1 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 1: From Mediators World News headquarters in Bozeman, Montana. This is 2 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:18,320 Speaker 1: Cal's we can review with Ryan cal Calahan. Now Here's cal. 3 00:00:20,079 --> 00:00:24,239 Speaker 1: The Alaska Department of Transportation recently purchased a robotic dog 4 00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 1: they hope to use to scare wildlife away from airport runways. 5 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 1: They've named the dog Aurora, and they plan to dress 6 00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:33,479 Speaker 1: it up like a coyote or a fox so it 7 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:37,480 Speaker 1: can chase waterfowl at the Fairbanks International Airport. They'll also 8 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:39,920 Speaker 1: be looking to see how moose and bears respond to 9 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:42,559 Speaker 1: the headless metal robot that looks to be about the 10 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:45,599 Speaker 1: size of a Golden retriever. Wildlife can be a real 11 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:49,000 Speaker 1: danger to airplanes, and many airports have dedicated teams whose 12 00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:51,960 Speaker 1: job it is to make sure runways are clear. But 13 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:54,480 Speaker 1: I've said before that I'd rather see a dog used 14 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 1: for deer recovery than a drone, and this feels like 15 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:00,280 Speaker 1: more of the same. Did we lose the ability to 16 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 1: train real dogs to chase birds? In my experienced dogs 17 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 1: don't need much encouragement to take up that particular profession anyway. 18 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:11,280 Speaker 1: Alaskans are responding to this as you'd expect, a fiercely 19 00:01:11,319 --> 00:01:14,280 Speaker 1: independent group of people to respond to a robot that 20 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:17,760 Speaker 1: looks something out of Skynet. Many of the commenters on 21 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:21,800 Speaker 1: the Alaska Department of Transportation instagram post about Aurora asked 22 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:24,959 Speaker 1: how much taxpayer money was spent on the dog. One 23 00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:28,160 Speaker 1: asked the Department of Transportation to plow roads instead of 24 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:31,600 Speaker 1: purchasing robots. Another wondered whether the state would be opening 25 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 1: a robot wolf hunting season, and another worried that robots 26 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:38,560 Speaker 1: would be the death of humanity. You know who would 27 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:42,480 Speaker 1: never be the death of humanity. Actual dogs. Just a fun, 28 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:46,040 Speaker 1: playful pack of golden retrievers out there. You know they'd 29 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 1: probably do the job. Got to feed them all those thanks, 30 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 1: But it's like South Park episode. You know, they took 31 00:01:52,640 --> 00:02:02,520 Speaker 1: our jobs. This We've got court cases, we've got danger, 32 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:04,640 Speaker 1: we've got crime. But first coming to tell you about 33 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:08,840 Speaker 1: my week. And my week was awesome. As you know, 34 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:11,120 Speaker 1: we had the Brush for Bucks event with the boys 35 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:15,080 Speaker 1: from Hushing. We got twenty two thousand sagebrush seedlings in 36 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:18,640 Speaker 1: the ground, planted by one hundred volunteers who paid for 37 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:22,680 Speaker 1: the next round of seedlings. You are all amazing people. 38 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:27,160 Speaker 1: Thank you, thank you, thank you big huge thanks to IDFG, 39 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:31,600 Speaker 1: BLM and Utah DWR for kicking butt on this project 40 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:34,679 Speaker 1: as well. Cannot wait to get this going next year. 41 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:37,880 Speaker 1: Speaking with Mule Deer Foundation and Idaho Fish and Game, 42 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:41,240 Speaker 1: we'd like to see three projects in three states for 43 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:45,920 Speaker 1: twenty twenty five, plant habitat and hopefully some big buck 44 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 1: karma in twenty five. Now we have so much going on, 45 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:54,360 Speaker 1: it's brutal. My buddy Mike Rabe just shot a giant 46 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:58,200 Speaker 1: white sea bass in southern California. There's turkeys gobbling, there's 47 00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 1: bears out and about the media. Your live tour is 48 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 1: about to start. If you want to win tickets, you 49 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:07,359 Speaker 1: should hit up a BHA pint night, participate in trivia. 