1 00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:06,440 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Wired to Hunt podcast, your home for 2 00:00:06,559 --> 00:00:11,520 Speaker 1: deer hunting news, stories and strategies, and now your host, 3 00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:16,600 Speaker 1: Mark Kenyon. Welcome to the Wired to Hunt Podcast. I'm 4 00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:19,279 Speaker 1: your host, Mark Kenyan, and this is episode number four 5 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:23,720 Speaker 1: sixteen in. Today we've got Witt Fostberg, the President and 6 00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 1: CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, here to discuss 7 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:32,159 Speaker 1: the public and private land conservation related policies, bills, and 8 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:40,800 Speaker 1: initiatives that hunters and anglers need to be watching. All right, 9 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:43,919 Speaker 1: welcome to the Wired to Hunt podcast, brought to you 10 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:47,640 Speaker 1: by First Light. And today we are in week three 11 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:52,480 Speaker 1: of our Conservation Month series, and we're kind of taking 12 00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:55,680 Speaker 1: an approach today that combines what we talked about in 13 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:57,840 Speaker 1: the first week and the second week. So week one 14 00:00:57,880 --> 00:01:01,000 Speaker 1: we had Randy Newberg talking public lands, in week two 15 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:05,480 Speaker 1: we had Matt and Adam from Landing Legacy talking private land. 16 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:09,399 Speaker 1: And today we've got Wit from the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation 17 00:01:09,440 --> 00:01:13,840 Speaker 1: Partnership to talk about where these two things come together. So, 18 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:18,919 Speaker 1: the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership is a nonprofit conservation organization 19 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:23,080 Speaker 1: that works to develop partnerships across a wide variety of 20 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:28,040 Speaker 1: different folks to move hunting and fishing related policies forward. 21 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:30,400 Speaker 1: Things that are good for hunters, things that are good 22 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:34,039 Speaker 1: for anglers, things that are good for wildlife and habitat, 23 00:01:34,319 --> 00:01:37,560 Speaker 1: and they find they find ways to bring different organizations 24 00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 1: hunting organizations, fishing organizations, uh, different folks within the conservation 25 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:44,720 Speaker 1: world and and kind of move them in a way 26 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:48,120 Speaker 1: that we can achieve more by working together. It's a 27 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 1: collaborative approach, and the TRCP works to build those relationships 28 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:55,680 Speaker 1: and get those things moving in the right direction. So today, 29 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:57,600 Speaker 1: what is going to kind of fill us in on 30 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 1: what those very most important initiatives are. What's happening right 31 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:05,320 Speaker 1: now across the landscape, across the political world, across the 32 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:09,680 Speaker 1: on the ground kind of conservation movement. What's happening with 33 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 1: private lands? What are the things that we need to 34 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:14,239 Speaker 1: be thinking about to make sure that there's healthy landscapes 35 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:16,639 Speaker 1: out there on private land for deer and deer hunters 36 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:19,160 Speaker 1: and all those other critters. And same thing for public lands. 37 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:21,160 Speaker 1: So we kind of take those two approaches that we 38 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:23,400 Speaker 1: talked about in the last couple of weeks bringing together 39 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:26,960 Speaker 1: get this high level kind of thirty thousand foot overview 40 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:29,720 Speaker 1: that WIT is is really well informed and able to 41 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:31,760 Speaker 1: help us on. So we're gonna discuss things like the 42 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:35,920 Speaker 1: next farm bill, which is really really important when it 43 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:38,240 Speaker 1: comes to the places that we deer hunters focused on. 44 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:42,160 Speaker 1: The farm bill is a tremendous conservation focused bill, so 45 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:44,480 Speaker 1: that's something we talk a lot about. We talked about 46 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 1: how conservation could and should be thought about within the 47 00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 1: upcoming infrastructure build debate that I'm sure many of you 48 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:53,560 Speaker 1: guys have been hearing about in the news. There's some 49 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 1: stuff in there that maybe there could be some stuff 50 00:02:55,840 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 1: in there that should be helpful to deer and hunting 51 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:02,840 Speaker 1: and the outdoors and the natural world. We're gonna talk 52 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:05,679 Speaker 1: about migration corridors. This is something that Randy and I 53 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 1: kind of teed up and I wanted WIT to dive 54 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 1: into it further. We talk a decent bit about chronic 55 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:13,280 Speaker 1: wasting disease, which I know is something that isn't the 56 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:16,000 Speaker 1: fun thing to talk about, but is important in What's 57 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 1: got some updates for us there too. And then this 58 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 1: one is something you don't hear a whole lot about 59 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:23,160 Speaker 1: within the hunting world, but it seems to be changing. 60 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 1: We're talking about why organizations like the National Deer Association, 61 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:32,360 Speaker 1: the Archery Trade Association, White Tails Unlimited, Pope and Young Club, 62 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 1: and dozens of other hunting and fishing industry companies and 63 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 1: organizations why they're now talking about changes in climate and 64 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 1: getting past the weird political polarization of this topic and 65 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 1: talking about how hunters and anglers can push for common 66 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:52,720 Speaker 1: sense approaches to tackling this challenge and improving wildlife habitat 67 00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:55,200 Speaker 1: in the environment, doing good things to make sure we 68 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:57,120 Speaker 1: can hunt and fish. So that's one of those topics 69 00:03:57,160 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 1: that for a long time has been uh, superpolarizing, but 70 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:03,120 Speaker 1: it seems to be changing. And what's got some updates 71 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:06,440 Speaker 1: there that I think are worth here. So that's the 72 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:10,800 Speaker 1: game plan today. Um, it's an interesting conversation. I enjoyed it. 73 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 1: If you want to stay up on these things, if 74 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:15,400 Speaker 1: you want to be a well informed hunter or angler 75 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:19,080 Speaker 1: and be able to you know, advocate when necessary, this 76 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:20,760 Speaker 1: kind of information is going to help you do it. 77 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 1: The t RCP is a great resource and what is 78 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:26,760 Speaker 1: as well. So that's what we got. I enjoyed this one. 79 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:29,840 Speaker 1: I hope you do. Thanks for tuning in for Conservation 80 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:33,520 Speaker 1: Month and for thinking about these topics. Um, I think 81 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:35,960 Speaker 1: we can all make a big difference. And I'm excited to, 82 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:38,520 Speaker 1: you know, be a part of this community that I 83 00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:40,839 Speaker 1: know is doing good things. So that is gonna be 84 00:04:40,839 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 1: it for me. Let's get to my conversation with what Fostberg. 85 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 1: All right now with me on the line is what Fostburg? What? 86 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:53,440 Speaker 1: Welcome back to the show. Hey, thank you very much. Mark, 87 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:56,000 Speaker 1: It's great to be back with you. Yeah. I always 88 00:04:56,120 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 1: enjoy our conversations and um, and this one maybe maybe 89 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:04,560 Speaker 1: I don't want to say more than others, but especially today, 90 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:07,240 Speaker 1: it's just that time of year, at least for me, 91 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 1: where a lot of conservation and environmentally things start popping 92 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:14,280 Speaker 1: up in the news, you know, with Earth Day and everything, 93 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:16,560 Speaker 1: and it's just always, for whatever reason, this time of 94 00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:20,960 Speaker 1: year gets me reinvigorated to be looking at this big 95 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:23,160 Speaker 1: picture stuff. You know. So much of the year can 96 00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:26,400 Speaker 1: be focused on this hunting trip or this fishing trip 97 00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:30,960 Speaker 1: or this project or whatever. But this springtime period, at 98 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:33,279 Speaker 1: least for me, always seems like a great opportunity to 99 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:35,919 Speaker 1: step back and look at, you know, what are the 100 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:39,080 Speaker 1: things going on that ensure that I have places to 101 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 1: go and have critters to chase and do those things. 102 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:44,839 Speaker 1: And uh, there's few people out there that are more 103 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:47,480 Speaker 1: involved with that than you would. Um. So how are 104 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:50,479 Speaker 1: you feeling these days? Are you feeling invigorated or you 105 00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:55,520 Speaker 1: worn down? No, you know, I actually I feel pretty good. Um. 106 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:56,960 Speaker 1: You know, I think that you know, first of all, 107 00:05:57,000 --> 00:05:59,840 Speaker 1: spring is a great time. You know, I ben as 108 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:02,120 Speaker 1: a turkey hunting a couple of times in the last 109 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:04,839 Speaker 1: couple of weeks, and the shatter in the river and 110 00:06:05,279 --> 00:06:07,840 Speaker 1: you know, stripers are in the river. So it's a 111 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 1: you know, sort of a time where optimism blooms. And 112 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:13,120 Speaker 1: we're not yet to the dog days of summer here 113 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: in d C. So no, I think it's a good 114 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:17,920 Speaker 1: time to be optimistic. And then from a policy perspective, 115 00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:20,920 Speaker 1: new administration, there are always a lot of changes. There's 116 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:23,800 Speaker 1: always a lot of things they're trying to do, and 117 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:26,560 Speaker 1: you're you're scrambling, especially given you know, the last four 118 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:28,800 Speaker 1: years and then these upcoming four years. You know, you 119 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:31,040 Speaker 1: could not have pulled more polar opposites and a lot 120 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:34,440 Speaker 1: of conservation policies. But you know, we tend to sort 121 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 1: of attract that middle ground anyway. So I think that, 122 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:39,960 Speaker 1: you know, we you know, we feel optimistic, but what 123 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:43,160 Speaker 1: we can accomplish we felt optimistic, what we accomplished are 124 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:46,839 Speaker 1: prodicultly accomplished in the last year or two. And uh no, 125 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:48,880 Speaker 1: I think you know, this is one of those issues 126 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 1: that remains pretty much bi partisan in Congress. And you know, 127 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:55,440 Speaker 1: with that, I think we have an opportunity to actually 128 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:57,280 Speaker 1: get stuff done, whereas a lot of other people just 129 00:06:57,440 --> 00:07:00,880 Speaker 1: you know, nash their teeth over Grid Luck in Washington. Yeah. So, 130 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:05,520 Speaker 1: how do you how does this swinging of the pendulum 131 00:07:05,640 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 1: from left or right, left or right that we seemingly 132 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:10,800 Speaker 1: have every four to eight years. I mean, Randy Newberg 133 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 1: and I were talking the other day about this and 134 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:17,840 Speaker 1: how you see, you know, historically over the last fifty 135 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:20,280 Speaker 1: years or so, we'll get good on the environment, but 136 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:22,440 Speaker 1: not so good on hunting rights and guns. When you 137 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:25,880 Speaker 1: go to the D side, and you'll be great on 138 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:29,160 Speaker 1: hunting rights and guns, but less so on the environment 139 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:33,000 Speaker 1: or public lands when we swing to the left. Um, 140 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 1: are you seeing that changing at all? Are you seeing 141 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:37,560 Speaker 1: that we're starting to get a little more of that 142 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:39,880 Speaker 1: middle ground like you mentioned, or is that something that 143 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:42,520 Speaker 1: you guys are constantly battling given the fact that you're 144 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:44,280 Speaker 1: kind of planted in the middle as well as far 145 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:48,120 Speaker 1: as what your guys role is. Yeah, you know, I 146 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 1: think that we are, you know, swinging back toward the 147 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:53,120 Speaker 1: middle a little bit. I mean, historically Republican has have 148 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:56,000 Speaker 1: been a good conservation of Democrats have you could argue 149 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:59,280 Speaker 1: even better going all the way back to the Roosevelt's time. 150 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:02,400 Speaker 1: E p A got created under Nixon. You know, a 151 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:06,320 Speaker 1: Clean Water Act came law hunder Nixon. You know, so 152 00:08:06,440 --> 00:08:09,120 Speaker 1: you have you know, there have been you know, Republican 153 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:11,120 Speaker 1: presidents that have a lot of crow about in terms 154 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:14,080 Speaker 1: of conservation, and it's really only been in the last 155 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:18,680 Speaker 1: thirty years where you've seen that partisanship and you talked 156 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:22,320 Speaker 1: about the swings that go from administration administration. I mean, 157 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:26,040 Speaker 1: I think our main goal is to point out that 158 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 1: you know, these are should not be partis issues. Um, 159 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:33,200 Speaker 1: you know, conservation habitat, you know, hunting, fishing, these are 160 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:34,920 Speaker 1: things I'll to be bringing us together. And I think 161 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:37,200 Speaker 1: you've seen that in the last year. In the last 162 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:41,040 Speaker 1: two years, we passed the Big Dingle Conservation Act, which 163 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:45,080 Speaker 1: established a bunch of new wilderness areas while the Scenic Rivers, 164 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:48,680 Speaker 1: but also permanently reauthorized Land and Water Conservation Fund, and 165 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:51,160 Speaker 1: then you know, in the last year, you know, we 166 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:54,320 Speaker 1: got the Great American Outdoors Act that fully funded forever 167 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:58,520 Speaker 1: at Land and Water Conservation Fund and invested almost and 168 00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:02,880 Speaker 1: billion dollars into you know, fixing the maintenance back organ 169 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:08,240 Speaker 1: and public lands which could be trails, campsites, roads, boat ramps, 170 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:11,760 Speaker 1: you name it, visitors centers. There is a lot of 171 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:14,319 Speaker 1: neglect on our public lands and you know, we would 172 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:17,400 Speaker 1: even see it and things like you know, managing our forces. 