1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundations podcast, your guide 2 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:08,879 Speaker 1: to the fundamentals of better deer hunting, presented by first Light, 3 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 1: creating proven versatile hunting apparel for the stand, saddle or blind. 4 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:18,600 Speaker 1: First Light, Go Farther, Stay Longer, and now your host, 5 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:19,880 Speaker 1: Tony Peterson. 6 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:23,040 Speaker 2: Hey, everyone, welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundations podcast, 7 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:25,160 Speaker 2: which is brought to you by first Light. Today I'm 8 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:28,280 Speaker 2: going to talk about hunting buddies, lost opportunities, and the 9 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:30,600 Speaker 2: reality that if you ever want to travel to hunt anything, 10 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 2: time is not on your side. Look, this is just 11 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:38,400 Speaker 2: kind of your yearly reminder, but I hope you listen. 12 00:00:38,479 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 2: Our hunting opportunities are disappearing faster than most of us 13 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:44,800 Speaker 2: probably realize, and that trend is only going to accelerate 14 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 2: because the opportunities that are left are seeing increasing demand. 15 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:51,320 Speaker 2: If you've ever dreamed about drawing that Iowa white tailte 16 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:53,559 Speaker 2: or maybe taking a trip out west to el hunt 17 00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 2: with your buddies, the times now it's right now. 18 00:00:57,040 --> 00:00:57,200 Speaker 3: Now. 19 00:00:57,200 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 2: I know you think that I'm being a little crazy here, 20 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 2: and if you keep listening, you're going to see what 21 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:12,480 Speaker 2: The state of Missouri holds a special place in my heart. 22 00:01:12,959 --> 00:01:15,800 Speaker 2: It really does. Missouri was the first state that I 23 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:19,039 Speaker 2: ever traveled to in order to hunt anything. And let 24 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:22,840 Speaker 2: me tell you something that was a big deal. When 25 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:25,040 Speaker 2: I was growing up, I only knew one guy who 26 00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:27,760 Speaker 2: traveled to hunt. He spent part of his fall in 27 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 2: Montana for elk each year, and to me, that was incredible, 28 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 2: like truly incredible. Then Field and Stream magazine ran a 29 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:41,119 Speaker 2: story on destination hunts and they highlighted northern Missouri as 30 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 2: one of the places to go for turkeys. 31 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:46,399 Speaker 3: And you know who went, My dad. That's who. 32 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:52,640 Speaker 2: I was outraged, offended, and quite honestly totally shocked. My 33 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:55,360 Speaker 2: dad's history with turkeys is one of being a very 34 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:59,200 Speaker 2: very bad turkey hunter. Well he didn't kill a turkey 35 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 2: on that first miss trip, but the following year, when 36 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:05,800 Speaker 2: I was fifteen, he, my buddy Nolan, and I all 37 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:08,359 Speaker 2: drove five and a half hours to Kirksville to chase 38 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 2: some public land birds. I'm not being facetious when I 39 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 2: say that that trip changed my life. At that time, 40 00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:17,240 Speaker 2: in Minnesota, we had to draw a turkey tag for 41 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 2: one five day season. If you wanted to hunt in 42 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 2: the early part of the turkey season, you were not 43 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 2: going to draw every year. The last two seasons that 44 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:28,799 Speaker 2: were offered up late May seasons were pretty much a 45 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:32,240 Speaker 2: gimme because no one wanted to hunt them. The opportunity 46 00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:34,440 Speaker 2: to buy a tag in a different state and hunt 47 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:38,120 Speaker 2: for two turkeys on unfamiliar ground was unbelievable to me. 48 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:40,320 Speaker 2: It was so different from my home state of Minnesota. 