1 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 1: From Mediators World News Headquarters in Bozeman, Montana. This is 2 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:17,479 Speaker 1: Kel's we Can Review with Ryan kel kell An now 3 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:23,119 Speaker 1: Here's Kel. A black footed ferret named Elizabeth Ann was 4 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:26,759 Speaker 1: born this past December, which in and of itself would 5 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:30,640 Speaker 1: be good news. The blackfooted ferret is an endangered species 6 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:35,360 Speaker 1: that until forty years ago biologists believed had gone extinct, 7 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:39,760 Speaker 1: so any new member of the family is caused for celebration. However, 8 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:45,120 Speaker 1: Elizabeth Ann's birth is extremely, extremely big news because she's 9 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:48,920 Speaker 1: a clone the exact genetic replica of a blackfooted ferret 10 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 1: named Willa who died in Willow's genetic material was extracted 11 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:57,280 Speaker 1: and saved in what's known as the Frozen Zoo, a 12 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:01,280 Speaker 1: cryogenic preservation facility run by the San Diego Zoo that 13 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 1: is currently securing the tissue of eleven hundred different species 14 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:09,600 Speaker 1: at a temperature of negative three and twenty degrees fahrenheit. 15 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:13,880 Speaker 1: Tickets to this exhibit don't sell very well, probably because 16 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 1: the animals are frozen and your eyeballs would be too. 17 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 1: I'm really hot. I find it unlikely. The black footed 18 00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:26,319 Speaker 1: ferret was once abundant in the American West, praying primarily 19 00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:29,760 Speaker 1: on prairie dogs, but as agriculture spread across the region, 20 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:33,200 Speaker 1: the prairie dog was designated as a pest, hunted, trapped, 21 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:38,080 Speaker 1: and poisoned extensively. Many predator species, including several kinds of raptor, 22 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:41,199 Speaker 1: were hard hit when prairie dog numbers plummeted, but black 23 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:45,760 Speaker 1: footed ferrets ferret especially bad, and the scientific consensus was 24 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 1: that by the end of the fifties they had been 25 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:53,400 Speaker 1: completely wiped out. But then in a dog belonging to 26 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:56,960 Speaker 1: a lady named Lucile Hogg dropped a very recently alive 27 00:01:57,120 --> 00:02:00,280 Speaker 1: black footed ferret at her front door in Matitzi, y Coming, 28 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:05,280 Speaker 1: and a small remaining population was uncovered. This group thrived 29 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:08,639 Speaker 1: for a few years, but then disease tore through the population, 30 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:12,919 Speaker 1: and despite intense efforts to protect them, only seven individuals 31 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:15,560 Speaker 1: were able to pass on their genes. All of the 32 00:02:15,639 --> 00:02:20,040 Speaker 1: blackfooted ferrets alive today come from the offspring of those 33 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:25,679 Speaker 1: seven individuals. Thus, lee they are very similar genetically. Real 34 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:30,400 Speaker 1: shallow pool, we'd say a lack of genetic diversity means 35 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:33,640 Speaker 1: that if one individual is susceptible to a certain virus 36 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:36,840 Speaker 1: or pathogen, the entire population would be at risk of 37 00:02:36,880 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 1: being wiped out by that same threat, And that is 38 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:45,480 Speaker 1: why elizabeth Ann the cloned ferret is so exciting for conservationists. Willa, 39 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:49,560 Speaker 1: the ferret whose genes Elizabeth Ann carries, was outside of 40 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:52,400 Speaker 1: the small group of ferrets alive today in the wild, 41 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:56,360 Speaker 1: meaning if this distinct genetic material can make it back 42 00:02:56,400 --> 00:03:00,160 Speaker 1: into the wild population, then the resulting ferrets will be 43 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:04,760 Speaker 1: much more resilient and likely to flourish across the landscape. Again, 44 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:09,200 Speaker 1: but scientists aren't just going to drop elizabeth Ann into 45 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:12,480 Speaker 1: a colony of wild ferrets and hope for the best. First, 46 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:16,600 Speaker 1: more cloned individuals will join her than they will, we 47 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:20,280 Speaker 1: hope have offspring than those offspring will be bred back 48 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:24,040 Speaker 1: with wild ferrets, and then if all of that is successful, 49 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:28,280 Speaker 1: the overall blackfooted ferret population will be in much much 50 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:32,480 Speaker 1: better shape. All of this ain't cheap. Just for Elizabeth 51 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 1: Anne to be born, her genetic material had to be 52 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 1: inserted into a domestic ferrets embryo. That embryo had to 53 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 1: be just stated in a surrogate ferret, and then Elizabeth 54 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:46,240 Speaker 1: Ann was born by a caesarean section by a jim. 55 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:49,720 Speaker 1: The private company handling these technical aspects of the operation 56 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 1: also run the pet cloning business. If you have a 57 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 1: cool fifty thousand bucks lying around, you can get an 58 00:03:55,840 --> 00:04:00,800 Speaker 1: exact genetic replica