1 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:14,160 Speaker 1: From Meat Eaters World News headquarters in Bozeman, Montana. This 2 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:19,440 Speaker 1: is Cow's Week in Review with Ryan cow Calaian. Here's cal. 3 00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 1: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is offering a twenty 4 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:28,760 Speaker 1: thousand dollars reward for information that leads to the conviction 5 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:34,040 Speaker 1: of whoever decapitated a dolphin in North Carolina. I know 6 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 1: what you're thinking, and yes, Rfka Junior has been accounted for. 7 00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:42,200 Speaker 1: During the month of April, the unfortunate mammal was found 8 00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:45,360 Speaker 1: on an island off the coast of Pender County, North Carolina. 9 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:48,320 Speaker 1: Officials got a call that a dolphin had been stranded, 10 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:50,440 Speaker 1: but when they went out to take a look, they 11 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 1: realized it was dead French Revolution style. It was also 12 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 1: missing a muscle from its back that officials say it 13 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:01,200 Speaker 1: looks like someone tried to remove a battrap from a deer. 14 00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:04,480 Speaker 1: It's unclear at this point whether someone killed the dolphin 15 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:06,680 Speaker 1: by cutting off its head or it was already dead 16 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:09,760 Speaker 1: when the guillotine went down. The animal had been stranded 17 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 1: on a beach on a remote part of lee Hoff Island, 18 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:15,440 Speaker 1: which is only accessible by boat. If you ask me, 19 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 1: it looks like someone thought it would be cool to 20 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:20,240 Speaker 1: have a euromount dolphin skull and figured they might as 21 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:23,080 Speaker 1: well sample some steaks while they're at it. If I 22 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 1: didn't have prior knowledge of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, 23 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:30,000 Speaker 1: I could say I would make the same mistake. Unfortunately, 24 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:34,160 Speaker 1: for said individual, that is very illegal. In most places. 25 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:36,840 Speaker 1: You aren't allowed to get within fifty yards and you 26 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:39,320 Speaker 1: definitely aren't allowed to touch it, even if it's dead. 27 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:43,280 Speaker 1: Violating those laws comes with potential fines in jail time. 28 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 1: But for this would be dolphin taxi der must that's 29 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:49,720 Speaker 1: not even the worst of it. During their neckruptcy of 30 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:53,400 Speaker 1: the animal, biologists discovered that it was carrying the Brucella bacteria, 31 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 1: which causes brucellosis. Brucellosis is pretty common in dolphins and 32 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:02,080 Speaker 1: can be transmitted to humans through touching or consuming meat. 33 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:04,480 Speaker 1: It gives you what feels like a bad case of 34 00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:06,880 Speaker 1: the flu, but it can be difficult to treat if 35 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:11,480 Speaker 1: it's not caught right away. That's right, dolphin kissing fever 36 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:14,440 Speaker 1: is hard to treat. Time to stake out the walk 37 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 1: in clinics. Anyone with information about this case is encouraged 38 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:23,520 Speaker 1: to call the Noah Enforcement Hotline at eight hundred eight 39 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:27,760 Speaker 1: five three one nine sixty four. Law enforcement is encouraging 40 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:31,600 Speaker 1: the individual or individuals to turn themselves in. They don't 41 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:37,240 Speaker 1: think you did this on porpoise this week, public lands legislation, guns, 42 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:39,359 Speaker 1: pay to play, caribou, and so much more. But first, 43 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:41,000 Speaker 1: I'm going to tell you about my week and my 44 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:44,280 Speaker 1: week well, as old Johnny Cash used to saying, I've 45 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:48,880 Speaker 1: been everywhere, man. We got in a quick turkey weekend 46 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 1: which included a good friend's niece and nephew. As the 47 00:02:51,639 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 1: niece's first turkey hunt, and after several close calls, she 48 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:59,279 Speaker 1: killed the tom at three yards. This was especially impactful 49 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 1: as the young hunter missed to tom at eighty yards 50 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 1: that morning. She just didn't know how far was too far. 51 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:09,360 Speaker 1: The ticks were incredibly thick. I can't say it was 52 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:12,760 Speaker 1: more than I had ever seen before, but it was gross. 