49 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 2: We drove down there several times and it was always 50 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 2: worth the cost of admission. 51 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:47,720 Speaker 3: So fast forward to today. 52 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:50,840 Speaker 2: After seeing Nebraska sell out of their tags in record 53 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:54,600 Speaker 2: time and then checking Iowa for non existent leftover tags, 54 00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:57,040 Speaker 2: I looked at Missouri to see if a buddy and 55 00:02:57,080 --> 00:02:59,440 Speaker 2: I should head down there for a camping trip centered 56 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 2: around god on public land and maybe a little bit 57 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 2: of fishing in the afternoon. Well, this year, a non 58 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:07,640 Speaker 2: resident license is only good for one turkey, while the 59 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:10,760 Speaker 2: resident tag is good for two. A resident pays nineteen 60 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:13,640 Speaker 2: dollars and fifty cents for that, while a non resident 61 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:16,360 Speaker 2: will shell out three hundred and four dollars and fifty 62 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:19,799 Speaker 2: cents to top it off. The state, which has long 63 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:22,400 Speaker 2: been known to shut down turkey hunting at one o'clock 64 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:26,520 Speaker 2: each day, now allows anyone on private land to hunt 65 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:30,480 Speaker 2: all day public land hunters still have to quit halfway through. Now, 66 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:33,280 Speaker 2: your mileage may vary, but I'm pretty open to spending 67 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 2: a lot on tags, but at a certain point, I'm 68 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:38,000 Speaker 2: just not And Missouri kind of hit that point for 69 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:40,880 Speaker 2: me this year, to think that my license cost would 70 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:44,119 Speaker 2: cover the bill for fifteen residents, but is good for 71 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:48,520 Speaker 2: one turkey, while those fifteen could theoretically shoot thirty, all 72 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:51,240 Speaker 2: while having to spend half the day not turkey hunting 73 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:52,560 Speaker 2: because I hunt public land. 74 00:03:53,160 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 3: That's just a bridge. It's too far. 75 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 2: I add that part in to show that it's not 76 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:01,120 Speaker 2: likely a response to over Harvard when you consider the 77 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:03,880 Speaker 2: bulk of licenses are sold to residents and they are 78 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:06,400 Speaker 2: still allowed to kill two birds and can even have 79 00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 2: extra time to do it if they're not on public land. Now, 80 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 2: I'm not picking on Missouri because they aren't alone in this. 81 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 2: This is a thing that a lot of states do 82 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 2: and a lot more will do in the near future. Look, 83 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:20,480 Speaker 2: we watch the West tighten up everything for non residents, 84 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:24,000 Speaker 2: partially in response to managing the resource and partially in 85 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:26,640 Speaker 2: response to Hunter's lobbying to kick us out. 86 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:27,720 Speaker 3: They have a lot of. 87 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:30,320 Speaker 2: Reasons for this, but the truth is almost universally because 88 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:33,160 Speaker 2: they perceive those extra hunters as making it harder for them. 89 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:38,640 Speaker 2: And if hunters are interested in anything, generally, it's easier hunting. Now, 90 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:41,000 Speaker 2: if I