of your beloved snort. Much of the 59 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:04,800 Speaker 1: funding for cloning comes from a nonprofit organization called Revive 60 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:08,800 Speaker 1: and Restore, which also raises private money to pursue even 61 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:13,280 Speaker 1: bigger goals, including bringing back populations of fully extinct animals 62 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:17,360 Speaker 1: like the wooly mammoth and passenger pigeon. Several extinct species 63 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:20,839 Speaker 1: have their genetic materials stored in the frozen zoo. It 64 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:23,919 Speaker 1: might seem wild to imagine a living wooly mammoth, but 65 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:28,320 Speaker 1: the mammoth isn't significantly distinct from the elephant, and so 66 00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:31,680 Speaker 1: what scientists have accomplished with black footed ferrets should be 67 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:35,520 Speaker 1: possible with mammoths as well. There are, of course, loud 68 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:38,800 Speaker 1: arguments about whether all this time, money, and effort would 69 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:42,160 Speaker 1: be better spent protecting other species that are still alive. 70 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:47,039 Speaker 1: What if we poured these resources into protecting habitat and 71 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:51,279 Speaker 1: combat and climate change? Isn't an ounce of prevention worth 72 00:04:51,279 --> 00:04:54,600 Speaker 1: a pound of cure. The same lack of genetic diversity 73 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:57,559 Speaker 1: that afflicts the black footed ferret is also a huge 74 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:01,080 Speaker 1: problem for many game species, including the big horn sheep. 75 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:04,000 Speaker 1: In theory, we could get a few big horns out 76 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:06,320 Speaker 1: on the mountain with a new blend of genetic material 77 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:10,359 Speaker 1: that could make them immune or resistant to pneumonia. That 78 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:13,600 Speaker 1: would go a long way towards keeping that species alive. 79 00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:16,800 Speaker 1: And well, we've talked before about the reluctance of some 80 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:19,880 Speaker 1: hunters to take deer another game with tracking colors around 81 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:23,840 Speaker 1: their necks, So I wonder would people be more or 82 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:27,800 Speaker 1: less enthusiastic about bagging a sheep that was the offspring 83 00:05:27,839 --> 00:05:32,320 Speaker 1: of a clone, possibly the exact replica of you know, 84 00:05:32,480 --> 00:05:36,159 Speaker 1: maybe your buddy sheep. This week we've got a special 85 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:39,360 Speaker 1: deep dive into Pittman robertson funds and how they're used. 86 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:43,479 Speaker 1: But first I'm gonna tell you about my week and 87 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:46,240 Speaker 1: my week as well as this podcast is, as you know, 88 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:49,720 Speaker 1: brought to you by Steel Power Equipment. Spring is darn 89 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 1: near sprung. Better make sure you have what you need 90 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:55,240 Speaker 1: to keep your yard would lot looking sharp? On top 91 00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:57,480 Speaker 1: of that, it's only going to be like five months 92 00:05:57,560 --> 00:05:59,520 Speaker 1: until we started looking up high in the mountains of 93 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:02,320 Speaker 1: Montana and thinking, boy, I don't like the looks of 94 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:05,799 Speaker 1: those clouds. Do I have enough wood for the winter? 95 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:12,240 Speaker 1: Go see your friendly independent steel dealer. For those of 96 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:16,000 Speaker 1: you hankering for more in depth information on the Idaho Grizzly. 97 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:18,800 Speaker 1: Episode of Cal on the Field, go back and listen 98 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:22,400 Speaker 1: to episode sixty three of Cal's weekend review. It's all there. 99 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:25,600 Speaker 1: New episode on fisheries, Big money to be had in 100 00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:29,440 Speaker 1: Rainbow Trout drops Tuesday on the Meat Eater YouTube channel. 101 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:32,360 Speaker 1: Check her out and let me only think. All right, 102 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:35,440 Speaker 1: that's enough catching up. I did some traveling this week, 103 00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:38,080 Speaker 1: went to Connecticut on a trip to look at where 104 00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:43,160 Speaker 1: Pittman robertson dollars go. Listen up. It is no secret 105 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:46,280 Speaker 1: that sales of guns and ammunition went up just a 106 00:06:46,279 --> 00:06:50,400 Speaker 1: bit in let's take a look at those stats. For 107 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:55,320 Speaker 1: the calendar year, the FBI conducted thirty nine million, six 108 00:06:56,320 --> 00:07:01,080 Speaker 1: thousand three fifteen firearm purchase background checks, up a full 109 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:05,440 Speaker 1: forty percent from last year. For context, the year two 110 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:09,720 Speaker 1: thousand five there were fewer than nine million FBI background 111 00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:14,360 Speaker 1: checks for total gun purchases. Firearms sales climbed significantly during 112 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:17,760 Speaker 1: the Obama administration, but this is by far the biggest 113 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:21,320 Speaker 1: year over year jump in history, and according to the 114 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:25,840 Speaker 1: National Shooting Sports Foundation, over eight million people bought guns 115 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:29,800 Speaker 1: for the first time in No matter how fervent a 116 00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:32,680 