53 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 1: We did a short loop in the heat of the day, 54 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:18,040 Speaker 1: maybe a forty five minute to an hour walk, stopping 55 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:20,960 Speaker 1: to call every so often as you do, never getting 56 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:23,640 Speaker 1: a gobble in response. By the time we hit the truck, 57 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:25,639 Speaker 1: we were so covered in ticks we had to strip 58 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:29,040 Speaker 1: down shirts off pants around our ankles to properly remove 59 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:33,000 Speaker 1: the parasitic bastards. I plucked at least thirty off. I 60 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: don't know how long this took, but it took just 61 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:39,480 Speaker 1: long enough that the unseen Tom, who I theorize had 62 00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 1: been listening to our hen talk, got curious enough to 63 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:45,960 Speaker 1: rip a gobble that said I'm looking for you, and 64 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:49,200 Speaker 1: I'm looking for you right now. About ten minutes later, 65 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:51,480 Speaker 1: he strutted into range and I shot him in full 66 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 1: view of the truck. We went from pants down to 67 00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 1: bird down in less than ten minutes. That was the 68 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:01,160 Speaker 1: first for me. Then I jumped on a plane and 69 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:04,160 Speaker 1: met some friends in Santa Barbara, California, of all places. 70 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:06,920 Speaker 1: A couple of us dove a few spots north of town. 71 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:10,400 Speaker 1: We were pretty limited time wise and visibility wise, but 72 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:12,640 Speaker 1: it was darn good to get back in the ocean 73 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:15,560 Speaker 1: and get in some kelp. From there, I went out 74 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:18,480 Speaker 1: with the canam crew to Doug Durham's farm in Wisconsin 75 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 1: to drive some new defenders and hunt turks, just in 76 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:24,839 Speaker 1: time for the rain to show up. And man, it 77 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:27,800 Speaker 1: poured for a few days. But last day, when I 78 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:30,800 Speaker 1: should have been packing for another plane ride, the storm 79 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 1: subsided to a light mist and the turkeys hit the fields. 80 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:36,880 Speaker 1: We spotted a Tom cruise in a field edge on 81 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:40,280 Speaker 1: a Sharing the Land cooperator's property. We got in front 82 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:42,720 Speaker 1: of old Tom and eventually he came looking for us, 83 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:46,320 Speaker 1: which was a mistake. Our friend Lindsay was able to 84 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 1: capitalize on that mistake. You might be able to see 85 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 1: that footage on the Sharing the Land Instagram page, or 86 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:57,240 Speaker 1: maybe Doug's or maybe Lindsay's. That was five years of 87 00:04:57,279 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 1: doing some Wisconsin turkey hunting that Coleman, that Tom, So 88 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:03,719 Speaker 1: that was pretty darn special. And the day was special 89 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:06,800 Speaker 1: for another reason, as while I should have been able 90 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:10,600 Speaker 1: to relax and turkey hunt with friends, I was talking, 91 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:15,160 Speaker 1: texting and coordinating with folks all over the country, Conservation Groups, 92 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:20,039 Speaker 1: Senate and Congressional offices, BHA, TRCP, Pheasants, Forever, Meat Eater, 93 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:23,960 Speaker 1: on X First Light, trying our best to get the 94 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:27,919 Speaker 1: word out that public land sales can happen through a process, 95 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:32,600 Speaker 1: and that process is not budget reconciliation. After a few 96 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:35,839 Speaker 1: texts or emails or social media posts, I'd make a 97 00:05:35,839 --> 00:05:38,160 Speaker 1: few hen clucks and walk for a minute or two, 98 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:42,640 Speaker 1: then do some more emails and texting and worrying and 99 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:46,280 Speaker 1: write about at the property boundary as I emerged into 100 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:50,680 Speaker 1: a grassy lawn type opening in the pine plantation bow. 101 00:05:52,440 --> 00:05:55,080 Speaker 1: Now these birds have been pressured. It's the very end 102 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:58,000 Speaker 1: of the season. So I doubled back into the pines 103 00:05:58,080 --> 00:06:00,480 Speaker 1: with the green patch in front of me and sat 104 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:08,440 Speaker 1: tight beaked for about five minutes. Nothing did he see 105 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:12,120 Speaker 1: me making a move to my impromptu ambush spot. Well, 106 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:13,920 Speaker 1: I got to get to the airport, so better try 107 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:23,000 Speaker 1: one more time. Oh all right, that's it. He knows 108 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:26,279 Speaker 1: I'm here. I'm not talking anymore. I just need him curious, 109 00:06:26,520 --> 00:06:29,760 Speaker 1: and it's far too open in these pines to hide properly. 110 00:06:30,279 --> 00:06:33,200 Speaker 1: Just so you know, I run two leafy jacket tops. 111 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:37,159 Speaker 1: We make leafy, you know, some leafy stuff through first light, 112 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:41,080 Speaker 1: and I carry two for this type of an occasion. 