am coming off a little salty, I don't 91 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 2: mean to. I really don't. It's just that I've been 92 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:47,240 Speaker 2: nostalgic lately. Maybe it's just the gray in my beard, 93 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:49,600 Speaker 2: or the reality that when you and all your hunting 94 00:04:49,640 --> 00:04:52,760 Speaker 2: buddies have kids and your jobs get serious, the trips 95 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:55,599 Speaker 2: too haunt together just become harder to come by. And 96 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 2: now that our kids are somewhat self sufficient and we 97 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:01,520 Speaker 2: aren't broke post college students, we started looking for a 98 00:05:01,560 --> 00:05:04,200 Speaker 2: few ways to go spend five days in tents somewhere 99 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:08,000 Speaker 2: hunting something together. We don't really care what, because our 100 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:11,359 Speaker 2: trips have never been about trophy hunting. That's just not 101 00:05:11,440 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 2: our jam. And while we have killed some great deer 102 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:16,520 Speaker 2: and western critters along the way, we've also killed a 103 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 2: lot of critters that meant more to the grill than 104 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:20,520 Speaker 2: they would being put on display in the man cave. 105 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 2: But those trips weren't just about killing something. I can 106 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 2: look at Chad Antler's on my basement shelves and pictures 107 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:30,680 Speaker 2: of our trips on my walls and think back on 108 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:32,760 Speaker 2: what I missed the most. And it's not that we 109 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:35,200 Speaker 2: don't get to go shoot an antelope in North Dakota. 110 00:05:35,240 --> 00:05:35,400 Speaker 3: Ever. 111 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 2: Again, it was always about getting to do something really cool, 112 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:42,360 Speaker 2: which is why it felt reasonable to pay what was 113 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:44,600 Speaker 2: to us a lot of money to go do it. 114 00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:47,960 Speaker 2: I've recently had conversations with two people who have enough 115 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:50,239 Speaker 2: Eyewa points to drop pretty much anywhere in the state, 116 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:53,359 Speaker 2: and they are both dragging their feet. The thought of 117 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:57,440 Speaker 2: not feeling an expensive rare to get tag is scary 118 00:05:57,560 --> 00:05:58,520 Speaker 2: for a lot of us. 119 00:05:59,120 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 3: I get it. 120 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:01,960 Speaker 2: I have a lot of Wyoming points for a couple 121 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:04,400 Speaker 2: of critters that I'm scared to cash in because of that, 122 00:06:04,880 --> 00:06:07,520 Speaker 2: but also because I know that they are my only 123 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:09,720 Speaker 2: shot at one of those hunts where you can hold 124 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 2: out for a good one, and more importantly, are well 125 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:15,120 Speaker 2: within reason to block off a couple of weeks to 126 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:17,880 Speaker 2: go deep in the back country and live like we 127 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 2: all secretly want to. 128 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:21,280 Speaker 3: But those Iowa tags. 129 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 2: They're not going to get cheaper, and they aren't going 130 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:25,880 Speaker 2: to get more plentiful anymore than the fine folks in 131 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:28,600 Speaker 2: Wyoming aren't real likely to decide that those of us 132 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:31,360 Speaker 2: who live in Michigan or Ohio or Texas or wherever 133 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:34,760 Speaker 2: should have more access to meal deer tags at a 134 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:35,640 Speaker 2: reasonable cost. 135 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:38,440 Speaker 3: This train only moves one way down the tracks. 