1 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:14,240 Speaker 1: From Meat Eaters World News headquarters in Bozeman, Montana. This 2 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:19,120 Speaker 1: is Cow's Week in Review with Ryan cow Calahan. Here's 3 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:23,520 Speaker 1: cal A black lab in North Carolina is lucky to 4 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:26,200 Speaker 1: be alive after an alligator tried to drag him to 5 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 1: the bottom of a pond and eat him. The dog's owner, 6 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:32,479 Speaker 1: a man named Bonner Herring, told local media that he 7 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:34,880 Speaker 1: was out at his family's one hundred and fourteen acre 8 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:38,199 Speaker 1: property tending to a garden when he heard his dog scream. 9 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:41,280 Speaker 1: The dog's name is Strike, but in this case it'd 10 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:44,440 Speaker 1: be more accurate to call him Struck. He'd been nosing 11 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:46,879 Speaker 1: around a nearby pond, and the gator had seized the 12 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 1: opportunity as well as Strike's right leg. By the time 13 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:53,279 Speaker 1: Herring arrived at the pond, Strike was twenty feet offshore 14 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:55,920 Speaker 1: and quickly running out of energy. I'm sorry to say 15 00:00:55,960 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 1: there are dog owners out there who wouldn't risk being 16 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 1: eaten by a gator in that situation, but Herring isn't 17 00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:04,399 Speaker 1: one of them. He bounded in the water, got a 18 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:06,360 Speaker 1: hold of his dog, and pulled as hard as he could. 19 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:09,399 Speaker 1: The gator put up some resistance, but quickly decided that 20 00:01:09,440 --> 00:01:12,720 Speaker 1: the canine cuisine wasn't worth the trouble. He released Strike 21 00:01:12,959 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 1: and Herring was able to get him to shore and 22 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:18,200 Speaker 1: to a vet. The poor puppy had broken his right 23 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:21,080 Speaker 1: femur in three places to go along with internal bleeding 24 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:23,880 Speaker 1: and puncture wounds, but the doggy doc fixed him up 25 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:26,120 Speaker 1: and now he has a titanium plate in his legs 26 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 1: secured with eleven titanium screws. I hear he'll be trying 27 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 1: out for the role of the bionic dog in an 28 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:35,160 Speaker 1: upcoming remake. Herring says he's happy his dog is alive, 29 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:37,960 Speaker 1: but he believes laws around gator hunting should be changed. 30 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:42,000 Speaker 1: Alligators are one of America's most successful conservation stories. They 31 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:44,440 Speaker 1: went from the brink of extinction in the nineteen sixties 32 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:48,320 Speaker 1: to an estimated population of five million in the southeast US. 33 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:51,720 Speaker 1: Gator hunting is legal in many states, but it's strictly regulated. 34 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 1: Herring thinks it should be easier for landowners to take 35 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:57,160 Speaker 1: care of problem gators like the one that nearly turned 36 00:01:57,200 --> 00:02:00,240 Speaker 1: Strike into a pair of boots. North Carolina, a lot 37 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 1: requires a permit to hunt alligators, but those permits are 38 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:06,320 Speaker 1: difficult to come by. A county or municipality can request 39 00:02:06,360 --> 00:02:09,600 Speaker 1: an alligator hunt to reduce the population, but then permits 40 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:11,960 Speaker 1: are given out by lottery to the residents who apply. 41 00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:15,880 Speaker 1: Otherwise it's illegal to harm or kill an alligator. I 42 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:18,679 Speaker 1: can't imagine Herring would have been prosecuted if he'd killed 43 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:20,639 Speaker 1: the gator that was using strike as a chew toy. 44 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:23,000 Speaker 1: But he's not allowed to go back to the pond 45 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:26,240 Speaker 1: and get revenge. If more North Carolinians agree with Herring, 46 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 1: they should get in touch with Wildlife Resource Commission and 47 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:34,519 Speaker 1: their state representatives. This week, we've got duck banding, water wars, 48 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:36,200 Speaker 1: and the crime desk. But first I'm going to tell 49 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:40,280 Speaker 1: you about my week. In my week, oh boy boy, 50 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:42,160 Speaker 1: been up to a lot. Hard to catch you up 51 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:44,679 Speaker 1: on everything. I think the most notable thing that's going 52 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:48,280 Speaker 1: on right now is in between taking my beer belly 53 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:50,080 Speaker 1: for a run up in the mountains with the dogs. 54 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 1: I am working hard to understand roadless rule recisions, what's 55 00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:01,440 Speaker 1: happening in the budget process as its to areas like 56 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:06,519 Speaker 1: the Boundary Waters, what the reality is of mandatory lease 57 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:10,800 Speaker 1: sales in the Arctic plane, specifically in the Arctic National 58 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:15,240 Speaker 1: Wildlife Refuge and the National Petroleum Reserve. Alaska and pra 59 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:18,680 Speaker 1: really interesting stuff. I had a quick trip down to 60 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:21,679 Speaker 1: Colorado and hung out at one Shot Gear, which is 61 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 1: a cool shot there in Denver, and had a lot 62 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:29,080 Speaker 1: of folks come in to chat specifically, or one specific 63 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:33,840 Speaker 1: conversation was with the couple young fellas that are going 64 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:37,320 Speaker 1: to the School of Mines there in Colorado, and they're saying, 65 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:41,600 Speaker 1: like their professors think it's too expensive to extract out 66 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:46,040 Speaker 1: of the Arctic Plane, which is the exact consensus I've 67 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 1: come up with that there's no way for industry to 68 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 1: go up there and make a profit to develop the 69 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:56,400 Speaker 1: extraction base and the pipeline in the Arctic Plane. But 70 00:03:56,440 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 1: there's all these outside factors involved, which is the theory 71 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:05,200 Speaker 1: that you could leverage the tariffs against other countries, you 72 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:08,720 Speaker 1: could reduce those in exchange for going in and developing 73 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 1: or laying the development framework in these really expensive areas 74 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 1: and extract them that way, which again is you know, 75 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:18,280 Speaker 1: it's probably a good way to get something done that 76 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 1: you don't want to pay for, but it's you know, 77 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:25,080 Speaker 1: a foreign country going in and destroying a place that 78 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:29,119 Speaker 1: there's just essentially none of left, and for what gain 79 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 1: is what we always got to be asking ourselves when 80 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:35,000 Speaker 1: these things get proposed, like A, we don't need it now. B. 81 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:38,560 Speaker 1: It's not going to make anybody any money. See, we 82 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:41,880 Speaker 1: can't replace what we destroy up there. I'd kick that 83 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:45,600 Speaker 1: can way down the road. See what happens with technology? 84 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 1: Which I brought up to these two young fellas from 85 00:04:48,520 --> 00:04:51,799 Speaker 1: the School of Minds, and they said, well, oil isn't 86 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:54,600 Speaker 1: going to way less in the future, so what kind 87 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:58,679 Speaker 1: of technology do you expect? And I basically had to say, 88 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 1: I don't know. A pie in the sky notion of 89 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:07,719 Speaker 1: like anti gravity belts being attached to drill rigs or something. Right, 90 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:09,960 Speaker 1: that's the fun part about the future. Who knows what 91 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:18,600 Speaker 1: it will bring? Boundary Waters Canoe Area, What the heck 92 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:20,760 Speaker 1: are we going to do up there? Chilean mining company 93 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:25,080 Speaker 1: with the track record of ecological disasters under their belt, 94 00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:28,599 Speaker 1: wants to have an open pit copper sulfide mine in 95 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:32,000 Speaker 1: the boundary waters where the runoff would according to their 96 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:36,560 Speaker 1: track record. Not Greenpeace or any other greeny, lefty liberal 97 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:41,160 Speaker 1: type organization, but their own company's track record says they 98 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:45,840 Speaker 1: will pollute downstream water sources. Do we need that to happen? 99 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:48,679 Speaker 1: And what can we do? About it. Big question marks. 100 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:51,240 Speaker 1: That's where I'm thinking and spending my time these days. 101 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 1: On top of not when or if, but how these 102 00:05:57,040 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 1: folks are going to come back and try to steal 103 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:02,400 Speaker 1: our public lands. We have access issues all across the country. 104 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:07,280 Speaker 1: Right over in Washington, for example, access to fishing and 105 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:13,840 Speaker 1: hunting is at stake as many groups fight for representation 106 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:17,160 Speaker 1: on the state Game Agency board the commission Over there. 