1 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:13,520 Speaker 1: From Mediator's 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 in now 3 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:24,280 Speaker 1: Here's Kel. Don't let moose lick your cars. That's right, Canadians, 4 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:27,560 Speaker 1: it's that time of year again when the road maintenance 5 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:32,080 Speaker 1: vehicles start dropping salt on icy stretches of highway along 6 00:00:32,120 --> 00:00:35,880 Speaker 1: with rolling out the signs that say don't let moose 7 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:40,720 Speaker 1: lick your vehicles. Seems like common sense, but hey, is 8 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:46,040 Speaker 1: it common? Social media would say otherwise. A rebounding moose 9 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:51,159 Speaker 1: population around Jasper, Alberta has led to increasing incidents of 10 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:59,680 Speaker 1: moose using subar us like lollipops. To the Canada moose 11 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:03,280 Speaker 1: to grow to twelve hundred pounds and stand over seven 12 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:07,240 Speaker 1: ft tall at the shoulder, so when that sub is 13 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:11,240 Speaker 1: a rocking, don't get out of your vehicle. Tourists have 14 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:15,800 Speaker 1: reportedly been traveling to the area specifically to have their 15 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:20,240 Speaker 1: vehicles licked, which, if not against the law, darn sure 16 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:23,720 Speaker 1: sounds like it should be, or at least a transaction 17 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:26,080 Speaker 1: that takes part in a part of town that's not 18 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:30,000 Speaker 1: on the way to church. That social media gold better 19 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:33,959 Speaker 1: be worth it. Because Jasper National Park has increased the 20 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:38,399 Speaker 1: fine for intentional car licking to a maximum of twenty 21 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:43,399 Speaker 1: dollars US, which begs the question what does it cost 22 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:46,520 Speaker 1: for only part of the car? Maybe just a hub 23 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 1: cap or a fender job. At any rate, it's not 24 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:56,840 Speaker 1: worth disturbing the wildlife and slowing down traffic causing potentially 25 00:01:56,920 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 1: hazardous situations for your next selfie. After all, your big 26 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:06,800 Speaker 1: social media post is just somebody else's job. This week, 27 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:12,960 Speaker 1: we've got turkey talk, LWCF, deer donations, and frisky belugas. 28 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:17,960 Speaker 1: But first I'm gonna tell you about my week. And 29 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:22,120 Speaker 1: my week, as you know, is sponsored by Steel Power Equipment. 30 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:26,400 Speaker 1: Remember if you have a clean, quiet, battery powered, no 31 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:29,840 Speaker 1: stinking powerful steel saw under the seat of your truck, 32 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:33,160 Speaker 1: anytime you're heading out into the woods, you just feel 33 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:37,639 Speaker 1: better about yourself. I do anyway. In fact, I'm charging 34 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 1: some batteries right now, just in case. This Friends and 35 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:47,320 Speaker 1: Neighbors is the Cow's weekend review Thanksgiving episode, Well, it 36 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 1: will be a post Thanksgiving episode. I am currently gearing 37 00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:53,239 Speaker 1: up and heading into the woods for the last days 38 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:57,400 Speaker 1: of the Montana General Big Game season. I would love 39 00:02:57,560 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 1: to get one more mule deer in the freezer. And 40 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:03,080 Speaker 1: call good. But I have a few family members that 41 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:07,200 Speaker 1: would enjoy elk meat. So despite not exactly wanting another 42 00:03:07,280 --> 00:03:10,120 Speaker 1: elk on my back, if I bump into one, the 43 00:03:10,639 --> 00:03:14,840 Speaker 1: you know the work will begin. Tradition is something that 44 00:03:14,919 --> 00:03:18,799 Speaker 1: is synonymous with our holidays. No matter you're creed or religion, 45 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:21,560 Speaker 1: we all have things that we do every year. My 46 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:26,000 Speaker 1: thing is being in the woods. Occasionally I've dropped in 47 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:29,119 Speaker 1: on some family to help with leftovers, but I've got 48 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 1: a standing date in the deer elk woods, maybe a 49 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 1: duck blind, which is, as it turns out, a really 50 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:40,480 Speaker 1: safe and selfish yet self less act. All of the sudden, 51 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:47,200 Speaker 1: Thank you COVID. I'm no hero. Despite the cold temps 52 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:49,640 Speaker 1: in the remote places I try to go. To assure 53 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:53,200 Speaker 1: a lack of people with moderate chances at game, my 54 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:57,080 Speaker 1: tradition is likely better than getting together around the dinner 55 00:03:57,120 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: table and pretending I can hear all the different converse 56 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:03,360 Speaker 1: stations going on. Sure, I want to see everyone, but 57 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:07,040 Speaker 1: a big portion of my family works in healthcare, and 58 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:10,840 Speaker 1: they are assuring us that the Montana healthcare system is 59 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 1: overloaded with COVID cases. So don't be adding to the 60 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 1: problem here. Are you a lout and clear. I love you, fam, 61 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:20,960 Speaker 1: but I'll see you next year. Provided that is my 62 