1 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:06,880 Speaker 1: From Mediators World News headquarters in Bozeman, Montana. This is 2 00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:11,360 Speaker 1: Cal's weekend review, presented by Steel. Steel products are available 3 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:15,200 Speaker 1: only at authorized dealers. For more, go to Steel Dealers 4 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: dot com. Now here's your host, Ryan cal callahan. 5 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:26,000 Speaker 2: Two thousand New Jersey residents lost power last week after 6 00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:29,760 Speaker 2: an osprey dropped a fish on a transformer. What appears 7 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:34,000 Speaker 2: to be a man Hayden or bunka was instantly flash fried, 8 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:37,200 Speaker 2: and local residents lost power for a few hours before 9 00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 2: crews were able to restore it. A spokesperson for Jersey 10 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:44,120 Speaker 2: Central Power and Light said that while animals can sometimes 11 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:47,280 Speaker 2: cause power outages, fish are not on the list of 12 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:52,000 Speaker 2: frequent offenders. They continued, quote, we also send our thoughts 13 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:54,680 Speaker 2: to the osprey, because if you've ever dropped your ice 14 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:57,640 Speaker 2: cream cone at the fair, you know the feeling. Not 15 00:00:57,760 --> 00:01:00,720 Speaker 2: to be outdone. The local police department post an image 16 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:03,600 Speaker 2: of the fish on Facebook, covered with do not cross 17 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:06,839 Speaker 2: police tape. They also included a sketch of the osprey, 18 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:11,479 Speaker 2: which they labeled suspect. The caption read quote, today's power 19 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 2: outage was a major inconvenience for so many of our residents. 20 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:19,360 Speaker 2: Please let us not forget the victim in this senseless death, Gilligan, 21 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:21,800 Speaker 2: who will assume is what they named the fish, was 22 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:24,600 Speaker 2: a hard working family man. He was a father two 23 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:28,400 Speaker 2: thousands of children. The suspect was last seen flying south. 24 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 2: If you see him, do not try to apprehend him. 25 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 2: Although he isn't believed to be armed, he may still 26 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:37,280 Speaker 2: be very dangerous. If you have any information in this case, 27 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:41,040 Speaker 2: please contact Detective John Silver, who handles all of our 28 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 2: fish cases. That's a reference to long John Silvers for 29 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 2: those of you who aren't familiar with the fast seafood chain, I, 30 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:53,600 Speaker 2: of all people, can appreciate a good animal joke and 31 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:57,280 Speaker 2: a not so good joke too, For more credit that 32 00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:01,440 Speaker 2: I can dole out to these local agents. They did 33 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 2: skip the obvious Godfather references, being that they're in New Jersey. 34 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:09,640 Speaker 2: Leave the gun. Take the canoli would have been my 35 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:14,520 Speaker 2: caption of choice for the fish picture, or possibly sleeps 36 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:17,919 Speaker 2: with the fishes like the offending osprey either missed a 37 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:21,280 Speaker 2: meal or is delivering a message to someone at Jersey 38 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:32,399 Speaker 2: Central Power and Light. Anyway, Glad to see at least 39 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:34,720 Speaker 2: some of our public servants still have a sense of humor. 40 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:39,320 Speaker 2: This week, we've got dogs gone wild black vultures, legislation, 41 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:41,720 Speaker 2: and Texas. But first, I'm going to tell you about 42 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:46,119 Speaker 2: my week. And my week well, things are ramping up. 43 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 2: My heart is breaking in at least two directions right now. 44 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:54,679 Speaker 2: I've got doves flying over my head and elk screaming 45 00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:58,160 Speaker 2: in my dreams, a little yellow girl dog whose happiness 46 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 2: is my responsibility, and a desire to burn my lungs 47 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:06,800 Speaker 2: on mountains and test my increasingly old back under the wet, hot, 48 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:12,079 Speaker 2: dead elk weight. Responsibilities are tough, darnt it. This late 49 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:15,799 Speaker 2: summertime frame is terrible on me. Every morning that seems 50 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:18,240 