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Public Land Transfer Series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLdxutimd-JvU2j0qnmXufdz0WeRM4-WH
This week we talk about a recently published study looking at the Greater Yellowstone Elk Herd and how much they rely on private land in the winter. Much of the land they utilize in the winter is still unprotected.
Conservation easements have recently seen pushback over concerns of land being for various reasons including being used as loophole for large tax breaks.
Elk management in Montana continues to get people fired up with a couple events scheduled to discuss future management in the state.
A changing of the US House of Representatives has new rules that allow for easier transfer of federal lands to the states.
For the deeper dive, Randy, Michael, Jace and Marcus talk about the changes they’ve seen in hunting media over the years, the good and the bad. The crew discusses how they strive to produce content that has more positive outcomes for the public land hunter
00:00 Intro
00:28 Fishing Corner
01:54 Private Land Elk Study
02:56 Conservation Easements
04:30 Elk in Montana
07:01 Land Transfer
08:24 Hunting in Media
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Why does its seem as though, the older generation of hunters dislikes the idea of the new generation getting into hunting. I have always loved the idea of hunting and being in the wild and appreciating nature. Finally I’m old enough and financially stable enough to get my feet wet into hunting and yet it seems as though there is an annoyance towards people like me who want to get out there.
Thanks for the video. My thoughts as an avid hunter that volunteers and works in the outdoor industry to make the outdoors more accessible for all:
1) Finding hunting spots takes time. Migration maps, calling wildlife officials, scouting and more. When media platforms literally share the exact coordinates of hunting locations that took years to find, this is not benefiting anyone.
2) I understand how complex hunting in the west can be and how each state has different laws. Education for safe and ethical hunting benefits hunters and creates a more positive outlook of the hunting community.
3) Money has become a huge factor in hunting. Knocking on doors used to provide access and now the majority of those places are leased by outfitters, limiting access and making hunting more expensive.
4) In the end, we are working towards making the outdoors more accessible for everyone. This doesn't mean people shouldn't have to work hard for results (ex: pay for gohunt and all the answers are provided).
one year sum of the primose guys came to the unit in Oregon where i hunt and put it in the there video and the following year the number of new hunters that put in for the draw went up a lot so I agree media does change hunting locations.
Have fun chukar hunting Marcus!
Right now Las Vegas is purchasing BLM land to Develop and there is no water to support the population now yet everyone will pay to go to the Sheep show and pay yet try and get those same people to even try calling a state Senator or rep 🥴
There are giant differences between those older media sources (magazines, books, VCR tapes) and today's options of FB, Instagram, YouTube, etc. Trying to rationalize today's media by comparing to yesterday's is hollow. Apples to oranges. Yeah both fruit but completely different. I do hope that the increase in western hunters translates to an equal percentage increase to memberships to conservation groups like RMEF. It seems to me though that plenty content creators are seeking glory and simply put out click bait to try and perpetuate themselves.
I have had the same thoughts and feelings in regards to the topic…I look at the industry and look back at what I had when I started really hunting in 1995 I was 10 years old. I think about how did I figure it out with out all the instant information that's available to me now vs then. It was dad taking me hunting and fishing only on the weekends because he worked his ass off so that we could do those things. My first bow was a used 45# Bear Kodiak recurve that dad picked up at a flea market for 20 bucks. I would get out of school and I was told to practice until my dad got home. So all afternoon I would take aim at the big flying grasshoppers we used to have thousands of on the edge of the bean field that bordered our yard. I deer hunted with that set up until my dad bought his first new bow a Darton Renegade in 1998 and I got his old Darton. Today I don't have my dad but I still every now and then take that old recurve out and share dad's training and hunting ethics with my two young boys. I'm a deer hunter from Michigan and started my first out of state hunt in Colorado in 2006 for a OTC rifle elk hunt with a good hunting buddy and his father. The Internet was around but nothing in regards to out of state elk hunting, only how to hunt Kansas for white tails and that was basically use this or that outfitter. So we found out the hard way, I got to spend the time in the mountains that I've always wanted to and we had found the elk every day. The best part was on opening day, Right at first light. I spotted the white tips of a giant 6×6 bull making his way up to a saddle, I checked the range and my range finder flashed "OL" my heart sank, and my throat swelled up, my mind was telling me it's right their, I could hit that bull with a ROCK!!!, how could he be out of limits. Dad's voice in my head cleared the confusion and I remembered when I was a young boy dad telling me to ONLY take the shot you know you can TAKE. I got my buddy's attention that was posted about 100 yards behind me looking into a valley. He came up to my location and we got a range on that bull he was just over 700 yards a bit to much for my sporterized 8mm K98 MAUSER. My buddy tried to talk me into using his 300 win mag to take the bull, and I could of but that's not how I like to do things, I spent the rest of the day trying to close the distance and learned so much more than just pulling a trigger that day. I truly thank this team that has come together to help the new generation of hunters the "how too's" and the "what for's" for the future of all that have that dream to head to the mountain and experience the true feeling of what you can do, and accomplish as an outdoorsman through conservation.
Pretty lucky I got started the same time Randy did ~1995 so I could experience so many of the top public trophy hunts in many states before draw odds exploded. It’s crazy how easy it was to get a premium tag then even with no points. I just can’t image young guys today. These days I do 40 applications/year with over 400 points and still have not drawn in any random lottery in ten years (2012). Just been cashing in the preference systems only, where I got in line before the newbies.
So has YouTube, the outdoor channel etc. Now everyone and their dog thinks they want to hunt. All started with the outdoor channel. Our fish and game dept will sell more tags even though there’s nothing to hunt.