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 1: freezer is full. Then hopefully this Thanksgiving has been a 63 00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:28,039 Speaker 1: great one for everyone with a little more outside time 64 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 1: built in. The Turkey Day traditions of watching football or 65 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:36,159 Speaker 1: TV in general never really gripped me, especially if he 66 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:40,120 Speaker 1: gets sucked into these reality survivor shows that force the 67 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:44,479 Speaker 1: storyline of man versus nature, where nature is something to 68 00:04:44,520 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 1: be beaten and feared. If you, like me, get put 69 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:53,040 Speaker 1: off by things like that, yet you know that there 70 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:57,479 Speaker 1: is still plenty left to learn. Releasing December one, is 71 00:04:57,480 --> 00:05:00,680 Speaker 1: our brand new incredibly Awesome Meat Eat add to Wilderness 72 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:03,600 Speaker 1: Skills and Survival book, just something I thought you should know. 73 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:09,440 Speaker 1: You'll learn hard earned advice from accomplished outdoors men and women, 74 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 1: including river guides, lifelong hunters, mountaineers, emergency room doctors, and 75 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:18,880 Speaker 1: wild foods experts, things like how to effectively find and 76 00:05:19,000 --> 00:05:22,440 Speaker 1: treat water, how to gear up for any outdoor venture, 77 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:26,360 Speaker 1: white cooking accidents mess way more people up than grizzlies, 78 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:29,920 Speaker 1: how to deal with porcupine quills in your dog, roast 79 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:32,920 Speaker 1: meat on the fire, and how to develop a mindset 80 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 1: that keeps you calm, rational and focused during your most 81 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:41,280 Speaker 1: stressful moments. We could all use a little bit of that. 82 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:45,039 Speaker 1: After all, Thanksgiving is just the warm up to the 83 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 1: big show of Christmas. And if you think your family 84 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 1: goes crazy at Thanksgiving, we all know they're certifiably insane 85 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:54,919 Speaker 1: when it comes to Christmas. Can I re feel your 86 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:57,480 Speaker 1: eight knocked for you, get you something to eat, drive 87 00:05:57,480 --> 00:05:59,400 Speaker 1: you out to the middle of nowhere, leave you for dead? 88 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:04,039 Speaker 1: Now what you really want to hear? The snort report 89 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:09,000 Speaker 1: that little yellow lab is closing in on seven months. 90 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:13,800 Speaker 1: She's doing great. She's been resting on the bird front 91 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:19,080 Speaker 1: and accompanying me on some big game hunts. She froze 92 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:21,880 Speaker 1: your little butt off on an overnight trip last weekend, 93 00:06:22,240 --> 00:06:25,839 Speaker 1: but she conveniently fits into my sleeping bag, which is 94 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:29,840 Speaker 1: great for her and not that RESTful for me. I'm 95 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:34,440 Speaker 1: a total sissy for the record. But the big news 96 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:37,040 Speaker 1: is once we get this big game stuff out of 97 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:40,200 Speaker 1: the way, is we are gearing up to do a 98 00:06:40,279 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 1: few days of pheasant hunting. Really get focused, run her 99 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:48,599 Speaker 1: little tail wagon rear end off. I will definitely keep 100 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:51,000 Speaker 1: you posted on this one. I'm meeting up with a 101 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:55,160 Speaker 1: few friends who have been quarantined and COVID tested. I'm 102 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:58,840 Speaker 1: knocking on wood because anything can happen, but I want 103 00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:02,480 Speaker 1: this trip to happen. And if you're interested in following 104 00:07:02,520 --> 00:07:05,760 Speaker 1: along with this one, I'll tell you right now. I'm 105 00:07:05,839 --> 00:07:09,760 Speaker 1: admittedly not awesome at the social media game, but I 106 00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:13,080 Speaker 1: will be doing my best to take you all along 107 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:18,880 Speaker 1: with me for a December rooster road trip, talking conservation 108 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:23,320 Speaker 1: and habitat with pheasants forever, and doing some serious cooking 109 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:26,880 Speaker 1: with a buddy many of you will recognize. Tune in 110 00:07:26,920 --> 00:07:32,640 Speaker 1: to see who it is. Plus lots and lots of snort. 111 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:36,640 Speaker 1: She's pumped, She's gonna get after the roosters. Be sure 112 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:40,240 Speaker 1: to follow us at Old Cal four oh six. That's 113 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:43,480 Speaker 1: O L C A L four oh six on Instagram 114 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 1: to follow this rooster road trip. Moving on. We've been 115 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:54,880 Speaker 1: stabbed right in the back, or maybe in the front, 116 00:07:55,400 --> 00:08:02,120 Speaker 1: to be honest, it's confusing. Recently, East Secretarial Order three 117 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:05,520 Speaker 1: three eight eight from David Bernhardt's Secretary of the Interior, 118 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:09,720 Speaker 1: regarding the use of Land and Water Conservation Fund has 119 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:14,240 Speaker 1: some language that causes serious concern. If you have been 120 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:16,880 Speaker 1: a listener to this show, you know about the Great 121 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 1: American Outdoors Act, within which, amongst a lot of other things, 122 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:24,400 Speaker 1: was full and permanent funding for the Land and Water 123 