1 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:06,880 Speaker 1: From Mediators World News Headquarters in Bozeman, Montana. This is 2 00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:11,360 Speaker 1: Cal's weekend review, presented by Steel Steel products are available 3 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:15,200 Speaker 1: only at authorized dealers. For more, go to Steel Dealers 4 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: dot com. Now here's your host, Ryan cal callahan. 5 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:25,520 Speaker 2: For the first time ever, scientists have cryo preserved and 6 00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:29,240 Speaker 2: then revived an entire piece of ocean coral. You may 7 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:33,680 Speaker 2: remember cryopreservation from documentaries like Mel Gibson's Forever Young and 8 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:36,879 Speaker 2: Star Wars. Researchers are still a long way from freezing 9 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:39,680 Speaker 2: han solo, but I'd say this is a good start. 10 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:44,080 Speaker 2: Scientists used anti freeze and liquid nitrogen to freeze coral 11 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:47,440 Speaker 2: fragments in a glass like state, and then thaw them 12 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:51,000 Speaker 2: and return them to seawater. They report in a study 13 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 2: published in the journal Nature Communications that for twenty four 14 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 2: hours after the corals were revived, they consumed oxygen at 15 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:02,880 Speaker 2: rate comparable to corals that had never been cryo preserved. 16 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:06,760 Speaker 2: This is important because it could give biologists an easier 17 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:10,560 Speaker 2: way to preserve biodiverse genetic material from coral reefs around 18 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:14,120 Speaker 2: the world. The current method for preserving this genetic material 19 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:16,959 Speaker 2: is to collect and freeze coral sperm and I bet 20 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:19,959 Speaker 2: you didn't even know coral had sperm, But that's why 21 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:23,280 Speaker 2: you listen to this podcast anyway. Learn something new every 22 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:28,040 Speaker 2: day right here. Three quarters of all stony corals reproduce sexually, 23 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:30,960 Speaker 2: meaning they're composed of males and females. When a male 24 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:33,640 Speaker 2: coral and a female coral love each other very much, 25 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:37,000 Speaker 2: you guys know the deal, and love doesn't really need 26 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:41,000 Speaker 2: to come into it because corals just broadcast their goods 27 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:44,399 Speaker 2: out there and they mingle and figure it out on 28 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:48,320 Speaker 2: their own. Females in fact, release millions of eggs into 29 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 2: the ocean, and males release millions of sperm. The Earth 30 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:54,720 Speaker 2: has lost about half of its coral reefs since nineteen fifty, 31 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:58,240 Speaker 2: so scientists have tried to preserve genetic material by collecting 32 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 2: and freezing coral sperm. The problem is coral only releases 33 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:05,800 Speaker 2: sperm a few days a year. These days are difficult 34 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:09,600 Speaker 2: to predict, and sometimes marine biologists missed the event entirely. 35 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:13,440 Speaker 2: That's why they're so jazzed about being able to preserve 36 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:17,120 Speaker 2: an entire piece of coral. This new cryo preservation method 37 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:20,280 Speaker 2: will allow them to methodically collect coral from around the world, 38 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:22,560 Speaker 2: freeze it, and have it on hand to grow new 39 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:26,639 Speaker 2: reefs in the future. Just like with animal gene banking 40 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:29,480 Speaker 2: and cloning, we shouldn't rely on this technique to save 41 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 2: coral reefs. It's much easier, much easier, and much less 42 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:38,360 Speaker 2: expensive to conserve what we have right now, rather than 43 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:41,640 Speaker 2: you know, hunting the coral down the road and letting 44 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 2: science and magic swoop in in some unnamed date to 45 00:02:46,639 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 2: rectifire laziness. But as one tool of many to help 46 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:53,839 Speaker 2: save coral reefs and the species that rely on them, 47 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:58,239 Speaker 2: it's still pretty cool, you know, so like again space 48 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:01,440 Speaker 2: travel movies right one step clothes sir, or can you 49 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:04,399 Speaker 2: imagine like the self driving car and you just kind 50 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:07,520 Speaker 2: of like freeze yourself and wake up in the armpit 51 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:10,680 Speaker 2: of Florida when the tarpent are running. Right, there are 52 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:14,920 Speaker 2: applications that I could see would be helpful. This week 53 00:03:14,960 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 2: we've got the Snort Report, drones regulations, and keep your 54 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 2: hands off our wildlife dollars. But first I'm gonna tell 55 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:25,799 Speaker 2: you about my week, and for those of you who 56 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:28,960 Speaker 2: listen to me drone on and on about the anxiety 57 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:31,840 Speaker 2: of the all two brief hunting season last week, I 58 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 2: have to recap with the first official Snort report of 59 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:40,360 Speaker 2: the season that little dog does not tolerate the heat well, 60 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:44,000 Speaker 2: and it was hot. Despite this, she has not lost 61 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:48,080 Speaker 2: anything from last season. It is crazy to me to 62 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:50,080 Speaker 2: think that we can pick up where we left off. 63 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:53,280 Speaker 2: We joined up with my old buddy, Garrett Smith aka 64 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:56,760 Speaker 2: Dirtmth and a new friend, Bob. Bob has a two 65 00:03:56,880 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 2: year old female Griffon and is the type of fellow 66 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 2: that gives you the full rundown on his dog and 67 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 2: what to expect, exactly how you should do it. Neither 68 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:09,560 Speaker 2: of our dogs paid much attention to each other. The 69 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:13,160 Speaker 2: pointer ranged around and pointed things, and the lab stayed tight. 