1 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 1: From Mediators World News headquarters in Bozeman, Montana. This is 2 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:18,320 Speaker 1: Cal's wee can Review with Ryan cal Callahan. Now Here's Cal. 3 00:00:20,239 --> 00:00:23,480 Speaker 1: A New York man got busted last week after officials 4 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:27,680 Speaker 1: found an eleven foot alligator living inside his house. Conservation 5 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:30,320 Speaker 1: officers learned that the man had been keeping the seven 6 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:34,600 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty pound animal in an inground swimming pool, 7 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:38,520 Speaker 1: and that pool wasn't in the backyard. No, that would 8 00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:42,200 Speaker 1: make too much sense. Instead, he'd put the swimming pool inside. 9 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:46,040 Speaker 1: In addition, he'd built onto his house. Officials also learned 10 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:48,640 Speaker 1: that he'd been allowing members of the public to swim 11 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:52,280 Speaker 1: with the alligator inside the pool inside his home. The 12 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:56,360 Speaker 1: New York Department of Environmental Conservation hasn't said whether he 13 00:00:56,520 --> 00:01:00,360 Speaker 1: was charging admissions for the privilege, but I'd be shocked 14 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 1: if he wasn't, you know, I mean, a seven hundred 15 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:06,080 Speaker 1: and fifty pound gator's got to eat something. It's unclear 16 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:08,760 Speaker 1: whether anyone was injured while swimming with the alligator, but 17 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:13,120 Speaker 1: there's reason to believe most folks survived unscathed. This gator 18 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:16,360 Speaker 1: was reportedly thirty years old, was blind in both eyes, 19 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 1: and had what the New York DEEC describes as spinal complications. 20 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:24,240 Speaker 1: The owner of this New York gator had formerly possessed 21 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:27,319 Speaker 1: a license for the animal, but it expired in twenty 22 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:31,080 Speaker 1: twenty one and was never renewed. Authorities turned the alligator 23 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:34,120 Speaker 1: over to a licensed caretaker who will house and care 24 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:37,480 Speaker 1: for the giant reptile until it can be properly transported 25 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 1: for permanent care. Future charges are pending and we don't 26 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:44,800 Speaker 1: know what will stick other than being the most Florida 27 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:48,880 Speaker 1: man in New York. This week, We've got the Waterfowl Desk, 28 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:51,920 Speaker 1: Colorado Commissioners, and so much more. But first, I'm going 29 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 1: to tell you about my week. In My week has 30 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 1: been flying. First thing you need to know is we 31 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:01,240 Speaker 1: are launching the auction House of Oddities and there is 32 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 1: a bunch of awesome stuff in here. As usual, and 33 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:07,520 Speaker 1: as per usual, the purchase of these things will go 34 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 1: toward providing more access to hunting and fishing. This go round, 35 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 1: we are raising money for the biggest nut of all, 36 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:19,360 Speaker 1: accessing corner locked lands. That's right, it's the Corner Crossing 37 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 1: Legal Defense Fund. As crazy as it sounds, we have 38 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:25,240 Speaker 1: to put up the cash to preserve the right to 39 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:28,120 Speaker 1: step from one piece of a public land to the 40 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 1: next piece of public land. And that's okay, because once 41 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:34,640 Speaker 1: we win this round will be that much closer to 42 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:39,720 Speaker 1: winning this fight for good. Millions of acres millions say 43 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:44,280 Speaker 1: it with me, millions of acres of public land are 44 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:49,360 Speaker 1: constrained in odd ambiguity, my home state of Montana being 45 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:51,760 Speaker 1: one of the states we have got to get back 46 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:54,480 Speaker 1: into line. And in order to do this, we are 47 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 1: going to sell you. We're going to make you, ask you, 48 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:00,440 Speaker 1: plead with you to donate cash for the He's one 49 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:04,679 Speaker 1: of a kind, super unique items items like a Wyoming 50 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:09,040 Speaker 1: Cowboy edition weather be Mark five in God's caliber, the 51 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:12,280 Speaker 1: three hundred win Meg. Less than two hundred and fifty 52 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:15,959 Speaker 1: of these exist. It's a tack driver and a collectible 53 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 1: Lama assisted pack trip in the snowy Range where you 54 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:22,360 Speaker 1: get an angle for high country trout with big horn 55 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:26,079 Speaker 1: pack lamas. This trip includes your very own Wyoming based 56 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 1: gourmet back country chefs and O. Jannis Pateelliser myself may 57 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:34,400 Speaker 1: even go with you. Ol Steve Ranella sourced beaver pelts 58 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 1: to make pillows for you. Those will be in there. 59 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:41,720 Speaker 1: There's a fur lined FHF chest rig which everybody needs. 