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:30,440 Speaker 1: Conservation Fund or LWCF, LWCF being a primary, no cost 124 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:35,680 Speaker 1: to the taxpayer tool to fund access projects, improvements, and 125 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:40,880 Speaker 1: land acquisition. LWCF funds have been used for ballpark shooting ranges, 126 00:08:40,960 --> 00:08:45,360 Speaker 1: bike pass easements through private land to public land, boat ramps, 127 00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:50,960 Speaker 1: and much more in all fifty states. Good things if 128 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:55,400 Speaker 1: you like your out of doors time. Inside the freshly 129 00:08:55,440 --> 00:09:00,800 Speaker 1: printed Secretarial Order three eight, which outlines how l w 130 00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:03,840 Speaker 1: CF funds are to be spent and what qualifies for 131 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:07,280 Speaker 1: l w CF, are many good points, in fact, I 132 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:10,320 Speaker 1: would say spot on, but there are a few that 133 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:15,959 Speaker 1: are very confusing and very concerning. The confusion comes from 134 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:21,280 Speaker 1: the fact that a cabinet that repeatedly says less red tape, 135 00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:27,360 Speaker 1: less bureaucuracy, less government over each added Section four item seven, 136 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:31,200 Speaker 1: which reads, in order to receive or qualify for land 137 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:34,760 Speaker 1: and water funds, a written expression of support by both 138 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:39,040 Speaker 1: the affected governor and local county or county government equivalent 139 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:43,280 Speaker 1: is required for the acquisition of land, water or interest 140 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:47,960 Speaker 1: in land or water under the federal LWCF program, meaning 141 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:52,000 Speaker 1: that if you, the owner of a private piece of 142 00:09:52,080 --> 00:09:55,960 Speaker 1: ground something we hold quite dear in this country, wishes 143 00:09:56,160 --> 00:10:00,640 Speaker 1: to use l w CF for a project, you have applied, 144 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:03,560 Speaker 1: forked up the match in cash for the grant, crossed 145 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:06,760 Speaker 1: your tease. Whether or not you get those funds to 146 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:10,920 Speaker 1: complete your project on your land would now depend on 147 00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:15,559 Speaker 1: your relationship with your county commissioner or possibly the governor 148 00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:18,560 Speaker 1: of your state. Now, aside from the fact that the 149 00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:22,320 Speaker 1: Trump administration took on the Great American Outdoors Act and 150 00:10:22,559 --> 00:10:26,240 Speaker 1: passed it while accepting a lot of paths on the back, 151 00:10:26,760 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 1: now it seems they're saying, you can have the l 152 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:31,400 Speaker 1: w CF, we just want to make it really hard 153 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:34,800 Speaker 1: to access it. So here's some obstacles to make it 154 00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:38,960 Speaker 1: even more difficult and more daunting. This should irk you, 155 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:42,840 Speaker 1: This should get under your skin as an infringement of 156 00:10:42,920 --> 00:10:47,880 Speaker 1: your private property rights. The plausible reason for this, I believe, 157 00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:52,920 Speaker 1: is to protect the county tax fund. Development creates more 158 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:57,960 Speaker 1: revenue than agricultural land, and agricultural land creates more revenue 159 00:10:58,040 --> 00:11:02,280 Speaker 1: than federal land. This is the argument that accounts purely 160 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:05,680 Speaker 1: for the property tax, not cash coming in from gas 161 00:11:05,679 --> 00:11:08,760 Speaker 1: sales and restaurants and uh, you know, flat tires and 162 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:11,880 Speaker 1: stuff when folks are out hunting and fishing. The other 163 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:16,000 Speaker 1: implication here would be that someone in state government, from 164 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:19,400 Speaker 1: the county level up to the governor, could catch wind 165 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:25,720 Speaker 1: of your project and say no for any reason. Maybe 166 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:30,120 Speaker 1: you want, as a private landowner to provide an ease 167 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:34,239 Speaker 1: mont through your property to a river, but your neighbors 168 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:37,880 Speaker 1: along that river enjoy that lack of access, so they 169 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:40,880 Speaker 1: have petition, either the county or the governor, and they 170 00:11:40,880 --> 00:11:42,679 Speaker 1: get to tell you what you get to do with 171 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:46,600 Speaker 1: your private land. This is very interesting to me because 172 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:49,280 Speaker 1: I live in the state of Montana, a state where 173 00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:53,439 Speaker 1: we have an incumbent state Senator, Steve Daines, who has 174 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 1: cited against historical ease months to public lands, and we 175 00:11:57,880 --> 00:12:01,439 Speaker 1: just elected a governor, Greg gen Forte, who is on 176 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:05,080 Speaker 1: the record trying to get rid of a public river 177 00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:09,080 Speaker 1: access site adjacent to his personal property because he didn't 178 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:12,400 Speaker 1: want people using the river next to his home. Now, 179 00:12:12,440 --> 00:12:16,280 Speaker 1: another reason that you may hear as to the necessity 180 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:19,640 Speaker 1: of a county or state level sign off in regards 181 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:23,360 Speaker 1: to the use of LWCF for land acquisition is essentially 182 00:12:23,360 --> 00:12:27,439 Speaker 1: a government overreach argument. Or the very same argument turned 183 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:30,160 Speaker 1: on its