1 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:14,280 Speaker 1: From Meat Eaters World News headquarters in Bozeman, Montana. This 2 00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:19,480 Speaker 1: is Col's Week in Review with Ryan col Klai. Here's cal. 3 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:24,279 Speaker 1: A hiker who'd been missing in Northern British Columbia in October, 4 00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:28,280 Speaker 1: was found alive last week after surviving fifty days in 5 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:32,120 Speaker 1: the woods. Twenty year old Sam Benistik was reported missing 6 00:00:32,120 --> 00:00:35,280 Speaker 1: by his mother on October nineteen. Her son had decided 7 00:00:35,280 --> 00:00:37,199 Speaker 1: to go on a ten day hike by himself in 8 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:40,760 Speaker 1: the Redfern Kylie Provincial Park. He planned a hike, ride 9 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:44,000 Speaker 1: his mom's dirt bike, and fish for Arctic grayling. Problem 10 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 1: was this area of BC is incredibly remote and incredibly cold, 11 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:51,600 Speaker 1: with knights dropping down to negative four degrees fahrenheit even 12 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:54,240 Speaker 1: in the fall. When Sam's mom didn't hear from him, 13 00:00:54,280 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 1: she reported him missing. That launched a twenty day search 14 00:00:57,480 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 1: effort that involved one hundred and twenty volunteers, dogs, airplanes, drones, 15 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:04,920 Speaker 1: and helicopters. The search was called off without finding any 16 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:07,800 Speaker 1: sign of Sam, but then about three weeks later, on 17 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:11,679 Speaker 1: November twenty sixth, he flagged down two oil workers who 18 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:15,800 Speaker 1: took him to the hospital. He was reportedly malnourished and dehydrated. 19 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:18,000 Speaker 1: And he'd cut up his sleeping bag and wrapped them 20 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:20,559 Speaker 1: around his legs and feet to keep warm. He was weak, 21 00:01:20,640 --> 00:01:24,480 Speaker 1: but still conscious and incredibly is expected to make a 22 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:28,480 Speaker 1: full recovery. But there are still many unanswered questions. The 23 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:30,919 Speaker 1: biggest is how he got lost in the first place. 24 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:33,520 Speaker 1: The Royal Canadian Mounted Police say he stayed in his 25 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:36,080 Speaker 1: car for quote a couple of days, then walked to 26 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:38,960 Speaker 1: a creek mountain side, where he camped for ten to 27 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 1: fifteen days. After that, police say he moved down the 28 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:44,560 Speaker 1: valley and built a camp and a shelter in a 29 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:47,560 Speaker 1: dried out creek bed, where he stayed until he was rescued. 30 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:50,760 Speaker 1: You're probably asking yourself, if he had stayed in his car, 31 00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:53,200 Speaker 1: why didn't he just drive out the way he'd come in. 32 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 1: He was also found close to where the searchers had 33 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:58,480 Speaker 1: been operating, so you might also be wondering how he 34 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:01,600 Speaker 1: didn't hear all the helicopters and drones. In fact, those 35 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:04,520 Speaker 1: searchers had found his car parked near the trailhead, so 36 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:07,360 Speaker 1: we know he didn't try driving up to a remote area. 37 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:10,079 Speaker 1: The media has found answers to some of those questions, 38 00:02:10,200 --> 00:02:13,240 Speaker 1: but we don't have much detail. A local hotel operator 39 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:15,520 Speaker 1: who is close to the family told the BBC that 40 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:18,200 Speaker 1: Sam got lost because he was getting chased by a wolf, 41 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:20,600 Speaker 1: and his mom said that his trip had been initially 42 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 1: delayed due to vehicle trouble. If his car wasn't working 43 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:26,480 Speaker 1: and he got scared and disoriented, I can imagine how 44 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:29,600 Speaker 1: he might end up in that situation. Officials have said 45 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:32,680 Speaker 1: they aren't investigating any kind of criminal activity, so I'm 46 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:34,519 Speaker 1: sure the full story will come out when the family 47 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:37,360 Speaker 1: finally speaks to the media. When that happens, we'll be 48 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 1: sure to keep you in the loop. Sam might just 49 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:43,120 Speaker 1: be trying out for that TV show this week. Your 50 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:46,040 Speaker 1: public lands are under attack hunting rights, coyotes and crime. 