70 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 2: And just for context, you got to remember this as 71 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 2: little bird season in Montana, grouse and partridge, not peasant. 72 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 2: And I'll be honest here, for the high prairie, a 73 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:27,719 Speaker 2: pointer is the better tool in the doggy tool chest. 74 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:32,160 Speaker 2: But don't tell Snort I said so anyway. I'd say 75 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:35,200 Speaker 2: sixty to seventy percent of our four mornings of hunting, 76 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:38,480 Speaker 2: the pointer did the bird finding and the retriever did 77 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:42,480 Speaker 2: the retrieving. Conditions were hot and dry, with the exceptions 78 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:46,719 Speaker 2: of irrigated bottom land, there just wasn't much moisture not 79 00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:49,920 Speaker 2: even enough to make do, which is kind of a pun, 80 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:53,359 Speaker 2: but not good conditions for dogs in general, and not 81 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:57,280 Speaker 2: good conditions for picking up ccent. Despite this, our first 82 00:04:57,360 --> 00:04:59,920 Speaker 2: day we located two groups of birds. The pointer got 83 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:03,480 Speaker 2: some great points, most of which were real life game birds. 84 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:06,920 Speaker 2: Bob Garrett and I shot well enough to put most 85 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:10,400 Speaker 2: of our bird opportunities in the bird bags. Snort was 86 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:13,480 Speaker 2: killing it on the retrieves and on marking where the 87 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:16,719 Speaker 2: birds went down. In those conditions, it's very hard for 88 00:05:16,760 --> 00:05:19,200 Speaker 2: a dog to smell a bird on the ground, particularly 89 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:22,160 Speaker 2: when it just drops out of the sky. Despite that, 90 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:27,000 Speaker 2: she found them fairly automatically with the heat, she wasn't 91 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 2: really interested in bringing those birds to hand, meaning that 92 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:33,560 Speaker 2: she would really want to drop them as she got 93 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:36,400 Speaker 2: to me. But she would hold a bird when I 94 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:39,560 Speaker 2: prompted her to do so. Holding a bird after you 95 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:43,359 Speaker 2: just did a wind sprint in eighty degrees looked miserable, 96 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:47,600 Speaker 2: so I wasn't pushing it. Unfortunately, as we crept into 97 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:50,880 Speaker 2: the third day, we had some sore cactus feet and 98 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:54,680 Speaker 2: our hottest day yet. At this point, we were fortunate 99 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:58,240 Speaker 2: enough to get permission on a hayfield that was cut 100 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:02,080 Speaker 2: and we could drive in Hayfield. And this is where 101 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:04,960 Speaker 2: and how we encountered our best opportunity of the trip 102 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:07,839 Speaker 2: in order to save the dogs. Because it was so 103 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:12,320 Speaker 2: stinking hot, we just drove my truck until we found 104 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:15,560 Speaker 2: a covey of sharptails, and man, did we find a 105 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:19,320 Speaker 2: big covey of sharptails. We geared up and then we 106 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:22,880 Speaker 2: kind of like worried those birds until they eventually flushed 107 00:06:22,960 --> 00:06:26,200 Speaker 2: out into the big tall prairie grass. So they left 108 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:29,760 Speaker 2: the short cover got into the tall cover. And during 109 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:33,479 Speaker 2: that I even picked up one young sharptail that let 110 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:35,719 Speaker 2: us get a little too close. I picked up, I 111 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:39,000 Speaker 2: mean shot and snort retrieved it. It was great. Anyway, 112 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:42,719 Speaker 2: the stage was set. We were three days in. The 113 00:06:42,760 --> 00:06:46,760 Speaker 2: dogs had worked beautifully together, we had shot great and 114 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:50,200 Speaker 2: now we had a huge covey, biggest covey of the trip, 115 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:53,679 Speaker 2: pushed into the tall grass. For those of you don't 116 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:58,000 Speaker 2: obla sharptail hunting, birds that you see, land and thick 117 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:00,839 Speaker 2: cover are much easier to get in to close shooting 118 00:07:00,839 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 2: distance to and a big flock that hasn't been shot 119 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:09,320 Speaker 2: at in this particular situation should be easy pickings. We 120 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:13,320 Speaker 2: communicated well, we had our location landmarked and our shooting 121 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:18,160 Speaker 2: zones set. Then the birds flushed and dogs ran, and 122 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:20,840 Speaker 2: Bob and I yelled. We yelled at the dogs. We 123 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 2: yelled at Garrett to keep shooting, and then we yelled 124 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:26,240 Speaker 2: at Garrett to reload and shoot some more. And then 125 00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:29,600 Speaker 2: we shot and yelled at more dogs, and we shot 126 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:32,840 Speaker 2: too far and nothing fell, and the birds just kept 127 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:35,160 Speaker 2: popping out of the grass. At this point, I was 128 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:38,400 Speaker 2: so disgusted that I wasn't even reloading. We just looked 129 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 2: at each other and kind of jointly agreed that we 130 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:46,840 Speaker 2: just acted like a bunch of amateur jackasses or professional jackasses. 