Speaker 1: defender of our Second Amendment rights you may be, you 117 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:36,800 Speaker 1: likely have this slight mix of feelings on this. We 118 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:39,640 Speaker 1: hope these first time purchasers are having some help in 119 00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:43,480 Speaker 1: the mechanics and safety areas of gun ownership, is what 120 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:48,120 Speaker 1: I mean. Gun sales in were driven by economic and 121 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:52,920 Speaker 1: social turmoil, self defense, and to a degree, providing food 122 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:56,720 Speaker 1: as in hunting. No matter the purpose or intent of 123 00:07:56,800 --> 00:08:01,320 Speaker 1: the purchase, Americans arming themselves is great news for protecting 124 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 1: wildlife in the here and now. The reason will be 125 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:08,240 Speaker 1: familiar to many listeners, but for our new audience, let's 126 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:11,560 Speaker 1: recap the cornerstone of the North American model of conservation, 127 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:16,720 Speaker 1: the Pittman Robertson Act. In ninety seven, Senator Key Pittman 128 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 1: and Congressman Absalom Robertson wrote and passed a bill that 129 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:24,960 Speaker 1: applied in eleven percent federal tax on every sporting firearm 130 00:08:25,120 --> 00:08:28,960 Speaker 1: and box of ammos sold in the United States. More importantly, 131 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:32,360 Speaker 1: the bill stipulated that every dollar raised from those taxes 132 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 1: had to be applied to wildlife conservation in just two 133 00:08:35,920 --> 00:08:40,080 Speaker 1: short years, the Act had raised eight nine thousand dollars 134 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:43,960 Speaker 1: almost seventeen million dollars in today's money. It's hard to 135 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:48,320 Speaker 1: overstate how important this legislation was. At the time the 136 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:52,160 Speaker 1: bill was passed, American wildlife was in very, very bad shape. 137 00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:55,960 Speaker 1: The effects of rampant market hunting and habitat loss meant 138 00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:58,839 Speaker 1: that seeing a white tail deer, while turkey or black 139 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:02,959 Speaker 1: bear was exceededly where anywhere in the US. Biologists and 140 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:07,400 Speaker 1: lawmakers worried that without some serious intervention, those animals, as 141 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:10,560 Speaker 1: well as all the non game species that coexisted within 142 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:15,080 Speaker 1: those habitats, would be gone for good. Since nineteen thirty seven, 143 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:17,960 Speaker 1: that eleven percent tax has been used year in, year 144 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 1: out to buy or lease land for wildlife habitat, to 145 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:24,960 Speaker 1: manage that habitat, to fund scientific studies and surveys that 146 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:28,400 Speaker 1: inform conservation decisions, and much more. It is not an 147 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:31,960 Speaker 1: exaggeration to say that the thriving state of American wildlife 148 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 1: today simply could not have happened without it. You might 149 00:09:35,559 --> 00:09:37,959 Speaker 1: have noticed earlier when describing the tax I used the 150 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:42,280 Speaker 1: term sporting firearm. In the original Act, only long guns 151 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:45,840 Speaker 1: designed for hunting were included. In the nineteen seventies, however, 152 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:49,680 Speaker 1: Pittman Robertson was expanded to include all handguns and non 153 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:52,720 Speaker 1: hunting firearms as well. And it's a darn good thing 154 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:56,080 Speaker 1: it was. Although hunters like to brag about how much 155 00:09:56,120 --> 00:09:59,920 Speaker 1: we do for conservation, at this point, it's really competitive. 156 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:02,840 Speaker 1: Hisstol shooters, folks down at the range putting box after 157 00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:05,319 Speaker 1: box at two two three through their A R s, 158 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:08,520 Speaker 1: and people stash an extra AMMO for rainy day, who 159 00:10:08,559 --> 00:10:13,640 Speaker 1: are really pumping money into protecting wildlife. I think a 160 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:16,160 Speaker 1: lot of hunters are very proud of the fact that 161 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:17,959 Speaker 1: you know, when they buy a hunting license or or 162 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:20,520 Speaker 1: fishing license, that they know that that money is going 163 00:10:20,559 --> 00:10:23,640 Speaker 1: back into their state, uh, you know, wildlife management programs, 164 00:10:23,679 --> 00:10:26,040 Speaker 1: and they should be proud of that. Um. But I 165 00:10:26,080 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 1: think a lot of them aren't aware that the tax 166 00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:31,240 Speaker 1: that's paid through the PIV and Robertson Act is paid 167 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:34,440 Speaker 1: by the manufacturers. But before that firearm leaves the factory, 168 00:10:34,559 --> 00:10:36,839 Speaker 1: it's a ten to eleven percent tax. It's it's on 169 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:40,440 Speaker 1: every firearm or every cartridge that's made by fire and 170 00:10:40,440 --> 00:10:44,760 Speaker 1: buying ammunition manufacturer, So that tax is coming directly from 171 00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:47,280 Speaker 1: the manufacturer to the U. S. Treasury. It's already it's 172 00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:49,680 Speaker 1: already marked out for the U S Fish and Wildlife 173 00:10:49,960 --> 00:10:55,439 Speaker 1: Wildlife Restorations funds. So, uh, it's baked into the price 174 00:10:55,880 --> 00:10:58,040 Speaker 1: of every time you're buying a gun or you're buying 175 00:10:58,080 --> 00:11:01,880 Speaker 1: an ammunition, so you are supporting that as an individual hunter. 