1 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:06,840 Speaker 1: From Mediators World News headquarters in Bozeman, Montana. This is 2 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:11,360 Speaker 1: Cal's weekend review, presented by Steel. Steel products are available 3 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:15,160 Speaker 1: only at authorized dealers. For more, go to Steel Dealers 4 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:22,800 Speaker 1: dot com. Now here's your host, Ryan cal Callahan. Virginia 5 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:26,080 Speaker 1: held its first regulated elk count in over sixty years 6 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:29,880 Speaker 1: in October, marking the beginning of what hunters hope will 7 00:00:29,960 --> 00:00:34,440 Speaker 1: be a new annual tradition. Six hunters participated in this 8 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:38,480 Speaker 1: inaugural hunt, all of whom successfully harvested a mature bull. 9 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:42,160 Speaker 1: Thanks to Kyle Moser for sending this one in. Elk 10 00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:45,480 Speaker 1: lived throughout Virginia prior to the arrival of European settlers, 11 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:48,280 Speaker 1: but the species was over harvested in the eighteenth and 12 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:53,040 Speaker 1: nineteen centuries. Colonel G. Tooley harvested the last known elk 13 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:56,920 Speaker 1: in eighteen fifty five. The state attempted a reintroduction in 14 00:00:56,960 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 1: the early decades of the twentieth century, but poor habit 15 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:03,400 Speaker 1: to a poor release locations, and over harvest meant that 16 00:01:03,480 --> 00:01:07,720 Speaker 1: only two elk herds remained by nineteen six Elk hunting 17 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:11,199 Speaker 1: continued until nineteen sixty, when the state held its final 18 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:15,039 Speaker 1: regulated hunt. Fast forward to two thousand ten, and the 19 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 1: state decided to revamp its elk restoration efforts by importing 20 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:22,760 Speaker 1: seventy one elk from Kentucky and releasing them in Buchanan County. 21 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:25,679 Speaker 1: The state adopted an elk management plan over the next 22 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 1: few years, and the herd grew into more than two 23 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:32,600 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty individuals by two thousand twenty. Biologists determined 24 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:34,960 Speaker 1: that even though the elk herd has plenty of room 25 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:38,440 Speaker 1: to grow, it's large enough to support a highly regulated 26 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:41,840 Speaker 1: hunt for a small number of bulls. A whopping thirty 27 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:45,120 Speaker 1: one thousand, nine hundred and fifty one hunters applied for 28 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:48,400 Speaker 1: only five tags. The sixth tag was given to the 29 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 1: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, which it raffled off to raise 30 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:55,840 Speaker 1: money for elk conservation. Between that raffle and the lottery, 31 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 1: this hunt generated over six hundred thousand for elk conservation. 32 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 1: It sounds like a great time was had by all, 33 00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 1: and I want to especially highlight the role that landowners played. 34 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:11,360 Speaker 1: Twenty different landowners gave hunters access to seventeen thousand acres, 35 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:14,160 Speaker 1: and several of them even lent the hunters a hand 36 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:18,520 Speaker 1: by accompanying them on the hunt. Other landowners didn't participate 37 00:02:18,560 --> 00:02:21,400 Speaker 1: in the hunts, but they donated their time and resources 38 00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:24,560 Speaker 1: to help the hunters retrieve their harvested elk. According to 39 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:28,519 Speaker 1: the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, the role that landowners 40 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:33,200 Speaker 1: played cannot be overstated. The six bowls harvested wade between 41 00:02:33,240 --> 00:02:36,959 Speaker 1: six pounds and eight hundred and fifty two pounds, which 42 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 1: is a very big bull elk. All bowls were at 43 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:42,160 Speaker 1: least three and a half years old, and one clock 44 00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:45,680 Speaker 1: him at eleven and a half. The largest bowl harvested 45 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:48,920 Speaker 1: was an eight by nine that green scored over four 46 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:53,679 Speaker 1: hundred inches. The term green essentially means premature in the 47 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 1: antler horns scoring world. To be officially scored, a drying 48 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:01,200 Speaker 1: period of sixty days must take play. Said quote room 49 00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 1: temperature according to the Boone and Crocket Club, which means 50 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:07,720 Speaker 1: I'll probably never get anything officially scored because you know, 51 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:11,120 Speaker 1: skulls can stink. But no matter that, because if you 52 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:13,400 Speaker 1: like to score things or don't like to score things, 53 00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:15,760 Speaker 1: a trophy is a trophy to you the person who 54 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 1: harvested it. So if this person who killed the bowl 55 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:22,880 Speaker 1: that green scored over foes and then it officially scores 56 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 1: a well that's a hell of a bowl. Match it 57 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:28,960 Speaker 1: with the fact that you drew one of six tags 58 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:31,520 Speaker 1: in Virginia. I don't even know why you'd tape the thing. 