173 00:09:17,600 --> 00:09:20,800 Speaker 1: And I think that there's real opportunities here too sort 174 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:22,839 Speaker 1: of make some progress. And you know those acts in 175 00:09:22,920 --> 00:09:27,439 Speaker 1: Dingleville at Great American Outdoors Act passed with overwhelming majorities 176 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:31,880 Speaker 1: Democrats and Republicans, and I think that, you know, then 177 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:33,720 Speaker 1: we also passed toward the end of last year the 178 00:09:33,720 --> 00:09:38,320 Speaker 1: America's Conservation Enhancement Act, which was reauthorized or created a 179 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:41,959 Speaker 1: series of on the ground restoration bills, you know, like 180 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:45,800 Speaker 1: North American Wetlands Conservation Act, the National Fish Habitat Partnership 181 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:49,840 Speaker 1: actum programs like that that are you know sort of 182 00:09:49,880 --> 00:09:52,960 Speaker 1: the you know, i'd say, the you know, the basic 183 00:09:53,040 --> 00:09:56,400 Speaker 1: building stones of our community. So ducks unlimited uses the 184 00:09:56,480 --> 00:10:01,000 Speaker 1: Wetlands Conservation Act to restore wetlands around this country, try 185 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:03,880 Speaker 1: to limit it uses you know, fish habitat partnerships to 186 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:07,200 Speaker 1: restore headwater streams. And I think that, you know, we're 187 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 1: seeing that kind of work embraced and extending and in 188 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:14,560 Speaker 1: a very nonpartisan way, which is great. And I think that, 189 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:17,600 Speaker 1: you know, our goal is always going to be to 190 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:21,319 Speaker 1: make sure we have durable conservation solutions that don't genuflect 191 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:24,720 Speaker 1: back and forth every four years. And that was really 192 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:27,640 Speaker 1: one of the frustrations when the Trump guys came into 193 00:10:27,679 --> 00:10:31,520 Speaker 1: office was that, you know, they immediately assumed anything that 194 00:10:31,559 --> 00:10:34,760 Speaker 1: happened under Obama was bad, even the really good stuff, 195 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:37,960 Speaker 1: and jettison as much as they could and so incredibly 196 00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:40,920 Speaker 1: frustrating to have that. So one of our main jobs 197 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:44,040 Speaker 1: we've been trying to do since well before the election 198 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:47,440 Speaker 1: was to you know, you know, work as the Biden 199 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:50,880 Speaker 1: campaign at that time now the Biden administration, to point out, 200 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:53,240 Speaker 1: you know, there really some very solid stuff that the 201 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:58,480 Speaker 1: Trump guys did on migration policy, on access and try 202 00:10:58,559 --> 00:11:00,560 Speaker 1: to not throw that out, but to build upon it 203 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:04,040 Speaker 1: and all that can be approved and it can be strengthened. 204 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 1: But it's something that shouldn't you know, just swing back 205 00:11:06,280 --> 00:11:09,200 Speaker 1: and forth because the other guy didn't. And you know 206 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:11,679 Speaker 1: that is that can be challenging in this environment. But 207 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:13,440 Speaker 1: you know, we've had a pretty good reception so far 208 00:11:13,480 --> 00:11:16,000 Speaker 1: from the Biden folks. It doesn't look like they're gonna 209 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:19,000 Speaker 1: throw out the Migration Executive Order, a bunch of the 210 00:11:19,040 --> 00:11:22,280 Speaker 1: access programs that the Trump guys did, and I you know, 211 00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:24,160 Speaker 1: we'll see more in you know, a time, but I 212 00:11:24,160 --> 00:11:26,000 Speaker 1: think they are going to build upon that stuff. So 213 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:29,480 Speaker 1: you know, that's why we're cautiously optimistic right here. That's good. 214 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:33,679 Speaker 1: So so what then, what do you what's got you 215 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:37,200 Speaker 1: the most fired up? Like, is there one thing that 216 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:40,000 Speaker 1: you're either the most excited about or the most worried about. 217 00:11:40,040 --> 00:11:42,360 Speaker 1: It sounds like a little bit optimistic. So what's the 218 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:46,680 Speaker 1: thing that that you are the most optimistic about? Maybe, well, 219 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:48,880 Speaker 1: I mean everything in the for the next four years 220 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:53,040 Speaker 1: is going to be viewed through the climate lens. And 221 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:55,920 Speaker 1: you know, actually, I'm excited for our community to really 222 00:11:55,960 --> 00:11:58,840 Speaker 1: engage in that because the things that are good for climate, 223 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:02,040 Speaker 1: like a sucking carbon neck into the soils, you know, 224 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:05,920 Speaker 1: the sequence storation the adaptation, the resilience aspects of carbon 225 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:09,520 Speaker 1: are really good for hunting and fishing and good for conservation. 226 00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:12,520 Speaker 1: Maybe look at the science on climate change. And I'm 227 00:12:12,559 --> 00:12:15,600 Speaker 1: not a climate scientist, but somewhere in the range about 228 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:20,680 Speaker 1: of the solution is basically sucking carbon out of the atmosphere, 229 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:23,040 Speaker 1: and by far the best way to do that is 230 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:28,920 Speaker 1: through natural processes like grasses and trees and uh. And 231 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:31,760 Speaker 1: so I think we know, And we had a convened 232 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:34,640 Speaker 1: our community for multiple times over the last couple of 233 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:37,560 Speaker 1: years to really get everybody on the same page. And 234 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:39,200 Speaker 1: if folks want to look at you know, we have 235 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:42,960 Speaker 1: our land. We have a website that you know, I 236 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:45,360 Speaker 1: think some I'll pull up the U R L right now, 237 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:47,280 Speaker 1: make sure I have it right, but a website that 238 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:51,520 Speaker 1: lays out the position of our community on climate saying, yeah, 239 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:54,080 Speaker 1: you gotta reduce emissions, but you also have to have 240 00:12:54,160 --> 00:12:57,600 Speaker 1: a major investment in you know, the on the ground, 241 00:12:57,800 --> 00:13:01,280 Speaker 1: you know, the carbon sequestration inside. And you know, if 242 00:13:01,280 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 1: you want to think about what that means, you know 243 00:13:03,920 --> 00:13:07,240 Speaker 1: that is you know, things like reforestation that is more 244 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:11,360 Speaker 1: land and agriculture, in conservation and not in road crops 245 00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:13,920 Speaker 1: that is cover crops. You know, where you do have 246 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:17,640 Speaker 1: some road crops, it is you know, barrier islands and 247 00:13:17,760 --> 00:13:22,319 Speaker 1: better wetlands systems that are natural buffers for hurricanes, floods, 248 00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:25,360 Speaker 1: you know, whatever it might be. They also clean the 249 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:28,400 Speaker 1: water and they provide great fishing, wilife, habitat. So I 250 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:30,199 Speaker 1: think that, you know, when I think about it, and 251 00:13:30,280 --> 00:13:32,640 Speaker 1: I think about and I'm you know, excited about something, 252 00:13:32,640 --> 00:13:35,520 Speaker 1: I'm thinking about how we can apply what our community 253 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:41,319 Speaker 1: wants anyway into this broader framework of climate and natural infrastructure, 254 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:44,480 Speaker 1: because I think it works really well for as a 255 00:13:44,559 --> 00:13:49,560 Speaker 1: climate solution, and it works really well forficial wildlife and habitat. Yeah. Yeah, 256 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:52,120 Speaker 1: you know, climate change is one of those things that 257 00:13:52,160 --> 00:13:56,840 Speaker 1: has become such a political um, I don't know if 258 00:13:56,840 --> 00:14:00,360 Speaker 1: it's political football, but but a but a flashpoint. Definitely 259 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:04,080 Speaker 1: one of those things that becomes so politicized that I 260 00:14:04,120 --> 00:14:06,760 Speaker 1: think a lot of people have visceral reactions just to 261 00:14:06,840 --> 00:14:10,400 Speaker 1: the to the word, to the words climate change and 262 00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:13,480 Speaker 1: immediately feel like they have to retreat back to their 263 00:14:13,559 --> 00:14:17,400 Speaker 1: camp when they hear that. It's encouraging them to see 264 00:14:17,679 --> 00:14:20,400 Speaker 1: for myself, at least, what you guys are putting out 265 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:24,160 Speaker 1: there with this Conservationist for Climate Solutions kind of initiative, 266 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:27,360 Speaker 1: and the fact that there's a wide array of organizations 267 00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:30,920 Speaker 1: stepping up and saying like, hey, let's set the politics aside. 268 00:14:31,400 --> 00:14:36,640 Speaker 1: There there is clear scientific evidence that stuff is happening, 269 00:14:36,760 --> 00:14:39,160 Speaker 1: and we can make a difference to further you know, 270 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:42,360 Speaker 1: hunting and fishing. So I mean organizations like the National 271 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:46,480 Speaker 1: Deer Association, the Archery Trade Association, back Country Hunters and Anglers, 272 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:49,960 Speaker 1: POPE and Young White Tail Unlimited, Trout Unlimited, all these 273 00:14:50,080 --> 00:14:54,240 Speaker 1: organizations have signed on to to basically acknowledge this is 274 00:14:54,280 --> 00:14:56,160 Speaker 1: a real thing that we need to think about, and 275 00:14:56,240 --> 00:14:58,320 Speaker 1: let's let's put the politics aside and let's just work 276 00:14:58,360 --> 00:15:01,280 Speaker 1: on some things that can help wildlife while life habitat right. 277 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:06,360 Speaker 1: I mean, that's that's yeah. And I think that you know, 278 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:09,960 Speaker 1: and listen the polarization and the fact that this became 279 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:13,480 Speaker 1: you know sort of Republicans versus Democrats, became Green New 280 00:15:13,520 --> 00:15:18,280 Speaker 1: Deal versus you know, you know, more coal. I mean, 281 00:15:18,400 --> 00:15:21,520 Speaker 1: those sorts of you know, sort of you know, extremes 282 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:24,360 Speaker 1: are not helpful. And it's what we've tried to do 283 00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:27,840 Speaker 1: is you know, it's called our Landwater Wildlife dot Org. 284 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:30,880 Speaker 1: And folks can check it out and is present this 285 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:33,080 Speaker 1: not in a scary way, but as something that makes 286 00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:34,480 Speaker 1: you know, a ton of sense for the things we 287 00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:37,040 Speaker 1: really care about that are hunting and fishing, cleaner water 288 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:41,240 Speaker 1: that our habitat, more biodiversity. I mean, give you one 289 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:45,200 Speaker 1: example on this. You a managed forest like in private hands, 290 00:15:45,680 --> 00:15:49,320 Speaker 1: is you know, absorbs about seven times more carbon than 291 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:52,360 Speaker 1: our national forests too, because our national forests we've stopped 292 00:15:52,400 --> 00:15:55,320 Speaker 1: doing after banishment so much of it. And the extent 293 00:15:55,440 --> 00:15:57,400 Speaker 1: that we can go back in there and take out 294 00:15:57,440 --> 00:16:01,280 Speaker 1: those areas that have been blighted by beetle infestation and 295 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:03,600 Speaker 1: they're just going to blow up in a fire at 296 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:06,880 Speaker 1: some point, you know, cut them, replant, you know, create 297 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:09,960 Speaker 1: a mosaic of hab debts to wilderness. Road this area's 298 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:13,640 Speaker 1: early successional forest. I mean that is good for wildlife 299 00:16:13,760 --> 00:16:16,880 Speaker 1: and that's good for climate. So I think that you know, 300 00:16:16,960 --> 00:16:18,960 Speaker 1: it's again how you talk about it. I'm not going 301 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:21,360 Speaker 1: to go into the heartland and talk about climate change. 302 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:23,960 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go in and talk about let's improving soil 303 00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:28,000 Speaker 1: health through start carbon's equestration. Let's go to Louisiana and 304 00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:31,840 Speaker 1: talk about you know, rebuilding barrier islands along our coast 305 00:16:32,480 --> 00:16:35,480 Speaker 1: and rebuilding wetlands to protect the cities, and yes, a 306 00:16:35,680 --> 00:16:39,400 Speaker 1: carbon solution too, but it's also something that if you 307 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:41,880 Speaker 1: live along the coast of Louisiana, you're gonna do because 308 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:44,120 Speaker 1: you're gonna get flooded if you don't have it. And 309 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:47,200 Speaker 1: it's only so high you can build those levels. So 310 00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:48,880 Speaker 1: I think that so it's really a different way of 311 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:51,440 Speaker 1: framing these issues. But in the long term, I think, 312 00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:53,680 Speaker 1: you know, we all want the same thing. Even if 313 00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:56,080 Speaker 1: you look at Republicans in Congress and they have acknowledged 314 00:16:56,080 --> 00:16:58,000 Speaker 1: that climate change is happening, there are a ton of 315 00:16:58,040 --> 00:17:01,640 Speaker 1: Republican bills out there would address it. There's a difference 316 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:04,360 Speaker 1: in ideology. Sometimes we're in the Republicans sign the Democratic 317 00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:08,000 Speaker 1: side with more of a command and control versus incentive 318 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:13,119 Speaker 1: technology versus a carbon tax or a cap and trade. 319 00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:14,960 Speaker 1: You know, fine, you know I'm not the smartest guy 320 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:17,320 Speaker 1: in the room. Let somebody else figure that stuff out. 321 00:17:17,640 --> 00:17:20,520 Speaker 1: What our community can do is, you know, we can 322 00:17:20,720 --> 00:17:24,680 Speaker 1: help with habitat side. And you know that's and that 323 00:17:24,800 --> 00:17:26,560 Speaker 1: I think is really good for the things that you 324 00:17:26,600 --> 00:17:29,920 Speaker 1: and I care about. Yeah, so what would you say, 325 00:17:30,359 --> 00:17:33,960 Speaker 1: for for hunters and anglers listening now and and this 326 00:17:34,080 --> 00:17:36,240 Speaker 1: being something that you know, for a long time has 327 00:17:36,320 --> 00:17:40,639 Speaker 1: not been top of mind at least within the conversation 328 00:17:40,680 --> 00:17:43,199 Speaker 1: within this community. You know, where are we at on that? 329 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:46,639 Speaker 1: Is it? Simply Hey, let's start paying more attention to 330 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:48,439 Speaker 1: this and look for how the creative ways that we 331 00:17:48,520 --> 00:17:51,280 Speaker 1: can be a part of the solution. Is that where 332 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:53,640 Speaker 1: we're at what, you know, what kind of action should 333 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:57,720 Speaker 1: people be actually thinking about this point? Um? So, I 334 00:17:57,720 --> 00:17:59,960 Speaker 1: think the first thing is to let's you know, before 335 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:02,040 Speaker 1: you have sort of a knee jerk reaction and some 336 00:18:02,119 --> 00:18:05,639 Speaker 1: sort of you know, snarky comment on a website, you know, 337 00:18:05,800 --> 00:18:08,159 Speaker 1: sort of uh, you know, take a deep breath, you 338 00:18:08,280 --> 00:18:11,640 Speaker 1: listen and look at the science, have a discussion, because 339 00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:14,240 Speaker 1: chances are you're a lot closer than you think you 340 00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:16,720 Speaker 1: are in terms of folks on the other side that 341 00:18:16,760 --> 00:18:18,960 Speaker 1: have been navocating something you tend not to believe in. 342 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:22,000 Speaker 1: And then in terms of what you can do, see 343 00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:24,679 Speaker 1: this as an opportunity engage. I mean, you know, we 344 00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:27,080 Speaker 1: want to see the Farm bill programs, you know, the 345 00:18:27,119 --> 00:18:29,720 Speaker 1: conservation programs in the Farm bill, which is about a 346 00:18:29,760 --> 00:18:33,200 Speaker 1: six billion dollar annual program we'd like to see them 347 00:18:33,240 --> 00:18:38,399 Speaker 1: doubled in the next farm bill, so in the numbers 348 00:18:38,440 --> 00:18:41,120 Speaker 1: that Washington is kicking around these days, that's very doable. 