50 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 1: You'll get on stage with us where you can match 51 00:03:09,639 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 1: your wits. BHA Rendezvous is coming up. On top of this, 52 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 1: we should all be hiking, shooting, and generally getting ready 53 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:21,119 Speaker 1: for the big show. It's an exciting, anxiety producing time 54 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:24,160 Speaker 1: of year for me. On top of all that, I 55 00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:26,800 Speaker 1: got a call from Riverstone Kennels out there in Wisconsin 56 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:28,920 Speaker 1: trying to get me a puppy, and I had to 57 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:32,960 Speaker 1: say no. I rather defer to next year's litter because 58 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 1: Snort just needs another season. Both for success and because 59 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:39,480 Speaker 1: I want her to be a good citizen, back to 60 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:42,960 Speaker 1: the high standards I actually have rather than display by 61 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:47,600 Speaker 1: the time this puppy shows up. And another thing, this 62 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:49,840 Speaker 1: is just something I've been tinkering with because that's what 63 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:52,040 Speaker 1: I like to do. Please write in and tell me 64 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:55,480 Speaker 1: if I'm going wrong. I'm adding a fuel transfer tank 65 00:03:55,520 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 1: to the old diesel pickup and would like to also 66 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:02,040 Speaker 1: be able to patch in a diesel heater for a 67 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:06,480 Speaker 1: camper shell. Haven't gotten a camper shell yet, but more 68 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 1: than likely going the go fast camper route because they 69 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:14,240 Speaker 1: look pretty darn slick and they're made right here in Belgrade. 70 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 1: So I'm just soliciting feedback at this point. I'd like 71 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:20,040 Speaker 1: to hear from you. I'm also curious if I should 72 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:23,080 Speaker 1: drop the hammer on upgrading the shocks in the twenty 73 00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 1: five hundred, because I feel like something has had to 74 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:29,039 Speaker 1: have improved since Chevy put those on in two thousand 75 00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:32,120 Speaker 1: and five. Could be wrong, let me know. Don't know 76 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:35,000 Speaker 1: much about this stuff, but I like turning the ranch. 77 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:38,800 Speaker 1: So yeah, yeah, yeah, I think We're on a good 78 00:04:38,839 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 1: path here. So much happening, but we should probably get 79 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:45,359 Speaker 1: onto the news gang. So first stop, the legal desk. 80 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:50,680 Speaker 1: The corner crossing case in Wyoming isn't the only courtroom 81 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:53,720 Speaker 1: drama you should be keeping an eye on. In Michigan, 82 00:04:53,839 --> 00:04:57,440 Speaker 1: the Michigan United Conservation Clubs is suing the state's Natural 83 00:04:57,480 --> 00:05:00,920 Speaker 1: Resources Commission for its recent decision to shave three months 84 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:04,360 Speaker 1: off the coyote hunting season. We've covered this story before, 85 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 1: and we had two representatives from the MUCC on a 86 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 1: recent episode, so I'll give you the spark notes. Remember, 87 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:14,960 Speaker 1: those Michigan residents had been able to hunt coyotes year round, 88 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:17,960 Speaker 1: but the Commission decided to pause the hunt every year 89 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:21,440 Speaker 1: from April to July. They didn't have a biological reason 90 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:24,680 Speaker 1: for doing so. The coyote population is healthy and it 91 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 1: doesn't appear that shortening the season will have any significant 92 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:32,719 Speaker 1: population level impact. Instead, the Commission cited the social perception 93 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:36,240 Speaker 1: of hunting coyotes in spring while puppies are on the ground. 