Speaker 2: a degree or too cooler creates a high, A bit 51 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 2: of euphoria sets me up. But we all know that 52 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:26,240 Speaker 2: the inevitable ninety degree September day that seems impossibly hot 53 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:30,480 Speaker 2: will be a crushing low to those highs. That day 54 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 2: that transports you back to mid July when you couldn't 55 00:03:33,639 --> 00:03:37,160 Speaker 2: even dream of elk songs or brand new birds winging 56 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 2: in from parts unknown. Then we wake up and September 57 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:45,000 Speaker 2: is gone. How the hell did that happen? You wait 58 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 2: so long and it's gone in the blink of an eye. 59 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:51,280 Speaker 2: So we better make the best of October. And birds 60 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:54,840 Speaker 2: with long tails and endless strings of croaking cranes and 61 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:58,320 Speaker 2: invisible snow geese overhead, and the first young mule deer 62 00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 2: pushing doze. Then it's November, a wonderful month on its own, 63 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:06,440 Speaker 2: but a harbinger of the end. Do we make the 64 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 2: most of our season? There's not much left. I want 65 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 2: to hike in the thigh high snow for lonely bowl 66 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 2: elk lay in the frozen mud, making eye contact with 67 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:17,919 Speaker 2: Snort as she tells me what direction the honking geese approached. 68 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:22,280 Speaker 2: The decoys from highs and lows, the big trips, the 69 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:26,400 Speaker 2: short scouts after work, the early mornings, the endless coffee, 70 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:30,520 Speaker 2: the precious rationing of coffee in Spike camp, The plucking, 71 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:34,599 Speaker 2: the misses, the cuts, the flushing of birds hard fought 72 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:37,760 Speaker 2: and hard walked, The flushing of seed pods from weeping 73 00:04:37,839 --> 00:04:42,560 Speaker 2: brown labrador eyes, emt gel on cracked pads. The heartbreak 74 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:44,960 Speaker 2: of sneaking out the door without her, not that you 75 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:49,640 Speaker 2: can ever be without her. Those hairs are everywhere. Opening 76 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:53,200 Speaker 2: day approaches, and like all hunts, it's a marathon with 77 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:57,640 Speaker 2: intermittent sprints. Keep your powder dry, your feet warm, and 78 00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:03,159 Speaker 2: your dog's healthy. One last thing before we hit the news. Huge, 79 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 2: huge thank you to everyone who shared and bid in 80 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 2: the auction house of Oddities, even if you didn't contribute cash. 81 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:14,720 Speaker 2: If you shared that thing around, thank you so much. 82 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:17,920 Speaker 2: If you talked about the Land Access Initiative and Wildcat Bend, 83 00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:21,560 Speaker 2: thank you so much. It was a huge success. We 84 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:24,040 Speaker 2: had a goal of fifty thousand dollars and with your 85 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:26,560 Speaker 2: help we were able to raise almost one hundred and 86 00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:30,039 Speaker 2: sixty thousand dollars. That's preliminary cash dollars figure right now. 87 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:33,159 Speaker 2: I'll get the official write up later, all of which 88 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:36,800 Speaker 2: all one hundred and sixty ish k every cent will 89 00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:40,720 Speaker 2: be going to Pheasants Forevers Build a Wildlife Area program 90 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:45,720 Speaker 2: as twenty twenty threes Land Access Initiative recipient. The Wildcap 91 00:05:45,839 --> 00:05:48,560 Speaker 2: Bend property is located on the lower Yellowstone River here 92 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 2: in Montana, and it's an absolute gem access to hunting 93 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:56,200 Speaker 2: and fishing where no access existed before. Cannot thank you 94 00:05:56,279 --> 00:06:00,840 Speaker 2: all enough. Now, we're not jumping up and down just yet. 95 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:03,480 Speaker 2: We still need to clear the Montana Fish and Game 96 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:06,360 Speaker 2: Commission and the State Land Board in order to seal 97 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:10,279 Speaker 2: the deal. There's still about forty thousand dollars left to 98 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:14,159 Speaker 2: wrap up the purchase of the property as well, which 99 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:18,559 Speaker 2: you can definitely mail in to Pheasants Forever. Just note 100 00:06:18,560 --> 00:06:23,479 Speaker 2: that as build a Wildlife Area Montana and it'll go 101 