131 00:07:46,880 --> 00:07:49,920 Speaker 2: Maybe you be the judge right. And I couldn't help 132 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:52,560 Speaker 2: but think about that one for a while. And it 133 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:54,680 Speaker 2: was good to get it out of the system, I suppose. 134 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:59,119 Speaker 2: The last day, Bob and Garret headed west for home. 135 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:02,320 Speaker 2: The sky it was amazing. It was dark and brooding, 136 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:05,679 Speaker 2: full of contrast, A little sniff of rain in the air, 137 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 2: a few degrees cooler and snort and I struck out 138 00:08:08,880 --> 00:08:11,600 Speaker 2: and found a long drought of walk. There were no 139 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:14,480 Speaker 2: cattle in it. It hadn't been hayd It was just 140 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 2: a big, beautiful, thick grass bottom and we enjoyed it. 141 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:23,040 Speaker 2: And honestly, it was just kind of nice to be 142 00:08:23,080 --> 00:08:27,080 Speaker 2: out there walking in just a small team. And just 143 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:30,240 Speaker 2: about the time our walk could be summed up as 144 00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:33,960 Speaker 2: just a walk, all fuzzy Butt started picking up the pace. 145 00:08:34,400 --> 00:08:38,600 Speaker 2: Her sniffer sending unknown information, threw her muscles in the 146 00:08:38,600 --> 00:08:42,600 Speaker 2: form of electric shocks. Looks like when you get go 147 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:45,200 Speaker 2: to physical therapy and they hook up electrodes to you 148 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:48,320 Speaker 2: and your muscles dance. That's what Snort looks like when 149 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:52,920 Speaker 2: she's on birds. It was a phenomenal little walk, maybe 150 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:56,440 Speaker 2: even too easy, I'd guess, like three and a half 151 00:08:56,559 --> 00:08:59,960 Speaker 2: mile loop, and we put four birds in the cooler 152 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:03,000 Speaker 2: and a really tired dog in the back seat. It 153 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:05,520 Speaker 2: was a heck of an end to the first trip 154 00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:07,800 Speaker 2: and a heck of a general start to the season. 155 00:09:08,880 --> 00:09:10,640 Speaker 2: Last thing I want to tell you in the Snort 156 00:09:10,679 --> 00:09:13,920 Speaker 2: report here, aside from the fact that the new side 157 00:09:13,920 --> 00:09:17,280 Speaker 2: by side is an absolute delight in the field, a 158 00:09:17,400 --> 00:09:20,400 Speaker 2: new obsession of mine that weather be will soon be 159 00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:23,400 Speaker 2: severely back ordered on. I am sure, because they are amazing. 160 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:26,640 Speaker 2: When we got home, Snort and I did work on 161 00:09:26,679 --> 00:09:30,280 Speaker 2: some backyard, retrieving and getting that bird to hand, and 162 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:33,880 Speaker 2: that little shit was perfect. Would hardly drop a bird 163 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:37,400 Speaker 2: when I asked, maybe ice cold sharp tail is the 164 00:09:37,559 --> 00:09:42,079 Speaker 2: labrador's popsicle on a hot day. Moving on to the 165 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:46,560 Speaker 2: white tail desk. Should hunters be allowed to use drones 166 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:48,959 Speaker 2: to recover game? According to the State of Michigan, the 167 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:51,199 Speaker 2: answer is no. The state is in the midst of 168 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:54,840 Speaker 2: a lawsuit brought by an entrepreneur from Ohio named Mike Yoder. 169 00:09:55,400 --> 00:09:58,640 Speaker 2: Yoder started a company last year called Drone Deer Recovery 170 00:09:58,760 --> 00:10:01,480 Speaker 2: that uses high tech drug ozones equipped with thermal imaging 171 00:10:01,559 --> 00:10:04,240 Speaker 2: to find whitetailed deer that have been shot and lost 172 00:10:04,280 --> 00:10:08,160 Speaker 2: by hunters. Yoder has over thirty drone pilots in fifteen 173 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:10,920 Speaker 2: states that hunters can call in to help them recover 174 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:13,800 Speaker 2: their deer. The drones fly about four hundred feet in 175 00:10:13,840 --> 00:10:16,280 Speaker 2: the air so they don't disturb other deer or wildlife, 176 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:18,719 Speaker 2: and once they find a heat signature, they confirm the 177 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 2: deer's location using a camera. Yoder told the outlet Agweb 178 00:10:23,040 --> 00:10:26,080 Speaker 2: that if temperatures are between thirty and forty degrees fahrenheit, 179 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:28,240 Speaker 2: he can pick up a heat signature up to forty 180 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:31,360 Speaker 2: eight hours after a deer has died. Yoder says most 181 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:34,440 Speaker 2: of his clients are archery hunters, and that makes sense. 182 00:10:34,520 --> 00:10:38,160 Speaker 2: Studies unlost game very widely, but low end estimates are 183 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:41,240 Speaker 2: that archery hunters lose ten percent of the animals they shoot. 184 00:10:41,679 --> 00:10:45,400 Speaker 2: Other studies put that number above fifty percent. Whatever the 185 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:49,280 Speaker 2: real number is, Yoder says his service isn't all around positive. 