1 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:06,840 Speaker 1: From Mediators World News headquarters in Bozeman, Montana. This is 2 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:11,360 Speaker 1: Cal's weekend review, presented by Steel Steel products are available 3 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:15,160 Speaker 1: only at authorized dealers. For more, go to Steel Dealers 4 00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:22,480 Speaker 1: dot com. Now here's your host, Riot, Cal Callahan. What 5 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:26,360 Speaker 1: do mountain lions and walruses have in common? Usually not much, 6 00:00:26,360 --> 00:00:29,840 Speaker 1: but last week both animals were involved in unusual attacks 7 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:33,600 Speaker 1: that left their human victims literally scratching their heads. Thanks 8 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:36,200 Speaker 1: to Bob t and Cody Talina for sending us these 9 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:38,720 Speaker 1: stories all the way up in None of It, which 10 00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:42,320 Speaker 1: is the largest and northernmost territory of Canada, three walrus 11 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 1: hunters found themselves in cold water after one of the 12 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:48,400 Speaker 1: two thousand pound mammals flipped their boat. They'd spied a 13 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:51,400 Speaker 1: walrus from their small aluminum watercraft. One of them took 14 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 1: a shot. The walrus dove and reserviced a few times, 15 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:57,000 Speaker 1: but the final time they had tried to jump in 16 00:00:57,040 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 1: the back of their boat. The hunters believe it was 17 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:01,000 Speaker 1: trying to get up on the ice and mistook the 18 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:03,960 Speaker 1: boat for an ice flow. Either that or it was 19 00:01:04,240 --> 00:01:14,640 Speaker 1: unhappy for being shot. Okay, moving on anyway, the boat 20 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:17,640 Speaker 1: flipped and the three hunters were pitched into the frigid ocean. 21 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 1: The air temperature was negative twenty degrees celsius or minus 22 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:24,920 Speaker 1: four fahrenheit. The men survived because the boat retained enough 23 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:27,920 Speaker 1: air in the hole to stay afloat. They clambered onto 24 00:01:27,959 --> 00:01:29,840 Speaker 1: the bottom of the boat, which is now the top 25 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:31,880 Speaker 1: of the boat, and had to wait six hours to 26 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:35,919 Speaker 1: be rescued. Amazingly, they all survived and are doing just fine. 27 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:41,080 Speaker 1: They never saw the walrusk again. In Colorado last week, 28 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 1: a mountain lion took a swipe at a man's head 29 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:45,080 Speaker 1: as he was sitting in a hot tub. The man 30 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 1: was sitting in the warm water with his wife when 31 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:49,480 Speaker 1: a mountain lion snuck up behind them and gave the 32 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:52,560 Speaker 1: man four superficial scratches on the top of his head. 33 00:01:52,960 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 1: The couple responded as you might expect. They screamed, splashed 34 00:01:56,680 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 1: water out the animal, and showing a flashlight at it. 35 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 1: The lion retreated, apparently deciding that the ruckass wasn't worth 36 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:06,240 Speaker 1: the chance at soft boiled human. The man is fine, 37 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:09,760 Speaker 1: but state Wildlife officials say they're taking this incident very 38 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:13,200 Speaker 1: seriously and are attempting to capture the offending cap but 39 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:16,160 Speaker 1: also included that this is not the first story of 40 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:20,000 Speaker 1: a cougar getting posy in a Colorado mountain town hot tub, 41 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:24,640 Speaker 1: someplace warm, a place where the beer flows like wine. 42 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 1: We're beautiful women instinctively flocked like the salmon of Coppastrano. 43 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:35,120 Speaker 1: I'm talking about a little place called the Aspen and 44 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 1: for you, Herman Melville Fans. A forty four foot sailboat 45 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 1: was recently sunk in the Pacific Ocean after it collided 46 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:45,760 Speaker 1: with a whale. Reportedly, the captain of the vessel, Raindancer 47 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:50,240 Speaker 1: of Treburnier, Florida, Rick Rodriguez, had just dunked a slice 48 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:53,919 Speaker 1: of vegetarian pizza in ranch dressing when the boat oched 49 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:57,120 Speaker 1: onto its side. Alarms started to sound as the vessel 50 00:02:57,160 --> 00:02:59,520 Speaker 1: took on water, and one of the crew mates reported 51 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 1: that a large side fin could clearly be seen out 52 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:06,280 Speaker 1: of the water. Infer what you will, But although many 53 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:09,960 Speaker 1: people love it, ranch dressing