349 00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:43,800 Speaker 1: But if you think about twice as much land and 350 00:18:43,840 --> 00:18:47,000 Speaker 1: conservation out there that, how can you if you're a 351 00:18:47,040 --> 00:18:49,159 Speaker 1: hunter and angler, how can you think that's anything but 352 00:18:49,280 --> 00:18:52,280 Speaker 1: a good idea. We're not talking about, you know, sort 353 00:18:52,320 --> 00:18:57,280 Speaker 1: of converting our premium crop lands into CRP. I mean 354 00:18:57,359 --> 00:19:01,080 Speaker 1: CRP and the other conservation programs are really designed for 355 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:04,960 Speaker 1: the more marginal habitats, which you know, unfortunately we tend 356 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 1: to plow up and put into row crops and drain 357 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:10,639 Speaker 1: the adjacent wetlands, and and we've got to get away 358 00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:14,480 Speaker 1: from those incentives and instead incentivize private landowners to do 359 00:19:14,600 --> 00:19:16,680 Speaker 1: us right for the land and for all the critters, 360 00:19:16,680 --> 00:19:20,040 Speaker 1: and for the water and and for soil health, and 361 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:22,320 Speaker 1: so even things like cover crops. You go on the 362 00:19:22,359 --> 00:19:25,439 Speaker 1: eastern shore of Maryland, people been doing cover crops for 363 00:19:25,520 --> 00:19:29,240 Speaker 1: years primarily because it was a solution for all the 364 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:31,600 Speaker 1: runoffs are going to the chest Peak Bay and really 365 00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:34,720 Speaker 1: creating problems there. But you go to place like Iowa, 366 00:19:34,880 --> 00:19:37,640 Speaker 1: and the use of cover crops, you know, is rare. 367 00:19:38,440 --> 00:19:40,800 Speaker 1: So you know, let's start thinking. And you know, I'm 368 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:43,240 Speaker 1: not gonna tell some pretty somebody in Iowa how to farm. 369 00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:45,199 Speaker 1: They know that far better I'm ever going to know it. 370 00:19:45,760 --> 00:19:48,119 Speaker 1: But you know, think about if we can incentivize them 371 00:19:48,160 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 1: to do things like, you know, during the winter, you know, 372 00:19:50,359 --> 00:19:53,240 Speaker 1: put some other crops down that keep the soil in 373 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:57,119 Speaker 1: place and sword carbon, and we'll make it worth your 374 00:19:57,119 --> 00:20:01,240 Speaker 1: while financially. Let's let's think about that. So again, I think, 375 00:20:01,240 --> 00:20:03,480 Speaker 1: going back to your original question, let's just not sort 376 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:06,640 Speaker 1: of you know, back into our corners. Let's have a conversation. 377 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:09,160 Speaker 1: Let's figure out ways that you know work for us. 378 00:20:09,160 --> 00:20:11,560 Speaker 1: And you know, as you know, hunters and anglers tend 379 00:20:11,560 --> 00:20:13,760 Speaker 1: to be on the front lines of climate change. We 380 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:17,720 Speaker 1: see duct migrations being delayed, or geese not even getting 381 00:20:17,720 --> 00:20:19,880 Speaker 1: down in the chest Peak Bay. You know, we see 382 00:20:19,920 --> 00:20:22,960 Speaker 1: elks staying up in the mountains longer. You know, you know, 383 00:20:23,040 --> 00:20:25,399 Speaker 1: we see you know, book trout Home range and the 384 00:20:25,440 --> 00:20:30,199 Speaker 1: appellations retreating every year. And you just can't ignore these friends. 385 00:20:30,560 --> 00:20:32,879 Speaker 1: And so yeah, listen, let's be a part of the 386 00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:36,359 Speaker 1: solution instead of just you know, complaining about things. Yeah, 387 00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:40,879 Speaker 1: and and given the fact that there is momentum around 388 00:20:40,880 --> 00:20:44,439 Speaker 1: taking action on some climate related things. You know, like 389 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:46,400 Speaker 1: you just said, a lot of the priorities that these 390 00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:50,399 Speaker 1: hunters and anglers have also would benefit the climate, and 391 00:20:50,480 --> 00:20:53,199 Speaker 1: so we kind of have an opportunity to ride the 392 00:20:53,240 --> 00:20:56,320 Speaker 1: momentum wave to to get some winds for things that 393 00:20:56,359 --> 00:20:59,040 Speaker 1: we have previously historically always cared about, and then it 394 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:02,800 Speaker 1: becomes a win win for all sides. So from that perspective, 395 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:05,520 Speaker 1: it makes a lot of sense. Um. Yeah, I mean 396 00:21:05,560 --> 00:21:08,440 Speaker 1: that's the that's the that's what gets me excited about 397 00:21:08,440 --> 00:21:09,920 Speaker 1: the time we're in right now, is I just think 398 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:12,399 Speaker 1: there are a ton of opportunities for our community and 399 00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:14,919 Speaker 1: the year's add and we just have to stand up 400 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:18,240 Speaker 1: and engage. Yeah. So you mentioned the farm bill, Um, 401 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:24,480 Speaker 1: the next Farm bill authorizations in right, that's correct. Okay, 402 00:21:24,560 --> 00:21:27,840 Speaker 1: So we're you know somewhere around two years year and 403 00:21:27,840 --> 00:21:31,120 Speaker 1: a half, two years out from that. This is I 404 00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:34,480 Speaker 1: think it's accurate to say it's the largest private land 405 00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:39,440 Speaker 1: related conservation bill that comes through every handful of years. Yeah, 406 00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:43,240 Speaker 1: it's the largest conservation program in this country period. I mean, 407 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:46,000 Speaker 1: we spend more on conservation through the Farm bill than 408 00:21:46,040 --> 00:21:48,400 Speaker 1: we do on all of our public lands combined. Yah. 409 00:21:49,119 --> 00:21:52,040 Speaker 1: So so and from a pure dollar standpoint, it's the biggest. 410 00:21:52,040 --> 00:21:54,840 Speaker 1: But that makes sense. The lower forty eight or in 411 00:21:54,880 --> 00:21:58,040 Speaker 1: private hands, and the majority of that is either in 412 00:21:58,920 --> 00:22:03,320 Speaker 1: farm or in managed forest. So it's you know, it's 413 00:22:03,320 --> 00:22:06,680 Speaker 1: a huge it's a huge deal in terms of conservation. Yeah. 414 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:09,160 Speaker 1: So with this next one coming up, then what are 415 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:14,439 Speaker 1: the big priority issues or changes you want to see made? 416 00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:17,040 Speaker 1: I know there, you know, I know CRP is a 417 00:22:17,080 --> 00:22:18,960 Speaker 1: big when I'm sure, Um, but could you kind of 418 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:21,280 Speaker 1: walk us through as far as a hunting community, what 419 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:24,480 Speaker 1: should we be paying attention to and you know, writing 420 00:22:24,480 --> 00:22:27,760 Speaker 1: to our representatives and senators and whatnot about what are 421 00:22:27,760 --> 00:22:31,199 Speaker 1: those big asks we have for the next bill. Well, 422 00:22:31,240 --> 00:22:33,199 Speaker 1: I'll start even before the next bill. We have to 423 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:36,639 Speaker 1: get the implementation the current bill, you know moving. I mean, 424 00:22:36,720 --> 00:22:40,159 Speaker 1: we have CRP is down to almost twenty million acres 425 00:22:40,240 --> 00:22:43,159 Speaker 1: right now. It was a high about thirty eight million 426 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:46,840 Speaker 1: acres you know, a couple of decades ago, and it's 427 00:22:46,960 --> 00:22:50,040 Speaker 1: to say it's been dying on the vine is an understatement. Um. 428 00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:53,120 Speaker 1: You know, there is another three million acres that are 429 00:22:53,160 --> 00:22:56,159 Speaker 1: expected to basically rotate out of the program. Later on 430 00:22:56,240 --> 00:22:59,440 Speaker 1: this year. So, and the reason that's happening is, and 431 00:22:59,480 --> 00:23:01,960 Speaker 1: I'm gonna be critical of the Trump administration on this one, 432 00:23:02,640 --> 00:23:04,960 Speaker 1: is that they just you know, didn't care about the program. 433 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:07,879 Speaker 1: They were much more than just sending bailout checks to 434 00:23:08,040 --> 00:23:11,480 Speaker 1: farmers to do nothing than investing in programs like the 435 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:14,920 Speaker 1: RP that work. So you had limited sign ups to 436 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:17,720 Speaker 1: sign ups that we had. You know, we're not offering 437 00:23:18,160 --> 00:23:21,159 Speaker 1: any decent incentives. The rental rates were too low. It 438 00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:23,840 Speaker 1: just wasn't in a farmer's interest, you know, to take 439 00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:26,120 Speaker 1: his or her land and put it into c RP. 440 00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:29,240 Speaker 1: And we have to make that program competitive. Now. We 441 00:23:29,240 --> 00:23:31,840 Speaker 1: don't want to wait till the Farm Bill had to 442 00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:34,480 Speaker 1: fix it. Let's make some changes now. We think the 443 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:38,560 Speaker 1: current administration has extended the current CRP sign up and 444 00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:41,160 Speaker 1: they're going to come up with ways to basically increase 445 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:45,119 Speaker 1: the incentives to get more acres enrolled in that. And 446 00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:47,640 Speaker 1: you know, if you're a pheasant hunter in South Dakota, 447 00:23:47,880 --> 00:23:50,240 Speaker 1: you care a whole lot about the rap. If you're 448 00:23:50,280 --> 00:23:53,560 Speaker 1: a deer hunter, you know that this your habitat too. 449 00:23:53,720 --> 00:23:56,960 Speaker 1: You know, ducks very important. But I think that you 450 00:23:57,000 --> 00:24:01,200 Speaker 1: know goal number one is to fully implement the current 451 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:03,840 Speaker 1: farm Bill, which hasn't been done. And then two is 452 00:24:03,880 --> 00:24:06,360 Speaker 1: we're looking toward the next one. I mentioned an overall 453 00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:10,440 Speaker 1: doubling of you know, the conservation title of the Farm bill, 454 00:24:10,520 --> 00:24:13,360 Speaker 1: going from about six billion to twelve billion dollars a year. 455 00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:17,239 Speaker 1: And we want to see things like incentive payments, you know, 456 00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:19,359 Speaker 1: for any of these programs the increase. We want to 457 00:24:19,400 --> 00:24:22,960 Speaker 1: see more long term easements, you know, in sort of 458 00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:26,320 Speaker 1: critical wetland areas for example. UM, we want to see 459 00:24:26,320 --> 00:24:29,560 Speaker 1: things like the Regional Conservation Partnership program, which looks at 460 00:24:30,080 --> 00:24:33,760 Speaker 1: entire landscapes and you know, sort of takes a holistic 461 00:24:33,760 --> 00:24:37,160 Speaker 1: approach to how do we conserve this area and make 462 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:40,680 Speaker 1: it work for private agriculture, And so maybe a whole 463 00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:43,520 Speaker 1: bunch of different things from the stream restoration projects to 464 00:24:43,760 --> 00:24:47,480 Speaker 1: easement projects too, you know, the sentence for cover crops 465 00:24:47,560 --> 00:24:50,159 Speaker 1: or whatever it might be. So I think that you know, 466 00:24:50,320 --> 00:24:53,080 Speaker 1: all of the programs have their champions and have their merits. 467 00:24:53,359 --> 00:24:56,520 Speaker 1: We just need more of all of the above as 468 00:24:56,560 --> 00:24:59,680 Speaker 1: we look into the next Farm Bill. And I think 469 00:24:59,680 --> 00:25:02,640 Speaker 1: that we're already you know, sort of beginning that process 470 00:25:02,720 --> 00:25:07,040 Speaker 1: of convening there we have that groups underneath our trsp 471 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:11,399 Speaker 1: umbrella that really care about farm bill, Toxic Limited Physists, Forever, 472 00:25:11,680 --> 00:25:16,080 Speaker 1: Turkey Federation, and you know, we're already having those discussions 473 00:25:16,119 --> 00:25:19,120 Speaker 1: about Okay, if we're king and we're gonna come back 474 00:25:19,160 --> 00:25:22,399 Speaker 1: in here and we're gonna redraft this, let's not be 475 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:24,320 Speaker 1: wedded to the way we've always done in the past. 476 00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:26,840 Speaker 1: Let's think about what works best and not just us 477 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:29,840 Speaker 1: for fishing, wildlife and water quality, but also for the 478 00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:32,200 Speaker 1: other farmer, because if it doesn't work for the farmer, 479 00:25:32,280 --> 00:25:35,560 Speaker 1: it's not gonna work for our interests either. So we're 480 00:25:35,560 --> 00:25:38,800 Speaker 1: having those discussions now. We've welcome any input from folks 481 00:25:38,840 --> 00:25:41,119 Speaker 1: out there about things they've seen that do work and 482 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:44,600 Speaker 1: that don't work. They can go to our website. You know, 483 00:25:44,640 --> 00:25:46,840 Speaker 1: we have a whole section on farm bill. You know, 484 00:25:46,920 --> 00:25:50,439 Speaker 1: leave a comment. You know. Uh, Andrew Earle is the 485 00:25:50,440 --> 00:25:53,760 Speaker 1: guy who runs our agg program, a Earl at TRCP 486 00:25:53,920 --> 00:25:57,800 Speaker 1: dot org. Send him your thoughts about things you've seen 487 00:25:57,840 --> 00:26:00,520 Speaker 1: that work and don't work, because now is the time to, 488 00:26:01,040 --> 00:26:03,160 Speaker 1: you know, let us know what you're seeing out there 489 00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:06,399 Speaker 1: and things changes that you think would make some sense. 490 00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:09,159 Speaker 1: And your listeners are all over the country and a 491 00:26:09,160 --> 00:26:13,040 Speaker 1: Lobdburg farm country and whitetail country. We want to hear 492 00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:16,280 Speaker 1: what they're here. Yeah, you know, it seems like something 493 00:26:16,320 --> 00:26:20,040 Speaker 1: like like this, this bill, the Farm Bill, that comes 494 00:26:20,080 --> 00:26:24,440 Speaker 1: up over and over again. It's it's it's almost equivalent 495 00:26:24,480 --> 00:26:26,920 Speaker 1: to something like the Great American Outdoors Act, which was 496 00:26:26,960 --> 00:26:29,760 Speaker 1: a thing more public land focus, what was getting a 497 00:26:29,800 --> 00:26:33,600 Speaker 1: ton of funding for backloud maintenance and which was securing 498 00:26:33,800 --> 00:26:36,320 Speaker 1: funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. It was 499 00:26:36,359 --> 00:26:39,119 Speaker 1: it was securing funding for really really important, you know, 500 00:26:39,200 --> 00:26:43,879 Speaker 1: public access type initiatives. The Farm Bill secures funding for 501 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:48,160 Speaker 1: really really important private land related conservation and access. You've 502 00:26:48,200 --> 00:26:52,600 Speaker 1: got the voluntary um Hunter Access program that you know, 503 00:26:53,040 --> 00:26:56,120 Speaker 1: makes so many places across the country available for deer hunters. 504 00:26:56,280 --> 00:26:58,640 Speaker 1: Then of course as a CRP program that you describe, 505 00:26:58,680 --> 00:27:02,359 Speaker 1: which puts really the high quality wildlife habitat on the ground, 506 00:27:02,720 --> 00:27:04,720 Speaker 1: and then all the other pieces of this puzzle that 507 00:27:04,920 --> 00:27:09,200 Speaker 1: incentivize you know, quality wetlands, quality grasslands, all this stuff 508 00:27:09,240 --> 00:27:11,879 Speaker 1: that we need to deer hunt, to duck hunt whatever. 509 00:27:12,280 --> 00:27:16,239 Speaker 1: It seems like this is on par as far as 510 00:27:16,240 --> 00:27:18,480 Speaker 1: the positive impact you can have, but it just isn't 511 00:27:18,520 --> 00:27:22,000 Speaker 1: as sexy I think it's harder to get people fired 512 00:27:22,080 --> 00:27:24,240 Speaker 1: up about a farm bill every five years, even though 513 00:27:24,240 --> 00:27:27,160 Speaker 1: it could make a really really big difference. How how 514 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:29,480 Speaker 1: do we I don't know, what do you? I mean? 515 00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:31,200 Speaker 1: Is there any truth to that? Wet? Do you feel 516 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:33,639 Speaker 1: like I feel like this still flies into the radar 517 00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:36,720 Speaker 1: for the average hunter out there, even though it has 518 00:27:36,840 --> 00:27:39,880 Speaker 1: so much importance. Yea, yeah, Mark, I mean I think 519 00:27:39,880 --> 00:27:42,879 Speaker 1: you framed the issues actly right. This is essentially a 520 00:27:42,920 --> 00:27:46,159 Speaker 1: privately and equivalent of the Great American Outdoors Act of 521 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:49,399 Speaker 1: you know, the Dangle Act, and this that big a 522 00:27:49,480 --> 00:27:52,639 Speaker 1: deal and it happens every five years. Um, but it's 523 00:27:52,680 --> 00:27:54,439 Speaker 1: you know, it's not clean and simple. I mean, the 524 00:27:54,440 --> 00:27:56,720 Speaker 1: great majority of money out of the farm bill is 525 00:27:56,840 --> 00:27:59,920 Speaker 1: the nutrition program, which is food stands. And there's a 526 00:28:00,040 --> 00:28:03,560 Speaker 1: reason for that because there was a compromise long ago, 527 00:28:04,320 --> 00:28:06,119 Speaker 1: you know where you did that. You know, you wanted 528 00:28:06,119 --> 00:28:09,359 Speaker 1: something to help urban you know, congressmen and members of 529 00:28:09,440 --> 00:28:12,440 Speaker 1: the Senate, and you want to have something that would 530 00:28:12,680 --> 00:28:16,280 Speaker 1: benefit you know, the rural farmers. So they lumped both 531 00:28:16,280 --> 00:28:19,560 Speaker 1: the nutrition assistance and you know, the conservation programs and 532 00:28:19,560 --> 00:28:22,480 Speaker 1: the rest of the traditional farm programs all in one bill. 533 00:28:23,359 --> 00:28:25,639 Speaker 1: So you know, the noise is always about, you know, 534 00:28:25,640 --> 00:28:28,200 Speaker 1: how much money we're spending on food stamps or how 535 00:28:28,240 --> 00:28:33,000 Speaker 1: we're subsidizing corporate farms or things like that, and the benefits, 536 00:28:33,520 --> 00:28:37,240 Speaker 1: especially on the conservation side. You just don't hear about those. 