51 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:47,600 Speaker 1: But first, I'm going to tell you about my week, 52 00:02:47,639 --> 00:02:51,119 Speaker 1: and my week was great. We hit the road, as 53 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 1: is our Turkey Day tradition, took the Black Series camper 54 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:58,560 Speaker 1: into some seriously sketchy spots in the dark, in snowstorms, 55 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:02,040 Speaker 1: places that I wouldn't gone with that thing in tow 56 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:05,080 Speaker 1: if I could actually see where we were headed. We 57 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:07,640 Speaker 1: hiked our butts off looking for big giant bucks on 58 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:10,360 Speaker 1: top of big giant ridges. Just to top off that 59 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:13,440 Speaker 1: ungulate protein in the freezer. Although we found a few 60 00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:16,480 Speaker 1: nice deer, no shots were fired. Great weekend with the 61 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 1: squeak of fresh snow under our feet and temps sitting 62 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:24,000 Speaker 1: well below freezing, I pre made sweet potatoes, wild turkey Galantine. 63 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 1: Galantine is like you know, he pound out a couple 64 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 1: of turkey breasts, stuffing with nice things. Ours was just 65 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:33,520 Speaker 1: stuff with garlic, herb, spinach, butter and cheese. And the 66 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 1: girlfriend made stuffing with homemade sour dough That was a 67 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 1: killer meal for Thanksgiving. We ate well in that little camper, 68 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 1: good dark beer for cold winter nights. Fatty widgeon the 69 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:47,160 Speaker 1: next night, and nothing speaks to a hiker hunter's brain 70 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:50,680 Speaker 1: like fat, salt and protein. Then we wrapped up the 71 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:54,120 Speaker 1: weekend with a big spaetti mule deer antelope sausage which 72 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:56,480 Speaker 1: was just the thing. As temps slid into the sub 73 00:03:56,600 --> 00:03:59,760 Speaker 1: zeros and as per tradition, I even had to put 74 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:01,760 Speaker 1: the tire chains on the truck to get the caravan 75 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 1: in and out of some places. Great weekend and on 76 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:07,080 Speaker 1: the way home we walked a few places for birds 77 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:10,840 Speaker 1: and managed to get one wily late season rooster. Snort 78 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:14,360 Speaker 1: was moving at roughly seventy miles an hour after having 79 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:18,280 Speaker 1: no bird hunts since October. My fault as per usual. 80 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:21,680 Speaker 1: But watch out, birds, we are putting the big game 81 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:25,279 Speaker 1: gear away and coming for you. I hope you all 82 00:04:25,279 --> 00:04:29,279 Speaker 1: had a fantastic Thanksgiving and found, or maybe refound, some 83 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:33,359 Speaker 1: things to be thankful for. Moving on to the legal desk, 84 00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 1: the Department of Justice has filed a response to a 85 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:40,760 Speaker 1: Utah lawsuit that would force the Bureau of Land Management 86 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:44,040 Speaker 1: to sell off millions of acres of public land. If 87 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:47,599 Speaker 1: you haven't been following this story, officials from Utah, along 88 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:50,000 Speaker 1: with several other states, filed a petition with the US 89 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:53,000 Speaker 1: Supreme Court claiming that eighteen and