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 2: in the proper bucket. And outside of Montana, the build 102 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:31,680 Speaker 2: a Wildlife Area program exists in your state more than likely, 103 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:35,279 Speaker 2: if not in multiple places in your state, and again 104 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:39,000 Speaker 2: more than likely, there's probably a wonderful chunk of ground 105 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:41,279 Speaker 2: that you would be more than happy to support, so 106 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:44,120 Speaker 2: be on the lookout. You can also volunteer in a 107 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:47,719 Speaker 2: bunch of different ways with groups like Pheasants Forever. This 108 00:06:47,839 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 2: conservation work is never done right in and let me 109 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:54,040 Speaker 2: know how I can help in your neck of the woods. 110 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:57,200 Speaker 2: I'll have a full write up on this particular project 111 00:06:57,240 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 2: at the meat eater dot com as well. Thank you, 112 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:03,679 Speaker 2: thank you, thank you. It's a great way to start 113 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:08,640 Speaker 2: our season onto the news. Feral cats get a lot 114 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:11,520 Speaker 2: of flak on this show, rightfully so, but they aren't 115 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:14,720 Speaker 2: the only pets that kill native wildlife. Feral dogs aren't 116 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:17,640 Speaker 2: as concerning because, let's face it, they're not as skilled 117 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:20,520 Speaker 2: at killing birds, reptiles, and small mammals, but they still 118 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:23,800 Speaker 2: cause a lot of trouble. The Yucatan Times reported this 119 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 2: week that feral dogs are a bigger threat than poachers 120 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:29,560 Speaker 2: to sea turtles on the Yucatan coast. The Sea Turtle 121 00:07:29,600 --> 00:07:33,000 Speaker 2: Conservation Program told the outlet that they've received at least 122 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:36,560 Speaker 2: seven reports of dog attacks on loggerhead turtles since April. 123 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:39,720 Speaker 2: Of these seven attacks, four turtles died on the spot, 124 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:44,280 Speaker 2: three received veterinary treatment, and only one survived. In comparison, 125 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:46,840 Speaker 2: they said they haven't received any reports of poaching in 126 00:07:46,880 --> 00:07:50,679 Speaker 2: the area. The organization credits local law enforcement for capturing 127 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:53,240 Speaker 2: and punishing poachers, but they say more work needs to 128 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:56,160 Speaker 2: be done to encourage dog owners to not abandon their 129 00:07:56,200 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 2: dogs on the streets. They also encourage residents to consider 130 00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:01,760 Speaker 2: a dog up being stray dogs, and they'd like to 131 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 2: see an awareness campaign urging owners to spay or neuter 132 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:07,920 Speaker 2: their animals. Sounds like we need to resurrect Old Bob 133 00:08:08,080 --> 00:08:15,560 Speaker 2: and send them down to the Yucatan. Some of you 134 00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:18,400 Speaker 2: will be too young to remember this, but the beloved 135 00:08:18,440 --> 00:08:20,760 Speaker 2: host of The Price is Right, who just passed away 136 00:08:20,840 --> 00:08:25,000 Speaker 2: last week, Rest in peace. Bob Barker would end every 137 00:08:25,120 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 2: episode by encouraging his audience to spay or neuter their pets. 138 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:31,840 Speaker 2: Barker became the face of a movement that began in 139 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:34,480 Speaker 2: the nineteen seventies to urge pet owners to have their 140 00:08:34,559 --> 00:08:37,960 Speaker 2: animals fixed. When that movement first started, fewer than ten 141 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:40,200 Speaker 2: percent of dogs and cats were spayed or neutered, and 142 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:43,680 Speaker 2: the kill rate at shelters was almost ninety percent. Today, 143 00:08:43,679 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 2: between eighty and ninety percent of dogs and cats in 144 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:48,840 Speaker 2: the US are fixed, and fewer animals are finding themselves 145 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:53,640 Speaker 2: in shelters. Protecting native wildlife isn't the only reason to 146 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:56,080 Speaker 2: keep track of your furry companions. They also stand a 147 00:08:56,080 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 2: good chance of being hurt or killed if they're allowed 148 00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:02,280 Speaker 2: to wander unattended. In Utah, for example, officials are warning 149 00:09:02,320 --> 00:09:05,240 Speaker 2: pet owners to be responsible after mountain goats killed three 150 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:08,920 Speaker 2: dogs in the past three weeks on Mount Timpanaugas. The 151 00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:12,839 Speaker 2: Timpanagos Emergency Response Team posted a note on Facebook urging 152 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 2: dog owners to keep their animals from chasing mountain goats. 