537 00:28:38,240 --> 00:28:40,520 Speaker 1: And I mean it's obviously a huge deal, you know, 538 00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:44,720 Speaker 1: for our community, for our partners, but more broadly, Yeah, no, 539 00:28:44,840 --> 00:28:48,000 Speaker 1: it's you're exactly right, is you know something that's much 540 00:28:48,040 --> 00:28:50,840 Speaker 1: more difficult to get your arms round because it's such 541 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:55,800 Speaker 1: a beast. Yeah, what's the what's the time frame when 542 00:28:55,840 --> 00:28:59,960 Speaker 1: it comes to influencing the upcoming farm bill as far 543 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:02,640 Speaker 1: as you know, not folks that are working in within 544 00:29:02,720 --> 00:29:06,440 Speaker 1: the policy landscape and industry, but folks like me who 545 00:29:06,440 --> 00:29:09,360 Speaker 1: are just out here who want to place a phone 546 00:29:09,360 --> 00:29:11,959 Speaker 1: call or send an email and start trying to make 547 00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:14,840 Speaker 1: sure that our representatives are on board with this. When 548 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:18,360 Speaker 1: is that is that ino? Or or when do we 549 00:29:18,400 --> 00:29:20,560 Speaker 1: need to start making a rucket to make sure good 550 00:29:20,560 --> 00:29:24,080 Speaker 1: things are put into this well, I mean you start 551 00:29:24,120 --> 00:29:26,239 Speaker 1: making rockets right now, and things like you know, if 552 00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:29,280 Speaker 1: you're you know piste that you know, land just keeps, 553 00:29:29,400 --> 00:29:32,320 Speaker 1: you know, seeping out of the conservation reserve program. For example, 554 00:29:32,880 --> 00:29:36,880 Speaker 1: you don't wait till three to talk about that. Talk 555 00:29:36,920 --> 00:29:39,760 Speaker 1: about that now, because we want to have maintained the 556 00:29:39,760 --> 00:29:43,000 Speaker 1: pressure on this administration to do something about that. So 557 00:29:43,120 --> 00:29:46,880 Speaker 1: let's do that. First second is, you know, if you 558 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:49,120 Speaker 1: have you know, we will sort of be gearing up 559 00:29:49,120 --> 00:29:53,160 Speaker 1: our advocacy for the next Farm Bill, probably late this 560 00:29:53,240 --> 00:29:57,000 Speaker 1: year early next year, and you know full and you 561 00:29:57,000 --> 00:29:59,600 Speaker 1: can you can get your cues from you know, our 562 00:29:59,640 --> 00:30:03,520 Speaker 1: website or from phusis Forever Duxi limit to whoever about 563 00:30:03,600 --> 00:30:07,120 Speaker 1: opportunities to engage at that time. But you know, this 564 00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:08,600 Speaker 1: gives you a little bit of time right now to 565 00:30:08,760 --> 00:30:10,800 Speaker 1: you know, learn more about these programs how they might 566 00:30:10,840 --> 00:30:13,120 Speaker 1: impact you. I mean one that you mentioned that I've 567 00:30:13,120 --> 00:30:16,280 Speaker 1: forgotten to mention that voluntary Public Access program. You know, 568 00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:19,040 Speaker 1: that's a huge one, you know, so just so folks 569 00:30:19,080 --> 00:30:21,880 Speaker 1: understand how that works. It's a fifty million dollar program 570 00:30:21,880 --> 00:30:25,360 Speaker 1: in the Farm bill currently, and it provides you know, 571 00:30:25,440 --> 00:30:28,720 Speaker 1: grants to states on a competitive basis, and then those 572 00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:33,320 Speaker 1: states and they developed easements or basically agreements with individual 573 00:30:33,400 --> 00:30:36,760 Speaker 1: landoors to open up that land for public hunting and fishing. 574 00:30:37,280 --> 00:30:40,640 Speaker 1: And then in return, the farmer gets the payment and 575 00:30:40,680 --> 00:30:43,680 Speaker 1: the stage assumes liability as you know, somebody gets injured 576 00:30:43,720 --> 00:30:46,719 Speaker 1: on your property. So it's a program that really works. 577 00:30:46,840 --> 00:30:48,920 Speaker 1: It works well with things like you know, the walk 578 00:30:49,000 --> 00:30:51,960 Speaker 1: in programs and a lot of Western states. You know, 579 00:30:51,960 --> 00:30:54,440 Speaker 1: when they started this program on the federal side through 580 00:30:54,480 --> 00:30:57,520 Speaker 1: the Farm Bill, and it was really trast ted and 581 00:30:57,600 --> 00:31:01,000 Speaker 1: FENSIS Forever and AFFLA Association of Fish whild Life Agencies 582 00:31:01,520 --> 00:31:03,760 Speaker 1: that work together to create this program the two thousand 583 00:31:03,840 --> 00:31:07,240 Speaker 1: eight Farm Bill. But because of their money now exists. 584 00:31:07,320 --> 00:31:10,400 Speaker 1: You've had these types of programs start up in states 585 00:31:10,480 --> 00:31:14,600 Speaker 1: like Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, but you don't think about as 586 00:31:14,680 --> 00:31:17,760 Speaker 1: you know, traditional farm states per states where access can 587 00:31:17,760 --> 00:31:20,920 Speaker 1: be pretty challenging. So what we want to see again, 588 00:31:21,160 --> 00:31:23,520 Speaker 1: you know, you know, we have a report on our 589 00:31:23,560 --> 00:31:26,160 Speaker 1: website lays out some of the success stories around this 590 00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:29,120 Speaker 1: program that give us folks an idea of how these work. 591 00:31:29,880 --> 00:31:32,400 Speaker 1: But now is the time to start advocating for more 592 00:31:32,400 --> 00:31:35,160 Speaker 1: of that because you know, we're trying to figure out 593 00:31:35,160 --> 00:31:38,640 Speaker 1: ways to keep farmland and farmer's hands and not see 594 00:31:38,640 --> 00:31:43,160 Speaker 1: it turned into condos or walmarts or anything else. And 595 00:31:43,240 --> 00:31:46,960 Speaker 1: this is another way that the farmer can get revenue 596 00:31:47,000 --> 00:31:50,080 Speaker 1: coming in in addition to whatever they're doing on the 597 00:31:50,120 --> 00:31:53,680 Speaker 1: crop side, in addition to CRP or other conservation programs 598 00:31:53,680 --> 00:31:56,720 Speaker 1: they may be rolled in. But to extent that, you know, 599 00:31:56,800 --> 00:31:59,000 Speaker 1: this makes it easier for them to stand land and 600 00:31:59,680 --> 00:32:02,440 Speaker 1: gives us for opportunity to hunt and fish in good places. 601 00:32:03,000 --> 00:32:05,760 Speaker 1: Is the win win. Yeah, yeah, it really is. And 602 00:32:05,800 --> 00:32:11,680 Speaker 1: there's there's probably not any other issue that is impacting 603 00:32:11,720 --> 00:32:15,200 Speaker 1: more hunters right now from like a really ground level 604 00:32:15,360 --> 00:32:18,880 Speaker 1: than access. I mean everyone's talking about access these days. 605 00:32:18,880 --> 00:32:22,240 Speaker 1: Everyone's talking about how overcrowded some places have been feeling, 606 00:32:22,280 --> 00:32:25,240 Speaker 1: as we've had increased participation over the last year. So 607 00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:28,640 Speaker 1: I mean you're looking for more access opportunities like this 608 00:32:28,680 --> 00:32:31,240 Speaker 1: can give us. I mean, there's no there's no knock 609 00:32:31,280 --> 00:32:34,160 Speaker 1: against it as far as I'm concerned. So let's really 610 00:32:34,200 --> 00:32:37,120 Speaker 1: hammer that home for sure. Yeah, and I think a 611 00:32:37,160 --> 00:32:39,640 Speaker 1: lot of the criticisms about, you know, there's too many 612 00:32:39,640 --> 00:32:42,240 Speaker 1: people at trail, has too many people in certain areas 613 00:32:42,360 --> 00:32:44,960 Speaker 1: is all very true. But that same part because we 614 00:32:45,040 --> 00:32:48,800 Speaker 1: have lost traditional access for a long long time. The 615 00:32:48,800 --> 00:32:51,480 Speaker 1: old days in the West, you can knock on anybody's 616 00:32:51,520 --> 00:32:56,120 Speaker 1: door across their land access at national forest behind you, 617 00:32:56,120 --> 00:32:58,400 Speaker 1: you can't do that anymore. All those lands are posted, 618 00:32:59,360 --> 00:33:02,360 Speaker 1: and which then forces everybody in the state Western United 619 00:33:02,360 --> 00:33:07,600 Speaker 1: States into restricted acts official access sites of that national forest, 620 00:33:07,880 --> 00:33:12,200 Speaker 1: which obviously increases conflict, produces the user experience, and it's 621 00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:14,840 Speaker 1: just a bad deal all the way around. So things 622 00:33:14,920 --> 00:33:18,120 Speaker 1: like the voluntary public access program for private lands create 623 00:33:18,160 --> 00:33:20,840 Speaker 1: more of that. In the East, I mean, you've seen 624 00:33:20,880 --> 00:33:24,160 Speaker 1: the same sort of you know changes the old days, 625 00:33:24,160 --> 00:33:27,120 Speaker 1: all the timber company lands in Maine or the Adirondex 626 00:33:27,680 --> 00:33:30,000 Speaker 1: you could just go and hunt on, But now they're 627 00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:32,720 Speaker 1: almost all the least. So if you're fortunate enough to 628 00:33:32,720 --> 00:33:34,400 Speaker 1: be a part of that least, then you've got a 629 00:33:34,440 --> 00:33:36,960 Speaker 1: great place to go, But a lot of other folks 630 00:33:37,040 --> 00:33:40,160 Speaker 1: get shut out of that. And so these programs are 631 00:33:40,200 --> 00:33:43,720 Speaker 1: critical for providing the experience that's going to keep this 632 00:33:43,760 --> 00:33:48,120 Speaker 1: sport strong in the future. Yeah. So so kind of 633 00:33:48,160 --> 00:33:52,200 Speaker 1: hop scotching to another hot topic within the world of 634 00:33:52,240 --> 00:33:55,320 Speaker 1: politics right now, there's there's a lot of talk about 635 00:33:55,360 --> 00:33:59,920 Speaker 1: the big infrastructure UH proposal coming out of the current administration, 636 00:34:00,640 --> 00:34:05,040 Speaker 1: and it seems like, you know, given the political situation, 637 00:34:05,120 --> 00:34:07,960 Speaker 1: it seems like something's going to pass one way or another, 638 00:34:08,000 --> 00:34:10,680 Speaker 1: whether it's bipartisan or not, something's going to happen on 639 00:34:10,719 --> 00:34:14,880 Speaker 1: this front. So what does that mean for you know, 640 00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:18,080 Speaker 1: is there an opportunity there for hunters and anglers? Hunters 641 00:34:18,120 --> 00:34:19,920 Speaker 1: and anglers? It seems like from some of the things 642 00:34:19,920 --> 00:34:22,080 Speaker 1: that I've been reading and some of the things that 643 00:34:22,120 --> 00:34:26,040 Speaker 1: you guys are talking about, UM with your Conservation Works initiative, UM, 644 00:34:26,080 --> 00:34:28,239 Speaker 1: you guys see some opportunities in there. Can you kind 645 00:34:28,239 --> 00:34:32,560 Speaker 1: of outline where you think wildlife and habitat and stuff 646 00:34:32,600 --> 00:34:37,040 Speaker 1: like that fits into this? Maybe, yeah, I thinks another 647 00:34:37,080 --> 00:34:39,440 Speaker 1: opportunity and we usually don't think about things like an 648 00:34:39,440 --> 00:34:44,200 Speaker 1: infrastructure bill as an opportunity for official life. But part 649 00:34:44,239 --> 00:34:47,120 Speaker 1: of that is definitions and you know, part of what 650 00:34:47,320 --> 00:34:49,879 Speaker 1: we have been trying to advocate. And you know, again 651 00:34:49,920 --> 00:34:52,160 Speaker 1: we have our whole you know web you know, sex 652 00:34:52,239 --> 00:34:55,239 Speaker 1: of our websites about this. But what we're trying to 653 00:34:55,280 --> 00:34:57,960 Speaker 1: advocate is that, you know, first of all, let's redefine 654 00:34:57,960 --> 00:35:01,080 Speaker 1: how we think about infrastructure. It's not just about you know, 655 00:35:01,160 --> 00:35:04,560 Speaker 1: bigger levees and you know, just sort of the hard 656 00:35:05,120 --> 00:35:07,440 Speaker 1: gray of the structure as they call it. It is 657 00:35:07,440 --> 00:35:10,000 Speaker 1: also about the green infrastructure. It is about wetlands. This 658 00:35:10,120 --> 00:35:13,520 Speaker 1: is about you know, barrier islands, the things we've talked 659 00:35:13,520 --> 00:35:17,120 Speaker 1: about that can make huge differences in terms of communities 660 00:35:17,440 --> 00:35:19,720 Speaker 1: but also for our issues, and I think we're making 661 00:35:19,800 --> 00:35:22,799 Speaker 1: some progress on that. I mean, you know, North Maryland's 662 00:35:22,840 --> 00:35:27,400 Speaker 1: Conservation Act. It's great program for ducks, but it's also 663 00:35:27,719 --> 00:35:32,560 Speaker 1: you know, critically important for preserving wetlands, which in turn 664 00:35:33,320 --> 00:35:36,640 Speaker 1: take care of reduced flooding and improved water quality. So 665 00:35:36,680 --> 00:35:39,440 Speaker 1: if you're not sending all this polluting water down the 666 00:35:39,560 --> 00:35:43,000 Speaker 1: Upper Mississippi River as fast as you can, overwhelming the 667 00:35:43,640 --> 00:35:48,399 Speaker 1: wastewater treatment facilities and cities like Des Moines, yeah, you're 668 00:35:48,440 --> 00:35:50,720 Speaker 1: doing a good thing not only for people, but also 669 00:35:50,840 --> 00:35:53,160 Speaker 1: for the environment and for you know, things we like 670 00:35:53,239 --> 00:35:55,920 Speaker 1: to go hunt for. So I think that, you know, 671 00:35:55,960 --> 00:35:58,880 Speaker 1: part of his definitions and really thinking about infrastructure in 672 00:35:58,880 --> 00:36:02,600 Speaker 1: a difrent way because you know, historically the core of engineers, 673 00:36:02,640 --> 00:36:06,560 Speaker 1: you know, organizations like that, have viewed infrastructures one way 674 00:36:06,600 --> 00:36:09,839 Speaker 1: and that's something that is built, and we're trying to 675 00:36:10,000 --> 00:36:12,759 Speaker 1: expand that definition a little bit. But you also think 676 00:36:12,800 --> 00:36:15,000 Speaker 1: about things like the Highway Bill, which is part of 677 00:36:15,080 --> 00:36:16,600 Speaker 1: you know, it probably is going to be part of 678 00:36:16,640 --> 00:36:20,640 Speaker 1: any big infrastructure package. Yeah, we had you know, pilot 679 00:36:20,680 --> 00:36:23,399 Speaker 1: programs of two fifty million dollars in both the House 680 00:36:23,440 --> 00:36:27,800 Speaker 1: bill and the Senate bills that would pay for wildlife crossings. 681 00:36:28,560 --> 00:36:32,200 Speaker 1: So you hear in Wyoming you may have seen these, 682 00:36:32,719 --> 00:36:35,960 Speaker 1: you know, to take new old deer, elk, pronghorn over 683 00:36:36,000 --> 00:36:40,080 Speaker 1: the interstates so they don't you know, get hit and uh, 684 00:36:40,200 --> 00:36:43,560 Speaker 1: you know, people aren't put at risk also, and these 685 00:36:43,600 --> 00:36:46,000 Speaker 1: are things that make a ton of sense. The animals 686 00:36:46,080 --> 00:36:49,759 Speaker 1: use them, they habituate to them. Um. And obviously there 687 00:36:49,800 --> 00:36:51,600 Speaker 1: was a whole bunch of things in terms of sighting 688 00:36:51,719 --> 00:36:53,880 Speaker 1: where you put these, but we want to see that 689 00:36:53,920 --> 00:36:56,719 Speaker 1: program in this current effort kicked out to five million 690 00:36:56,760 --> 00:36:59,719 Speaker 1: dollars and go for things beyond us big game of 691 00:36:59,760 --> 00:37:01,880 Speaker 1: the West, to the United States, to a lot of 692 00:37:01,920 --> 00:37:06,320 Speaker 1: Eastern programs. I mean, there's issues with black bear in Tennessee, 693 00:37:06,880 --> 00:37:12,240 Speaker 1: elk in Kentucky and Pennsylvania, reptiles and amphibians and New Jersey. 694 00:37:12,800 --> 00:37:14,440 Speaker 1: So there are a bunch of different places we need 695 00:37:14,480 --> 00:37:16,600 Speaker 1: to think about how do we get animals that always 696 00:37:16,600 --> 00:37:21,480 Speaker 1: have to move over these systems that are often lethal 697 00:37:21,520 --> 00:37:25,280 Speaker 1: to them and to people. So that's just an idea. 698 00:37:25,280 --> 00:37:28,319 Speaker 1: If we think about infrastructure, the ways that we can 699 00:37:28,320 --> 00:37:32,759 Speaker 1: get some of our priorities built into these broader programs. Now, 700 00:37:33,239 --> 00:37:35,040 Speaker 1: there's gonna be a ton of stuff that has nothing 701 00:37:35,080 --> 00:37:38,239 Speaker 1: to do with our issues, from we'real broadband to traditional 702 00:37:38,400 --> 00:37:41,680 Speaker 1: roads and bridges, and that's all fine, but we just 703 00:37:41,719 --> 00:37:43,759 Speaker 1: want to make sure that, you know, as Congress looks 704 00:37:43,800 --> 00:37:47,000 Speaker 1: at putting together a big package on this um, that 705 00:37:47,120 --> 00:37:50,200 Speaker 1: our issues are included. Now, when the Biden administration you know, 706 00:37:50,320 --> 00:37:53,080 Speaker 1: sort of rolled out initial thoughts and blueprint for what 707 00:37:53,120 --> 00:37:55,560 Speaker 1: would be in there, you know, they've talked about this 708 00:37:55,640 --> 00:37:58,920 Speaker 1: natural infrastructure, which is important. They've talked about, you know, 709 00:37:59,640 --> 00:38:02,040 Speaker 1: restore one of the everglades, you know, which is you know, 710 00:38:02,080 --> 00:38:04,760 Speaker 1: critical and obviously a priority of hours. They've talked about 711 00:38:05,160 --> 00:38:08,919 Speaker 1: restoring wetland function around the Great Lakes. So I think 712 00:38:08,920 --> 00:38:10,640 Speaker 1: that you know, there are a lot of folks that 713 00:38:10,719 --> 00:38:12,239 Speaker 1: have been hearing this that are going to be on 714 00:38:12,239 --> 00:38:15,120 Speaker 1: the same page with us. But like climate, you know, 715 00:38:15,200 --> 00:38:18,440 Speaker 1: we see this as another opportunity. Is this one of 716 00:38:18,440 --> 00:38:23,640 Speaker 1: those things where it's how do you see the outdoors 717 00:38:23,840 --> 00:38:27,160 Speaker 1: community engaging on this one? Is there are we the 718 00:38:27,239 --> 00:38:30,080 Speaker 1: stage yet where we have a concerted or we should 719 00:38:30,080 --> 00:38:33,480 Speaker 1: have a concerted effort of of pushing any of these things, 720 00:38:33,560 --> 00:38:34,840 Speaker 1: or are we still kind of in a wait and 721 00:38:34,880 --> 00:38:37,200 Speaker 1: see holding pattern to see what actually gets put into 722 00:38:37,320 --> 00:38:40,200 Speaker 1: some kind of bill where do you feel stuff stands 723 00:38:40,200 --> 00:38:43,120 Speaker 1: on that? And you know, I think that there's a 724 00:38:44,560 --> 00:38:48,560 Speaker 1: there's an opportunity to you know, straight engage right away. 725 00:38:48,640 --> 00:38:50,960 Speaker 1: I mean, first of all, we've got you know, a 726 00:38:51,000 --> 00:38:53,840 Speaker 1: good to our website. We have a natural infrastructure you know, 727 00:38:53,920 --> 00:38:57,040 Speaker 1: some micro site within that really talks about what do 728 00:38:57,080 --> 00:39:02,120 Speaker 1: we mean by natural infrastructure. We barrier islands, you know, 729 00:39:02,200 --> 00:39:05,920 Speaker 1: living shore lines, rivers and streams, all that stuff, so 730 00:39:05,960 --> 00:39:08,600 Speaker 1: it becomes familiar with some of the you know, the 731 00:39:08,640 --> 00:39:11,480 Speaker 1: topics that are being discussed. But right now there is 732 00:39:11,520 --> 00:39:14,600 Speaker 1: not an infrastructure bill that has actually been put together. 