a half million acres 90 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 1: of Bureau of Land Management land are being wrongfully held 91 00:04:56,400 --> 00:04:59,760 Speaker 1: by the federal government. They argue that the Constitution doesn't 92 00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 1: give the Feds the right to hold the land that 93 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:06,240 Speaker 1: is quote unappropriated. According to this argument, national parks and 94 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:09,560 Speaker 1: monuments are okay because Congress has designated those lands for 95 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:13,200 Speaker 1: a specific use, but BLM land that is simply being 96 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:16,599 Speaker 1: held by the Feds should be divested and sold at auction, 97 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:20,400 Speaker 1: either to private entities or to the states. I haven't 98 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:23,560 Speaker 1: found a public land advocate that buys this argument, and 99 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:25,839 Speaker 1: you can read more of my response in an article 100 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:28,600 Speaker 1: over at the meaeater dot com. But now the Department 101 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:31,479 Speaker 1: of Justice has officially responded, and if you care about 102 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:34,599 Speaker 1: this issue, the thirty page document is worth a read. 103 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:37,000 Speaker 1: We'll post a link to it over at the meaeater 104 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:41,600 Speaker 1: dot com forward slash cow. The DOJ makes three arguments 105 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:44,560 Speaker 1: in its brief. The first two are that the Supreme 106 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:47,599 Speaker 1: Court shouldn't take the case in the first place. We 107 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:51,799 Speaker 1: won't get into those because they involve complex legal arguments 108 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:54,080 Speaker 1: and I'm not a lawyer. But third section of the 109 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:58,839 Speaker 1: brief goes after Utah's actual case, and it's pretty convincing. First, 110 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:02,080 Speaker 1: the DOJ points out that even though the Constitution doesn't 111 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:05,559 Speaker 1: contain any language that specifically allows the FEDS to hold 112 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:08,880 Speaker 1: so called unappropriated lands, it does allow the FEDS to 113 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:11,440 Speaker 1: make treaties. This is how the US came to own 114 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 1: the land within Utah's borders in the first place. Following 115 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:18,200 Speaker 1: the Mexican American War, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo gave 116 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:21,080 Speaker 1: the United States over three hundred and thirty million acres 117 00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:24,360 Speaker 1: of land, including all of modern day Utah. That land 118 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 1: was held by the federal government, and over the years 119 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:30,479 Speaker 1: they've disposed of it to various entities, including the state 120 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:33,720 Speaker 1: of Utah, which was admitted to the Union in eighteen 121 00:06:33,839 --> 00:06:38,560 Speaker 1: ninety four. What's more, the Constitution also contains the Property Clause, 122 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:41,960 Speaker 1: which allows Congress to make quote all needful rules and 123 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:45,880 Speaker 1: regulations respecting the territory or other property belonging to the 124 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:49,520 Speaker 1: United States. Congress did just that when it passed the 125 00:06:49,520 --> 00:06:52,839 Speaker 1: Federal Land Policy and Management Act in nineteen seventy six. 126 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 1: This law, passed by Congress, as per the Constitution's Property Clause, 127 00:06:57,279 --> 00:07:01,000 Speaker 1: stipulates that public lands shall be retained under federal ownership 128 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:04,479 Speaker 1: until it is decided that disposing of a particular parcel 129 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:08,279 Speaker 1: would serve the national interest. There are no requirements that 130 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:11,000 Speaker 1: the land be a national park or national monument. The 131 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:14,160 Speaker 1: law simply allows the Feds to own land unless they 132 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:17,160 Speaker 