60 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 1: There's even gonna be a West Texas odd Ad Hunt, 61 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:47,720 Speaker 1: plus so much more. Second thing you need to know 62 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:50,920 Speaker 1: while this launches, I'll be angling on a skiff in 63 00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:54,240 Speaker 1: Florida with Ed Anderson, Captain Lacy Kelly, and Reeves Carlisle 64 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:57,040 Speaker 1: will be hosting an amazing week for the lucky winners 65 00:03:57,040 --> 00:04:01,440 Speaker 1: of the BHA Rendezvous fly fishing Trip. Rendezvous is still 66 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:05,200 Speaker 1: coming up in Minneapolis. Get your tickets now. I'll see 67 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:09,120 Speaker 1: you there, so we'll Randall Williams. He'll be hosting a 68 00:04:09,120 --> 00:04:13,080 Speaker 1: special round of Meat Eater Trivia Friday night of Rendezvous. 69 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 1: So you Minneapolis folks and beyond, put your thinking caps on, 70 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 1: get down there, buy some tickets right now. Also, you 71 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:23,840 Speaker 1: do know that the Spring Live Tour is coming up right, 72 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:27,719 Speaker 1: Like the Live Meat Eater podcast Tour, We're going all over. 73 00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 1: Just hack that into the old Google machine. We're hitting California, Arizona, Washington, 74 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:38,960 Speaker 1: all sorts of wild locales in between, including Missoula, Montana. 75 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 1: On top of that, we all got to get out 76 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 1: and spank some turkeys, find some spring bears, pick ticks, 77 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:48,880 Speaker 1: find mushrooms, get in shape, get that bow flinging arrows 78 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 1: muck out the garage. Moving on to the waterfowl desk, 79 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:59,120 Speaker 1: Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is considering a proposal that 80 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:02,440 Speaker 1: will allow water foul hunting on an eighty seven mile 81 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:05,240 Speaker 1: stretch of the Yellowstone River that's been closed to hunting 82 00:05:05,279 --> 00:05:08,800 Speaker 1: since nineteen fifty eight. It was closed during a time 83 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:12,080 Speaker 1: when Canada goose numbers were historically low, and this area 84 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:15,479 Speaker 1: was designated as a safe haven for the high line 85 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:20,640 Speaker 1: population in northeast Montana. Now those numbers have rebounded, which 86 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:25,320 Speaker 1: is a gross understatement. And it's gross understatement because there's 87 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:29,000 Speaker 1: like a good jillion dark geese on this Stretcher River. 88 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:33,640 Speaker 1: It's darn near disgusting. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks says 89 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:37,360 Speaker 1: there's no scientific reason to keep the sanctuary closed. Anyone 90 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:41,080 Speaker 1: who's visited this area knows what they're talking about. So 91 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:44,680 Speaker 1: opening up this closed Stretcher River would be a very 92 00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:47,800 Speaker 1: good thing. And just so you know, this is one 93 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:52,040 Speaker 1: of those rare instances when some hunters are actually opposing 94 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:56,200 Speaker 1: opening up new hunting opportunities. The Montana chapter of Ducks 95 00:05:56,279 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 1: Unlimited has come out against the proposal. I'm sure we'll 96 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 1: be talking with them here pretty quick. They worry that 97 00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:05,239 Speaker 1: opening the sanctuary to hunting will disrupt the migration pattern 98 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 1: and make it harder to hunt birds off the sanctuary too. 99 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:11,160 Speaker 1: If bird numbers take a hit or their patterns make 100 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:13,960 Speaker 1: them more difficult to hunt, it could also impact the 101 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:18,400 Speaker 1: local economy. Now, several of you wrote in to oppose 102 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:22,400 Speaker 1: this measure. I understand where you're coming from, But Gang, 103 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:25,240 Speaker 1: I don't agree with you. Would you like to know why, 104 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:29,280 Speaker 1: I'm sure you would. So you know how hunters are 105 00:06:29,279 --> 00:06:34,160 Speaker 1: always scared that if we put a closure on, in 106 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:38,039 Speaker 1: this instance, a Stretcher River or a mountain or a 107 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:41,760 Speaker 1: region or something like that, we'll never get it back. 108 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:44,640 Speaker 1: The biologists say we need to close it, but we 109 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:47,160 Speaker 1: don't want to because we'll never get the opportunity to 110 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:50,840 Speaker 1: hunt back. Well, guess what we're getting the opportunity to 111 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:54,960 Speaker 1: hunt back. The biologists say, the science is sound. We 112 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:57,919 Speaker 1: are not going to hurt our hunting opportunities on this 113 00:06:57,960 --> 00:07:01,760 Speaker 1: Stretcher River or in the fields beyond. It's just going 114 00:07:01,839 --> 00:07:07,680 Speaker 1: to add more access to hunting. Yeah, thumbs up for me. 115 00:07:08,920 --> 00:07:11,320 Speaker 1: The other thing I gotta tell you here, Gang, the 116 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 1: history is very recent. So the opponents of this thing 117 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:19,200 Speaker 1: all I have to say to you is we closed 118 00:07:19,320 --> 00:07:24,080 Speaker 1: this in nineteen fifty eight. Okay, the population rebounded faster 119 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:28,400 Speaker 1: than anybody thought. We went from counting thousands of geese 120 00:07:28,560 --> 00:07:32,440 Speaker 1: to counting hundreds of thousands of geese in very short order. 