153 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:18,640 Speaker 2: In one incident last week, a dog was off leash 154 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:21,400 Speaker 2: and harassed a mother goat with kids. The mother goat 155 00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:24,079 Speaker 2: was none too pleased about being hassled by the canine, 156 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:26,080 Speaker 2: so she did what you'd expect a mountain goat to do. 157 00:09:26,640 --> 00:09:29,440 Speaker 2: She pushed the dog off a cliff. The post doesn't 158 00:09:29,480 --> 00:09:32,040 Speaker 2: offer details on the other two incidents from this month, 159 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:34,880 Speaker 2: but it does describe another attack from twenty twenty one. 160 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:37,439 Speaker 2: In that encounter, a dog round at a corner and 161 00:09:37,520 --> 00:09:40,040 Speaker 2: surprised a mountain goat, who ran the dog down and 162 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:42,920 Speaker 2: threw it into the air. This dog survived the attack, 163 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:46,440 Speaker 2: but not before sustaining some pretty nasty puncture wounds. I 164 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:48,800 Speaker 2: can tell you from personal experience, the tips of those 165 00:09:48,800 --> 00:09:52,600 Speaker 2: horns are sharp. The Emergency Response Team reminded visitors that 166 00:09:52,640 --> 00:09:55,959 Speaker 2: allowing dogs to chase goats carries fines similar to poaching. 167 00:09:56,400 --> 00:09:59,559 Speaker 2: Quote on the mountain goats and wildlife have the right 168 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:02,240 Speaker 2: of way. We are guests in their space. The mountain 169 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:05,480 Speaker 2: goats on timp are usually very mellow and we'll walk 170 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:08,760 Speaker 2: fairly close to people. Please keep your distance, even if 171 00:10:08,760 --> 00:10:12,520 Speaker 2: it means delays on your height. Now you might be 172 00:10:12,559 --> 00:10:15,760 Speaker 2: asking yourself, how can you oppose free ranging dogs and 173 00:10:15,840 --> 00:10:19,360 Speaker 2: support hunting dogs at the same time. Hunting with dogs 174 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:21,679 Speaker 2: requires them to be off leash, but that doesn't mean 175 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:25,640 Speaker 2: they're no longer under their handler's control. GPS callers allow 176 00:10:25,679 --> 00:10:28,319 Speaker 2: hound hunters to know where they are at all times, 177 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:31,280 Speaker 2: and they can be called back if needed. There's also 178 00:10:31,320 --> 00:10:34,560 Speaker 2: a right time, right place component to this. If you 179 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:37,400 Speaker 2: are in a hardwood Virginia forest hunting black bears on 180 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:40,240 Speaker 2: public land, you are in a place we've agreed to 181 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:43,120 Speaker 2: allow dogs to hunt off leash. Your dogs might still 182 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:46,080 Speaker 2: run into dangerous situations, but you know what the risks are, 183 00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 2: so it's up to you to justify them. If you're 184 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:51,640 Speaker 2: on Mount Timpanogos or the beaches of Yucatan, that's a 185 00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:54,880 Speaker 2: different story. You're in the wrong. Don't let your dog 186 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:57,960 Speaker 2: run around off leash. The dangers and the wrists to 187 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:01,679 Speaker 2: sensitive wildlife are way too high. That's my take, and 188 00:11:01,720 --> 00:11:04,360 Speaker 2: I have off leash dogs. If you want to chime 189 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:07,800 Speaker 2: in on this one, right in to askcl at the 190 00:11:07,840 --> 00:11:14,679 Speaker 2: Meat eater dot com. Moving on to the vulture desk, 191 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:19,520 Speaker 2: farmers throughout the Midwest are reporting that black vultures are 192 00:11:19,559 --> 00:11:22,920 Speaker 2: preying on newborn livestock. According to a great report by 193 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:26,800 Speaker 2: Kansas City's NPR station. The large birds normally migrate from 194 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:30,800 Speaker 2: South America through the southeastern US, but milder winters have 195 00:11:30,880 --> 00:11:33,559 Speaker 2: allowed them to expand their range over the past decade 196 00:11:33,559 --> 00:11:38,240 Speaker 2: in Missouri, Indiana, and Illinois. Vultures aren't normally birds of prey, 197 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:40,400 Speaker 2: but they'll take a meal wherever they can get it. 198 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:44,640 Speaker 2: Farmers report that vultures have killed and then eaten calves, lambs, 199 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:47,880 Speaker 2: and piglets, which has cost those producers hundreds of thousands 200 00:11:47,880 --> 00:11:51,480 Speaker 2: of dollars. Ranchers in Oklahoma lose two hundred thousand dollars 201 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:54,120 Speaker 2: worth of livestock each year to vultures, and a farmer 202 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:56,760 Speaker 2: in Missouri said he's lost ten thousand dollars worth of 203 00:11:56,800 --> 00:11:59,960 Speaker 2: calves to black vultures this year alone. Vultures are fed 204 00:12:00,080 --> 00:12:03,280 Speaker 2: really protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, so ranchers 205 00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:07,160 Speaker 2: can't simply hold a vulture shoot and call it a day. However, 206 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:10,520 Speaker 2: they do have some options for dealing with the pesky critters. 