1: decide to get rid of it. But wait, there's more. 133 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:21,760 Speaker 1: Utah's lawsuit says unappropriated land is illegal because it is 134 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:24,680 Speaker 1: not used to execute any of the enumerated powers of 135 00:07:24,720 --> 00:07:28,240 Speaker 1: the federal government. Enumerated powers are those described in the 136 00:07:28,280 --> 00:07:31,400 Speaker 1: Constitution that lay out what the Feds are allowed to do, 137 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:35,200 Speaker 1: but the DOJ points out that these lands generate revenue 138 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:39,040 Speaker 1: for the federal government. Article one of the Constitution authorizes 139 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:42,480 Speaker 1: Congress to make laws that are necessary and proper for 140 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:46,480 Speaker 1: carrying out its other powers. Congress's retention of those lands 141 00:07:46,640 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 1: is necessary and proper to carry out the federal activities 142 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:53,800 Speaker 1: funded by those revenues. In other words, contrary to what 143 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:57,920 Speaker 1: UTAH argues, unappropriated lands do allow the FEDS to execute 144 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:02,520 Speaker 1: its enumerated powers via the revenue they generate. This is 145 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:05,480 Speaker 1: something that you hear all the time in this kocamany 146 00:08:05,840 --> 00:08:10,520 Speaker 1: fricking argument. It's those lands aren't doing anything. If you're 147 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:13,480 Speaker 1: listening to the show, you know that land just being land, 148 00:08:13,920 --> 00:08:17,760 Speaker 1: nature just being nature, habitat just being habitat, provides clean air, 149 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:23,920 Speaker 1: provides clean water, provides sanctuary for all sorts of animals, pollinators, 150 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:28,720 Speaker 1: things that greatly benefit humanity. I could go on, but 151 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:32,120 Speaker 1: that's the meat of it. Both the Constitution and federal 152 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:35,960 Speaker 1: law allow the federal government to own land. BLM land 153 00:08:36,120 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 1: isn't somehow different from Forest Service land. They may be 154 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:41,880 Speaker 1: used for different purposes, but all of it out west 155 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:45,079 Speaker 1: was federal property long before some portions of it were 156 00:08:45,080 --> 00:08:48,600 Speaker 1: given to the States. DOJ lawyers really hammer this point 157 00:08:48,640 --> 00:08:52,280 Speaker 1: home in what's probably the most powerful portion of the document, 158 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:55,800 Speaker 1: quote Utah does not dispute that the United States may 159 00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 1: hold territories such as Puerto Rico, Guam, or Utah itself 160 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:03,480 Speaker 1: before Congress admitted it to the Union. It also does 161 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:06,319 Speaker 1: not dispute that the United States may hold personal property 162 00:09:06,559 --> 00:09:08,720 Speaker 1: such as the Golden Fort Knox, the Oil and the 163 00:09:08,760 --> 00:09:12,600 Speaker 1: Strategic Petroleum Reserve, or the art in the Smithsonian. The 164 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 1: Constitution's text provides no basis for treating federal retention of 165 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 1: public lands any differently, and there you have it. Hopefully 166 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:23,720 Speaker 1: the Supreme Court will agree and dismiss this case out 167 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:26,800 Speaker 1: of hand. These arguments will never go away, but it 168 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:29,080 Speaker 1: would still be a big victory in the fight to 169 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:32,520 Speaker 1: keep public lands in public hands if this one never 170 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:36,439 Speaker 1: made it to the court. Moving on to the hunting 171 00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:41,000 Speaker 1: rights desk, speaking of bad ideas that won't go away, 172 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:44,839 Speaker 1: the Center for Biological Diversity is petitioning the Arizona Game 173 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:47,080 Speaker 1: and Fish Commission to ban the use of hunting dogs. 174 00:09:47,480 --> 00:09:50,560 Speaker 1: The CBD was joined by the Mount Lion Foundation, the 175 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:53,720 Speaker 1: Sierra Club, and several other groups in asking the Commission 176 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:57,400 Speaker 1: to prohibit recreational hounding, which they define as using packs 177 00:09:57,400 --> 00:10:00,640 Speaker 1: of dogs to chase down and hunt mountain lions, bobcats, 178 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:04,680 Speaker 1: black bears, foxes, coyotes, and other mammals. Why should the 179 00:10:04,679 --> 00:10:08,160 Speaker 1: Arizona Game and Fish Commission ban a practice that's proven 180 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:13,480 Speaker 1: to be sustainable alongside the ecological health of mountain lions. 