186 00:10:49,679 --> 00:10:52,840 Speaker 2: Hunters can recover the animal they killed without spending hours 187 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:55,800 Speaker 2: tropping through the woods, and since the hunters don't own 188 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:58,840 Speaker 2: the drones themselves, they don't have the opportunity to do 189 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:03,679 Speaker 2: any surreptitious scale, meaning they're not going to abuse the technology. 190 00:11:04,320 --> 00:11:06,880 Speaker 2: Yoder operates in states from Idaho to New York, but 191 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:09,600 Speaker 2: most of his drone pilots are throughout the Midwest. But 192 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:12,920 Speaker 2: he doesn't have any pilots in Michigan. That's because Michigan's 193 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:17,160 Speaker 2: drone statute prohibits hunters from using drones to quote take game. 194 00:11:17,880 --> 00:11:21,559 Speaker 2: In another statute, the law defines take to include collecting animals, 195 00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:24,600 Speaker 2: which is why Michigan is currently barring Yoder and his 196 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:28,280 Speaker 2: drone pilots from their borders. In a complaint filed by 197 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:32,320 Speaker 2: the Pacific legal foundation. Yoder argues that this restriction violates 198 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:35,960 Speaker 2: his First Amendment rights. When Yoder locates a deer, he 199 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:38,400 Speaker 2: sends the location of that deer to the hunter so 200 00:11:38,480 --> 00:11:42,439 Speaker 2: the hunter can collect it. This location data is the speech, 201 00:11:42,640 --> 00:11:46,400 Speaker 2: Yoder says, Michigan is restricting. According to the complaint, the 202 00:11:46,440 --> 00:11:50,080 Speaker 2: state's drone statute quote singles out a particular type of 203 00:11:50,120 --> 00:11:54,000 Speaker 2: speech and prohibits its creation and dissemination if it will 204 00:11:54,040 --> 00:11:57,880 Speaker 2: be used to collect the game. This, he says, constitutes 205 00:11:57,920 --> 00:12:00,880 Speaker 2: a First Amendment violation. He wants the court to declare 206 00:12:00,880 --> 00:12:05,360 Speaker 2: that the statute is unconstitutional and impose an injunction restraining 207 00:12:05,400 --> 00:12:09,000 Speaker 2: the Michigan DNAR from enforcing it in this way, which 208 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:13,200 Speaker 2: of course makes me just wonder how many archery hunters 209 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:16,680 Speaker 2: are using this service if Yoder has the cash to 210 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:20,880 Speaker 2: take that type of an argument to court. The DNR 211 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:24,040 Speaker 2: has so far declined to comment, citing the pending litigation, 212 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:26,920 Speaker 2: but you can imagine why they'd be hesitant to give 213 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:29,600 Speaker 2: anyone permission to operate a drone for any kind of 214 00:12:29,679 --> 00:12:32,839 Speaker 2: hunting activity. I doubt Yoder and his drone pilots are 215 00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:35,000 Speaker 2: helping their clients scout for deer well. They look for 216 00:12:35,040 --> 00:12:38,559 Speaker 2: a deer carcass. But I suppose it is possible. And 217 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:41,520 Speaker 2: if the DNR starts allowing hunters to use drones to 218 00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:44,480 Speaker 2: find dead deer, what's to stop them from also using 219 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:47,840 Speaker 2: those drones for other hunting purposes. I'm not saying it's 220 00:12:47,880 --> 00:12:50,640 Speaker 2: a great argument, but I can see where they're coming from. 221 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:53,960 Speaker 2: Whether you live in Michigan or not, you'll probably have 222 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:57,680 Speaker 2: to wrestle with this issue. Drone technology has gotten better 223 00:12:57,720 --> 00:13:01,960 Speaker 2: and less expensive. Average joey oters can now afford technology 224 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:04,000 Speaker 2: that would have been way out of reach just a 225 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:07,400 Speaker 2: decade ago. How and when a average Joe can use 226 00:13:07,440 --> 00:13:10,439 Speaker 2: that drone is a question worth asking, and I'm curious 227 00:13:10,480 --> 00:13:13,280 Speaker 2: to see how the Michigan courts will respond. If you 228 00:13:13,280 --> 00:13:15,800 Speaker 2: want to know what I think, why would you put 229 00:13:15,920 --> 00:13:20,600 Speaker 2: a beautiful, super fun to watch blood trail following dog 230 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:23,960 Speaker 2: out of work to fly a fricking drone? That's what 231 00:13:24,040 --> 00:13:28,720 Speaker 2: I think. Technology is not always the solution. You're a hunter, 232 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:33,280 Speaker 2: Dogs and game retrieval go together very well. For those 233 00:13:33,320 --> 00:13:35,760 Speaker 2: of you who say, yeah, but a dog running a 234 00:13:35,760 --> 00:13:38,679 Speaker 2: blood trail could mess up more hunting, I say this 235 00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:46,839 Speaker 2: take a better shot. Moving on to the wildlife funding, desk. 236 00:13:48,760 --> 00:13:52,400 Speaker 2: Federal auditors have accused Maine state government of diverting two 237 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:55,320 Speaker 2: point six million dollars that was supposed to be used 238 00:13:55,320 --> 00:14:00,319 Speaker 2: to fund wildlife habitat projects, hunter education programs, and outdoor recordation. 239 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:05,160 Speaker 2: Hunting licenses and gear purchases generate billions of dollars every 240 00:14:05,240 --> 00:14:08,319 Speaker 2: year for federal and state governments. This money is supposed 241 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:11,480 Speaker 2: to be used for wildlife and outdoor recreators, but sometimes 242 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:14,640 Speaker 2: public officials can't keep their greasy little pause off that 243 00:14:14,720 --> 00:14:17,240 Speaker 2: pile of cash. That appears to be what happened in 244 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:21,840 Speaker 2: Maine between twenty seventeen and twenty nineteen. State officials siphoned 245 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:24,000 Speaker 2: off money that was supposed to be used for hunting 246 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:26,640 Speaker 2: and fishing and used it to pay for the state's 247 00:14:26,640 --> 00:14:30,760 Speaker 2: pension fund. One point two million, for example, was supposed 248 00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:34,440 Speaker 2: to be used for wildlife assessment and management, eight hundred 249 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:37,320 Speaker 2: and seventeen thousand was supposed to be used for fisheries, 250 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:40,120 Speaker 2: and another one hundred and eight thousand was supposed to 251 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:44,080 