113 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:44,000 Speaker 1: I wear one and then I take the other one 114 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:45,960 Speaker 1: and drape it over the top of my head kind 115 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:49,480 Speaker 1: of like a cape breaks up my head and shoulder silhouette, 116 00:06:49,520 --> 00:06:53,479 Speaker 1: you know, maybe completely unnecessary, but it makes me feel better. 117 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 1: After a few minutes being stock still with my shotgun 118 00:06:57,839 --> 00:07:01,360 Speaker 1: up in the shooting position, I see turkey feet on 119 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:03,839 Speaker 1: the roll of the opposite hill the other side of 120 00:07:03,839 --> 00:07:08,080 Speaker 1: the grass about forty yards away, and then I see Tom. 121 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:12,000 Speaker 1: He's a monster, big thick beard, and he marches with 122 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:17,080 Speaker 1: swagger and confidence, stopping of course, directly behind a large 123 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:21,600 Speaker 1: bush and gobbles like thunder. I don't want to talk 124 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 1: and give up my exposed position, so eventually he turns 125 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:29,240 Speaker 1: to leave, and I just need him to go through 126 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:34,800 Speaker 1: an opening in the brush. Biggest turkey I've ever got, 127 00:07:35,280 --> 00:07:38,800 Speaker 1: spurs that could eviscerate a bobcat breast, like battleships or 128 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:43,240 Speaker 1: Virginia Hams. Maybe to top it off. Immediately after that, 129 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:47,840 Speaker 1: I got word that the public outpouring from across the country, 130 00:07:48,280 --> 00:07:51,800 Speaker 1: the opposition to our public lands and American freedoms that 131 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:55,080 Speaker 1: go with those public lands being sold out from underneath 132 00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 1: us might just get pulled from the budget reconciliation process, 133 00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:04,280 Speaker 1: so I should maybe get prepared for good news. Then 134 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:08,200 Speaker 1: by my second flight of the day, with old Tom 135 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:12,160 Speaker 1: fully plucked and resting in my checked baggage, I got 136 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:16,559 Speaker 1: word that it was done. Ambler rote and public land 137 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:20,320 Speaker 1: sales had been removed from the House version, and as 138 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:23,960 Speaker 1: of now me speaking to you in the present, the 139 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:27,560 Speaker 1: Senate has not added those back in. And you know 140 00:08:27,640 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 1: my fingers are crossed that they won't. Huge, huge thank 141 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:34,480 Speaker 1: you to everybody who listens to this show, because I 142 00:08:34,520 --> 00:08:38,320 Speaker 1: know you wrote in and called and emailed, and I 143 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:42,720 Speaker 1: know that several of you have some sour attitudes that well, 144 00:08:42,840 --> 00:08:45,240 Speaker 1: you know, you just would have voted for the right person, 145 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 1: and I get that, but I promise you it may 146 00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 1: not be this particular situation, but there would be a 147 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:56,839 Speaker 1: situation where we would be instructing whoever would have been 148 00:08:56,840 --> 00:09:01,360 Speaker 1: in office. And it's not over yet. Gang, keep participating, 149 00:09:01,440 --> 00:09:06,320 Speaker 1: stay engaged, stay informed. Right now, reach out to all 150 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:09,640 Speaker 1: those members of the Public Lands Caucus, Ryan Zinki here 151 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:14,360 Speaker 1: in Montana, Simpson over in Idaho, Gave Vasquez. Make sure 152 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:19,160 Speaker 1: those people know that you appreciate them sticking up for 153 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:24,040 Speaker 1: what you wanted your public lands to remain in public hands. 154 00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 1: Big thank yous mean a lot. They go a long way. 155 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:32,800 Speaker 1: So make it happen. And then call your senators and say, 156 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:37,120 Speaker 1: don't put public lands on the chopping block anymore. And 157 00:09:37,320 --> 00:09:41,040 Speaker 1: let's talk about anwar and the boundary waters, and let's 158 00:09:41,040 --> 00:09:45,280 Speaker 1: get a mineral withdrawal happening in those spots. They're too 159 00:09:45,320 --> 00:09:49,400 Speaker 1: precious to develop. We all depend on precious metals and 160 00:09:49,520 --> 00:09:52,240 Speaker 1: oil and gas in some way, whether you admit it 161 00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:55,000 Speaker 1: or not. But that doesn't mean we have to procure 162 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:58,760 Speaker 1: those things in a reckless fashion as is outlined in 163 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:04,000 Speaker 1: the budget reconciliation process, or pursue these things in areas 164 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:09,480 Speaker 1: that are way too ecologically valuable irreplaceable. That stuff's going 165 00:10:09,520 --> 00:10:11,920 Speaker 1: to be in the ground forever. There's no need to rush. 166 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:15,120 Speaker 1: There may come a day where our technological advances can 167 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:18,240 Speaker 1: extract from these places in ways where we can have 168 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:22,880 Speaker 1: our cake and eat it too. Anyway, thank you everybody 169 00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:25,560 Speaker 1: for writing and calling and just being a part of 170 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:27,560 Speaker 1: this thing. We're going to ask you to do the 171 00:10:27,559 --> 00:10:31,080 Speaker 1: same thing again, so stay with it. It's a marathon, 172 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:34,440 Speaker 1: not a sprint. Good job, celebrate the win right now 173 00:10:34,520 --> 00:10:36,800 Speaker 1: and then get back on it. Moving on to the 174 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:42,040 Speaker 1: legislative desk, the California legislature is considering a bill that 175 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 1: would ban a huge swath of common firearms. Listener Andrew 176 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:49,280 Speaker 1: Swanson told me about Assembly Bill one one two seven, 177 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:52,640 Speaker 1: which in its current form makes it illegal for a 178 00:10:52,679 --> 00:10:57,040 Speaker 1: gun shop to sell a quote machine gun convertible pistol. 