136 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:41,560 Speaker 2: My friends and a whole bunch of hunters are sitting 137 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:43,479 Speaker 2: there shoveling coal in the fire to get it to 138 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:47,520 Speaker 2: move faster. That bums me out in some ways and 139 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:50,599 Speaker 2: scares me in others. It bums me out for reasons 140 00:06:50,640 --> 00:06:53,240 Speaker 2: I've already stated, but also for the fact that the 141 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:55,920 Speaker 2: things that I was lucky enough to do are gone 142 00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:59,800 Speaker 2: for my kids. But guess what, they're gone for yours too, 143 00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:03,400 Speaker 2: or they mostly will be in not too much time. 144 00:07:04,279 --> 00:07:06,800 Speaker 2: What scares me about this trend is that when we 145 00:07:06,839 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 2: are in the thick of it, when it comes to 146 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 2: protecting public lands and this kind of conservation issues, and 147 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 2: I know people want to make this a political issue, 148 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:17,080 Speaker 2: and that's fine, but the truth is that public land, 149 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:20,040 Speaker 2: at least to the general population and not the politicians 150 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 2: who live and die by their elephant or donkey status, 151 00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:26,320 Speaker 2: is bipartisan. Our public lands are a gift and if 152 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:29,080 Speaker 2: they go away, they will not come back, just like 153 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:32,120 Speaker 2: our hunting opportunities this is a fight we need lots 154 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:34,560 Speaker 2: of people to care about. But let me throw an 155 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:38,320 Speaker 2: example out here that I think is very realistic. The 156 00:07:38,440 --> 00:07:41,600 Speaker 2: primary reason that I'm interested in public land out west 157 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:44,120 Speaker 2: is because of the possibility to hunt or fish on it. 158 00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:45,680 Speaker 3: You know, mostly hunt. 159 00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:49,200 Speaker 2: But still, I'm just being honest here, because I'm not 160 00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:51,760 Speaker 2: driving to Colorado to hike the trails and sample the 161 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:55,280 Speaker 2: local greenery. If you get my drift, I drive there 162 00:07:55,280 --> 00:07:58,679 Speaker 2: to hunt, and you can substitute Utah or New Mexico 163 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:01,520 Speaker 2: or Idaho or whatever Western state you want here. In 164 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:04,320 Speaker 2: the last ten years, we've watched most Western states tighten 165 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 2: their regulations to the point where fewer non residents get 166 00:08:06,880 --> 00:08:08,720 Speaker 2: to go, and when they do get to go, they 167 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 2: pay dearly for it. That's fine, but fast forward that 168 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:16,240 Speaker 2: to another ten years or twenty. At some point, the 169 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:19,000 Speaker 2: call is going to go out like it did last year, 170 00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:21,840 Speaker 2: for all of us to call an email and shout 171 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:24,400 Speaker 2: from the rooftops that our public lands aren't for sale. 172 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:28,239 Speaker 2: But what if only a very very small and well 173 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:31,440 Speaker 2: healed percentage of hunters, you know, they've been allowed to 174 00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:35,240 Speaker 2: hunt in those states. You know, the kind of folks 175 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:38,040 Speaker 2: who are far more likely to do outfitted things and 176 00:08:38,320 --> 00:08:40,520 Speaker 2: you know, bivvy hunt back on public land. What if 177 00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:42,840 Speaker 2: those are the folks left who get to hunt those states, 178 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:46,679 Speaker 2: and at some point we might have an apathetic enough 179 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:49,920 Speaker 2: populace that knows without question they won't ever get to 180 00:08:49,960 --> 00:08:53,720 Speaker 2: go do what you know, a few rich, lucky folks 181 00:08:53,800 --> 00:08:57,120 Speaker 2: get to do wherever, So why should they care if 182 00:08:57,120 --> 00:08:59,720 Speaker 2: the public lands get sold off to some