59 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 1: It's a harvest of a lifetime. Congrats to those lucky 60 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 1: six hunters. A big thanks to the willing landowners, and 61 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:42,120 Speaker 1: hopefully this will be the first of many moral accounts 62 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:47,040 Speaker 1: to come in Virginia. This week we've got crime invasive 63 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:49,920 Speaker 1: and cal to action. But first I'm gonna tell you 64 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:55,320 Speaker 1: about my week. My week was interesting. I'm currently packing 65 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:59,200 Speaker 1: for Kansas, where we'll have attempted another hunt for waterfowl 66 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:02,120 Speaker 1: in that state. Last year we showed up to seventy 67 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 1: plus degrees t shirt wear and weather, and it was 68 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:08,480 Speaker 1: darned near too hot to run the dog. This year, 69 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:12,360 Speaker 1: the forecast is for nasty weather, which hopefully means duck 70 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:16,520 Speaker 1: luck on the water. Also, and obviously, if you have 71 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:18,840 Speaker 1: ventured to the Meat Eater dot Com or first Light 72 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:21,480 Speaker 1: or f h F for Phelps game calls, we are 73 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:25,479 Speaker 1: matching all donations to the Land Access Initiative. This year's 74 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 1: big push is for the Montana Great Outdoors Project, which 75 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 1: is a series of permanent ease months in northwest Montana, 76 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:36,120 Speaker 1: just east of Glacier National Park. These ease months will 77 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 1: total about a hundred and thirteen thousand acres of timber 78 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 1: company land. Permanent ease months will ensure that this working 79 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 1: timber ground is not lost to development and we will 80 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:48,839 Speaker 1: be able to access the properties and the public ground 81 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:53,000 Speaker 1: beyond those properties in perpetuity. I know it's December and 82 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:56,280 Speaker 1: you are probably spending too much cash already, but if 83 00:04:56,279 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 1: you want to throw some money at the land access 84 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:03,160 Speaker 1: initiative will double it. Getting back to the waterfowl topic, 85 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:05,560 Speaker 1: I just had a really interesting phone call with the 86 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:09,039 Speaker 1: waterfowl guide buddy of mine in the Pacific Flyway. He 87 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:11,840 Speaker 1: was letting me know about some bird behavior he's been 88 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:15,640 Speaker 1: witnessing recently that would most likely be explained through avian 89 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:18,919 Speaker 1: bird flu. If you haven't forgotten, we are still in 90 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:22,000 Speaker 1: the worst outbreak of avian bird flu in recent memory. 91 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:25,400 Speaker 1: According to the c d C, we currently have confirmed 92 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:28,720 Speaker 1: cases in forty seven states and three hundred forty six 93 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:33,760 Speaker 1: counties in domestic flocks. These cases have affected to date 94 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:38,720 Speaker 1: fifty three million, eighteen thousand, seven hundred forty one birds. 95 00:05:38,760 --> 00:05:43,400 Speaker 1: This includes backyard flocks and commercial flocks. Again, just one example, 96 00:05:43,839 --> 00:05:47,679 Speaker 1: on December six, Cherokee County, Iowa, one hundred and five 97 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:53,560 Speaker 1: thousand turkeys at one facility, hundred and five thousand Thanksgiving turkeys. Now, 98 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:56,159 Speaker 1: in wild birds, the flu has been confirmed in forty 99 00:05:56,200 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 1: eight states, seven hundred ten counties in a total of 100 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:03,719 Speaker 1: four worth thousand, three hundred and sixty two birds. Very 101 00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:07,800 Speaker 1: notable that almost without exception, the source of these wild 102 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:12,120 Speaker 1: birds that have been turned in for testing are from hunters. Now, 103 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:15,280 Speaker 1: we can assume that there are far more wild birds 104 00:06:15,279 --> 00:06:18,719 Speaker 1: affected than those turned in right, But I think it 105 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:21,919 Speaker 1: is also fair to assume that wild birds will fare 106 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:25,839 Speaker 1: much better in areas with avian flu outbreaks than domestic 107 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:30,239 Speaker 1: flocks because of the conditions in which wild birds live. Yes, 108 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:33,240 Speaker 1: birds flocked together, but they have a heck of a 109 00:06:33,279 --> 00:06:36,360 Speaker 1: lot more elbow room on the big lakes, the stock ponds, 110 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:40,120 Speaker 1: the timber holes, and refuges than mass produced or even 111 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:44,160 Speaker 1: hobby flock raised poultry. We hunters that are spending a 112 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:48,240 Speaker 1: lot of time in the field or traveling to multiple areas, states, etcetera. 113 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:52,040 Speaker 1: Can help prevent the spread of avian influenza by taking 114 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:57,440 Speaker 1: some basic precautions. Be suspicious of the birds. My Buddy 115 00:06:57,640 --> 00:07:00,800 Speaker 1: the Waterfowl Guide described today where upon a coaching the blind, 116 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:04,279 Speaker 1: an adult snow goose was swimming circles around the decoys. 117 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:07,600 Speaker 1: The bird's eyes were glazed over and it was obviously 118 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:12,440 Speaker 1: not right, most likely sick. Later, at the same blind, 119 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:15,840 Speaker 1: three adult snow geese. And if you've ever hunted snow geese, 120 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:17,880 Speaker 1: the adults are the ones that you want to kill, 121 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:21,640 Speaker 1: but often you do not. Old snow geese are notoriously 122 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:24,880 Speaker 1: hard to decoy and kill. This group flew directly over 123 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:27,480 Speaker 1: the top of their spread and really low, and he 124 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:30,560 Speaker 1: and his hunters killed the birds. They did not look right. 125 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:33,920 Speaker 1: He's seen a lot of waterfowl behavior and he just 126 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:37,400 Speaker 1: thought they didn't behave right Prior to being dead. They 127 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:39,840 Speaker 1: kept the birds separated from the other birds that they 128 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 1: had harvested that morning. Then they bagged and removed the 129 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:46,240 Speaker 1: birds to a landfill after consulting with a game warden. 