733 00:39:14,960 --> 00:39:17,520 Speaker 1: So that is coming. So there will be a time, 734 00:39:17,719 --> 00:39:20,080 Speaker 1: you know, in the not too distant future where wild 735 00:39:20,120 --> 00:39:23,920 Speaker 1: have a chest to weigh in and to support you know, 736 00:39:24,480 --> 00:39:27,400 Speaker 1: S twenty three or whatever it's going to be. You know, 737 00:39:27,480 --> 00:39:30,160 Speaker 1: that will be you know, a Senator House version of 738 00:39:30,160 --> 00:39:33,160 Speaker 1: an instruction infrastructure package. And I actually think that this 739 00:39:33,200 --> 00:39:34,920 Speaker 1: is one of those areas that there's a lot of 740 00:39:34,920 --> 00:39:38,040 Speaker 1: bluster right now. But I think Democrats and Republicans believe 741 00:39:38,480 --> 00:39:41,239 Speaker 1: that we need to invest in a big way and infrastructure, 742 00:39:42,080 --> 00:39:44,040 Speaker 1: you know how big ways and other things. What are 743 00:39:44,040 --> 00:39:46,359 Speaker 1: so of the you know, the ancillary issues that might 744 00:39:46,400 --> 00:39:48,560 Speaker 1: get tacked on. There's gonna be some debate about that, 745 00:39:49,360 --> 00:39:53,520 Speaker 1: but I think there is broad consensus that infrastructure has 746 00:39:53,560 --> 00:39:55,919 Speaker 1: been neglected for too long in this country and needs 747 00:39:55,960 --> 00:39:59,520 Speaker 1: to be invested in. Yeah. Yeah, it'll be interesting to 748 00:39:59,520 --> 00:40:02,840 Speaker 1: see how all plays out. I I hope this is 749 00:40:02,840 --> 00:40:05,160 Speaker 1: one of those things that can bring folks from all 750 00:40:05,200 --> 00:40:10,280 Speaker 1: sides together and get something that makes sense uh moving forward. Uh, 751 00:40:10,320 --> 00:40:13,759 Speaker 1: But as it seems, there's always seems to be opportunities 752 00:40:13,800 --> 00:40:18,240 Speaker 1: for things get crazy. Who knows. UM always always opportunities 753 00:40:18,320 --> 00:40:24,640 Speaker 1: for that. Yeah, yeah, that's for sure. You mentioned another 754 00:40:24,680 --> 00:40:27,600 Speaker 1: thing I want to talk about, which was UM these 755 00:40:27,680 --> 00:40:32,680 Speaker 1: migration corridors UM. I've been kind of personally becoming more 756 00:40:32,719 --> 00:40:39,240 Speaker 1: and more fascinated with UM corridors and connectivity and UM 757 00:40:39,280 --> 00:40:43,160 Speaker 1: A lot of these ideas around kind of island ecosystem 758 00:40:43,400 --> 00:40:48,200 Speaker 1: impacts and how that is starting to happen across you know, 759 00:40:48,400 --> 00:40:52,400 Speaker 1: actual contiguous land. You know, so there's a lot of 760 00:40:52,400 --> 00:40:57,759 Speaker 1: ideas about how wildlife populations UM adjust and live and 761 00:40:57,800 --> 00:41:00,920 Speaker 1: thrive or or don't thrive on actual islands in the 762 00:41:00,920 --> 00:41:03,600 Speaker 1: middle of the water. But also that stuff seems to 763 00:41:03,680 --> 00:41:08,560 Speaker 1: translate to, you know, areas where a wild area essentially 764 00:41:08,560 --> 00:41:11,799 Speaker 1: becomes a de facto island because it's surrounded by development 765 00:41:12,400 --> 00:41:16,400 Speaker 1: or or whatever. So um, something like a mountain range 766 00:41:16,440 --> 00:41:20,520 Speaker 1: surrounded by desert, or the greater Yellowstone ecosystems surrounded by 767 00:41:20,560 --> 00:41:26,000 Speaker 1: increasingly you know, more development cities, etcetera. UM. And and 768 00:41:26,040 --> 00:41:27,960 Speaker 1: one of the big things here is the importance of 769 00:41:28,000 --> 00:41:31,440 Speaker 1: having these corridors, migration quarters and whatnot, so that you 770 00:41:31,480 --> 00:41:35,719 Speaker 1: can not only have actual big game migrations continue, but 771 00:41:35,840 --> 00:41:38,680 Speaker 1: you can also have these populations, you know, be able 772 00:41:38,719 --> 00:41:42,399 Speaker 1: to connect between different chunks of of ground so that 773 00:41:42,800 --> 00:41:46,080 Speaker 1: you know, a bear that's in one area can mingle 774 00:41:46,160 --> 00:41:49,239 Speaker 1: with bears fifty miles away, and so they don't get 775 00:41:49,280 --> 00:41:51,759 Speaker 1: stuck in their own little island. And then that population 776 00:41:51,800 --> 00:41:57,200 Speaker 1: never gets influx of of of new genes, and and 777 00:41:57,239 --> 00:41:59,920 Speaker 1: it can better weather, you know, changes in whether it's 778 00:42:00,040 --> 00:42:04,080 Speaker 1: climate or pressures from people or fire or whatever. So 779 00:42:04,120 --> 00:42:05,920 Speaker 1: I've been I've been just reading a lot about this. 780 00:42:06,000 --> 00:42:10,200 Speaker 1: It's very interesting. UM. I'm just curious where you're where 781 00:42:10,239 --> 00:42:12,840 Speaker 1: you guys are on these things, stuff like the Wildlife 782 00:42:12,880 --> 00:42:17,600 Speaker 1: Quarters Conservation act Um. Just curious, you know what what's 783 00:42:17,600 --> 00:42:20,400 Speaker 1: on your radar on that front other than you mentioned 784 00:42:20,400 --> 00:42:25,160 Speaker 1: the wildlife crossings. Yeah, so, I mean science has come 785 00:42:25,200 --> 00:42:28,000 Speaker 1: a long way on this issue over the years. And listen, 786 00:42:28,120 --> 00:42:30,360 Speaker 1: you and Ronnell and I have talked about like Aisle 787 00:42:30,480 --> 00:42:32,799 Speaker 1: Royal and the wolves and the moose, and that's a 788 00:42:32,840 --> 00:42:35,520 Speaker 1: classic example of what happens over time when you can't 789 00:42:35,560 --> 00:42:39,319 Speaker 1: get influx of new genetics into a population, they end up, 790 00:42:39,360 --> 00:42:44,160 Speaker 1: you know, essentially blinking out. So you know, movement is critical, 791 00:42:44,239 --> 00:42:47,320 Speaker 1: particularly a big game species. And we I think everybody 792 00:42:47,320 --> 00:42:51,400 Speaker 1: who knows who hunts or knows that in intrinsically. I 793 00:42:51,400 --> 00:42:54,399 Speaker 1: mean you've you've obviously things like half of the prong horn, 794 00:42:54,520 --> 00:42:56,840 Speaker 1: you know, coming out of Jackson and going down towards 795 00:42:56,840 --> 00:43:00,760 Speaker 1: the Red Desert is famous. The New Old Deer research 796 00:43:00,800 --> 00:43:03,600 Speaker 1: and going on to Wyoming is just fascinating where they 797 00:43:03,640 --> 00:43:06,640 Speaker 1: have collared mule deer and track them and they may 798 00:43:06,719 --> 00:43:10,520 Speaker 1: travel hundred and fifty miles and uh and then then 799 00:43:10,600 --> 00:43:12,840 Speaker 1: you start to think about the things they need along 800 00:43:12,880 --> 00:43:15,440 Speaker 1: that journey. It's not just how to get across the highway, 801 00:43:15,520 --> 00:43:17,960 Speaker 1: or how to deal with fenses. It is, you know, 802 00:43:18,600 --> 00:43:21,600 Speaker 1: the stop over areas where they gain strength for the 803 00:43:21,600 --> 00:43:25,080 Speaker 1: rest of that trip. And if you've got an oil field, 804 00:43:25,080 --> 00:43:27,600 Speaker 1: there's some stort of development of what was a historic stopper, 805 00:43:27,680 --> 00:43:31,560 Speaker 1: or they just keep on going they don't have that nutrition. So, 806 00:43:31,680 --> 00:43:35,360 Speaker 1: you know, our thought about what it goes into protect 807 00:43:35,400 --> 00:43:38,920 Speaker 1: these migrations, first of all, what progrations are like, but 808 00:43:38,920 --> 00:43:41,560 Speaker 1: then what we need to do to protect them has changed. 809 00:43:42,080 --> 00:43:46,080 Speaker 1: And it's just super cool. Science and University Wyoming has 810 00:43:46,120 --> 00:43:49,759 Speaker 1: done a tremendous amount on this, and National Geographic has 811 00:43:50,080 --> 00:43:53,399 Speaker 1: and variety of scientists and it's super inspiring and it's 812 00:43:53,400 --> 00:43:56,560 Speaker 1: something that the broader population can connect to as well. 813 00:43:57,080 --> 00:44:00,520 Speaker 1: And you talk about bears, you know, my company out Ondex, 814 00:44:00,640 --> 00:44:02,920 Speaker 1: I mean there is no white tail migration. Every year. 815 00:44:02,960 --> 00:44:05,680 Speaker 1: Come right around Thanksgiving as it starts to get cold 816 00:44:05,760 --> 00:44:09,320 Speaker 1: and deep snow, they essentially, you know, leave our property 817 00:44:09,719 --> 00:44:13,040 Speaker 1: head down across the Hudson River, you know, and probably 818 00:44:13,040 --> 00:44:17,200 Speaker 1: a twenty mile giver take migration into an area where 819 00:44:17,200 --> 00:44:20,680 Speaker 1: they guess historically winnered over the years, and then they 820 00:44:20,800 --> 00:44:23,480 Speaker 1: moved back in the spring. And it's one of those 821 00:44:23,520 --> 00:44:25,239 Speaker 1: things that the only reason we know about is because 822 00:44:25,239 --> 00:44:27,840 Speaker 1: we've stumbled upon it hunting, when all of a sudden 823 00:44:27,880 --> 00:44:30,320 Speaker 1: towards you know, that late season time, you start seeing 824 00:44:30,360 --> 00:44:34,600 Speaker 1: all these those and fawns and you know, spike bucks, 825 00:44:34,640 --> 00:44:37,000 Speaker 1: you know, just cruising down here. I mean the paths 826 00:44:37,000 --> 00:44:40,319 Speaker 1: are beaten to mud. The big bucks stick around, they 827 00:44:40,320 --> 00:44:44,440 Speaker 1: can handle the heavy winter, but the smaller animals, younger animals, 828 00:44:44,480 --> 00:44:47,439 Speaker 1: you know, they all basically leave the property. And it's, 829 00:44:47,520 --> 00:44:50,360 Speaker 1: you know, something you know I wasn't aware of fifteen 830 00:44:50,400 --> 00:44:52,640 Speaker 1: twenty years ago, but we've kind of figured out over 831 00:44:52,719 --> 00:44:55,239 Speaker 1: time and if that's happening there, then it's happening in 832 00:44:55,239 --> 00:44:57,839 Speaker 1: a lot of different places. So it just argues that 833 00:44:57,920 --> 00:45:01,320 Speaker 1: we need to create these incentives to allow these animals 834 00:45:01,320 --> 00:45:04,919 Speaker 1: to move, particularly as the climate gets warmer and they're 835 00:45:04,920 --> 00:45:06,799 Speaker 1: going to have more and more of the need. And 836 00:45:06,880 --> 00:45:09,320 Speaker 1: so how does that look. Yeah, we talked about crossings, 837 00:45:09,360 --> 00:45:11,759 Speaker 1: but we also think about things like the Land and 838 00:45:11,760 --> 00:45:14,879 Speaker 1: Water Conservation Fund, and if we're going to be purchasing 839 00:45:15,000 --> 00:45:18,440 Speaker 1: you know, lands or easements on private lands, you know 840 00:45:18,520 --> 00:45:20,640 Speaker 1: that they're going to be critically important to allow these 841 00:45:20,680 --> 00:45:22,360 Speaker 1: you know, let's think about that not just in the 842 00:45:22,440 --> 00:45:25,640 Speaker 1: terms this is a beautiful vista, but that this is 843 00:45:25,680 --> 00:45:30,680 Speaker 1: a really important site on their migration journey, and let's 844 00:45:30,760 --> 00:45:32,879 Speaker 1: use some of these resources that we have for these 845 00:45:32,880 --> 00:45:35,520 Speaker 1: types of projects in those areas, in other words, to 846 00:45:35,640 --> 00:45:39,439 Speaker 1: follow the science and you know, maintain these migrations. Now, 847 00:45:39,560 --> 00:45:41,239 Speaker 1: I'm going to give the Trump administration a lot of 848 00:45:41,280 --> 00:45:44,319 Speaker 1: credit in this one when they did Secretary Order three 849 00:45:44,400 --> 00:45:49,320 Speaker 1: zero six to which basically directed the western states that 850 00:45:49,440 --> 00:45:53,520 Speaker 1: had mule deer pronghorn elk to come up with their 851 00:45:53,600 --> 00:45:57,759 Speaker 1: top migration corridors in those states and then you know, 852 00:45:57,800 --> 00:46:01,120 Speaker 1: work with the federal government to identity to create conservation plans. 853 00:46:01,600 --> 00:46:03,640 Speaker 1: And that was not only important in its own right, 854 00:46:03,680 --> 00:46:05,560 Speaker 1: but that also led to a bunch of the Western 855 00:46:05,600 --> 00:46:08,720 Speaker 1: states creating their own programs. And you had to states 856 00:46:08,800 --> 00:46:10,960 Speaker 1: like Utah and Wyoming that had done a fair bet 857 00:46:11,040 --> 00:46:16,040 Speaker 1: on migration already, but then you had others like you know, Colorado, Nevada, 858 00:46:16,480 --> 00:46:19,879 Speaker 1: New Mexico's doing this, you know, come up with their 859 00:46:19,920 --> 00:46:22,080 Speaker 1: their own programs that are going to be critically important 860 00:46:22,080 --> 00:46:23,480 Speaker 1: in the future. So we just want to make sure 861 00:46:23,480 --> 00:46:26,600 Speaker 1: there's no backsliding on that, because you know, that is 862 00:46:26,680 --> 00:46:29,759 Speaker 1: you know, really important stuff. What do you see as 863 00:46:29,800 --> 00:46:33,200 Speaker 1: the next steps on that? So the executive order got 864 00:46:33,239 --> 00:46:39,120 Speaker 1: those plans being put in place, Um, what's what's necessary 865 00:46:39,200 --> 00:46:42,840 Speaker 1: to get that into actual action? All right? So I 866 00:46:42,840 --> 00:46:44,600 Speaker 1: think here we talked a little bit about, for example, 867 00:46:44,600 --> 00:46:47,560 Speaker 1: the highway bill and funding you know too, because one 868 00:46:47,560 --> 00:46:50,520 Speaker 1: of these crossing was over especially a big interstate is expensive, 869 00:46:51,320 --> 00:46:53,880 Speaker 1: so you know, we need to have money for crossings. 870 00:46:53,920 --> 00:46:57,920 Speaker 1: We need to have money to incentivize farmers to change 871 00:46:57,960 --> 00:47:02,320 Speaker 1: their fencing structures. Pronghorn don't jump over fence, they slide 872 00:47:02,400 --> 00:47:07,000 Speaker 1: under fences, so they have to have the particular designed 873 00:47:07,000 --> 00:47:10,719 Speaker 1: types of senses that it will allow them to pass um. 874 00:47:10,800 --> 00:47:13,239 Speaker 1: But also more broadly, how do we make sure that 875 00:47:13,280 --> 00:47:17,319 Speaker 1: this is embraced and works for the private landowner and 876 00:47:17,400 --> 00:47:20,200 Speaker 1: they don't see it as something that all of a sudden, 877 00:47:20,280 --> 00:47:23,840 Speaker 1: you know, it's another burden that's being opposed upon them 878 00:47:24,160 --> 00:47:27,040 Speaker 1: without any resources help them. So you know, let's figure 879 00:47:27,080 --> 00:47:29,239 Speaker 1: out some financial incentives and that's what it takes to 880 00:47:29,840 --> 00:47:33,560 Speaker 1: retrofit fences to you know, sort of provide you know 881 00:47:33,640 --> 00:47:36,520 Speaker 1: that you know, you know, grasses or whatever they need 882 00:47:36,600 --> 00:47:39,440 Speaker 1: and that stopover habitat. How do we do a better 883 00:47:39,560 --> 00:47:45,160 Speaker 1: job fighting things like oil gas, solar wind development so 884 00:47:45,200 --> 00:47:47,880 Speaker 1: that it's well off of these corridors and doesn't impact 885 00:47:47,880 --> 00:47:51,279 Speaker 1: either winter habitat or summer habitat. I mean, these are 886 00:47:51,360 --> 00:47:52,920 Speaker 1: all the things that we've got to sort of put 887 00:47:52,960 --> 00:47:56,719 Speaker 1: into policy now that we've embraced conceptually the idea of 888 00:47:56,719 --> 00:48:01,239 Speaker 1: conserving migration quarters. Yeah. So I think a lot of 889 00:48:01,280 --> 00:48:05,239 Speaker 1: that stuff was included in the Wildlife Corridors and Wildlife 890 00:48:05,239 --> 00:48:11,400 Speaker 1: Corridors Conservation Act that past the House last summer. I believe, Um, 891 00:48:11,840 --> 00:48:14,120 Speaker 1: where do you see that going? Is that going to 892 00:48:14,200 --> 00:48:17,080 Speaker 1: be resurrected? Do you think or a new version? Well there, 893 00:48:17,160 --> 00:48:19,439 Speaker 1: I think, yeah, I think you're gonna see a new 894 00:48:19,520 --> 00:48:22,759 Speaker 1: some new versions. Does this mean? So? You know, we 895 00:48:22,800 --> 00:48:24,640 Speaker 1: had a little bit of heartburn, you know with the 896 00:48:24,640 --> 00:48:26,360 Speaker 1: one that came out of the House, not because it 897 00:48:26,440 --> 00:48:29,160 Speaker 1: was ill intended by any news, but you know, in 898 00:48:29,200 --> 00:48:31,720 Speaker 1: my mind, the last thing we need is another federal 899 00:48:31,800 --> 00:48:36,399 Speaker 1: designation of migration cordors, which we've seen it from other 900 00:48:36,880 --> 00:48:40,799 Speaker 1: top down solutions from Washington that are not you know, 901 00:48:41,120 --> 00:48:43,920 Speaker 1: received well in the West. They think us, here we 902 00:48:43,960 --> 00:48:46,239 Speaker 1: go again, you know, Washington d C. Telling us how 903 00:48:46,280 --> 00:48:49,040 Speaker 1: to do our business. And I just think that, you know, 904 00:48:49,120 --> 00:48:51,919 Speaker 1: if what we're doing right now, you know, with the 905 00:48:51,920 --> 00:48:55,680 Speaker 1: incentives based approach to corridors is working, we want to 906 00:48:55,719 --> 00:48:58,240 Speaker 1: expand that. And if we turn it into a quote 907 00:48:58,280 --> 00:49:01,640 Speaker 1: federal program, you know, we risk you know, sort of 908 00:49:01,680 --> 00:49:04,239 Speaker 1: the you know, the traditional back black helicopter crowd that 909 00:49:04,320 --> 00:49:07,719 Speaker 1: he thinks, here they come in. This is a stalking 910 00:49:07,719 --> 00:49:10,399 Speaker 1: horse for you know, my you know, for getting into 911 00:49:10,400 --> 00:49:13,680 Speaker 1: my land, and it's just going to create controversy. Who 912 00:49:13,680 --> 00:49:15,440 Speaker 1: I don't think we need it. I mean, honestly, I 913 00:49:15,480 --> 00:49:17,680 Speaker 1: just don't believe we need to have sort of the 914 00:49:17,840 --> 00:49:24,520 Speaker 1: federal designation of migration corridors. Let's incentivize the states and 915 00:49:24,600 --> 00:49:27,879 Speaker 1: private land ors to just conserve these corridors. And that's 916 00:49:27,920 --> 00:49:30,080 Speaker 1: the place where I think the federal government can play 917 00:49:30,560 --> 00:49:34,920 Speaker 1: the biggest role and not necessarily and designating corridors. So 918 00:49:35,080 --> 00:49:39,719 Speaker 1: then for us on the ground, it then becomes kind 919 00:49:39,760 --> 00:49:43,880 Speaker 1: of pointing our advocacy towards our state departments DNR or 920 00:49:43,920 --> 00:49:46,719 Speaker 1: whatever like that, to make sure they're knowing that we 921 00:49:46,760 --> 00:49:49,799 Speaker 1: care about these things too. Yeah. Absolutely, I mean, this 922 00:49:49,920 --> 00:49:52,719 Speaker 1: is a partnership between the FENS and the states, but 923 00:49:52,840 --> 00:49:56,120 Speaker 1: ultimately the states have primary jurisdiction over managing wildlife in 924 00:49:56,120 --> 00:49:59,480 Speaker 1: this country, particularly if it's not a migratory bird or 925 00:49:59,520 --> 00:50:02,439 Speaker 1: if it's not and danger species. So you know, they're 926 00:50:02,480 --> 00:50:04,520 Speaker 1: going to be the primary ones in charge that making 927 00:50:04,520 --> 00:50:09,320 Speaker 1: sure we've got plenty of white tailed deer, mule deer, pronghorn, elk. 928 00:50:09,920 --> 00:50:11,879 Speaker 1: I mean, you name it, all those species that move. 929 00:50:12,560 --> 00:50:16,360 Speaker 1: So a federal government program is great if it helps 930 00:50:16,440 --> 00:50:20,240 Speaker 1: the states achieve that same conservation goal too. So again 931 00:50:20,280 --> 00:50:22,120 Speaker 1: I think that it's got to be a partnership. It's 932 00:50:22,120 --> 00:50:25,320 Speaker 1: got to be across the multiple federal agencies, multiple states. 