121 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:38,200 Speaker 1: If for any reason, okay, any reason, that populations or 122 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:42,320 Speaker 1: the economies or the opportunities take a huge hit in 123 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:47,880 Speaker 1: this area, because this is regulation, not legislation, we will 124 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:52,160 Speaker 1: be able to shut this back down lickety split. There's 125 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:55,000 Speaker 1: not a biologist that likes to hunt ducks and geese 126 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:57,760 Speaker 1: that wants to kill them all. Okay, I promise you 127 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 1: access is a good thing. We know Montana is a 128 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:04,720 Speaker 1: target for a lot of folks during the hunting season. 129 00:08:05,320 --> 00:08:09,360 Speaker 1: Let's spread them out. That's my two cents. I would 130 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 1: love for you to write in to askc Al that's 131 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:16,000 Speaker 1: Ascal at themeeeater dot com and let me know what 132 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:21,840 Speaker 1: the biologists don't. Anyway, there is limited time to comment 133 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:25,960 Speaker 1: on this. Whether you are a proponent or an opponent 134 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:29,280 Speaker 1: of this, you better stand up and represent yourself. And 135 00:08:29,280 --> 00:08:31,120 Speaker 1: by stand up, I mean you can you know, do 136 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:34,280 Speaker 1: the online thing or actually go to this meeting, The 137 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:37,560 Speaker 1: Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting will be April seventeenth, twenty 138 00:08:37,640 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 1: twenty four. Public comments will be accepted on a list 139 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:46,360 Speaker 1: of proposals, including the Forestry Annual Sustainable Yield Calculation, the 140 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:49,000 Speaker 1: migratory bird regulations, which is what this is going to 141 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:52,839 Speaker 1: be housed underneath a bunch of other things. This particular 142 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:57,040 Speaker 1: meeting is going to be virtually on zoom only. You'll 143 00:08:57,040 --> 00:09:00,240 Speaker 1: have to go to FWP dot MT dot gov to 144 00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:03,800 Speaker 1: bird dog that one down. Comments on all of the 145 00:09:03,840 --> 00:09:05,640 Speaker 1: proposals that are going to be in there need to 146 00:09:05,640 --> 00:09:07,760 Speaker 1: be in by March twenty eighth. So if you're listening 147 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:09,760 Speaker 1: to this the day it drops, which is Sunday, that's 148 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:13,160 Speaker 1: the twenty fourth of March, March twenty eighth is when 149 00:09:13,160 --> 00:09:17,199 Speaker 1: you need to get your comments in by Again, I 150 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:21,920 Speaker 1: think it's a good thing. Moving on to the Colorado Desk, 151 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:26,440 Speaker 1: Colorado hunters got more bad news last week as the 152 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 1: state Senate voted to confirm two bona fide animal welfare 153 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:33,720 Speaker 1: advocates to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission. Governor Jared 154 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:36,760 Speaker 1: Polus had announced their appointments last year, and they'd been 155 00:09:36,840 --> 00:09:39,600 Speaker 1: serving on the commission since then, but the state Senate 156 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:42,079 Speaker 1: still needed to confirm those appointments, and they did that 157 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:46,280 Speaker 1: last week. We'll start with the slightly less controversial appointment. 158 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:49,520 Speaker 1: The Senate voted twenty three to eleven to confirm Jack 159 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:53,880 Speaker 1: Murphy to a position representing outdoor recreation and parks. Murphy 160 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:57,719 Speaker 1: co founded Urban Wildlife Rescue, which provides humane solutions to 161 00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:02,520 Speaker 1: wildlife conflicts, wildlife education, and wildlife rehabilitation. He has also 162 00:10:02,600 --> 00:10:06,280 Speaker 1: served on the Colorado Non Game Conservation and Wildlife Restoration 163 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:09,920 Speaker 1: Board in the Board of Colorado Animal Protectors. How this 164 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:12,800 Speaker 1: makes him qualified to represent the interests of outdoor recreation 165 00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:15,880 Speaker 1: and parks is beyond me, but his appointment received far 166 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:20,280 Speaker 1: less pushback from Colorado legislators. All Republicans still voted against 167 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:22,280 Speaker 1: his appointment, but he was the only one to be 168 00:10:22,320 --> 00:10:26,120 Speaker 1: recommended by the Senate Agriculture Committee earlier this month. This 169 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:30,000 Speaker 1: far more controversial pick was a lady named jess Blue. 170 00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:33,520 Speaker 1: Blue was also dominated to serve as a representative for 171 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:36,320 Speaker 1: outdoor recreation and parks, but she admitted in a committee 172 00:10:36,360 --> 00:10:38,640 Speaker 1: hearing that she has never owned a state parks pass 173 00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:41,120 Speaker 1: and has only visited a few parks in the Denver 174 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:45,199 Speaker 1: metro area. Along with being grossly underqualified, for the position. 175 00:10:45,320 --> 00:10:48,800 Speaker 1: She's also an outspoken animal rights advocate. She manages the 176 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:51,480 Speaker 1: Animal Law program at the University of Denver and was 177 00:10:51,520 --> 00:10:54,640 Speaker 1: a fellow at the Center for Biological Diversity. Here she 178 00:10:54,760 --> 00:10:57,280 Speaker 1: is speaking on a podcast appearance just last year. 179 00:10:57,960 --> 00:10:59,959 Speaker 2: We have to be able to focus on the expert 180 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:04,000 Speaker 2: speriences of individual animals and their narratives and the cruelty 181 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:08,439 Speaker 2: and exploitation they experience every second of every day, because 182 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:12,360 Speaker 2: we do tend to focus on general populations or the 183 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:16,480 Speaker 2: health of a group versus what's going on in this 184 00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:19,520 Speaker 2: individual animals life. And I feel like that is a 185 00:11:19,559 --> 00:11:22,080 Speaker 2: powerful story that we need to get out there. 