181 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:17,280 Speaker 1: They make two arguments. First, they say that hound hunting 182 00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:20,959 Speaker 1: can sometimes harass, injure, and kill non target species, some 183 00:10:21,040 --> 00:10:23,960 Speaker 1: of which are threatened or endangered. As part of this, 184 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 1: they make the baseless accusation that hound dogs quote have 185 00:10:27,480 --> 00:10:30,120 Speaker 1: been known to attack people. It would only take one 186 00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:33,440 Speaker 1: instance of this to make it technically true, and if 187 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:35,400 Speaker 1: that's the standard, I can think of a few pet 188 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:37,959 Speaker 1: dog breeds that probably shouldn't be allowed out of the house, 189 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:41,200 Speaker 1: most of which are not the size of a hound dog. Second, 190 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:44,120 Speaker 1: the CBD says that the Commission has a responsibility to 191 00:10:44,160 --> 00:10:47,920 Speaker 1: balance hunting practices with quote, public values on animal welfare 192 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:51,520 Speaker 1: and ethical hunting standards, including the principles of fair chase. 193 00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:54,640 Speaker 1: They imply that the general public disapproves of hound hunting, 194 00:10:54,920 --> 00:10:58,360 Speaker 1: and so the Commission should bend to their will as evidence. 195 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:00,680 Speaker 1: They cite a twenty twenty four st study that found 196 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:03,960 Speaker 1: about eighty eight percent of Colorado residents disapprove of the 197 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:07,400 Speaker 1: use of hounds to hunt mountain lions. Arizona is not 198 00:11:07,559 --> 00:11:10,360 Speaker 1: in Colorado last time I checked, but maybe we should 199 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:14,480 Speaker 1: get these folks in Atlas also love when anti hunters 200 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:17,720 Speaker 1: try to lecture hunters about what constitutes fair chase. I 201 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:20,120 Speaker 1: guarantee none of these people have even been on a 202 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:23,760 Speaker 1: hound hunt, much less understood the time, work, and resources 203 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:26,840 Speaker 1: it takes to purchase and train even one of these dogs. 204 00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:30,520 Speaker 1: Big red flag is when people from the anti hunting 205 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:33,520 Speaker 1: community all of a sudden start talking about how to 206 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:37,080 Speaker 1: properly hunt. I've been told that this petition has very 207 00:11:37,080 --> 00:11:39,200 Speaker 1: little chance of making it through the Commission, but that 208 00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:41,800 Speaker 1: it could be the opening salvo of the same battle 209 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:44,640 Speaker 1: we've seen in other states. If Arizona hunters, not just 210 00:11:44,720 --> 00:11:48,040 Speaker 1: houndsman speak up strongly enough this time around, that'll make 211 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:51,560 Speaker 1: it tougher to implement the larger anti hunting agenda. Get 212 00:11:51,559 --> 00:11:54,160 Speaker 1: in touch with the Wildlife Commission by googling Arizona Game 213 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:57,040 Speaker 1: and Fish Commission or clicking the link over at the 214 00:11:57,120 --> 00:12:00,000 Speaker 1: Meat Eater Dot com forward slash col tell them why 215 00:12:00,520 --> 00:12:02,680 Speaker 1: even if you don't hunt with dogs and never plan to, 216 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:07,000 Speaker 1: you want them to stand strong against any diminishment of 217 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:10,520 Speaker 1: our right. Keep in mind, gang, a lot of folks 218 00:12:10,559 --> 00:12:13,280 Speaker 1: think that those bird dogs going after those merns quail 219 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:15,480 Speaker 1: and scale the quail and all the cool stuff down 220 00:12:15,520 --> 00:12:18,040 Speaker 1: there in Arizona don't really want to be doing that. 221 00:12:18,679 --> 