107 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:21,440 Speaker 1: Hunters and anglers want the benefit of the species and 108 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:24,480 Speaker 1: access to those species, and we can't have access to 109 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:29,760 Speaker 1: those species if the species aren't in good, healthy spots, 110 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:33,400 Speaker 1: as in their population is stable and growing. Ideally, we 111 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:38,119 Speaker 1: don't also need to fight a politically semantic argument of 112 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:40,480 Speaker 1: if we should be able to go hunt and fish 113 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:44,600 Speaker 1: and eat those animals. Lots happening, man. I got a 114 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:46,840 Speaker 1: couple of cool hunts coming up this fall. We'll get 115 00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:50,400 Speaker 1: into that more later, but I have a hunt in 116 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:54,120 Speaker 1: Alaska coming up for brown bear, which is just like 117 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:57,560 Speaker 1: a crazy deal that happened. It wasn't something I was 118 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:01,719 Speaker 1: really trying to get done, and it's far from done, 119 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:04,400 Speaker 1: but I got the money paid and I'm going up 120 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:07,839 Speaker 1: there really looking forward to that. It's a fall hunt 121 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:11,040 Speaker 1: and My big hang up with these is always the 122 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:13,960 Speaker 1: fact that you don't have to take the meat. And 123 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:17,160 Speaker 1: there's so many people who are like, oh, the fall 124 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:20,680 Speaker 1: bear coastal bear meat is just terrible because they're just 125 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:24,560 Speaker 1: eating rotten salmon. But you know, I'm preparing to see 126 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:27,120 Speaker 1: what I can do with that critter if and when 127 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 1: I get them, And I think about that as my 128 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:34,200 Speaker 1: beer gut jiggles up the trail every every day. Right now, 129 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 1: So I'm a little rambling today, so we'll move on 130 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 1: to the crime desk. Two Idaho men have been charged 131 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:44,440 Speaker 1: with the eight felonies related to the illegal take of 132 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:47,720 Speaker 1: seven white tail bucks. Those eight felonies are part of 133 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:51,480 Speaker 1: fifty six total wildlife violations that Idaho Game Wardens documented 134 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:54,640 Speaker 1: as part of their investigation. Idaho Fish and Game said 135 00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 1: in a press release that twenty four year old William 136 00:07:56,920 --> 00:07:59,480 Speaker 1: Clark in twenty eight year old Lucas Mitchell killed all 137 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:02,679 Speaker 1: seventy or November of twenty twenty four outside of legal 138 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:05,760 Speaker 1: shooting hours, meaning at night. They killed five of those 139 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 1: seven within a single twenty four hour period. But these 140 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:12,240 Speaker 1: yahoos weren't just hankering to fill their freezer. The carcasses 141 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:14,160 Speaker 1: of Three of the seven deer were left to waste 142 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:17,800 Speaker 1: with only their heads removed. Williams was arrested last week 143 00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:20,760 Speaker 1: on a fifty thousand dollars warrant, but as of this recording, 144 00:08:20,840 --> 00:08:24,760 Speaker 1: Mitchell is still at large. Game Warden's credit concerned citizens 145 00:08:24,800 --> 00:08:28,240 Speaker 1: for the bust. They say someone reported a quote suspicious 146 00:08:28,240 --> 00:08:31,720 Speaker 1: deerhead to the state's Citizens Against Poaching tip line. That 147 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:35,359 Speaker 1: initial tip launched what turned out to be a successful investigation. 148 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:38,120 Speaker 1: As far as I'm aware, all fifty states have a 149 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:42,160 Speaker 1: similar program for people to report wildlife violations anonymously. If 150 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:45,080 Speaker 1: you ever see anything suspicious while out in the woods 151 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:47,559 Speaker 1: or on the water, look up the tip line in 152 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:51,800 Speaker 1: your state, and what I believe is the first for 153 00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:54,520 Speaker 1: the crime desk. Here on Cow's Week in Review, butterfly 154 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:57,840 Speaker 1: poaching charges have been leveled against a Washington state man 155 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:01,120 Speaker 1: collecting the insects from a park in Florida. State and 156 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:04,560 Speaker 1: federal officials have been investigating reports of butterfly poaching in 157 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:07,520 Speaker 1: a botanical state park in the Florida Keys since twenty 158 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:10,040 Speaker 1: twenty one. The only clue had been a truck with 159 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:13,840 Speaker 1: a Washington state plate, but after four years and multiple tips, 160 00:09:13,880 --> 00:09:17,360 Speaker 1: the Feds finally got their man, tad R. Norman was 161 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:20,720 Speaker 1: charged with butterfly poaching after a witness spotted him using 162 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:24,520 Speaker 1: a net to capture insects. Officers responded to the scene, 163 00:09:24,559 --> 00:09:26,880 Speaker 1: pulled over Norman as he attempted to flee, and located 164 00:09:26,880 --> 00:09:31,960 Speaker 1: ten butterflies stored in individual envelopes. I'm no lepidopterist or 165 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:35,559 Speaker 1: someone who studies butterflies, but based on a quick Internet search, 166 