Fresh Tracks Weekly

By Marcus Hockett and the Fresh Tracks CrewSports News Daily News Wilderness

Fresh Tracks Weekly episodes

May 26MONTANA : The Latest Corner Crossing Battleground | Week of May 25
Got a question, news topic, or feedback? Drop us an email at: [email protected]
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On this week’s Deeper Dive, Randy and Marcus talk corner crossing in Montana. They discuss the lawsuit filed by Backcountry Hunters & Anglers and the Public Land and Water Access Association, which challenges Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks for enforcing corner crossing as criminal trespass without following proper lawmaking channels.
Freezer Burn Event Details - https://www.facebook.com/events/167-all-west-trl-bozeman-mt-59718-8203-united-states/freezer-burn-party/3067283536789028/
Submit your Public Land videos here - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeWzxTY7LrXOY5-_YUpORwTKbrlCUZiF8iLZyPrdQipeUd_Qw/viewform
Or send us an email at [email protected]

News Topics

H.R. 7695 & The Roadless Rule
Congress is moving to target the 2001 Roadless Rule, threatening 58.5 million acres of public land.

Read Trout Unlimited’s incredibly insightful and beautiful report detailing the economic and ecological impact of protecting these lands.
Links
• https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/planning/roadless
• https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7695/text
• https://www.tu.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TU-ROADLESS-REPORT_0401_web.pdf
• https://wyofile.com/wyomings-hageman-aims-to-block-future-roadless-areas-despite-overwhelming-support-to-keep-public-land-pristine/
• https://www.themeateater.com/conservation/general/congress-to-consider-roadless-rule-rescission
Oregon’s IP 28 (The PEACE Act)
The minimum signature threshold has been met to put IP 28 on the 2026 Oregon ballot. If passed, this initiative would effectively criminalize hunting, fishing, trapping, dog training, and standard animal husbandry practices. This is a blueprint that anti-hunting groups will try to export to your state next.
If you live in Oregon: Verify your voter registration, mobilize your hunting camp, and educate your non-hunting neighbors.

If you live outside Oregon: Support the fight by getting involved with or donating to groups on the ground:
Links
https://www.ducks.org/newsroom/why-ducks-unlimited-opposes-oregons-ip-28
BCCOS Looking for 2 involved in Grizzly Bear Feedings
A reminder for the summer season: Stop messing with wildlife. Don't pet the bison, don't swim in hydrothermal features, and definitely don't hand-feed apples and carrots to grizzly bears.

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35 min
May 20 Public Land Rule Gone | Week of May 18
https://shopfreshtracks.com/collections/gear-list
Contact your Representatives (202) 224-3121
Take Action on North Dakota issueshttps://www.backcountryhunters.org/get-involved/take-action
This episode of Fresh Tracks Weekly addresses the recent rescission of the Public Land Rule and the implications of excluding conservation from multiple-use mandates.
The episode examines the broader erosion of public land protections, including the North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act and a proposed bill to transfer 140,000 acres of the Kisatchie National Forest to local control in Louisiana. It covers the lawsuit filed by BHA and PLWA against Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks regarding corner crossing, the BLM’s proposal to open 79,000 acres in Arizona to oil and gas leasing, and the confirmation of Chronic Wasting Disease on the National Elk Refuge. Additionally, the show discusses the Senate confirmation of Steve Pearce as BLM Director, the revocation of American Prairie’s grazing permits for bison, and the introduction of the Public Lands Integrity Act to prevent fast-tracked federal land sales.

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28 min
May 12 Congress is Cutting Conservation to Pay for WHAT?! | Fresh Tracks Weekly Ep. 126
CONTACT YOUR SENATOR:
https://www.senate.gov/general/contacting.htm
Capitol Switchboard - (202) 224-3121
RANDY’S GARAGE SALE: Interested in some signed DVDs? Check them out at shopfreshtracks.com
GET IN TOUCH: Have a question or a news tip? Email us at [email protected]
DEEPER DIVE: Randy Newberg and Marcus Hockett dive into the complex and frustrating world of federal budgeting to see where wildlife conservation and public lands truly sit on the national priority list. Despite broad public support for the outdoors, recent budget proposals suggest significant cuts to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and critical research programs. These cuts pale in comparison to massive spending in other sectors.
News Stories
Leaked Documents could Shake up Hunting Restrictions on Federal Land
• Leaked Department of the Interior documents reveal significant policy shifts within national parks, including the expansion of designated firearm areas and new provisions for cleaning game in public restrooms?
• https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/04/climate/hunting-federal-lands-burgum.html
AI Advancement Can Speed UP Camera Trap Image Reviews
• The Journal of Applied Ecology releases a new study on artificial intelligence and its use for sifting through thousands of wind triggered images.
• https://news.wsu.edu/press-release/2026/05/07/ai-cuts-wildlife-tracking-time-from-months-to-days/
Montana’s Environmental Quality Council Setting the Corner Crossing Stake in the Ground
• Link to Randy’s Hunt Talk Thread
• https://www.hunttalk.com/threads/mt-eqc-to-determine-corner-crossing-as-illegal.332694/