developers or 183 00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:02,840 Speaker 2: their you know, politicians' friends who want to double the 184 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:06,080 Speaker 2: size of their ranches. We won't care. And that's going 185 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:09,160 Speaker 2: to be a problem. I think that's a very real possibility, 186 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:22,200 Speaker 2: and I think it sucks. I hate to say this, 187 00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:24,960 Speaker 2: but it also might be true that the folks who 188 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:27,600 Speaker 2: live east of the Mississippi might look at some of 189 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:29,920 Speaker 2: those situations like a good way to stick it to 190 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 2: those same hunters who lobbied successfully to punish all of 191 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:35,960 Speaker 2: us who don't live in their state. That's a narrow 192 00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:38,560 Speaker 2: view of a larger problem, because public land is good 193 00:09:38,559 --> 00:09:40,840 Speaker 2: for a lot more than hunting. But it's not that 194 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:44,880 Speaker 2: hard to imagine that scenario playing out. I know that personally, 195 00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:47,280 Speaker 2: a state that has treated me like a piggy bank, 196 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:49,400 Speaker 2: who should bend the knee to folks who live across 197 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:52,160 Speaker 2: imaginary lines on a map isn't likely to get a 198 00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:54,720 Speaker 2: lot of sympathy from me in the future if their 199 00:09:54,760 --> 00:09:57,880 Speaker 2: way of life is threatened. I hate to say that, 200 00:09:58,160 --> 00:10:00,440 Speaker 2: because I hope it doesn't come to it, but we 201 00:10:00,559 --> 00:10:03,160 Speaker 2: need a unified front when it comes to the big issues. 202 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:06,880 Speaker 2: Yet we are very comfortable dividing ourselves if it means 203 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:10,640 Speaker 2: easier hunting for us as individuals. All of this has 204 00:10:10,679 --> 00:10:13,640 Speaker 2: my undies and a bunch, but the subtle undercurrent that 205 00:10:13,679 --> 00:10:16,760 Speaker 2: I'm seeing, specifically with public lands has me worried too. 206 00:10:17,559 --> 00:10:20,960 Speaker 2: That example I gave of Missouri, which always build their 207 00:10:21,040 --> 00:10:23,920 Speaker 2: one PM closure as a means to protect nesting hens 208 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:26,920 Speaker 2: and keep them from getting harassed too much now seems 209 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:30,120 Speaker 2: like a whole bunch of bullshit. After all, do the 210 00:10:30,160 --> 00:10:32,800 Speaker 2: hens on private land now not need that protection, but 211 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:36,240 Speaker 2: the hens on public do. We've seen this lately with 212 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:39,080 Speaker 2: trail camera bans on public land and a few other laws. 213 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:42,160 Speaker 2: This is going to feel like I'm further sowing division 214 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:45,000 Speaker 2: by bringing this up. But hear me out, why would 215 00:10:45,040 --> 00:10:48,559 Speaker 2: states be quick to further regulate hunters on public land 216 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:52,160 Speaker 2: but not on private Maybe it's a reward for paying 217 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:55,360 Speaker 2: property taxes. But it's also just back of the Napkin 218 00:10:55,480 --> 00:10:57,719 Speaker 2: math that says the folks who rely on public land 219 00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:00,920 Speaker 2: as a whole probably have less money than folks who 220 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:03,880 Speaker 2: hunt private. Now, I know that's ignoring a hell of 221 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 2: a lot of nuance, but I also know that when 222 00:11:06,280 --> 00:11:09,520 Speaker 2: you're dealing with issues out west, for example, it doesn't 223 00:11:09,520 --> 00:11:12,160 Speaker 2: take too many well healed ranchers to usher the laws 224 00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:15,040 Speaker 2: in their favor. It takes a hell of a lot 225 00:11:15,080 --> 00:11:17,800 Speaker 2: more public land hunters making a hell of a big 226 00:11:17,880 --> 00:11:21,200 Speaker 2: stink to sway the folks who make the laws. You 227 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:23,640 Speaker 2: can draw whatever conclusions you want from that, but it's 228 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:26,920 Speaker 2: kind of generally true. So if you're worried about this stuff, 229 