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:39,120 Speaker 1: it looks like Norman had captured five cloudless sulfur butterflies, 167 00:09:39,440 --> 00:09:42,960 Speaker 1: one gulf fritillary butterfly, and four of another kind I 168 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:45,960 Speaker 1: couldn't identify. It is illegal to take wildlife from a 169 00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:48,600 Speaker 1: protected park in Florida, and the same is true for 170 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:52,120 Speaker 1: pretty much every park throughout the country. The investigation is 171 00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:55,080 Speaker 1: ongoing as officials determine if they can find more poached 172 00:09:55,080 --> 00:09:57,880 Speaker 1: butterflies in Norman's possession. I don't know what kind of 173 00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:00,720 Speaker 1: penalties come with butterfly poaching, but I'm sure there are 174 00:10:00,760 --> 00:10:03,400 Speaker 1: more than a few sun hat wearing green thumb grannies 175 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:05,319 Speaker 1: who would like to see him thrown in the slammer. 176 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:10,240 Speaker 1: Five men in mass A Chusetts have been fined out 177 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:13,040 Speaker 1: over fifty thousand dollars for proaching hundreds of fish. An 178 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:16,720 Speaker 1: assistant harbor master in Westport, Massachusetts told local media that 179 00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:19,680 Speaker 1: he became suspicious when the men asked him for fuel 180 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:22,959 Speaker 1: for their boat. The problem was the boat was already running. 181 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:25,560 Speaker 1: The harbormasters suspected the men were trying to send him 182 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:28,240 Speaker 1: on an errand to throw him off the trail, but 183 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:31,200 Speaker 1: he wasn't buying it. Environmental police boarded the boat and 184 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:34,720 Speaker 1: found five coolers filled with over one thousand fish, including 185 00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:38,880 Speaker 1: undersized black sea bass, toetog and scup. It appeared as 186 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:41,360 Speaker 1: if the men just kept everything they caught, whether or 187 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:45,520 Speaker 1: not they were allowed to. Interestingly, head harbormaster Bill Chase 188 00:10:45,559 --> 00:10:48,760 Speaker 1: said that he doesn't believe this is an isolated incident. 189 00:10:49,120 --> 00:10:51,640 Speaker 1: He said that these five men are likely part of 190 00:10:51,679 --> 00:10:55,360 Speaker 1: a coordinated operation that has quote roots and tentacles in 191 00:10:55,480 --> 00:10:59,760 Speaker 1: other states. That's a fish ring case. You're wondering if 192 00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:02,640 Speaker 1: any of you know anything about those roots and tentacles. 193 00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:05,720 Speaker 1: Send me an email to ask Cal at the meeater 194 00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:09,800 Speaker 1: dot com. This last one as an update to a 195 00:11:09,840 --> 00:11:12,200 Speaker 1: story we covered a few weeks ago. An Australian woman 196 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:15,200 Speaker 1: named Aaron Patterson had been charged with the killing of 197 00:11:15,400 --> 00:11:18,600 Speaker 1: three of her relatives with a beef wellington that contained 198 00:11:18,640 --> 00:11:21,200 Speaker 1: deaf cap mushrooms. She's been on trial for the last 199 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:23,680 Speaker 1: few weeks, and a jury finally came back with a verdict. 200 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:27,160 Speaker 1: Patterson was found guilty of intentionally murdering her in laws 201 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:30,360 Speaker 1: and another relative, and attempting to murder a fourth relative. 202 00:11:30,640 --> 00:11:33,400 Speaker 1: Patterson and her attorneys did not dispute that the wellingtons 203 00:11:33,440 --> 00:11:36,200 Speaker 1: contained the deadly shroom, but they argued that she added 204 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:40,280 Speaker 1: them unintentionally. However, the jury was not convinced. They heard 205 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:42,720 Speaker 1: evidence that Patterson had gone to great lengths to cover 206 00:11:42,800 --> 00:11:45,600 Speaker 1: up her crimes, including lying to the police and medical 207 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:49,400 Speaker 1: staff about foraging for wild mushrooms, dumping a food dehydrator 208 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:53,000 Speaker 1: used to prepare the meal, and repeatedly wiping her mobile phone. 209 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:56,360 Speaker 1: She also hunted down deaf cap mushrooms sighted in nearby towns, 210 00:11:56,520 --> 00:11:59,080 Speaker 1: which put the lie to the claim that she foraged 211 00:11:59,120 --> 00:12:01,720 Speaker 1: them by accident. She had tried to kill her estranged 212 00:12:01,800 --> 00:12:04,880 Speaker 1: husband before, and he'd originally been scheduled to attend the 213 00:12:04,920 --> 00:12:08,360 Speaker 1: deadly lunch. She apparently figured that her husband's parents and 214 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:10,959 Speaker 1: his aunt and uncle would be enough of a consolation 215 00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:14,079 Speaker 1: prize She and her husband's uncle were the only ones 216 00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:16,600 Speaker 1: to survive the meal, he after a lengthy stay in 217 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:18,920 Speaker 1: the hospital, and she because she vomited up the meal 218 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:22,240 Speaker 1: after eating it. She'll face life in prison for her crimes. 