00:12:22,119 Speaker 1: And you are putting them in harm's way of cactus 222 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:25,520 Speaker 1: and rattlesnakes and all that by hunting with them. So 223 00:12:25,559 --> 00:12:30,679 Speaker 1: it could be hound dogs first, quail dog second. In 224 00:12:30,720 --> 00:12:34,120 Speaker 1: other wildlife management news, a legislator in New Mexico is 225 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:36,800 Speaker 1: planning to introduce two bills that he says will reform 226 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:40,400 Speaker 1: the state's Game and Fish Agency. Representative Matthew McQueen says 227 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:43,920 Speaker 1: reforms are needed to quote expand the role and mindset 228 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:46,520 Speaker 1: of the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish beyond 229 00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:50,080 Speaker 1: hook and bullet wildlife priorities. To do that, he wants 230 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:52,240 Speaker 1: to change the New Mexico Game and Fish Department to 231 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:55,560 Speaker 1: the New Mexico Department of Wildlife. This bill would also 232 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:58,600 Speaker 1: widen the mission of the agency to support animals beyond 233 00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:02,000 Speaker 1: hunting or angling, and increase its budget by about ten 234 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:05,240 Speaker 1: million dollars. As with wildlife agencies in every state, the 235 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:08,479 Speaker 1: Game and Fish Department already works with non game species. 236 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:11,040 Speaker 1: The text of this bill hasn't been released as of 237 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:13,680 Speaker 1: this recording, but it sounds like that extra ten million 238 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:16,760 Speaker 1: dollars will be earmarked for projects to help animals on 239 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:20,840 Speaker 1: the state Species of Greatest Conservation Needs list. It's unclear 240 00:13:20,880 --> 00:13:23,880 Speaker 1: how else the agency's mission would be expanded. The other 241 00:13:23,920 --> 00:13:27,120 Speaker 1: bill is designed to address the high turnover and accusations 242 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:30,920 Speaker 1: of politicization of the state's Fish and Game Commission. First, 243 00:13:31,080 --> 00:13:33,679 Speaker 1: the bill would change the required makeup of the commission 244 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:36,439 Speaker 1: moving forward. It would be made up of three at 245 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:40,240 Speaker 1: large members with backgrounds and wildlife issues, and four positions 246 00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:44,480 Speaker 1: with specific backgrounds a farmer or rancher, a conservationist, a 247 00:13:44,559 --> 00:13:48,480 Speaker 1: hunter angler, and an academic and wildlife science. The reforms 248 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:52,080 Speaker 1: would also mandate all commissioners reside in different counties, and 249 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:54,680 Speaker 1: no more than four can be from the same political party. 250 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:57,520 Speaker 1: The members would also be selected for consideration by a 251 00:13:57,559 --> 00:14:02,240 Speaker 1: nominating commission, though the governor retain the ultimate power of nomination. 252 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:05,800 Speaker 1: The new nominating committee would include members of the state's 253 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:10,280 Speaker 1: two universities, a member of Native American Nation tribe or pueblo, 254 00:14:10,600 --> 00:14:14,160 Speaker 1: and four members of legislative leadership from both parties. The 255 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:17,520 Speaker 1: proposal would also increase term times for commissioners to six 256 00:14:17,679 --> 00:14:21,400 Speaker 1: year staggered terms rather than four years. If these kinds 257 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:25,040 Speaker 1: of changes sound familiar, that's because legislators tried this last 258 00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:27,840 Speaker 1: year as well. The bill was passed, but Governor Michelle 259 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:31,400 Speaker 1: Luhan Grisham refused to sign it. This time around, legislators 260 00:14:31,440 --> 00:14:34,480 Speaker 1: are reportedly working closer with the governor's office, so there's 261 00:14:34,520 --> 00:14:37,160 Speaker 1: a good chance it gets signed into law. If passed. 