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:29,880 Speaker 2: you know, becoming a rich man's sport, guess what it is. 230 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:33,200 Speaker 2: And this isn't just a non resident thing either, although 231 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:35,440 Speaker 2: it's more of a rich man's sport right now than 232 00:11:35,520 --> 00:11:38,840 Speaker 2: resident hunting is. But give that some time. When there 233 00:11:38,840 --> 00:11:41,880 Speaker 2: are fewer opportunities to travel and spend money somewhere else. 234 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:44,120 Speaker 2: Some of that money is going to stay in state 235 00:11:44,240 --> 00:11:47,160 Speaker 2: and be used to buy recreational land or lease it 236 00:11:47,640 --> 00:11:50,520 Speaker 2: or buy a spot at an outfitted hunt. You know, 237 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:53,160 Speaker 2: a lot of this money is likely to flow in 238 00:11:53,240 --> 00:11:56,640 Speaker 2: that direction, and those operations are really good at tying 239 00:11:56,679 --> 00:12:00,000 Speaker 2: up land and animals that live on that land. All right, 240 00:12:00,880 --> 00:12:04,920 Speaker 2: So is this a hopeless situation for most of us? Probably? 241 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:07,559 Speaker 2: That's kind of how I'm looking at it. I'm looking 242 00:12:07,559 --> 00:12:09,520 Speaker 2: for whatever I can do to spend some time with 243 00:12:09,559 --> 00:12:12,800 Speaker 2: my buddies in a new environment, chasing whatever. And I'm 244 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:14,800 Speaker 2: looking for ways I can show my kids a world 245 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:18,000 Speaker 2: that is rapidly being closed up to them. And you 246 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:21,000 Speaker 2: might want to as well. There are a lot of 247 00:12:21,080 --> 00:12:23,680 Speaker 2: tire kickers in our ranks. But something occurred to me 248 00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:25,480 Speaker 2: the other day, and I really don't know how to 249 00:12:25,480 --> 00:12:28,679 Speaker 2: put it, but I realized something. I don't want a 250 00:12:28,760 --> 00:12:32,160 Speaker 2: hunting population. There's devoid of hunters who dream of hiking 251 00:12:32,200 --> 00:12:34,760 Speaker 2: into the high country to hunt elk, just like I 252 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:37,720 Speaker 2: don't want a hunting population where my Western buddies have 253 00:12:37,960 --> 00:12:40,600 Speaker 2: zero chance to drive out to the Midwest and November 254 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:43,480 Speaker 2: to experience the white tail rut. I just don't want 255 00:12:43,559 --> 00:12:46,160 Speaker 2: us to solely view this stuff as what is mine 256 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:49,319 Speaker 2: will stay mine, and there's no good reason to share 257 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:52,400 Speaker 2: with anyone, whether they live down the street or across 258 00:12:52,440 --> 00:12:55,920 Speaker 2: the country. I think that dreamer spirit is important to 259 00:12:55,960 --> 00:12:58,760 Speaker 2: what we do, and it's inherent in what we are. 260 00:12:59,440 --> 00:13:01,760 Speaker 2: I also think the anecdote to this, or at least 261 00:13:01,800 --> 00:13:04,000 Speaker 2: to us hating everyone and everything that doesn't fit into 262 00:13:04,040 --> 00:13:07,400 Speaker 2: our worldview, is exposure to new things. I don't know 263 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 2: how to describe this, but I can promise you I 264 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:12,439 Speaker 2: wouldn't have the love for white tails and the outdoors 265 00:13:12,440 --> 00:13:14,600 Speaker 2: that I have if I would have never been able 266 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:17,760 Speaker 2: to hunt turkeys on Union Ridge down in Missouri, or 267 00:13:17,840 --> 00:13:21,520 Speaker 2: antelope in the Red Hills of Wyoming, or whatever I like. 268 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:23,839 Speaker 2: The idea of hunter is getting to live out their 269 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:26,960 Speaker 2: elk dreams, or a dude taking his kids to Nebraska 270 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:29,559 Speaker 2: to try to shoot their first turkey. Just like I 271 00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:31,880 Speaker 2: don't care anymore when I see Iowa plates at the 272 00:13:31,960 --> 00:13:34,960 Speaker 2: landing on a lax lake here in Minnesota, or Illinois 273 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:37,679 Speaker 2: plates in the parking lot of the hotel that allows 274 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:39,679 Speaker 2: dogs where I like to peasant hunt, and I can 275 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:41,640 Speaker 2: see a couple of crates in the back of their 276 00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:44,520 Speaker 2: vehicle and a pheasants forever stick around the window. 