176 00:11:02,040 --> 00:11:04,720 Speaker 1: But that tax has been paid by the manufacturer before 177 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:07,400 Speaker 1: that fium actually leaves the factory. As soon as that 178 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:11,600 Speaker 1: becomes a firearm, that becomes a taxable item. As soon 179 00:11:11,640 --> 00:11:13,960 Speaker 1: as that cartridge is finished, it becomes a taxable item, 180 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:15,960 Speaker 1: So it's paid by that manufacturer before at least the 181 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:21,560 Speaker 1: factory doors. That was Mark Oliver from the National Shooting 182 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:26,400 Speaker 1: Sports Foundation or n SSF if you need another example, I, 183 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:29,439 Speaker 1: as a non competitive shooter, may go through a few 184 00:11:29,520 --> 00:11:32,760 Speaker 1: hundred rounds of rifle, shotgun and pistol ammunition in a season. 185 00:11:33,320 --> 00:11:36,200 Speaker 1: An average doing it for fun, trap or skeet shooter 186 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:40,199 Speaker 1: can run through one thousand rounds in a weekend. Remember, 187 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:43,640 Speaker 1: the tax is applied to the ammo and the weapon, 188 00:11:43,920 --> 00:11:48,199 Speaker 1: not the pursuit. My AMMO consumption on average, if I'm 189 00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:50,240 Speaker 1: like really trying to think about it, is about forty 190 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:54,240 Speaker 1: five boxes per big game rifle. If I only end 191 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:57,920 Speaker 1: up using one caliber for the year, that's one hundred 192 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:02,320 Speaker 1: one rounds or so maybe three to four rounds are 193 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:05,640 Speaker 1: going to be used on animals. A really big year 194 00:12:05,920 --> 00:12:09,520 Speaker 1: with no misses or follow up shots is three to 195 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 1: four rounds. That's all for bird hunting. Maybe a case 196 00:12:14,080 --> 00:12:17,400 Speaker 1: or five hundred shotgun shells a year, more like two 197 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:20,200 Speaker 1: to three cases if I can get to the range 198 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:24,280 Speaker 1: to shoot Clay's. During the great wave of firearm and 199 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:27,640 Speaker 1: AMMO sales since two thousand eight, which is only intensified 200 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:30,880 Speaker 1: over the past year, some very very serious money has 201 00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:34,760 Speaker 1: been flowing through Pittman Robertson to fund conservation. The thirteen 202 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:38,200 Speaker 1: point six billion dollars that Pittman Robertson has generated since 203 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:42,560 Speaker 1: it was past seven over seven point four billion dollars, 204 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:45,480 Speaker 1: fully half of the overall sum has come in just 205 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:49,240 Speaker 1: the last ten years. This most recent spike in money 206 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:53,080 Speaker 1: is coming just in time. Although some states and universities 207 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:56,439 Speaker 1: have weathered COVID nineteen fairly well, the majority have been 208 00:12:56,440 --> 00:13:00,559 Speaker 1: crushed by the pandemic, and as their other funding to disappears, 209 00:13:00,559 --> 00:13:03,080 Speaker 1: pitt and Robertson money is there to fill the gap. 210 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:06,720 Speaker 1: That means that state agencies can continue to do the 211 00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:10,319 Speaker 1: work of habitat management and state universities can keep their 212 00:13:10,360 --> 00:13:14,720 Speaker 1: research studies going. Because the law was written requiring states 213 00:13:14,720 --> 00:13:16,920 Speaker 1: to match one third of the dollars they received from 214 00:13:16,960 --> 00:13:20,000 Speaker 1: the eleven percent federal tax, states have the incentive to 215 00:13:20,080 --> 00:13:22,840 Speaker 1: keep as much of their own funds as possible dedicated 216 00:13:22,840 --> 00:13:26,160 Speaker 1: to conservation. Here is Tom Decker from US Fish and 217 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:30,840 Speaker 1: Wildlife explaining how that works. The funds go to the U. 218 00:13:30,960 --> 00:13:34,319 Speaker 1: S Treasury. States need to pass some legislation that says 219 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:37,800 Speaker 1: they will assent to following the rules and regulations regarding 220 00:13:37,840 --> 00:13:42,000 Speaker 1: this program to become eligible to have the funds come. 221 00:13:42,040 --> 00:13:44,600 Speaker 1: And then there's a formula for every state depending on 222 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:47,600 Speaker 1: the number of hunting licenses sold in the geographic size 223 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:50,080 Speaker 1: of the state, and then for some sub programs the 224 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:54,160 Speaker 1: population of people in the states. That's an annual allocation. 225 00:13:54,360 --> 00:13:58,679 Speaker 1: So every state, you know, Arizona, gets an allocation every 226 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:02,280 Speaker 1: year based on the seats from the previous year. And 227 00:14:02,360 --> 00:14:08,920 Speaker 1: so there are eligible activities for restoration, monitoring, inventory, disease management, 228 00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:15,599 Speaker 1: purchasing land, operating land, conducting hunter education programs, conducting recruitment 229 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:19,600 Speaker 1: Retention Reactivation program. So there's all these eligible activities and 230 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:22,920 Speaker 1: a few non eligible activities and it's through a grant 231 00:14:22,960 --> 00:14:26,600 Speaker 1: application that UM. A state would write a grant to 232 00:14:26,640 --> 00:14:30,280 Speaker 1: collect research information on black bear dens in Connecticut as 233 00:14:30,320 --> 00:14:33,040 Speaker 1: a as a large project, and they submit those to 234 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:35,000 Speaker 1: the Fish and Wildlife Service to make sure they meet 235 00:14:35,040 --> 00:14:39,360 Speaker 1: all the criteria of eligibility and then their quote awarded 236 00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:43,360 Speaker 1: the money UM and and right up until they reached 237 