219 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:27,480 Speaker 1: Moving on to the doge disk the name, we thought 220 00:12:27,520 --> 00:12:31,800 Speaker 1: we might be done with, but it's not. While New 221 00:12:31,920 --> 00:12:35,040 Speaker 1: York is expanding their citizen science efforts, the federal government 222 00:12:35,160 --> 00:12:37,720 Speaker 1: might be scaling back on theirs. The New York Times 223 00:12:37,720 --> 00:12:40,199 Speaker 1: published an article last week that claims cuts to the 224 00:12:40,280 --> 00:12:44,320 Speaker 1: US Geological Survey might jeopardize the government's historic and successful 225 00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:48,400 Speaker 1: waterfowl banning program. Under President Trump's proposed budget, the US 226 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:51,959 Speaker 1: Geological Survey's Ecosystem Mission would see its funding cut from 227 00:12:51,960 --> 00:12:54,840 Speaker 1: two hundred ninety three million to twenty nine million. The 228 00:12:54,840 --> 00:12:57,720 Speaker 1: bird banning Laboratory falls under this area of the US 229 00:12:57,720 --> 00:13:01,160 Speaker 1: Geological Survey, so it's reasonable to assume that bird banding 230 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:03,959 Speaker 1: efforts would be more limited if the budget goes through. 231 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:07,360 Speaker 1: This would, I can safely say, spark a massive firestorm 232 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:10,559 Speaker 1: from the nation's waterfowl hunters. If you aren't familiar with why, 233 00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:14,320 Speaker 1: I'll explain. The bird banding laboratory puts metal bands on 234 00:13:14,400 --> 00:13:18,000 Speaker 1: the legs of various bird species, including waterfowl, which are 235 00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:20,240 Speaker 1: used to track their movements. When a bird is banded, 236 00:13:20,559 --> 00:13:23,880 Speaker 1: researchers record the animal species, sex, age, and weight, and 237 00:13:23,960 --> 00:13:26,840 Speaker 1: sometimes even draw tissue in blood samples. Then, when the 238 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:29,160 Speaker 1: bird is killed by a hunter, they call in the 239 00:13:29,280 --> 00:13:32,839 Speaker 1: information listed on the band. This tells researchers how long 240 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:35,760 Speaker 1: that bird survived and where it traveled. The information, in 241 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:38,880 Speaker 1: turn is used to make smart management decisions like setting 242 00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:42,880 Speaker 1: bag limits for particular species. Losing the banding program would 243 00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:45,959 Speaker 1: eliminate all that data and force wildlife managers to make 244 00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:49,320 Speaker 1: decisions in the dark. The banding program has been operating 245 00:13:49,320 --> 00:13:51,160 Speaker 1: for over a century and it's really one of the 246 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:54,280 Speaker 1: best examples in the world of how citizen scientists can 247 00:13:54,280 --> 00:13:57,760 Speaker 1: make a real difference for the species they love. Duckbands 248 00:13:57,760 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 1: are also one of the greatest prizes a waterfowl hunter 249 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:03,319 Speaker 1: can get. These bands are coveted and saved by hunters, 250 00:14:03,520 --> 00:14:06,319 Speaker 1: and many enjoy calling in their information and learning where 251 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:08,880 Speaker 1: that duck came from and how old it is. If 252 00:14:08,920 --> 00:14:11,480 Speaker 1: you're a waterfowl hunter, I'm not telling you anything new. 253 00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:14,679 Speaker 1: The prospect of losing the banding program probably makes your 254 00:14:14,679 --> 00:14:16,800 Speaker 1: blood boil and The New York Times did a good 255 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:20,040 Speaker 1: job representing our side of things in this article. For 256 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:22,280 Speaker 1: the sake of your blood pressure, I should mention a 257 00:14:22,280 --> 00:14:26,040 Speaker 1: few thanks. First, a president's proposed budget almost never passes, 258 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:29,240 Speaker 1: even President Trump's. He uses it to tell Congress what 259 00:14:29,320 --> 00:14:31,640 Speaker 1: his priorities are, but that decision is still in the 260 00:14:31,640 --> 00:14:35,240 Speaker 1: hands of our representatives. Second, if the budget passes, no 261 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:38,280 Speaker 1: one has said the bird Banding Laboratory is going away. 262 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:41,240 Speaker 1: The office itself employs about a dozen people, and while 263 00:14:41,240 --> 00:14:44,160 Speaker 1: I don't know exactly what the lab's budget is, it 264 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:47,720 Speaker 1: isn't a large percentage of the ecosystem's mission area. Some 265 00:14:47,920 --> 00:14:50,760 Speaker 1: form of the program will likely persist, but it's anyone's 266 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:53,200 Speaker 1: guess what it will look like if these budget cuts 267 00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:55,960 Speaker 1: go through. I know I sound like a broken record here, 268 00:14:56,160 --> 00:14:58,040 Speaker 1: but the thing to do right now is get involved. 269 00:14:58,200 --> 00:14:59,960 Speaker 1: If you're a duck hunter, a hunter of any kind, 270 00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:02,880 Speaker 1: or you just care about good wildlife management, tell your 271 00:15:02,920 --> 00:15:05,520 Speaker 1: elected officials that you don't want to see any cuts 272 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:08,800 Speaker 1: the US Geological Survey. Those folks generate much of the 273 00:15:08,880 --> 00:15:11,920 Speaker 1: data and fund many of the projects that state agencies 274 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:16,160 Speaker 1: use to make good decisions. Without that information, A species 275 00:15:16,240 --> 00:15:18,840 Speaker 1: might be headed for trouble and we wouldn't even know it. 276 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:28,600 Speaker 1: Moving on to water wars, the water fight desk has 277 00:15:28,640 --> 00:15:32,360 Speaker 1: been absolutely hopping recently. A few weeks ago, we reported 278 00:15:32,360 --> 00:15:35,440 Speaker 1: on the Crazy Mountain Ranch or CMR, an ultra luxury 279 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:37,880 Speaker 1: golf resort in the Shields Valley of Montana that has 280 00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:41,120 