on pizza is gross and 54 00:03:10,040 --> 00:03:13,680 Speaker 1: can get this type of violent overreaction from pizza fans 55 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:17,560 Speaker 1: just about anywhere to kick Captain Rodriguez while he was down. 56 00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:20,639 Speaker 1: He and his crew were rescued after ten hours at 57 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:24,920 Speaker 1: sea by the Rolling Stones, A forty five foot sail boat, 58 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 1: which had to make for a long ride home forty 59 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:31,679 Speaker 1: four foot or huh yeah, we went ahead and got 60 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 1: a forty five Staying comfortable. This week, we've got animal 61 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 1: rights legislation and the Willow Project. But first I'm going 62 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:44,200 Speaker 1: to tell you about my week. And my week was 63 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:47,120 Speaker 1: spent at one of my favorite events, surrounded by my 64 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:51,960 Speaker 1: favorite people, BHA Rendezvous and BHA chapter leaders, coordinators and 65 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:57,040 Speaker 1: volunteers with any membership organization, Volunteers and volunteer organizing and 66 00:03:57,160 --> 00:04:00,840 Speaker 1: leadership are the backbone of the whole thing. Very fortunate 67 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 1: to spend time with these people who are dedicated to hunting, phishing, foraging, teaching, 68 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:08,960 Speaker 1: as well as making the time to testify at phishing 69 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:12,680 Speaker 1: game meetings around Capitol Hill. Big big thank you to 70 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:15,640 Speaker 1: all of you. You mean a lot. I'm already looking 71 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:17,520 Speaker 1: forward to the next one. But we got a lot 72 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:19,360 Speaker 1: to talk about, so we're going to move on to 73 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 1: the animal rights desk. Two. Nevada legislators are pushing a 74 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 1: bill that would ban what they call wildlife killing contests. 75 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:33,479 Speaker 1: Assembly Bill one O two prohibits anyone from organizing, sponsoring, promoting, conducting, 76 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:36,760 Speaker 1: or participating in any kind of contest that offers a 77 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:40,760 Speaker 1: prize for hunting a list of animals that includes coyotes, bobcats, beavers, 78 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:43,800 Speaker 1: and rabbits. Anyone who has found guilty of organizing one 79 00:04:43,839 --> 00:04:46,320 Speaker 1: of these events will face a fine between five thousand 80 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:49,880 Speaker 1: and thirty thousand dollars, and anyone found guilty of participating 81 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:53,239 Speaker 1: will be forced to pay between fifty and one thousand dollars. 82 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:55,479 Speaker 1: This isn't the first time we've covered a bill like 83 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:59,599 Speaker 1: this on the podcast. California, Vermont, Arizona, Massachusetts, New Mexico, 84 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:03,560 Speaker 1: call Ata, Washington, and Maryland have already passed bills banning 85 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:07,040 Speaker 1: these contests, with the exception of California, which handed down 86 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:09,800 Speaker 1: at the ban in twenty fourteen. All of these bills 87 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:12,880 Speaker 1: passed in the last five years. Animal rights activists see 88 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:16,440 Speaker 1: kyote calling contests as lohane fruit, and they've been successful 89 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:20,000 Speaker 1: in their more recent lobbying efforts. They're being especially aggressive 90 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:23,720 Speaker 1: about this bill. In Nevada, the Humane Society sent undercover 91 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:27,159 Speaker 1: agents to two kyote calling contests in Fallon and Reno. 92 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:30,159 Speaker 1: Someone from the Humane Society went to the Way Ends 93 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:32,760 Speaker 1: with a hidden camera and microphone, and they published the 94 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:35,680 Speaker 1: most outrageous things they heard and saw. The photos and 95 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:38,560 Speaker 1: videos are pretty much what you'd expect a bunch of 96 00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:42,040 Speaker 1: dead coyotes. I can see how someone unfamiliar with hunting 97 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 1: would find these photos shocking, but they don't show anything 98 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 1: particularly bloody or gruesome. The quotes from participants are a 99 00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:52,400 Speaker 1: little more cringey. One hunter supposedly said that he likes 100 00:05:52,440 --> 00:05:56,279 Speaker 1: participating in kyote calling contests because he can quote shoot 101 00:05:56,279 --> 00:06:00,599 Speaker 1: as many as I effing want and killed stuff. He 102 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:03,080 Speaker 1: also said he has a quote itch to kill something 103 00:06:03,279 --> 00:06:06,240 Speaker 1: better than people, which I don't know if it is 104 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:09,520 Speaker 1: a compliment for coyotes or not. This isn't a great look, 105 00:06:09,640 