94 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:39,960 Speaker 1: They worried that public backlash to orphaned coyotes would prompt 95 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:43,560 Speaker 1: calls for all coyote hunting to be abolished. The MUCC 96 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:47,039 Speaker 1: filed a claim of appeal in Ingham County Circuit Court, 97 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:49,720 Speaker 1: arguing that this isn't a good enough reason to make 98 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:53,800 Speaker 1: wildlife management decisions. They argue that the Commission is charged 99 00:05:53,839 --> 00:05:58,920 Speaker 1: with making decisions based on quote principles of sound scientific management, 100 00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:01,560 Speaker 1: as it says in a nineteen ninety six law giving 101 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 1: the Commission their authority. If you want a deeper dive 102 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:07,880 Speaker 1: into this issue, check out episode two sixty three of 103 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:12,960 Speaker 1: the Week in Review. Here, residents of New York, California, 104 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:15,560 Speaker 1: and Georgia are suing the National Park Service for not 105 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:19,359 Speaker 1: accepting cash at a growing number of locations. According to 106 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:23,160 Speaker 1: the media outlet sf Gate, the lawsuit claims this policy 107 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:26,360 Speaker 1: violates a federal law that makes US currency legal tender 108 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:30,039 Speaker 1: for all public charges. Fun fact, I once saw a 109 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:34,800 Speaker 1: lawyer go head to head with a flight attendant arguing 110 00:06:34,839 --> 00:06:38,240 Speaker 1: this very thing. When you, guys, remember, if you fly 111 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 1: at all, there was a time in the not too 112 00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:44,560 Speaker 1: distant past where you could use cash to buy beverages 113 00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:51,400 Speaker 1: on a plane. Wistful thinking Petbridge Farm remembers. For their part, 114 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:54,480 Speaker 1: the National Park Service says they've closed cash payments at 115 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:57,800 Speaker 1: twenty nine locations so far because they say it costs 116 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:00,279 Speaker 1: more to handle the cash than they bring in in 117 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:03,720 Speaker 1: entry fees. At Death Valley National Park, for example, they 118 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:06,320 Speaker 1: say it cost them forty thousand dollars per year to 119 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:10,200 Speaker 1: pay employees to handle and count cash and armored cars 120 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:13,360 Speaker 1: to transport the bills, but they only receive twenty two 121 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:16,960 Speaker 1: thousand dollars in cash payments annually, which for the non 122 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:20,480 Speaker 1: business minded folks out there, isn't great. If you're wondering 123 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:22,640 Speaker 1: why anyone is making such a big deal out of 124 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:25,520 Speaker 1: having to use cash, you should know about a larger 125 00:07:25,520 --> 00:07:29,040 Speaker 1: controversy running under the surface of this story. As we 126 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 1: covered in episode two oh seven, the online system people 127 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:36,040 Speaker 1: use to reserve campsites and by day passes is run 128 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 1: by a private tech firm called Booze Allen Hamilton. That's 129 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:46,560 Speaker 1: booz Allen Hamilton, and that company has made millions taking 130 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:49,280 Speaker 1: a cut of all those park fees, but it's unclear 131 00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:52,080 Speaker 1: if they get money from cash transactions at the gate. 132 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:54,920 Speaker 1: Whatever the case may be, the push to go cash 133 00:07:55,040 --> 00:07:57,320 Speaker 1: list has gone hand in hand with the push to 134 00:07:57,360 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 1: move people to Recreation dot gov. Maybe you can care 135 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:03,880 Speaker 1: about this, maybe you don't. But if you're a public 136 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:06,400 Speaker 1: land user, and I know most of you are, it's 137 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:09,080 Speaker 1: a story you should be keeping your eye on. It 138 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:11,360 Speaker 1: seems to me like if someone wants to pay their 139 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:14,240 Speaker 1: ten dollars park fee with a few Crisp abrahams, they 140 00:08:14,280 --> 00:08:17,840 Speaker 1: should be able to do it if you can handle 141 00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:20,600 Speaker 1: the truth. I have one more legal drama for you. 142 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:22,880 Speaker 1: You may remember all the way back in twenty twenty 143 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:25,200 Speaker 1: two when we covered a lawsuit in Maine aimed at 144 00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:28,760 Speaker 1: eliminating the Sunday hunting ban. The main state Supreme Court 145 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:31,480 Speaker 1: has issued a ruling in that case, and hunters are 146 00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:34,800 Speaker 1: divided about whether it's a good thing. Maine is one 147 00:08:34,800 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 1: of the last states in the nation that does not 148 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:40,920 Speaker 1: allow hunting on Sundays. In twenty twenty one, residents approved 149 00:08:40,920 --> 00:08:44,000 Speaker 1: an amendment to the state constitution declaring that everyone has 150 00:08:44,040 --> 00:08:47,000 Speaker 1: a natural right to quote harvest the food of their 151 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:50,839 Speaker 1: own choosing. Not long after, a couple named Virginia and 152 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:54,680 Speaker 1: Joel Parker sued the state based on this new constitutional amendment. 