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27 min
May 05 Do Antler Point Restrictions Actually Work? | Week of May 4th
WATCH OUR Latest Elk Hunt with Ted Roosevelt IV -
https://youtu.be/0n_1BAyYRiQ
RANDY’S GARAGE SALE: Grab a map set and the $25 Trophy Bag Kooler at https://shopfreshtracks.com/
QUESTION OF THE WEEK: If you could hunt with anyone, alive or dead, who would it be and why? Let us know in the comments!
GET IN TOUCH: Have a question or a news tip? Email us at [email protected]
Deeper Dive: Randy Newberg and Marcus Hockett talk us through a recent decision on antler point restrictions in Wyoming, where public pressure for trophy quality is currently clashing with biological data.
- Link to Mule Deer Working Group Fact Sheets - https://wafwa.org/publications/mule-deer-working-group-fact-sheets/
News Stories
Wyoming Ups the Charge for Non-Resident Preference Points
- Blake breaks down the staggering math behind Wyoming's recent non-resident point price hike. An increase that could generate over $40 million annually without removing a single animal from the landscape.
- https://wgfd.wyo.gov/news-events/commissioners-vote-increase-non-resident-preference-point-prices
2026 Farm Bill Passes in House
- Blake jumps into a critical update on the 2026 Farm Bill passing the House and why its conservation titles are the backbone of public access programs like Block Management and PLOTS as well as other items that hunters and anglers should be following.
- Link to Last Week's Fresh Tracks Weekly about Virtual Fencing - https://youtu.be/jGMybr7Xxv8
- https://www.outdoorlife.com/conservation/farm-bill-passes-house/
- https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/voluntary-public-access-and-habitat-incentive-program/news/usda-announces-52
- https://sportsmensalliance.org/news/house-passes-2026-farm-bill-anti-hunting-language-removed-in-major-win/
Idaho’s New Ban on Hunting Tech
- Cell trail cams, thermal imaging, helicopter hunting, and more regulations coming out of Idaho that could impact your 2026 hunting season.
- https://www.outdoorlife.com/conservation/idaho-hunting-technology-ban/

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36 min
April 28 Are Virtual Fences the Future for Wildlife Migration? Week of April 27th
Interested in items from Randy's Garage Sale??? Check out https://shopfreshtracks.com/
This week on Fresh Tracks Weekly, we’re diving into the critical role of wildlife-friendly fencing and how new technology like virtual fencing is helping clear the path for big game migrations.
But first, we’re cleaning out the shop for a cause! Join Randy for a special "Garage Sale" featuring a Leupold clock and a signed collection of books by conservation legend Jim Posewitz—with all proceeds benefiting the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.
We also break down the latest news impacting the outdoors, including:
• Why proposed 70-80% cuts to the BLM and Fish & Wildlife Service could be devastating for habitat management.
• Does nuclear power offer a smaller land footprint for hunters compared to solar and wind?
• Wyoming Land Leases, public input is needed on 360,000 acres of potential oil and gas development.
• An update on the Farm Bill and the protection of bird dog training practices.

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38 min
April 22 Congress to DELIST Grizzly Bears??? | Week of April 21
Interested in some gear from Randy’s Garage Sale? Visit https://shopfreshtracks.com/
We have a full slate of items happening on this week’s episode of Fresh Tracks Weekly.
First off, Blake is headed out for his first-ever elk hunt this fall and needs your help. What broadheads are you shooting and why? Drop your recommendations in the comments below!
For this week’s Deeper Dive, Randy and Marcus discuss why the biological recovery of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem grizzly is a success story being held hostage by litigation.
- What does "State Control" actually look like?
- The history of the Simpson-Tester wolf rider and why a similar "backdoor" move might be the only way forward for grizzlies.
- The reality of future grizzly hunting: Why it won't be "over-the-counter" and why hunters must be the most disciplined stewards of this iconic species.
- Then we jump into a weekend update where Blake and Marcus celebrated their birthdays by tagging some turkeys!
News Topics Covered:
Boundary Waters Update: A deep dive into House Joint Resolution 140 and the controversial use of the Congressional Review Act to bypass environmental safeguards in Minnesota.
Links
• Outdoor Life
• https://www.outdoorlife.com/conservation/senate-votes-revoke-boundary-waters-protections/
• https://www.outdoorlife.com/opinion/how-congress-stripped-boundary-waters-protections/
• MeatEater
• https://www.themeateater.com/conservation/public-lands-and-waters/senate-votes-against-protecting-boundary-waters
CWD & Wyoming Elk: Good news from the winter feed grounds, but why dry conditions and "prion-persistence" mean we aren't out of the woods yet.
Links
• WYO File - Zero CWD Cases at Feedgrounds
• https://wyofile.com/record-warmth-open-slopes-give-wyomings-fed-elk-a-reprieve-from-advancing-deadly-disease/
• WYO File - Historically Warm Winter
• https://wyofile.com/record-warmth-open-slopes-give-wyomings-fed-elk-a-reprieve-from-advancing-deadly-disease/
Mossy Oak Turkey Stamp: How your 2026 stamp purchase funds critical research into LPDV (a virus affecting wild turkey populations).
Links
• Purchase a stamp here
• https://store.mossyoak.com/products/2026-wild-turkey-stamp?srsltid=AfmBOoqj0zUwWgZvBYJBMNfJkiz1juImYhCLCykJEz4g1vnlJm1s5j16
• Where you money goes when purchasing a Mossy Oak Turkey Stamp
• https://www.mossyoak.com/our-obsession/blogs/turkey/mossy-oaks-wild-turkey-stamp-funds-lpdv-disease-research
Delta Waterfowl Milestone: Celebrating 100,000 new hunters through the "First Hunt" program.
Link
• https://deltawaterfowl.org/whats-new/news/delta-waterfowl-achieves-historic-milestone-100-000-people-introduced-to-duck-hunting/