933 00:50:26,160 --> 00:50:29,479 Speaker 1: I mean, while I don't recognize state borders, so you've 934 00:50:29,520 --> 00:50:32,200 Speaker 1: also just it doesn't work just to have one state 935 00:50:32,239 --> 00:50:34,920 Speaker 1: doing it, not another state. So again I think that 936 00:50:34,960 --> 00:50:39,320 Speaker 1: the federal government can lead and provide incentives, but ultimately 937 00:50:39,360 --> 00:50:41,000 Speaker 1: I think most of the rubbers gonna hit the road 938 00:50:41,000 --> 00:50:44,680 Speaker 1: at the state level. Yeah yeah, but I also I 939 00:50:44,719 --> 00:50:47,040 Speaker 1: also should have mentioned too you talked about next steps. 940 00:50:47,560 --> 00:50:50,600 Speaker 1: Two credits that were left out of the Trump program 941 00:50:50,800 --> 00:50:55,280 Speaker 1: were moose and wild sheep, and mostly for political reasons, 942 00:50:55,560 --> 00:50:57,680 Speaker 1: we would love to see those, you know, added into 943 00:50:57,719 --> 00:51:00,799 Speaker 1: the you know, sort of the federal designate in terms 944 00:51:00,840 --> 00:51:04,920 Speaker 1: of priority for these Western migrations. And then also and 945 00:51:05,040 --> 00:51:07,799 Speaker 1: things about you know, obviously connectivity, it's not just a 946 00:51:07,840 --> 00:51:11,120 Speaker 1: Western issue, but how can we create a program that 947 00:51:11,200 --> 00:51:13,799 Speaker 1: incentivized the states in the east to do the same 948 00:51:13,840 --> 00:51:15,560 Speaker 1: thing that we're doing in the West right now. So 949 00:51:15,920 --> 00:51:18,120 Speaker 1: I think those are the other things looking forward we 950 00:51:18,160 --> 00:51:21,440 Speaker 1: need to be doing. Yeah, what's the story on on 951 00:51:21,600 --> 00:51:24,320 Speaker 1: moost and sheep? Why did they get the political shaft 952 00:51:24,360 --> 00:51:27,719 Speaker 1: from that one? Well, there's been you know, a lot 953 00:51:27,800 --> 00:51:31,080 Speaker 1: of you know, the sheep growers out the west have Yeah, 954 00:51:31,080 --> 00:51:33,640 Speaker 1: there's a ton of conflict with domestic and wild sheep 955 00:51:34,040 --> 00:51:36,799 Speaker 1: because obviously wild sheep don't do too well when they 956 00:51:36,840 --> 00:51:41,520 Speaker 1: bump into domestic sheep from disease transfer. And so you know, 957 00:51:41,560 --> 00:51:45,040 Speaker 1: there's been Really the way you're going to conserve wild 958 00:51:45,080 --> 00:51:47,040 Speaker 1: sheep in the West is to keep them separating from 959 00:51:47,040 --> 00:51:50,120 Speaker 1: domestic sheep and to be sent that we're allowing those 960 00:51:50,160 --> 00:51:53,480 Speaker 1: animals to move to, say between mountain ranges. You know, 961 00:51:53,520 --> 00:51:55,480 Speaker 1: there were a lot of private landowners. I saw this 962 00:51:55,600 --> 00:51:58,160 Speaker 1: is something that yeah, I was going to you know, 963 00:51:58,200 --> 00:52:00,360 Speaker 1: not be in their interests. The sheep growing in the story. 964 00:52:00,440 --> 00:52:03,160 Speaker 1: So I think that's where most of the most most 965 00:52:03,200 --> 00:52:10,320 Speaker 1: of pushback came from gotcha, gotcha? Okay? Um. So another 966 00:52:11,840 --> 00:52:17,400 Speaker 1: big picture issue that I am intrigued by and interested about, uh, 967 00:52:17,440 --> 00:52:20,800 Speaker 1: is the whole thirty by thirty initiative which has been 968 00:52:21,080 --> 00:52:27,040 Speaker 1: kind of am a rallying cry that has been spreading 969 00:52:27,080 --> 00:52:30,440 Speaker 1: across the country, in the world, and most recently was 970 00:52:30,440 --> 00:52:33,759 Speaker 1: was included in executive order by the current administration as 971 00:52:33,800 --> 00:52:38,600 Speaker 1: a goal to work towards that being protecting of our 972 00:52:38,719 --> 00:52:43,680 Speaker 1: land and waters by UM from a hunter and angler perspective, 973 00:52:43,719 --> 00:52:47,600 Speaker 1: from the TRCP perspective, what do you guys think about this, 974 00:52:47,600 --> 00:52:51,200 Speaker 1: this goal, this initiative and uh, and where do you 975 00:52:51,200 --> 00:52:55,840 Speaker 1: see it going? So it's it can go one of 976 00:52:55,880 --> 00:53:00,520 Speaker 1: two ways. It could either be really exciting something that 977 00:53:00,560 --> 00:53:05,120 Speaker 1: again I think could really you know, benefit our long 978 00:53:05,239 --> 00:53:08,680 Speaker 1: term goals of conservation, hunting and fishing. Or it could 979 00:53:08,760 --> 00:53:12,839 Speaker 1: be it's sort of a preservationist let's a trojan horse 980 00:53:13,239 --> 00:53:16,440 Speaker 1: that ends up, you know, preventing active management on a 981 00:53:16,440 --> 00:53:19,840 Speaker 1: lot of lands, creating a lot of controversy. So you 982 00:53:19,880 --> 00:53:22,359 Speaker 1: know that you know, this is the thirty by thirty 983 00:53:22,400 --> 00:53:25,000 Speaker 1: concept was originally international and it was in response to 984 00:53:25,080 --> 00:53:29,040 Speaker 1: the collapse in biodiversity around the world. And I think 985 00:53:29,080 --> 00:53:32,239 Speaker 1: that you know it is you know, you know, very 986 00:53:33,040 --> 00:53:37,239 Speaker 1: well intended and you know necessary because you know, the 987 00:53:37,480 --> 00:53:40,000 Speaker 1: US does a better job literally of any other country 988 00:53:40,000 --> 00:53:42,759 Speaker 1: in the world of managing a fish and wildlife. But 989 00:53:42,920 --> 00:53:45,799 Speaker 1: if you go to Africa, Southeast Asia, you know a 990 00:53:45,840 --> 00:53:49,000 Speaker 1: lot of other places, it is very different. And you're 991 00:53:49,000 --> 00:53:53,560 Speaker 1: going to be seeing South America extinction on a very 992 00:53:53,640 --> 00:53:57,360 Speaker 1: large level, already seeing it. So as this gets transported 993 00:53:57,400 --> 00:54:00,880 Speaker 1: to the US, there has already been a date between 994 00:54:01,520 --> 00:54:04,600 Speaker 1: and actually you use the word protect and the word 995 00:54:04,680 --> 00:54:09,760 Speaker 1: actually was in the Biden executive Order was conserved. And 996 00:54:09,840 --> 00:54:12,600 Speaker 1: there there was a reason behind that, and there were 997 00:54:12,719 --> 00:54:15,200 Speaker 1: you know, us and a bunch of other people saying 998 00:54:15,200 --> 00:54:20,840 Speaker 1: that you're serious about biodiversity, about conservation, about climate. You 999 00:54:20,920 --> 00:54:23,439 Speaker 1: can't just draw lines on a map and just say, 1000 00:54:23,640 --> 00:54:26,120 Speaker 1: you know, people basically are not allowed in there, and 1001 00:54:26,160 --> 00:54:29,000 Speaker 1: we're never going to touch that area, because you know, 1002 00:54:29,320 --> 00:54:30,839 Speaker 1: we've done that in a lot of places. And Lison, 1003 00:54:30,960 --> 00:54:33,960 Speaker 1: I love wilderness, is much of the next guy. But 1004 00:54:34,080 --> 00:54:37,120 Speaker 1: we need is a mosaic and habitats in this country. 1005 00:54:37,640 --> 00:54:40,040 Speaker 1: We need or like successional, we need mid successional, we 1006 00:54:40,120 --> 00:54:44,440 Speaker 1: need late successional force. Um, we want you know, we 1007 00:54:44,480 --> 00:54:47,440 Speaker 1: want to make sure that private land ers are embracing 1008 00:54:47,520 --> 00:54:49,279 Speaker 1: and are part of the solution to achieve in that 1009 00:54:49,320 --> 00:54:53,279 Speaker 1: third percent goal. What that means is conservation even with 1010 00:54:53,480 --> 00:54:55,839 Speaker 1: long term ease, and it's under the Farm Bill. I mean, 1011 00:54:55,880 --> 00:54:59,240 Speaker 1: the threat is not you know, somebody you know, grazing 1012 00:54:59,320 --> 00:55:03,680 Speaker 1: some cattle in place that is land being converted from 1013 00:55:03,800 --> 00:55:09,440 Speaker 1: native grassland, road crops, from open space to condos. And 1014 00:55:09,560 --> 00:55:12,520 Speaker 1: that's where you really lose the biodiversity, and that's where 1015 00:55:12,520 --> 00:55:16,000 Speaker 1: you really lose conservation. And we've been winning the battle 1016 00:55:16,080 --> 00:55:19,239 Speaker 1: so far. You know, we had an executive order that 1017 00:55:19,280 --> 00:55:20,840 Speaker 1: came out of the White House, so we used the 1018 00:55:20,840 --> 00:55:25,320 Speaker 1: word conserve and launched a stakeholder process that includes private 1019 00:55:25,400 --> 00:55:27,640 Speaker 1: landowners to talk about what are going to be the 1020 00:55:27,680 --> 00:55:32,120 Speaker 1: definitions around conservation as we think about achieving these goals 1021 00:55:32,160 --> 00:55:36,839 Speaker 1: by And I think that's a very positive step because then, 1022 00:55:37,080 --> 00:55:39,879 Speaker 1: you know, what we're doing is we're thinking much more 1023 00:55:39,920 --> 00:55:42,879 Speaker 1: broadly than just you know, drawing lines on a map 1024 00:55:42,920 --> 00:55:46,200 Speaker 1: and protecting areas from the humans. The humans have always 1025 00:55:46,200 --> 00:55:48,040 Speaker 1: been a part of the environment. We're always going to 1026 00:55:48,080 --> 00:55:51,160 Speaker 1: be and uh, you know, I think as you know, 1027 00:55:51,400 --> 00:55:53,359 Speaker 1: you look at a place like Indiana, where the rough 1028 00:55:53,400 --> 00:55:56,360 Speaker 1: grouse has now been listed as a threatened species in 1029 00:55:56,400 --> 00:55:59,359 Speaker 1: the States. It's not because they've been over hunted. It's 1030 00:55:59,400 --> 00:56:01,799 Speaker 1: because we know longer have cutting any wood out there, 1031 00:56:02,480 --> 00:56:04,959 Speaker 1: and we just don't have those early successional for uts. 1032 00:56:04,960 --> 00:56:08,560 Speaker 1: So I think as we think about this particularly biodversity frame, 1033 00:56:09,000 --> 00:56:10,480 Speaker 1: I think this again is going to work in our 1034 00:56:10,480 --> 00:56:14,760 Speaker 1: community's interests if we engage and if we talk about 1035 00:56:15,640 --> 00:56:20,080 Speaker 1: you know, the broad conservation benefits um that go beyond 1036 00:56:20,160 --> 00:56:25,360 Speaker 1: just wilderness and mindedness. So in in in the best 1037 00:56:25,360 --> 00:56:30,920 Speaker 1: case scenario, you would like to see this measured not 1038 00:56:31,080 --> 00:56:34,080 Speaker 1: only in you know a number of acres that are 1039 00:56:34,080 --> 00:56:37,720 Speaker 1: protected as parks or wildlife refugees or wilderness or anything 1040 00:56:37,719 --> 00:56:41,839 Speaker 1: like that, but also with private lands that are under 1041 00:56:41,880 --> 00:56:46,440 Speaker 1: conservation easements, um what else and maybe not even not 1042 00:56:46,480 --> 00:56:50,359 Speaker 1: even permanent conservation. You could be fifteen years the RP 1043 00:56:50,520 --> 00:56:54,000 Speaker 1: contract in my mind that's protected. It may not be 1044 00:56:54,040 --> 00:56:56,000 Speaker 1: in fifteen years, and we have to readjust you know, 1045 00:56:56,040 --> 00:56:57,360 Speaker 1: we have to go back in and work for that 1046 00:56:57,440 --> 00:57:00,799 Speaker 1: lander or to re enroll those lands. But in terms 1047 00:57:00,880 --> 00:57:05,080 Speaker 1: of you know, sort of heading heading off the species 1048 00:57:05,120 --> 00:57:09,200 Speaker 1: collapse of getting more land into better management of dealing 1049 00:57:09,280 --> 00:57:13,919 Speaker 1: with our climate goals or infrastructure goals. These all work together. Yeah, 1050 00:57:14,080 --> 00:57:16,440 Speaker 1: so I think that, you know, I think that the 1051 00:57:16,560 --> 00:57:18,000 Speaker 1: private land ard has to be a part of the 1052 00:57:18,040 --> 00:57:21,160 Speaker 1: solution on this. I think that working lands on our 1053 00:57:21,400 --> 00:57:23,600 Speaker 1: national forests need to be a part of it. I mean, 1054 00:57:23,640 --> 00:57:25,479 Speaker 1: nobody wants to go back to the good old days 1055 00:57:25,560 --> 00:57:28,120 Speaker 1: of clearcuts everywhere, like we're seeing in the spot of 1056 00:57:28,200 --> 00:57:31,200 Speaker 1: nol Wars. But we've moved on as a country from that, 1057 00:57:31,800 --> 00:57:34,880 Speaker 1: and you can have active management and manage for early 1058 00:57:34,920 --> 00:57:38,760 Speaker 1: successional species on our national forests and have that land 1059 00:57:38,760 --> 00:57:41,440 Speaker 1: be considered conserved in my mind, because it is not 1060 00:57:41,480 --> 00:57:43,400 Speaker 1: going to be developed and it's going to be producing 1061 00:57:44,000 --> 00:57:48,440 Speaker 1: broad benefits from the species to climates. You know, this 1062 00:57:48,520 --> 00:57:53,600 Speaker 1: is one of those issues that are one of those 1063 00:57:53,600 --> 00:57:57,320 Speaker 1: opportunities at least. The way I'm seeing right now that 1064 00:57:57,560 --> 00:58:00,560 Speaker 1: I think can hit home probably hits so just about 1065 00:58:00,600 --> 00:58:03,080 Speaker 1: every one of us, because I think almost any one 1066 00:58:03,120 --> 00:58:06,160 Speaker 1: of us right now could look back in our childhood 1067 00:58:06,400 --> 00:58:10,520 Speaker 1: to some favorite fishing hole or some little backwoods wood 1068 00:58:10,560 --> 00:58:13,960 Speaker 1: lot where we used to build a fort or chase rabbits, 1069 00:58:14,760 --> 00:58:16,640 Speaker 1: or some creek that we used to catch fish in 1070 00:58:17,200 --> 00:58:19,360 Speaker 1: that now when we go back to revisit that place 1071 00:58:19,360 --> 00:58:23,680 Speaker 1: of our childhood, it's a walmart, it's a highway, it's 1072 00:58:24,520 --> 00:58:30,120 Speaker 1: uh drainage ditch. I mean, we're we're losing so many 1073 00:58:30,160 --> 00:58:34,080 Speaker 1: of these open spaces and we're all seeing everywhere. It's 1074 00:58:34,120 --> 00:58:38,800 Speaker 1: just it's happening, and it seems relentless, um to have 1075 00:58:38,960 --> 00:58:44,120 Speaker 1: at least some kind of some kind of hopeful goal of, hey, 1076 00:58:44,200 --> 00:58:47,840 Speaker 1: let's try to proactively, you know, get ahead of this 1077 00:58:47,880 --> 00:58:51,000 Speaker 1: in a few places. Man that I think people are 1078 00:58:51,000 --> 00:58:52,600 Speaker 1: gonna get sick of me bringing this up because I'm 1079 00:58:52,600 --> 00:58:55,560 Speaker 1: excited about the positive potential here, because i want to 1080 00:58:55,560 --> 00:58:57,959 Speaker 1: make sure, you know, my kids have got a little 1081 00:58:57,960 --> 00:59:00,480 Speaker 1: wood a lot to go chase rabbits in the fishing 1082 00:59:00,480 --> 00:59:02,720 Speaker 1: pond to catch you know, blue gills, and that's not 1083 00:59:02,760 --> 00:59:06,680 Speaker 1: surrounded by industrial development. Um. It seems like something that 1084 00:59:06,720 --> 00:59:09,800 Speaker 1: if we get involved with it and and help aim 1085 00:59:09,800 --> 00:59:12,080 Speaker 1: it in the right direction, this this could and should 1086 00:59:12,120 --> 00:59:15,640 Speaker 1: be a really good thing. Yeah, I'm totally with you. 1087 00:59:15,680 --> 00:59:17,480 Speaker 1: And again, you have to be an optimist to be 1088 00:59:17,520 --> 00:59:20,640 Speaker 1: in our business. I mean, if you're a pessimist, you 1089 00:59:20,640 --> 00:59:23,520 Speaker 1: want to quit a long time ago and go on 1090 00:59:23,640 --> 00:59:25,840 Speaker 1: and you know, build a bunker in the ground someplace 1091 00:59:25,920 --> 00:59:27,720 Speaker 1: and you know, flipped off a deer and that's it. 1092 00:59:28,600 --> 00:59:31,080 Speaker 1: But you know, I mean, you have to be optimistic 1093 00:59:31,120 --> 00:59:32,840 Speaker 1: about this, and you want to have these goals, and 1094 00:59:32,840 --> 00:59:35,880 Speaker 1: you want to have everybody sharing these goals. And part 1095 00:59:35,920 --> 00:59:37,600 Speaker 1: of the things is, I think, you know, need about 1096 00:59:37,600 --> 00:59:41,240 Speaker 1: the thirty by thirty concept is we get private landowners 1097 00:59:41,280 --> 00:59:44,000 Speaker 1: behind this concept thinking about how can they contribute to 1098 00:59:44,040 --> 00:59:46,400 Speaker 1: that the long term goals and nation in the world. 1099 00:59:47,120 --> 00:59:49,280 Speaker 1: I think that's good and not see this is something 1100 00:59:49,320 --> 00:59:51,880 Speaker 1: that's a threat to them, but it was something that 1101 00:59:51,920 --> 00:59:54,600 Speaker 1: you know, could make sure that they have that farm 1102 00:59:54,720 --> 00:59:57,520 Speaker 1: and their family for generations to come, you know, doing 1103 00:59:57,560 --> 01:00:00,800 Speaker 1: good things not just for producing crops, but for all 1104 01:00:00,840 --> 01:00:04,440 Speaker 1: the other ancillary benefits, including access and teaching their grandkids 1105 01:00:04,480 --> 01:00:06,919 Speaker 1: to hunt and fish in that same place that they learned. Yeah, 1106 01:00:07,800 --> 01:00:09,800 Speaker 1: so it seems like we're this is another one of 1107 01:00:09,840 --> 01:00:11,600 Speaker 1: those issues that's in a little bit of a wait 1108 01:00:11,600 --> 01:00:17,000 Speaker 1: and see kind of position. Um, is there anything that 1109 01:00:17,000 --> 01:00:19,160 Speaker 1: that we should be thinking about on this front other 1110 01:00:19,200 --> 01:00:23,560 Speaker 1: than just keeping tabs on it and seeing what opportunities arise. Yeah, 1111 01:00:23,600 --> 01:00:25,200 Speaker 1: I think just keep tabs on at this point. I mean, 1112 01:00:25,200 --> 01:00:28,120 Speaker 1: there's never gonna be a you know, yeah, sort of 1113 01:00:28,360 --> 01:00:31,360 Speaker 1: hard legislation on thirty by thirty. This is an aspirational 1114 01:00:31,400 --> 01:00:34,720 Speaker 1: goal and which is good and I think that you know, 1115 01:00:34,760 --> 01:00:36,680 Speaker 1: but let's just frame that goal in the right way 1116 01:00:36,720 --> 01:00:39,200 Speaker 1: and make sure we're all working on the same page. 1117 01:00:39,240 --> 01:00:42,760 Speaker 1: And again, you know, just you sign up as you know, 1118 01:00:42,840 --> 01:00:45,800 Speaker 1: support of ours, and we'll you'll get a weekly email 1119 01:00:45,840 --> 01:00:48,240 Speaker 1: from us and there be plenty of updates of where 1120 01:00:48,240 --> 01:00:51,200 Speaker 1: we are in that thirty process and the extent that 1121 01:00:51,240 --> 01:00:54,360 Speaker 1: there is actually a real stakeholder process that moves forward 1122 01:00:54,440 --> 01:00:57,200 Speaker 1: to help define this. I mean, we want to be 1123 01:00:57,240 --> 01:01:00,080 Speaker 1: engaged in that, which means we want you know, all 1124 01:01:00,080 --> 01:01:03,760 Speaker 1: of you folks out there and be engaged in there too. Yeah, okay, 1125 01:01:04,600 --> 01:01:07,120 Speaker 1: I want to jump back to something we were talking 1126 01:01:07,120 --> 01:01:11,920 Speaker 1: about the very beginning when you brought up um uh, 1127 01:01:12,000 --> 01:01:13,880 Speaker 1: some of the things that we're thinking now was a 1128 01:01:13,920 --> 01:01:17,320 Speaker 1: hunting fishing fishing committee related to some of the climate 1129 01:01:17,320 --> 01:01:23,200 Speaker 1: initiatives out there and the move that we're seeing happened 1130 01:01:23,280 --> 01:01:27,680 Speaker 1: towards more and more renewable energy, which which seems like 1131 01:01:27,680 --> 01:01:29,520 Speaker 1: a good thing in a lot of ways. Obviously as 1132 01:01:29,600 --> 01:01:33,760 Speaker 1: you look at the different environmental impacts of energy consumption 1133 01:01:33,760 --> 01:01:37,800 Speaker 1: and how it's derived. Um. And obviously wind and solar 1134 01:01:37,880 --> 01:01:41,120 Speaker 1: now is becoming a lot more affordable. It seemingly it 1135 01:01:41,200 --> 01:01:43,240 Speaker 1: seems like that's the direction things are gonna be heading 1136 01:01:43,240 --> 01:01:46,680 Speaker 1: more and more. UM. But I live in an area 1137 01:01:46,960 --> 01:01:50,920 Speaker 1: where a big wind farm was recently put in, and 1138 01:01:51,000 --> 01:01:55,160 Speaker 1: so I've all of a sudden scene wind energy up 1139 01:01:55,240 --> 01:01:57,800 Speaker 1: close and in person, in a experienced it kind of 1140 01:01:57,800 --> 01:02:00,480 Speaker 1: a different kind of way, with new roads being built 1141 01:02:00,480 --> 01:02:03,040 Speaker 1: and all these wood less you know, a hundred of 1142 01:02:03,080 --> 01:02:05,520 Speaker 1: these things put up all around me, and roads all 1143 01:02:05,560 --> 01:02:07,960 Speaker 1: over the place, and construction crews all over the place, 1144 01:02:08,040 --> 01:02:12,560 Speaker 1: and um, sixteen windmills within view of the house and 1145 01:02:12,600 --> 01:02:14,480 Speaker 1: flashing lights and all of this, and it just kind 1146 01:02:14,480 --> 01:02:18,320 Speaker 1: of gave me a different perspective from you know, hearing 1147 01:02:18,360 --> 01:02:20,920 Speaker 1: about something in the news to then seeing it in person. 