186 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:25,360 Speaker 1: For those who may not be familiar with the mandate 187 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:28,640 Speaker 1: of the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Department, there's nothing in 188 00:11:28,679 --> 00:11:32,439 Speaker 1: there about protecting individual animals. In fact, one of their 189 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:35,839 Speaker 1: top ten goals is to increase big game populations as 190 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:38,560 Speaker 1: they grow the number of hunters and anglers. I can't 191 00:11:38,600 --> 00:11:41,959 Speaker 1: imagine Blue will be comfortable with that mandate, as you 192 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:44,600 Speaker 1: can imagine. Blue's appointment was opposed by a host of 193 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:48,840 Speaker 1: individuals and organizations from across the political spectrum. A coalition 194 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:52,480 Speaker 1: of outdoor groups that included the Rocky Mountainell Foundation. Backcountry 195 00:11:52,559 --> 00:11:55,280 Speaker 1: hunters and anglers in the National Wild Turkey Federation wrote 196 00:11:55,280 --> 00:11:59,120 Speaker 1: a letter pointing out her lack of qualifications. Both Democrat 197 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:02,520 Speaker 1: and Republicans senators also opposed her nomination, and one of 198 00:12:02,520 --> 00:12:07,000 Speaker 1: the most outspoken was Democratic Senator Dylan Roberts. Unfortunately, in 199 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:09,480 Speaker 1: the end, Roberts was only able to convince four of 200 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:12,960 Speaker 1: his fellow Democrats to join him, and Blue's appointment passed 201 00:12:12,960 --> 00:12:16,280 Speaker 1: fourteen to nineteen. It wasn't all bad news in the 202 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:19,520 Speaker 1: Colorado Senate last week, Governor Polis made a third appointment. 203 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:21,920 Speaker 1: Last year, a fellow by the name of Gary Skiba. 204 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:25,840 Speaker 1: Skibo was nominated to serve as a representative of sportspersons, 205 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:29,080 Speaker 1: but hunters and anglers didn't buy it. Skibo is a 206 00:12:29,120 --> 00:12:32,840 Speaker 1: staunch advocate of the recent wolf reintroduction, and he's currently 207 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:36,360 Speaker 1: the wildlife program manager for the San Juan Citizens Alliance, 208 00:12:36,559 --> 00:12:41,200 Speaker 1: a Durango based environmental advocacy organization. After the Senate Agriculture 209 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:44,800 Speaker 1: Committee voted to oppose his nomination, he voluntarily withdrew his 210 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:48,000 Speaker 1: name from consideration. Many believe he did so because he 211 00:12:48,080 --> 00:12:50,160 Speaker 1: knew he wouldn't be able to pass a vote In 212 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:52,400 Speaker 1: the Senate, and he wanted to save Governor Polis the 213 00:12:52,400 --> 00:12:56,880 Speaker 1: embarrassment of failing to have an appointment approved, so that 214 00:12:57,000 --> 00:13:00,720 Speaker 1: sportsperson seat on the Parks and Wildlife Commission is still vacant. 215 00:13:01,080 --> 00:13:03,400 Speaker 1: If you live in Colorado, be looking for Governor Polos 216 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:09,400 Speaker 1: to announce a new nominee in the coming weeks. Moving 217 00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 1: on to the legislative desk, No, not a legislation is 218 00:13:17,400 --> 00:13:22,520 Speaker 1: just top top. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission has 219 00:13:22,559 --> 00:13:25,320 Speaker 1: scheduled their next work day and Commission meeting for March 220 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:29,079 Speaker 1: twenty seventh and twenty eighth. They'll be discussing new migratory 221 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:33,640 Speaker 1: bird hunting rules, including changes to the Light Goose Conservation Order, 222 00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:36,800 Speaker 1: as well as new hunting regulations. Some of these may 223 00:13:36,800 --> 00:13:39,920 Speaker 1: include changes to turkey hunting, more dough days in parts 224 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:43,240 Speaker 1: of Texas, and more youth hunting days. They also may 225 00:13:43,280 --> 00:13:47,199 Speaker 1: consider a speckled trout tag system for oversized fish per year, 226 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 1: and as always, they'll be covering real estate transactions like 227 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:53,400 Speaker 1: the one we covered a few weeks ago with SpaceX. 228 00:13:53,800 --> 00:13:56,080 Speaker 1: One of those would give the state permanent access to 229 00:13:56,120 --> 00:13:59,319 Speaker 1: the Goat Island unit of the Caddo Lake WMA which 230 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:03,160 Speaker 1: would result in additional hunter access. For more info and 231 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:05,320 Speaker 1: to find out how to get involved, get in touch 232 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:08,000 Speaker 1: with the Texas Chapter of back Country Hunters and Anglers. 233 00:14:08,160 --> 00:14:10,640 Speaker 1: They're on top of everything happening in the Lone Star State. 234 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:12,240 Speaker 1: Then they'll be able to keep you in the loop. 235 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:15,560 Speaker 1: But don't wait too long. The Commission is only accepting 236 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:19,200 Speaker 1: online comments on these proposals until five pm on March 237 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:21,840 Speaker 1: twenty seventh, which is only a few days after this 238 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:26,640 Speaker 1: episode airs. For info or to comment, go to TPWD 239 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:32,560 Speaker 1: dot Texas dot gov. In Wisconsin, Governor Tony Evers just 240 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 1: signed a bill legalizing airguns to be used during any 241 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:38,960 Speaker 1: firearm hunting season. The bill defines an air gun as 242 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:43,000 Speaker 1: a weapon originally manufactured to expel one or more metal projectiles. 243 00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:46,600 Speaker 1: By the expansion of compressed air, airguns have come a 244 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:48,360 Speaker 1: long way in the last few decades, and there are 245 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:51,160 Speaker 1: quite a few models out there capable of taking down 246 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:54,600 Speaker 1: deer sized animals. If you live in Wisconsin and airgun 247 00:14:54,680 --> 00:14:59,120 Speaker 1: hunting floats your boat, send Governor Evers a note of appreciation. 