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 1: but it's one of only a few quotes the Humane 106 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 1: Society includes in their press release. If that's the best 107 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:17,160 Speaker 1: this an investigator could come up with after spending two 108 00:06:17,240 --> 00:06:20,120 Speaker 1: days fishing for bad quotes, I'd say the Humane Society 109 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:23,160 Speaker 1: needs to hire a new undercover agent. We reached out 110 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:26,120 Speaker 1: for the full audio recording to hear these quotes in context, 111 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:30,000 Speaker 1: but the animal rights organization hasn't responded, and I'm not 112 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:33,320 Speaker 1: holding my breath. I did hear back from George McNeill, 113 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:36,760 Speaker 1: who organized one of the contests. The Humane Society investigated. 114 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:39,880 Speaker 1: He told me that the reports slightly exaggerated the number 115 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 1: of coyotes killed, but it also falsely implied that the 116 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:45,120 Speaker 1: kyotes were just dumped in a hole. That's not true 117 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:48,039 Speaker 1: at all. Many of the participants keep their dogs and 118 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:51,080 Speaker 1: sell the pelts at the local fur trading show. Every 119 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:53,839 Speaker 1: one of the contests have somebody that wants those pelts, 120 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 1: and so they generally take all the dogs. I've been 121 00:06:57,120 --> 00:07:01,280 Speaker 1: approached life, I think from other calling in and saying, hey, 122 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:02,840 Speaker 1: what are you going to do with those bells? They 123 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 1: will come out here and pick up all the dogs. 124 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:09,120 Speaker 1: The hunting community has had legitimate and productive debates about 125 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 1: the place of predator contests and how those contests should operate. 126 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:15,400 Speaker 1: The Humane Society claims that hunters ought to oppose these 127 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 1: events because they make us look bad. But if they 128 00:07:18,120 --> 00:07:20,800 Speaker 1: really cared about the public perception of hunters, they want 129 00:07:20,960 --> 00:07:23,440 Speaker 1: cherry pick a few bad quotes and plaster images of 130 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:26,800 Speaker 1: dead coyotes across social media. In other words, if they're 131 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:30,120 Speaker 1: trying to convince hunters to agree with them, they're a 132 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:33,320 Speaker 1: long way off. Anyway. If you live in Nevada and 133 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:36,560 Speaker 1: want these contests to continue, give your state legislators a 134 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:38,760 Speaker 1: call and tell them what you think about Assembly Bill 135 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:41,800 Speaker 1: one zero two. The bill is being considered right now 136 00:07:41,840 --> 00:07:44,960 Speaker 1: by the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources, so you should 137 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:48,480 Speaker 1: contact those legislators as well, and we'll have these up 138 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:51,360 Speaker 1: at the meat eater dot Com forward slash cal case 139 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 1: you need to track them down later. If predator hunting 140 00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:58,400 Speaker 1: is a public enemy number one for animal rights activists, 141 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:02,440 Speaker 1: hound hunting is a close The Center for Biological Diversity 142 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:05,200 Speaker 1: submitted a petition to the US Forest Service earlier this 143 00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 1: year to prohibit hound hunting on the Chickamaugan Nicolette National 144 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:12,920 Speaker 1: Forest in northern Wisconsin. They argue that dogs pose a 145 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:15,920 Speaker 1: danger to wolves, which were recently returned to the endangered 146 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 1: species list. Houndsmen are no longer allowed to target wolves, 147 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:22,680 Speaker 1: but the Center for Biological Diversity worries that if dogs 148 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:25,400 Speaker 1: are allowed to go after bears or bobcats, they'll run 149 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:29,240 Speaker 1: into wolves and injure them. There's just one problem. Even 150 00:08:29,280 --> 00:08:32,440 Speaker 1: according to the center's own petition, the injuries almost always 151 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:35,800 Speaker 1: run the other direction. During the twenty twenty one wolf hunt, 152 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:38,440 Speaker 1: for example, only one wolf was documented to have been 153 00:08:38,520 --> 00:08:41,320 Speaker 1: killed by dogs. However, more than one hundred dogs have 154 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:44,000 Speaker 1: been killed or injured by wolves in Wisconsin over the 155 00:08:44,040 --> 00:08:48,320 Speaker 1: last five years. I'm sure wolves have also sustained some injuries, 156 00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:50,520 Speaker 1: but I'd say the chance of a pack of bear 157 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 1: dogs going after a wolf and succeeding and beaten