1148 01:02:21,120 --> 01:02:24,160 Speaker 1: And then you know, I also started seeing solar farms 1149 01:02:24,200 --> 01:02:27,240 Speaker 1: popping up where a hundred acres of what used to 1150 01:02:27,240 --> 01:02:31,960 Speaker 1: be a farm field, uh is now a hundred acres 1151 01:02:32,480 --> 01:02:37,160 Speaker 1: with metal barred wire fencing all around it and nothing 1152 01:02:37,240 --> 01:02:40,800 Speaker 1: but solar panels across the entire acreage. So what used 1153 01:02:40,800 --> 01:02:44,280 Speaker 1: to be wildlife food and used by some amount of 1154 01:02:44,320 --> 01:02:49,080 Speaker 1: wildlife is now on a wildlife desert. I was listening 1155 01:02:49,120 --> 01:02:51,720 Speaker 1: to a podcast recently where they're talking about this, and 1156 01:02:51,720 --> 01:02:55,200 Speaker 1: they were talking about, you know, if if the country 1157 01:02:55,240 --> 01:02:57,919 Speaker 1: is going to shift towards renewable energy in the way 1158 01:02:57,960 --> 01:03:02,280 Speaker 1: that folks are talking about, it would require solar farms 1159 01:03:02,480 --> 01:03:08,680 Speaker 1: or wind farms. Uh, you know across tremendous, tremendous uh 1160 01:03:08,960 --> 01:03:12,640 Speaker 1: scales of of of land, like states worth of square 1161 01:03:12,680 --> 01:03:17,200 Speaker 1: miles covered with things like this. And the first thing 1162 01:03:17,240 --> 01:03:19,920 Speaker 1: that came to my mind was, man, I get and 1163 01:03:19,960 --> 01:03:22,640 Speaker 1: I appreciate the need to have cleaner ways to get 1164 01:03:22,640 --> 01:03:24,800 Speaker 1: our energy, but how do we do this in a 1165 01:03:24,840 --> 01:03:29,480 Speaker 1: way that doesn't create another biodiversity crisis? Like you were 1166 01:03:29,520 --> 01:03:31,000 Speaker 1: just talking about, How do we do this in a 1167 01:03:31,000 --> 01:03:33,880 Speaker 1: way that doesn't end up, you know, eliminating all the 1168 01:03:33,880 --> 01:03:37,840 Speaker 1: open land we're trying to save with thirty by thirty initiatives? Um? 1169 01:03:37,960 --> 01:03:40,040 Speaker 1: Is this something that's on you guys radar yet at all? 1170 01:03:40,080 --> 01:03:42,400 Speaker 1: It just seems like something that we're going to have 1171 01:03:42,480 --> 01:03:46,760 Speaker 1: to think a lot about. Yeah, you listen, development is development, 1172 01:03:47,040 --> 01:03:50,920 Speaker 1: and it doesn't matter whether it's a wind turbine or 1173 01:03:51,000 --> 01:03:53,960 Speaker 1: an oil derrick. I mane if for example, of mule 1174 01:03:54,000 --> 01:03:56,040 Speaker 1: deer is coming down. It's migration that sees it. It's 1175 01:03:56,080 --> 01:03:59,000 Speaker 1: going to go around it. It's a you know, savee 1176 01:03:59,000 --> 01:04:03,120 Speaker 1: grouse is going to move fleck from that area because 1177 01:04:03,240 --> 01:04:05,680 Speaker 1: you know, they have been grown up. They've evolved over 1178 01:04:06,160 --> 01:04:10,080 Speaker 1: millennia to avoid any tall structures because that's where the 1179 01:04:10,200 --> 01:04:12,919 Speaker 1: raptors sit and pick them off. So if they see 1180 01:04:13,000 --> 01:04:15,160 Speaker 1: some sort of tall structure out there, they're not going 1181 01:04:15,200 --> 01:04:17,400 Speaker 1: to be anywhere near it. So I mean, there are 1182 01:04:17,440 --> 01:04:22,240 Speaker 1: all these ripple effects on species from renewable development, the 1183 01:04:22,320 --> 01:04:25,080 Speaker 1: same way there are with oil and gas. And I 1184 01:04:25,080 --> 01:04:27,640 Speaker 1: think that you know, and then you mentioned the viewshad issues, 1185 01:04:27,840 --> 01:04:30,720 Speaker 1: you know, the roading. I mean, the notion that renewable 1186 01:04:30,800 --> 01:04:34,520 Speaker 1: energy is it does not having an impacts is just 1187 01:04:34,600 --> 01:04:37,360 Speaker 1: simply not wrong. I mean simply not right. And I 1188 01:04:37,400 --> 01:04:40,760 Speaker 1: think that we need to be way smarter that how 1189 01:04:40,800 --> 01:04:43,600 Speaker 1: we cite these And we we did a process back 1190 01:04:43,640 --> 01:04:47,520 Speaker 1: with the Obaministration, probably a decade at least ago, where 1191 01:04:47,520 --> 01:04:50,560 Speaker 1: we there are a whole bunch of proposals for new 1192 01:04:50,680 --> 01:04:53,080 Speaker 1: solar developments around the West, and there was a lot 1193 01:04:53,120 --> 01:04:55,960 Speaker 1: of pushbacks. So we convened the summit in Las Vegas 1194 01:04:56,680 --> 01:04:59,200 Speaker 1: with the Department of the Interior, with our community, with 1195 01:04:59,240 --> 01:05:03,360 Speaker 1: the States to talk about fighting and got a bunch 1196 01:05:03,400 --> 01:05:06,320 Speaker 1: of those proposed areas taken off the board. Now you 1197 01:05:06,360 --> 01:05:08,760 Speaker 1: can put a solar development out in a desert someplace 1198 01:05:08,920 --> 01:05:11,480 Speaker 1: and it probably just do a whole lot of harm, 1199 01:05:11,560 --> 01:05:13,480 Speaker 1: and there are probably good places for it, and there's 1200 01:05:13,480 --> 01:05:16,000 Speaker 1: always gonna be some sacrifice, you know, if we want 1201 01:05:16,000 --> 01:05:18,960 Speaker 1: to have Anersey period. So I get that. You know, 1202 01:05:19,000 --> 01:05:23,160 Speaker 1: we've seen some research recently that you know, offshore wind 1203 01:05:23,400 --> 01:05:26,440 Speaker 1: tends to be good for fish. Provide some underground structure, 1204 01:05:26,960 --> 01:05:31,520 Speaker 1: underwater structure, It keeps the commercial fishing out and over 1205 01:05:31,560 --> 01:05:34,400 Speaker 1: time you're gonna have stronger fish populations and done a 1206 01:05:34,440 --> 01:05:38,320 Speaker 1: recreational fishing. So there are places where it's gonna be done. 1207 01:05:38,320 --> 01:05:40,200 Speaker 1: It can be done well. I mean, I just flew 1208 01:05:40,240 --> 01:05:43,640 Speaker 1: in from a business trip on Friday, I guess Thursday, 1209 01:05:43,760 --> 01:05:46,120 Speaker 1: and you just fly into place like Washington or out 1210 01:05:46,120 --> 01:05:48,320 Speaker 1: of a place like Atlanta, and you look at all 1211 01:05:48,320 --> 01:05:52,120 Speaker 1: those enormous big boxes with nothing on top of the roofs. 1212 01:05:52,880 --> 01:05:54,760 Speaker 1: I mean, all of that ought to be solar. I mean, 1213 01:05:54,840 --> 01:05:58,360 Speaker 1: give me a break. And why are we developing virgin 1214 01:05:58,440 --> 01:06:01,040 Speaker 1: land out there? We have all these areas that we 1215 01:06:01,040 --> 01:06:05,040 Speaker 1: can incentivize to you know, you put solar in our 1216 01:06:05,040 --> 01:06:08,400 Speaker 1: communities where we live, which also, by the way, decreases 1217 01:06:08,400 --> 01:06:12,280 Speaker 1: transmission costs substantially. So I just think that we have 1218 01:06:12,400 --> 01:06:14,760 Speaker 1: to do a better job. I mean, because the the 1219 01:06:14,760 --> 01:06:17,120 Speaker 1: issue of the U site where you're seeing you know, 1220 01:06:17,160 --> 01:06:19,320 Speaker 1: people are seeing all over the place, and I think 1221 01:06:19,320 --> 01:06:23,080 Speaker 1: we have to listen. I'm all for clean energy, but 1222 01:06:23,200 --> 01:06:25,920 Speaker 1: I am not for you know, sort of spoiling places, 1223 01:06:25,960 --> 01:06:30,400 Speaker 1: wild places, you know, at the altar of renewables. Yeah, 1224 01:06:30,840 --> 01:06:33,840 Speaker 1: it's it's it's kind of like thrown out the baby 1225 01:06:33,840 --> 01:06:35,600 Speaker 1: with the bathwater kind of deal. Like you're trying to 1226 01:06:35,600 --> 01:06:37,680 Speaker 1: solve one problem that you're making a whole another one. 1227 01:06:37,760 --> 01:06:39,960 Speaker 1: So there's got to be some kind of better way 1228 01:06:39,960 --> 01:06:42,680 Speaker 1: to look at it. Um plus, I mean, we we've 1229 01:06:42,680 --> 01:06:44,600 Speaker 1: got to look at things like you know, small nuclear 1230 01:06:45,040 --> 01:06:47,320 Speaker 1: and I'm sorry, but I mean that's probably as about 1231 01:06:47,320 --> 01:06:49,920 Speaker 1: as clean as you're gonna get. And you know, I 1232 01:06:49,920 --> 01:06:52,280 Speaker 1: think the technology may not be quite there yet, but 1233 01:06:52,320 --> 01:06:56,440 Speaker 1: it will be, and we're gonna have to make some sacrifices. 1234 01:06:56,480 --> 01:06:58,920 Speaker 1: And I think things like that are definitely going to 1235 01:06:58,960 --> 01:07:01,800 Speaker 1: be part of the mix down the road, and honestly, 1236 01:07:01,840 --> 01:07:03,960 Speaker 1: I think you probably have a lot more potential than 1237 01:07:04,080 --> 01:07:07,919 Speaker 1: you know, vast wind farms every place. Yeah, yeah, yeah, 1238 01:07:07,920 --> 01:07:09,880 Speaker 1: it's gonna be something to keep an eye on, that's 1239 01:07:09,920 --> 01:07:15,320 Speaker 1: for sure. It seems like the winds of two shamelessly 1240 01:07:15,400 --> 01:07:17,760 Speaker 1: use upon the winds of change or blowing on this front. 1241 01:07:17,920 --> 01:07:21,640 Speaker 1: And uh, it's it's something that I think if if 1242 01:07:21,800 --> 01:07:25,520 Speaker 1: if there aren't some loud voices cautioning folks to do 1243 01:07:25,560 --> 01:07:27,760 Speaker 1: this in the right way, we could end up being, 1244 01:07:27,920 --> 01:07:29,760 Speaker 1: you know, just in as much trouble as it would 1245 01:07:29,800 --> 01:07:32,520 Speaker 1: be otherwise. And and uh, I hope that's not the 1246 01:07:32,520 --> 01:07:36,000 Speaker 1: direction things go. So but listen, we're also you know, 1247 01:07:36,080 --> 01:07:38,400 Speaker 1: because now that this is so much in the conversation, 1248 01:07:38,440 --> 01:07:40,880 Speaker 1: the technology is just going to improve, you know, from 1249 01:07:40,920 --> 01:07:45,000 Speaker 1: battery storage to solar panels to new wind turban designs 1250 01:07:45,560 --> 01:07:48,560 Speaker 1: you know that don't chop up bruds and bats. You know. 1251 01:07:48,600 --> 01:07:50,560 Speaker 1: I just think that, you know, technology is on our 1252 01:07:50,560 --> 01:07:53,640 Speaker 1: side here and we just can't be you know, satisfying 1253 01:07:53,640 --> 01:07:58,360 Speaker 1: before we're seeing right now, because it's got to get better. Yeah, yeah, definitely. So, 1254 01:07:58,360 --> 01:08:00,880 Speaker 1: So moving on from fun time topic to fun topic, 1255 01:08:00,960 --> 01:08:07,040 Speaker 1: how about we talk about c w D oh yeah, yeah, Well, 1256 01:08:07,280 --> 01:08:09,920 Speaker 1: I know you guys are are placing an emphasis on 1257 01:08:10,080 --> 01:08:13,880 Speaker 1: keeping chronic wasting disease in the conversation. It's one of 1258 01:08:13,920 --> 01:08:19,000 Speaker 1: those things that I know deer hunters have. I think 1259 01:08:19,760 --> 01:08:25,560 Speaker 1: there's been some fatigue which which which is unfortunate but 1260 01:08:25,560 --> 01:08:28,280 Speaker 1: at the same time understandable and I honestly sometimes like gosh, 1261 01:08:28,320 --> 01:08:31,400 Speaker 1: I hate talking about CWD two um, but I know 1262 01:08:31,479 --> 01:08:34,800 Speaker 1: this is something that we have to keep an eye on. 1263 01:08:34,960 --> 01:08:36,960 Speaker 1: Can you give us an update on on what you 1264 01:08:36,960 --> 01:08:39,280 Speaker 1: guys are seeing on that front? What are some important 1265 01:08:39,280 --> 01:08:44,200 Speaker 1: moving parts right now? So you know, as you know 1266 01:08:44,360 --> 01:08:46,000 Speaker 1: and as a lot of your listeners know, there was 1267 01:08:46,040 --> 01:08:49,280 Speaker 1: some c first popped up, there was pretty strong funding 1268 01:08:49,280 --> 01:08:51,879 Speaker 1: from Congress that went out to the States for surveillance 1269 01:08:51,920 --> 01:08:55,280 Speaker 1: and testing. A lot of that dried up around two 1270 01:08:55,280 --> 01:08:58,360 Speaker 1: thousand and eleven, and so we've done as we tried 1271 01:08:58,360 --> 01:09:02,240 Speaker 1: to get that funding stream reinstated so the states actually 1272 01:09:02,240 --> 01:09:04,120 Speaker 1: have the ability to go out there and test animals 1273 01:09:04,160 --> 01:09:07,559 Speaker 1: to find out the extent of it right now, and 1274 01:09:07,720 --> 01:09:11,240 Speaker 1: you know, we've been blocked by the captive deer industry 1275 01:09:11,320 --> 01:09:14,479 Speaker 1: along the way, which honestly prefer people not know where 1276 01:09:14,479 --> 01:09:18,000 Speaker 1: it is. But we got five million and last year's bill, 1277 01:09:18,040 --> 01:09:20,720 Speaker 1: we're gonna get more than that into this year's appropriations bill. 1278 01:09:21,400 --> 01:09:23,720 Speaker 1: We also been focusing on the research side because there's 1279 01:09:23,720 --> 01:09:28,439 Speaker 1: still a lot of questions about transmission pathways and how 1280 01:09:28,479 --> 01:09:31,280 Speaker 1: you can get rid of it. So we got about 1281 01:09:31,280 --> 01:09:35,519 Speaker 1: a forty five million dollars tucked into the coronavirus Release 1282 01:09:35,520 --> 01:09:39,160 Speaker 1: bill at the end of last year for research into 1283 01:09:39,240 --> 01:09:42,960 Speaker 1: wildlife human disease interaction. And obviously part of the focus 1284 01:09:42,960 --> 01:09:46,479 Speaker 1: of that is things like bats and coronavirus, but you 1285 01:09:46,520 --> 01:09:49,040 Speaker 1: know it's got it's also going to be used for 1286 01:09:49,160 --> 01:09:52,040 Speaker 1: c t b D research too, because you know, if 1287 01:09:52,360 --> 01:09:56,479 Speaker 1: CDBD ever does jump from wildlife to humans, you know 1288 01:09:56,560 --> 01:10:00,280 Speaker 1: it will be fatal. I mean, it would be still 1289 01:10:00,280 --> 01:10:04,840 Speaker 1: the ocup disease, the bad cow disease, and we can't 1290 01:10:05,000 --> 01:10:08,000 Speaker 1: have that happening because you know, we've the place we've 1291 01:10:08,000 --> 01:10:10,320 Speaker 1: really seen growth in the hunting industry in the last 1292 01:10:10,560 --> 01:10:13,719 Speaker 1: decade has been in that whole you know, the food, 1293 01:10:13,880 --> 01:10:18,799 Speaker 1: the side of it, and people wanting to harvest their own, clean, 1294 01:10:19,520 --> 01:10:24,000 Speaker 1: non GMO, locally sourced protein. And if people all of 1295 01:10:24,000 --> 01:10:26,200 Speaker 1: a sudden start thinking it's not going to be safe, 1296 01:10:26,760 --> 01:10:31,240 Speaker 1: the venison. Then it will change hunting as we know 1297 01:10:31,320 --> 01:10:34,479 Speaker 1: it without any question. So we just think there has 1298 01:10:34,520 --> 01:10:37,320 Speaker 1: to be a big investment in this, and you know, 1299 01:10:37,360 --> 01:10:41,919 Speaker 1: folks like Sender Martin Heinrich. We'll be proposing legislation shortly 1300 01:10:42,040 --> 01:10:46,040 Speaker 1: that will dramatically increase funding for surveillance and testing going 1301 01:10:46,040 --> 01:10:47,840 Speaker 1: out to the states. We think it'll be about that 1302 01:10:47,920 --> 01:10:50,760 Speaker 1: fifty million dollar range is what we need. I mean, 1303 01:10:50,760 --> 01:10:53,360 Speaker 1: the scary thing is that you know, basically nobody has 1304 01:10:53,360 --> 01:10:55,240 Speaker 1: been in a surveillance to testing over the last year 1305 01:10:55,240 --> 01:10:58,479 Speaker 1: because coronavirus, so we don't know what's happened, you know 1306 01:10:58,520 --> 01:11:01,400 Speaker 1: where it's spread, and I think a lot of states 1307 01:11:01,439 --> 01:11:03,800 Speaker 1: honestly are afraid to look because you know where they 1308 01:11:03,960 --> 01:11:06,439 Speaker 1: figured they haven't had in the past. You know they 1309 01:11:06,680 --> 01:11:09,680 Speaker 1: are wondering if they do have it now. So we 1310 01:11:09,760 --> 01:11:12,640 Speaker 1: got to get past that. We need good data. We 1311 01:11:12,680 --> 01:11:15,559 Speaker 1: need hunters to be a part of the solution. So 1312 01:11:15,640 --> 01:11:17,880 Speaker 1: if we have the state phishing game agencies, we got 1313 01:11:17,960 --> 01:11:20,880 Speaker 1: knocked down a population in someplace, you know we're the 1314 01:11:20,920 --> 01:11:24,720 Speaker 1: best people to do that, not sharpshooters. So get out there, 1315 01:11:24,800 --> 01:11:27,120 Speaker 1: work with your state phishing game agencies. But you know 1316 01:11:27,120 --> 01:11:30,400 Speaker 1: what we're really focusing on right now is you know, 1317 01:11:30,439 --> 01:11:33,599 Speaker 1: the research is surveillance and testing funds from the States, 1318 01:11:34,360 --> 01:11:35,640 Speaker 1: and then we also want to make sure that the 1319 01:11:35,680 --> 01:11:39,160 Speaker 1: Department of Agriculture, you know, gets on top of the 1320 01:11:39,240 --> 01:11:43,160 Speaker 1: herd certification program, which right now I think, just give us, 1321 01:11:43,240 --> 01:11:46,920 Speaker 1: really you captive deer industry and others, you know, fall 1322 01:11:47,000 --> 01:11:51,400 Speaker 1: sensor security, because it just keeps popping up and he's hertified, 1323 01:11:51,680 --> 01:11:57,559 Speaker 1: is certified, you know, CBD free facilities and mesticos. They're 1324 01:11:58,040 --> 01:12:00,800 Speaker 1: moving deer around all the time. So I would love 1325 01:12:00,840 --> 01:12:03,800 Speaker 1: to see a moratorium on the interstate movement of deer, 1326 01:12:04,680 --> 01:12:06,920 Speaker 1: you know, until we have a much better handle on 1327 01:12:07,160 --> 01:12:10,960 Speaker 1: transmission pathways on you know, the efficacy of the her 1328 01:12:11,120 --> 01:12:15,080 Speaker 1: certification program. Um. But you know, the easiest way for 1329 01:12:15,120 --> 01:12:19,959 Speaker 1: this thing to spread is in the back of a truck. Yeah. 1330 01:12:20,080 --> 01:12:23,400 Speaker 1: And it seems like you said that there's a lot 1331 01:12:23,600 --> 01:12:26,439 Speaker 1: left to be desired as far as the processes for 1332 01:12:26,439 --> 01:12:29,880 Speaker 1: for monitoring these places and regulating these places in a 1333 01:12:29,920 --> 01:12:35,840 Speaker 1: smart way. So unfortunately, it just seems like this has 1334 01:12:35,880 --> 01:12:37,760 Speaker 1: been something we've been banging our heads against the wall 1335 01:12:37,800 --> 01:12:41,880 Speaker 1: on for a long time now. Um And and maybe 1336 01:12:41,880 --> 01:12:44,519 Speaker 1: it is as simple as as funding and hopefully having 1337 01:12:44,520 --> 01:12:48,080 Speaker 1: one of these technological breakthroughs that eventually gives us insight 1338 01:12:48,160 --> 01:12:51,360 Speaker 1: into what's a real long term solution. But it seems 1339 01:12:51,400 --> 01:12:55,040 Speaker 1: like right now it's it's monitor slow the spread and 1340 01:12:55,200 --> 01:12:59,840 Speaker 1: hope for for something good to come down the road. Right, Yeah, 1341 01:12:59,760 --> 01:13:03,280 Speaker 1: that's what it is, and it's it will travel very slowly, 1342 01:13:03,520 --> 01:13:06,320 Speaker 1: you know, if nature has its own way. I mean, 1343 01:13:06,479 --> 01:13:09,280 Speaker 1: you know, not quickly at all. I mean the play 1344 01:13:09,320 --> 01:13:11,439 Speaker 1: of the travels is when you know you're moving live 1345 01:13:11,479 --> 01:13:14,439 Speaker 1: der around for the cap facilities. It travels when you 1346 01:13:14,479 --> 01:13:15,960 Speaker 1: whack a white tail and you throw in the back 1347 01:13:16,000 --> 01:13:17,680 Speaker 1: of your truck and you drive three states over and 1348 01:13:17,760 --> 01:13:20,240 Speaker 1: processes back at home. I mean, those are the things 1349 01:13:20,320 --> 01:13:23,040 Speaker 1: we can't be doing anymore. And you know that's that 1350 01:13:23,080 --> 01:13:24,800 Speaker 1: may change our lives a little bit and maybe more 1351 01:13:24,840 --> 01:13:26,920 Speaker 1: of pain in the s, but you know, for the 1352 01:13:27,080 --> 01:13:30,880 Speaker 1: to keep enjoying what we're enjoying is well worth that sacrifice. 