ear. You don't want the Feds coming in 184 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:34,520 Speaker 1: here to take more land away from the state. Well, unfortunately, 185 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:37,680 Speaker 1: that's just not how these things work. It's not some 186 00:12:37,920 --> 00:12:41,800 Speaker 1: random federal agent in d C who puts their thumb 187 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:43,439 Speaker 1: on the map and says, this spot, we're going to 188 00:12:43,520 --> 00:12:48,360 Speaker 1: take it. It starts with a member of your community going, 189 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:52,160 Speaker 1: Holy hell, I worked my whole life keeping the farm together, 190 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:55,640 Speaker 1: and now the kids want to break it up. I 191 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:59,600 Speaker 1: wish there was another way this same landowner would like 192 00:12:59,679 --> 00:13:02,600 Speaker 1: to see their ranch that they sweated and bled over 193 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:07,320 Speaker 1: continue on as such, not as a subdivision. For instance, 194 00:13:07,760 --> 00:13:11,240 Speaker 1: they search out the path to conservation easement. The typical 195 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:14,200 Speaker 1: end game would be to protect the land from development 196 00:13:14,400 --> 00:13:18,320 Speaker 1: and get that land protected long term by getting it 197 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:23,200 Speaker 1: acquired at the state or federal level. In between the 198 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:26,559 Speaker 1: landowner and the state or the Feds, the property can 199 00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:29,000 Speaker 1: be held by a number of nonprofit groups like the 200 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:32,640 Speaker 1: Wilderness Trust or the Trust Republic Lands. Many many other 201 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:37,800 Speaker 1: trusts exist out there. There are several big, old, beautiful 202 00:13:38,040 --> 00:13:42,640 Speaker 1: places that are Wildlife Management areas or BLM ground that 203 00:13:42,720 --> 00:13:45,080 Speaker 1: I hunt on here in the state of Montana that 204 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:48,840 Speaker 1: are full of hunting opportunities that would have been locked 205 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:51,760 Speaker 1: off to everyone if it were not for this type 206 00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:55,360 Speaker 1: of transaction, funded in part by the Land and Water 207 00:13:55,440 --> 00:14:00,480 Speaker 1: Conservation Fund. The Sabonoso Wilderness in New Mexico, which was 208 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:04,840 Speaker 1: our only landlocked wilderness area in the United States, was 209 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:09,480 Speaker 1: only open to the public through such a transaction. The 210 00:14:09,640 --> 00:14:13,600 Speaker 1: rim Rock Rose Ranch was acquired by the Wilderness Trust 211 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:17,280 Speaker 1: through funds that it gathered by many, many, many people 212 00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:21,520 Speaker 1: making donations, and that land was the key stone piece 213 00:14:21,880 --> 00:14:28,280 Speaker 1: to finally allowing public access to totally locked off public land. 214 00:14:28,920 --> 00:14:32,120 Speaker 1: The Wilderness Trust, however, could only hold onto the property 215 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:34,920 Speaker 1: long enough to get it into federal hands, in this 216 00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:38,120 Speaker 1: case the BLM. The owners of the rim Rock Rose 217 00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:41,880 Speaker 1: Ranch preferred to see that ranch and the wilderness beyond 218 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:46,320 Speaker 1: it enjoyed by the public rather than sold off piece 219 00:14:46,360 --> 00:14:49,040 Speaker 1: by piece amongst their kids. Seems like they are in 220 00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:52,800 Speaker 1: that right. The issue counties run into when lands are 221 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:56,040 Speaker 1: sold to a federal entity, as it reduces the amount 222 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:59,960 Speaker 1: of taxable income earning land in these low population count 223 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:04,400 Speaker 1: typically less money for road maintenance, schools, etcetera. To the 224 00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:07,720 Speaker 1: point where some did not see the beauty and generosity 225 00:15:07,760 --> 00:15:11,240 Speaker 1: in opening up a multi generational ranch to the public 226 00:15:11,280 --> 00:15:15,600 Speaker 1: for recreation as a win, but instead a monetary loss 227 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:18,880 Speaker 1: and maybe another step towards the shuttering of a badly 228 00:15:19,040 --> 00:15:24,120 Speaker 1: outdated school in need of funds. The question is do 229 00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:27,600 Speaker 1: the recreators spend enough in the county when they visit 230 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:32,520 Speaker 1: that land to offset that tax revenue loss. Now, to 231 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:34,880 Speaker 1: hammer this point in and even a little bit deeper, 232 00:15:35,320 --> 00:15:39,320 Speaker 1: I personally know of two examples that are ongoing here 233 00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:43,640 Speaker 1: in the Montana that would make this secretarial order extremely interesting. 234 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:49,400 Speaker 1: Both of which are large to large ish multigenerational family ranches, 235 00:15:49,920 --> 00:15:53,840 Speaker 1: on both of which the last generation that actually wanted 236 00:15:53,880 --> 00:15:56,720 Speaker 1: to ranch still do so. They still run the day 237 00:15:56,720 --> 00:16:00,280 Speaker 1: to day operations and their will into their nine das. 238 00:16:00,720 --> 00:16:06,280 Speaker 1: They have miraculously survived heart attacks, cancers, the normal agrarian maladies, 239 00:16:06,600 --> 00:16:11,400 Speaker 1: not to mention rold trucks, tractors, exploding livestock, good credit, 240 00:16:11,520 --> 00:16:16,840 Speaker 1: bad credit, long enough to keep the ranch expanding and healthy. 241 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:19,960 Speaker 1: And what keeps them going is knowing that none of 242 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:22,840 Speaker 1: their kids want the place unless they can sell it off. 243 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:27,320 Speaker 1: These folks aren't working on these properties into their nineties 244 00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:30,480 Speaker 1: to see them be sold and broken up. The other 245 00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:32,920 Speaker 1: thing these ranches have in common is they both have 246 00:16:33,040 --> 00:16:36,440 Speaker 1: their mineral rights intact, and they both almost certainly have 247 00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:40,080 Speaker 1: a hell of an economic boom to the county underneath 248 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:44,840 Speaker 1: lots of jobs underneath the cow pastures and prairie. However, 249 00:16:45,240 --> 00:16:48,720 Speaker 1: if these ranchers have their way, these jobs will never 250 00:16:48,760 --> 00:16:52,200 Speaker 1: be realized, as they do not want their land developed. 