Speaker 1: been openly irrigating its greens and storing water without the 281 00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:45,280 Speaker 1: proper water use permits. Remember water flows downhill, or it's 282 00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:48,880 Speaker 1: supposed to. One oversight body, the Park County Conservation District 283 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:51,520 Speaker 1: had declined to take legal action or levy a fine 284 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:53,600 Speaker 1: against CMR, and the club has made it clear that 285 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:56,400 Speaker 1: they aren't going to correct themselves. In a June thirtieth 286 00:15:56,400 --> 00:15:59,120 Speaker 1: email to a state official, Crazy Mountain Ranch as lawyer 287 00:15:59,160 --> 00:16:02,120 Speaker 1: wrote that the club wouldn't stop watering, quote because of 288 00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:05,320 Speaker 1: the damage that doing so would cause to a complex 289 00:16:05,440 --> 00:16:09,080 Speaker 1: and costly project. That's right. The water that's supposed to 290 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:12,640 Speaker 1: flow downhill isn't going to flow downhill because we have 291 00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:16,040 Speaker 1: a golf course that we care about. What's your problem? 292 00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:19,560 Speaker 1: So locals were wondering whether the agency that issues water permits, 293 00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:23,080 Speaker 1: the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, would step in well, 294 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:25,480 Speaker 1: now we have our answer. After more than a dozen 295 00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:28,960 Speaker 1: downstream neighbors filed complaints, the DNRC has officially found that 296 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:33,160 Speaker 1: CMR violated applicable law, and on July eleventh, the agency 297 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:36,720 Speaker 1: issued a cease and desist order against the ongoing irrigation. 298 00:16:37,240 --> 00:16:40,160 Speaker 1: The order warns that continuing to use water illegally would 299 00:16:40,240 --> 00:16:43,600 Speaker 1: lead to enforcement action against Crazy Mountain Ranch, including a 300 00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:46,640 Speaker 1: one thousand dollars per day fine that the DNRC is 301 00:16:46,760 --> 00:16:49,920 Speaker 1: authorized to levy. The DNRC has also filed a two 302 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:52,600 Speaker 1: hundred and nine page lawsuit in district court to halt 303 00:16:52,640 --> 00:16:55,960 Speaker 1: the illegal water use and address the violations. And that's 304 00:16:56,000 --> 00:16:59,320 Speaker 1: not the only three stroke penalty suffered by CMR. On 305 00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:02,800 Speaker 1: July eight, Quart appointed Water Commissioner rich Sarazen ordered the 306 00:17:02,840 --> 00:17:05,520 Speaker 1: resort to shut off a ditch headgate from nearby Rock 307 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:08,679 Speaker 1: Creek that was diverting water to irrigate the SOD. That 308 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:12,760 Speaker 1: headgate is now closed, blocking water to the club. In response, 309 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:15,000 Speaker 1: CMR has been going to extreme measures to keep its 310 00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:18,080 Speaker 1: grass alive. According to emails from CMR's lawyers, as well 311 00:17:18,080 --> 00:17:21,720 Speaker 1: as photographic evidence, the resort is now trucking water in 312 00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:24,000 Speaker 1: to the course as much as one hundred and ten 313 00:17:24,080 --> 00:17:26,760 Speaker 1: thousand gallons a week, or up to thirty five round 314 00:17:26,760 --> 00:17:29,879 Speaker 1: trips every day. It's a heck of a carbon footprint 315 00:17:29,920 --> 00:17:33,199 Speaker 1: for that sod. There is a thing that would get 316 00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:36,840 Speaker 1: them out of this sticky mass, which is native Montana prairie, 317 00:17:37,359 --> 00:17:40,440 Speaker 1: which is kind of the thing that survives up there 318 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:44,159 Speaker 1: without one hundred and ten thousand gallons a week. Although 319 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:47,880 Speaker 1: this strategy temporarily gets around the illegal pumping, importing water 320 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:51,359 Speaker 1: from other areas this way may also violate water use statutes. 321 00:17:51,400 --> 00:17:53,560 Speaker 1: We don't know where the water is coming from, but 322 00:17:53,600 --> 00:17:56,280 Speaker 1: no doubt someone will soon just follow those trucks and 323 00:17:56,320 --> 00:17:58,520 Speaker 1: find out. Let's not forget that we are in the 324 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:01,600 Speaker 1: height of water shortage season in the West Park County, 325 00:18:01,600 --> 00:18:05,200 Speaker 1: where CMR is located, has been designated as unusually dry 326 00:18:05,480 --> 00:18:08,399 Speaker 1: by the North American Drought Monitor, and more than half 327 00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:12,480 Speaker 1: of the state is currently in a drought. Even more concerning, Montana, 328 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:15,640 Speaker 1: lawmakers with personal connections to CMR seem to be using 329 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:19,359 Speaker 1: their influence to undermine the dnr c's enforcement ability. On 330 00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:22,199 Speaker 1: June twenty nine, State Senator Wiley Galt, chairman of the 331 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:25,680 Speaker 1: Senate Natural Resources Committee, sent an email to State Budget 332 00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:30,040 Speaker 1: Director Ryan Osmondson, saying that the dnrc's expedited review of 333 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:34,280 Speaker 1: CMR's permit application was quote highly unusual. He went on 334 00:18:34,359 --> 00:18:37,399 Speaker 1: to say that that decision alone raises concerns for me, 335 00:18:37,560 --> 00:18:42,400 Speaker 1: particularly about how agency resources are allocated. Wiley's always got 336 00:18:42,480 --> 00:18:44,439 Speaker 1: a spot