker 1: gristle and sinew and throw it all into a burger. 303 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:31,600 Speaker 1: They sell to Raw Wild for quote to something a pound, 304 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:34,840 Speaker 1: as in two dollars and something a pound. All of 305 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:37,560 Speaker 1: this is legal thanks to a provision in Utah law 306 00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:41,320 Speaker 1: that allows the sale of quote inedible by products from 307 00:18:41,359 --> 00:18:45,720 Speaker 1: big game processing. The statute doesn't define what inedible by 308 00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:49,240 Speaker 1: products are. The law enforcement officer we spoke to said 309 00:18:49,359 --> 00:18:53,800 Speaker 1: investigators just use their quote common sense. If it looks inedible, 310 00:18:53,960 --> 00:18:56,680 Speaker 1: you can sell it, even if it comes from wild animals. 311 00:18:57,240 --> 00:19:02,240 Speaker 1: Of course, one man's inedible byproduct would be another person's delicacy. 312 00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:05,560 Speaker 1: Sinew and tendons are edible, and bones can be turned 313 00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:08,320 Speaker 1: into broth. If I threw away every piece of meat 314 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:11,320 Speaker 1: with her hair on it, well, i'd harvest way less 315 00:19:11,320 --> 00:19:14,879 Speaker 1: meat every year. Raw Wild argues that they're just finding 316 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:17,840 Speaker 1: a use for meat and byproducts that would otherwise end 317 00:19:17,880 --> 00:19:21,159 Speaker 1: up in a landfill. I'm sympathetic to this argument. I 318 00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:23,440 Speaker 1: had much rather feed meat to my dog than throw 319 00:19:23,480 --> 00:19:26,040 Speaker 1: it away, and I'm happy Meyer has found a good 320 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:28,680 Speaker 1: use for a shop scrap. But this kind of thing 321 00:19:28,760 --> 00:19:30,440 Speaker 1: still makes the hair on the back of my neck 322 00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:34,680 Speaker 1: stand up. Whenever humans combine wildlife with the open market, 323 00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:40,960 Speaker 1: wildlife usually loses. There's just too much temptation. We've seen 324 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:44,320 Speaker 1: this over and over again New Mexico elk licenses on 325 00:19:44,359 --> 00:19:48,080 Speaker 1: the open market, big money antler hunting. Even this latest 326 00:19:48,119 --> 00:19:52,679 Speaker 1: controversy about the Walleye tournament on Lake Erie. Giving people 327 00:19:52,800 --> 00:19:57,800 Speaker 1: a monetary incentive to harvest wildlife is almost never a 328 00:19:57,920 --> 00:20:01,600 Speaker 1: good idea. In this case, you can imagine a million 329 00:20:01,640 --> 00:20:04,640 Speaker 1: ways it could go wrong. Meyer makes more money per 330 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:07,600 Speaker 1: pounds selling to raw wild than from a hunter who 331 00:20:07,680 --> 00:20:11,280 Speaker 1: orders a basic deer or elk cut. There's no solid 332 00:20:11,359 --> 00:20:14,240 Speaker 1: evidence that he's skimming off the top, but don't tell 333 00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:17,480 Speaker 1: that to the folks leaving reviews on the shop on Google. 334 00:20:18,040 --> 00:20:20,840 Speaker 1: Many complained that they didn't receive back as much meat 335 00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:24,200 Speaker 1: as they expected. That's a fairly common complaint among hunters, 336 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:27,840 Speaker 1: but Meyer gets it a lot. Most states allow antlers 337 00:20:27,840 --> 00:20:30,760 Speaker 1: and hides to be sold, but not every state has 338 00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:35,159 Speaker 1: this inedible byproduct category. In fact, as far as I 339 00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:38,240 Speaker 1: can tell, Utah is the only state that does. The 340 00:20:38,320 --> 00:20:40,959 Speaker 1: state Game Agency says it plans to look into this 341 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:43,680 Speaker 1: category further, and I'll keep you in the loop if 342 00:20:43,720 --> 00:20:46,320 Speaker 1: I hear any news if any state is going to 343 00:20:46,359 --> 00:20:48,960 Speaker 1: allow the sale of shop scrap. I'd like to see 344 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:53,320 Speaker 1: a more robust oversight system. Again. I'm happy to find 345 00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:56,320 Speaker 1: a use for the inevitable waste that comes from game