1353 01:13:31,520 --> 01:13:34,120 Speaker 1: I also think that it's time for the hunting community 1354 01:13:34,320 --> 01:13:38,280 Speaker 1: and your listeners and Steve's you know, we just I mean, 1355 01:13:38,360 --> 01:13:41,720 Speaker 1: the obsession with bigger and bigger racks, it's going to 1356 01:13:41,840 --> 01:13:44,559 Speaker 1: kill hunting eventually. I mean, to the extent that you know, 1357 01:13:44,640 --> 01:13:47,200 Speaker 1: that is what it's driving the shooting facilities were some 1358 01:13:48,120 --> 01:13:53,000 Speaker 1: jackass can fly in from Wall Street and shoot a 1359 01:13:53,000 --> 01:13:56,000 Speaker 1: three inch deer that afternoon and have it on us 1360 01:13:56,040 --> 01:14:00,040 Speaker 1: wall in a week. Yeah, that's not hunting, and you 1361 01:14:00,120 --> 01:14:03,080 Speaker 1: can't you know, sort of. I mean, I think our 1362 01:14:03,120 --> 01:14:06,320 Speaker 1: community needs to push back hard against that sort of 1363 01:14:06,320 --> 01:14:10,160 Speaker 1: stuff and dry up the demand. But these can hunts. Yeah, 1364 01:14:10,360 --> 01:14:12,840 Speaker 1: they're not helping the cause. And in a number of 1365 01:14:12,880 --> 01:14:15,800 Speaker 1: different ways there they're punching holes in the boat, that's 1366 01:14:15,800 --> 01:14:19,559 Speaker 1: for sure. Yeah, and that's just not what hunts about. 1367 01:14:19,800 --> 01:14:22,320 Speaker 1: I mean, that's and it's you know, if you're an outsider, 1368 01:14:22,400 --> 01:14:24,800 Speaker 1: your skeptical hunting in the first place, and this is 1369 01:14:24,840 --> 01:14:27,800 Speaker 1: what you see, I mean, you're not gonna you're not 1370 01:14:27,800 --> 01:14:32,720 Speaker 1: going to accept that. No. No, it sheds shines a 1371 01:14:32,760 --> 01:14:35,679 Speaker 1: horrible light on on what hunting is and and leads 1372 01:14:35,680 --> 01:14:39,479 Speaker 1: to a lot of misperceptions and uh causes causes a 1373 01:14:39,479 --> 01:14:42,479 Speaker 1: lot of trouble. I'm I'm right there within that, yep. 1374 01:14:43,120 --> 01:14:45,680 Speaker 1: So do you have any more really fun topics like 1375 01:14:45,720 --> 01:14:48,839 Speaker 1: this that we should cover or or is there anything 1376 01:14:49,040 --> 01:14:51,320 Speaker 1: that you are actually optimistic about that we should that 1377 01:14:51,360 --> 01:14:54,240 Speaker 1: we should close on. You know, I think I've talked 1378 01:14:54,240 --> 01:14:56,639 Speaker 1: about the things I'm optimistic about. I mean, I actually, 1379 01:14:56,800 --> 01:14:59,200 Speaker 1: you know, I'm always optimistic because I always think we 1380 01:14:59,240 --> 01:15:02,080 Speaker 1: can do better. And I think that if you think 1381 01:15:02,080 --> 01:15:06,840 Speaker 1: about the last year silver lining coronavirus, is that a 1382 01:15:06,880 --> 01:15:09,080 Speaker 1: lot of people who had either left the sport or 1383 01:15:09,080 --> 01:15:11,200 Speaker 1: would never tried it got back in hunting and fishing. 1384 01:15:11,880 --> 01:15:13,559 Speaker 1: Me and the hunting numbers look like it was a 1385 01:15:13,600 --> 01:15:20,519 Speaker 1: five plus growth from and that is huge. Fishing's going 1386 01:15:20,560 --> 01:15:23,840 Speaker 1: to be at least ten and uh, you know that 1387 01:15:24,040 --> 01:15:26,519 Speaker 1: is a ton of new folks in and yeah, some 1388 01:15:26,560 --> 01:15:30,080 Speaker 1: people complain that it's more crowding, but listen, I mean 1389 01:15:30,120 --> 01:15:31,840 Speaker 1: this is a good thing. I mean they're paying into 1390 01:15:31,840 --> 01:15:36,080 Speaker 1: the conservation system. There are the future stewards of these resources. 1391 01:15:36,560 --> 01:15:39,400 Speaker 1: There are the folks who were gonna right to Congress 1392 01:15:39,680 --> 01:15:43,559 Speaker 1: and asked that, you know, conservation be maintained. So you know, 1393 01:15:43,920 --> 01:15:46,120 Speaker 1: I'm excited about how do we convert you know, all 1394 01:15:46,160 --> 01:15:50,479 Speaker 1: these new hunters and anglers into conservations. And uh, you 1395 01:15:50,520 --> 01:15:52,599 Speaker 1: know that is you know, we've talked with our federal 1396 01:15:52,640 --> 01:15:55,360 Speaker 1: you know, our corporate partners about you know, we had 1397 01:15:55,960 --> 01:15:59,840 Speaker 1: Chris Mets, the CEO of Vista which is Federal, and 1398 01:16:00,080 --> 01:16:03,600 Speaker 1: Rammington Ammunition and a bunch of other outdoor brands. You know, 1399 01:16:03,640 --> 01:16:07,120 Speaker 1: he was talking about that. We had Dave bullthis the 1400 01:16:07,160 --> 01:16:09,439 Speaker 1: president of Pure Fishing, you know, in the same call, 1401 01:16:09,520 --> 01:16:12,280 Speaker 1: talking about how they're going to try to maintain that 1402 01:16:12,720 --> 01:16:15,960 Speaker 1: growth in the fishing side. But that's exciting and that's fun, 1403 01:16:16,000 --> 01:16:18,840 Speaker 1: and that's you know, after years of just seeing these 1404 01:16:18,880 --> 01:16:21,840 Speaker 1: declining numbers, you know, this is you know, I think 1405 01:16:21,840 --> 01:16:24,160 Speaker 1: it's pretty cool and I think it's something else toinet 1406 01:16:24,240 --> 01:16:26,920 Speaker 1: excited about. Yeah, that that is, like you said that, 1407 01:16:26,960 --> 01:16:30,679 Speaker 1: the silver lining and definitely an opportunity. I mean, that's 1408 01:16:30,840 --> 01:16:34,320 Speaker 1: and it's a thing that's probably I don't know. It 1409 01:16:34,360 --> 01:16:36,479 Speaker 1: seems like this is a once in the generation kind 1410 01:16:36,520 --> 01:16:39,360 Speaker 1: of up swell that we have here that we either 1411 01:16:39,400 --> 01:16:42,920 Speaker 1: take advantage of or or we let recede back into 1412 01:16:44,040 --> 01:16:46,400 Speaker 1: the past. So so hopefully it's something where we can 1413 01:16:46,600 --> 01:16:49,240 Speaker 1: help them. You know, remember, you know how hard it 1414 01:16:49,360 --> 01:16:51,639 Speaker 1: is to get into this sport if you're not from 1415 01:16:51,760 --> 01:16:53,720 Speaker 1: you know, if you didn't your father didn't show you 1416 01:16:53,720 --> 01:16:55,320 Speaker 1: how to do it, or your mom didn't show you. 1417 01:16:55,880 --> 01:16:57,400 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, so I think it's coming on 1418 01:16:57,520 --> 01:17:01,320 Speaker 1: all of us to embrace these new hunters and anglers, said, 1419 01:17:01,439 --> 01:17:04,479 Speaker 1: welcome them in. You teach him the ethics, teach them 1420 01:17:04,479 --> 01:17:07,479 Speaker 1: the proper way to do things, teach them about you know, 1421 01:17:08,000 --> 01:17:10,280 Speaker 1: if you see somebody's truck there and don't go into 1422 01:17:10,320 --> 01:17:13,400 Speaker 1: that same area, goes someplace else. You know, all these 1423 01:17:13,439 --> 01:17:16,080 Speaker 1: things that they may not know on their own, but 1424 01:17:16,160 --> 01:17:18,200 Speaker 1: you know, they're not going to learn unless we embrace 1425 01:17:18,320 --> 01:17:22,640 Speaker 1: them and teach them. Yeah, yeah, very true. So so 1426 01:17:22,800 --> 01:17:30,120 Speaker 1: with for folks listening who have maybe not traditionally dove 1427 01:17:30,240 --> 01:17:36,000 Speaker 1: into the advocacy or conservation related things, but they were 1428 01:17:36,080 --> 01:17:38,240 Speaker 1: curious enough to listen to this one because they want 1429 01:17:38,240 --> 01:17:39,960 Speaker 1: to know what's going on. Maybe it's even some of 1430 01:17:40,000 --> 01:17:43,200 Speaker 1: these new hunters or new anglers who have gotten interest 1431 01:17:43,240 --> 01:17:44,960 Speaker 1: in trying it out, and so they're listening to this 1432 01:17:45,040 --> 01:17:47,040 Speaker 1: and they're kind of realizing that, Wow, there's a lot 1433 01:17:47,080 --> 01:17:50,280 Speaker 1: of things going on around me that are impacting whether 1434 01:17:50,360 --> 01:17:52,240 Speaker 1: or not we can hunt or fish, or whether there's 1435 01:17:52,280 --> 01:17:54,840 Speaker 1: places to hunt and fish and critters out there. For 1436 01:17:54,960 --> 01:17:57,880 Speaker 1: somebody like that who, now, you know, kind of wants 1437 01:17:57,880 --> 01:18:01,040 Speaker 1: to take another step, not in take an action, but 1438 01:18:01,200 --> 01:18:05,880 Speaker 1: in learning. Are there any books, books, or films or 1439 01:18:06,000 --> 01:18:08,559 Speaker 1: documentaries there anything out there that has inspired you or 1440 01:18:08,680 --> 01:18:11,000 Speaker 1: you might suggest folks check out if they want to 1441 01:18:11,560 --> 01:18:15,400 Speaker 1: kind of broaden the horizons on these types of topics. Well, 1442 01:18:15,439 --> 01:18:17,000 Speaker 1: I mean, first of all, this you and I have 1443 01:18:17,080 --> 01:18:19,519 Speaker 1: not talked about this. This is not a shameless plug, 1444 01:18:19,600 --> 01:18:21,400 Speaker 1: but they ought to read your book, you know, That 1445 01:18:21,439 --> 01:18:24,000 Speaker 1: Wild Country, which really talks about, you know, sort of 1446 01:18:24,000 --> 01:18:27,160 Speaker 1: the public land experience, which you know, a lot of 1447 01:18:27,240 --> 01:18:29,640 Speaker 1: hunting and fishing in this country takes place on. And 1448 01:18:29,680 --> 01:18:32,679 Speaker 1: I think you've made it accessible in that book and 1449 01:18:33,040 --> 01:18:35,200 Speaker 1: something that people can learn a lot from and be 1450 01:18:35,280 --> 01:18:38,519 Speaker 1: inspired from you. So I think that's you know, one place. 1451 01:18:38,640 --> 01:18:41,760 Speaker 1: And but even go back to the early stuff. I mean, 1452 01:18:42,160 --> 01:18:45,479 Speaker 1: you know, a Sand County Albanic all the Leopold is 1453 01:18:45,600 --> 01:18:47,920 Speaker 1: you know, reads as relevant today as it did back 1454 01:18:47,920 --> 01:18:51,800 Speaker 1: in the ninety and it is, you know, a phenomenal 1455 01:18:51,840 --> 01:18:54,320 Speaker 1: book about you know, the ethics of land and hunting. 1456 01:18:55,200 --> 01:18:58,559 Speaker 1: And I just know I can't recommend that, you know, yeah, 1457 01:18:58,960 --> 01:19:03,040 Speaker 1: heavily enough. Go back and read a biography of Theodore Roosevelt, 1458 01:19:03,040 --> 01:19:06,280 Speaker 1: one of the Morriss biographies to talk about, you know, 1459 01:19:06,320 --> 01:19:09,439 Speaker 1: building that public land network, among other things. Read Tim 1460 01:19:09,520 --> 01:19:12,840 Speaker 1: Egan's The Big Burn you know that really talks about 1461 01:19:12,880 --> 01:19:15,800 Speaker 1: you know, that period in the early nineteen hundreds when 1462 01:19:15,840 --> 01:19:18,439 Speaker 1: the forest fires were sweeping and it was you know, 1463 01:19:18,520 --> 01:19:20,479 Speaker 1: the Forest Service and our public lands really on a 1464 01:19:20,560 --> 01:19:24,040 Speaker 1: knife edge. And you know that, you know, the experiences 1465 01:19:24,080 --> 01:19:28,120 Speaker 1: from that whole catastrophe really strengthened what is now our 1466 01:19:28,160 --> 01:19:31,080 Speaker 1: public land network. So I just think there's a ton 1467 01:19:31,160 --> 01:19:34,599 Speaker 1: of really interesting stuff out there in our community, um, 1468 01:19:34,680 --> 01:19:37,400 Speaker 1: that you know, folks can look at and learn more about. 1469 01:19:38,000 --> 01:19:41,320 Speaker 1: And I'm only scratching the surface, but you have your 1470 01:19:41,360 --> 01:19:45,760 Speaker 1: listeners and your comment section recommend their favorites. Yeah, yeah, 1471 01:19:46,120 --> 01:19:47,840 Speaker 1: I'm sure there's a whole bunch I have not read. 1472 01:19:48,439 --> 01:19:52,599 Speaker 1: There's a lot of good ones out there, that's for sure. Um. Okay. 1473 01:19:53,120 --> 01:19:56,240 Speaker 1: Next kind of final thing then, would be of all 1474 01:19:56,240 --> 01:19:57,960 Speaker 1: the things we talked about, We've talked about a lot 1475 01:19:58,000 --> 01:20:02,040 Speaker 1: of far ranging issues or ide is that folks could 1476 01:20:02,080 --> 01:20:06,240 Speaker 1: be you know, possibly taking action on, thinking about or 1477 01:20:06,280 --> 01:20:08,680 Speaker 1: trying to help move the needle on what what's your 1478 01:20:08,720 --> 01:20:11,040 Speaker 1: top priority of everything we've talked about. If you want 1479 01:20:11,120 --> 01:20:13,799 Speaker 1: to leave our listeners with one thing that they should 1480 01:20:14,040 --> 01:20:17,479 Speaker 1: do something about right now, one action they should take, 1481 01:20:17,640 --> 01:20:21,920 Speaker 1: what would that be way in a CWD. I mean, 1482 01:20:22,040 --> 01:20:24,759 Speaker 1: you know that is you know, as as a crisis 1483 01:20:24,880 --> 01:20:28,120 Speaker 1: right now. We need funding for surveillance and testing. We 1484 01:20:28,160 --> 01:20:31,080 Speaker 1: need to do the research. We need to stop the 1485 01:20:31,120 --> 01:20:35,120 Speaker 1: spread of this thing because the consequences if it does 1486 01:20:35,240 --> 01:20:39,680 Speaker 1: jump to humans are catastrophic. Um. You know that is 1487 01:20:39,720 --> 01:20:41,760 Speaker 1: you know, the short term one. I mean, it's not 1488 01:20:41,880 --> 01:20:44,400 Speaker 1: too difficult, not what we need to do. But then 1489 01:20:44,479 --> 01:20:47,000 Speaker 1: you know, longer term, I mean it's you know, we 1490 01:20:47,040 --> 01:20:51,160 Speaker 1: have a unique system in this country and engage I 1491 01:20:51,200 --> 01:20:54,320 Speaker 1: mean engaged you know in your local you know, national 1492 01:20:54,360 --> 01:20:58,920 Speaker 1: forest and this planning rule, Engage in federal legislation. You know, 1493 01:20:58,960 --> 01:21:02,000 Speaker 1: there are a multiple ways you can engage in things 1494 01:21:02,040 --> 01:21:04,519 Speaker 1: that make a difference hunting and fishing this country, and 1495 01:21:04,560 --> 01:21:07,639 Speaker 1: a lot of them are not terribly sexy. Um. But 1496 01:21:07,760 --> 01:21:09,960 Speaker 1: you know, if we don't we as hunters and anglers, 1497 01:21:09,960 --> 01:21:12,479 Speaker 1: don't stand up and support this system and maintain it, 1498 01:21:12,479 --> 01:21:16,080 Speaker 1: it's not going to be there in the future. Very 1499 01:21:16,200 --> 01:21:19,760 Speaker 1: very true. And we're awfully lucky that other people did 1500 01:21:19,800 --> 01:21:22,839 Speaker 1: that in the past and now we get to benefit 1501 01:21:22,880 --> 01:21:24,920 Speaker 1: from us. So so I'm right there where you went. 1502 01:21:25,000 --> 01:21:28,960 Speaker 1: We need to keep passing on forward. If if people 1503 01:21:29,080 --> 01:21:31,400 Speaker 1: want to, if people want to connect with what you 1504 01:21:31,439 --> 01:21:35,080 Speaker 1: guys are doing over the RCP. Can you give us 1505 01:21:35,080 --> 01:21:36,840 Speaker 1: a scoop on where to find that? Should we sign 1506 01:21:36,880 --> 01:21:40,720 Speaker 1: up for the newsletter other things like that too, Yeah, definitely. Um. 1507 01:21:40,800 --> 01:21:43,559 Speaker 1: You know, sign up is free. To be a supporter. 1508 01:21:43,880 --> 01:21:45,559 Speaker 1: You can throw some money at us. You get a 1509 01:21:45,600 --> 01:21:49,599 Speaker 1: hat or or vis Humulos rod or Browning shotgun, depending 1510 01:21:49,640 --> 01:21:52,280 Speaker 1: on how much money you want to throw us. Um. 1511 01:21:52,320 --> 01:21:54,960 Speaker 1: But if you just sign up as a supporter, you 1512 01:21:54,960 --> 01:21:58,960 Speaker 1: will get a weekly newsletter, you will get updates on things, 1513 01:21:59,040 --> 01:22:01,599 Speaker 1: you'll get alerts us to want something. If you identify 1514 01:22:01,680 --> 01:22:04,400 Speaker 1: what you're interested in, the things you care about are 1515 01:22:04,439 --> 01:22:07,360 Speaker 1: popping up. But then also you know support, you know, 1516 01:22:07,360 --> 01:22:10,879 Speaker 1: our variety of partner groups. You know, support your local physicists, 1517 01:22:11,000 --> 01:22:15,400 Speaker 1: Rubber Chapter, National Deer Association, Yeah, the Old Deer Foundation, 1518 01:22:15,439 --> 01:22:18,200 Speaker 1: you know whatever it is, because those groups do amazing 1519 01:22:18,240 --> 01:22:20,200 Speaker 1: work on the ground. But if you want to find 1520 01:22:20,200 --> 01:22:22,960 Speaker 1: out more about us, you can go to www dot 1521 01:22:22,960 --> 01:22:26,080 Speaker 1: TRCP dot org. And I think it's pretty easy to 1522 01:22:26,160 --> 01:22:32,040 Speaker 1: navigate our site and enjoy. Yeah, I'll I'll laugh out 1523 01:22:32,040 --> 01:22:34,719 Speaker 1: a little plug here since you plugged my book so nicely. 1524 01:22:36,000 --> 01:22:40,040 Speaker 1: I absolutely would recommend folks listening to sign up for 1525 01:22:40,040 --> 01:22:43,439 Speaker 1: that newsletter and become a supporter. It really is. You know, 1526 01:22:43,479 --> 01:22:47,640 Speaker 1: one of the biggest challenges with being able to engage 1527 01:22:47,880 --> 01:22:50,360 Speaker 1: on a lot of these wildlife and habitat related issues 1528 01:22:50,479 --> 01:22:53,320 Speaker 1: is just keeping track of the million different things out 1529 01:22:53,320 --> 01:22:55,800 Speaker 1: there that are happening. And if if you're not proactive 1530 01:22:55,840 --> 01:22:59,040 Speaker 1: about keeping tabs and what's happening with our public lands 1531 01:22:59,120 --> 01:23:02,680 Speaker 1: or wildlife, our conservation related issues, it's really easy for 1532 01:23:02,720 --> 01:23:04,720 Speaker 1: a lot of that stuff to just happen and you 1533 01:23:04,760 --> 01:23:08,360 Speaker 1: never know it. But you guys do as good of 1534 01:23:08,400 --> 01:23:11,480 Speaker 1: a job as just about any as far as keeping 1535 01:23:11,600 --> 01:23:14,280 Speaker 1: you know, us up to date on important things going on. 1536 01:23:14,800 --> 01:23:17,000 Speaker 1: You've got a lot of great articles on the website 1537 01:23:17,040 --> 01:23:21,560 Speaker 1: that provide updates on current issues, on legislation, on priorities 1538 01:23:21,560 --> 01:23:24,040 Speaker 1: that we should be you know, talking to our representatives 1539 01:23:24,040 --> 01:23:26,280 Speaker 1: about different stuff like that. I mean, it's it's really 1540 01:23:26,280 --> 01:23:28,280 Speaker 1: been a great resource for me. So I can't I 1541 01:23:28,320 --> 01:23:31,720 Speaker 1: can't recommend it enough. Um, and I just I just 1542 01:23:31,720 --> 01:23:34,080 Speaker 1: want to thank you with for the great work that 1543 01:23:34,120 --> 01:23:37,600 Speaker 1: you and your your team is doing. I I appreciate it, 1544 01:23:37,600 --> 01:23:41,000 Speaker 1: and I appreciate your time here today. Hey listen, I 1545 01:23:41,000 --> 01:23:43,879 Speaker 1: know we'd all rather be talking about, you know, patterning 1546 01:23:43,920 --> 01:23:46,320 Speaker 1: white tales and things like that, but every now and 1547 01:23:46,360 --> 01:23:49,240 Speaker 1: then we gotta gotta make sure we have that opportunity 1548 01:23:49,280 --> 01:23:52,040 Speaker 1: of the future. So thank you for raising the issues. 1549 01:23:52,280 --> 01:23:55,040 Speaker 1: Absolutely what. I appreciate your time. Let's do this again, 1550 01:23:56,080 --> 01:23:59,040 Speaker 1: all right, sounds great, Mark, Thank you, and that's gonna 1551 01:23:59,040 --> 01:24:02,160 Speaker 1: do it. Thank you all for tuning in. Appreciate you listening, 1552 01:24:02,160 --> 01:24:06,040 Speaker 1: Appreciate you being a part of this awesome hunting fishing 1553 01:24:06,040 --> 01:24:08,439 Speaker 1: family we have. Thanks for taking action when you can, 1554 01:24:08,600 --> 01:24:11,360 Speaker 1: for speaking up for wild places and wild things, and 1555 01:24:11,640 --> 01:24:14,120 Speaker 1: uh for being a deer hunter, because being a deer 1556 01:24:14,160 --> 01:24:16,720 Speaker 1: hunter is a pretty damn cool thing to be. I 1557 01:24:16,800 --> 01:24:19,720 Speaker 1: certainly am proud to be one, proud that it's my lifestyle. 1558 01:24:19,960 --> 01:24:22,640 Speaker 1: And uh I'm looking forward to getting out there and 1559 01:24:22,960 --> 01:24:25,519 Speaker 1: seeing some big velvet bucks here and just a matter 1560 01:24:25,520 --> 01:24:27,600 Speaker 1: of weeks, probably weeks or months by the time this 1561 01:24:27,640 --> 01:24:31,840 Speaker 1: suckers out. So until then, until next time, thank you, 1562 01:24:32,120 --> 01:24:34,960 Speaker 1: and stay wired to hunt.