207 00:12:10,960 --> 00:12:14,240 Speaker 2: The US Fish and Wildlife Service offers depredation permits to 208 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:17,040 Speaker 2: ranchers that cost one hundred dollars and must be renewed 209 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:20,240 Speaker 2: each year, but the agency recently launched a program that 210 00:12:20,280 --> 00:12:22,800 Speaker 2: gives states the ability to issue a certain number of 211 00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:26,800 Speaker 2: free sub permits. These sub permits allow ranchers to take 212 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:29,960 Speaker 2: a specified number of vultures usually about five per year. 213 00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:32,400 Speaker 2: If you've ever seen a group of vultures, you know 214 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:35,280 Speaker 2: that knocking off five every twelve months won't do you 215 00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:38,160 Speaker 2: much good. By the way, because I know you're wondering. 216 00:12:38,360 --> 00:12:41,960 Speaker 2: A group of flying vultures is called a kettle, Vultures 217 00:12:41,960 --> 00:12:44,280 Speaker 2: in a tree are called a committee, and a group 218 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:47,320 Speaker 2: of feeding vultures is called a wake, which is pretty cool. 219 00:12:47,920 --> 00:12:50,160 Speaker 2: And now you're also geared up for the next round 220 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:53,199 Speaker 2: of media or trivia. Anyway, to get the most out 221 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:56,200 Speaker 2: of their yearly vulture quota, ranchers are encouraged to hang 222 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:59,920 Speaker 2: vultures in effigy, and that's not a joke. Ranchers hang 223 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:02,600 Speaker 2: vultures upside down with their wings split out, and they 224 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:06,400 Speaker 2: report this tactic is remarkably effective. One rancher said that 225 00:13:06,520 --> 00:13:09,120 Speaker 2: ninety nine percent of his vulture problems have gone away 226 00:13:09,240 --> 00:13:13,000 Speaker 2: since he started making an example of offending birds. Vultures 227 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:16,480 Speaker 2: are intelligent and they know when they're not welcome. Of course, 228 00:13:16,520 --> 00:13:19,160 Speaker 2: not everyone is convinced that this tactic is the best 229 00:13:19,160 --> 00:13:22,920 Speaker 2: way to handle the situation. Marion Wall, a doctoral student 230 00:13:22,960 --> 00:13:26,680 Speaker 2: studying black vulture management at Purdue University, believes ranchers should 231 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:30,679 Speaker 2: focus on non lethal deterrent methods. These could include moving 232 00:13:30,720 --> 00:13:33,760 Speaker 2: herds closer to humans during calving season or shooting off 233 00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:37,080 Speaker 2: fireworks to scare off the vultures. She also points out 234 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:39,679 Speaker 2: that sometimes vultures take the rap for a murder when 235 00:13:39,679 --> 00:13:42,560 Speaker 2: they're just at the scene of the crime. Newborn livestock 236 00:13:42,679 --> 00:13:44,960 Speaker 2: die all the time, so it's not always easy to 237 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:47,200 Speaker 2: tell when the vultures kill the animal and when they're 238 00:13:47,240 --> 00:13:50,160 Speaker 2: just being good garbage men. And that's something to keep 239 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:54,319 Speaker 2: in mind whenever we're talking about carrion eating birds. Vultures, 240 00:13:54,520 --> 00:13:57,480 Speaker 2: buzzards and other birds that eat dead things perform an 241 00:13:57,480 --> 00:14:02,640 Speaker 2: incredibly vital function in our ecosystem. Can you imagine if 242 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:05,600 Speaker 2: everything that died on the landscape was left to fester 243 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:09,000 Speaker 2: and rot over weeks and months. Not only would this 244 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:11,120 Speaker 2: make the world a smell your place, but it would 245 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:16,600 Speaker 2: also increase disease transmission. Vultures consume and digest bacteria laid 246 00:14:16,640 --> 00:14:19,480 Speaker 2: and meat, and then they stay away from humans. Other 247 00:14:19,520 --> 00:14:22,760 Speaker 2: scavengers like dogs and rats live in homes, towns, and cities. 248 00:14:23,120 --> 00:14:24,960 Speaker 2: If we had to rely on these critters to deal 249 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:27,600 Speaker 2: with dead animal carcasses, you can bet we'd have a 250 00:14:27,640 --> 00:14:31,119 Speaker 2: lot more cases of rabies and other deadly human diseases. 