130 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:52,160 Speaker 1: Not a great story, not an ideal day, but where appropriate, 131 00:07:52,240 --> 00:07:55,960 Speaker 1: it's a good idea to have your local wardens number handy. 132 00:07:56,120 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 1: On top of that, here's some precautions. Harvest only water 133 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:02,480 Speaker 1: foul that look and behave healthy, which can be hard 134 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:05,760 Speaker 1: to do. Do not handle or eat sick game. Do 135 00:08:05,840 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 1: not handle wild birds that are obviously sick or found 136 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:12,600 Speaker 1: dead field Dress and prepare game outdoors in a well 137 00:08:12,680 --> 00:08:17,480 Speaker 1: ventilated area where rubber gloves or other impermeable disposable gloves. 138 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 1: While handling and cleaning game, remove and discard intestines soon 139 00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:27,000 Speaker 1: after harvesting, and avoid direct contact with intestinal contents. Place 140 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:30,120 Speaker 1: waste in a plastic bag and dispose in a garbage 141 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:34,720 Speaker 1: container that is protected from scavengers. Do not eat, drink, smoke, 142 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:39,160 Speaker 1: or vape while handling dead game. When done handling game, 143 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:43,239 Speaker 1: wash hands thoroughly with soap and water, and clean knives, equipment, 144 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 1: and surfaces that came in contact with game. Wash hands 145 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:50,319 Speaker 1: before and after handling the meat. Keep your harvested waterfoul 146 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:54,200 Speaker 1: cool below forty five degrees fahrenheit, and then, obviously, if 147 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:57,440 Speaker 1: you're gonna keep it for the long haul, freezing Thoroughly. 148 00:08:57,480 --> 00:09:00,360 Speaker 1: Cook all game to an internal temperature of one sixty 149 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:03,800 Speaker 1: five before consuming, which is a tough pill to swallow. 150 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:09,000 Speaker 1: Clean and disinfect clothing, footwear, and hunting gear before traveling 151 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:13,160 Speaker 1: to other areas as appropriate. Footwear and gear maybe washed 152 00:09:13,160 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 1: with soap and water than disinfected in household bleach diluted 153 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 1: with a one to ten ratio that's with water for 154 00:09:19,679 --> 00:09:23,480 Speaker 1: at least ten minutes. Bathed dogs with pet shampoo after 155 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:26,800 Speaker 1: hunting outings, and do not feed dogs raw meat, organs, 156 00:09:26,880 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 1: or other tissues from harvested waterfowl. Falconers should avoid hunting 157 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:36,720 Speaker 1: waterfowl and other water birds during the hp AI outbreak. 158 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:41,720 Speaker 1: Hp AI is avian bird flu, but it's highly pathogenic 159 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:46,560 Speaker 1: avian influenza. You gotta h p AI now. If you 160 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:50,240 Speaker 1: think that's a giant pain in the ass and overly precautious, 161 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:53,880 Speaker 1: listen to the domestic side of things, and this is 162 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:58,680 Speaker 1: from the National Chicken Council. Quarantine. First, the farmer ensures 163 00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:01,320 Speaker 1: that the affected flock stays but in one area, along 164 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:04,400 Speaker 1: with any equipment that has been near the birds. Step 165 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:09,880 Speaker 1: two eradicate. The affected flock is then quickly and humanely euthanized. 166 00:10:10,280 --> 00:10:12,920 Speaker 1: It's important to note it doesn't matter if it's a 167 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:16,120 Speaker 1: bird or twenty birds in your flock. The flock is 168 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:19,960 Speaker 1: considered affected and all of them are killed. Three monitor 169 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:23,520 Speaker 1: the region. At the same time, both wild and domestic 170 00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:27,559 Speaker 1: birds in a broad surrounding control area are tested and monitored. 171 00:10:27,559 --> 00:10:31,319 Speaker 1: For avian influenza. Step four, disinfect the farm where the 172 00:10:31,320 --> 00:10:34,319 Speaker 1: flock was housed to ensure any traces of the virus 173 00:10:34,520 --> 00:10:40,000 Speaker 1: is killed. This includes machinery, personal gear, the literal chicken coop, 174 00:10:40,320 --> 00:10:45,160 Speaker 1: water trobs, feeding trobs, anything that a new bird could 175 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:50,040 Speaker 1: come in contact with. Step five, the entire poultry farm 176 00:10:50,160 --> 00:10:54,080 Speaker 1: is carefully tested for twenty one days to confirm it 177 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:57,720 Speaker 1: is free of bird flu before allowing a new flock 178 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:02,360 Speaker 1: of birds to arrive. No birds from hp AI infected 179 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:05,520 Speaker 1: flocks are ever allowed to enter the food chain. So 180 00:11:05,880 --> 00:11:08,679 Speaker 1: you gotta kill all your birds that you've invested money 181 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:12,280 Speaker 1: in and then be out of business twenty one days. 182 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:16,120 Speaker 1: In addition to all the time it took to eradicate 183 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:21,080 Speaker 1: your previous flock, clean everything, disinfect everything, dispose of things, 184 00:11:21,280 --> 00:11:25,080 Speaker 1: and restock. That's a pain in the ass. And I'm 185 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:27,600 Speaker 1: bringing all this up because I've seen a lot of 186 00:11:27,640 --> 00:11:31,320 Speaker 1: commentary that's pretty shitty. If I'm being um, you know, 187 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:35,200 Speaker 1: still talking chickens, I guess that'd be appropriate. Kids, cover 188 00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:39,360 Speaker 1: your ears. Anyway, Folks find that there's some sort of 189 00:11:39,400 --> 00:11:44,120 Speaker 1: political agenda between wildlife diseases and uh, you know, our 190 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:48,000 Speaker 1: experience with COVID But just like I talked about last week, 191 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:52,320 Speaker 1: friends and neighbors, I had a very long, fun, super 192 00:11:52,400 --> 00:11:55,960 Speaker 1: healthy hunting season and I didn't get COVID again until 193 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:59,400 Speaker 1: I went to the big big city and congregated in 194 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:03,840 Speaker 1: places to eat drink, And you know, I guess party. 