up 158 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:56,800 Speaker 1: the much larger canine are pretty slim. If you'd like 159 00:08:56,880 --> 00:08:59,320 Speaker 1: to weigh in on this one, contact Gina Owens and 160 00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:02,520 Speaker 1: Paul Strong. They're the US Forest Service officials who received 161 00:09:02,559 --> 00:09:05,439 Speaker 1: the petition, and all include their contact info at the 162 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:09,480 Speaker 1: meat eater dot com forward slash cap. Moving on to 163 00:09:09,559 --> 00:09:15,400 Speaker 1: the legislative desk, the Kansas Fishing Game Commission voted unanimously 164 00:09:15,400 --> 00:09:18,040 Speaker 1: earlier this month to ban the use of trailcams on 165 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:21,800 Speaker 1: public land. While several Western states have imposed similar bands 166 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:25,520 Speaker 1: in recent years, Kansas is the first Midwestern whitetail state 167 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:29,280 Speaker 1: to follow suit. Supporters of the band cited privacy, fairchase, 168 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:33,200 Speaker 1: and conflict issues among hunters. Opponents wanted an amendment that 169 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:36,480 Speaker 1: only banned trailcams during big game hunting seasons, but the 170 00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:40,360 Speaker 1: Commission ultimately decided on a total year round ban. The 171 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:43,800 Speaker 1: prohibition applies in all twenty eight state parks and roughly 172 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:47,280 Speaker 1: three hundred thousand acres of public wildlife areas, as well 173 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:50,319 Speaker 1: as the one point four million acres of least private 174 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:54,240 Speaker 1: property enrolled in Kansas walk in Hunting Access Program, which 175 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:59,720 Speaker 1: is a suite program. Speaking of trail cameras, the Montana 176 00:09:59,760 --> 00:10:01,840 Speaker 1: State House passed to build this month that bans the 177 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:05,520 Speaker 1: sale of trailcam and location data obtained on public land. 178 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:08,640 Speaker 1: The sale is only prohibited if those images and data 179 00:10:08,679 --> 00:10:11,240 Speaker 1: are used in a way that quote harms, harasses, or 180 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:15,000 Speaker 1: kills fish or wildlife. Violators can be fined between fifty 181 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:17,080 Speaker 1: and a thousand dollars, be in prison for up to 182 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:20,440 Speaker 1: six months, or both. The House pass the bill HP 183 00:10:20,559 --> 00:10:23,040 Speaker 1: five four seven on a fifty seven to forty one vote. 184 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 1: It's now being considered by the Senate Fish and Game Committee. 185 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 1: For those of you who don't know, closest thing I 186 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:31,800 Speaker 1: can think of here that is pretty widespread is like 187 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:35,360 Speaker 1: selling ice fishing locations. Like guides will go out tell 188 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:38,200 Speaker 1: people how many fish they caught, and offer to sell 189 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:41,080 Speaker 1: the way points to those holes. This is kind of 190 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:43,720 Speaker 1: like that. But imagine you get a big old awesome 191 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:46,880 Speaker 1: buck on your trailcam on public land. Then you post 192 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:49,760 Speaker 1: that big old awesome buck out there and you say, hey, 193 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:53,079 Speaker 1: this buck's coming through at this time, how much will 194 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:56,160 Speaker 1: you pay me for the location data? Got it? Got it. 195 00:10:56,880 --> 00:10:59,679 Speaker 1: Also in Montana, a group of legislators are working to 196 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:02,920 Speaker 1: pass constitutional amendment that would make it more difficult to 197 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:07,440 Speaker 1: regulate trapping. The state constitution already describes the opportunity to 198 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:10,920 Speaker 1: harvest wild fishing game as a quote heritage that shall 199 00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:13,800 Speaker 1: forever be preserved to the individual citizens of the state. 200 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:18,520 Speaker 1: This bill HP three seventy two would replace opportunity with 201 00:11:18,679 --> 00:11:22,240 Speaker 1: right and guarantees Montana's a right to hunt, fish, trap, 202 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:26,040 Speaker 1: and harvest fish and wildlife. The amendment would also require 203 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:29,160 Speaker 1: the state to quote give preference to hunting, fishing, and 204 00:11:29,280 --> 00:11:32,839 Speaker 1: trapping by citizens as the primary, but not exclusive means 205 00:11:32,880 --> 00:11:36,800 Speaker 1: of the state's management of wildfish and wildlife populations for 206 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:40,880 Speaker 1: the benefit of all Montanas. Opponents argued that a recent 207 00:11:40,960 --> 00:11:43,800 Speaker 1: committee hearing that because trappers make up less than one 208 00:11:43,920 --> 00:11:47,080 Speaker 1: half of one percent of the Montana population, they should 209 00:11:47,160 --> 00:11:50,120 Speaker 1: not have so much say in how wildlife is managed. 