179 00:10:57,280 --> 00:11:00,959 Speaker 1: The bill defines these pistols as any semi diamatic pistol 180 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:04,679 Speaker 1: with a cruciform trigger bar that can be readily converted 181 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:08,080 Speaker 1: by hand or with common household tools into a machine 182 00:11:08,160 --> 00:11:11,400 Speaker 1: gun if you're a little rusty on your gunsmithan. This 183 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 1: would basically ban glock handguns in the Golden State. Legislators 184 00:11:15,840 --> 00:11:18,840 Speaker 1: say there's a big problem with criminals converting their glocks 185 00:11:18,880 --> 00:11:21,840 Speaker 1: into machine guns, but gun rights advocates point out that 186 00:11:21,960 --> 00:11:25,720 Speaker 1: doing so is already illegal. Whatever side you take, banning 187 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:28,000 Speaker 1: the sale of one of the world's most popular handguns 188 00:11:28,040 --> 00:11:33,959 Speaker 1: will definitely result in less conservation funding for California. Staying 189 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:36,840 Speaker 1: in the gun issue, a House committee included a provision 190 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:39,280 Speaker 1: in their budget proposal that would make it easier for 191 00:11:39,360 --> 00:11:42,920 Speaker 1: Americans to purchase suppressors. Current law requires a two hundred 192 00:11:42,920 --> 00:11:45,280 Speaker 1: dollars tax stamp in order to buy a gun muffler, 193 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:47,760 Speaker 1: but the House Committee on Ways and Means included a 194 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:51,640 Speaker 1: provision in their budget reconciliation package that will reduce this 195 00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:54,720 Speaker 1: tax from two hundred dollars to zero. Some gun rights 196 00:11:54,760 --> 00:11:57,440 Speaker 1: advocates praise the move, but others slam the committee for 197 00:11:57,480 --> 00:11:59,680 Speaker 1: not going far enough. While the bill does make it 198 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:02,720 Speaker 1: cheap to purchase a suppressor, would be buyers will still 199 00:12:02,760 --> 00:12:05,960 Speaker 1: have to go through the current lengthy approval process. Gun 200 00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:09,360 Speaker 1: rights groups wanted the committee to remove all special restrictions 201 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:13,680 Speaker 1: on suppressors, short barreled rifles, and other items currently regulated 202 00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:19,360 Speaker 1: under the National Firearms Act. Congress critters are also considering 203 00:12:19,400 --> 00:12:22,600 Speaker 1: a bill. They say we'll boost conservation funding by forcing 204 00:12:22,679 --> 00:12:25,920 Speaker 1: foreign manufacturers to pay an excise tax. As listeners to 205 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:29,640 Speaker 1: this podcast already know, we raise over one billion dollars 206 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:34,319 Speaker 1: annually for conservation by taxing the manufacture and sale of firearms, ammunition, 207 00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:38,560 Speaker 1: phishing tackle, and other outdoor related goods. But some foreign manufacturers, 208 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:42,000 Speaker 1: particularly of fishing and archery equipment, are evading this tax 209 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:45,240 Speaker 1: by selling their goods directly to consumers online. The Sporting 210 00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:49,120 Speaker 1: Goods Excise Tax Modernization Act S one six four nine 211 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:53,040 Speaker 1: aims to close that loophole. Proposed by Senator Tommy Tuberville 212 00:12:53,080 --> 00:12:56,080 Speaker 1: and Mike Crapo, the bill amends the IRS Code to 213 00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:59,840 Speaker 1: retreat these online sellers as importers, which makes them subject 214 00:12:59,880 --> 00:13:03,720 Speaker 1: to the same excise taxes as domestic manufacturers. I've said 215 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:06,320 Speaker 1: for years that buying cheap arrows on Amazon has a 216 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:09,520 Speaker 1: bad idea, both because they don't fly straight and because 217 00:13:09,559 --> 00:13:13,360 Speaker 1: you're supporting an industry that refuses to support our way 218 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:15,760 Speaker 1: of life. There will always be companies that try to 219 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:18,240 Speaker 1: get around the law, but hopefully this bill will make 220 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:22,480 Speaker 1: it that much more difficult. Moving from the national to 221 00:13:22,520 --> 00:13:25,640 Speaker 1: the state level, the Humane Society is out in force 222 00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:28,920 Speaker 1: trying to convince Floridians that they oppose reopening a black 223 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:31,840 Speaker 1: bear hunt. We've covered this story before, but the Florida 224 00:13:31,920 --> 00:13:34,960 Speaker 1: Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission just had a meeting to 225 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:37,320 Speaker 1: discuss the hunt, so I thought it was a good 226 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:39,400 Speaker 1: time to bring it up again. In the weeks prior 227 00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:42,320 Speaker 1: to that recent meeting, the Humane Society launched a media 228 00:13:42,360 --> 00:13:45,800 Speaker 1: tour touting a shocking poll a full eighty one percent 229 00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:49,480 Speaker 1: of Floridians oppose hunting black bears. If you took the 230 00:13:49,520 --> 00:13:52,000 Speaker 1: media at its word, like this article I'm reading in 231 00:13:52,040 --> 00:13:55,560 Speaker 1: the Leesburg Daily Commercial, you might think the Humane Society 232 00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:59,000 Speaker 1: was simply reporting the unbiased facts. But a little digging 233 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:02,520 Speaker 1: uncovers the fact that the Humane Society itself commissioned the pole. 234 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:06,079 Speaker 1: And here's the thing about commission poles. They usually find 235 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 1: what the people paying the bills want them to find. 236 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:11,960 Speaker 1: What's more, the Florida media isn't being honest about the 237 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:14,840 Speaker 1: results of the survey. Here's the first sentence of this 238 00:14:14,960 --> 00:14:19,840 Speaker 1: Leesburg Daily Commercial article, quote, eighty one percent of Floridians 239 00:14:19,840 --> 00:14:23,720 Speaker 1: oppose a hunt to manage the state's black bear population. However, 240 00:14:23,960 --> 00:14:26,520 Speaker 1: if this journalist had taken the time to actually read 241 00:14:26,560 --> 00:14:29,960 Speaker 1: the poll, she would have found that those large majorities 242 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:34,120 Speaker 1: oppose hound hunting and hunting over bait, not bear hunting. 243 00:14:34,160 --> 00:14:37,720 Speaker 1: In general, this kind of deceptive reporting by media outlets 244 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:40,960 Speaker 1: and animal rights groups is not unique to Florida. We 245 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:43,120 Speaker 1: saw the same thing during the mountain lion hunting debate 246 00:14:43,160 --> 00:14:47,120 Speaker 1: in Colorado and the bear hounding debate in California. If 247 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:49,040 Speaker 1: you live in a state that's considering one of these 248 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:52,640 Speaker 1: controversial policies, don't take the headlines at their word, do 249 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:55,200 Speaker 1: a little digging on your own, look at who's behind 250 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:57,920 Speaker 1: opinion polling, and be sure your friends and family get 251 00:14:57,960 --> 00:15:04,320 Speaker 1: the real facts. Here's a great update I received an 252 00:15:04,360 --> 00:15:07,600 Speaker 1: email from listener Scott Baker. You may remember last fall 253 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 1: we were reported on a decision by the Michigan Natural 254 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:14,720 Speaker 1: Resources Commission to prohibit hunting antler deer during certain special seasons. 255 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:18,480 Speaker 1: These included the youth hunt liberty hunt and hunts reserved 256 00:15:18,520 --> 00:15:21,960 Speaker 1: for disabled individuals. The Commission said they wanted to encourage 257 00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:25,200 Speaker 1: hunters to take more does, which is important to stabilize 258 00:15:25,240 --> 00:15:28,080 Speaker 1: the deer population in some portions of the state, but 259 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:31,880 Speaker 1: many Michiganders disagreed. They argued that these special hunts take 260 00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:35,000 Speaker 1: a very small percentage of the yearly harvest. Scott pointed 261 00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:37,240 Speaker 1: out in his email that these hunts only took three 262 00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:40,600 Speaker 1: point three percent of all bucks harvested in twenty twenty three. 263 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:43,560 Speaker 1: It's also a pretty raw deal to tell a kid 264 00:15:43,680 --> 00:15:46,880 Speaker 1: or a disabled vet that we've created a special season 265 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:50,360 Speaker 1: for them, but they can't shoot a buck. As Scott said, 266 00:15:50,520 --> 00:15:54,040 Speaker 1: creating these memories is vital to the hunting experience, especially 267 00:15:54,040 --> 00:15:57,800 Speaker 1: for hunters and the Michigan United Conservation Club, who lobbied 268 00:15:57,800 --> 00:16:01,720 Speaker 1: the Natural Resources Commission to change They submitted a proposal 269 00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:04,440 Speaker 1: in April to allow hunters in these special seasons to 270 00:16:04,480 --> 00:16:07,320 Speaker 1: take antler deer, and the Commission approved it in May. 271 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:10,520 Speaker 1: Whatever you believe about the rule change and its reversal, 272 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:12,920 Speaker 1: I think this is a great example of the power 273 00:16:12,920 --> 00:16:15,520 Speaker 1: of hunters who decided to get engaged. The same thing 274 00:16:15,560 --> 00:16:18,080 Speaker 1: can happen in your state. Or even at the national level. 275 00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:20,480 Speaker 1: We have the power to change things. We just have 276 00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:25,720 Speaker 1: to stick together and most importantly speak up. Moving on 277 00:16:25,800 --> 00:16:30,160 Speaker 1: to the Caribou desk, the mass slaughter of as many 278 00:16:30,200 --> 00:16:34,320 Speaker 1: as seventy five cariboo in Manitoba, including cows carrying unborn calves, 279 00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:36,960 Speaker 1: is prompting calls for changes to the way the species 280 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:40,840 Speaker 1: is managed, especially as it relates to tribal hunting. This 281 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:45,360 Speaker 1: latest incident began when an American named Nick Skigliano visited 282 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:49,360 Speaker 1: a set of lodges he'd purchased in Nwelton Lake Provincial 283 00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:51,960 Speaker 1: Park and the far north of Manitoba. I know I 284 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:55,400 Speaker 1: got that wrong. Go ahead right in askcl at the 285 00:16:55,440 --> 00:16:59,680 Speaker 1: Metior dot Com. Skigliano visited his lodges on April eleven, 286 00:16:59,720 --> 00:17:03,040 Speaker 1: Toy twenty five for a spring wellness check, but noticed 287 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:06,159 Speaker 1: people illegally occupying the buildings as he flew over. He 288 00:17:06,320 --> 00:17:09,160 Speaker 1: chose not to land and confront the occupants, but from 289 00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:12,600 Speaker 1: the air he saw piles of cariboo carcasses strewn throughout 290 00:17:12,600 --> 00:17:16,400 Speaker 1: the property. Scigliano returned a week later, on April eighteen, 291 00:17:16,480 --> 00:17:20,240 Speaker 1: with staff members of the Manitoba Wildlife Federation, three officers 292 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:24,280 Speaker 1: with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and a provincial conservation officer. 