195 00:12:04,040 --> 00:12:07,120 Speaker 1: I don't think that's a coincidence. So when it comes 196 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:12,200 Speaker 1: to avian fluenza chronic wasting disease, I just urge folks 197 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:15,559 Speaker 1: who are very skeptical to think about what we do 198 00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:19,319 Speaker 1: on the agricultural side of things, and agriculture and hunting 199 00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:21,720 Speaker 1: are tied together more than we want to care about. 200 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:25,520 Speaker 1: But it's the truth. Okay. When he went out and 201 00:12:25,640 --> 00:12:28,400 Speaker 1: shot deer in a big c w D zone this year, 202 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:30,360 Speaker 1: it was a pain in the ass way more than 203 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:32,600 Speaker 1: I wanted to write. We had a deal bone everything 204 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:36,079 Speaker 1: on the spot. I love my opportunities to take all 205 00:12:36,120 --> 00:12:38,160 Speaker 1: those deer bones out of the woods and make stock 206 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:41,400 Speaker 1: with them. But because I don't have a commercial freezer 207 00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:44,560 Speaker 1: or refrigeration set up here at home, I couldn't hang 208 00:12:44,640 --> 00:12:46,920 Speaker 1: the deer until I got the c w D results 209 00:12:46,960 --> 00:12:50,360 Speaker 1: back and then process it. On top of that, you're 210 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:54,960 Speaker 1: taking that contaminated or possibly contaminated stuff across county lines 211 00:12:55,440 --> 00:12:59,280 Speaker 1: and you have to properly dispose of it in a landfill. 212 00:12:59,679 --> 00:13:02,320 Speaker 1: But the further you travel with stuff, the greater risk 213 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:04,640 Speaker 1: you run of spreading things that you don't want to 214 00:13:04,640 --> 00:13:08,440 Speaker 1: spread around. Right, So, when we talk about things like 215 00:13:08,480 --> 00:13:12,520 Speaker 1: chronic wasting disease or avian influenza and where those two 216 00:13:12,559 --> 00:13:16,200 Speaker 1: things cross with hunting, I often see it's because it's 217 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:19,160 Speaker 1: a pain in the ass, right, Or sometimes we feel 218 00:13:19,440 --> 00:13:23,800 Speaker 1: like because we are such responsible stewards of these resources 219 00:13:23,800 --> 00:13:26,199 Speaker 1: and have been for such a long time that when 220 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:30,160 Speaker 1: a government agency suggests that we need to do things differently, 221 00:13:30,240 --> 00:13:33,160 Speaker 1: we take that as a personal slight. Right, Like when 222 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:36,120 Speaker 1: it comes to bating, Okay, there's still a lot of 223 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:39,320 Speaker 1: places where you can bait deer, and that becomes, you know, 224 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:42,559 Speaker 1: a great way for kids to kill stuff. It becomes 225 00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:44,480 Speaker 1: like a good way to hedge your bets. Let's say, 226 00:13:44,480 --> 00:13:47,280 Speaker 1: if you only have one weekend to hunt, or it 227 00:13:47,400 --> 00:13:50,720 Speaker 1: just becomes a tradition and you love the people you 228 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:52,719 Speaker 1: hunt with, you love the people that you learn to 229 00:13:52,800 --> 00:13:56,760 Speaker 1: hunt with, and it's this personal slight where you're like, oh, well, 230 00:13:56,800 --> 00:14:00,240 Speaker 1: if grandpa did it, nothing that guy did was ever wrong? 231 00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:02,480 Speaker 1: How could this be wrong? The state doesn't know what 232 00:14:02,559 --> 00:14:05,120 Speaker 1: it's talking about, and guess what when it comes to 233 00:14:05,160 --> 00:14:08,480 Speaker 1: c w D, we don't entirely know what we're talking about. 234 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:11,560 Speaker 1: We're trying to find that out. But if you could 235 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:15,959 Speaker 1: fast forward a few generations and either have to explain 236 00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:19,920 Speaker 1: to your great grandkids that, oh, my god, we didn't 237 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:22,240 Speaker 1: want to give up baiting for a couple of seasons 238 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:25,560 Speaker 1: and now deer only lived about two years old. This 239 00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:29,560 Speaker 1: horrible worst case scenario or c w D eventually jumped 240 00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:33,200 Speaker 1: to people or something you know, way down the road 241 00:14:33,480 --> 00:14:37,640 Speaker 1: that could be like truly catastrophic, or you explain to 242 00:14:37,640 --> 00:14:39,960 Speaker 1: your great grandkids that like, oh, yeah, we didn't know 243 00:14:40,000 --> 00:14:42,560 Speaker 1: a lot about this disease. So in order to help 244 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:45,240 Speaker 1: out and try to figure this stuff out, because we 245 00:14:45,360 --> 00:14:49,080 Speaker 1: love deer hunting, we gave up shooting deer over cracked 246 00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:52,800 Speaker 1: corn for a couple of seasons, turned in deer lymph nodes. 247 00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:55,120 Speaker 1: Now we know a lot about it and we fixed 248 00:14:55,120 --> 00:14:59,400 Speaker 1: the issue, or some other scenario where it's like, oh, 249 00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:02,120 Speaker 1: now we know ton about it, and you know, life 250 00:15:02,120 --> 00:15:05,520 Speaker 1: just went on as normal and we prevented some worst 251 00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:09,280 Speaker 1: case scenario like I I just don't. I do not 252 00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:14,600 Speaker 1: understand why it's more fun or better for you to 253 00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:17,640 Speaker 1: avoid the citizen science part of this. I do not 254 00:15:17,800 --> 00:15:21,320 Speaker 1: get it. But please right in to a s K 255 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:24,560 Speaker 1: c A L that's asked cal at the Meat Eater 256 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:27,080 Speaker 1: dot com and let me know your side of the story. 