210 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:53,280 Speaker 1: The debate over this bill reflects a larger debate happening 211 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:56,200 Speaker 1: across the country. Animal rights groups want to limit the 212 00:11:56,240 --> 00:11:59,760 Speaker 1: influence of hunters and trappers on wildlife policy. They say 213 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:03,720 Speaker 1: wildlife departments and commissions are too beholden to hunters, and 214 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:06,120 Speaker 1: they're trying to keep hunters from having such a large 215 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:09,800 Speaker 1: seat at the table. This constitutional amendment is designed to 216 00:12:09,840 --> 00:12:12,959 Speaker 1: make it more difficult for hunters and trappers to lose 217 00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:15,720 Speaker 1: that seat at the table. If you haven't guessed, I'm 218 00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:20,040 Speaker 1: all in favor of the language change. HB three seventy 219 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:23,959 Speaker 1: two suggests making it a right to hunt, fishing, trap 220 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:31,920 Speaker 1: and harvest fishing wildlife copy. Moving on to the state 221 00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:37,280 Speaker 1: of Utah, Governor Spencer Cox signed a controversial bill that would, 222 00:12:37,280 --> 00:12:40,400 Speaker 1: among other things, allow for year round mountain lion hunting 223 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:43,880 Speaker 1: without any special tags or permits. The bill also sets 224 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:46,400 Speaker 1: aside one million dollars a year to acquire land to 225 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:49,880 Speaker 1: preserve it for wildlife habitat and hunter access, bans the 226 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:52,559 Speaker 1: use of trail cameras on public lands from July thirty 227 00:12:52,559 --> 00:12:55,640 Speaker 1: one to December thirty one, and establish his rules for 228 00:12:55,760 --> 00:13:00,600 Speaker 1: using air rifles and hunting. The Oklahoma State House passed 229 00:13:00,640 --> 00:13:03,959 Speaker 1: a bill last week that would transfer CWD management authority 230 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:07,280 Speaker 1: from the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation to the Department 231 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:10,760 Speaker 1: of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry. Under the current system, the 232 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:14,079 Speaker 1: AGG Department handles CWD in captive serve at herds, while 233 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:17,240 Speaker 1: the Department of Wildlife tackles the issues in the wild population. 234 00:13:17,640 --> 00:13:20,280 Speaker 1: It's unclear why anyone would want to strip the Wildlife 235 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:23,440 Speaker 1: Department of this authority, considering the fact that this agency 236 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:26,720 Speaker 1: handles every other hunter related issue in the state. But 237 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:30,480 Speaker 1: the lead sponsor the bill, Representative Kevin Wallace, seems to 238 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:34,600 Speaker 1: think the Wildlife Department is no longer fit to manage CWD. 239 00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:37,439 Speaker 1: He said on the House floor that the Department has 240 00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:42,440 Speaker 1: been quote infiltrated by quote extreme environmentalists. He also said 241 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:45,599 Speaker 1: the department has been alarmist about the threat of CWD 242 00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:49,160 Speaker 1: and said CWD might very well be a quote made 243 00:13:49,240 --> 00:13:52,240 Speaker 1: up disease that is actually just a sheep any goat 244 00:13:52,280 --> 00:13:57,000 Speaker 1: disease called scrapies. Representative Wallace clearly thanks the AGG Department 245 00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 1: will take a different approach to CWD management, and many 246 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:02,720 Speaker 1: of his colleagues agree. His bill passed the House on 247 00:14:02,760 --> 00:14:05,280 Speaker 1: a seventy three to seventeen vote, and it now heads 248 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:07,920 Speaker 1: to the Senate. If you'd like to weigh in, get 249 00:14:07,960 --> 00:14:10,760 Speaker 1: in touch with your Oklahoma state senators about House Bill 250 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:13,920 Speaker 1: two eight six two. Before you do, you may want 251 00:14:13,960 --> 00:14:16,800 Speaker 1: to look up what happens to cheap or goat herds 252 00:14:16,960 --> 00:14:20,560 Speaker 1: when they contract scrape and maybe then go back and 253 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:28,120 Speaker 1: inform Representative Wallace. Moving on to Texas, State Senator Mays 254 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:30,640 Speaker 1: Middleton is pushing a bill that would reverse the burden 255 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:34,120 Speaker 1: of proof and public access dispute. Public access to the 256 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:37,240 Speaker 1: sea in Texas includes the area from the mean high 257 00:14:37,320 --> 00:14:40,480 Speaker 1: tideline to the edge of the vegetation or dunes. Under 258 00:14:40,520 --> 00:14:43,560 Speaker 1: current law, if there is a dispute about public access, 259 00:14:43,880 --> 00:14:47,360 Speaker 1: the landowner must prove that their position is the correct one. 260 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:50,440 Speaker 1: Senate Bill four thirty four would shift that burden of 261 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:53,000 Speaker 1: proof back to the public, which would make it much 262 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:57,040 Speaker 1: easier for landowners to restrict access to public property. The 263 00:14:57,120 --> 00:15:00,080 Speaker 1: bill doesn't change the definition of public and private, but 264 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:02,160 Speaker 1: it does mean that the state will be forced to 265 00:15:02,200 --> 00:15:06,240 Speaker 1: defend public property in court again and again and again. 