251 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:54,680 Speaker 1: They want to keep that land intact, and they want 252 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:57,120 Speaker 1: people to be able to come out and appreciate it. 253 00:16:57,800 --> 00:17:01,480 Speaker 1: You could see speculate rather that if a county commissioner 254 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:04,720 Speaker 1: could choose to increase the economic wealth of the county 255 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:07,919 Speaker 1: by voting against one of these ranchers and their plans 256 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:10,960 Speaker 1: for their land, they could stall them out right there 257 00:17:10,960 --> 00:17:14,119 Speaker 1: in their nineties. They can't live forever. Hopefully deal with 258 00:17:14,160 --> 00:17:16,880 Speaker 1: the kids and get a mind going in town as 259 00:17:16,920 --> 00:17:19,200 Speaker 1: opposed to just you know, a bunch of freeloading hunters 260 00:17:19,240 --> 00:17:23,840 Speaker 1: going out there and enjoying the place. Now, secretarial orders 261 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:27,879 Speaker 1: are relatively easy to reverse or negate. Provided we have 262 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:30,880 Speaker 1: a new Secretary of the Interior next year, I would 263 00:17:30,880 --> 00:17:34,760 Speaker 1: imagine section four, paragraph seven of s O three three 264 00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:37,480 Speaker 1: eight eight would be part of that list that heads 265 00:17:37,520 --> 00:17:40,800 Speaker 1: to the round file. So If that's the case, we're 266 00:17:40,840 --> 00:17:44,520 Speaker 1: just crying in the mud until then. However, if section 267 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:48,359 Speaker 1: four paragraph seven were not reversed, or if let's say, 268 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:51,520 Speaker 1: we see similar bills pop up on the state level, 269 00:17:51,960 --> 00:17:55,000 Speaker 1: because you know, David Bernhardt didn't come up with this 270 00:17:55,080 --> 00:17:59,639 Speaker 1: stuff on his own, it represents someone's interests, then we 271 00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:02,480 Speaker 1: need need to make sure that our congressional and state 272 00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:06,800 Speaker 1: representatives know that our county commissioners and even our governors 273 00:18:07,160 --> 00:18:09,359 Speaker 1: do not have the right to tell us what we 274 00:18:09,480 --> 00:18:17,320 Speaker 1: can and cannot do with our private property. Moving on. 275 00:18:18,280 --> 00:18:20,960 Speaker 1: In the past, we've done turkey stats here on the 276 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:26,119 Speaker 1: Weekend Review, but we're nothing if not flexible. Has also 277 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:35,960 Speaker 1: been a bonanza year for Tofu. After two or three 278 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:38,280 Speaker 1: percent growth a year for the past decade or so, 279 00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:42,760 Speaker 1: Tofu sales for Nasoya, the country's number one brand, have 280 00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:46,199 Speaker 1: gone up so far this year, and according to their 281 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:49,360 Speaker 1: VP of Sales, J. Tuscano, it could have been fIF 282 00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:53,280 Speaker 1: if they could only have kept up with demand. Now, 283 00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:55,960 Speaker 1: we can't say for sure how many Thanksgiving dinners were 284 00:18:56,160 --> 00:19:00,320 Speaker 1: entirely replaced with to fur keys, but we're clearly living 285 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:03,159 Speaker 1: in a different reality. Not that we have anything in 286 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:06,560 Speaker 1: particular against tofu here at Cow's we can review, but 287 00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:09,959 Speaker 1: I prefer my protein on two legs, not you know 288 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:12,040 Speaker 1: something that I got to collect in a big bundle 289 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:15,040 Speaker 1: and then boil forever and then skim off the proteins 290 00:19:15,040 --> 00:19:18,320 Speaker 1: and compacted into something that resembles what was just walking 291 00:19:18,359 --> 00:19:23,760 Speaker 1: around on two legs. That's just me. Anyway, Enough with 292 00:19:23,880 --> 00:19:27,040 Speaker 1: toe Furkey's We're gonna jump over to the Don't Feed 293 00:19:27,040 --> 00:19:30,879 Speaker 1: the Wildlife desk in response to a flock of emails 294 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:34,800 Speaker 1: I received about Penny the Turkey, a once wild bird 295 00:19:34,920 --> 00:19:41,080 Speaker 1: living until recently in Bloomington, Minnesota. You know this story. 296 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:45,119 Speaker 1: A wild animals habitat overlaps with ours. People get a 297 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:47,800 Speaker 1: kick out of sea In this animal around, a name 298 00:19:47,960 --> 00:19:51,280 Speaker 1: is bestowed, People feed the animal, and people take photos 299 00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:54,640 Speaker 1: and share them on social media. For a while, everything 300 00:19:54,680 --> 00:19:58,080 Speaker 1: seems to be going great. Here's a hint. It always 301 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:02,040 Speaker 1: turns bad for the animal. So it went with Penny 302 00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:06,280 Speaker 1: the turkey. According to Minneapolis Star Tribune, where as of 303 00:20:06,359 --> 00:20:09,240 Speaker 1: this writing, Penny story is the most read article on 304 00:20:09,240 --> 00:20:14,840 Speaker 1: the website. Bloomingtonians became extremely attached to this bird. Hallmark 305 00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:18,280 Speaker 1: Dry Cleaners in town even held a special named after him, 306 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:21,840 Speaker 1: where if you brought in one feather comforter, you could 307 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:27,160 Speaker 1: get a second one cleaned for a penny. That's clever marketing. Unfortunately, 308 00:20:27,560 --> 00:20:31,040 Speaker 1: you also know where this story went from here. After 309 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:33,639 Speaker 1: getting used to people feeding him, Penny became more and 310 