251 00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:34,840 Speaker 2: In fact, the decline of vultures in India and the 252 00:14:34,880 --> 00:14:38,160 Speaker 2: subsequent rise in the feral dog population is thought to 253 00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:41,160 Speaker 2: have contributed to the rabies outbreak that was estimated to 254 00:14:41,160 --> 00:14:45,120 Speaker 2: have killed forty eight thousand human beings from nineteen ninety 255 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:48,240 Speaker 2: two to two thousand and six in India. Ranchers shouldn't 256 00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 2: have to worry about losing their livelihoods to vultures, but 257 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:54,800 Speaker 2: these important birds deserve our respect and protection. Finding that 258 00:14:54,880 --> 00:14:58,840 Speaker 2: balance isn't always easy, but that's what wildlife management is 259 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:05,120 Speaker 2: all about. Moving on to the deer desk, the Texas 260 00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:08,280 Speaker 2: Parks and Wildlife Department issued an emergency order last month 261 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:11,360 Speaker 2: in response to an uptick of CWD among the state's 262 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:14,600 Speaker 2: captive deer herds, but the deer breeders are pushing back. 263 00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:17,600 Speaker 2: They say the new rules are unreasonable, and one of 264 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:20,040 Speaker 2: these breeders has launched a legal battle to take away 265 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:24,360 Speaker 2: the ability of state biologists to cull or kill captive herds. 266 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:28,880 Speaker 2: Deer breeding facilities in fourteen Texas counties have recorded CWD 267 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:32,560 Speaker 2: cases since twenty twenty one, and CWD has been detected 268 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:36,080 Speaker 2: in nine facilities this year. Alone. Texas Parks and Wildlife 269 00:15:36,080 --> 00:15:39,240 Speaker 2: officials say this is an unprecedented rate of increase, and 270 00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:42,920 Speaker 2: they worry captive deer could infect the state's wild deer herds, 271 00:15:43,440 --> 00:15:47,280 Speaker 2: so the agency issued an emergency order requiring all deer 272 00:15:47,320 --> 00:15:50,920 Speaker 2: to have an external identification tag at all times and 273 00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:55,080 Speaker 2: be tested before moving to a different facility. Prior to this, 274 00:15:55,360 --> 00:15:58,600 Speaker 2: deer only had to be tested for CWD before being 275 00:15:58,640 --> 00:16:01,120 Speaker 2: sold to a game ranch, and those deer could have 276 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:04,800 Speaker 2: their ear tags removed. Officials say these new rules will 277 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:07,040 Speaker 2: allow them to more easily track the spread of the 278 00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:11,800 Speaker 2: disease and prevent CWD from spreading between deer breeding facilities. 279 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:15,400 Speaker 2: The owners of these facilities are none too happy the 280 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:17,960 Speaker 2: rules make it more costly for them to operate, and 281 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:20,800 Speaker 2: they argue the regulations should have been passed by the 282 00:16:20,840 --> 00:16:24,720 Speaker 2: state legislature rather than Texas Parks and Wildlife. Still, they 283 00:16:24,760 --> 00:16:28,120 Speaker 2: do have an interest in keeping CWD out of their facilities. 284 00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:31,600 Speaker 2: One positive test can destroy an entire business, so they 285 00:16:31,680 --> 00:16:34,560 Speaker 2: want to make sure their deer are disease free. But 286 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:38,560 Speaker 2: one breeder is fighting not only against these emergency orders, 287 00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:41,840 Speaker 2: but also against the ability of state biologists to order 288 00:16:41,920 --> 00:16:46,320 Speaker 2: the culling of entire facilities. Texas is somewhat unique in 289 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:49,520 Speaker 2: how it handles captive deer herds. While some states have 290 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:53,720 Speaker 2: outlawed captive herds entirely and others treat captive deer like livestock, 291 00:16:54,080 --> 00:16:58,480 Speaker 2: Texas classifies captive deer as wildlife. This means that the 292 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:01,320 Speaker 2: owners of these facilities don't don't have the same property 293 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:05,359 Speaker 2: rights as livestock owners, and it gives the state broad 294 00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:10,040 Speaker 2: latitude in how they handle positive CWD cases. They've ordered 295 00:17:10,080 --> 00:17:13,119 Speaker 2: and tire herds killed based on a few positive tests, 296 00:17:13,520 --> 00:17:16,160 Speaker 2: and the number of captive facilities has dropped by more 297 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:20,480 Speaker 2: than half since twenty fourteen. Multiple deer have tested positive 298 00:17:20,520 --> 00:17:24,520 Speaker 2: at RW Trophy Ranch in Terrell, Texas, but the ranch's owner, 299 00:17:24,680 --> 00:17:28,080 Speaker 2: Robert Williams, has refused to cull his herd. He's been 300 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:32,120 Speaker 2: issued notices that wildlife officials planned to euthanize the deer 301 00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:35,040 Speaker 2: in his pens four times over the past two years, 302 00:17:35,440 --> 00:17:38,280 Speaker 2: but every time he and his legal team have convinced 303 00:17:38,440 --> 00:17:43,080 Speaker 2: judges to stay those orders. Now he's waging multiple legal battles, 304 00:17:43,119 --> 00:17:45,760 Speaker 2: including one that could end up at the Texas Supreme Court. 