Speaker 2: be used for land acquisition. Auditors say the state also 252 00:14:44,160 --> 00:14:47,760 Speaker 2: diverted about five hundred and fifty thousand dollars of hunting 253 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:51,320 Speaker 2: and fishing license sales, which is typically like the operational 254 00:14:51,400 --> 00:14:54,000 Speaker 2: budget of a game and fish agency to build a 255 00:14:54,040 --> 00:14:58,200 Speaker 2: private shooting range for law enforcement personnel. These grants came 256 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:01,080 Speaker 2: from the federal government, which is how well US auditors 257 00:15:01,080 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 2: got involved. They say the state used thirty percent of 258 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:06,880 Speaker 2: the money that was intended for the grant's payroll expenditures, 259 00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:09,800 Speaker 2: so the money used to pay biologists, wardens, and other 260 00:15:09,880 --> 00:15:12,880 Speaker 2: personnel and used it to shore up the state pension fund. 261 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:17,880 Speaker 2: Yeh yay, yay yay. State officials claim they did nothing 262 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:21,200 Speaker 2: wrong and that this is common practice in other states. 263 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:27,840 Speaker 2: What other states, please tell the federal auditors. Now Here 264 00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:31,160 Speaker 2: are some examples, but don't think that this is common. 265 00:15:31,800 --> 00:15:34,600 Speaker 2: It is not right, it is not good, and we 266 00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:39,120 Speaker 2: don't want it to become common anyway. In Ohio, for example, 267 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 2: the same auditors found that the state used one point 268 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:45,080 Speaker 2: four million dollars of federal fishing, hunting, and wildlife grant 269 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:49,040 Speaker 2: funds to pay down its unfunded state pension debt. You 270 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:52,080 Speaker 2: might argue that by paying into the state pension fund, 271 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:54,800 Speaker 2: this money is going to benefit the state employees who 272 00:15:54,840 --> 00:15:58,000 Speaker 2: would be doing the conservation work anyway. But those are 273 00:15:58,040 --> 00:16:02,360 Speaker 2: the only people who would benefit. Habitat restoration, hunter education, 274 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:06,240 Speaker 2: and fisheries management benefits everyone in the state, not just 275 00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:09,440 Speaker 2: public employees. Hunters and anglers are happy to pay the 276 00:16:09,440 --> 00:16:12,520 Speaker 2: federal excise taxes to help keep our wildlife healthy and 277 00:16:12,560 --> 00:16:15,560 Speaker 2: our environment clean. But if that money is instead being 278 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:18,320 Speaker 2: used to make up for a state's poor financial planning, 279 00:16:18,640 --> 00:16:23,280 Speaker 2: I'd say we got a problem. Speaking of sweaty palm 280 00:16:23,320 --> 00:16:26,800 Speaker 2: to public officials, the Pennsylvania Senate passed a bill last 281 00:16:26,840 --> 00:16:29,600 Speaker 2: week that would transfer money from the Game Fund to 282 00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:34,560 Speaker 2: an agricultural initiative. The Senate passed HB thirteen hundred that's 283 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:38,000 Speaker 2: one three zero zero on a twenty nine to eighteen vote. 284 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:40,880 Speaker 2: Buried in the giant spending bill is a line that 285 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:44,200 Speaker 2: takes one hundred and fifty million dollars from the state 286 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:47,560 Speaker 2: Game Fund and transfers it to the Clean Streams Fund. 287 00:16:48,280 --> 00:16:51,320 Speaker 2: Everyone is for clean water, and the Clean Streams Fund 288 00:16:51,480 --> 00:16:55,080 Speaker 2: was created to help farmers reduce sediment in waterways that 289 00:16:55,160 --> 00:16:58,360 Speaker 2: could harm marine life. That sounds good, but this bill 290 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:02,640 Speaker 2: could have unintended const quinces. The Pennsylvania Chapter of Backcountry 291 00:17:02,680 --> 00:17:05,479 Speaker 2: Hunters and Anglers is concerned because this would set a 292 00:17:05,600 --> 00:17:10,119 Speaker 2: dangerous precedent. The PA Game Commission functions entirely on money 293 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:12,720 Speaker 2: from the game fund. They don't get any general fund 294 00:17:12,840 --> 00:17:17,119 Speaker 2: or tax dollars. Quote. If future legislators follow suit and 295 00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:20,240 Speaker 2: conduct further raids on the fund, it will result in 296 00:17:20,320 --> 00:17:23,639 Speaker 2: immense damage to the Commission's ability to carry out its mission. 297 00:17:24,359 --> 00:17:27,879 Speaker 2: PA hunters are also concerned because diverting money from the 298 00:17:27,880 --> 00:17:32,240 Speaker 2: commission could make the state ineligible to receive Pittman Robertson funds. 299 00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:35,719 Speaker 2: This all gets a little complicated, but I'll try to simplify. 300 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:40,040 Speaker 2: Federal code prohibits states from diverting money generated from hunting 301 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:43,960 Speaker 2: license sales away from the state Wildlife Agency. The money 302 00:17:44,040 --> 00:17:47,359 Speaker 2: being diverted from the Clean Streams Fund didn't come directly 303 00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:51,119 Speaker 2: from license sales. And listen as I'm saying this, I 304 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:54,199 Speaker 2: hope the state of Washington is paying attention. This is 305 00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:56,880 Speaker 2: something that just like burns in my brain every time 306 00:17:56,880 --> 00:17:59,680 Speaker 2: we talk about the governor and the state Game Commission 307 00:17:59,680 --> 00:18:02,800 Speaker 2: in that state, like they are not going to function 308 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:05,920 Speaker 2: without these federal funds, and they're spitting in the eye 309 00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:10,879 Speaker 2: of the program that feeds them. I digress. Federal code 310 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:15,359 Speaker 2: prohibits states from diverting money generated from hunting license sales 311 00:18:15,440 --> 00:18:19,439 Speaker 2: from the State Wildlife Agency. The money being diverted from 312 00:18:19,480 --> 00:18:22,960 Speaker 2: the Clean Streams Fund didn't come directly from license sales, 313 00:18:23,359 --> 00:18:25,840 Speaker 2: but some of it is coming from oil and gas 314 00:18:25,920 --> 00:18:29,919 Speaker 2: leases on state game lands purchased by