248 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:03,680 Speaker 1: Listener Keegan Bye sent me an email about a bill 249 00:15:03,720 --> 00:15:06,600 Speaker 1: in Colorado that would force livestock owners to use quote 250 00:15:06,760 --> 00:15:10,280 Speaker 1: non lethal coexistence strategies if they want to be compensated 251 00:15:10,280 --> 00:15:14,480 Speaker 1: for livestock depredation. Current law authorizes a livestock owner to 252 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:17,920 Speaker 1: be compensated when a wolf kills livestock, a livestock guard 253 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:21,120 Speaker 1: or a herding animal. This new bill, HB two four 254 00:15:21,280 --> 00:15:25,640 Speaker 1: Dash thirteen seventy five would make livestock owners ineligible for 255 00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:29,920 Speaker 1: that compensation unless they have employed these non lethal coexistence 256 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:32,720 Speaker 1: strategies and have disposed of the carcass to make it 257 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:37,000 Speaker 1: inedible for native carnivores. If an owner fails to appropriately 258 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:40,160 Speaker 1: dispose of a livestock carcass in violation of the bill, 259 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:43,960 Speaker 1: and this failure results in depredation, the Division of Parks 260 00:15:43,960 --> 00:15:46,320 Speaker 1: and Wildlife may not issue a permit to kill the 261 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:50,200 Speaker 1: native carnivore. In addition, the bill revokes compensation for herding 262 00:15:50,240 --> 00:15:53,920 Speaker 1: dogs and non dog livestock guardians, such as donkeys and 263 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:57,840 Speaker 1: those real ticked off lamas. Under this bill, a livestock 264 00:15:57,920 --> 00:16:01,240 Speaker 1: owner can only claim compensation if a livestock guardian dog 265 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:04,760 Speaker 1: is killed while working and it has been trained to 266 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:08,000 Speaker 1: do what dogs? Do you know that phrase adding insult 267 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:10,680 Speaker 1: to injury. I'm sure this bill feels like that to 268 00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:14,560 Speaker 1: Colorado ranchers. Other states have similar requirements for livestock owners. 269 00:16:14,920 --> 00:16:17,280 Speaker 1: If they want to be compensated for wolf depredation, they 270 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:20,160 Speaker 1: must at least try to use deterrent methods to protect 271 00:16:20,160 --> 00:16:23,560 Speaker 1: their herd. But this bill imposes those new requirements just 272 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:26,280 Speaker 1: a few months after the state released a pack of wolves, 273 00:16:26,360 --> 00:16:30,400 Speaker 1: against the wishes of virtually every Colorado rancher. At the 274 00:16:30,440 --> 00:16:33,600 Speaker 1: same time, it limits the type of guardian animals ranches 275 00:16:33,640 --> 00:16:36,960 Speaker 1: can employ to keep their livestock safe. As Keegan put 276 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:39,600 Speaker 1: it in his email to me, this is why folks 277 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:43,200 Speaker 1: get so hesitant when it comes to sweeping bills on biology, 278 00:16:43,280 --> 00:16:46,479 Speaker 1: guns and so on. They just never leave well enough alone. 279 00:16:46,640 --> 00:16:49,080 Speaker 1: They always have to keep pushing the boundaries of common 280 00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:52,640 Speaker 1: sense and decency. And you know, speaking of common sense, 281 00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:54,920 Speaker 1: this is going like the opinion side of things orre 282 00:16:54,960 --> 00:17:00,080 Speaker 1: just an observation. Really coexistence, if you think about it, 283 00:17:00,320 --> 00:17:05,359 Speaker 1: real weird coexistence in the animal world means sometimes you 284 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:07,880 Speaker 1: get killed, and sometimes you kill the thing that you're 285 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:10,280 Speaker 1: trying to eat. But then when we put it in 286 00:17:10,359 --> 00:17:14,280 Speaker 1: the lens of humans, it somehow means that we have 287 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:17,480 Speaker 1: to do our level best to prevent the thing that's 288 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:20,479 Speaker 1: trying to kill us or animals from doing what it 289 00:17:20,560 --> 00:17:23,400 Speaker 1: wants to do, and I just kind of find that 290 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:29,080 Speaker 1: weird without killing it right, like double standard. I suppose 291 00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:35,080 Speaker 1: anyway sticking wolf wolves. But moving to Minnesota, the legislature 292 00:17:35,119 --> 00:17:38,240 Speaker 1: is considering a bipartisan proposal to mandate a wolf hunt 293 00:17:38,240 --> 00:17:41,240 Speaker 1: once the species is removed from the endangered species list. 294 00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:43,679 Speaker 1: The bill HF three to nine zero three does not 295 00:17:43,840 --> 00:17:46,200 Speaker 1: mandate bag limits or means of take, but it does 296 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:49,240 Speaker 1: require the Department of Natural Resources to call an annual 297 00:17:49,359 --> 00:17:52,359 Speaker 1: open season for wolves every year the species is not 298 00:17:52,480 --> 00:17:56,320 Speaker 1: listed as federally endangered. A spokesperson for the Minnesota Deer 299 00:17:56,359 --> 00:17:59,679 Speaker 1: Hunters Association admitted to local media that wolves aren't the 300 00:17:59,720 --> 00:18:02,800 Speaker 1: only predators that impact deer numbers, but they're the only 301 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:06,560 Speaker 1: predators shielded from hunting. Considering the fact that the wolf 302 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:10,640 Speaker 1: population estimate has far exceeded both state and federal recovery 303 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:13,560 Speaker 1: goals in Minnesota, he argued that it's time to start 304 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:18,880 Speaker 1: managing them like any other species. The Arizona Fishing Game 305 00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:21,600 Speaker 1: Commission voted last week to no longer put big game 306 00:18:21,640 --> 00:18:25,080 Speaker 1: tags up for auction. Historically, the Arizona Game and Fish 307 00:18:25,119 --> 00:18:28,200 Speaker 1: Department has allowed up to three auction tags for each 308 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:31,200 Speaker 1: of its big game species. No one denies that these 309 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:33,679 Speaker 1: tags bring in millions of dollars every year, and all 310 00:18:33,720 --> 00:18:36,200 Speaker 1: that money is sent back to the state for conservation work. 311 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:39,640 Speaker 1: Last year, for example, the Arizona statewide mule deer tag 312 00:18:39,760 --> 00:18:43,200 Speaker 1: brought in a whopping seven hundred and twenty five thousand dollars. 