257 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:33,960 Speaker 1: I'm dying to hear how it makes sense. Moving on 258 00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:39,440 Speaker 1: to the invasive desk, Natural ecosystems in the United States 259 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:43,040 Speaker 1: dodged a bullet recently when border inspections discovered a dangerous, 260 00:15:43,160 --> 00:15:45,760 Speaker 1: highly destructive moth that had pitched a ride on a 261 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:50,560 Speaker 1: commercial boat. Agriculture specialist with US Customs and Border Protection 262 00:15:50,680 --> 00:15:54,640 Speaker 1: recently discovered four Asian gypsy moth egg masses on a 263 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:58,440 Speaker 1: Panamanian bulk carrier off the coast of Louisiana. The ship 264 00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:01,640 Speaker 1: has been targeted for inspection because a month previously, it 265 00:16:01,720 --> 00:16:04,320 Speaker 1: had docked in a port in China that's considered a 266 00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:08,320 Speaker 1: high risk area for Asian gypsy moths. Officials found egg 267 00:16:08,360 --> 00:16:11,600 Speaker 1: masses on the exterior of the vessel on both lower 268 00:16:11,640 --> 00:16:14,720 Speaker 1: and main decks. They ordered the ship to move outside 269 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:19,520 Speaker 1: US waters, where it underwent extensive cleaning and inspection. If 270 00:16:19,520 --> 00:16:22,240 Speaker 1: you're wondering what the big deal is, You're listening to 271 00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:25,040 Speaker 1: the right podcast. According to the u s d AS 272 00:16:25,080 --> 00:16:28,720 Speaker 1: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Asian gypsy mas are 273 00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:33,600 Speaker 1: invasive species that could cause quote serious, widespread damage to 274 00:16:33,640 --> 00:16:38,200 Speaker 1: our country's landscape and natural resources. Asian gypsy mas are 275 00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:42,200 Speaker 1: similar to European gypsy mos, already found in the northeastern 276 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:45,760 Speaker 1: United States, but they can be far more destructive. They 277 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:48,880 Speaker 1: have a broader host range than their European cousins. Because 278 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:52,240 Speaker 1: the females are considered active flyers. They can cover a 279 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:54,960 Speaker 1: wide area, which means they could easily sweep across the 280 00:16:55,080 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 1: entire country. Once they settle in a place, they can 281 00:16:57,880 --> 00:17:00,280 Speaker 1: lay hundreds of eggs, which, if you recall from your 282 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:04,840 Speaker 1: elementary school science class, all turn into caterpillars. Those caterpillars 283 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:08,040 Speaker 1: are a lot like that children's book. They're very hungry, 284 00:17:08,119 --> 00:17:11,480 Speaker 1: except instead of ice cream and smoked meats, these caterpillars 285 00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:14,560 Speaker 1: can feed on more than five hundred tree and shrub species. 286 00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:19,320 Speaker 1: Infestations can totally defoliate trees, and multiple years of defoliation 287 00:17:19,520 --> 00:17:22,800 Speaker 1: can lead to the death of large sections forests orchards 288 00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:27,600 Speaker 1: and landscaping. Unfortunately, despite the efforts of our Border Patrol agents. 289 00:17:27,760 --> 00:17:33,120 Speaker 1: Asian gypsy moths have already been discovered in Washington State, Oregon, Georgia, Oklahoma, 290 00:17:33,200 --> 00:17:36,840 Speaker 1: and South Carolina. Ongoing surveys in those states will help 291 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:40,640 Speaker 1: determine whether infestations are present and what follow up actions 292 00:17:40,640 --> 00:17:43,800 Speaker 1: may be needed to address them. In the meantime, the 293 00:17:43,880 --> 00:17:47,880 Speaker 1: USDA encourages concerned citizens to learn what egg masses look 294 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:51,360 Speaker 1: like and report them if found. If the Asian gypsy 295 00:17:51,400 --> 00:17:53,760 Speaker 1: moth wants to be successful, it could take a page 296 00:17:53,760 --> 00:17:56,960 Speaker 1: out of the Ferrell Hoggs playbook. Since the USDA began 297 00:17:57,040 --> 00:18:01,879 Speaker 1: tracking the Ferrell hog population in those facund little porkers 298 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:06,080 Speaker 1: have expanded and solidified their range across the southern US. 299 00:18:06,119 --> 00:18:08,320 Speaker 1: They now cover the majority of twelve states and have 300 00:18:08,359 --> 00:18:12,639 Speaker 1: been reported in a whopping thirty five. Their latest conquest, 301 00:18:12,840 --> 00:18:15,480 Speaker 1: according to an article sent in by listener Eric Hill, 302 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:19,240 Speaker 1: is the northern state of Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of 303 00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:22,080 Speaker 1: Natural Resources was called in recently to round up some 304 00:18:22,119 --> 00:18:24,760 Speaker 1: feral pigs found roaming the southern portion of the state. 305 00:18:25,240 --> 00:18:28,280 Speaker 1: Several adults and some piglets were found in Ferrebault County, 306 00:18:28,440 --> 00:18:31,919 Speaker 1: which officials later learned had escaped from a nearby farm. 307 00:18:31,960 --> 00:18:34,359 Speaker 1: This is obviously better news than if feral pigs had 308 00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:38,639 Speaker 1: migrated from another state. Still, Minnesota wildlife officials took it seriously. 309 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:41,880 Speaker 1: All feral pigs in the US are descended from domesticated 310 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:45,560 Speaker 1: pigs that have gone wild. Ferrell swine were first brought 311 00:18:45,560 --> 00:18:47,840 Speaker 1: to the United States and the fifteen hundreds by early 312 00:18:47,920 --> 00:18:51,840 Speaker 1: explorers and settlers as a source of food. Escaped individuals 313 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:54,880 Speaker 1: adapted well to the local environment, where they caused extensive 314 00:18:54,960 --> 00:18:59,000 Speaker 1: damage to agriculture and native species. It's extremely difficult to 315 00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:02,240 Speaker 1: eradicate pigs an area once the population has taken hold, 316 00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:05,200 Speaker 1: but wildlife officials in recent decades have done a good 317 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:09,040 Speaker 1: job contained the population to its current boundaries. If you 318 00:19:09,080 --> 00:19:11,560 Speaker 1: look at the distribution maps between two thousand four and 319 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:15,480 Speaker 1: two thousand eighteen, they look pretty familiar. The southern states 320 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:19,480 Speaker 1: in California are solidly covered, but comparatively speaking, the north 321 00:19:19,600 --> 00:19:24,200 Speaker 1: and Midwest are still relatively pig free. Now. One thing 322 00:19:24,280 --> 00:19:27,280 Speaker 1: we have going against the Asian gypsy moth that we 323 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:29,720 Speaker 1: lost the battle on in regards to pigs a long 324 00:19:29,760 --> 00:19:31,960 Speaker 1: time ago is the fact that we don't have a 325 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:37,400 Speaker 1: massive recreational hunting industry built around moths. As everybody knows. 