262 00:14:37,640 --> 00:14:40,320 Speaker 1: New Mexico Hunters and Anglers want to pay very close 263 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:42,640 Speaker 1: attention to this one. We'll try to alert you when 264 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:45,880 Speaker 1: the bill text gets published, but in the meantime, be 265 00:14:45,960 --> 00:14:47,920 Speaker 1: sure to sign up for alerts from the New Mexico 266 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 1: Chapter of back Country Hunters and Anglers and the New 267 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:53,480 Speaker 1: Mexico Wildlife Federation. They'll keep you in the loop and 268 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:56,400 Speaker 1: break down which proposals are in the best interest of 269 00:14:56,440 --> 00:15:00,240 Speaker 1: outdoors people in the state. And if this thing passes, 270 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:03,440 Speaker 1: you better get your name in the hat for one 271 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:06,800 Speaker 1: of those seats. We're all capable of it. You just 272 00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:10,120 Speaker 1: got to throw your name in there. Moving on to 273 00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:14,520 Speaker 1: the coyote desk, Colorado officials are in the hunt for 274 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:16,600 Speaker 1: a coyote that attacked a four year old girl late 275 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:19,520 Speaker 1: last month in Colorado Springs. The attack took place in 276 00:15:19,560 --> 00:15:22,480 Speaker 1: the late afternoon in a neighborhood near the Air Force Academy. 277 00:15:22,800 --> 00:15:25,080 Speaker 1: The little girl was with another child when they spied 278 00:15:25,080 --> 00:15:28,280 Speaker 1: the coyote crouching behind a tree. They reportedly approached the 279 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:31,120 Speaker 1: animal because they thought it was a dog, which is true, 280 00:15:31,360 --> 00:15:34,200 Speaker 1: but not the kind that we're probably imagining. The canine 281 00:15:34,240 --> 00:15:36,520 Speaker 1: lunged at the girl and bit the back of her head, 282 00:15:36,800 --> 00:15:39,920 Speaker 1: which caused serious injuries and required an overnight stay at 283 00:15:39,920 --> 00:15:43,360 Speaker 1: the hospital. Fortunately, the girl's uncle was close by and 284 00:15:43,440 --> 00:15:45,960 Speaker 1: he was able to scare the animal away and whisk 285 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:49,480 Speaker 1: his niece to safety. Colorado Parks and Wildlife says its 286 00:15:49,480 --> 00:15:52,840 Speaker 1: investigators have not yet determined what prompted the coyote to 287 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:55,280 Speaker 1: allow a human to get so close to it, but 288 00:15:55,360 --> 00:15:59,080 Speaker 1: they are pursuing the animal quote aggressively. They say they 289 00:15:59,080 --> 00:16:02,480 Speaker 1: cannot determine which this particular coyote is responsible for the crime, 290 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:05,480 Speaker 1: so they're just going to kill every coyote they find 291 00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:07,880 Speaker 1: in the vicinity of the attack, which I think is 292 00:16:07,880 --> 00:16:11,200 Speaker 1: a good plan. Coyotes are usually aggressive in spring when 293 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:13,840 Speaker 1: they're protecting their young, but they can also get aggressive 294 00:16:13,880 --> 00:16:17,560 Speaker 1: if they've become habituated to humans or are sick. There 295 00:16:17,600 --> 00:16:20,160 Speaker 1: haven't been any reports that the coyote was rabid, but 296 00:16:20,200 --> 00:16:23,320 Speaker 1: officials will be testing all animals they kill to make sure. 297 00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:27,480 Speaker 1: Colorado officials have also encouraged residents to do everything they 298 00:16:27,520 --> 00:16:31,000 Speaker 1: can to haze coyotes. The CPW says in its press 299 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:34,040 Speaker 1: release that coyotes shouldn't just be left alone. Have spotted, 300 00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:36,640 Speaker 1: the residents should yell at them, throw rocks at them, 301 00:16:36,880 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 1: and report any aggressive animals immediately moving on to the 302 00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:46,320 Speaker 1: crime desk. A Rhode Island man has been hit with 303 00:16:46,440 --> 00:16:50,360 Speaker 1: multiple citations for setting illegal traps on private property, one 304 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:53,360 Speaker 1: of which caught someone's pet dog. The Rhode Island Department 305 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:56,720 Speaker 1: of Environmental Management reported in a Facebook post that the 306 00:16:56,760 --> 00:17:00,200 Speaker 1: dog's owner had heard his dog yelping around eleven thirty pm. 307 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:02,040 Speaker 1: He found that the dog had been caught in a 308 00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:04,760 Speaker 1: leg holed trap, and the next day he found two 309 00:17:04,840 --> 00:17:08,119 Speaker 1: more traps on that same property. One of those traps 310 00:17:08,119 --> 00:17:11,480 Speaker 1: contained a dead whitetail deer and the man called officials. 