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:46,000 Speaker 1: their maximum for that year. And those can be a 238 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:48,360 Speaker 1: one year grant, a three year grand, five year grant 239 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:51,000 Speaker 1: to do this kind of work over time and built 240 00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:54,680 Speaker 1: in some some regular data collection. So then then it's 241 00:14:54,680 --> 00:14:57,280 Speaker 1: a reimbursable thing. They have to spend funds and then 242 00:14:57,320 --> 00:15:00,280 Speaker 1: they're reimbursed for the funds they spent by of any 243 00:15:01,440 --> 00:15:03,800 Speaker 1: The states have to bring a match to the grants, 244 00:15:03,800 --> 00:15:07,680 Speaker 1: and that's particularly where sportsman's license dollars come into play. 245 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:10,520 Speaker 1: There has to be this non federal portion that the 246 00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:13,400 Speaker 1: states bring to the table, and that is often their 247 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:17,560 Speaker 1: hunting license revenue links up with those excise tax dollars 248 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:23,000 Speaker 1: to create a project or a grant. Those matching state 249 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:26,280 Speaker 1: funds typically come from hunting license and tags as Tom said, 250 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:30,239 Speaker 1: so the recent jump and hunted numbers provides more critically 251 00:15:30,320 --> 00:15:32,960 Speaker 1: needed cash. That means we're in a bit of a 252 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:37,280 Speaker 1: renaissance for conservation funding. Of course, there's also a catch. 253 00:15:37,800 --> 00:15:40,400 Speaker 1: This funding flows only as long as sales of guns 254 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:43,520 Speaker 1: and ammunition stay high, although it seems like that might 255 00:15:43,600 --> 00:15:47,560 Speaker 1: continue for a while. State wildlife agencies and universities will 256 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:50,560 Speaker 1: have to adjust whenever this cycle comes to an end. 257 00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:53,320 Speaker 1: For an idea of what this money goes to, I 258 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:56,840 Speaker 1: went out with the Connecticut Department of Energy Environmental Protection 259 00:15:57,160 --> 00:15:59,840 Speaker 1: or DEEP to tag along on a winter Black bayard 260 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:03,640 Speaker 1: and study, which of course is funded by Pittman Robertson dollars. 261 00:16:04,160 --> 00:16:07,160 Speaker 1: In this case, the trucks, the tech positions, the equipment, 262 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:10,480 Speaker 1: the whole study. I have to stop briefly here and 263 00:16:10,520 --> 00:16:14,560 Speaker 1: acknowledge the fact that Deep as an acronym is hilarious 264 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:17,000 Speaker 1: to me. I'll let you find your own jokes there. 265 00:16:17,680 --> 00:16:21,640 Speaker 1: It's about to get deep. This black bear is in deep. 266 00:16:22,240 --> 00:16:27,360 Speaker 1: You know, fun stuff like that. Are we having fun yet? Anyway? 267 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:30,440 Speaker 1: I joined through a program called Partner with the Payer, 268 00:16:30,680 --> 00:16:33,120 Speaker 1: which is something that US Fish and Wildlife came up 269 00:16:33,120 --> 00:16:36,680 Speaker 1: with to connect payers as in manufacturers with projects that 270 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:39,400 Speaker 1: use the taxes they must pay to move firearms and 271 00:16:39,440 --> 00:16:43,080 Speaker 1: ammunition out the door. Uh, this is why or this 272 00:16:43,160 --> 00:16:46,000 Speaker 1: is how your dollars are being spent. Type of public 273 00:16:46,040 --> 00:16:49,160 Speaker 1: relations effort. Mark all of the of the National Shooting 274 00:16:49,160 --> 00:16:52,640 Speaker 1: Sports Foundation facilitates getting the payers with the partners for 275 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:56,800 Speaker 1: this program. N SSF is the national trade organization for 276 00:16:56,840 --> 00:17:00,360 Speaker 1: firearm manufacturers. Now, if you're wondering why you US Fish 277 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:04,200 Speaker 1: and Wildlife is here again represented by Tom Decker. When 278 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:07,280 Speaker 1: the black bear is not a threatened or endangered species, 279 00:17:07,800 --> 00:17:13,080 Speaker 1: listen up. So black bears are a native species in 280 00:17:13,119 --> 00:17:16,760 Speaker 1: the East and they're under the jurisdiction of state fish 281 00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:19,960 Speaker 1: and wildlife agencies. So the Fish and Wildlife Service for 282 00:17:20,119 --> 00:17:23,240 Speaker 1: black bear management in each state doesn't really have the 283 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:26,399 Speaker 1: same kind of role if they were a federally listed species. 284 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:30,560 Speaker 1: That's where the federal government has that role in its management. 285 00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:34,640 Speaker 1: We work collaboratively with state Fish and Wildlife agencies through 286 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:38,200 Speaker 1: the Pittman Robertson Act and the administration of those Wildlife 287 00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:43,080 Speaker 1: Frustration Dollars towards um grants that the state agencies like 288 00:17:43,119 --> 00:17:46,520 Speaker 1: here in Connecticut are using to get the scientific information 289 00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:51,680 Speaker 1: they need to manage bear populations. Now, don't get this 290 00:17:51,760 --> 00:17:54,320 Speaker 1: confused with the Idaho Grizzly episode on the Meat eat 291 00:17:54,359 --> 00:17:57,960 Speaker 1: Or YouTube channel. This is black bears in Connecticut. Plenty 292 00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:00,960 Speaker 1: of overlap, but this happened this week. You cannot last July. 293 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:07,880 Speaker 1: Paul Rigo, the lead biologist, is going to tell you 294 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:12,560 Speaker 1: why we're here. The point of the study is visiting 295 00:18:12,600 --> 00:18:17,719 Speaker 1: these winter dens of black bears trying to determine reproduction 296 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:20,119 Speaker 1: and survival. So when we go to the winter dens, 297 00:18:20,320 --> 00:18:24,840 Speaker 1: we can drug anthetize the bear the sow like we 298 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:28,280 Speaker 1: did today, and we can count how many cubs that 299 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:31,760 Speaker 1: that's how gave birth to. And then next year we 300 00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:34,280 Speaker 1: can visit the same bear and determine how many of 301 00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:37,760 Speaker 1: those cubs survived to one years old as a yearling. 