326 00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:40,040 Speaker 1: If you ask a pig hunter whether they're really trying 327 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:42,520 Speaker 1: to eradicate them, uh, you're gonna hear him say no. 328 00:19:43,880 --> 00:19:48,359 Speaker 1: Moving on to the public lands desk, you may remember 329 00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:50,679 Speaker 1: last year when our friends at the Center for Biological 330 00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:53,479 Speaker 1: Diversities sued the US Fish and Wildlife Service for opening 331 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:56,359 Speaker 1: two point three million acres of public land to hunting 332 00:19:56,359 --> 00:19:59,320 Speaker 1: and fishing. They claim that the Fish and Wildlife Service 333 00:19:59,359 --> 00:20:02,679 Speaker 1: hadn't considered or the effect of their decision on endangered species, 334 00:20:02,760 --> 00:20:05,399 Speaker 1: and they specifically took issue with the continued use of 335 00:20:05,480 --> 00:20:08,600 Speaker 1: lead tackle and ammunition. Late last month we got a 336 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:11,679 Speaker 1: statement the two sides started talking to the public again. 337 00:20:12,119 --> 00:20:15,160 Speaker 1: Access is not restricted in any way to two point 338 00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:17,800 Speaker 1: three million acres of the Fishing Wildlife Service ground that 339 00:20:17,880 --> 00:20:21,520 Speaker 1: had previously been opened. All those new hunting opportunities and 340 00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:25,840 Speaker 1: fishing opportunities are moving forward, which is great news. However, 341 00:20:26,160 --> 00:20:29,199 Speaker 1: the Fish and Wildlife Service agreed to respond to a 342 00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:32,800 Speaker 1: separate petition made by the Center of Biological Diversity in 343 00:20:32,920 --> 00:20:35,399 Speaker 1: June of this year. That petition asked the Fish and 344 00:20:35,440 --> 00:20:38,320 Speaker 1: Wildlife Service to phase out the use of all traditional 345 00:20:38,320 --> 00:20:42,680 Speaker 1: ammunition in the National Wildlife refuge system. The settlement requires 346 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:45,159 Speaker 1: the Service to respond to that petition by June of 347 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:49,480 Speaker 1: two thousand twenty three. Now here's our opportunity right. The 348 00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:52,640 Speaker 1: Center for Biological Diversity is claiming this as a bay 349 00:20:52,720 --> 00:20:56,639 Speaker 1: win already, even though the US Fish and Wildlife Service 350 00:20:56,680 --> 00:21:00,879 Speaker 1: has not issued their statement or official response to the petition. 351 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:04,360 Speaker 1: We have seen US Fish and Wildlife ban the use 352 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:08,320 Speaker 1: of lead tackle and ammo at certain refuges, specifically about 353 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:11,119 Speaker 1: seven or eight, but that's a lot different than banning 354 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:14,240 Speaker 1: lead across the country. You have tons of time for 355 00:21:14,280 --> 00:21:17,040 Speaker 1: your opinion to be heard. The Service has to respond 356 00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:20,280 Speaker 1: to the CBDs petition by June of two thousand twenty three, 357 00:21:20,520 --> 00:21:23,359 Speaker 1: which gives you just over six months to contact the 358 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:27,560 Speaker 1: US Fish and Wildlife Service visit FWS dot g o 359 00:21:27,640 --> 00:21:33,520 Speaker 1: V forward slash contact dash US. That's us moving on 360 00:21:33,840 --> 00:21:38,040 Speaker 1: to an overseas edition of the Crime Desk. The war 361 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:41,560 Speaker 1: in Ukraine is still raging, but the overachieving Ukrainian Army 362 00:21:41,600 --> 00:21:45,480 Speaker 1: has made headway against Russian forces. They've made so much progress, 363 00:21:45,480 --> 00:21:49,320 Speaker 1: in fact, that they're allegedly shelling Russian soldiers for poaching geese. 364 00:21:49,760 --> 00:21:52,040 Speaker 1: According to a video and a statement released by the 365 00:21:52,040 --> 00:21:55,520 Speaker 1: State Border Service of Ukraine. The Ukrainian drones by a 366 00:21:55,520 --> 00:21:58,560 Speaker 1: group of Russian soldiers shooting and killing geese near a 367 00:21:58,640 --> 00:22:01,440 Speaker 1: village in the southern portion of the country. The video 368 00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:03,840 Speaker 1: appears to show three or four soldiers in a field, 369 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:06,240 Speaker 1: one of whom has a dead goose at his feet. 370 00:22:06,520 --> 00:22:09,080 Speaker 1: Another soldier fires at a group of birds, which scatter 371 00:22:09,160 --> 00:22:11,960 Speaker 1: it sound the gun shot. The video cuts the footage 372 00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:14,480 Speaker 1: of a soldier entering a nearby home, which the Border 373 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:17,320 Speaker 1: Service claims has been occupied by the Russians, who were 374 00:22:17,400 --> 00:22:22,280 Speaker 1: preparing a goose feast. Now, politics aside, nobody likes a poacher. 375 00:22:22,880 --> 00:22:26,320 Speaker 1: The Ukrainians responded by shelling the house that the Russians 376 00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:29,879 Speaker 1: were occupying. Now, it's worth noting that not everything the 377 00:22:29,960 --> 00:22:33,240 Speaker 1: Ukrainian government says about the war is, you know, accurate, 378 00:22:33,720 --> 00:22:36,600 Speaker 1: But as a counter poaching measure, you have to admit 379 00:22:36,920 --> 00:22:42,439 Speaker 1: that artillery would be pretty darned effective. And speaking of 380 00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:46,440 Speaker 1: tough poacher sentencing, eleven people have been sentenced to death 381 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:49,320 Speaker 1: by a Tanzanian court for their role in the murder 382 00:22:49,359 --> 00:22:53,159 Speaker 1: of anti poaching activist Wayne Latter. Lauter was the director 383 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:56,399 Speaker 1: and co founder of the Palms Foundation, an NGO that 384 00:22:56,480 --> 00:23:00,639 Speaker 1: trained Tanzanian came scouts and developed an intelligence based approach 385 00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:03,600 Speaker 1: to anti poaching. He was from South Africa but had 386 00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:06,840 Speaker 1: been working on counter poaching projects in Tanzania since two 387 00:23:06,840 --> 00:23:12,000 Speaker 1: thousand eight, focusing specifically on elephant poaching. Poaching in Tanzania 388 00:23:12,119 --> 00:23:15,760 Speaker 1: is big business, and later apparently received multiple death threats. 389 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:19,119 Speaker 1: Prior to his assassination in two thousand seventeen, he was 390 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:22,040 Speaker 1: riding in taxi and Tanzania has commercial capital of Dara 391 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:26,119 Speaker 1: Salam when the car was ambushed. Subsequent five year police 392 00:23:26,119 --> 00:23:29,879 Speaker 1: investigation determined that the two men who performed the killing 393 00:23:30,119 --> 00:23:33,560 Speaker 1: were aided by nine others, and all eleven were given 394 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:38,040 Speaker 1: death sentences. However, since Tanzania doesn't carry out executions, the 395 00:23:38,080 --> 00:23:40,760 Speaker 1: eleven convicts will spend the rest of their lives in jail. 396 00:23:42,320 --> 00:23:47,640 Speaker 1: Moving on to the legislative desk. If you live in Oklahoma, Missouri, 397 00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:50,640 Speaker 1: or Utah, your state has made or is considering significant 398 00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:54,200 Speaker 1: changes to hunting regulations. This is your job to be involved. 