266 00:15:06,880 --> 00:15:09,440 Speaker 1: Listener Joshua Hoak wrote in to tell me that this 267 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:13,160 Speaker 1: bill will majorly impact access for recreation and fishing in 268 00:15:13,240 --> 00:15:18,000 Speaker 1: areas like Galveston and Corpus Christi port Ranzas. Ironically, some 269 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:20,880 Speaker 1: landowners are also opposing the bill because it would mean 270 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:23,480 Speaker 1: that the state will no longer handle beach cleanup and 271 00:15:23,560 --> 00:15:27,520 Speaker 1: other maintenance on beach property with no public access. Senate 272 00:15:27,520 --> 00:15:29,400 Speaker 1: Bill four thirty four has not been sent to the 273 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:32,880 Speaker 1: Natural Resources and Economic Development Committee, but it has not 274 00:15:33,040 --> 00:15:38,480 Speaker 1: received a hearing either. Alaskans are concerned about a new 275 00:15:38,520 --> 00:15:41,600 Speaker 1: Bureau of Land Management program that would transfer federal public 276 00:15:41,680 --> 00:15:43,920 Speaker 1: land to the State of Alaska, which would then use 277 00:15:43,960 --> 00:15:47,120 Speaker 1: that land to fund the University of Alaska. The program 278 00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:50,280 Speaker 1: was included in the most recent Omnimus bill package passed 279 00:15:50,320 --> 00:15:52,960 Speaker 1: by Congress. Some of the land that will be transferred 280 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:57,040 Speaker 1: is located along the Dnali Highway, often abbreviated the DH 281 00:15:57,120 --> 00:15:59,640 Speaker 1: by locals, so you know how to refer to it 282 00:15:59,640 --> 00:16:02,040 Speaker 1: when you ever go up there. Slide into a saloon 283 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:05,120 Speaker 1: and have a beer. These parcels are prime habitat for 284 00:16:05,160 --> 00:16:09,200 Speaker 1: all sorts of wildlife, including moose, caribou, black bears, brown bears, 285 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:12,400 Speaker 1: lake trout, and grayling. Justin Mason, a board member for 286 00:16:12,440 --> 00:16:15,600 Speaker 1: the Alaska Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, also pointed 287 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:18,440 Speaker 1: out that locals love this area because it has a 288 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:21,920 Speaker 1: feeling of true wilderness. He told me that lands will 289 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:25,720 Speaker 1: most likely be sold as recreational parcels to individual Alaskans 290 00:16:25,880 --> 00:16:29,640 Speaker 1: or to commercial developers like Carnival Cruise Lines. The area 291 00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:32,800 Speaker 1: already has some development, but Mason and others are concerned 292 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:37,720 Speaker 1: about adding even more development to this pristine wilderness area. Unfortunately, 293 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:41,160 Speaker 1: there isn't much Alaskans can do to keep the transfers 294 00:16:41,200 --> 00:16:44,960 Speaker 1: from happening. But Mason still believes it's worthwhile to pressure 295 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:48,640 Speaker 1: the state to manage the land responsibly. That's always our 296 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:52,160 Speaker 1: job as public land users, but it's especially important when 297 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:55,440 Speaker 1: states are deciding how to sell what was formerly federal 298 00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:58,840 Speaker 1: public land. I'm going to jump back over to the 299 00:16:58,880 --> 00:17:03,120 Speaker 1: state level and talk about Wisconsin courtesy one mister Trevor Hubbs. 300 00:17:05,160 --> 00:17:09,560 Speaker 1: You Wisconsinites may know that the Wisconsin Conservation Congress is 301 00:17:09,600 --> 00:17:13,399 Speaker 1: an organizational body of delegates elected by the citizens to 302 00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:17,560 Speaker 1: advise the Natural Resources Board and Department of Natural Resources 303 00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:21,679 Speaker 1: on responsible management of Wisconsin's natural resources based on the 304 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:25,159 Speaker 1: North American model of wildlife conservation. But you may not 305 00:17:25,320 --> 00:17:29,240 Speaker 1: know that listeners in Wisconsin who attend their county spring 306 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:33,040 Speaker 1: open house can meet their delegates, meet their representatives, and 307 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:36,639 Speaker 1: discuss the spring hearings for twenty twenty three. They can 308 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:39,600 Speaker 1: vote on new members and make their opinion known on 309 00:17:39,640 --> 00:17:44,720 Speaker 1: any wildlife management or natural resources topic. Further, you may 310 00:17:44,720 --> 00:17:47,919 Speaker 1: not know that you Wisconsinites need to vote in the 311 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:52,919 Speaker 1: spring hearing, which is available online April ten through April thirteenth. 312 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:56,200 Speaker 1: Pay special attention to the Turkey and Upland Game Committee 313 00:17:56,400 --> 00:18:00,560 Speaker 1: Question number seventy, which establishes an annual perch of a 314 00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:03,960 Speaker 1: Native grouse stamp, which would then authorize you to hunt 315 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:07,160 Speaker 1: grouse in Wisconsin. Before you go crying in the mud 316 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:09,480 Speaker 1: about you know, an extra fee that you gotta pay, 317 00:18:09,800 --> 00:18:13,760 Speaker 1: keep in mind Wisconsin currently requires a pheasant stamp. The 318 00:18:13,880 --> 00:18:17,440 Speaker 1: funds from that stamp go toward the pheasant stocking program. 