293 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:26,959 Speaker 1: Some of the cabins were still occupied when they arrived. 294 00:17:27,280 --> 00:17:30,879 Speaker 1: As they landed at the airstrip located beside the main lodge. 295 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:34,120 Speaker 1: They did not perform neckruptcies on every carcass they saw, 296 00:17:34,160 --> 00:17:36,879 Speaker 1: but they estimated that there were between fifty and seventy 297 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:40,200 Speaker 1: five animals grouped in piles around the property. On some 298 00:17:40,359 --> 00:17:42,600 Speaker 1: most of the meat had been harvested, but on many 299 00:17:42,640 --> 00:17:45,160 Speaker 1: others at least half the meat had been left to rock. 300 00:17:45,560 --> 00:17:47,880 Speaker 1: The vast majority of the animals were cows, and many 301 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:51,600 Speaker 1: were carrying calves. Near the airstrip, Olsen and his colleagues 302 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:54,879 Speaker 1: found five large piles of cariboo heads and carcasses. They 303 00:17:54,920 --> 00:17:57,639 Speaker 1: inspected two of those piles, digging through the snow to 304 00:17:57,640 --> 00:18:00,959 Speaker 1: discover the remains of six cariboo. All were cows, and 305 00:18:01,119 --> 00:18:04,960 Speaker 1: three were carrying fully formed, unborn calves. These cows had 306 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:07,960 Speaker 1: survived wolves in winter and were almost ready to give 307 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:10,919 Speaker 1: birth when they were killed. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police 308 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:14,080 Speaker 1: had said they believe a local indigenous community is responsible 309 00:18:14,119 --> 00:18:16,600 Speaker 1: for these harvests. These groups have the right to hunt 310 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:18,280 Speaker 1: at any time of the year and take as many 311 00:18:18,280 --> 00:18:20,480 Speaker 1: cariboo as they want, in part because they rely on 312 00:18:20,520 --> 00:18:23,119 Speaker 1: a steady supply of meat to survive. But on the 313 00:18:23,160 --> 00:18:27,040 Speaker 1: six caribou olson inspected, the front, shoulders, neck, and ribs 314 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:30,240 Speaker 1: were all left as waste, along with two hind quarters 315 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:33,280 Speaker 1: that were also left behind. What's more, these hunters are 316 00:18:33,320 --> 00:18:36,639 Speaker 1: still bound by wanton waste laws, and they also allegedly 317 00:18:36,680 --> 00:18:40,080 Speaker 1: trespassed on private property. The animals that were killed were 318 00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:42,760 Speaker 1: part of a large barren ground caribou herd in Northern 319 00:18:42,760 --> 00:18:46,840 Speaker 1: Manitoba known as the k Minureact herd. This herd overwinters 320 00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:49,600 Speaker 1: in the forested region of Northern Manitoba and then makes 321 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:51,320 Speaker 1: it way back to none of it in the spring 322 00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:53,760 Speaker 1: to have their young. Killing these cows at this time 323 00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:56,000 Speaker 1: of year has a much greater impact on the herd 324 00:18:56,240 --> 00:18:59,520 Speaker 1: than killing bulls or non pregnant cows, and even pregnant 325 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:02,520 Speaker 1: cows that aren't killed often abort their young as a 326 00:19:02,560 --> 00:19:05,440 Speaker 1: result of being chased by snowmobiles, which is the only 327 00:19:05,480 --> 00:19:07,960 Speaker 1: way to hunt them in winter. In part as a 328 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:11,960 Speaker 1: result of irresponsible harvest and over harvesting, the Commitee React 329 00:19:11,960 --> 00:19:14,879 Speaker 1: herd has declined by about fifty percent in the last 330 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:17,560 Speaker 1: thirty years, from four hundred ninety six thousand animals in 331 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:20,520 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety four to two hundred and fifty three thousand 332 00:19:20,520 --> 00:19:24,359 Speaker 1: animals in twenty twenty two. The Manitoba Wildlife Federation has 333 00:19:24,400 --> 00:19:27,159 Speaker 1: been publicizing this event as a way to spark a 334 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:30,920 Speaker 1: conversation about how to protect this herd. Representatives who spoke 335 00:19:31,040 --> 00:19:33,560 Speaker 1: Jordan Sillers for his article at the mediater dot com 336 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:35,679 Speaker 1: say they'd like to see the province set up a 337 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:40,480 Speaker 1: co management board that includes both Indigenous and non Indigenous representatives. 338 00:19:40,720 --> 00:19:44,200 Speaker 1: This board would impose harvest reporting requirements on all hunters, 339 00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:47,280 Speaker 1: as well as closed seasons for when cows are carrying calves. 