277 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:45,440 Speaker 3: Good for them. 278 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:48,560 Speaker 2: I hope those folks have fun and catch some smallies 279 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 2: or shoot some roosters. Because someday I'm going to Iowa 280 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:54,240 Speaker 2: again for deer turkeys. It might even take another swing 281 00:13:54,280 --> 00:13:56,720 Speaker 2: at Pike County Deer someday, if the mood strikes me 282 00:13:56,760 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 2: and it's still a possible thing to do. Whatever option 283 00:14:00,160 --> 00:14:02,880 Speaker 2: are left for myself and my buddies and my daughters, 284 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:06,080 Speaker 2: they're taking priority for me. Lately, I feel the clock 285 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:08,600 Speaker 2: ticking and I'd rather not look back on this time 286 00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:11,040 Speaker 2: with regret over a trip I didn't make happen, but 287 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:13,559 Speaker 2: I could, and I suggest you do the same. 288 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 3: And I know when I say that, a. 289 00:14:15,320 --> 00:14:17,800 Speaker 2: Lot of folks react by thinking, you know, I don't 290 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:19,520 Speaker 2: have the money or the time or whatever. 291 00:14:19,760 --> 00:14:22,280 Speaker 3: And you might be right, but you might not be. 292 00:14:22,880 --> 00:14:25,280 Speaker 2: And all of the things that could get in the 293 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:28,240 Speaker 2: way of a next state over trip, you know, things 294 00:14:28,280 --> 00:14:30,240 Speaker 2: that for sure are real, and I don't want to 295 00:14:30,280 --> 00:14:34,320 Speaker 2: minimize them. They won't matter at all if that opportunity 296 00:14:34,400 --> 00:14:36,680 Speaker 2: just goes away. And a hell of a lot of 297 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:39,640 Speaker 2: this stuff is going away. It's just a death by 298 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:43,040 Speaker 2: a thousand paper cuts type of thing. It's also true 299 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:44,880 Speaker 2: that a lot of the critters you want to haunt 300 00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:48,480 Speaker 2: are just going to be unavailable forever. I know, I 301 00:14:48,520 --> 00:14:51,920 Speaker 2: personally won't never hunt any of the sheep, probably mountain goats, 302 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:54,160 Speaker 2: And it's seeming less and less likely that I'll ever 303 00:14:54,160 --> 00:14:56,680 Speaker 2: get to take a stab at moose. Elk are getting 304 00:14:56,680 --> 00:14:59,040 Speaker 2: harder to come by, and the meal deer and antelope 305 00:14:59,080 --> 00:15:01,920 Speaker 2: thing isn't looking great either. You might not get to 306 00:15:01,920 --> 00:15:04,720 Speaker 2: do trips for these critters either. But I'll tell you 307 00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:07,360 Speaker 2: something that I've learned, and it's that I hear a 308 00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:10,400 Speaker 2: lot of folks say, why would I travel to kill 309 00:15:10,440 --> 00:15:12,680 Speaker 2: what I can kill at home? You know, maybe you 310 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:15,160 Speaker 2: can't go out west, but there's still some white tails left. 311 00:15:15,280 --> 00:15:17,080 Speaker 2: But I think that's the wrong way to look at it. 312 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:19,600 Speaker 2: Just because you can kill one hundred and twenty incheres 313 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:22,440 Speaker 2: at home fairly easy, doesn't mean you're going to go 314 00:15:22,480 --> 00:15:24,800 Speaker 2: out of state and kill a buck that size in 315 00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:27,840 Speaker 2: an easy hunt, which is kind of the whole point. 316 00:15:28,080 --> 00:15:30,280 Speaker 2: Go where you don't know everything about the deer or 317 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:33,120 Speaker 2: turkey's or bar or whatever, and then figure it out 318 00:15:33,160 --> 00:15:35,720 Speaker 2: in a new environment with a couple of buddies before 319 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:38,840 Speaker 2: those opportunities are gone, or you hit a certain age 320 00:15:39,160 --> 00:15:41,400 Speaker 2: where when the phone rings at midnight, you know that 321 00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:44,080 Speaker 2: it's only bad news and that one of your hunting 322 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:46,600 Speaker 2: buddies might be permanently out of the running to ever 323 00:15:46,720 --> 00:15:50,040 Speaker 2: draw a tag for anything. Ever, again, it comes quick. 