153 00:08:55,080 --> 00:08:58,480 Speaker 1: They said the Sunday hunting ban violates the state constitution 154 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:01,559 Speaker 1: because it doesn't give them enough time to feed their 155 00:09:01,559 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 1: family through hunting. If they have a right to harvest 156 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:07,079 Speaker 1: their food, they said, they shouldn't be forced to hunt 157 00:09:07,120 --> 00:09:09,800 Speaker 1: only on Saturdays if they have to work during the week. 158 00:09:10,280 --> 00:09:13,200 Speaker 1: It was a long shot argument, but advocates of lifting 159 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:15,400 Speaker 1: the ban had hoped it would give them a victory. 160 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:18,600 Speaker 1: The state legislature has so far denied them, but the 161 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:22,720 Speaker 1: Supreme Court wasn't convinced. They argued that while the constitutional 162 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:25,640 Speaker 1: Amendment does provide a right to hunt wild animals, it 163 00:09:25,720 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 1: specifically excludes the right to violate hunting laws. Because hunting 164 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:32,960 Speaker 1: on Sundays would violate the law, the Right to Food 165 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:35,680 Speaker 1: Amendment does not give hunters the right to hunt on 166 00:09:35,760 --> 00:09:40,080 Speaker 1: the lord's day. Some hunters are obviously disappointed by this ruling, 167 00:09:40,280 --> 00:09:43,080 Speaker 1: but not all of them are. Maine is a unique 168 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 1: state because even though about ninety percent of the forests 169 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:49,600 Speaker 1: are privately owned, it's customary for landowners to allow public 170 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:53,960 Speaker 1: hunting access. Hunters worry that if hunting is allowed on Sundays, 171 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:57,520 Speaker 1: some of those landowners will retaliate by posting their property 172 00:09:57,559 --> 00:10:02,160 Speaker 1: to prohibit access. Have indicated that about forty percent of 173 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:05,960 Speaker 1: landowners who do not currently post their land would consider 174 00:10:06,040 --> 00:10:10,439 Speaker 1: posting if Sunday hunting was allowed. We did a really 175 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:14,600 Speaker 1: killer ruffed grouse episode Woodcock episode up in the Big 176 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:16,839 Speaker 1: main Woods a few years ago. You should check that 177 00:10:16,880 --> 00:10:19,360 Speaker 1: out on the Meat Eater YouTube channel. And we get 178 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:24,400 Speaker 1: into some of this de facto public access to private ground. 179 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:30,440 Speaker 1: Moving on to the wolf desk. For the first time 180 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:33,040 Speaker 1: in over one hundred years, a wild wolf has been 181 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:36,760 Speaker 1: spotted in the southern portion of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. Thanks 182 00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:39,679 Speaker 1: to all you Minton State residents who sent me this story, 183 00:10:40,080 --> 00:10:43,240 Speaker 1: the Michigan Department of Natural Resources confirmed last week that 184 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:46,280 Speaker 1: a coyote hunter had reported shooting and killing a wolf 185 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:50,440 Speaker 1: in January in Calhoun County. Calhoun County is located in 186 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:54,120 Speaker 1: what Michiganders call West Michigan, which is actually the southwestern 187 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:56,720 Speaker 1: portion of the Lower Peninsula. It's no wonder they have 188 00:10:56,760 --> 00:10:58,719 Speaker 1: to use the handmap when they want to explain where 189 00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:02,040 Speaker 1: they live. Anyway, the coyote hunt was legal, and the 190 00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:03,920 Speaker 1: hunter said he pulled the trigger because he saw what 191 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:06,199 Speaker 1: he thought was a very large coyote. But when they 192 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:08,800 Speaker 1: finally got this coyote on the scale, it clocked in 193 00:11:08,840 --> 00:11:11,559 Speaker 1: at eighty four pounds. That's over twice as heavy as 194 00:11:11,559 --> 00:11:15,600 Speaker 1: the biggest coyote you will run into. Genetic tests confirmed 195 00:11:15,679 --> 00:11:18,920 Speaker 1: that it is a gray wolf. No surprise there. Now, 196 