licensed sales. This 315 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:34,840 Speaker 2: also isn't allowed under Pittman Robertson, so hunters and anglers 316 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:37,760 Speaker 2: in Pennsylvania are worried the state could lose out on 317 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:40,679 Speaker 2: the tens of millions of dollars it receives from Pittman 318 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:44,320 Speaker 2: Robertson every year. And keep in mind that Pittman Robertson 319 00:18:44,359 --> 00:18:49,919 Speaker 2: excise tax dollars is hunter paid and shooter paid tax 320 00:18:49,960 --> 00:18:54,000 Speaker 2: revenue from the purchase of firearms and ammunition. It's also 321 00:18:54,040 --> 00:18:57,680 Speaker 2: worth noting that, according to the Pennsylvania Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, 322 00:18:57,840 --> 00:19:01,400 Speaker 2: this amendment was proposed and passed quickly before anyone could 323 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:04,600 Speaker 2: be made aware and offer a response. I wonder why 324 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:07,720 Speaker 2: that is. The good news is this bill still needs 325 00:19:07,720 --> 00:19:10,360 Speaker 2: to pass the House to become official. The House can 326 00:19:10,480 --> 00:19:13,920 Speaker 2: make any necessary amendments to make sure wildlife funding continues 327 00:19:14,440 --> 00:19:18,720 Speaker 2: and we help farmers control runoff and protect streams. Check 328 00:19:18,760 --> 00:19:21,920 Speaker 2: out the Pennsylvania BHA's website for a call to action. 329 00:19:22,359 --> 00:19:28,600 Speaker 2: Or visit themeaeater dot com forward slash col Moving on 330 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:33,320 Speaker 2: to the wetland desk, protecting streams and wetlands on the 331 00:19:33,320 --> 00:19:36,719 Speaker 2: state level is more important now than ever. The Biden 332 00:19:36,760 --> 00:19:40,080 Speaker 2: administration just released a new rule to comply with a 333 00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:45,520 Speaker 2: recent Supreme Court decision, and conservation professionals are extremely concerned. 334 00:19:46,280 --> 00:19:49,359 Speaker 2: You'll remember back in episode two fourteen when we covered 335 00:19:49,400 --> 00:19:53,119 Speaker 2: a Scotus ruling that reduced federal wetland protections under the 336 00:19:53,160 --> 00:19:56,720 Speaker 2: Clean Water Act. Now, a wetland area can only receive 337 00:19:56,800 --> 00:20:00,520 Speaker 2: federal protections if it has a continuous surface connection with 338 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:05,679 Speaker 2: a larger navigable body of water. This contradicted earlier interpretations 339 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:09,520 Speaker 2: that allowed protections for wetlands that had a significant nexus 340 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:13,199 Speaker 2: to navigable waters, even if the wetland didn't connect on 341 00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:17,000 Speaker 2: the surface. Now, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army 342 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:19,919 Speaker 2: Corps of Engineers have issued a new rule to comply 343 00:20:20,040 --> 00:20:23,600 Speaker 2: with the Court's decision. According to Trout Unlimited, the rules 344 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:26,919 Speaker 2: removes federal protections for millions of acres of wetlands and 345 00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:30,879 Speaker 2: raises questions about coverage for millions of miles of tributary 346 00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:34,879 Speaker 2: streams previously covered by the Clean Water Act. Chris Wood, 347 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:38,080 Speaker 2: president and CEO of Trout Unlimited, said the rule will 348 00:20:38,119 --> 00:20:42,200 Speaker 2: make our rivers and streams less fishable, swimmable, and drinkable. 349 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:45,240 Speaker 2: One of the primary functions of the Clean Water Act 350 00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:49,080 Speaker 2: is to require companies and individuals to secure permits for 351 00:20:49,200 --> 00:20:52,800 Speaker 2: filling and dredging work that will impact rivers, lakes, streams, 352 00:20:52,840 --> 00:20:56,120 Speaker 2: and other bodies of water. Before handing out these permits, 353 00:20:56,280 --> 00:20:58,920 Speaker 2: environmental experts visit the site to make sure the work 354 00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:02,600 Speaker 2: being done won't impact water quality. If the Clean Water 355 00:21:02,640 --> 00:21:05,560 Speaker 2: Act applies to fewer of these water sources, filling and 356 00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:09,520 Speaker 2: dredging cannicker more often without any kind of environmental review. 357 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:14,280 Speaker 2: It's worth noting that state agencies also have permitting requirements, 358 00:21:14,520 --> 00:21:17,479 Speaker 2: so some states will continue to review filling and dredging 359 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:20,800 Speaker 2: projects carefully, but some states policy is written to mere 360 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:24,480 Speaker 2: federal policy, so the Supreme Court decision and the new 361 00:21:24,520 --> 00:21:28,600 Speaker 2: clean Water Rule will apply to those states. This is 362 00:21:28,680 --> 00:21:31,720 Speaker 2: an extremely complex issue, and the you know, the ping 363 00:21:31,840 --> 00:21:34,800 Speaker 2: pong ball gets tossed back and forth on the Clean 364 00:21:34,880 --> 00:21:39,119 Speaker 2: Water Act from administration to administration. So I'm painting with 365 00:21:39,160 --> 00:21:42,080 Speaker 2: a broad brush here. I'm not saying your favorite duck 366 00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:44,160 Speaker 2: hunting spot will be a gravel pit by the time 367 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:48,040 Speaker 2: duck season rolls around. But it's always extremely concerning whenever 368 00:21:48,040 --> 00:21:52,520 Speaker 2: we weaken federal protections for wildlife habitat. When organizations like 369 00:21:52,560 --> 00:21:57,920 Speaker 2: TROD Unlimited TRCP, DU Delta Waterfowl sound the alarm, hunters 370 00:21:57,920 --> 00:22:01,480 Speaker 2: and anglers should sit up and pay at ten. Now, 371 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:07,440 Speaker 2: none of this really affects the individual, right, So, intermittent 372 00:22:07,760 --> 00:22:12,480 Speaker 2: wetlands are incredibly valuable to wildlife. They also create like 373 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:18,000 Speaker 2: very healthy soil, so they are something that gets envious 374 00:22:18,119 --> 00:22:22,159 Speaker 2: eyes from farmers. Okay, but there's a ton of programs 375 00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:25,520 Speaker 2: out there in the farm bill many many states have 376 00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:30,720 Speaker 2: great easements that will pay you to subscribe to certain 377 00:22:30,760 --> 00:22:33,720 Speaker 2: farming practices. That you can go in there and you 378 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:37,959 