399 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:57,000 Speaker 1: Now is the time to be informed and make sure 400 00:23:57,080 --> 00:24:00,200 Speaker 1: you understand these new rules. The Oklahoma depart When a 401 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:04,240 Speaker 1: fishing wildlife is proposing sixteen rule changes, one would extend 402 00:24:04,280 --> 00:24:07,640 Speaker 1: squirrel season by an extra month, Another would authorize air 403 00:24:07,720 --> 00:24:11,520 Speaker 1: powered arrow rifles for deer hunting, and yet another would 404 00:24:11,560 --> 00:24:14,520 Speaker 1: require duck hunters to remove their blinds at the end 405 00:24:14,520 --> 00:24:17,960 Speaker 1: of each day. The final major rule change would prohibit 406 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:21,200 Speaker 1: the transport of deer and elk carcasses out of designated 407 00:24:21,240 --> 00:24:24,159 Speaker 1: areas where those animals are at risk of carrying chronic 408 00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:27,840 Speaker 1: wasting disease. If you have opinions about these or any 409 00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 1: of the other twelve proposals, you can submit comments online 410 00:24:31,640 --> 00:24:35,960 Speaker 1: through January six, two three. Google the Oklahoma Department of 411 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:38,600 Speaker 1: Natural Resources or go to the meat eater dot com 412 00:24:38,640 --> 00:24:42,080 Speaker 1: forward slash cow for the link to the survey. Residents 413 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:45,399 Speaker 1: can also submit comments at the January fifth hearing in 414 00:24:45,480 --> 00:24:51,120 Speaker 1: Oklahoma City. In Missouri, the Department of Conservation recently set 415 00:24:51,119 --> 00:24:53,639 Speaker 1: turkey and deer hunting dates for the two thousand, twenty 416 00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:57,560 Speaker 1: three through twenty four seasons, along with deer hunting regulation changes. 417 00:24:57,960 --> 00:25:02,159 Speaker 1: The regulation changes include a new firearms early antlerless portion, 418 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:05,480 Speaker 1: a new firearms c w D portion, and changes to 419 00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:10,280 Speaker 1: firearms antlerless permit numbers in most counties. These changes were 420 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:12,840 Speaker 1: largely motivated by the increasing number of deer on the 421 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:15,560 Speaker 1: landscape and a desire to control the spread of c 422 00:25:15,800 --> 00:25:19,800 Speaker 1: w D. The Missouri Conservation Commission approved the changes at 423 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:22,800 Speaker 1: their December second meeting, but it's still worth reaching out. 424 00:25:23,160 --> 00:25:26,520 Speaker 1: If you love these new opportunities for antlerless deer, let 425 00:25:26,560 --> 00:25:29,040 Speaker 1: them know if you don't be sure they hear from 426 00:25:29,080 --> 00:25:33,200 Speaker 1: Missouri hunters. You can find contact info at MDC, dot 427 00:25:33,320 --> 00:25:37,959 Speaker 1: MO dot go o v forward slash contact dash us. 428 00:25:40,040 --> 00:25:43,720 Speaker 1: Utah has also announced changes to its big game hunting rigs. 429 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:47,879 Speaker 1: The Utah Wildlife Board approved a new tenure Utah statewide 430 00:25:47,880 --> 00:25:51,480 Speaker 1: elk Management Plan, which includes several changes to elk hunting 431 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:54,560 Speaker 1: in the state. These changes will take effect in two 432 00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:58,600 Speaker 1: thousand twenty three. They include removing multi season permits for 433 00:25:58,720 --> 00:26:03,080 Speaker 1: the any Bowl elk hunt, adding six additional general season 434 00:26:03,160 --> 00:26:07,040 Speaker 1: hunting units to that elk hunt, and dividing the current 435 00:26:07,240 --> 00:26:11,240 Speaker 1: general season thirteen day any legal weapon any Bowl hunt 436 00:26:11,480 --> 00:26:14,800 Speaker 1: into two separate seven day hunts. There are quite a 437 00:26:14,800 --> 00:26:17,520 Speaker 1: few other changes, which you can check out by googling 438 00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:22,680 Speaker 1: new Elk Regulations Utah or again visit the Meat Eater 439 00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:28,119 Speaker 1: dot com forward slash Cattle Virginia is considering some major 440 00:26:28,240 --> 00:26:32,520 Speaker 1: changes to its fishing regulations. Back in episode, we covered 441 00:26:32,560 --> 00:26:36,359 Speaker 1: a controversy about a man Haden fishing operation working along 442 00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:40,680 Speaker 1: the Virginia coast. Man Hadan or bunka are small oily 443 00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:43,719 Speaker 1: forage fish scooped up nets by large fishing boats and 444 00:26:43,760 --> 00:26:47,280 Speaker 1: reduced down to fish oil and fish meal. Virginia is 445 00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:49,520 Speaker 1: the only state along the East Coast that allows this 446 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:53,240 Speaker 1: kind of reduction fishing, and many recreational anglers believe the 447 00:26:53,280 --> 00:26:58,000 Speaker 1: practice should be outlawed. Virginia Marine Resources Commission is thinking 448 00:26:58,000 --> 00:27:02,240 Speaker 1: about doing just that sort of. A new proposal would 449 00:27:02,280 --> 00:27:05,520 Speaker 1: create a no fishing buffer one nautical mile wide around 450 00:27:05,560 --> 00:27:09,120 Speaker 1: Virginia shorelines and Virginia Beach and a half nautical mile 451 00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:13,600 Speaker 1: wide around the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. Another proposal would 452 00:27:13,640 --> 00:27:17,520 Speaker 1: expand the days around holidays when fishing is prohibited. Neither 453 00:27:17,600 --> 00:27:20,560 Speaker 1: side is happy with the proposals. The man Hayden fishing 454 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:23,359 Speaker 1: operations don't want their activities hampered at all, and the 455 00:27:23,480 --> 00:27:26,879 Speaker 1: recreational anglers don't believe a one mile buffer zone is 456 00:27:26,920 --> 00:27:29,600 Speaker 1: going to do much good. If you live in Virginia 457 00:27:29,720 --> 00:27:31,680 Speaker 1: and one to weigh in, you can get in touch 458 00:27:31,720 --> 00:27:35,280 Speaker 1: with the Virginia Marine Resource Commission through their website or 459 00:27:35,320 --> 00:27:38,480 Speaker 1: find a link at the meat eater dot com forward 460 00:27:38,520 --> 00:27:42,479 Speaker 1: slash cow. There are also several legislative proposals on this 461 00:27:42,560 --> 00:27:45,119 Speaker 1: topic that will be covering in the coming weeks, so 462 00:27:45,240 --> 00:27:49,240 Speaker 1: be sure to keep an eye out for those. Over 463 00:27:49,280 --> 00:27:52,520 Speaker 1: In Iowa, legislators will consider a bill this year that 464 00:27:52,520 --> 00:27:55,080 Speaker 1: would make it much easier for farmers and other property 465 00:27:55,080 --> 00:27:58,320 Speaker 1: owners to kill raccoons outside the states three month raccoon 466 00:27:58,400 --> 00:28:01,240 Speaker 1: hunting season as in men areas of the country. The 467 00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:06,360 Speaker 1: raccoon population in Iowa has skyrocketed. Urbanization combined with reduced 468 00:28:06,440 --> 00:28:10,119 Speaker 1: fur prices, have made raccoon hunting and trapping far less common, 469 00:28:10,280 --> 00:28:13,600 Speaker 1: and those masked mammals have wreaked havoc in both urban 470 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:16,920 Speaker 1: and rural areas. You may have seen a viral video 471 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:21,120 Speaker 1: where a possibly rabid raccoon attacks a young girl. Mom 472 00:28:21,200 --> 00:28:23,280 Speaker 1: comes out, grabs the raccoon by the scruff of the 473 00:28:23,359 --> 00:28:26,439 Speaker 1: neck and a total power move and chucks it like 474 00:28:26,480 --> 00:28:30,199 Speaker 1: a furry little shot put Anyway, Raccoons are native to 475 00:28:30,240 --> 00:28:32,600 Speaker 1: North America, and like dogs and cats, they're part of 476 00:28:32,640 --> 00:28:36,200 Speaker 1: the ordered Carnivora, but they're more closely related to bears 477 00:28:36,280 --> 00:28:39,480 Speaker 1: than our domestic friends and I wouldn't recommend trying to, 478 00:28:39,840 --> 00:28:43,280 Speaker 1: you know, domesticate one. They get in too much trouble. 