324 00:15:50,800 --> 00:15:53,160 Speaker 2: A lot of folks talk about how the time is 325 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:56,680 Speaker 2: just flying by since COVID, and it does feel that way, 326 00:15:57,000 --> 00:15:59,920 Speaker 2: even if that's all just mass disassociation or something else, 327 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:03,280 Speaker 2: it's also true that time is well kind of freaking 328 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:06,920 Speaker 2: flying by. You're not getting any younger, tags, aren't getting 329 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:09,840 Speaker 2: any cheaper, they aren't making any more land, all of 330 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:13,520 Speaker 2: those cliched but true statements. If you have the itch 331 00:16:13,560 --> 00:16:16,640 Speaker 2: at all to travel, I suggest you use this most 332 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:21,000 Speaker 2: worthless month, that is March, to do some digging, find 333 00:16:21,040 --> 00:16:24,320 Speaker 2: an opportunity that really interests you that you'd be really 334 00:16:24,360 --> 00:16:27,280 Speaker 2: pissed off if you never did it and it disappeared, 335 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:29,000 Speaker 2: and then start to figure out how. 336 00:16:28,960 --> 00:16:29,720 Speaker 3: To make it happen. 337 00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:33,160 Speaker 2: That act alone is something that fuels the fire in 338 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:36,600 Speaker 2: the off season. But it's also the only way that 339 00:16:36,680 --> 00:16:38,680 Speaker 2: any of this stuff is actually going to happen for you. 340 00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:42,080 Speaker 2: This is exactly what happened when I listened to one 341 00:16:42,120 --> 00:16:43,960 Speaker 2: of my buddies tell me he isn't going to apply 342 00:16:44,040 --> 00:16:47,160 Speaker 2: for IOA tag this year. He has many reasons, but 343 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:49,800 Speaker 2: underneath it all is that fear that the most expensive 344 00:16:49,840 --> 00:16:53,880 Speaker 2: deer tag in the country will go unfilled unless it's 345 00:16:54,000 --> 00:16:57,040 Speaker 2: just enough pieces fall into place before he applies. But 346 00:16:57,080 --> 00:16:59,120 Speaker 2: he's a good deer hunter, and I told him so, 347 00:16:59,440 --> 00:17:01,120 Speaker 2: and I said, the easiest way to make sure you 348 00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:03,280 Speaker 2: kill one and don't waste that tag is just by 349 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:06,120 Speaker 2: getting the tag. Once you get the email that you've 350 00:17:06,200 --> 00:17:08,160 Speaker 2: drawn it, the rest is just going to fall into 351 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:11,760 Speaker 2: place for most of us. So I beg you listen 352 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:15,280 Speaker 2: to my warnings, consider running a little mental inventory on 353 00:17:15,359 --> 00:17:17,520 Speaker 2: what you want to do in the outdoors, and then 354 00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:20,280 Speaker 2: get after it before it's too late, and come back 355 00:17:20,280 --> 00:17:22,120 Speaker 2: next week because I'm going to talk about you know, 356 00:17:22,280 --> 00:17:26,280 Speaker 2: how difficult white tail hunting really is, but how we 357 00:17:26,320 --> 00:17:28,920 Speaker 2: can all work to make ourselves a little more likely 358 00:17:28,960 --> 00:17:33,560 Speaker 2: to find success. Anyway, that's it for this week. I'm 359 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:36,080 Speaker 2: Tony Peterson. Thank you, thank you, thank you so much 360 00:17:36,119 --> 00:17:38,960 Speaker 2: for listening and for all your support. I speak for 361 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:42,040 Speaker 2: everyone here at Meat Eater when I say that we 362 00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:46,120 Speaker 2: truly appreciate our audience. It's incredible how you guys show 363 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:48,760 Speaker 2: up for us. We wouldn't have anything without you, so 364 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:51,240 Speaker 2: thank you for that. If you're sitting there right now, 365 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:53,119 Speaker 2: and maybe you listen to this podcast and you're going 366 00:17:53,160 --> 00:17:55,399 Speaker 2: to go do a little research on hunting something or 367 00:17:55,440 --> 00:17:56,200 Speaker 2: trying to get a tag. 368 00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:56,800 Speaker 3: That's great. 369 00:17:57,000 --> 00:17:59,160 Speaker 2: If you're poured out of your mind and you need 370 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:01,560 Speaker 2: a little bit of innerting aim, maybe you're looking for 371 00:18:01,640 --> 00:18:04,640 Speaker 2: a little education, head on over to the mediator dot com. 372 00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:11,720 Speaker 2: We drop new content literally every day, films, podcasts, articles, recipes, 373 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:15,960 Speaker 2: news on the latest conservation issues. It's all right there. 374 00:18:16,040 --> 00:18:17,399 Speaker 2: Go check it out and thanks again.