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:21,760 Speaker 1: this isn't like as crazy as local media has made 197 00:11:21,800 --> 00:11:24,079 Speaker 1: it out to be. While this is the first time 198 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:26,880 Speaker 1: a wolf has been seen officially in the southern portion 199 00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:30,320 Speaker 1: of Michigan's Lower Peninsula since the species was extirpated one 200 00:11:30,440 --> 00:11:33,760 Speaker 1: hundred years ago, wolves have been confirmed in northern areas 201 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:36,640 Speaker 1: of the LP. In two thousand and four, a wolf 202 00:11:36,720 --> 00:11:38,920 Speaker 1: was captured and killed by a coyote trapper in presque 203 00:11:38,920 --> 00:11:40,959 Speaker 1: Isle County, which is at the northern tip of the 204 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 1: Lower Peninsula. In twenty eleven and twenty fifteen, wolf tracks 205 00:11:44,760 --> 00:11:48,240 Speaker 1: were found in Sheboygan and Emmett Counties. In twenty fourteen, 206 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 1: biologists captured a wolf on a trail camera during an 207 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:54,600 Speaker 1: eagle survey. Given this history, and makes sense that one 208 00:11:54,600 --> 00:11:57,040 Speaker 1: of these wolves might wander away from its back and 209 00:11:57,040 --> 00:11:59,120 Speaker 1: the Upper Peninsula and eventually make its way down to 210 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:02,360 Speaker 1: southern Michigan. Young male wolves have been known to travel 211 00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:05,119 Speaker 1: hundreds of miles in search of a mate and new territory, 212 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:08,200 Speaker 1: and one wolf for Michigan's up recently traveled over four 213 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:11,120 Speaker 1: thousand miles up into Manitoba. If it had decided to 214 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:13,080 Speaker 1: go south instead of north and west, it would have 215 00:12:13,160 --> 00:12:15,880 Speaker 1: easily crossed the ice on the Straits of Mackinac and 216 00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:19,560 Speaker 1: made it down to Calhoun County. Despite these recent sightings, 217 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:22,720 Speaker 1: the DNR maintains that there is no stable population on 218 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:28,240 Speaker 1: the Lower Peninsula. This isn't a big deal. I never 219 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:33,240 Speaker 1: like stories where hunters don't identify properly what they're shooting at. 220 00:12:33,559 --> 00:12:36,000 Speaker 1: So that just goes against like the tenants of how 221 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:39,160 Speaker 1: we grew up in the hunter's education system. We talk 222 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:42,840 Speaker 1: about these animals as individuals for the purposes of stories, 223 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:47,360 Speaker 1: but when we talk biology, we talked population. Right, the 224 00:12:47,480 --> 00:12:51,880 Speaker 1: wolf population is kicking ass, it's expanding. There's going to 225 00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:54,400 Speaker 1: be more of this. Lots of wolves hit by cars 226 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:58,120 Speaker 1: and in surprising places, I promise you. So for the 227 00:12:58,160 --> 00:13:03,160 Speaker 1: purposes of Michigan, n a crazy story, but it's everywhere. 228 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:05,720 Speaker 1: So he brought it up. Now, if you want to 229 00:13:05,760 --> 00:13:10,480 Speaker 1: move into some contentious stuff here regarding wolves, we got 230 00:13:10,480 --> 00:13:13,120 Speaker 1: to travel a little bit further west to our next 231 00:13:13,120 --> 00:13:18,960 Speaker 1: door neighbor here in Montana, the Cowboy State, Wyoming. There's 232 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:21,480 Speaker 1: a lot of wolves in Wyoming, and this particular story, 233 00:13:21,520 --> 00:13:23,959 Speaker 1: you already know what I'm talking about, has legit wolf 234 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:27,680 Speaker 1: hunters and trappers up in arms. It's been covered thoroughly 235 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:30,839 Speaker 1: from the get go. Cowboy State Daily does a great job. 236 00:13:31,160 --> 00:13:34,440 Speaker 1: That local Wyoming outlet spoke with two anonymous sources who 237 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:36,880 Speaker 1: said a man hit a wolf with the snowmobile, tortured 238 00:13:36,920 --> 00:13:39,320 Speaker 1: it by taping its mouth shut, and then paraded the 239 00:13:39,400 --> 00:13:43,040 Speaker 1: still alive wolf through a bar in Daniel, Wyoming. He 240 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:45,840 Speaker 1: then took the animal out behind the bar and killed it. 241 00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:48,480 Speaker 1: The Wyoming Game and Fish Department verified that somebody has 242 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:50,760 Speaker 1: been cited and fined for being in possession of a 243 00:13:50,760 --> 00:13:53,600 Speaker 1: live wolf, but didn't release the person's name. That name 244 00:13:53,679 --> 00:13:57,040 Speaker 1: is out there, it's easy to find. Hunters are upset 245 00:13:57,080 --> 00:13:59,480 Speaker 1: for the obvious reason that this story will be used 246 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:02,840 Speaker 1: by animal rights activists as you're seeing everywhere, and anti 247 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:06,600 Speaker 1: hunting groups as you're seeing everywhere, to smear all hunters. 