313 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:45,960 Speaker 1: This year, the state's big horn cheap tag brought in 314 00:18:46,119 --> 00:18:50,240 Speaker 1: four hundred and thirty thousand dollars. Those are big numbers, 315 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:54,520 Speaker 1: but Arizona commissioners worried that auctions make it impossible for 316 00:18:54,680 --> 00:19:01,040 Speaker 1: less wealthy people to participate. Ali man, really, now, Granted, 317 00:19:01,080 --> 00:19:02,960 Speaker 1: seven hundred and twenty five k can't get you a 318 00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:07,200 Speaker 1: house here in Gallatin County, which is insane, but four 319 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:10,520 Speaker 1: hundred and thirty thousand dollars isn't in the realm of 320 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:14,879 Speaker 1: possibility for all but the wealthiest of individuals or people 321 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:17,159 Speaker 1: who like you know, maybe like me, are going to 322 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:18,840 Speaker 1: be like, you know what, I'm just going to sell everything, 323 00:19:19,160 --> 00:19:21,680 Speaker 1: go out swinging, have a great time doing it, and 324 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:25,920 Speaker 1: wander off into the desert afterwards. You know, folks who 325 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:29,680 Speaker 1: think like that is just yeah, thank you for coming around. 326 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:32,840 Speaker 1: To this Arizona. Four out of the five commissioners who 327 00:19:32,920 --> 00:19:35,520 Speaker 1: voted to end the auctions argue that this system goes 328 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:38,439 Speaker 1: against the North American model of wildlife conservation, which I 329 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:41,600 Speaker 1: totally agree with, which says that wildlife is a public 330 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:44,879 Speaker 1: trust rather than the domain of the wealthy. They believe 331 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:47,639 Speaker 1: a raffle system can give any hunter a shot at 332 00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:51,480 Speaker 1: a coveted tag and still raise millions for conservation, which 333 00:19:51,520 --> 00:19:54,879 Speaker 1: reminds me. You still have about a month left to 334 00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:57,080 Speaker 1: put your name in the hat for the state wide 335 00:19:57,119 --> 00:20:01,160 Speaker 1: Montana Mule Deer Tag. The deadline to enter is April thirtieth, 336 00:20:01,320 --> 00:20:05,040 Speaker 1: and each entry is only twenty bucks. Just for an example, 337 00:20:05,560 --> 00:20:10,320 Speaker 1: I rent to buy my entries into the Montana Statewide 338 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:12,920 Speaker 1: Mule Deer Tag, and then I looked at my bank 339 00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:16,120 Speaker 1: account and my credit card statement, and I am going 340 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:21,080 Speaker 1: to have to make that purchase next month. Okay, just yeah, 341 00:20:21,440 --> 00:20:24,320 Speaker 1: I want my names in the hat, but uh, you know, 342 00:20:24,440 --> 00:20:26,280 Speaker 1: I got a budget that too, and that's only twenty 343 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:29,720 Speaker 1: bucks a whack, got it. If you want to put 344 00:20:29,760 --> 00:20:33,080 Speaker 1: your name in there, google Montana Mule Deer Tag BHA 345 00:20:33,440 --> 00:20:35,320 Speaker 1: or visit the meaeater dot com and look up my 346 00:20:35,440 --> 00:20:38,280 Speaker 1: article that you can find there. Let's show our state 347 00:20:38,320 --> 00:20:41,119 Speaker 1: agencies that we can still raise millions of dollars for 348 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:46,000 Speaker 1: conservation using a more equitable system that gives any hunter 349 00:20:46,280 --> 00:20:49,560 Speaker 1: at least a shot, no matter the size of the wallet. 350 00:20:50,359 --> 00:20:52,320 Speaker 1: If you're trying to read between the lines here, let 351 00:20:52,359 --> 00:20:54,000 Speaker 1: me just lay it out there for you. I think 352 00:20:54,119 --> 00:20:58,399 Speaker 1: these auction tags are just horrible. They're horrible for wildlife. 353 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:03,840 Speaker 1: Like it come oot ties to the extreme our wildlife. 354 00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:10,560 Speaker 1: We're going beyond fair chase once the numbers get so high, okay, 355 00:21:10,640 --> 00:21:14,040 Speaker 1: because people aren't throwing out seven hundred and fifty k 356 00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:18,199 Speaker 1: because they want the opportunity to go hunt for a 357 00:21:18,240 --> 00:21:21,760 Speaker 1: big ass mule deer. Okay. At that point, and what 358 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:27,040 Speaker 1: the systems evolve to people are paying for a specific animal, 359 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:33,439 Speaker 1: and that just is not right. The Louisiana Legislature is 360 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:36,560 Speaker 1: considering a bill, backed by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, 361 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:39,720 Speaker 1: that would institute a black bear hunting lottery in the state. 362 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:43,320 Speaker 1: The federal government removed black bears from the endangered species 363 00:21:43,359 --> 00:21:47,399 Speaker 1: list in twenty sixteen. Bears are now considered recovered in Louisiana, 364 00:21:47,480 --> 00:21:49,959 Speaker 1: and the sponsor of this legislation says they're clear to 365 00:21:49,960 --> 00:21:53,400 Speaker 1: have a bear season. Of course, even in Louisiana, known 366 00:21:53,440 --> 00:21:56,399 Speaker 1: to many as the sportsman's paradise, not everyone thinks a 367 00:21:56,400 --> 00:21:59,720 Speaker 1: bear hunting season is a good idea. While the population 368 00:21:59,840 --> 00:22:02,400 Speaker 1: is grown from around one hundred individuals in the late 369 00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:06,280 Speaker 1: nineteen eighties to its current population of about fifteen hundred bears, 370 00:22:06,480 --> 00:22:09,320 Speaker 1: some say the species is too fragile to lose even 371 00:22:09,359 --> 00:22:12,760 Speaker 1: a single animal to hunting. They say the Louisiana black 372 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:16,360 Speaker 1: bear population is too isolated from other subspecies, and they 373 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:19,520 Speaker 1: need all the genetic diversity they can get. It's worth 374 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:22,720 Speaker 1: noting that right now the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries 375 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:25,959 Speaker 1: is only recommending that ten bear tags be issued in 376 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:29,520 Speaker 1: December in the northeast portion of the state. In addition, 377 