Fresh Tracks Weekly

This week, we discuss how the Arizona Game and Fish Commission just voted to cancel its auction permits, which had previously raised millions of dollars for conservation.

In addition to that, we touch on a few headlines and legislative updates.

In Montana, a bill from the last legislative session is still in the air. SB442 is in headlines again, as the mail-out ballots are being sent out to determine whether the Governor’s veto can be overridden.

The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership recently published some highlights and disappointments of recent congressional appropriations from the perspective of hunters and anglers.

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the Boone and Crocket Club’s respective CEOs, Kyle Weaver and Tony Schoonen, recently wrote a joint op-ed in which they discussed their frustrations with environmental groups blocking forest management.

Montana Legislature

https://leg.mt.gov/legislator-informa...

Link to Letter signed by members of MT Senate

https://dailymontanan.com/wp-content/...

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This week, we are discussing putting more animals on the mountain, with bighorn sheep in Montana as the main example. We will also briefly cover the following headlines.

In Kentucky, a bill has passed out of Committee and to the Senate that could have significant consequences for the Kentucky Department of Wildlife Resources and, ultimately, the hunters and anglers in the state.

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission is meeting today and potentially voting on whether or not to do away with their conservation permits.

In Wyoming, the Game and Fish Commission just voted unanimously to pursue establishing protections for a pronghorn migration corridor.

In Idaho, an effort has been made to pass a bill that would end the Open Fields Doctrine for conservation officers. This would essentially make it illegal for a game warden to check licenses or harvested animals on private land without a warrant.

In Arizona, the Nature Conservancy recently received an 11.5 million dollar grant to purchase conservation easements in the Upper Verde River Watershed and Big Chino Grasslands.

Page to look up your Kentucky Legislators

https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/findyourlegislator/findyourlegislator.html

Kentucky State Senators Contact

https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/Legislators/smembers_county.html

Idaho Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee

https://www.billtrack50.com/committee/3566

Link to “Selfless” Film

https://youtu.be/zJa3SeEmTn0?si=s7qFVrIfYz3FQEyB

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This week we are talking about screwing over the Non-resident hunter, how multiple states are adopting regulations that restrict numbers, restrict access, or raise prices for non-residents… along with a few news stories which include;

In Montana, Fish Wildlife and Parks plans to give out a free moose, sheep, or goat license to residents who purchase a general deer or elk tag early.

Also, in Montana, the State Supreme Court sided with the Department of Environmental Quality and the Black Butte Project regarding the controversial copper mine along the Switch River.

Former head of the National Rifle Association, Wayne LaPierre, was recently ordered to repay 4.4 million dollars he had misspent of NRA money, along with retired finance chief Wilson Phillips being ordered to payback 2 million dollars.

In Vermont a bill has been read in several committee hearings that would change how the states fish and wildlife board would function, how members are appointed along with changing certain coyote hunting regulations.

In Iowa a bill has been progressing and has already passed the senate that would hamstring Iowa Department of Natural Resources ability to acquire property.

In Oregon, a Wildlife Package bill has been introduced to provide funding to expand various wildlife programs and address invasive species issues in the state.

Vermont Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy

https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2024/30

Iowa Legislature House Contact

https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/house

Oregon Joint Committee on Ways and Means Contact

https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2024R1/Committees/JWM/Overview

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This week we are talking about YouTube and social media and why certain hunting content rises to the top, and why certain things come across your individual feed.

We also have a few news stories to cover including:

In Wyoming a bill is currently making its way through the state house of representatives that would pay private landowners who have elk grazing on their property. The bill would offer the affected landowners 150% of the market value of the grass.

In Colorado, the allocation of big game licenses has been modified for the upcoming season to increase resident tags and decrease non-resident tags.

In Mississippi a bill was recently introduced to create a Turkey stamp that is similar to the federal duck stamp, but to fund turkey specific conservation projects within the state.

In Oregon a petition to get a ballot initiative to “End Animal Cruelty” is somehow still a thing. We talked about the attempt in the past to get this on the ballot which failed in 2022.

In Nevada the first ever Moose season was officially approved for the fall 2024 season.

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This week, we have a special guest, Kara Landolfi, and we will discuss some misconceptions about wild game meat.

In addition to that, we have a few news stories we found interesting.

In Idaho, a bill was recently introduced that would allow outfitters to purchase an additional bighorn sheep, mountain goat, or moose tag IF said outfitter fills a wolf tag while guiding.

Also, in Idaho, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Idaho Fish and Game worked together to add an additional 328 acres to the Tex Creek Wildlife Management area.