302 00:18:38,560 --> 00:18:41,960 Speaker 1: So we're getting the reproductive level of the of the bears, 303 00:18:42,359 --> 00:18:45,600 Speaker 1: where we're getting the survival of the cubs, and we're 304 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:50,160 Speaker 1: also determining the survival of the adult females, and all 305 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:55,000 Speaker 1: those factors all can go into very simple population growth 306 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:59,359 Speaker 1: equations and we're able to project the population growth of 307 00:18:59,359 --> 00:19:02,320 Speaker 1: our black bear population. And what we have found is 308 00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:05,760 Speaker 1: that very conservatively our black bear population can grow a 309 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:10,120 Speaker 1: ton to fift per year, and that's conservative. Some states 310 00:19:10,440 --> 00:19:15,000 Speaker 1: have harvested of their bear population and and not caused 311 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:19,800 Speaker 1: a decline in the population. The style we captured was 312 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:22,480 Speaker 1: in her dam. We knew she was there because she 313 00:19:22,560 --> 00:19:25,959 Speaker 1: was wearing a radio collar, which the team had previously 314 00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:29,320 Speaker 1: tracked to this location. She was a big, healthy mom 315 00:19:29,359 --> 00:19:33,080 Speaker 1: at roughly two pounds, somewhere between eight and ten years 316 00:19:33,119 --> 00:19:36,320 Speaker 1: of age, and she had four cubs, one for each 317 00:19:36,359 --> 00:19:39,439 Speaker 1: teat so to speak, The cubs all weighed close to 318 00:19:39,520 --> 00:19:43,000 Speaker 1: six pounds, three females and one male. The den was 319 00:19:43,040 --> 00:19:46,240 Speaker 1: located between sixty yards from a hiking trail and within 320 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:49,200 Speaker 1: a quarter mile of several houses and a major roadway. 321 00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:52,480 Speaker 1: Although we typically think of bear dens as caves are 322 00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:55,440 Speaker 1: hollowed out trees, it seems that the majority of black 323 00:19:55,480 --> 00:19:58,919 Speaker 1: bears in Connecticut go through their winter and surface dens, 324 00:19:58,920 --> 00:20:02,480 Speaker 1: which is just a nast This particular style had scraped 325 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:04,840 Speaker 1: up a pile of leaf litter located on the edge 326 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:07,760 Speaker 1: of where a broad ridge drops into a creek drainage. 327 00:20:08,160 --> 00:20:10,840 Speaker 1: The area around the nest was scraped clean of leaves, 328 00:20:11,119 --> 00:20:14,920 Speaker 1: all deposited, and this doughnut shaped nest that was about 329 00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:18,000 Speaker 1: a foot thick. There was a down tree that partially 330 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:20,880 Speaker 1: obscured the nest to the trail side. Other than that, 331 00:20:21,119 --> 00:20:24,560 Speaker 1: I would call it fairly open. If you're thinking, wow, 332 00:20:24,880 --> 00:20:27,320 Speaker 1: this is happening close to a lot of people, listen 333 00:20:27,320 --> 00:20:32,119 Speaker 1: to what Paul says about conflict in Connecticut. As the 334 00:20:32,119 --> 00:20:37,080 Speaker 1: bear population has grown, we've experienced in Connecticut of a 335 00:20:37,160 --> 00:20:42,200 Speaker 1: growing level of bare human conflict and UH, it's growing. 336 00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:46,480 Speaker 1: And the one thing about our bear expansion is bears 337 00:20:46,520 --> 00:20:49,240 Speaker 1: first moved into the part of the state was relatively 338 00:20:49,320 --> 00:20:53,720 Speaker 1: low human populations. As the population of bears has expanded, 339 00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:57,639 Speaker 1: it's now reaching some of our more developed tones and 340 00:20:57,680 --> 00:21:00,440 Speaker 1: some of our tones with higher human population done cities. 341 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:03,840 Speaker 1: So we think there's going to be an acceleration of 342 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:08,640 Speaker 1: the human bear conflicts. Those range from people just not 343 00:21:08,760 --> 00:21:12,040 Speaker 1: being happy with the presence of bears in their neighborhoods 344 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:17,480 Speaker 1: and near their schools to very tangible UH conflicts such 345 00:21:17,480 --> 00:21:22,400 Speaker 1: as bears breaking into houses, bears killing pets and livestock, 346 00:21:22,920 --> 00:21:28,240 Speaker 1: and damaging crops. So you could call her den site exposed. 347 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:31,840 Speaker 1: And this is where she wrote out an abnormally cold 348 00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:35,639 Speaker 1: Connecticut winner, during which she gave birth to the four cubs. 349 00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:39,080 Speaker 1: Those cubs were hungry. On approach to the den, you 350 00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:42,399 Speaker 1: could actually hear the cubs nursing, which was the first 351 00:21:42,520 --> 00:21:46,400 Speaker 1: for me. Quick side note, this is an excellent example 352 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:48,760 Speaker 1: of a question I get all the time. Hey, cal 353 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:52,640 Speaker 1: what sleeping bag should I get? My answer is always 354 00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:55,840 Speaker 1: what ground pad do you have? You can get away 355 00:21:55,880 --> 00:21:59,080 Speaker 1: with less on top of you if you're properly insulated 356 00:21:59,160 --> 00:22:02,600 Speaker 1: underneath you. A good ground pad can save you weight 357 00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:05,600 Speaker 1: a sleeping bag. Keep that in mind. Of course, this 358 00:22:05,680 --> 00:22:07,760 Speaker 1: is data for those of you who do not intend 359 00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:10,840 Speaker 1: to go out and give birth. That's not my area 360 00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:14,720 Speaker 1: of expertise. Much like the grizzlies in Idaho, the team 361 00:22:14,720 --> 00:22:17,639 Speaker 1: in Connecticut typically uses a jab stick, which is a 362 00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:20,920 Speaker 1: metal pole with essentially a stout hypodermic needle on the end. 363 00:22:21,480 --> 00:22:25,640 Speaker 1: They jab that to deliver a sedative to mom. Unlike Idaho, 364 00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:28,080 Speaker 1: they also had a pair of dart guns, one powered 365 00:22:28,080 --> 00:22:31,960 Speaker 1: through two rim fire blanks, the other CEO two cartridge. 