248 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:09,839 Speaker 1: The suspect in this case wasn't actually hunting as far 249 00:14:09,840 --> 00:14:12,440 Speaker 1: as I'm aware, and it's safe to say that snowmobile 250 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:18,120 Speaker 1: is not trapping or hunting. Unfortunately, anti hunting activists aren't 251 00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:22,760 Speaker 1: usually bothered by those types of facts. Still, this story 252 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:25,440 Speaker 1: is worth covering. Those groups will take advantage of the 253 00:14:25,480 --> 00:14:29,160 Speaker 1: situation no matter what. This is an opportunity for legitimate, 254 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:32,360 Speaker 1: ethical hunters to shape the narrative by rejecting this kind 255 00:14:32,360 --> 00:14:35,800 Speaker 1: of shitty behavior and explaining why wolf management should include 256 00:14:35,880 --> 00:14:39,080 Speaker 1: hunters and trappers. We aren't doing ourselves any favors by 257 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:42,320 Speaker 1: pretending bad actors don't exist. Our job is to counter 258 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:45,040 Speaker 1: those bad stories with good stories and highlight the vast, 259 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:49,120 Speaker 1: vast majority of hunters who would never consider torturing a 260 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:56,280 Speaker 1: wounded animal, no matter what the species is. Moving on 261 00:14:56,680 --> 00:14:58,920 Speaker 1: to the fish desk, where it's been a tough week 262 00:14:58,960 --> 00:15:01,720 Speaker 1: for our scaly friend. A tanker truck in Oregon made 263 00:15:01,800 --> 00:15:04,080 Speaker 1: national news last week when it crashed in the highway, 264 00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:07,480 Speaker 1: broke open, and spilled its cargo of one hundred thousand 265 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:10,680 Speaker 1: salmon smolts. The smolts, which were about two years old, 266 00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 1: were being transported from the looking Glass Hatchery in northeast 267 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:16,440 Speaker 1: Oregon to the Imnaha River, where they were set to 268 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:20,960 Speaker 1: be released. The salmon population in the Imnaha is listed 269 00:15:21,040 --> 00:15:25,120 Speaker 1: as threatened, and these fish were meant to bolster that population. Fortunately, 270 00:15:25,160 --> 00:15:27,880 Speaker 1: it wasn't a complete loss. The tanker crashed right next 271 00:15:27,880 --> 00:15:31,360 Speaker 1: to looking Glass Creek and miraculously, about seventy seven thousand 272 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:33,520 Speaker 1: smolts made it down the bank and into the water. 273 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:36,760 Speaker 1: The remaining twenty five thousand chinook salmon were found dead, 274 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:38,520 Speaker 1: either on the ground next to the creek or still 275 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:41,160 Speaker 1: in the tanker. According to the Oregon Department of Fish 276 00:15:41,160 --> 00:15:44,080 Speaker 1: and Wildlife, fishery managers expect to see about five hundred 277 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:47,240 Speaker 1: to nine hundred fewer adult fish returning to the Imnaha 278 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:50,840 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty six. In twenty twenty seven, however, the 279 00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:53,520 Speaker 1: seventy seven thousand fish that made it into looking Glass 280 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:57,400 Speaker 1: Creek will likely return there and produce approximately three hundred 281 00:15:57,400 --> 00:16:01,640 Speaker 1: and fifty two seven hundred additional adults like those seventy 282 00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:04,280 Speaker 1: seven thousand. Smoltz, the driver of the truck, sur by 283 00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:09,480 Speaker 1: the incident, mostly unscathed. I can't say the same for 284 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:11,720 Speaker 1: thousands of fish along a twenty mile stretch of the 285 00:16:11,800 --> 00:16:15,440 Speaker 1: Rooks Creek. In Illinois, They're a fertilizer company spilled twenty 286 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:18,840 Speaker 1: thousand gallons of liquid nitrogen into the river, which resulted 287 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:23,560 Speaker 1: in a massive fishkill. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency says 288 00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:26,040 Speaker 1: the spill was caused by a valve not being closed 289 00:16:26,120 --> 00:16:28,280 Speaker 1: and a crack in the hose of a thirty thousand 290 00:16:28,280 --> 00:16:32,080 Speaker 1: gallon liquid nitrogen tank. The state Department of Natural Resources 291 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:36,320 Speaker 1: is launching extensive investigation into the ecological disaster, but local 292 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:39,280 Speaker 1: residents are reporting that all the fish have gone belly up. 293 00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:42,640 Speaker 1: The fertilizer company is called BCS, and they released a 294 00:16:42,680 --> 00:16:46,000 Speaker 1: statement apologizing for the disaster. They said they've never had 295 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:48,680 Speaker 1: anything like this happen