00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:44,080 Speaker 1: more fearless, approaching and eventually harassing people for food. Freaked 311 00:20:44,080 --> 00:20:46,639 Speaker 1: out civilians placed more and more calls to the local 312 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:50,520 Speaker 1: Department of Natural Resources asking them to resolve the situation, 313 00:20:50,800 --> 00:20:54,600 Speaker 1: and the last straw came when Penny attacked a motorcyclist 314 00:20:54,680 --> 00:20:58,440 Speaker 1: at an area gas station. Attacking a biker that must 315 00:20:58,480 --> 00:21:03,800 Speaker 1: have been one kick and chicken. Unfortunately, once this behavior 316 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:08,000 Speaker 1: has learned, it can't be unlearned, and so relocating Penny 317 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:10,040 Speaker 1: would have just brought the problem to a new spot 318 00:21:10,280 --> 00:21:13,640 Speaker 1: and so on. Minnesota d n R eventually came out 319 00:21:13,800 --> 00:21:15,320 Speaker 1: and did what you have to do. At the end 320 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:18,600 Speaker 1: of the fed animal story, some local residents put up 321 00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:21,399 Speaker 1: a memorial for Penny, and many others are letting the 322 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:25,280 Speaker 1: world know that they're upset with the d n R. However, 323 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:27,679 Speaker 1: as you know, in my opinion, they should have been 324 00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:31,520 Speaker 1: upset with themselves, as feeding that turkey cooked that bird 325 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:34,440 Speaker 1: long before the d n R got ahold of them. 326 00:21:34,480 --> 00:21:37,840 Speaker 1: Because my appeals to people not to feed wildlife have 327 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:43,000 Speaker 1: fallen on deaf ears. Maybe I should try another strategy. Hey, 328 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:48,160 Speaker 1: turkeys out there, you dear the bears, especially you black bears. 329 00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:51,040 Speaker 1: I know the French fries people are offering you seem 330 00:21:51,119 --> 00:21:54,200 Speaker 1: like a great idea, but don't fall for it. There's 331 00:21:54,240 --> 00:21:57,360 Speaker 1: nothing but heartbreak in the end. I don't think that's 332 00:21:57,359 --> 00:22:00,960 Speaker 1: gonna work either. I understand people getting attached to a 333 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:04,359 Speaker 1: particular animal, as you know, I am hopelessly an embarrassing 334 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:07,960 Speaker 1: attached to the good old snort dog. And I understand 335 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:11,159 Speaker 1: that the timing of the d n r's resolution of 336 00:22:11,200 --> 00:22:14,600 Speaker 1: the penny problem so near to Thanksgiving is a bit 337 00:22:14,640 --> 00:22:17,120 Speaker 1: of a downer. But it does strike me as strange 338 00:22:17,440 --> 00:22:22,280 Speaker 1: that the people protesting pennies passing probably partook in a 339 00:22:22,359 --> 00:22:25,920 Speaker 1: turkey on their Thanksgiving tables this year, and there are 340 00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:30,320 Speaker 1: no roadside memorials for those butter balls. Well, at least 341 00:22:30,359 --> 00:22:33,200 Speaker 1: for a moment here on this show. We will remember 342 00:22:33,240 --> 00:22:43,679 Speaker 1: those other birds too now, because for whatever reason, holidays 343 00:22:43,760 --> 00:22:48,479 Speaker 1: and anthropomorphism, the bestowing of human traits and feelings on 344 00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:51,400 Speaker 1: animals go hand in hand. We're gonna do a little 345 00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:55,320 Speaker 1: Thanksgiving time segment here, because it's tempting to think that 346 00:22:55,440 --> 00:22:58,399 Speaker 1: animals of all kinds have been taking a bit of 347 00:22:58,440 --> 00:23:02,400 Speaker 1: revenge on human beings, perhaps on behalf of penny, let's say, 348 00:23:02,520 --> 00:23:05,560 Speaker 1: because it's Thanksgiving and the rest of their Turkey brethren. 349 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:10,359 Speaker 1: For example, Newsweek and other outlets have reported that in 350 00:23:10,359 --> 00:23:13,840 Speaker 1: the past several months, orcas off the coast of Portugal 351 00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:18,040 Speaker 1: have taken to approaching passing boats and repeatedly ramming into them, 352 00:23:18,280 --> 00:23:20,720 Speaker 1: sometimes for as long as two hours at a stretch. 353 00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:23,439 Speaker 1: There have been over forty of the incidents in the 354 00:23:23,440 --> 00:23:26,719 Speaker 1: past six months, and the problem has gotten so bad 355 00:23:26,920 --> 00:23:30,680 Speaker 1: that the Portuguese Coast Guard has restricted boat traffic off 356 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:34,320 Speaker 1: the Atlantic coast near port To. A sailor named David 357 00:23:34,400 --> 00:23:37,400 Speaker 1: Smith filmed one of the incidents, and I tell you 358 00:23:37,840 --> 00:23:42,240 Speaker 1: it is something, no, not something that the sailor from 359 00:23:42,280 --> 00:23:45,919 Speaker 1: Portugal's name was David Smith. I'm sure that's not an 360 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:50,440 Speaker 1: alias anyway. Watching the whales turn upside down to show 361 00:23:50,480 --> 00:23:53,640 Speaker 1: the white underside of their bellies and tails, then hearing 362 00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:56,159 Speaker 1: and feeling the thuds against the hole and rudder of 363 00:23:56,160 --> 00:23:59,960 Speaker 1: the boat must have been terrifying and fascinating to experience 364 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:03,480 Speaker 1: its firsthand, and after two hours it must have been 365 00:24:03,520 --> 00:24:07,720 Speaker 1: bizarrely tedious as well. We should call them incidents instead 366 00:24:07,760 --> 00:24:11,200 Speaker 1: of attacks. Because it's not clear that the behavior is aggressive. 