366 00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:34,800 Speaker 1: Depending on the age of the sow, how experienced a 367 00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:37,879 Speaker 1: mother she may be, they'll either hunker deeper into the 368 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:42,320 Speaker 1: nest or take off When the biologists approach. It seems 369 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:45,000 Speaker 1: the older the bear, the more they tend to stick around. 370 00:22:45,480 --> 00:22:48,080 Speaker 1: That's what the track guns are used for. I know 371 00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:50,040 Speaker 1: the thought of the mom taking off out of her 372 00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:53,440 Speaker 1: dan doesn't sound much like hibernation, but we honestly don't 373 00:22:53,480 --> 00:22:56,159 Speaker 1: know all there is to know about hibernation. When we 374 00:22:56,200 --> 00:23:00,440 Speaker 1: approached this bear, she was listening, head up, alert and aware, 375 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:03,480 Speaker 1: aware of the fact that she and her brood were 376 00:23:03,520 --> 00:23:06,960 Speaker 1: not alone. Because of her alert posture, it was determined 377 00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:09,399 Speaker 1: that the jab stick would be a little too close 378 00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:12,359 Speaker 1: for comfort. This was the first time I've seen a 379 00:23:12,359 --> 00:23:15,960 Speaker 1: tranquilizer gun in action. The dart is clearly visible the 380 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:19,720 Speaker 1: whole way on its flight path, target area on the bear, 381 00:23:19,960 --> 00:23:23,680 Speaker 1: or where there is low fat and high muscle density, 382 00:23:23,720 --> 00:23:27,439 Speaker 1: typically the shoulder. Within twelve minutes, Mom's head was on 383 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:30,639 Speaker 1: the ground and she was able to be handled. Here's 384 00:23:30,680 --> 00:23:33,760 Speaker 1: the really cute part. In order to handle Mom, you 385 00:23:33,800 --> 00:23:36,840 Speaker 1: have to handle the cubs. They have claws and can 386 00:23:36,880 --> 00:23:40,040 Speaker 1: stick like velcrow to at least anything I was wearing, 387 00:23:40,400 --> 00:23:42,879 Speaker 1: but only their milk teeth, which is a set of 388 00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:46,200 Speaker 1: teeth that are the precursors to the real teeth. And 389 00:23:46,280 --> 00:23:49,120 Speaker 1: by comparing what the cubs had tooth wise to mom's 390 00:23:49,200 --> 00:23:52,560 Speaker 1: impressive teeth, this would be the only appropriate time to 391 00:23:52,640 --> 00:23:56,320 Speaker 1: handle a bear cub. I asked the lead biologist, Paul Rigo, 392 00:23:56,640 --> 00:24:00,440 Speaker 1: about the risk of habituation. Paul had this to say, 393 00:24:02,359 --> 00:24:05,280 Speaker 1: I don't think what we did today would lead to 394 00:24:05,359 --> 00:24:09,160 Speaker 1: a higher probability of those bears being habituated. The female 395 00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:12,720 Speaker 1: was drugged before we handle her, so one would assume 396 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:16,919 Speaker 1: she wouldn't have any memory of what we did, and 397 00:24:17,359 --> 00:24:20,960 Speaker 1: the cubs are at a very young stage. They didn't 398 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:24,840 Speaker 1: really receive any reward by what we we did today. 399 00:24:25,480 --> 00:24:29,119 Speaker 1: This type of research has been done probably for fifty years, 400 00:24:29,520 --> 00:24:33,680 Speaker 1: across many many states, and I'm not familiar with any 401 00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:38,440 Speaker 1: any case where there's any evidence that that this den 402 00:24:38,600 --> 00:24:42,000 Speaker 1: research really leads to habituation or boldness and the bears. 403 00:24:43,080 --> 00:24:47,440 Speaker 1: What does habituate bears and lead to them being bold 404 00:24:47,520 --> 00:24:51,560 Speaker 1: is when they get food rewards near humans. So that 405 00:24:51,640 --> 00:24:55,439 Speaker 1: can be direct feeding people purposely putting food out for 406 00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:59,679 Speaker 1: bears trying to attract them, or indirect feeding like bears 407 00:24:59,760 --> 00:25:04,480 Speaker 1: find bird seed, poorly stored household garbage near homes. And 408 00:25:04,640 --> 00:25:08,480 Speaker 1: when the bears get food rewards, they learned to overcome 409 00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:11,760 Speaker 1: their fear of humans, uh, their fear of human activities, 410 00:25:11,800 --> 00:25:16,280 Speaker 1: the fear of barking dogs near houses, um, their shyness 411 00:25:16,280 --> 00:25:20,440 Speaker 1: of traffic. And that's another big concern of ours in Connecticut, 412 00:25:20,480 --> 00:25:23,959 Speaker 1: since we are very populated state that we currently do 413 00:25:24,080 --> 00:25:29,320 Speaker 1: have many bears that live in very suburban towns and 414 00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:32,960 Speaker 1: have learned that they can find food near homes, and 415 00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:38,320 Speaker 1: those bears have become very bold, quite habituated, just ignoring 416 00:25:38,359 --> 00:25:41,399 Speaker 1: the presence of humans. We've had bears that really don't 417 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:44,800 Speaker 1: care that that somebody fires a shotgun into the ground 418 00:25:44,920 --> 00:25:50,320 Speaker 1: near them. It's pretty dramatic for all the talk on 419 00:25:50,359 --> 00:25:53,879 Speaker 1: this show about the danger of anthropomorphism, you know, putting 420 00:25:53,880 --> 00:25:57,640 Speaker 1: our human sensibilities and emotions on animals. Let me tell 421 00:25:57,680 --> 00:26:00,720 Speaker 1: you when you have to six pound and black bear 422 00:26:00,840 --> 00:26:04,800 Speaker 1: cubs stuffed into your jacket. They were previously cold and 423 00:26:05,080 --> 00:26:08,880 Speaker 1: uncomfortable and making loud noises, but now they're piled up 424 00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:12,000 Speaker 1: on top of each other against your gut, grunting back 425 00:26:12,040 --> 00:26:18,000 Speaker 1: and forth, seemingly very content. Ah boy, hard to separate 426 00:26:18,080 --> 00:26:21,520 Speaker 1: feelings from the situation. And it wasn't just me full 427 00:26:21,560 --> 00:26:25,000 Speaker 1: disclosure here, Mark all of us, a retired Marine gunnery 428 00:26:25,080 --> 00:26:28,920 Speaker 1: sergeant gunnery sergeants are known to be pretty tough individuals 429 00:26:29,119 --> 00:26:32,600 Speaker 1: who are supposed to act a certain way. Well, if 430 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:36,240 Speaker 