319 00:18:17,480 --> 00:18:21,639 Speaker 1: This new proposed native grouse stamp would raise funds to 320 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:26,520 Speaker 1: be directed toward habitat development and preservation for Wisconsins. For 321 00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:30,199 Speaker 1: native grouse species, the prairie chicken, which is probably going 322 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:32,600 Speaker 1: to be on the endangered species list here soon. The 323 00:18:32,640 --> 00:18:35,879 Speaker 1: sharp tailed grouse. Yes, you have sharp tailed grouse in Wisconsin, 324 00:18:36,280 --> 00:18:39,760 Speaker 1: spruce grouse, and rough grouse. This is a big deal. 325 00:18:39,960 --> 00:18:42,200 Speaker 1: I think you know how I'd vote on that, So 326 00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:46,160 Speaker 1: show up represent If you need more info, you can 327 00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:49,840 Speaker 1: find it at DNR dot Wisconsin. Dot gov forward slash 328 00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:55,040 Speaker 1: about forward slash WCC forward slash spring hearing. We'll get 329 00:18:55,080 --> 00:18:59,360 Speaker 1: that up at the ASCAL site as well. Moving on 330 00:18:59,640 --> 00:19:04,639 Speaker 1: to the snake desk, a new comprehensive study published by 331 00:19:04,680 --> 00:19:07,720 Speaker 1: the US Geological Survey has found that the Burmese python 332 00:19:07,800 --> 00:19:12,399 Speaker 1: population in Florida is not only growing, it's also expanding. 333 00:19:12,840 --> 00:19:16,040 Speaker 1: The study polls together decades of python research and data 334 00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:19,040 Speaker 1: into one document and provides a breakdown of seventy six 335 00:19:19,080 --> 00:19:23,000 Speaker 1: prey species found in Python digestive tracks. It also reports 336 00:19:23,040 --> 00:19:26,680 Speaker 1: new findings, including a summary of body sizes, a comprehensive 337 00:19:26,720 --> 00:19:30,080 Speaker 1: assessment of all control tools explored to date, and the 338 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:34,920 Speaker 1: estimated geographic spread of pythons over time. The estimated geographic 339 00:19:34,960 --> 00:19:38,040 Speaker 1: spread isn't great news for the biologists and hunters hoping 340 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:41,240 Speaker 1: to keep the population in check. The giant invasive snakes 341 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:44,000 Speaker 1: have been spreading steadily beyond their core range in the 342 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:47,360 Speaker 1: Florida Everglades since the late nineteen nineties and are now 343 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:50,280 Speaker 1: invading areas as far north as West Palm Beach and 344 00:19:50,359 --> 00:19:53,840 Speaker 1: Fort Myers. While the study admits that low detection rates 345 00:19:53,920 --> 00:19:58,520 Speaker 1: make precise population estimates difficult, researchers are confident enough to 346 00:19:58,520 --> 00:20:03,159 Speaker 1: claim quote erratic of the population across the landscape is 347 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:07,480 Speaker 1: not possible with existing tools. Snakes are too well camouflaged 348 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:09,840 Speaker 1: for hunters to put a dent in the overall population, 349 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:12,719 Speaker 1: and they do not readily enter any type of trap. 350 00:20:13,280 --> 00:20:15,679 Speaker 1: If you live in an area with feral hogs, you 351 00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:19,400 Speaker 1: can begin to understand the problem. Pythons, like hogs, are 352 00:20:19,440 --> 00:20:25,280 Speaker 1: incredibly competent reproducers, but unlike hogs, they're predatory and exceptionally stealthy. 353 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:29,320 Speaker 1: They live in inaccessible wilderness areas, and they're hard to 354 00:20:29,359 --> 00:20:32,200 Speaker 1: find even if you can get into those areas. This 355 00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:35,879 Speaker 1: new study identifies genetic biocontrol as one of the only 356 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:40,639 Speaker 1: real solutions. This novel new technique manipulates genetic material with 357 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:43,840 Speaker 1: the goal of decreasing the ability of an invasive species 358 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:47,159 Speaker 1: to thrive in the non native environment. The genetics of 359 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:50,720 Speaker 1: pythons could be manipulated such that the snakes produce only 360 00:20:50,800 --> 00:20:55,200 Speaker 1: male offspring or infertile offspring. These techniques have the advantage 361 00:20:55,200 --> 00:20:58,320 Speaker 1: of being potentially population wide, and they don't rely on 362 00:20:58,480 --> 00:21:02,840 Speaker 1: humans identifying where the snakes are located. Unfortunately, the study 363 00:21:02,920 --> 00:21:07,680 Speaker 1: also describes these techniques as currently unproven and even If 364 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:11,399 Speaker 1: they're effective, they'll take many years to develop. So for now, 365 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:13,679 Speaker 1: it looks like the python issue is much like the 366 00:21:13,840 --> 00:21:17,240 Speaker 1: CWD issue. We should be doing everything we can to 367 00:21:17,280 --> 00:21:20,239 Speaker 1: control the spread of the species until researchers come up 368 00:21:20,240 --> 00:21:23,800 Speaker 1: with a better solution. That's a bit depressing, but that's 369 00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:27,040 Speaker 1: nature for you. It rarely behaves like you want it to. 370 00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:33,360 Speaker 1: Moving on to the extraction desk. By now, you've probably 371 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:36,479 Speaker 1: heard about President Joe Biden's decision to approve the Willow 372 00:21:36,560 --> 00:21:40,360 Speaker 1: Oil Project in northern Alaska. This is the largest