on this show. If he wants it, we 337 00:18:44,480 --> 00:18:47,440 Speaker 1: can talk to him about why he is interested here. 338 00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:50,360 Speaker 1: I don't know about you, but contacting the official who 339 00:18:50,359 --> 00:18:53,520 Speaker 1: controls funding to a state agency to dispute a decision 340 00:18:53,600 --> 00:18:57,240 Speaker 1: that agency may it seems pretty threatening. Galt also called 341 00:18:57,280 --> 00:19:01,400 Speaker 1: CMR's admitted water use violations a quote unquot technical issue 342 00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:05,680 Speaker 1: that doesn't pose substantive harm to other water users. Those 343 00:19:05,720 --> 00:19:09,920 Speaker 1: other water users would probably beg to differ. The Gault 344 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:13,919 Speaker 1: family ranch is currently in a joint effort with the 345 00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:19,000 Speaker 1: CMR legislating for different water storage statutes in the state. 346 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:22,800 Speaker 1: SB one seven eight, which was passed on May first, 347 00:19:22,800 --> 00:19:25,800 Speaker 1: makes it easier for the Galts and several other landowners 348 00:19:25,800 --> 00:19:31,240 Speaker 1: to lease water for a billion dollar pumped storage hydro project. 349 00:19:31,720 --> 00:19:34,280 Speaker 1: This also clears the way for Crazy Mountain ranch Is 350 00:19:34,320 --> 00:19:39,080 Speaker 1: water storage application. Pumped hydro storage is I will admit 351 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:43,520 Speaker 1: an extremely cool technology during times when cheap surplus energy 352 00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:48,320 Speaker 1: is being generated, especially from renewable sources, turbines pump huge 353 00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:51,720 Speaker 1: amounts of stored water uphill than in times of greater demand. 354 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:56,119 Speaker 1: That water flows downhill through those same turbines, generating electricity 355 00:19:56,240 --> 00:19:59,320 Speaker 1: right when it's needed. It's essentially an enormous battery and 356 00:19:59,480 --> 00:20:02,119 Speaker 1: an extreme only beneficial energy service that can be very 357 00:20:02,200 --> 00:20:06,639 Speaker 1: lucrative to the people who own it. Anyway, Although advocacy 358 00:20:06,680 --> 00:20:09,800 Speaker 1: groups like Trout Unlimited and the Egg Council were able 359 00:20:09,840 --> 00:20:12,879 Speaker 1: to amend SB one seven eight to include more thorough 360 00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:17,560 Speaker 1: review of water storage applications as well as community objection process, 361 00:20:17,920 --> 00:20:21,080 Speaker 1: the law also allows misdemeanor charges to be brought against 362 00:20:21,080 --> 00:20:25,200 Speaker 1: parties who file complaints that are deemed malicious. This law 363 00:20:25,320 --> 00:20:29,159 Speaker 1: isn't necessarily bad. It just demonstrates two very powerful, very 364 00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:32,560 Speaker 1: connected landowners cooperating to advance their interests with an eye 365 00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:37,200 Speaker 1: toward overcoming opposition. And now on paper, anyway, one could 366 00:20:37,280 --> 00:20:42,080 Speaker 1: see how this particular politician is pressuring a state agency 367 00:20:42,359 --> 00:20:46,560 Speaker 1: on behalf of another landowner. The DNRC and county courts 368 00:20:46,720 --> 00:20:49,359 Speaker 1: seem willing to hold their ground, but we just don't 369 00:20:49,359 --> 00:20:53,640 Speaker 1: know what's going to happen. Moving a little over five 370 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:56,719 Speaker 1: hundred miles southeast. Another water battle seems to be brewing 371 00:20:56,760 --> 00:21:00,119 Speaker 1: along the Neobrera River in the sand Hills of Nebraska. 372 00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:02,480 Speaker 1: Thanks to everyone who sent this one in to us, 373 00:21:02,760 --> 00:21:06,600 Speaker 1: the Nebraska legislature has introduced Legislative Resolution one fifty eight, 374 00:21:06,760 --> 00:21:09,840 Speaker 1: which would launch a study into transferring management of the 375 00:21:09,880 --> 00:21:13,199 Speaker 1: Neobrera National Scenic River from the National Park Service to 376 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:17,040 Speaker 1: the State of Nebraska. Although this is a very preliminary bill, 377 00:21:17,280 --> 00:21:19,639 Speaker 1: it's the first step in a process that's similar to 378 00:21:19,720 --> 00:21:23,040 Speaker 1: transferring land that's managed by the BLM or Park Service 379 00:21:23,119 --> 00:21:26,399 Speaker 1: to state control. Often in the land transfer process, the 380 00:21:26,440 --> 00:21:29,760 Speaker 1: aim of the state Utah comes to mind is to 381 00:21:29,800 --> 00:21:34,160 Speaker 1: sell those lands to raise revenue and satisfy real estate interests. Interestingly, 382 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:37,320 Speaker 1: that wouldn't be the risk from the Neobrera because almost 383 00:21:37,359 --> 00:21:39,840 Speaker 1: all the land along the route is already privately owned. 384 00:21:40,080 --> 00:21:43,040 Speaker 1: A little history is in order. Back in nineteen fifty nine, 385 00:21:43,320 --> 00:21:46,639 Speaker 1: the US Bureau of Reclamation proposed building the Nordon Dam 386 00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:49,760 Speaker 1: across this part of the Neobrera to create a system 387 00:21:49,800 --> 00:21:52,879 Speaker 1: of canals that would irrigate farmland one hundred miles to 388 00:21:52,920 --> 00:21:56,119 Speaker 1: the east. This project, known as the O'Neal unit was 389 00:21:56,119 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 1: pushed by influential lawmakers, and Congress authorized the dam project 390 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:03,879 Speaker 1: in nineteen seventy one, but the development met fierce opposition 391 00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:07,080 Speaker 1: from the Audubon Society and the Wildlife Society, as well 392 00:22:07,119 --> 00:22:10,240 Speaker 1: as a coalition of ranchers who feared losing grazing land 393 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:14,080 Speaker 1: to the system. Those groups sued in US District Court 394 00:22:14,160 --> 00:22:16,840 Speaker 1: to halt the project, and after a year's long battle, 395 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:21,560 Speaker 1: the O'Neal Unit was indefinitely suspended. During