We have a quick recap of some weekend bighorn sheep scouting which is proving to be a fun but tough experience.
A few news headlines including the Nevada’s latest reports on the decline of mule deer and bighorn sheep.
Chronic wasting disease has now been confirmed in a road killed deer in Florida adding to the list of states dealing with the spread of this terminal disease, but a new research project sheds some hopeful light on the future as they’ve realized certain genetic traits cause deer to be more susceptible than others.
Montana Fish Wildlife and parks held their June commission meeting in which they announced hunting access being provided on over one million acres for the 2023 season. Some critics however have some reservations about what the public hunter has to give up in order to pay for this access.
For the deeper dive we discuss the changing cultures within several state’s fish and wildlife commissions, how some are starting to stray away from the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation and questing whether or not hunters are still needed in some scenarios.
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Very good episode. Thank you. Scary as hell. I'm 61 and from Wa. Hunted for 50 yrs.
As a lifelong Floridian who has dreamed about relocating to Washington state this story is heart breaking. When I was boy growing up my dad wanted me to study law or become a politician. I just couldn't do it so I went for engineering instead. I hated politics back then for all the reasons I hate it now. Sometimes when the greater good demands it I will get involved if I see a real danger to our democracy but once the threat passes I pretty go back to ignoring politics. I see now this approach is untenable so that's why I joined the Back Country Hunters and Anglers and yes even the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. I have a special affinity for BHA and less so for RMEF but I support them anyway because I want the Elk to thrive in America. I wish more states would adopt the Nevada model and work harder at expunging the toxic politics out of the wildlife management process.
The hunters can fix the problem. We just can't come together. Boycotts work and they can make a quick change. Hit the politicians in the pocket book. We need to take a year off buying hunting license. Like it or not. Hunters are getting tired of the cost and are slowly going away. They can adapt to that. We need to slam them with big numbers.
Inslee and his donors put in extreme activists who are anti gun, and anti hunting as a testing grounds to end all hunting in America. If they succeed here they will use the same mode here and destroy hunting in all states. You seen how these activists blatently disregarded the scientists, so this isnt about following the science. This needs to be fought against. More than likely though congress or the supreme court needs to change how states regulate hunting. Otherwise activists will be installed in every state to destroy all hunting.
We need to keep diesions about wild life from the city people
When all the institutions of your stste are captured by marxists, you have no recourse. WA courts rubber stamp evert bad idea coming from the governer and attorney general. Sportsmans groups are trying to sue, but will get nowhere. Very depressing situation. Im glad my son and grandkids are heading to Montana.
Im keeping my baseball bat just for Washingtonians who move up then bring all their buddy's to my hunting spots😂
I live in Washington, this state is a joke.
These comments are wild… lol. Quite the crowd
If populations are not controlled by hunters they will be controlled by mother nature with disease and starvation
I agree 100%, politics have no business in wildlife management! Hunters and Anglers need to pay attention!
This has happened big time in CO – has not been for the good. More and more pushes to eradicate certain types of hunting.
Regionalizing commission members is a step in the right direction, but unfortunately as long as we have a string of nitwit anti-hunting governors appointing a string of nitwit anti-hunting commissioners then we’re going to get a string of nitwit anti-hunting, anti-science rules about how wise Mother Nature will solve the problems because wolves and bears and cougars are humane hunters who only kill a few sick and old animals that would die anyway. It’s tempting to say let Washington and Oregon screw things up to the point of disaster to make a point (sorry WA and OR hunters). But with the “bandwagon” mentality in this country, 35 other states would enact the same legislation within 5 years and we’ll have a monumental disaster on our hands. I know this is just a rant with no solutions offered, but it’s scary how ignorant liberal city people are about life.
Honesty and truth shall set us all free…
Cali/ Oregon/ Wa are all controlled by Democrats… Firearms and hunting are to be eliminated long term. It is that simple… Sorry but its the reality of our world today….
Do you think Washington is doing this to create a sort of gun control policy indirectly? No hunting…. no firearms needed?
The goal of Washington fish and game department is to eliminate hunting. They are left wing extremist nut jobs and don’t care about anything wildlife authorities, biologists, science have to say on the subject. Washington is ruled by these nuts. And they are dangerous people. They don’t care about law, constitution, common sense, and what is best. It matters nothing to them they don’t know about hunting and wildlife and the impact of their decisions Their goal is to eliminate hunting. They care about forcing their beliefs on others because they know what’s best. Oregon and Colorado are absolutely 100% going this direction.
Here we have the same commissioners over and over. The only reason one leaves is on his own accord. It can be frustrating to try to get some needed refs/rules changed. They do have public hearings but often they get ignored. The commission only gets funded with license money and Pittman-Robertson and some federal grants. A big plus IMO because it gives no voice or funds from the state coffers.
Lorna Smith a Washington commissioner does not believe in science nor in the North American model. All she believes in is HER AGENDA.
Its disrespectful to the entire Washington citizens.
Great Podcast good luck on your Sheep Scouting Great informational Randy knows alot about the politics of all this. Go get them Randy Blessings to you all
I'm just not sure that it's sustainable long-term for hunting to say that we "need" to shoot certain numbers of deer every year. At times you can make a scientific justification for harvest, but most mule deer areas right now do not need more deer shot. In the long run, I think we need to focus on the value of wild game as a food resource. Maybe talk to that Shane Mahoney guy. 😉