305 00:17:46,440 --> 00:17:49,120 Speaker 2: His basic argument is that because he has a property 306 00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:51,960 Speaker 2: interest in the deer he raises, he should have more 307 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:54,639 Speaker 2: say and whether those deer are killed. He told The 308 00:17:54,720 --> 00:17:58,720 Speaker 2: Huffington Post that the fears about CWD are overblown, since 309 00:17:58,760 --> 00:18:01,080 Speaker 2: most deer don't live long enough to die of the 310 00:18:01,119 --> 00:18:04,640 Speaker 2: disease in the first place. He also argues that wildlife 311 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:07,800 Speaker 2: officials don't test enough deer to prove that the state's 312 00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:11,800 Speaker 2: CWD problems are being driven by the captive herds. He 313 00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:15,159 Speaker 2: even argues that the larger whitetail industry in Texas is 314 00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:18,159 Speaker 2: trying to put ranches like his out of business because 315 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:22,680 Speaker 2: he grows such giant bucks. He said, quote, it's because 316 00:18:22,720 --> 00:18:25,520 Speaker 2: we raise bucks with huge antlers, And if we were 317 00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:28,800 Speaker 2: only raising little one hundred and sixty, one hundred and 318 00:18:28,840 --> 00:18:31,240 Speaker 2: seventy and one hundred and eighty inch bucks, none of 319 00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:35,159 Speaker 2: this would have ever happened. I mean, this dude is 320 00:18:35,280 --> 00:18:39,000 Speaker 2: raising enormous deer, and I suppose somebody like him could 321 00:18:39,040 --> 00:18:41,399 Speaker 2: say that a one hundred and sixty, one hundred and 322 00:18:41,440 --> 00:18:43,520 Speaker 2: seventy or one hundred and eighty inch buck is a 323 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:47,879 Speaker 2: little deer. But brothers and sisters, uh, we do not 324 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:52,680 Speaker 2: share that perspective anyway. CWD was first discovered in Texas 325 00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:55,960 Speaker 2: in twenty twelve. There have been over five hundred positive 326 00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:59,959 Speaker 2: cases since then. Eighty five percent of those positive cases 327 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:03,440 Speaker 2: have been discovered in captive breeding facilities. While I'm sure 328 00:19:03,440 --> 00:19:05,919 Speaker 2: there are many cases in free ranging deer that simply 329 00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:09,520 Speaker 2: go undetected, it's easy to see why some hunters blame 330 00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:12,480 Speaker 2: the captive facilities for the problem in the first place. 331 00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:15,959 Speaker 2: The National Deer Association issued a call to its members 332 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:19,879 Speaker 2: to support the Emergency Captive Deer regulations, and the organization 333 00:19:19,960 --> 00:19:25,040 Speaker 2: says moving captive deer between facilities is contributing to cwd's spread. 334 00:19:25,760 --> 00:19:28,800 Speaker 2: The facilities argue that the deer tested far more frequently 335 00:19:28,840 --> 00:19:32,359 Speaker 2: than wild deer. They also say that controlled breeding programs 336 00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:33,879 Speaker 2: are one of the ways we might be able to 337 00:19:33,960 --> 00:19:39,000 Speaker 2: leave CWD behind. Biologists have identified genetic markers that make 338 00:19:39,080 --> 00:19:43,080 Speaker 2: deer less susceptible to CWD, and some breeders are cultivating 339 00:19:43,119 --> 00:19:47,480 Speaker 2: those genes in their herds. If successful, they argue that 340 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:51,359 Speaker 2: project could produce a generation of deer that contract the 341 00:19:51,400 --> 00:19:56,000 Speaker 2: disease at a much lower rate. To all my Texican listeners, 342 00:19:56,440 --> 00:19:59,320 Speaker 2: I want to hear from you. Should deer breeders be 343 00:19:59,400 --> 00:20:02,760 Speaker 2: allowed to keep their herds even if they get infected 344 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:07,880 Speaker 2: with CWD. Let me know, askcl at the meat eater 345 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:13,240 Speaker 2: dot com. Moving on to a quick hitting policy desk. 346 00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:18,600 Speaker 2: In Oregon, animal rights activists are once again trying to 347 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:23,000 Speaker 2: get IP three on the ballot. IP three would criminalize 348 00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:27,960 Speaker 2: injuring or killing animals, including farming, ranching, hunting, fishing, trapping, 349 00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:32,480 Speaker 2: pest control, and research. It would also outlaw breeding practices 350 00:20:32,520 --> 00:20:37,719 Speaker 2: by categorizing them as sexual assault. It should probably define 351 00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:41,440 Speaker 2: breeding practices for a lot of the general you could 352 00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:45,280 Speaker 2: call them like old timey cattle operations. That simply means 353 00:20:45,480 --> 00:20:51,159 Speaker 2: putting a bowl out with cows, a male beef with 354 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:55,000 Speaker 2: female beef, and letting them, you know, make a more 355 00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:58,080 Speaker 2: out there in the field on their own. That is 356 00:20:58,119 --> 00:21:02,320 Speaker 2: what a breeding practice, which you know, if IP three 357 00:21:02,359 --> 00:21:06,080 Speaker 2: were to pass, would be defined as sexual assault, not 358 00:21:06,640 --> 00:21:10,359 Speaker 2: cattle getting it on with cattle. Anyway. These groups tried 359 00:21:10,359 --> 00:21:12,520 Speaker 2: and failed last year to get a similar measure on 360 00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:15,119 Speaker 2: the ballot, but they only need one hundred and twenty 361 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:17,679 Speaker 2: thousand people to sign on to put it up for 362 00:21:17,720 --> 00:21:23,400 Speaker 2: a vote. In November, in Michigan, a federal judge accepted 363 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:27,360 Speaker 2: a consent decree that will allow five sovereign Michigan tribes 364 00:21:27,480 --> 00:21:30,199 Speaker 2: to expand the use of gillnets in the Great Lakes. 