Fresh Tracks Weekly

In this episode of Fresh Tracks Weekly, we take a deep dive into Alaska’s board of game with Jim Baichtal.  

Then, we dive into Colorado's controversial HB 1258, which could shift wildlife management from mandatory hunting and fishing to optional, opening the door for litigation. We also cover Colorado's successful bighorn sheep translocation project, funded by hunters, and discuss concerning CWD cases in Wyoming's elk feed grounds. Plus, Idaho announces changes to non-resident tag systems and mule deer conservation efforts, while Colorado prepares for big changes to its tag draw system by 2028.

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In this week's episode of Fresh Tracks Weekly, Randy and Marcus dive into the ongoing debate over federal land management. They discuss potential solutions that would allow Congress to manage our public lands properly—without resorting to selling them off to state land boards. From funding challenges to policy changes, they explore ways to keep these lands accessible for future generations. Tune in for an in-depth discussion on protecting our public lands and ensuring they remain in public hands!

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In this episode of Fresh Tracks Weekly, Marcus and Randy break down the harsh reality of federal land transfers and what they mean for recreational shooters. If federal lands are handed over to state land boards, millions of acres currently open to target shooting could be lost forever. They discuss real-world examples, the differences in land management policies, and why public land advocates should be paying attention. Don’t take access for granted—tune in to find out what’s at stake.

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This week, we are continuing the series talking about transferring federal land to the states and, in particular, how Congress has the ability to fix a lot of the issues with land management; they just refuse to do so.

Some other news stories include;

Trump’s executive order to pause federal grants and funding led to panic and confusion amongst many in the conservation world as billions in funding was about to be cut off.

A bill in Wyoming popped up that would have made private landowner tags transferable, sending wildlife down a path of privatization.

Another bill in Wyoming aims to make mountain lion hunting wide open within the state.

At the national level, a bill has been re-introduced into Congress that would require congressional approval for the sale and transfer of public lands to non-federal entities in most instances.

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This week we’re discussing transferring federal land to the states and in particular state land boards, what a state land board is, what their responsibilities are and the history of them selling off their land.

The big news story from the week is president Trump's executive orders and what they might mean to public land users and hunters.

Backcountry Hunter’s and Anglers released a statement detailing some of the changes that will come from the result of the orders in Alaska.

In Wyoming the executive orders also have the potential to impact public lands primarily through reducing barriers and regulations to oil and gas energy development and lifting the liquified natural gas export ban.

In Washington a number of bills have been introduced in relation to firearms and ammunition.

Also in Washington, a new report is suggesting major changes to the Fish and Wildlife commission.

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This week, Randy and I are kicking off a series about public land transfer and how the same old ideas of selling and transferring public lands are popping back up.

We’ll revisit how Utah has been pushing the idea of transferring federal land to the state and how the Supreme Court recently shut them down. The Supreme Court’s refusal to hear the case was certainly a win for public land advocates, but this idea and movement are not going away anytime soon.

So, Randy is going to break down the idea of land transfer topic by topic over the next few weeks.

Legislatures across the country are now in session, and there are plenty of good things that could benefit hunters and public land users, but there are also a LOT of bad bills that could make things worse for us.

In Montana, a hot-button bill that immediately raised eyebrows was one to prohibit the Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Commission from closing down rut hunting of mule deer within the state.

In Wyoming, a bipartisan bill has been filed that would make corner crossing legal across the entire state.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently rejected petitions from Montana and Wyoming to delist grizzly bears as threatened from the Endangered Species List.

In Oregon, the Army Corps of Engineers plans to draw down Detroit Lake by around 55 feet, essentially temporarily transforming the system back into a river to help juvenile salmon migrate downstream and more easily pass through the dam.

The National Elk Refuge is reevaluating its elk feeding program, where thousands of elk are concentrated and fed every year in northwestern Wyoming.

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Hunting season is in full swing, but Randy is fired up! So we sat down for a quick conversation about selling or transferring federal public lands.

JD Vance recently mentioned the idea of transferring federal land to the states to address housing affordability along with the Biden administration talking about building housing on federal land.

Randy's series on Public Land Transfer is still very relevant. Check it out here. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLdxutimd-JvLtlmkrjgsehgJ46BX-lhP

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This week, we’re discussing how wildlife and habitat are often used as currency to pay for our high standards of living and lower energy costs. We also discuss how issues are very often only evaluated economically and not biologically.

In Montana, a judge just ruled in favor of Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks in a case in which a private landowner group sued the state for failing to kill enough elk.

In Massachusetts, an Act Modernizing Firearm Laws was recently signed into law, which will significantly impact hunters.

We have an update in Colorado: The proposal to ban mountain lion, lynx, and bobcat hunting within the state will be on the ballot in November.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a voluntary pilot program to incentivize the use of non-lead ammo in National Wildlife Refuges.

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This week, we’re discussing Wyoming’s recent ban on conservation groups bidding on oil and gas leases on state land and how, by doing so, they might actually be hurting the school system that they’re obligated to fund.

A recently published study shows how human recreation and noise can negatively impact wildlife by displacing them and keeping them out of the area for extended periods.

In Wyoming, billionaire Joe Ricketts has halted construction on a massive resort near a small town along a mule deer migration corridor.

A story in the Wyoming Games and Fish Wildlife Magazine highlighted the struggles wildlife face when it comes to fences on the landscape.

Anti-hunting groups in Colorado have been collecting signatures for a ballot measure to ban mountain lion hunting within the state.

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This week, for our deeper dive, we’re talking about a new research project on Chronic Wasting Disease in Wyoming and how the best available science to slow the spread of the disease is likely not what hunters want to hear.

In Wyoming, a ranch and family are attempting to close down a road that accesses a significant amount of public land. The road is also a primary access point for other landowners and the county.

Andrew McKean with Outdoor Life recently published an article that dissects a new report that shows declining support for hunting and recreational shooting.

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