367 00:24:11,760 --> 00:24:15,080 Speaker 1: Some biologists suspect it may be a particularly rough form 368 00:24:15,119 --> 00:24:18,000 Speaker 1: of play. We all remember that one kid on the 369 00:24:18,040 --> 00:24:20,720 Speaker 1: playground who just wouldn't stop on the Merry go round 370 00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:23,840 Speaker 1: until everyone wanted to throw up. And apparently with a 371 00:24:23,880 --> 00:24:26,399 Speaker 1: couple of these ships, the orc has spun them around 372 00:24:26,480 --> 00:24:34,199 Speaker 1: in a similar fashion. No one has much of an 373 00:24:34,200 --> 00:24:37,040 Speaker 1: idea why the orcas are doing this, and to be honest, 374 00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:39,760 Speaker 1: if I could ram ships until they spun in circles, 375 00:24:40,160 --> 00:24:42,720 Speaker 1: maybe I would do so just for fun too. But 376 00:24:43,119 --> 00:24:45,919 Speaker 1: because no one can tell me for certain that I'm wrong, 377 00:24:46,280 --> 00:24:49,080 Speaker 1: I'm just floating the theory that these orca has heard 378 00:24:49,119 --> 00:24:53,359 Speaker 1: about Penny's treatment and aren't taking it lying down. The 379 00:24:53,400 --> 00:25:00,000 Speaker 1: revolution isn't televised, it may just be on sonar. Animal 380 00:25:00,119 --> 00:25:02,879 Speaker 1: revenge even seems to be coming from beyond the grave, 381 00:25:03,359 --> 00:25:05,920 Speaker 1: or at least, in the case of one hunter in Indiana, 382 00:25:06,280 --> 00:25:10,040 Speaker 1: beyond the double long shot. After harvesting a white tail 383 00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:14,200 Speaker 1: buck earlier this month, sixty year old Haggy of Dillsborough 384 00:25:14,520 --> 00:25:17,879 Speaker 1: loaded said buck up on an a t V. Unfortunately, 385 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:20,440 Speaker 1: Haggy tried to take the a t V up to 386 00:25:20,600 --> 00:25:23,840 Speaker 1: steep of an incline and rolled the vehicle over the 387 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:28,160 Speaker 1: deer's antler, punctured Haggi's right side in the process. Thankfully, 388 00:25:28,359 --> 00:25:32,000 Speaker 1: the injuries weren't life threatening and Haggy was in stable 389 00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:35,720 Speaker 1: condition when the Greensburg News and other outlets reported the 390 00:25:35,720 --> 00:25:40,520 Speaker 1: story again, a hunter wounded by an animal right on 391 00:25:40,600 --> 00:25:48,200 Speaker 1: the heels of Penny's story. Coincidence, I think. So here's 392 00:25:48,200 --> 00:25:51,159 Speaker 1: a quick story for you, one near and dear to 393 00:25:51,280 --> 00:25:56,240 Speaker 1: my heart. Get it, well, not exactly my heart either, 394 00:25:56,320 --> 00:25:58,840 Speaker 1: You'll just have to listen up. Way back in the 395 00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:01,680 Speaker 1: guiding days, packing a bowl off a mountain in New 396 00:26:01,720 --> 00:26:05,760 Speaker 1: Mexico when a pack strap exploded, which allowed the weight 397 00:26:05,880 --> 00:26:08,560 Speaker 1: of the meat and head to shift, which sent me 398 00:26:08,640 --> 00:26:11,639 Speaker 1: down the mountain where I ultimately landed on the bull's 399 00:26:11,720 --> 00:26:15,919 Speaker 1: rack in a very uncomfortable sort of yoga pose possibly 400 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:20,480 Speaker 1: best described as camel. I was assessing any injuries while 401 00:26:20,560 --> 00:26:23,200 Speaker 1: keeping my back arched so the times of the bull 402 00:26:23,240 --> 00:26:26,639 Speaker 1: didn't puncture my back until my fellow guide arrived on 403 00:26:26,640 --> 00:26:30,199 Speaker 1: the scene and helped pick me up. Not much was 404 00:26:30,240 --> 00:26:32,600 Speaker 1: said as it was like ninety degrees and we had 405 00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:36,480 Speaker 1: a cloud of hornets following us. It wasn't until later 406 00:26:36,520 --> 00:26:39,439 Speaker 1: that week that my guide buddy confessed, and when he 407 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:42,480 Speaker 1: came upon me lying beneath the trail, he had a 408 00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:46,919 Speaker 1: full view of my genitals, my growing area. As it 409 00:26:47,040 --> 00:26:50,120 Speaker 1: was so hot, I hadn't been wearing any bass layers 410 00:26:50,440 --> 00:26:53,280 Speaker 1: and one of the bulls, Tinnes must have shot between 411 00:26:53,280 --> 00:26:56,919 Speaker 1: my legs and gore it opened my pants. Also not 412 00:26:57,040 --> 00:27:00,439 Speaker 1: a case of animal revenge unless that bull had a 413 00:27:00,480 --> 00:27:03,240 Speaker 1: real twisted mind and was ultimately out to get my 414 00:27:03,240 --> 00:27:07,439 Speaker 1: guide buddy by witness too indecent exposure. The image of 415 00:27:07,520 --> 00:27:14,000 Speaker 1: his dangling participle still burned in my eyes anyway. Harm 416 00:27:14,080 --> 00:27:17,439 Speaker 1: caused by wild game is also at issue in a 417 00:27:17,520 --> 00:27:22,280 Speaker 1: recent controversy in central Maryland, where ann Arundel County has 418 00:27:22,320 --> 00:27:26,520 Speaker 1: started an innovative venison donation program. As with many of 419 00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:29,600 Speaker 1: these programs around the country, trace amounts of lead from 420 00:27:29,640 --> 00:27:32,480 Speaker 1: hunters bullets in the No Nations have been caused for 421 00:27:32,560 --> 00:27:36,240 Speaker 1: some concerns. Several states and counties X ray that donated 422 00:27:36,280 --> 00:27:40,400 Speaker 1: meat to find and discard any contaminated parts. Lead bullets 423 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:43,840 Speaker 1: do fragment when they hit an animal, sometimes sending trace 424 00:27:43,880 --> 00:27:47,840 Speaker 1: amounts of lead surprisingly far from the wound channel. Just 425 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:51,280 Speaker 1: cutting away the obvious bullet damage doesn't get rid of 426 00:27:51,320 --> 00:27:56,160 Speaker 1: it all. I don't personally believe we full grown, formed 427 00:27:56,200 --> 00:28:00,160 Speaker 1: adult hunters should have to be too concerned about out 428 00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:04,000 Speaker 1: the trace amount of lead, especially because most folks out 429 00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:08,120 Speaker 1: there are not eating venison three meals a day every day. However, 430 00:28:08,440 --> 00:28:11,919 Speaker 1: as we've covered in the past and multiple times, the 431 00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:15,480 Speaker 1: much bigger risk, as I see it, is two scavengers, 432 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:19,520 Speaker 1: especially raptors like the California condor. As you likely know, 433 00:28:20,040 --> 00:28:22,240 Speaker 1: you have to use non lead bullets to take game 434 00:28:22,280 --> 00:28:25,480 Speaker 1: of any kind in California because scavengers like the condor 435 00:28:25,720 --> 00:28:28,040 Speaker 1: can come closer to eating three meals a day that 436 00:28:28,080 --> 00:28:32,240 Speaker 1: consists of gut piles and cut away portions of hunters kills. 