340 00:19:47,560 --> 00:19:50,679 Speaker 1: This isn't about vilifying any one group of people unless 341 00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:53,840 Speaker 1: those people are wasters. Most Indigenous hunters don't waste me, 342 00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:56,359 Speaker 1: and the chief of the local community said he was 343 00:19:56,400 --> 00:20:00,280 Speaker 1: horrified to hear about the actions of these individuals. Taboo 344 00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:02,919 Speaker 1: herds can't sustain these kinds of large scale harvests of 345 00:20:02,960 --> 00:20:05,560 Speaker 1: cows and calves for the long term, which is why 346 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:09,960 Speaker 1: many people of all backgrounds are calling for change. Moving 347 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:14,639 Speaker 1: on to the bad Ideas desk. All around the world, 348 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:19,359 Speaker 1: governments and nonprofits operate programs that pay commercial fishermen to 349 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:24,760 Speaker 1: release threatened and endangered fish. These fish are often caught accidentally, 350 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:27,800 Speaker 1: so it makes some sense to incentivize anglers to throw 351 00:20:27,840 --> 00:20:31,159 Speaker 1: them back rather than let them die. Of course, if 352 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:33,119 Speaker 1: you've ever met a fisherman, or a trapper, or a 353 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:35,560 Speaker 1: hunter for that matter, you can already see the flaw 354 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:38,200 Speaker 1: in the system. A new study from researchers at Johns 355 00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:41,520 Speaker 1: Hopkins University has found that rather than promote conservation of 356 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:45,439 Speaker 1: endangered species, these programs can sometimes have the opposite effect. 357 00:20:45,720 --> 00:20:48,600 Speaker 1: That's because while they give fishermen an incentive to throw 358 00:20:48,640 --> 00:20:51,359 Speaker 1: the fish back, they also give them an incentive to 359 00:20:51,440 --> 00:20:54,159 Speaker 1: catch them in the first place. Researchers went down to 360 00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:57,520 Speaker 1: Indonesia and conducted a study of eighty seven fishing vessels. 361 00:20:57,760 --> 00:21:00,359 Speaker 1: They found that when anglers were incentivized to really least 362 00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:03,760 Speaker 1: wedge fish and hammerhead sharks, they often caught more of 363 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:07,520 Speaker 1: them than vessels that did not receive payments for safe release. 364 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:11,240 Speaker 1: What's more, these fishermen would sometimes lie about whether the 365 00:21:11,240 --> 00:21:14,600 Speaker 1: fish they quote released were actually alive when they checked 366 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:17,480 Speaker 1: them back in the water. This resulted in a mortality 367 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:20,240 Speaker 1: reduction for wedge fish of less than fifty percent of 368 00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:25,000 Speaker 1: what the release numbers suggested. Worse, hammerhead mortality rose forty 369 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:28,600 Speaker 1: four percent due to increased catch and their poor lung function, 370 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:32,280 Speaker 1: making them likely to die before release. This is what 371 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:36,679 Speaker 1: smart people call a perverse incentive, which is an incentive 372 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:42,239 Speaker 1: that delivers undesirable results, often undermining the stated goal. A 373 00:21:42,240 --> 00:21:46,520 Speaker 1: well structured conservation program keeps perverse incentives in mind and 374 00:21:46,560 --> 00:21:50,119 Speaker 1: tries to mitigate those as much as possible, because conservation 375 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:53,960 Speaker 1: isn't just about managing wildlife, it's about dealing with people, 376 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:57,359 Speaker 1: and people can be motivated in ways that researchers and 377 00:21:57,440 --> 00:22:02,680 Speaker 1: wildlife officials don't always expect. Moving on to the shed 378 00:22:02,760 --> 00:22:07,520 Speaker 1: hunting desk, a trio of National guardsmen or in hot 379 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:10,440 Speaker 1: water after they were seen landing a black Hawk helicopter 380 00:22:10,560 --> 00:22:14,040 Speaker 1: on private property in Sweetgrass County, Montana. Had they run 381 00:22:14,040 --> 00:22:17,160 Speaker 1: out of gas or discovered a malfunction with the engine, No, 382 00:22:17,560 --> 00:22:20,760 Speaker 1: they were shed hunting. Major Ryan Finnigin with the Montana 383 00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:23,520 Speaker 1: National Guards said that three guardsmen were on a training 384 00:22:23,520 --> 00:22:26,600 Speaker 1: flight from Billings to Helena when they made an unscheduled 385 00:22:26,600 --> 00:22:29,400 Speaker 1: stop on a private ranch. A witness saw them hop 386 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:32,400 Speaker 1: out and collect two elk sheds along with the deadhead. 387 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:35,399 Speaker 1: With the antlers attached, they loaded up their score and 388 00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:37,879 Speaker 1: flew off, but the witness called the owner of the 389 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:41,280 Speaker 1: property and things went downhill from there. I don't know 390 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:43,680 Speaker 1: how big the antlers were, but the local sheriff said 391 00:22:43,720 --> 00:22:45,960 Speaker 1: the hall was worth between three and four hundred dollars. 392 00:22:46,359 --> 00:22:48,439 Speaker 1: I got to say, we've been covering wildlife crime for 393 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:50,719 Speaker 1: a long time here on Cal's Week in Review, and 394 00:22:50,760 --> 00:22:53,280 Speaker 1: this is a new one for me. Unless these fellows 395 00:22:53,280 --> 00:22:55,320 Speaker 1: have done this before, this may be the first time 396 00:22:55,320 --> 00:22:58,840 Speaker 1: in recorded history a commissioned attack chopper has been used 397 00:22:58,840 --> 00:23:02,240 Speaker 1: to shed hunt. I do not support using taxpayer dollars 398 00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:05,560 Speaker 1: for this purpose. The Government Accountability Office reports that it 399 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:08,320 Speaker 1: costs about three thousand dollars to operate a black Hawk 400 00:23:08,359 --> 00:23:10,639 Speaker 1: for one hour. I got to give those guys credit 401 00:23:10,680 --> 00:23:13,439 Speaker 1: for creativity, and you know, I'm sure it serves some 402 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:17,480 Speaker 1: training purpose. Unfortunately for them, I doubt the US military 403 00:23:17,520 --> 00:23:20,200 Speaker 1: is going to see it that way. Listener leland Hart 404 