in their thirty year history, and 296 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:52,680 Speaker 1: they're taking action to resolve the situation. They say, quote, 297 00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:56,280 Speaker 1: we understand the importance of preserving our ecosystem and ensuring 298 00:16:56,280 --> 00:16:59,359 Speaker 1: the health of our waterways, and we're committed to identifying 299 00:16:59,440 --> 00:17:03,600 Speaker 1: and wrecked buying any factors contributing to environmental degradation as 300 00:17:03,640 --> 00:17:06,440 Speaker 1: we move forward. I hope they keep their word, but 301 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:08,639 Speaker 1: it's a small comfort for the people who live along 302 00:17:08,680 --> 00:17:12,000 Speaker 1: the twenty mile Stretcher River. The state EPA has advised 303 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:15,000 Speaker 1: residents to avoid contact with the water until they conclude 304 00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:19,520 Speaker 1: their investigation, though fortunately recent rains will dilute the toxic 305 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:22,840 Speaker 1: chemical so it won't cause too much more damage. You know, 306 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:28,359 Speaker 1: the old saying the solution to pollution is dilution. Thanks 307 00:17:28,359 --> 00:17:32,280 Speaker 1: to listener Jonathan Slessinger for sending us that story. Moving 308 00:17:32,359 --> 00:17:37,359 Speaker 1: on to the crime desk, a Mississippi Wildlife commissioner was 309 00:17:37,359 --> 00:17:40,720 Speaker 1: cited last week for hunting turkeys over bait Commissioner. Leonard 310 00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:43,399 Speaker 1: Bentz Junior serves as a member of the Mississippi Department 311 00:17:43,400 --> 00:17:46,080 Speaker 1: of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks commission. He admitted to local 312 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:48,879 Speaker 1: media that game warden's working at the department he oversees 313 00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:51,560 Speaker 1: slapped him with the citation after he hunted a five 314 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:54,800 Speaker 1: hundred acre property that had been baited with crickets. Bent's 315 00:17:54,880 --> 00:17:57,399 Speaker 1: claims that the landowner and caretaker of the property in 316 00:17:57,520 --> 00:18:00,840 Speaker 1: Holmes County had released crickets onto the landscape days before 317 00:18:00,920 --> 00:18:03,560 Speaker 1: he and his crew arrived. Ben says he was not 318 00:18:03,680 --> 00:18:06,679 Speaker 1: aware of the landowner's actions, and he claims officers admitted 319 00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:09,399 Speaker 1: during the investigation that they knew he was not aware 320 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:12,280 Speaker 1: that crickets were on the property, but they cited him anyway, 321 00:18:12,480 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 1: and now his confirmation to the Wildlife Commission is in jeopardy. 322 00:18:16,160 --> 00:18:19,240 Speaker 1: Anonymous sources told super Talk Mississippi News that if he 323 00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:23,280 Speaker 1: does not resign, there is an effort underway to oust him. 324 00:18:23,640 --> 00:18:26,040 Speaker 1: I don't know what the truth is here, but good 325 00:18:26,040 --> 00:18:28,640 Speaker 1: on those game wardens for not looking the other way 326 00:18:28,680 --> 00:18:31,159 Speaker 1: to protect a commissioner. It would have been easy to 327 00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:32,679 Speaker 1: leave his name out of it, but they did what 328 00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:35,520 Speaker 1: the law requires them. To do. If you live in Mississippi, 329 00:18:35,520 --> 00:18:37,760 Speaker 1: you have a chance to influence how this story ends. 330 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:40,359 Speaker 1: Bence has to be confirmed by the state Senate and 331 00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:43,800 Speaker 1: they'll be looking for feedback from their constituents. I don't 332 00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:46,040 Speaker 1: know enough about the dude. Could be a great guy 333 00:18:46,280 --> 00:18:48,840 Speaker 1: in a bad spot, but that's up to you to 334 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:53,880 Speaker 1: weigh in. Staying in the Deep South and Alabama man 335 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:56,640 Speaker 1: was shot last week following an argument over an illegally 336 00:18:56,720 --> 00:19:00,560 Speaker 1: killed Canada goose. Colby Lee Pinniger told the t Escaloose 337 00:19:00,600 --> 00:19:03,160 Speaker 1: County Sheriff's office that he heard a gun shot outside 338 00:19:03,160 --> 00:19:05,800 Speaker 1: his home in a rural area of central Mississippi. When 339 00:19:05,800 --> 00:19:07,960 Speaker 1: he went out to investigate, he saw a man running 340 00:19:07,960 --> 00:19:10,080 Speaker 1: to a truck with a rifle along with a dead 341 00:19:10,119 --> 00:19:12,800 Speaker 1: Canada goose in the field across from his home. When 342 00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:15,280 Speaker 1: he confronted the poacher, a forty two year old fellow 343 00:19:15,320 --> 00:19:19,639 Speaker 1: named Jacob Wayne Battle, a verbal altercation ensued. Battle was 344 00:19:19,640 --> 00:19:21,960 Speaker 1: there with his son, who was driving the truck, and 345 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:24,560 Speaker 1: when Pineger tried to see the license plate on the truck, 346 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:28,000 Speaker 1: Battle leaned out the passenger window and shot Pinneger. When 347 00:19:28,080 --> 