processing, 346 00:20:56,520 --> 00:20:58,920 Speaker 1: but we have to make sure that what's being sold 347 00:20:59,359 --> 00:21:02,520 Speaker 1: is in fact, act waste. If we don't, I can 348 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:05,720 Speaker 1: see a slippery slope that ends with us repealing some 349 00:21:05,800 --> 00:21:08,600 Speaker 1: of the same wildlife mistakes we've made in the past. 350 00:21:09,359 --> 00:21:14,120 Speaker 1: A great rule if you take your game to any processor, 351 00:21:14,680 --> 00:21:19,120 Speaker 1: stand there with them and have it weighed beforehand, then 352 00:21:19,400 --> 00:21:23,439 Speaker 1: have a conversation about what type of weight you should 353 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:27,199 Speaker 1: expect on the back end. This eliminates any guesswork or 354 00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:31,840 Speaker 1: gray area. Now Meyer down here in Utah could be 355 00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:36,640 Speaker 1: a fantastic and very ethical butcher, and the product that 356 00:21:36,720 --> 00:21:40,879 Speaker 1: he gets in from hunters could be by and large 357 00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:44,960 Speaker 1: very bad, even from these people who leave negative reviews, 358 00:21:45,560 --> 00:21:49,720 Speaker 1: meaning that you are just not gonna get your expected 359 00:21:49,840 --> 00:21:55,240 Speaker 1: yield if you bring in dirt, hair covered, nasty looking meat, 360 00:21:55,800 --> 00:21:59,919 Speaker 1: water logged crap, because a butcher is not going to 361 00:22:00,119 --> 00:22:02,640 Speaker 1: package that stuff up and give it back to you 362 00:22:02,840 --> 00:22:06,439 Speaker 1: and put their professional label on it. Okay, it is 363 00:22:06,520 --> 00:22:09,000 Speaker 1: up to you to do a very good job when 364 00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:13,600 Speaker 1: you provide that meat to a butcher then asked to 365 00:22:13,680 --> 00:22:18,760 Speaker 1: get before weight and see what the afterweight should approximately be. 366 00:22:19,560 --> 00:22:22,359 Speaker 1: You be a good communicator, There'll be a good communicator 367 00:22:22,680 --> 00:22:26,160 Speaker 1: and no more controversy. I'll get off my soapbox now 368 00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:31,480 Speaker 1: and move on to the Migratory bird report. Thirty three 369 00:22:31,520 --> 00:22:35,520 Speaker 1: science and conservation organizations released a huge report last week 370 00:22:35,640 --> 00:22:38,040 Speaker 1: on the state of bird species in the United States. 371 00:22:38,359 --> 00:22:41,520 Speaker 1: It's the first comprehensive survey since the two thousand nineteen 372 00:22:41,560 --> 00:22:44,439 Speaker 1: study that found that the US and Canada have lost 373 00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:47,840 Speaker 1: three billion birds in the last fifty years. The latest 374 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:52,040 Speaker 1: report confirms that we're nowhere close to turning things around. However, 375 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:55,840 Speaker 1: thanks to hunters, there is one silver lining. More than 376 00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:59,040 Speaker 1: half of bird species are declining, and grassland birds are 377 00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:03,280 Speaker 1: seeing the fastest population drop off. Since nineteen seventy, these 378 00:23:03,320 --> 00:23:07,760 Speaker 1: birds have seen a thirty four percent loss. Birds in forests, deserts, 379 00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:11,320 Speaker 1: and oceans have also declined between five percent and thirty 380 00:23:11,359 --> 00:23:15,119 Speaker 1: three percent over the last fifty two years. This doesn't 381 00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:19,280 Speaker 1: mean that every species in these ecosystems has seen a decline. 382 00:23:19,640 --> 00:23:24,720 Speaker 1: The turkey population, for example, has increased dramatically since nineteen seventy, 383 00:23:24,760 --> 00:23:27,320 Speaker 1: but taken as a whole, there are fewer birds in 384 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:30,280 Speaker 1: each of these habitats than there were a generation ago. 385 00:23:30,880 --> 00:23:33,960 Speaker 1: The only group of birds whose populations have increased are 386 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:37,040 Speaker 1: those that live in wetlands. Water birds have seen an 387 00:23:37,080 --> 00:23:40,520 Speaker 1: eighteen percent increase, and dabbling and diving ducks have seen 388 00:23:40,560 --> 00:23:44,199 Speaker 1: a whopping thirty four percent increase. Geese and swans have 389 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:47,720 Speaker 1: been the biggest winners. Their populations have