Very interesting discussion. The effects of media is like stepping in dog poop in that it ends up getting everywhere. Gear, atv's, e-bikes, weapon sales, trucks. You name it, all greatly influence land use. Media tends to make real time believers.
Bottom line-yes- media has ruined hunting. Once I retire soon—-no more stupid iphone or getting on youtube.
I've been hunting deer and elk as a non-resident in the backcountry of WY since 2004. It has become a little bit more difficult to obtain a tag, but the pressure has been the same. Last year, rifle elk opener on Sept 26th, not too far from where Randy and Co. Was hunting, I saw one other hunter, and he was carrying a shotgun. The year before that we had 2 guides and 2 clients in the same basin one morning. If you are not willing to adapt and evolve as a hunter, then you'll just get left behind.
What I have seen is that most hunting media covers crass commercial greed with a vineer of some very weak foam of ethics, conservation or camaraderie/relationships. Some groups whose videos I have watched simply use their videos to pitch their "merch". They are a commercial enterprise and should be lumped in with outfitter/guides and regulated the same way. I am NOT lumping Fresh Tracks Weekly or Randy's many videos in with this because I feel Randy's messaging is focused on preserving public land.
Here is the bottom line, the sport of hunting doesn't need you guys on you tube to survive! You're lying with your altruistic bs about helping the sport, you want fame. You're hurting the sport. Randy has a legit story but the rest of you don't. Keep your hunting stories off the internet! Randy don't compare a magazine to the internet!
I would love to see more conservation topics snuck into all videos. I for one love it and your products. Thank you for all you do.
Randy you are the Nostradamus of western hunting. I become a critic at times bc of the point game we all play, but the values you teach I strongly stand by. Shed hunting is a no no for me! you draw blood your done is a heart breaking win and it happened to me two years ago I highly believe in that practice. I tally all the deer,squirrel, bear, cougar, turkey bobcat. I see road kill and alive, to pass to my biologists. Lol I live in CA so no elk…. but it's the values I have learned from you that has made me become this way. Thank you
Great topic guys! I follow several channels and can undoubtedly say Randy (and crew) is by far the biggest proponent for public land conservation and management. Not only that but, informing the public on the importance of legislation and being informed on what is going on in the country. We as hunters are declining nation wide and if we don't get involved politically, public lands will keep disappearing. Thanks for sharing and I can't wait to see whats next.
That guy you watched "grow deer," was he a doctor by any chance? And did have a show called Growing Deer . TV with Dr. Grant Woods?
A true legend
For sure social media influencers have multiplied in exponential percentages creating awareness, and readily available techniques to outfit a first-time hunter to try western type hunting. Many approach this endeavor with high hopes, basic skill sets and knowledge all thanks to social media avenues. The main issue with this is, at the same time social media influences increased, so did technology. Muzzle loaders reaching well past 300-800 yards. Rifles out past 1000 yards, and bows out to 70,80 and even 100 yards. Remote Trail cameras, better rifle scopes, range finders reaching further distances, even back packs and clothing allowing hunters to go further and stay longer. Add poor management by the States, predator mismanagement, drought (so they say), ranchers demanding grazing of leased lands be managed for cattle, thus removing much needed cover for deer and elk, and the herd populations decreased rapidly. Throw in wildfires, wounded never recovered animals by the new hunters anxious to let arrows or bullets fly, not realizing the risks of most shots, and the herd numbers are greatly affected. Overcrowding is directly related to social media influencers promoting their brand while selling info as the trade off for sponsorship and monetization. 100% is over crowding due to social media influencers. But if herd numbers or less tags were correctly handled, that could be resolved. Anyone who has hunted long enough will say the say thing, too many people, way less animals, gotta go further, getting harder to draw, even impossible with point creep etc. There's a reason everyone feels this way- it's a real issue.
If you want to hunt where hunting pressure has decreased hunt in Washington state. OTC spike tags are not glory tags.
16:25 Freeze the video here! This is the stare Marcus gives his poker opponents in camp. On another note, I find videos on killing animals at 600 and 700 yards & kill shot compilations ( 40 bulls in 20 minutes!) offensive. Respect for the animals & emphasizing the overall hunting experience are things that appeal to me in online content.
I think you also have to acknowledge the ease of getting into the backcountry these days because of technology and gear.
Great talk guys. Please keep it up. I believe that you have a large following of Canadian fans so, would you be able to include some Canadian content? We use the NA model of wildlife management, share similar politics and have comparable hunting regulations. I will continue to send you links to controversial matters which interest me.
Sincerely,
William
Donald Trump did what the law allowed him to do, there are plenty of left wing billionaires did the same thing. If you don't like it, press Congress to change the tax laws.
Thanks for discussing the hard topic!
Just as a curiosity, it would be interesting to see how many of the people who are creating this fuss are a) people who actually hunt; b) people who actually harvest an animal; c) how many are "trophy" hunters; and d) how many people are simply armchair "conservationists" or "hunters".
Love this!!
I HATE social media. I do not like what the social media has done to hunting and the world in general. That is my opinion on the matter. I like you guys, I do think you truly do value wildlife, wilderness and public land. Your setup is pretty much the only one I can stomach. You make a living from this though and that affects your view. Those of us that hunt and fish with it NOT being our source of income view it differently, that is what I gather from talking with the people in my world. Hunting retailers have flocked to social media, it is all about money. The VAST majority of revenue for social media is advertising. So, we have monetized hunting, fishing, wilderness, wildlife – when money is involved decisions made become greedy. Greed ruins good things. Everyone gets their opinion, this is mine. I am sure many disagree.
Thanx