00:19:30,960 Speaker 1: deputies caught up to Battle, he admitted that he didn't 348 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:34,119 Speaker 1: see Pinnager with the gun, but still fired two to 349 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:37,359 Speaker 1: three warning shots. Pinnager was hit in the leg but 350 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:40,520 Speaker 1: is expected to be okay, and Battle was charged with 351 00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:43,840 Speaker 1: first degree assault. Whether he recovered the goose or not, 352 00:19:44,320 --> 00:19:47,560 Speaker 1: it's safe to say his is cooked, bump cut. How 353 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:49,480 Speaker 1: much do you want for the goose or not? For sale? 354 00:19:49,600 --> 00:19:52,840 Speaker 1: Named price? She can't have one who says I cubs. 355 00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:57,920 Speaker 1: The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is seeking the public's 356 00:19:57,920 --> 00:20:00,200 Speaker 1: help after a bald eagle was shot near Cedars City 357 00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:03,120 Speaker 1: earlier this year. The injured bald eagle was discovered near 358 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:06,360 Speaker 1: forty five hundred west and Cedar City on February twenty nine. 359 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:10,080 Speaker 1: Responding conservation officers discovered that the eagle had been shot 360 00:20:10,119 --> 00:20:13,440 Speaker 1: through the wing with what appeared to be a rifle. Unfortunately, 361 00:20:13,480 --> 00:20:15,439 Speaker 1: the injuries were severe and it was determined that the 362 00:20:15,440 --> 00:20:18,840 Speaker 1: eagle would not recover, resulting in it needing to be euthanized. 363 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:22,280 Speaker 1: Anyone with information is asked to call the UTIP hotline 364 00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:25,520 Speaker 1: at eight hundred sixty sixty two three three three seven, 365 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:30,960 Speaker 1: last one for you. Controversy is erupted in Nova Scotia 366 00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:34,600 Speaker 1: after conservation officers arrested two elver poachers and then left 367 00:20:34,640 --> 00:20:37,679 Speaker 1: them to walk home without shoes at night in late March. 368 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:41,639 Speaker 1: As we've covered previously, elvers or baby eels, and fishing 369 00:20:41,720 --> 00:20:44,359 Speaker 1: for them has exploded in recent years as the demand 370 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:48,240 Speaker 1: for them has risen in Asia. Illegal elverfishing got so 371 00:20:48,359 --> 00:20:51,199 Speaker 1: bad in Nova Scotia that the province decided to cancel 372 00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:54,440 Speaker 1: the entire season for everyone, but some members of native 373 00:20:54,480 --> 00:20:57,040 Speaker 1: tribes believe that they still have treaty rights to fish 374 00:20:57,200 --> 00:21:00,280 Speaker 1: even if the province has closed this season. The two 375 00:21:00,359 --> 00:21:03,280 Speaker 1: fishermen involved in this case are both members of the 376 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:06,480 Speaker 1: Megamach people, and they were elverfishing on the night of 377 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:09,960 Speaker 1: March twenty six. They ran away when conservation officers pulled up, 378 00:21:10,080 --> 00:21:12,400 Speaker 1: but they were eventually apprehended and put in the back 379 00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:15,399 Speaker 1: of a squad car. They were released at a gas station, 380 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:18,479 Speaker 1: but their hip waiters and phones were seized. Unfortunately, they 381 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:20,960 Speaker 1: didn't have any other footwear and they weren't able to 382 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:22,639 Speaker 1: get in touch with anyone to pick them up, so 383 00:21:22,680 --> 00:21:25,000 Speaker 1: they wrapped their feet in duct tape and plastic bags 384 00:21:25,040 --> 00:21:27,520 Speaker 1: and walked down the road around one am until someone 385 00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:30,880 Speaker 1: finally stopped and picked them up. Protests have been organized 386 00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:33,639 Speaker 1: against Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and Prime Minister 387 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:37,199 Speaker 1: Justin Trudeau has called for an investigation into quote the 388 00:21:37,240 --> 00:21:40,800 Speaker 1: way enforcement officers need to behave. The Department of Fisheries 389 00:21:40,840 --> 00:21:43,160 Speaker 1: and Oceans has declined to comment beyond saying that it's 390 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:47,240 Speaker 1: standard practice confiscate fishing gear during this kind of investigation. 391 00:21:47,920 --> 00:21:50,840 Speaker 1: Thanks to listener Jeffrey Chang for sending us that story. 392 00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:53,520 Speaker 1: That's all I got for you this week. Thank you 393 00:21:53,640 --> 00:21:56,399 Speaker 1: so much for listening, and remember to write in to 394 00:21:56,480 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 1: ask cl that's a ascal at the meateater dot com 395 00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:02,160 Speaker 1: and let me know what's going on in your neck 396 00:22:02,160 --> 00:22:04,239 Speaker 1: of the woods. Thanks again, and I'll talk to you 397 00:22:04,280 --> 00:22:16,639 Speaker 1: next week. Oh what do you think of that? Phil