311 00:17:11,680 --> 00:17:14,679 Speaker 1: It's unclear exactly how, but game Warden's tracked down the 312 00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:17,000 Speaker 1: man who had set the traps. They had to use 313 00:17:17,040 --> 00:17:20,359 Speaker 1: a Mandarin interpreter to communicate, but he explained that the 314 00:17:20,359 --> 00:17:23,240 Speaker 1: property owner had asked him to set the traps because 315 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:26,320 Speaker 1: deer had been eating the plants in his garden. Property 316 00:17:26,359 --> 00:17:28,760 Speaker 1: owner claims he didn't know trapping was illegal, and the 317 00:17:28,760 --> 00:17:32,200 Speaker 1: poacher apparently didn't realize it either. He says he bought 318 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:34,640 Speaker 1: the snares in China and learned how to trap by 319 00:17:34,640 --> 00:17:37,639 Speaker 1: watching videos on the internet. He admitted that prior to 320 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:40,280 Speaker 1: being caught, he had trapped a whitetail buck, shot it 321 00:17:40,320 --> 00:17:43,119 Speaker 1: with an air rifle, and ate it. The suspect has 322 00:17:43,160 --> 00:17:45,600 Speaker 1: not been named, but he's been charged with eleven counts 323 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:48,760 Speaker 1: of violating a law that prohibits using a trap, salt lick, 324 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:51,600 Speaker 1: or other device to take deer. He was also charged 325 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:55,200 Speaker 1: with hunting without a license and deer hunting without landowner permission. 326 00:17:55,680 --> 00:17:57,640 Speaker 1: I guess, if you need to find something positive here, 327 00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:03,000 Speaker 1: sounds like he's being very helpful with the authorities. US 328 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:06,119 Speaker 1: officials are sounding the alarm about the impact of Mexican 329 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:09,800 Speaker 1: drug cartels on the red snapper population along the Gulf coast. 330 00:18:10,280 --> 00:18:13,880 Speaker 1: Last week, the US Treasury Department announced sanctions against members 331 00:18:13,920 --> 00:18:17,119 Speaker 1: of the Golf drug cartel, which operates in Mexican border 332 00:18:17,160 --> 00:18:21,040 Speaker 1: cities near McCallen and Brownsville, Texas. They say the cartel 333 00:18:21,160 --> 00:18:24,560 Speaker 1: uses commercial fishing vessels to smuggle drugs and people, and 334 00:18:24,640 --> 00:18:27,600 Speaker 1: along the way they catch tons of red snapper. The 335 00:18:27,680 --> 00:18:31,119 Speaker 1: US has much stricter fishing regulations, so these fishing boats 336 00:18:31,160 --> 00:18:33,800 Speaker 1: will often sail into US waters, catch as many red 337 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:37,040 Speaker 1: snapper as they can, and return to Mexico. There they 338 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:40,520 Speaker 1: process the fish and sell them, often back to US markets. 339 00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:44,480 Speaker 1: The Treasury Department says illegal fishing earns millions every year 340 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:47,879 Speaker 1: for the Golf cartel. The department is sanctioning five members 341 00:18:47,920 --> 00:18:50,879 Speaker 1: of this criminal organization, which means all their assets in 342 00:18:50,920 --> 00:18:53,439 Speaker 1: the US will be seized and it is illegal to 343 00:18:53,480 --> 00:18:56,360 Speaker 1: do business with them. Red snapper anglers in the Gulf 344 00:18:56,400 --> 00:18:59,280 Speaker 1: of Mexico know how strictly the fishery is regulated, and 345 00:18:59,320 --> 00:19:01,720 Speaker 1: with good reason. The fish have been harvested from the 346 00:19:01,720 --> 00:19:04,760 Speaker 1: gulf since at least the eighteen forties, but the population 347 00:19:04,880 --> 00:19:08,960 Speaker 1: declined precipitously from about nineteen sixty to nineteen ninety, when 348 00:19:08,960 --> 00:19:12,560 Speaker 1: it reached an all time low, strict regulations were enforced, 349 00:19:12,640 --> 00:19:15,560 Speaker 1: and since then the population has grown steadily. While I 350 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:19,280 Speaker 1: doubt the cartels by themselves represent an existential threat to 351 00:19:19,320 --> 00:19:23,120 Speaker 1: the fishery, their actions will slow progress and force recreational 352 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:27,360 Speaker 1: anglers to abide by tight bag and size limits even longer. 353 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:31,080 Speaker 1: That's the SUD message. I means local pros. He sleeps 354 00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:36,600 Speaker 1: with the fishes. That's all I got for you this week. 355 00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:39,159 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for listening. Remember to write in 356 00:19:39,560 --> 00:19:43,600 Speaker 1: to ask c Al that's Askcal at themeateater dot com 357 00:19:43,640 --> 00:19:45,119 Speaker 1: and let me know what's going on in your neck 358 00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:47,720 Speaker 1: of the woods. You know we appreciate it. Thanks again. 359 00:19:47,960 --> 00:19:49,080 Speaker 1: We'll talk to you next week.