this whole Brewjaha 396 00:22:21,760 --> 00:22:24,760 Speaker 1: opponents of the dam proposed protecting the affected stretch of 397 00:22:24,800 --> 00:22:28,359 Speaker 1: the Neobrera as a National Scenic River, and after even 398 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:31,640 Speaker 1: more years of lobbying, the authorization was signed into law 399 00:22:31,680 --> 00:22:34,560 Speaker 1: by George H. W. Bush in nineteen ninety one. The 400 00:22:34,640 --> 00:22:38,400 Speaker 1: Neiobrera as a rare jam several different climate types clustered 401 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:42,520 Speaker 1: together along its length, including northern boreal forests, western coniferous 402 00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:46,040 Speaker 1: and eastern deciduous for us, as well as tall grass prairie, 403 00:22:46,040 --> 00:22:49,479 Speaker 1: northern mixed grass prairie, and sand hills prairie. It provides 404 00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:53,280 Speaker 1: habitat for several migratory bird species, including sand hill cranes 405 00:22:53,480 --> 00:22:56,760 Speaker 1: and whooping cranes. As well as urns and plovers that 406 00:22:56,800 --> 00:22:59,040 Speaker 1: have managed to hang on because of the conservation of 407 00:22:59,080 --> 00:23:03,520 Speaker 1: places like the Niobrera. It's an extremely popular paddling destination. 408 00:23:03,960 --> 00:23:07,000 Speaker 1: With several of the region's very few waterfalls. You can 409 00:23:07,040 --> 00:23:10,439 Speaker 1: go after trout, largemouth and small mount bass, crappie, and 410 00:23:10,520 --> 00:23:14,480 Speaker 1: channel catfish. There in the nearby Neiwobrera National Wildlife Refuge, 411 00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:17,280 Speaker 1: you can also hunt for elk, mule deer, pronghorn, whitetails, 412 00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:19,600 Speaker 1: as well as all manner of birds and small game. 413 00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:22,879 Speaker 1: All of the private land collected together in the National 414 00:23:22,920 --> 00:23:26,160 Speaker 1: Scenic River is overseen by the National Park Service along 415 00:23:26,160 --> 00:23:28,600 Speaker 1: with the coalition of landowners and interest groups called the 416 00:23:28,600 --> 00:23:32,280 Speaker 1: Neobrera Council. So why would lawmakers want to change management 417 00:23:32,359 --> 00:23:35,800 Speaker 1: away from national parks and over to the state. Well, 418 00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:39,120 Speaker 1: the nineteen ninety one National Scenic River designation was almost 419 00:23:39,160 --> 00:23:42,480 Speaker 1: as controversial as the Nordon Dam had been, and was 420 00:23:42,520 --> 00:23:44,800 Speaker 1: seen as a federal land grab. As many as two 421 00:23:44,920 --> 00:23:48,440 Speaker 1: hundred Nebraskans called President Bush urging him to veto the law, 422 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:51,160 Speaker 1: and some landowners along the route have tried to prevent 423 00:23:51,240 --> 00:23:54,080 Speaker 1: recreational users from using their parts of the river. So 424 00:23:54,119 --> 00:23:56,400 Speaker 1: now I'm starting to get out of my area of expertise. 425 00:23:56,880 --> 00:23:59,280 Speaker 1: Are some of these landowners hoping that the state control 426 00:23:59,320 --> 00:24:01,720 Speaker 1: of the Scenic River will allow them to exercise stricter 427 00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:05,440 Speaker 1: control over their land or dispute conservation easements. Could the 428 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:09,080 Speaker 1: change lead to rezoning or easier resale of the land. 429 00:24:09,480 --> 00:24:11,800 Speaker 1: I truly do not know, but I'm certain that many 430 00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:14,840 Speaker 1: of my listeners do know, or at least have strong opinions. 431 00:24:14,840 --> 00:24:18,000 Speaker 1: So please write in to Askcal at the Mediator dot 432 00:24:18,040 --> 00:24:23,000 Speaker 1: com educate us further on this Neobrera issue. Nebraskans, it's 433 00:24:23,040 --> 00:24:26,000 Speaker 1: time to get into the weeds on LR one, p. 434 00:24:26,160 --> 00:24:29,160 Speaker 1: Fifty eight. This is going to affect you and anybody 435 00:24:29,240 --> 00:24:32,800 Speaker 1: else goes out there recreating in the neo Brera zone 436 00:24:32,840 --> 00:24:37,240 Speaker 1: there in Nebraska. Last, but not least, and this is 437 00:24:37,280 --> 00:24:41,600 Speaker 1: a short one for you Floridians. Anybody wants to hunt 438 00:24:41,640 --> 00:24:45,160 Speaker 1: black bears in Florida where they're growing big. A decision 439 00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:47,040 Speaker 1: is going to be made on the Florida black bear 440 00:24:47,119 --> 00:24:49,480 Speaker 1: hunting season. Looks like there's going to be a meeting 441 00:24:49,560 --> 00:24:53,479 Speaker 1: August thirteenth and fourteenth, the final decision for the Florida 442 00:24:53,520 --> 00:24:57,160 Speaker 1: Fish and Wildlife Commission. There's a meeting in Havana, Florida. 443 00:24:57,960 --> 00:25:01,800 Speaker 1: Show up, testify, get in that room. You can do 444 00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:05,600 Speaker 1: this online, I'm sure, but being there in person is 445 00:25:05,720 --> 00:25:10,040 Speaker 1: more impactful. Get there early, sign up for public comment, 446 00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:13,439 Speaker 1: Tell the commission to support the hunt and science based 447 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:17,040 Speaker 1: wildlife management. This is where you're putting all those skills 448 00:25:17,040 --> 00:25:20,879 Speaker 1: together that we learned during the public lands battle. Showing 449 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:24,280 Speaker 1: up matters, writing those emails, making those phone calls matter. 450 00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:28,520 Speaker 1: I'd start talking to those fish and wildlife commissioners right now. 451 00:25:29,119 --> 00:25:33,440 Speaker 1: That's August thirteen and fourteen down there in Havana, Florida. 452 00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:35,959 Speaker 1: That's all I got for you this week. Thank you 453 00:25:35,960 --> 00:25:39,880 Speaker 1: so much for listening. Remember to write into askcl that's 454 00:25:39,880 --> 00:25:42,600 Speaker 1: Ascal at the meeteater dot com. Let me know what's 455 00:25:42,600 --> 00:25:44,280 Speaker 1: going on in your neck the woods. You know I 456 00:25:44,280 --> 00:25:47,000 Speaker 1: appreciate it. Thanks again. We'll talk to you next week.