437 00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:35,719 Speaker 1: So if you are a hunter in a a county, 438 00:28:35,840 --> 00:28:38,440 Speaker 1: Maryland and you have recently taken a buck with some 439 00:28:38,520 --> 00:28:41,600 Speaker 1: trusty cor lock, I think you should enjoy that game 440 00:28:41,640 --> 00:28:45,120 Speaker 1: meet with a peaceful mind. However, a couple of things 441 00:28:45,160 --> 00:28:49,600 Speaker 1: about this Maryland venison donation program do make me pause. First, 442 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:52,640 Speaker 1: even though I might personally choose to take a bit 443 00:28:52,720 --> 00:28:55,880 Speaker 1: of risk by eating venison with a dash of lead 444 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:59,760 Speaker 1: every so often, the people receiving venison through the donation 445 00:28:59,800 --> 00:29:04,280 Speaker 1: program aren't making that same choice. Although I believe the 446 00:29:04,280 --> 00:29:07,120 Speaker 1: benefits far away, the risks and X raying all that 447 00:29:07,200 --> 00:29:11,080 Speaker 1: meat could be cost prohibitive. Those eating donated food have 448 00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:14,320 Speaker 1: the right to know what's in it. More interestingly, though, 449 00:29:14,800 --> 00:29:18,040 Speaker 1: is the incentive program that the county has come up with. 450 00:29:18,480 --> 00:29:22,880 Speaker 1: They give hunters fifty dollars per dear that's donated. Somehow, 451 00:29:23,160 --> 00:29:25,600 Speaker 1: even though the lead content and the meat is the same, 452 00:29:25,640 --> 00:29:28,680 Speaker 1: that bounty and the motivation to get the bounty leaves 453 00:29:28,680 --> 00:29:31,320 Speaker 1: a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. Maybe 454 00:29:31,360 --> 00:29:33,880 Speaker 1: I should get over it. If more hunters are willing 455 00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:36,720 Speaker 1: to provide more food to more people in need, that's 456 00:29:36,720 --> 00:29:39,840 Speaker 1: a good thing, right And still it seems to come 457 00:29:39,920 --> 00:29:43,240 Speaker 1: maybe a little too close to market hunting for my comfort, 458 00:29:43,760 --> 00:29:46,200 Speaker 1: Not that my comfort is the most important thing here, 459 00:29:46,280 --> 00:29:50,120 Speaker 1: but still, maybe there can be some happy medium. We 460 00:29:50,160 --> 00:29:53,080 Speaker 1: admit that copper bullets are a better choice for shooting 461 00:29:53,080 --> 00:29:57,160 Speaker 1: at targets that will become food. And last I checked 462 00:29:57,400 --> 00:30:00,200 Speaker 1: a box of Federal Trophy Premium copper and three oh 463 00:30:00,280 --> 00:30:06,240 Speaker 1: eight retailed for Maybe instead of a cash payout, a 464 00:30:06,440 --> 00:30:10,000 Speaker 1: a county Maryland could provide hunters with the AMMO necessary 465 00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:13,320 Speaker 1: to make sure no one is eating lead, not wildlife, 466 00:30:13,320 --> 00:30:16,000 Speaker 1: not the hunters themselves, and not their neighbors at the 467 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:19,360 Speaker 1: local food bank. I will admit this plan could be 468 00:30:19,440 --> 00:30:23,960 Speaker 1: open to manipulation. A resident hunting license cost in Maryland, 469 00:30:24,480 --> 00:30:27,320 Speaker 1: and with the price of AMMO these days, a person 470 00:30:27,400 --> 00:30:30,080 Speaker 1: could just show up with a license, get the box 471 00:30:30,120 --> 00:30:32,440 Speaker 1: of shells, and turn around and make a tidy little profit. 472 00:30:33,000 --> 00:30:36,360 Speaker 1: You know, like all plans and their foundation phase, they 473 00:30:36,400 --> 00:30:39,400 Speaker 1: need some work. But instead of forking over a fifty 474 00:30:39,760 --> 00:30:42,920 Speaker 1: bill for a deer, I think there's some other options here. 475 00:30:44,120 --> 00:30:49,760 Speaker 1: Moving on, you duck hunters out there have undoubtedly noticed 476 00:30:49,880 --> 00:30:53,280 Speaker 1: that bag limits on blue bills A. K. Scott have 477 00:30:53,480 --> 00:30:57,280 Speaker 1: gotten tighter and tighter in recent years. Scientists have been 478 00:30:57,320 --> 00:31:01,080 Speaker 1: studying the decline of blue bills with con sarned for decades. 479 00:31:01,480 --> 00:31:05,200 Speaker 1: Populations have fallen from about seven million in ninety to 480 00:31:05,360 --> 00:31:08,480 Speaker 1: around three and a half million today. Some would call 481 00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:13,760 Speaker 1: that although there's no single cause of the decline, researchers 482 00:31:13,800 --> 00:31:17,200 Speaker 1: have observed that, similar to the egrets we discussed in 483 00:31:17,320 --> 00:31:21,760 Speaker 1: last episode, blue bills have been suffering from elevated levels 484 00:31:21,840 --> 00:31:26,520 Speaker 1: of contaminants in their systems selenium in particular. This may 485 00:31:26,520 --> 00:31:29,400 Speaker 1: be because a larger and larger proportion of the scalps 486 00:31:29,520 --> 00:31:33,800 Speaker 1: diet is made up of zebra muscles, an invasive bivalve 487 00:31:33,960 --> 00:31:37,080 Speaker 1: that has taken over in many waterways along the ducks 488 00:31:37,120 --> 00:31:41,440 Speaker 1: migration route, including the Great Lakes. The same cycle that 489 00:31:41,560 --> 00:31:46,120 Speaker 1: happens with egrets happens with ducks. Contaminants go into the environment, 490 00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:49,080 Speaker 1: the filter feeders, like the muscles, pick up the contaminants, 491 00:31:49,240 --> 00:31:51,800 Speaker 1: and then they pass that up to the next predator, 492 00:31:52,120 --> 00:31:55,880 Speaker 1: in this case scop And with so many other factors 493 00:31:56,040 --> 00:31:59,920 Speaker 1: working against duck reproduction, including loss of habitat and chain 494 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:03,560 Speaker 1: engine climate, the higher levels and contaminants put one more 495 00:32:03,680 --> 00:32:07,400 Speaker 1: obstacle in the way, and we hunters see fewer of 496 00:32:07,440 --> 00:32:11,280 Speaker 1: them and have fewer opportunities to get that meat into 497 00:32:11,280 --> 00:32:16,320 Speaker 1: the freezer. One thing always to remember, no bright line 498 00:32:16,400 --> 00:32:19,760 Speaker 1: exists separating us and our well being from these animals 499 00:32:19,800 --> 00:32:22,600 Speaker 1: and their well being. The same water sheds that give 500 00:32:22,640 --> 00:32:25,840 Speaker 1: them water give us water. The same things that contaminate 501 00:32:25,880 --> 00:32:30,600 Speaker 1: their food contaminate our food. When we protect habitat for wildlife. 502 00:32:30,800 --> 00:32:34,600 Speaker 1: We're also protecting ourselves and keeping that nasty stuff out 503 00:32:34,600 --> 00:32:37,120 Speaker 1: of ourselves and our friends and our parents and our 504 00:32:37,160 --> 00:32:40,040 Speaker 1: kids and everyone. I want to thank Alex C for 505 00:32:40,160 --> 00:32:42,440 Speaker 1: writing in and making sure our heads were screwed on 506 00:32:42,520 --> 00:32:45,640 Speaker 1: straight on that one after the eGRID episode. And I 507 00:32:45,680 --> 00:32:48,400 Speaker 1: think we can take this one step further and suggest 508 00:32:48,480 --> 00:32:52,680 Speaker 1: to state agencies that maybe the SCOP could be the 509 00:32:52,800 --> 00:32:56,479 Speaker 1: poster child for telling people not to dump contaminants and 510 00:32:56,480 --> 00:32:59,080 Speaker 1: water ways. You know, instead of a stop sign, it 511 00:32:59,080 --> 00:33:02,640 Speaker 1: would be a scops line. That's all I've got for 512 00:33:02,680 --> 00:33:05,720 Speaker 1: you this week. Thank you so much for listening. If 513 00:33:05,800 --> 00:33:09,720 Speaker 1: you are the selfless type of conservationists we know you are, 514 00:33:10,200 --> 00:33:14,000 Speaker 1: tell a friend about Cal's weeken review, and most importantly, 515 00:33:14,360 --> 00:33:16,320 Speaker 1: let me know what's going on in your neck of 516 00:33:16,360 --> 00:33:19,840 Speaker 1: the woods by writing in to a s k C 517 00:33:20,160 --> 00:33:24,880 Speaker 1: a L that's asked Cal at the meat Eater dot com. 518 00:33:24,880 --> 00:33:28,440 Speaker 1: Thanks a bunch. I hope you had a fantastic Thanksgiving 519 00:33:28,680 --> 00:33:30,000 Speaker 1: and we'll talk to you next week.