Speaker 2: can do some hay cutting, you can plant during certain 379 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:43,320 Speaker 2: times cash crops. But you just can't permanently tie a 380 00:22:43,480 --> 00:22:49,520 Speaker 2: that beautiful little intermittent wetland that produces ducks, deer, birds, bees, 381 00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:51,719 Speaker 2: all the stuff that you like to pay attention to 382 00:22:51,960 --> 00:22:54,439 Speaker 2: while you're out there riding on the tractor. You just 383 00:22:54,480 --> 00:22:58,280 Speaker 2: can't drain that thing, right. Seems like a good middle 384 00:22:58,280 --> 00:23:04,919 Speaker 2: ground there anyway, Moving on to the mushroom desk, quick 385 00:23:05,160 --> 00:23:09,719 Speaker 2: public service announcement. Here, my cologists, which is a fancy 386 00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:12,560 Speaker 2: word for mushroom experts, are warning about a bunch of 387 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:16,320 Speaker 2: foraging books being sold on Amazon that appear to be 388 00:23:16,440 --> 00:23:20,080 Speaker 2: written by chat GPT, which I suppose is like the 389 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:24,200 Speaker 2: new lazy man's way of busting out a book. Since 390 00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:27,480 Speaker 2: eating the wrong mushroom can be deadly, they worry that 391 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:31,119 Speaker 2: amateur foragers could be at a serious risk if they 392 00:23:31,160 --> 00:23:34,800 Speaker 2: take advice from these books. A few titles are The 393 00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:40,000 Speaker 2: Supreme Mushrooms Books, Field Guide of the Southwest and Wild 394 00:23:40,119 --> 00:23:44,680 Speaker 2: Mushroom Cookbook From Forrest to Gourmet Plate, A Complete Guide 395 00:23:44,720 --> 00:23:49,520 Speaker 2: to Wild Mushroom cookery. Experts say these books contain serious flaws, 396 00:23:49,760 --> 00:23:52,880 Speaker 2: one of which is a recommendation to identify mushrooms by 397 00:23:52,880 --> 00:23:55,600 Speaker 2: smelling and tasting them. You can see where this may 398 00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:58,879 Speaker 2: go seriously wrong. Never taste a mushroom unless you know 399 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:01,600 Speaker 2: for certain that and it won't kill you. And for 400 00:24:01,720 --> 00:24:04,639 Speaker 2: great advice on all things wild foods that you know 401 00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:07,760 Speaker 2: was written by a real human, check out all the 402 00:24:07,800 --> 00:24:10,960 Speaker 2: great offerings on the meat eater dot com, which is 403 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:13,600 Speaker 2: a shameless plug, but we have you know, people who 404 00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:18,040 Speaker 2: know their stuff, like Genneroseel for instance, Okay, that lady 405 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:21,040 Speaker 2: tells you to eat something, you can eat it. Don't 406 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:24,560 Speaker 2: just go buy something on Amazon. Research the author. It's 407 00:24:24,600 --> 00:24:27,400 Speaker 2: an extra step. It's no longer a one click process. 408 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:31,080 Speaker 2: You gotta think through it. Okay, PSA, don't go dying 409 00:24:31,160 --> 00:24:35,399 Speaker 2: on me. I need you. Moving on to the public 410 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:39,760 Speaker 2: Land Desk. I have good news and bad news here 411 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:42,840 Speaker 2: at the public Land Desk. The good news is that 412 00:24:42,880 --> 00:24:45,680 Speaker 2: we saw several stories this week of federal and state 413 00:24:45,720 --> 00:24:49,400 Speaker 2: governments doing their darnedness to increase public access to thousands 414 00:24:49,480 --> 00:24:52,880 Speaker 2: of acres of great hunting and fishing property. In Idaho, 415 00:24:53,119 --> 00:24:56,840 Speaker 2: the Bureau of Land Management opened a new backcountry conservation 416 00:24:56,920 --> 00:25:00,000 Speaker 2: area called Bennett Hills. Bennett Hills is a one hundred 417 00:25:00,119 --> 00:25:04,240 Speaker 2: in twenty thousand acre parcel of rolling grasslands in southwest Idaho. 418 00:25:04,560 --> 00:25:07,320 Speaker 2: It's home to upland gamebird species and serves as winter 419 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:11,399 Speaker 2: habitat for elk and mule deer. Backcountry conservation areas are 420 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:14,320 Speaker 2: a relatively new type of public land. The BLM launched 421 00:25:14,320 --> 00:25:18,199 Speaker 2: the program in twenty seventeen to conserve backcountry areas that 422 00:25:18,280 --> 00:25:23,400 Speaker 2: contain priority habitats for quote recreationally important fish and wildlife species, 423 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:26,600 Speaker 2: meaning game animals that drive the mass of hunting and 424 00:25:26,640 --> 00:25:30,600 Speaker 2: fishing economy in places like southwest Idaho. Designating land as 425 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:35,040 Speaker 2: a backcountry Conservation Area or BCA doesn't ban other uses 426 00:25:35,080 --> 00:25:37,760 Speaker 2: such as mining. However, according to Brian Brooks of the 427 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:41,040 Speaker 2: Idaho Wildlife Federation, it does make it more difficult for 428 00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:44,920 Speaker 2: activities like mining to be approved. He told Poise State 429 00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:48,560 Speaker 2: Public Radio that developers would be met with opposition from 430 00:25:48,560 --> 00:25:51,880 Speaker 2: the BLM, as well as hunters and anglers who recognize 431 00:25:51,920 --> 00:25:54,960 Speaker 2: the value of keeping these back country areas intact. Quote, 432 00:25:55,080 --> 00:25:58,080 Speaker 2: it would be a very significant battle that developers may 433 00:25:58,359 --> 00:26:01,320 Speaker 2: not be willing to take on. Bennett Hills is just 434 00:26:01,359 --> 00:26:05,880 Speaker 2: the third BCABBLM has established, but so far it's the largest. 