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:32,560 Speaker 1: mother bears with cubs would not be permitted to be 378 00:22:32,640 --> 00:22:36,359 Speaker 1: taken under the agency's rules. This new bill HB six ' 379 00:22:36,400 --> 00:22:39,080 Speaker 1: eighty four gives the Department and the Wildlife Commission the 380 00:22:39,119 --> 00:22:42,160 Speaker 1: ability to make all of those decisions. It simply sets 381 00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:45,120 Speaker 1: the entry fee at fifty bucks and requires the setting 382 00:22:45,280 --> 00:22:48,280 Speaker 1: of some sort of black bear season. Thanks to listener 383 00:22:48,320 --> 00:22:52,600 Speaker 1: Chris Barnett for calling our attention to that bill. Moving 384 00:22:52,640 --> 00:22:58,119 Speaker 1: on to some legislative updates up in Idaho, the legislature 385 00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:00,719 Speaker 1: passed and the governor signed a bill that closes a 386 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:04,719 Speaker 1: loophole in the state's open records law. Previously, state biologists 387 00:23:04,760 --> 00:23:07,680 Speaker 1: had been forced to reveal animal location data to hunters 388 00:23:07,720 --> 00:23:11,399 Speaker 1: who submitted a public records request for that information. This 389 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:14,280 Speaker 1: appears to have been mostly used by hunters who drew 390 00:23:14,359 --> 00:23:17,000 Speaker 1: difficult to get tags, like those for big horn sheep. 391 00:23:17,359 --> 00:23:20,240 Speaker 1: This bill closed that loophole, so now biologists can deny 392 00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:24,199 Speaker 1: open records requests for that GPS location data. Seems like 393 00:23:24,240 --> 00:23:27,320 Speaker 1: a no brainer to me. I'm so glad this passed 394 00:23:27,359 --> 00:23:32,600 Speaker 1: so quickly. Puts a little more faith in humanity. I 395 00:23:32,640 --> 00:23:35,240 Speaker 1: also have good news out of Iowa. Several of you 396 00:23:35,320 --> 00:23:37,280 Speaker 1: sent me a bill that would prohibit the state from 397 00:23:37,320 --> 00:23:40,760 Speaker 1: purchasing new public land at auction or from a nonprofit 398 00:23:40,840 --> 00:23:42,960 Speaker 1: that bought the land at auction, which is how a 399 00:23:42,960 --> 00:23:45,720 Speaker 1: lot of these transactions happen. In a state with so 400 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:48,720 Speaker 1: little public land as is. You all wondered why the 401 00:23:48,720 --> 00:23:51,359 Speaker 1: state would consider making it even more difficult for the 402 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:54,959 Speaker 1: Iowa Department of Natural Resources to expand public parcels and 403 00:23:55,000 --> 00:23:58,679 Speaker 1: public access and public opportunity. The bill had passed the 404 00:23:58,720 --> 00:24:01,120 Speaker 1: state Senate, but it needed support from a full House 405 00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:04,920 Speaker 1: committee to remain viable. According to the Iowa Capital Dispatch, 406 00:24:05,040 --> 00:24:08,399 Speaker 1: I'm pleased to report that Representative Jane Bloomingdale, who chairs 407 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:11,040 Speaker 1: the State Government Committee, declined to call a vote for 408 00:24:11,080 --> 00:24:14,040 Speaker 1: a bill which effectively kills it for this year. I 409 00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:16,399 Speaker 1: have no doubt that the calls and emails from Iowa 410 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:19,520 Speaker 1: hunters and anglers played a part in her decision. If 411 00:24:19,560 --> 00:24:23,560 Speaker 1: you did that, congratulations, good job. It would be a 412 00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:28,600 Speaker 1: fantastic follow up move to write in and thank Representative 413 00:24:28,840 --> 00:24:32,600 Speaker 1: Jane Bloomingdale as well as your representatives that you wrote 414 00:24:32,640 --> 00:24:38,600 Speaker 1: into as well. Good job, slaps on the back. Kentucky 415 00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:41,720 Speaker 1: is a different story there, the state Senate voted twenty 416 00:24:41,720 --> 00:24:43,720 Speaker 1: to sixteen to advance a bill that would move the 417 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:47,120 Speaker 1: Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources from the Tourism 418 00:24:47,200 --> 00:24:50,120 Speaker 1: Cabinet and attach it to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. 419 00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:53,399 Speaker 1: It would also give the Agriculture Commission, rather than the governor, 420 00:24:53,480 --> 00:24:55,800 Speaker 1: the power to appoint members of the Kentucky Fish and 421 00:24:55,840 --> 00:24:59,199 Speaker 1: Wildlife Commission. Sportsmen and conservation groups have come out in 422 00:24:59,280 --> 00:25:02,680 Speaker 1: strong op position to the bill. They argue that agriculture 423 00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:06,080 Speaker 1: interests often conflict with the wildlife and recreation interests, and 424 00:25:06,119 --> 00:25:09,800 Speaker 1: such a massive change in wildlife management is unnecessary and 425 00:25:09,840 --> 00:25:13,080 Speaker 1: politically motivated. If you want a full rundown of this issue, 426 00:25:13,240 --> 00:25:16,080 Speaker 1: check out episode two fifty five, which is an interview 427 00:25:16,119 --> 00:25:19,159 Speaker 1: he did with retired Colonel Mike Abel of Kentucky BHA. 428 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:21,760 Speaker 1: There are a ton of good reasons to oppose this bill, 429 00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:24,560 Speaker 1: and you should let your Kentucky House of Representatives know 430 00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:26,919 Speaker 1: how you feel. And if you don't know how to 431 00:25:26,920 --> 00:25:29,080 Speaker 1: get in touch with those folks, we'll publish all that 432 00:25:29,160 --> 00:25:32,000 Speaker 1: info over at the meat eater dot com forward slash 433 00:25:32,080 --> 00:25:37,199 Speaker 1: col Moving on to I Gotta be honest in a 434 00:25:37,280 --> 00:25:41,960 Speaker 1: bizarre way to me, the most requested article to be 435 00:25:42,080 --> 00:25:46,439 Speaker 1: covered in a long time the Frankinsheep Desk, which is 436 00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:51,560 Speaker 1: also the Montana Desk. A Montana man pled guilty last 437 00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:54,159 Speaker 1: week to violating the Lacy Act after he cloned a 438 00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:58,360 Speaker 1: giant sheep from Kyrgyzstan and sold its offspring to hunting ranches. 439 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:00,800 Speaker 1: Quite a few of you sent me this story, proving 440 00:26:00,840 --> 00:26:04,080 Speaker 1: once again that you know me too well. The US 441 00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:07,119 Speaker 1: Justice Department announced last week that eighty year old Jack 442 00:26:07,240 --> 00:26:10,680 Speaker 1: Shubarth had accepted the Plea agreement after admitting to importing 443 00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:14,080 Speaker 1: parts of a Marco Polo our golly sheep without a declaration. 