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:22,440 Speaker 1: is also a National Guardsman, and he said that along 405 00:23:22,480 --> 00:23:25,080 Speaker 1: with a trespassed charge from the state, they could face 406 00:23:25,119 --> 00:23:28,040 Speaker 1: additional charges from the military under the Uniform Code of 407 00:23:28,080 --> 00:23:31,600 Speaker 1: Military Justice. At the very least, they'll probably get a 408 00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:35,119 Speaker 1: reprimand for misusing equipment, which I assume comes with extra 409 00:23:35,119 --> 00:23:38,720 Speaker 1: pushups or toilet cleaning, or you know something else you 410 00:23:38,760 --> 00:23:42,480 Speaker 1: see on TV. Before we move on, I think it's 411 00:23:42,560 --> 00:23:45,919 Speaker 1: just a good reminder that, you know, a lot of 412 00:23:45,920 --> 00:23:50,080 Speaker 1: our military are serving their youthful prime and even though 413 00:23:50,240 --> 00:23:54,560 Speaker 1: they have tremendous responsibility, they may not be on the 414 00:23:54,600 --> 00:23:58,840 Speaker 1: mature end of the spectrum. Moving on to the doze desk, 415 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:03,399 Speaker 1: one of the latest federal agencies to find itself in 416 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:06,400 Speaker 1: the crosshairs of federal cost cutting measures is the US 417 00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:10,479 Speaker 1: Geological Survey or USGS. The USGS is the science arm 418 00:24:10,560 --> 00:24:13,280 Speaker 1: of the Department of the Interior. They conduct their own 419 00:24:13,320 --> 00:24:16,040 Speaker 1: studies on a huge array of wildlife, including many of 420 00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:18,760 Speaker 1: the species we like to hunt and catch. State and 421 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:22,440 Speaker 1: federal wildlife agencies use this information to make good management 422 00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:26,679 Speaker 1: decisions that benefit animals, habitat and outdoor recreationists like you 423 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:30,160 Speaker 1: and me. The USGS also funnels money to state level 424 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:34,119 Speaker 1: researchers through something called cooperative research units. The units are 425 00:24:34,160 --> 00:24:37,800 Speaker 1: often affiliated with the universities, and researchers get more bang 426 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:40,840 Speaker 1: for their buck working through the USGS than directly with 427 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:44,200 Speaker 1: these schools. Listener Caden step told me in an email 428 00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:47,120 Speaker 1: that in Idaho, the University of Idaho co Op Unit 429 00:24:47,280 --> 00:24:50,119 Speaker 1: conducts the vast majority of wildlife and fisheries research for 430 00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:53,760 Speaker 1: the Idaho fishing game. Unfortunately, along with the public land 431 00:24:53,760 --> 00:24:55,879 Speaker 1: sales we've been covering for the last few weeks, the 432 00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:59,159 Speaker 1: Republican budget proposal in Congress strips funding from these co 433 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:02,399 Speaker 1: op units. These politicians say they want to return power 434 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:05,760 Speaker 1: back to the states, but eliminating this money would hamstring 435 00:25:05,960 --> 00:25:09,520 Speaker 1: many of the research efforts the state agencies are conducting. 436 00:25:10,040 --> 00:25:13,479 Speaker 1: This would hurt hunters and anglers in a few ways. First, 437 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:16,199 Speaker 1: it could lead to bad management decisions that harm the 438 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:18,719 Speaker 1: species we love and want to see more of on 439 00:25:18,760 --> 00:25:21,359 Speaker 1: the landscape. But it could also give ammunition to the 440 00:25:21,400 --> 00:25:25,160 Speaker 1: anti hunting agenda. Remember when Washington State eliminated the spring 441 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:28,240 Speaker 1: bear hunt, their justification for doing so was that they 442 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:31,000 Speaker 1: didn't have enough information on how the spring hunt was 443 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:34,760 Speaker 1: impacting the black bear population. Without funding to conduct the 444 00:25:34,840 --> 00:25:37,560 Speaker 1: kind of research, anti hunting forces could use the exact 445 00:25:37,640 --> 00:25:40,920 Speaker 1: same excuse in other states to restrict hunting for other species. 446 00:25:41,359 --> 00:25:43,280 Speaker 1: We may not always agree with the findings of our 447 00:25:43,280 --> 00:25:47,320 Speaker 1: wildlife researchers, but their work is crucial. They're already strapped 448 00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:50,280 Speaker 1: for cash and taking away another funding stream could have 449 00:25:50,440 --> 00:25:54,119 Speaker 1: disastrous effects. The budget bill will likely have already passed 450 00:25:54,160 --> 00:25:56,080 Speaker 1: the House by the time you hear this, so when 451 00:25:56,119 --> 00:25:59,240 Speaker 1: you contact your senators about the public land sales, mention 452 00:25:59,359 --> 00:26:02,240 Speaker 1: this as well. We want the USGS to be fully 453 00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:04,960 Speaker 1: funded both now and in the future. Big thanks to 454 00:26:04,960 --> 00:26:07,600 Speaker 1: all the listeners who wrote in about this issue. That's 455 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:09,560 Speaker 1: all I got for you this week. Thank you so 456 00:26:09,680 --> 00:26:12,879 Speaker 1: much for listening, and remember to write in to ask 457 00:26:13,119 --> 00:26:16,080 Speaker 1: c A. L. That's Ascal at themeeater dot com. Let 458 00:26:16,160 --> 00:26:17,840 Speaker 1: us know what's going on in your neck of the woods. 459 00:26:18,119 --> 00:26:21,960 Speaker 1: We appreciate it. And again, huge thank you to everybody 460 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:26,600 Speaker 1: who stepped up, wrote, called, emailed and did so for 461 00:26:26,640 --> 00:26:29,920 Speaker 1: the first time. Especially It's easy, isn't it In this 462 00:26:29,960 --> 00:26:32,920 Speaker 1: particular case. We got some good results, but we need 463 00:26:32,960 --> 00:26:35,879 Speaker 1: you to stay on the hook because we got to 464 00:26:35,960 --> 00:26:39,840 Speaker 1: use our unified voices again. Thanks again, we'll talk to 465 00:26:39,840 --> 00:26:47,680 Speaker 1: you next week.