A new study conducted in Yellowstone National Park was recently published that compiled data over the last 20 years looking into the claim that wolves, grizzly bears, and mountain lions can restore ecosystems.

A recent study was published looking into alternative testing methods for Chronic Wasting Disease.

Contact Info for Senator Okuniewicz

https://legislature.idaho.gov/legislators/membership/2023/id6706/

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This week we’re going to talk about how hunting regulations impact wildlife populations and how people often over emphasize the impact hunters have on wildlife.

In Nebraska, a bill was introduced that would transfer money out of the state game fund into the general fund along with transferring money from the Habitat fund and State parks fund into the general fund.

In British Columbia the first cases of Chronic wasting disease were recently reported.

In Alaska the State has updated the regulations for the Western Arctic Caribou Herd to reduce bag limits for all hunters.

Read more about the bill in Nebraska here

https://sportsmensalliance.org/news/nebraska-senator-mocks-citizens-supports-defunding-game-and-parks-department/

Contact Senator Steve Erdman here

http://news.legislature.ne.gov/dist47/

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This week, we are talking about the increase of hunters in the West, the increase in population in the Western states, and what it means for the future of wildlife and their habitats. Also, we talk about some of the friction between non-resident and resident hunters.

In Washington, the bill to make hunting and fishing a constitutional right is making progress. The bill passed out of the Ag committee and moved onto the Rules committee.

In Utah, seven different structures were recently completed to help fish and wildlife in the state.

The TRCP recently posted a call to action to comment on the new U.S. Forest Service amendments to their nationwide management plans, particularly the promotion of old-growth forest conditions.

An interesting article recently published by the Wildlife Society summarized a research project trying to understand how widespread the impacts of Renewable energy could be from analyzing carcasses or birds found at Solar and wind farms.

Read about Washington's right to Hunt and Fish here

https://www.howlforwildlife.org/wa_right_to_hunt_fish

Contact info for WA Senate Rules Committee

https://leg.wa.gov/Senate/Committees/RULE/Pages/MembersStaff.aspx

Read the TRCP post on Forest Management here

https://www.trcp.org/2024/01/23/weigh-in-on-forest-management-to-support-hunting-and-fishing/

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This week we are going to talk about a bill in Iowa which could have a rippling affect of displacing hunters, and the dangers of going down the road of privatizing hunting.

The Bureau of Land Management recently released their roadmap for solar energy development on public lands in the west.

In Montana a Judge recently ruled that lawmakers will have the ability to override Governor’s Gianforte’s controversial veto of bill last legislative session.

In Colorado, the April Mountain lion season has been canceled, along with a statewide ban on electronic calls for lion hunting.

Comment on the BLM Solar Road Map by emailing [email protected] or going to this link https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2022371/510

To view documents and learn more about the BLM Solar Road Map

https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2022371/510

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This week, our deeper dive is about recent proposals in Alaska that could shut down a ton of Caribou hunting for non-residents.

Read Alaska Board of Game Proposals for upcoming meeting here: https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=gameboard.meetinginfo&date=01-26-2024&meeting=kotzebue

Submit Public Comment Here:https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/9af2ddc8fa584113a3d3d476ae9bef8b

Read Outdoor Life Article here: https://www.outdoorlife.com/conservation/proposals-to-close-non-resident-caribou-hunting-in-northwest-alaska/

We bring the fishing corner back, checking in with what Michael has been up to.

A few news items this week include:

The Supreme Court recently denied the state of Alaska’s request to overturn the EPA decision from last year that had blocked the Pebble mine in Bristol Bay.

In Washington, a bill was recently introduced to make foraging, hunting, fishing and trapping a constitutional right.

In Kentucky, the largest conservation easement in the state’s history was recently announced.

Link to MTN Tough Podcast with Dustin Diefenderfer https://youtu.be/iPxMihlswwk?si=2kDNEO2rORxizMSm

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On this week's episode, we recap our crew's hunting season and jump into some news surrounding Colorado predators. 

Join Fresh Tracks+ For Early Access - https://www.freshtracks.tv

Backcountry BC and Ceasar Lake Outfitters

 • https://backcountrybcandbeyond.com/

Randy's British Columbia Caribou & Moose

 • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B0rIAww7hA&t=705s

September Idaho Archery Elk with Randy and Michael

• Episode 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws0b8zBddPU

• Episode 2 - https://youtu.be/u5AVhLhHrPc

• Episode 3 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taRCaOcRn3A

CPW Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan

 • https://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/Wolves/2023-Final-CO-Wolf-Plan.pdf

Initiative 91 - "Prohibit Trophy Hunting"

•https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Initiatives/titleBoard/filings/2023-2024/91Final.pdf

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