444 00:26:14,640 --> 00:26:17,600 Speaker 1: Marco Polo sheep are a giant subspecies of our golly 445 00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:20,520 Speaker 1: sheep that live in the mountainous regions of Central Asia. 446 00:26:20,640 --> 00:26:23,439 Speaker 1: And when I say giant, I mean it. Marco polo. 447 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:25,640 Speaker 1: You have the longest horns of all sheep, with the 448 00:26:25,680 --> 00:26:29,560 Speaker 1: longest individual horn ever recorded, measuring seventy four inches and 449 00:26:29,640 --> 00:26:33,679 Speaker 1: weighing sixty pounds. Most rams harvested by hunters have horns 450 00:26:33,720 --> 00:26:35,960 Speaker 1: in the forty four to fifty two inch range. There 451 00:26:35,960 --> 00:26:38,439 Speaker 1: are several outfitters who can take you out for the 452 00:26:38,480 --> 00:26:42,119 Speaker 1: low low price of about forty thousand bucks. Trust me 453 00:26:42,160 --> 00:26:45,199 Speaker 1: when I say that's like showing up, and there's a 454 00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:47,840 Speaker 1: lot of other fees on top of that. You're not 455 00:26:48,040 --> 00:26:51,800 Speaker 1: walking out of Kyrgyzstan with a Marco Polo for forty 456 00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:55,200 Speaker 1: k The sheep are very impressive. You can definitely see 457 00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:56,960 Speaker 1: why old Jack thought it might be a good idea 458 00:26:57,000 --> 00:27:00,320 Speaker 1: to get some of those into the US. Unfortunately, for him, 459 00:27:00,359 --> 00:27:03,880 Speaker 1: doing so is very very illegal. According to the DOJ 460 00:27:04,240 --> 00:27:06,560 Speaker 1: He imported parts of a Marco Polo sheep and sent 461 00:27:06,600 --> 00:27:10,399 Speaker 1: them to an unnamed lab. That lab sent him cloned embryos, 462 00:27:10,520 --> 00:27:13,439 Speaker 1: and he implanted those embryos and other sheep on his farm. 463 00:27:13,880 --> 00:27:16,040 Speaker 1: One of those embryos turned out to be viable, and 464 00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:19,800 Speaker 1: the resulting offspring was a purebred Marco Polo sheet born 465 00:27:19,880 --> 00:27:23,240 Speaker 1: right here in the US. He named it Montana Mountain King, 466 00:27:23,440 --> 00:27:25,359 Speaker 1: and he got to work breeding the Mountain King with 467 00:27:25,400 --> 00:27:28,960 Speaker 1: other subspecies of sheep. Those offspring. He sold the various 468 00:27:29,040 --> 00:27:32,520 Speaker 1: hunting ranches, including one ranch in Texas that bought eleven 469 00:27:32,600 --> 00:27:36,840 Speaker 1: of Mountain King's kids for thirteen two hundred dollars, to 470 00:27:36,960 --> 00:27:40,480 Speaker 1: move the prohibited sheep into and out of Montana. Shobarth 471 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:44,760 Speaker 1: and others forged veterinary inspection certificates falsely claiming that the 472 00:27:44,800 --> 00:27:49,000 Speaker 1: sheep were legally permitted species. On occasion, Shoebarth sold Mountain 473 00:27:49,080 --> 00:27:52,240 Speaker 1: King seamen directly to sheep breeders in other states. Shoe 474 00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:56,080 Speaker 1: Barth is now facing two felony wildlife crimes, a conspiracy 475 00:27:56,119 --> 00:28:00,760 Speaker 1: to violate the Lacy Act and substantively violating Lasy Act. 476 00:28:01,240 --> 00:28:04,640 Speaker 1: For each felony count, shoe Barth faces a maximum penalty 477 00:28:04,640 --> 00:28:06,800 Speaker 1: of five years in prison, a fine of up two 478 00:28:06,840 --> 00:28:10,400 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty thousand dollars in three years of supervised release. 479 00:28:11,400 --> 00:28:13,840 Speaker 1: So i'd I just got to tell you this is 480 00:28:13,840 --> 00:28:16,359 Speaker 1: a goofy deal, right, Like, there's a demand for this 481 00:28:16,400 --> 00:28:20,120 Speaker 1: stuff to hunt in high fenced ranches. You can see 482 00:28:20,119 --> 00:28:23,640 Speaker 1: the lengths that people go to provide a unique behind 483 00:28:23,720 --> 00:28:27,760 Speaker 1: fence hunting opportunities. Do I think this guy should be 484 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:31,359 Speaker 1: fined half a million bucks and go to prison for 485 00:28:31,440 --> 00:28:35,680 Speaker 1: ten years. No, he should definitely get fined. I think 486 00:28:35,880 --> 00:28:39,440 Speaker 1: going as far as to, you know, eradicate these animals 487 00:28:39,480 --> 00:28:41,800 Speaker 1: that carry these genes and make sure they don't end 488 00:28:41,880 --> 00:28:43,920 Speaker 1: up on the other side of a high fence, like 489 00:28:43,960 --> 00:28:48,600 Speaker 1: the public side. That'd probably be real good. The greater 490 00:28:48,840 --> 00:28:51,960 Speaker 1: impact here is, like I said, this is a wildly 491 00:28:52,120 --> 00:28:56,920 Speaker 1: popular topic. It is popped up all over national and 492 00:28:57,040 --> 00:29:00,960 Speaker 1: international news. And the thing that they like talking about 493 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:04,120 Speaker 1: the most is people paying a bunch of money to 494 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:07,840 Speaker 1: shoot a cloned animal, a lab grown animal behind a 495 00:29:07,920 --> 00:29:11,360 Speaker 1: high fence for money, and they call that hunting. They 496 00:29:11,480 --> 00:29:16,160 Speaker 1: love calling it hunting. So it is a pr nightmare, man, Like, 497 00:29:18,840 --> 00:29:22,400 Speaker 1: why I don't get it anyway, That's all I got 498 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:24,120 Speaker 1: for you this week. We got so much going on 499 00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:27,200 Speaker 1: that we are dropping extra episodes. I'd love to hear 500 00:29:27,280 --> 00:29:30,840 Speaker 1: from you as to how you are enjoying those extra 501 00:29:30,920 --> 00:29:34,360 Speaker 1: drops or if you're not. More importantly, if you can 502 00:29:34,400 --> 00:29:37,760 Speaker 1: only write one email this week, make it to your representative, 503 00:29:37,840 --> 00:29:40,520 Speaker 1: make it to your game commission. That's how we keep 504 00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:45,520 Speaker 1: this whole durned thing rolling along. Right in Ask c Al, 505 00:29:45,680 --> 00:29:48,480 Speaker 1: that's Askcal at themeateater dot com. Let me know what's 506 00:29:48,480 --> 00:29:49,720 Speaker 1: going on in your neck of the woods. You know, 507 00:29:49,760 --> 00:29:53,000 Speaker 1: I appreciate you. Thanks so much, and big thanks to 508 00:29:53,520 --> 00:29:56,720 Speaker 1: Jordan Sillers, who just does not get enough credit. He's 509 00:29:56,760 --> 00:29:59,800 Speaker 1: writing and researching his butt off, soon to be another 510 00:30:00,160 --> 00:30:02,200 Speaker 1: or you know, he's a dad multiple times over, but 511 00:30:02,240 --> 00:30:05,040 Speaker 1: he seemed to be another dad you know father here 512 00:30:05,080 --> 00:30:07,720 Speaker 1: pretty quick too. So he's got all sorts of stuff happening, 513 00:30:07,960 --> 00:30:10,600 Speaker 1: working his tail off. Make sure you let him know 514 00:30:10,640 --> 00:30:12,880 Speaker 1: that you appreciate him. He's writing a bunch of articles 515 00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:15,760 Speaker 1: there on the meat eater dot com and co producing 516 00:30:15,800 --> 00:30:20,920 Speaker 1: this podcast with Phil the Wildman Taylor. So thanks again. 517 00:30:21,040 --> 00:30:29,400 Speaker 1: I'll talk to you next week.