435 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:11,040 Speaker 2: Hopefully it's the third of many more to come. Hunters 436 00:26:11,080 --> 00:26:14,399 Speaker 2: may be getting more opportunities in South Dakota. Pheasants Forever 437 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:17,280 Speaker 2: is partnering with South Dakota Tourism, on ex Hunt, and 438 00:26:17,359 --> 00:26:20,280 Speaker 2: other organizations to launch a program they hope will open 439 00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:23,760 Speaker 2: ten thousand new acres per year to public access. It's 440 00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:27,720 Speaker 2: called PATH, which stands for Public Access to Habitat. The 441 00:26:27,760 --> 00:26:30,600 Speaker 2: program will pay landowners a base rate of twenty five 442 00:26:30,640 --> 00:26:34,360 Speaker 2: dollars per acre for new, high quality, undisturbed habitat that's 443 00:26:34,400 --> 00:26:37,560 Speaker 2: open for hunting pheasants. Forever says that for every two 444 00:26:37,640 --> 00:26:39,919 Speaker 2: hundred and fifty thousand dollars raised, they'll be able to 445 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:43,880 Speaker 2: open ten thousand acres. South Dakota is already the pheasant 446 00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:46,720 Speaker 2: capital of the world, and programs like this aim to 447 00:26:46,760 --> 00:26:49,800 Speaker 2: keep it that way. God, I mean, just pay attention 448 00:26:49,880 --> 00:26:54,000 Speaker 2: to other states. My goodness, South Dakota just kicks ass, 449 00:26:54,359 --> 00:26:56,680 Speaker 2: no other way to say it. Moving on to the 450 00:26:56,720 --> 00:27:01,119 Speaker 2: bad news, several of you in to tell me about 451 00:27:01,119 --> 00:27:04,679 Speaker 2: a proposal that would build a bridge through prime waterfowl 452 00:27:04,760 --> 00:27:09,399 Speaker 2: habitat in Decatur, Alabama. The Swan Creek Waterfowl Management Area 453 00:27:09,520 --> 00:27:12,600 Speaker 2: is located in northern Alabama, and I've heard from several 454 00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:15,840 Speaker 2: residents that it's one of the best waterfowl hunting areas 455 00:27:15,880 --> 00:27:18,639 Speaker 2: in a state that doesn't have much waterfowl hunting to 456 00:27:18,720 --> 00:27:21,800 Speaker 2: begin with. That's open to the public anyway. The city 457 00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:24,560 Speaker 2: of Decatur is located just south of Swan Creek, and 458 00:27:24,600 --> 00:27:27,480 Speaker 2: they're considering a proposal that would build a bridge straight 459 00:27:27,520 --> 00:27:30,320 Speaker 2: through the middle of that area. Now, for those of 460 00:27:30,320 --> 00:27:32,560 Speaker 2: you who have ever stood in a marsh and swung 461 00:27:32,560 --> 00:27:35,000 Speaker 2: a shotgun on a bird. A bridge in the back 462 00:27:35,040 --> 00:27:38,640 Speaker 2: drought full of cars is not what you want to see, 463 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:41,879 Speaker 2: they say. As in the city of Decatur. The bridge 464 00:27:41,920 --> 00:27:46,120 Speaker 2: is necessary to relieve traffic congestion, but waterfowl hunters say 465 00:27:46,160 --> 00:27:49,959 Speaker 2: it would also decimate habitat and eliminate waterfowl hunting on 466 00:27:50,040 --> 00:27:53,840 Speaker 2: Swan Creek. The construction company has proposed six routes for 467 00:27:53,880 --> 00:27:56,920 Speaker 2: the bridge, all of which impacts Swan Creek in some way, 468 00:27:57,160 --> 00:28:00,160 Speaker 2: but some are better than others. One of the roots 469 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:03,480 Speaker 2: through a smaller portion of the WMA, and future generations 470 00:28:03,480 --> 00:28:07,760 Speaker 2: of hunters might not be as heavily impacted. But construction 471 00:28:07,960 --> 00:28:10,800 Speaker 2: is still projected to take eight to ten years. And 472 00:28:10,840 --> 00:28:13,760 Speaker 2: you can bet that all those excavators, dump trucks, and 473 00:28:13,880 --> 00:28:16,400 Speaker 2: human activity are going to take a toll no matter 474 00:28:16,400 --> 00:28:19,320 Speaker 2: where the bridge is eventually built. Not to mention, a 475 00:28:19,359 --> 00:28:21,320 Speaker 2: lot of the folks that I know that work on 476 00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:25,880 Speaker 2: construction sites probably will take a toll on waterfowl numbers two. 477 00:28:26,720 --> 00:28:29,280 Speaker 2: If you live in Alabama or southern Tennessee, and especially 478 00:28:29,320 --> 00:28:31,960 Speaker 2: if you live in Decatur, now's the time to get involved. 479 00:28:32,400 --> 00:28:35,359 Speaker 2: The mayor of Decatur is named tab Bowling. You should 480 00:28:35,359 --> 00:28:39,360 Speaker 2: definitely know how his constituents feel about this project. I'd 481 00:28:39,360 --> 00:28:42,200 Speaker 2: also contact members of the city council. I've seen news 482 00:28:42,240 --> 00:28:44,560 Speaker 2: reports that say several of them are on that fence, 483 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:47,320 Speaker 2: and I think a few thoughtful and respectful notes from 484 00:28:47,360 --> 00:28:50,800 Speaker 2: their voters might make all the difference. We'll post links 485 00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:53,800 Speaker 2: to all that contact info at the mediator dot com, 486 00:28:53,840 --> 00:28:58,640 Speaker 2: forward slash col get a hold of Delta Waterfowl Ducks Unlimited, 487 00:28:58,760 --> 00:29:02,480 Speaker 2: and backcountry Hunters in Angle Auto Bound Society. All of 488 00:29:02,520 --> 00:29:06,120 Speaker 2: those folks should be able to weigh in heavily on 489 00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:11,480 Speaker 2: the imposition of a bridge through prime wetlands. And lastly, 490 00:29:11,560 --> 00:29:14,080 Speaker 2: thank you so much to everybody who wrote in on 491 00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:17,120 Speaker 2: that subject. I'm reaching out to a few folks as well, 492 00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:19,200 Speaker 2: try to add a little heat to the fire there. 493 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:21,920 Speaker 2: Thank you so much for listening. That's all I got 494 00:29:21,960 --> 00:29:26,120 Speaker 2: for you this week, ma'am. Lot's happening. It's fall. We're 495 00:29:26,160 --> 00:29:28,200 Speaker 2: gonna keep it coming. It's going to be a struggle. 496 00:29:28,760 --> 00:29:31,400 Speaker 2: Keep your ears on, your wits about you, head on 497 00:29:31,440 --> 00:29:34,200 Speaker 2: a swivel, all that good stuff. Thank you so much 498 00:29:34,200 --> 00:29:36,320 Speaker 2: for listening. Thank you so much for writing in. I 499 00:29:36,360 --> 00:29:39,720 Speaker 2: want to hear from you so right in to ask 500 00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:43,200 Speaker 2: c Al that's Askcal at the Meat Eater dot com 501 00:29:43,320 --> 00:29:44,840 Speaker 2: and let me know what's going on in your neck 502 00:29:44,880 --> 00:29:48,120 Speaker 2: of the woods. On top of that, don't get stranded 503 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:50,760 Speaker 2: someplace you gotta, you know, cut your way out of 504 00:29:51,320 --> 00:29:54,800 Speaker 2: Go to www. Dot Steel Dealers dot com and find 505 00:29:54,840 --> 00:29:58,000 Speaker 2: a local, knowledgeable steel dealer near you. Yeah, you can 506 00:29:58,080 --> 00:30:00,920 Speaker 2: get your clean, quiet electric chainsaw, but you can also 507 00:30:00,960 --> 00:30:03,680 Speaker 2: get a set of like thirty inch steel oppers, or 508 00:30:03,760 --> 00:30:06,880 Speaker 2: just a nice set of handheld pruning shares that's going 509 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:10,200 Speaker 2: to aid you in busting down deer for quick and 510 00:30:10,280 --> 00:30:15,440 Speaker 2: easy removal home butchery projects, as well as waterfowl and 511 00:30:15,520 --> 00:30:19,200 Speaker 2: upland birds. Trust me, I use them all the time. 512 00:30:20,080 --> 00:30:23,040 Speaker 2: Just last night, I was using my steel pruning sheares 513 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:26,360 Speaker 2: to knock the wings off of sharp tail grouse and 514 00:30:26,400 --> 00:30:29,920 Speaker 2: then their little tiny fuzzy feet too. Snort. Got a 515 00:30:29,920 --> 00:30:32,760 Speaker 2: real kick out of that. I promise you thanks again, 516 00:30:32,880 --> 00:30:41,560 Speaker 2: and I'll talk to you next week.