proposed 373 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:43,800 Speaker 1: oil drilling project on America's public lands, with an expected 374 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:46,600 Speaker 1: five hundred and seventy six million barrels of oil over 375 00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:49,480 Speaker 1: the thirty year life of the project. It's a scale 376 00:21:49,520 --> 00:21:52,720 Speaker 1: back version of what was originally requested by Conico Phillips, 377 00:21:52,760 --> 00:21:55,880 Speaker 1: but environmentalist groups say they were blindsided by the decision 378 00:21:56,000 --> 00:21:59,600 Speaker 1: from an administration that has so far expressed opposition to 379 00:21:59,760 --> 00:22:04,400 Speaker 1: new oil drilling. While climate activists having universally decried the decision, 380 00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:07,399 Speaker 1: the response from hunting and fishing groups has been more muted. 381 00:22:07,840 --> 00:22:10,480 Speaker 1: Not many groups have issued at public statement, but the 382 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:14,840 Speaker 1: Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership or TRCP did publish a great 383 00:22:14,920 --> 00:22:18,000 Speaker 1: primer on the topic. They point out that the Biden 384 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:21,520 Speaker 1: administration was in a legal bind since Conico Phillips has 385 00:22:21,520 --> 00:22:24,560 Speaker 1: held leases in this area since the nineties. If the 386 00:22:24,640 --> 00:22:28,240 Speaker 1: BLM denied the drilling permits, Conico Phillips would sue, and 387 00:22:28,320 --> 00:22:31,439 Speaker 1: the result would be billions of lost taxpayer dollars without 388 00:22:31,520 --> 00:22:35,240 Speaker 1: much to show for it. Instead, the Interior Department denied 389 00:22:35,280 --> 00:22:38,439 Speaker 1: two of the five proposed drill sites, which decreases the 390 00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:43,200 Speaker 1: project's public land footprint while ensuring it remains economically viable. 391 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:47,400 Speaker 1: The reduced projects scope will decrease the project's freshwater use 392 00:22:47,480 --> 00:22:51,200 Speaker 1: and potential impacts to Cariboo caving grounds and migration routes. 393 00:22:51,560 --> 00:22:54,920 Speaker 1: According to the TRCP, the approved version of the project, 394 00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:58,639 Speaker 1: for example, has twenty one one hundred and fourteen fewer 395 00:22:58,680 --> 00:23:02,679 Speaker 1: acres of Cariboo disturbances and the initial plan. Of course, 396 00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:05,760 Speaker 1: no drilling project is free of environmental impact. It will 397 00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:09,399 Speaker 1: cause some disturbances to Cariboo migration. It will also result 398 00:23:09,480 --> 00:23:12,280 Speaker 1: in five hundred and thirty two acres of lost wetlands, 399 00:23:12,359 --> 00:23:16,199 Speaker 1: six nineteen acres of potential polar bear habitat disturbances, and 400 00:23:16,280 --> 00:23:20,480 Speaker 1: seventeen thousand thirty seven acres of disturbances for birds. This 401 00:23:20,560 --> 00:23:23,040 Speaker 1: is a small portion of the entire twenty three million 402 00:23:23,119 --> 00:23:27,000 Speaker 1: acre area known as the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska, but 403 00:23:27,080 --> 00:23:29,560 Speaker 1: it's also still a cause for concern for some of 404 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:33,240 Speaker 1: the local indigenous communities. No one seems to be particularly 405 00:23:33,280 --> 00:23:35,800 Speaker 1: happy about this plan, which is sometimes the sign of 406 00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:39,159 Speaker 1: a good compromise. Advocates for the oil industry would have 407 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:42,000 Speaker 1: liked to see all five drilling pads approved, while the 408 00:23:42,040 --> 00:23:45,560 Speaker 1: clean energy folks worry how this decision will impact the climate. 409 00:23:46,119 --> 00:23:49,399 Speaker 1: For their part, TRCP praised the BLM for threading the 410 00:23:49,440 --> 00:23:53,600 Speaker 1: needle and working to offset impacts with conservation gains. They 411 00:23:53,640 --> 00:23:56,359 Speaker 1: call on administration to make good on their promises to 412 00:23:56,480 --> 00:24:00,440 Speaker 1: keep environmental disturbances to a minimum, which I'm sure is 413 00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:03,359 Speaker 1: what we always want. That's all I've got for you 414 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:06,080 Speaker 1: this week. Thank you so much for listening. Remember to 415 00:24:06,119 --> 00:24:09,680 Speaker 1: write in to ask c A L. That's ask Cal 416 00:24:09,880 --> 00:24:11,919 Speaker 1: at the Meat Eater dot com and let me know 417 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:14,560 Speaker 1: what's going on in your neck of the woods. Also, 418 00:24:14,880 --> 00:24:17,520 Speaker 1: you may not have known it because you're sitting in 419 00:24:17,560 --> 00:24:20,199 Speaker 1: a major snowstorm like we were, but the first day 420 00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:23,720 Speaker 1: of spring has sprung and as you know, things start 421 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:27,080 Speaker 1: emerging out of the snowpiles. You may get a hankering 422 00:24:27,359 --> 00:24:30,520 Speaker 1: to cut something down, pile up some slash, burn it, 423 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:33,840 Speaker 1: get that nasty stuff off the yard. Well, if you 424 00:24:33,880 --> 00:24:36,320 Speaker 1: need some tools to make you look like pro, go 425 00:24:36,400 --> 00:24:40,679 Speaker 1: to www. Dot steel Dealers dot com and find a local, 426 00:24:40,800 --> 00:24:43,920 Speaker 1: knowledgeable steel dealer near you. They're gonna get you set 427 00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:45,679 Speaker 1: up with what you need and they won't try to 428 00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:48,439 Speaker 1: send you home with what you don't. Thanks again and 429 00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:56,680 Speaker 1: I'll talk to you next week.