increased over one 390 00:23:47,800 --> 00:23:51,600 Speaker 1: thousand percent and are in near all time highs. They've 391 00:23:51,640 --> 00:23:55,080 Speaker 1: adapted to agricultural and urban environments better than any other 392 00:23:55,119 --> 00:23:58,359 Speaker 1: type of bird, as anyone can attest who's been chased 393 00:23:58,359 --> 00:24:01,399 Speaker 1: by a Canada goose through a city work. But like 394 00:24:01,520 --> 00:24:05,480 Speaker 1: other wetland birds, they've also had help. National legislation like 395 00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:09,280 Speaker 1: the North American Wetlands Conservation Act has protected these habitats, 396 00:24:09,400 --> 00:24:13,320 Speaker 1: and organizations like Ducks Unlimited and Delta Waterfowl have turned 397 00:24:13,320 --> 00:24:18,119 Speaker 1: those protections into positive gains. Dr Karen Waldrop, chief conservation 398 00:24:18,160 --> 00:24:22,359 Speaker 1: officer for Ducks Unlimited, credits the collaboration between hunters, landowners, 399 00:24:22,359 --> 00:24:26,399 Speaker 1: state and federal agencies, and corporations for this success. She 400 00:24:26,560 --> 00:24:30,200 Speaker 1: also pointed out that protecting wetlands doesn't just benefit ducks 401 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:33,720 Speaker 1: and geese. Quote, this is good news and not only 402 00:24:33,760 --> 00:24:36,399 Speaker 1: for birds, but for the thousands of other species that 403 00:24:36,440 --> 00:24:40,679 Speaker 1: rely on wetlands and the communities that benefit from groundwater recharge, 404 00:24:40,840 --> 00:24:45,520 Speaker 1: carbon sequestration, and flood protection. Waterfowl hunters have proven that 405 00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:49,040 Speaker 1: it's possible to restore habitat and recover bird species, and 406 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:52,760 Speaker 1: the studies authors hope their strategy can be replicated, but 407 00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:56,800 Speaker 1: hunters aren't off the hook just yet. Grassland birds are 408 00:24:56,880 --> 00:24:59,920 Speaker 1: declining as we lose millions of acres of that habitat, 409 00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:02,280 Speaker 1: and we covered a few weeks ago how one of 410 00:25:02,280 --> 00:25:05,880 Speaker 1: the largest wetlands in the Pacific Flyway has gone dry. 411 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:08,960 Speaker 1: This isn't a time to get complacent. It's time for 412 00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:11,440 Speaker 1: us to double down on what works and make sure 413 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:15,240 Speaker 1: our conservation organizations have the funds they need. If you 414 00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:18,120 Speaker 1: want to get involved, it's easy to donate a few 415 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:21,720 Speaker 1: bucks to Ducks Unlimited or Pheasants Forever. Also, don't forget 416 00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:25,439 Speaker 1: to contact your US representatives about the big conservation bills 417 00:25:25,480 --> 00:25:29,280 Speaker 1: still on the table right now. The Recovering America's Wildlife 418 00:25:29,280 --> 00:25:32,520 Speaker 1: Act and the North American Grasslands Conservation Act are stuck 419 00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:36,119 Speaker 1: in committees. Just like our parents and grandparents demanded that 420 00:25:36,200 --> 00:25:39,199 Speaker 1: Congress past the Wetlands Act, we need to demand that 421 00:25:39,240 --> 00:25:42,680 Speaker 1: our representatives past these bills and help ensure our wildlife 422 00:25:42,720 --> 00:25:46,720 Speaker 1: continues to thrive in the decades ahead. That's all I've 423 00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:49,520 Speaker 1: got for you this week. Thank you so much for listening. 424 00:25:49,880 --> 00:25:53,080 Speaker 1: Remember to write in to a s k C. A 425 00:25:53,400 --> 00:25:56,800 Speaker 1: L Let's ask hell at the meat Eater dot com, 426 00:25:56,880 --> 00:25:59,880 Speaker 1: and also don't forget. If you're about to head out 427 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:02,920 Speaker 1: the woods buck a bunch of firewood for hunting camp, 428 00:26:03,200 --> 00:26:06,680 Speaker 1: head on down to www dot steel dealers dot com 429 00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:10,120 Speaker 1: and find a local, knowledgeable steel dealer near you. They're 430 00:26:10,119 --> 00:26:11,840 Speaker 1: gonna get you set up with what you need, and 431 00:26:11,880 --> 00:26:13,480 Speaker 1: they're not going to send you off to camp with 432 00:26:13,520 --> 00:26:16,080 Speaker 1: what you don't. Thanks again and we'll talk to you 433 00:26:16,119 --> 00:26:25,159 Speaker 1: next week.