1: you've ever seen a doting grandpa bouncing a new grand 431 00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:39,800 Speaker 1: baby on their shoulder, that was the scene, kind of 432 00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:42,840 Speaker 1: hopping back and forth holding that little cub tight to 433 00:26:42,920 --> 00:26:47,040 Speaker 1: his chest. That was one well protected bear cub and 434 00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:51,080 Speaker 1: possibly the cutest marine you'll ever see. While we were 435 00:26:51,119 --> 00:26:55,359 Speaker 1: doing this, Mom was wade measured, photographed, DNA was pulled 436 00:26:55,359 --> 00:26:58,080 Speaker 1: from her and the cubs. Mom got a new collar 437 00:26:58,280 --> 00:27:01,040 Speaker 1: and was placed back in the nest, her four babies 438 00:27:01,280 --> 00:27:05,760 Speaker 1: crawling deep into her fur and murmuring contentedly. By the 439 00:27:05,760 --> 00:27:09,239 Speaker 1: time we left. Here's a side note for you. She 440 00:27:09,320 --> 00:27:13,399 Speaker 1: had the hairriiest bear paws I have ever seen. And 441 00:27:13,680 --> 00:27:15,920 Speaker 1: when we used to hunt spring bear all the time, 442 00:27:16,119 --> 00:27:18,960 Speaker 1: that's something we'd look forward to determine how much traveling 443 00:27:19,000 --> 00:27:20,840 Speaker 1: these bears have been doing out of the den, how 444 00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:23,000 Speaker 1: much time they'd spent out of the den. So it 445 00:27:23,040 --> 00:27:26,040 Speaker 1: was neat to see, like very verified evidence of this 446 00:27:26,119 --> 00:27:28,880 Speaker 1: bear that was still in the dam. How she had 447 00:27:28,960 --> 00:27:32,639 Speaker 1: hair that would overlap her paths, whereas when they've been 448 00:27:32,640 --> 00:27:35,280 Speaker 1: out traveling that hair gets worn down, just like your 449 00:27:35,280 --> 00:27:38,280 Speaker 1: dog at home. But back to the topic at hand, Yes, 450 00:27:38,720 --> 00:27:43,159 Speaker 1: there are risks involved with tranquilizing animals. And isn't it 451 00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:46,280 Speaker 1: interesting that this scene was playing out in the wildlife 452 00:27:46,359 --> 00:27:50,439 Speaker 1: urban interface, a spot I at least would not consider rural. 453 00:27:51,160 --> 00:27:54,520 Speaker 1: Connecticut wiped out its bear population sometime in the eighteen 454 00:27:54,600 --> 00:27:57,760 Speaker 1: seventies and the first bears wandered back into the state 455 00:27:57,920 --> 00:28:02,400 Speaker 1: about three decades ago. An interesting takeaway from this scenario 456 00:28:02,680 --> 00:28:05,840 Speaker 1: is this, you cannot hunt black bears in Connecticut, but 457 00:28:05,920 --> 00:28:09,160 Speaker 1: these so called hunter dollars are being used to fund 458 00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:13,400 Speaker 1: the research to ensure a healthy population. I'll let Mark 459 00:28:13,440 --> 00:28:18,600 Speaker 1: Oliver mentioned one more thing. People are not hunting black 460 00:28:18,600 --> 00:28:21,080 Speaker 1: bear in Connecticut, but this money is being spent to 461 00:28:21,160 --> 00:28:25,720 Speaker 1: make sure that we have good data on the perpetuation 462 00:28:25,760 --> 00:28:28,240 Speaker 1: of black bear in this state. Many of us have 463 00:28:28,280 --> 00:28:30,080 Speaker 1: been able to hunt black bear in other states and 464 00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:31,880 Speaker 1: then we were fortunate to be able to do that. 465 00:28:32,600 --> 00:28:35,280 Speaker 1: But to be able to get wildlife to the point 466 00:28:35,320 --> 00:28:37,600 Speaker 1: where it's going to be sustainable resource and it's going 467 00:28:37,640 --> 00:28:40,200 Speaker 1: to be a managed resource, and obviously Paul is talking 468 00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:42,960 Speaker 1: about that. You know, the department here is in favor 469 00:28:43,080 --> 00:28:46,840 Speaker 1: of using hunting as a as a management tool for 470 00:28:46,840 --> 00:28:49,600 Speaker 1: for the black bear. And I think it's interest incredibly 471 00:28:49,600 --> 00:28:51,720 Speaker 1: important and I think it shows the importance of having 472 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:53,600 Speaker 1: responsible hunting, and I think that's kind of what we 473 00:28:53,640 --> 00:28:55,240 Speaker 1: all go back to. And the whole reason that Pitt 474 00:28:55,280 --> 00:28:59,400 Speaker 1: and Robertson Act was put into place was that you know, 475 00:28:59,440 --> 00:29:04,400 Speaker 1: a hunter, our conservationists, that hunters have a vested interest 476 00:29:04,480 --> 00:29:06,760 Speaker 1: in the perpetuation of wildlife not just for us to 477 00:29:06,880 --> 00:29:09,479 Speaker 1: enjoy today, but for our kids to enjoy it tomorrow 478 00:29:09,480 --> 00:29:11,880 Speaker 1: and our grandchildren to enjoy from years to now. To 479 00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:13,960 Speaker 1: make sure that we have that going forward. And it 480 00:29:14,000 --> 00:29:17,000 Speaker 1: really is iconic of of the North American wildlife system, 481 00:29:17,080 --> 00:29:20,120 Speaker 1: right that we have such an abundant wildlife across the landscape, 482 00:29:20,120 --> 00:29:21,880 Speaker 1: and that's that's not the case in every country. And 483 00:29:21,920 --> 00:29:24,000 Speaker 1: I think that's something that we should never really kind 484 00:29:24,040 --> 00:29:25,680 Speaker 1: of look our notes, look down our nose on and 485 00:29:26,120 --> 00:29:30,160 Speaker 1: never take it for granted. I know this is an 486 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:34,280 Speaker 1: irregularly scheduled format, but thank you for letting me try 487 00:29:34,400 --> 00:29:35,760 Speaker 1: this one out on you let me know what you 488 00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:39,360 Speaker 1: think if you need a very cute visual to go 489 00:29:39,440 --> 00:29:41,920 Speaker 1: along with this episode. I did a fairly good job 490 00:29:41,920 --> 00:29:44,640 Speaker 1: of documenting this whole thing. You can find the video 491 00:29:44,840 --> 00:29:47,600 Speaker 1: on the old Cal four oh six instagram if you'd 492 00:29:47,600 --> 00:29:50,520 Speaker 1: care to take a look. Also, new episode of Cal 493 00:29:50,600 --> 00:29:53,760 Speaker 1: in the Field, which is this podcast in video format 494 00:29:53,920 --> 00:29:57,480 Speaker 1: on the meat Eater YouTube channel every Tuesday. This week 495 00:29:57,640 --> 00:30:02,320 Speaker 1: Fish Bounties rewarding anglers for eating ish who thought. That's 496 00:30:02,320 --> 00:30:04,320 Speaker 1: all I've got for you this week. Thank you so 497 00:30:04,400 --> 00:30:07,280 Speaker 1: much for listening. As for usual, let me know how 498 00:30:07,320 --> 00:30:10,240 Speaker 1: I'm doing and most importantly, what's going on in your 499 00:30:10,280 --> 00:30:12,760 Speaker 1: neck of the woods by writing in to a s 500 00:30:12,880 --> 00:30:16,080 Speaker 1: K C A L. That's ask Cal at the meat 501 00:30:16,080 --> 00:30:18,960 Speaker 1: eater dot com. Thanks again and I'll talk to you 502 00:30:19,040 --> 00:30:19,880 Speaker 1: next week.