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35 min
April 14 Pay Attention if Sage-grouse Disappear | Week of April 13
To buy the beaver pelt from Randy’s Garage Sale, click here - shopfreshtracks.com
This week on Fresh Tracks Weekly, we are joined by Skyler, the Sage Grouse Conservation Coordinator for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. We take a deep dive into the critical role sage grouse play in the western ecosystem and explain why big game hunters should be invested in the health of these birds and their habitat.
We also catch up with Michael in his latest installment of the fishing corner.
We also jump into a few news stories:
Over half of the reintroduced wolves in Colorado have died or been killed, leading to a pause in further translocations due to budget constraints and sourcing difficulties.
Oklahoma has begun releasing pen-raised deer into the wild to test for genetic immunity to Chronic Wasting Disease, a move that has drawn significant criticism from the scientific and hunting communities.
The Congressional Sportsmen Foundation is raising alarms over new bills in Massachusetts that could shift wildlife management areas toward preservationist models, potentially limiting active habitat management and hunting access.
Online retailer Etsy has announced a ban on the sale of most fur items starting in August 2026, a decision that trappers and small business owners argue ignores the role of trapping as a vital wildlife management tool.

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46 min
April 07 Restructuring the Forest Service | Week of April 6
This week we discuss the USDA announcement to move Forest Service headquarters to Salt Lake City and shift from regional to state-based management.
A bipartisan amendment to the Farm Bill regarding the Greyhound Protection Act and its potential impact on bird dog training methods has sportsmen concerned.
A Review of a Headwaters Economics report detailing the 1.3 trillion dollar economic impact of outdoor recreation in the United States was recently released.
A gold mind and AI data center have been proposed within the Blackfoot River watershed and potential environmental concerns.

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31 min
March 27 What's Happening in the West | Week of March 23
Blake Phelps provides a Field Report on the spring waterfowl migration at Freezeout Lake Wildlife Management Area following several conservation updates.
Recent research from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Montana FWP indicates that elk populations in Northwest Montana remain stable despite predation from lions, bears, and wolves. Data shows that while some elk utilize private land for forage, the majority remain accessible on public land in timbered or difficult terrain.
In Oregon, the passing of House Bill 4134 increased the state lodging tax to 2.75% to generate 38 million dollars for habitat restoration and the State Wildlife Action Plan.
A study on YouTube wildlife content revealed that only 9% of videos focus on conservation, with very few viewers taking direct action on behalf of wildlife.
Across the Western U.S., record low snowpack and high temperatures in 2026 have already led to 1.5 million acres burned. These conditions are expected to reduce forage quality for wildlife and may trigger early fishing restrictions.

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11 min
March 20 Public Lands AREN'T a Balance Sheet Item | Week of March 16th
No News for this week's Fresh Tracks Weekly. However, Randy Newberg and Marcus Hockett take a deep dive into some controversial comments from Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and his management plan of our public lands. Is the federal government actually following sound business practices, or are they holding a fire sale on assets that belong to you, the American taxpayer?
Join Marcus and Randy as they break down the "balance sheet" of our National Forests and BLM lands. From 0% royalty rates on hard-rock mining to the massive $1.3 trillion outdoor recreation economy, we explore why treating public lands solely as a resource for extraction ignores the very people who own them. We’re tackling the myth that conservation and industry can’t coexist and calling out the "swamp rats" looking to profit off our shared backcountry.

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24 min

About Fresh Tracks Weekly

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The Fresh Tracks crew, led by Marcus Hockett, keeps you in the know about what's happening in conservation. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Don't miss this weekly podcast covering the everything you…