In this episode Nick chats with friend and newest 2% for conservation board member, Drew Youngdyke.  Drew has been a man on mission. From BHA member and NWF communicator, Drew is advocating for not just our public lands but for our wildlife as a whole.  Nick asks why a “field to forker” should care about the big picture of conservation. Along with that, what can hunters do to make a difference other than just buying a licence and grabbing a few of trash.  Drew offers some great insight and tells about his nostalgic approach to hunting and fishing. Another great food for thought episode.

Show Notes:

Drew Youngdyke was raised in northern Michigan and has a passion for the outdoors.  So much so, that Drew has found himself in the spearpoint of conservation. He was the board president of Michigan’s BHA, currently the National Wildlife Foundation communicator, and now the newest addition to the 2% for Conservation Board.  Drew is also the podcast host of The Conservation Country Podcast.

   Drew talks about the importance of conservation through the idea of a web.  That his love for game animals sparked his interest in other wildlife that lived in the same habitat.  While their focus was for fish in the lake, the loon became his family cabin’s favorite icon. It’s also these species that create a foundation for the habitat to sustain the wildlife.  While I myself may think the mosquitos are a result of the fall man, they are a food source for macroinvertebrates that are in turn fed on by the fish we love to angle for. Drew also explains the difference between non-native and invasive species, and how his work to keep the asian carp species (there are three) out of the Great Lakes is an important issue.

Drew is also a new dad and loves taking his young son into the outdoors whenever possible.  Along with another common theme of food, Drew shares a couple favorites of his, and if he were to have his wife try venison again, how he would do it.  All in all, it was a fun talk with Drew, and I'm confident he will be a positive impact for conservation in his new role.

2% For Conservation: https://fishandwildlife.org/

National Wildlife Federation: https://www.nwf.org/

Conservation Country Podcast: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/conservation-country

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