479 00:28:43,720 --> 00:28:46,440 Speaker 1: They're too dextrous. If you can open up, they can 480 00:28:46,440 --> 00:28:49,960 Speaker 1: open up. It's a bad deal anyway. This new bill, 481 00:28:50,040 --> 00:28:52,800 Speaker 1: proposed by State Rep. Dean Fisher, would allow anyone to 482 00:28:52,880 --> 00:28:56,400 Speaker 1: kill a raccoon without obtaining permission if it's for quote 483 00:28:56,720 --> 00:29:01,040 Speaker 1: nuisance control purposes. He argues that the hunting season isn't 484 00:29:01,160 --> 00:29:04,200 Speaker 1: enough to control the population, and farmers should be allowed 485 00:29:04,240 --> 00:29:09,160 Speaker 1: to proactively reduce their raccoon population before their crops become attractive. 486 00:29:09,760 --> 00:29:12,760 Speaker 1: It's certainly true that raccoon hunting and trapping has become 487 00:29:12,880 --> 00:29:16,480 Speaker 1: less effective in recent years. Data reported by the Desmoin 488 00:29:16,680 --> 00:29:20,000 Speaker 1: Register shows that the number of raccoons trapped has dramatically 489 00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:23,360 Speaker 1: declined from about three eight thousand and two thousand eleven 490 00:29:23,520 --> 00:29:26,080 Speaker 1: to about thirty four thousand, five hundred and two thousand 491 00:29:26,160 --> 00:29:29,680 Speaker 1: twenty one. For those counting, that's a reduction in the 492 00:29:29,760 --> 00:29:34,040 Speaker 1: raccoon harvest in just the last ten years. Now, you 493 00:29:34,120 --> 00:29:38,440 Speaker 1: may be saying, well, obviously, fewer animals and traps means 494 00:29:38,480 --> 00:29:41,960 Speaker 1: the population must be going down. Well. In this case, 495 00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:45,680 Speaker 1: the state's raccoon population has surged two hundred sixty eight 496 00:29:45,800 --> 00:29:49,280 Speaker 1: percent in the last sixteen years. To get involved, get 497 00:29:49,360 --> 00:29:53,000 Speaker 1: in touch with your Iowa state representative at LEGS. That's 498 00:29:53,160 --> 00:29:56,040 Speaker 1: l e. G. I S dot Iowa dot gov forward 499 00:29:56,080 --> 00:29:59,280 Speaker 1: slash contacts. Yes, we'll have the link for you to. 500 00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:02,600 Speaker 1: The other thing that you can do is start begging 501 00:30:02,720 --> 00:30:08,000 Speaker 1: right now for a genuine, authentic Iowa coonskin cap for Christmas. 502 00:30:08,520 --> 00:30:13,080 Speaker 1: Do your part, start looking hip, and the last one 503 00:30:13,120 --> 00:30:16,080 Speaker 1: for you. The US Fish and Wildlife Service announced last 504 00:30:16,080 --> 00:30:19,280 Speaker 1: month that after years of deliberation, they have decided to 505 00:30:19,320 --> 00:30:22,680 Speaker 1: list two distinct population segments of the lesser prairie chicken 506 00:30:22,920 --> 00:30:26,240 Speaker 1: under the Endangered Species Act. This is a terrible and 507 00:30:26,280 --> 00:30:29,760 Speaker 1: horrible thing. The southern population of the lesser prairie chicken 508 00:30:29,840 --> 00:30:32,800 Speaker 1: is being listed as endangered, while the northern population is 509 00:30:32,840 --> 00:30:35,760 Speaker 1: being listed as threatened. The Service said in a press 510 00:30:35,840 --> 00:30:39,400 Speaker 1: release that due to habitat loss and fragmentation, the population 511 00:30:39,400 --> 00:30:42,360 Speaker 1: of this grassland bird has dropped from hundreds of thousands 512 00:30:42,520 --> 00:30:45,360 Speaker 1: to about thirty two thousand in two thousand twenty two. 513 00:30:45,520 --> 00:30:48,440 Speaker 1: This is happening on our watch. This is a problem 514 00:30:48,480 --> 00:30:52,160 Speaker 1: for the species, but it's also bad for grasslands in general. 515 00:30:52,480 --> 00:30:56,400 Speaker 1: The lesser prairie chicken needs large, unfragmented parcels of intact 516 00:30:56,480 --> 00:31:01,120 Speaker 1: native grasslands to maintain self sustaining population, and they obviously 517 00:31:01,160 --> 00:31:04,480 Speaker 1: haven't been able to find that. The southern endangered population 518 00:31:04,600 --> 00:31:08,840 Speaker 1: encompasses eastern New Mexico and across the southwest Texas Panhandle. 519 00:31:09,240 --> 00:31:13,960 Speaker 1: The Northern region encompasses southeastern Colorado, south central to western Kansas, 520 00:31:14,120 --> 00:31:18,440 Speaker 1: western Oklahoma, and the northeast Texas Panhandle. Listing a species 521 00:31:18,520 --> 00:31:21,200 Speaker 1: under the Endangered Species Act comes with a host of 522 00:31:21,240 --> 00:31:24,840 Speaker 1: complications for farmers and ranchers, and I'm sure we'll come 523 00:31:24,840 --> 00:31:27,160 Speaker 1: back to this story in the future. For now, it's 524 00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:30,760 Speaker 1: a sobering reminder that our best efforts aren't always enough 525 00:31:30,920 --> 00:31:34,240 Speaker 1: to keep animals off the es A, and little to 526 00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:38,760 Speaker 1: no effort damn sure doesn't help either. Grasslands encompass a 527 00:31:38,800 --> 00:31:41,880 Speaker 1: wide variety of what we consider prairie or sage brush 528 00:31:41,880 --> 00:31:46,600 Speaker 1: step ecosystems. These ecosystems are essential for a lot more 529 00:31:46,680 --> 00:31:50,760 Speaker 1: than prairie chickens. Think big awesome mule deer, antelope, even 530 00:31:50,840 --> 00:31:54,560 Speaker 1: nesting habitat for ducks and a ton of other migratory 531 00:31:54,640 --> 00:31:58,760 Speaker 1: bird species and pollinators just so happens there's a ton 532 00:31:58,800 --> 00:32:02,560 Speaker 1: of helpful tools and provisions in the North American Grasslands 533 00:32:02,600 --> 00:32:06,240 Speaker 1: Conservation Act. Thanks so much for listening. That's all I 534 00:32:06,360 --> 00:32:09,480 Speaker 1: got for you this week. Remember to write in to 535 00:32:09,640 --> 00:32:12,400 Speaker 1: a s k c a L. That's asked Cal at 536 00:32:12,440 --> 00:32:14,920 Speaker 1: the Meat Eater dot com and let me know what's 537 00:32:14,960 --> 00:32:17,920 Speaker 1: going on in your neck of the woods. Also, if 538 00:32:18,040 --> 00:32:20,880 Speaker 1: the snow is piling up and you need a good project, 539 00:32:21,400 --> 00:32:25,760 Speaker 1: maybe type in www dot steel Dealers dot com and 540 00:32:25,800 --> 00:32:28,680 Speaker 1: find a local, knowledgeable steel dealer near you. You can 541 00:32:28,720 --> 00:32:32,320 Speaker 1: go down to a dealer talk about a project. They're 542 00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:34,080 Speaker 1: gonna get you set up with what you need, not 543 00:32:34,240 --> 00:32:36,520 Speaker 1: try to send you home with what you don't. Thanks 544 00:32:36,560 --> 00:32:45,400 Speaker 1: so much for listening. I'll talk to you next week.