365 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:34,560 Speaker 2: Sportsmen's groups such as the Michigan United Conservation Clubs argue 366 00:21:34,560 --> 00:21:37,640 Speaker 2: that this will harm the whitefish and lake trout populations. 367 00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:41,240 Speaker 2: The new agreement will dictate fishing policy on the lakes 368 00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:46,800 Speaker 2: for the next twenty four years. In Connecticut, residents are 369 00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:49,520 Speaker 2: trying to figure out when and if to defend themselves 370 00:21:49,600 --> 00:21:53,199 Speaker 2: from the growing black bear population. The legislature passed a 371 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:56,200 Speaker 2: bill recently clarifying that someone may kill a black bear 372 00:21:56,400 --> 00:21:59,119 Speaker 2: if the bear is about to injure them or their pet, 373 00:21:59,480 --> 00:22:03,040 Speaker 2: or has to building occupied by people. The state does 374 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:05,720 Speaker 2: not have a bear hunting season, but hunters say such 375 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:08,680 Speaker 2: a season would encourage bears to stay away from humans. 376 00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:14,240 Speaker 2: The bill also prohibits intentionally feeding bears jumping over to 377 00:22:14,240 --> 00:22:18,480 Speaker 2: British Columbia. Grizzly bear hunting is illegal in British Columbia, 378 00:22:18,560 --> 00:22:21,760 Speaker 2: but a new grizzly Bear Stewardship framework proposed by the 379 00:22:21,800 --> 00:22:24,600 Speaker 2: province's Ministry of for Us could be the first step 380 00:22:24,680 --> 00:22:28,440 Speaker 2: in reversing that ban. While the framework does not actually 381 00:22:28,520 --> 00:22:32,280 Speaker 2: change policy, it does acknowledge that many first nations tribes 382 00:22:32,440 --> 00:22:35,439 Speaker 2: want the hunt to reopen. Some of them ran guiding 383 00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:38,720 Speaker 2: and outfitting services, and they were hit hard economically when 384 00:22:38,760 --> 00:22:42,440 Speaker 2: the province banned the hunt in twenty seventeen. BC bear 385 00:22:42,480 --> 00:22:45,920 Speaker 2: hunters stay on top of that one, ma'am, Grizzly bear 386 00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:50,480 Speaker 2: hunting BC is a wonderful, wonderful experience, and those bears 387 00:22:50,520 --> 00:22:55,520 Speaker 2: taste great. New Mexico is also considering a proposal that 388 00:22:55,560 --> 00:22:58,199 Speaker 2: would increase the black bear quota from eight hundred and 389 00:22:58,200 --> 00:23:01,159 Speaker 2: four to eight hundred and sixty four. Biologists say this 390 00:23:01,240 --> 00:23:04,959 Speaker 2: represents about ten percent of the population, but research suggests 391 00:23:05,080 --> 00:23:08,680 Speaker 2: the population could handle as high as fourteen percent harvest. 392 00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:13,000 Speaker 2: Animal rights groups argue the quotas should be lowered, not raised, 393 00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:16,160 Speaker 2: because well, bears are cute and fuzzy, and what kind 394 00:23:16,160 --> 00:23:18,040 Speaker 2: of sicko wouldever you want to kill a black bear 395 00:23:18,359 --> 00:23:21,719 Speaker 2: the roast beef of the woods. That's not a direct quote, 396 00:23:21,720 --> 00:23:25,320 Speaker 2: but it's pretty close. Also, contrary to what animal rights 397 00:23:25,320 --> 00:23:28,240 Speaker 2: folks would prefer. The New Mexico Game and Fish Commission 398 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:31,120 Speaker 2: is considering a proposal that would keep mountain lion hunting 399 00:23:31,160 --> 00:23:35,680 Speaker 2: quotas the same in all but one management zone. That's 400 00:23:35,720 --> 00:23:37,639 Speaker 2: all I got for you this week. Thank you so 401 00:23:37,760 --> 00:23:41,480 Speaker 2: much for listening. Remember to write in to ask c 402 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:45,080 Speaker 2: Al that's Asscal at the Meat Eater dot com and 403 00:23:45,160 --> 00:23:46,560 Speaker 2: let me know what's going on in your neck of 404 00:23:46,600 --> 00:23:49,600 Speaker 2: the woods. On top of that, go get yourself a 405 00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:53,359 Speaker 2: steel chainsaw. I mean, you know you want one. If 406 00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:57,159 Speaker 2: you're curious, go to www dot steel dealers dot com. 407 00:23:57,359 --> 00:24:00,760 Speaker 2: Find a local knowledgeable steel dealer near you, slide in there, 408 00:24:01,160 --> 00:24:04,280 Speaker 2: see what they got, Maybe let them know what type 409 00:24:04,280 --> 00:24:07,480 Speaker 2: of issues you're facing in the woods this hunting season, 410 00:24:07,600 --> 00:24:10,200 Speaker 2: or around the house or thinking about the long cold 411 00:24:10,240 --> 00:24:12,520 Speaker 2: winter ahead. They're gonna get you set up with what 412 00:24:12,560 --> 00:24:14,400 Speaker 2: you need and they won't try to send you home 413 00:24:14,520 --> 00:24:17,159 Speaker 2: with what you don't. Thanks again and I'll talk to 414 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:25,359 Speaker 2: you next week.