This week, during one of the most perilous times for public lands in recent memory, the NWF Outdoors Podcast hosts Aaron Kindle and Tanner Saul sit down with Congressman Gabe Vasquez,public lands champion from New Mexico’s 2nd District  and co-founder of the bi-partisan Public Lands Caucus.

We talk about the real threats facing public lands and the urgent need for bipartisan action. Congressman Vasquez shares his personal journey into Congress, his love for New Mexico’s wild places, and why he helped launch the bipartisan Public Lands Caucus. He breaks down how and why he’s fighting to stop land sell-offs and what we can do to maintain access and improve management on public lands. Even if we win current battles, we must remain diligent and defend public lands as the national treasure they are. 

If you hike, hunt, fish, or just love being on public lands—this one’s for you. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, NWF’s Aaron Kindle and Tanner Saul team up with veteran Wyoming journalist Angus Thuermer to dive deep into one of the most contentious public land battles in decades: corner crossing. With decades of boots-on-the-ground reporting, Angus brings a sharp perspective to the legal, ethical, and conservation questions swirling around this case—and what its outcome could mean for hunters, anglers, and all who rely on public lands across the country.

Angus Thuermer | Wyofile: https://wyofile.com/author/angus_thuermer/

NWF Outdoors Links

Website: https://www.nwf.org/Outdoors

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nwfoutdoors/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NWFoutdoors/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Walt Dabney, a true public lands champion and a neighbor to Aaron in Buena Vista, Colorado. Walt's incredible 43-year career with the National Park Service, spanning iconic locations like Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the vast wilderness of Alaska, and his subsequent leadership as Director of Texas Parks and Wildlife, offers unparalleled insight into the value and the current threats facing these vital resources.

The conversation takes a critical turn as we delve into the most pressing issue facing our public lands today: the significant loss of experienced staff and vital resources. Walt minces no words as he explains the devastating impact of these cuts on everything from visitor safety and resource management to the economic well-being of gateway communities. He paints a stark picture of overflowing restrooms, increased risks of unmanaged wildfires, and the potential for irreversible damage to these cherished landscapes.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're back! Outdoor traditions, and especially our public lands, are uniquely American. Something worth investing in and fighting for. Recreation. Cultural artifacts. Drinking water, fishing, wildlife habitat, energy resources, hunting and the backbone of rural economies. Our public lands provide so much for so many, and there's thousands of stories around each one of them. We aim to tell those stories and show our listeners the connection between enjoying the outdoors and engaging in conservation.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The great Mark Twain once wrote, “Buy land, they aren’t making it anymore,” but Mr. Twain was wrong! The Mississippi River and the state of Louisiana are working together to build tens of thousands of acres on the Louisiana coast. Louisiana’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority’s Chairman is Bren Haase. Chairman Haase is a passionate hunter and angler from Sportsman’s Paradise, and he joined us to talk about Louisiana’s coastal land loss crisis and how the state is battling that crisis for both people and wildlife.

Suggested Links:

https://coastal.la.gov/

https://midbasin.coastal.la.gov/

https://coastal.la.gov/our-plan/2023-coastal-master-plan/

https://www.vanishingparadise.org/blog/2022/8/creating-paradise-at-davis-pond

Due to advertising inserted into the show post production, we are no longer able to provide show notes.

Please be sure to following NWF Outdoors on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aaron and Bill sit down with renowned deer expert, speaker, and author Jim Heffelfinger to discuss a wide-ranging set of topics focused around the status of mule deer. We expand on what is impacting mule deer health and abundance, CWD, what impacts antler growth, how habitat changes life histories of mule deer, and many other fascinating topics. We even throw in a good deer joke. Jim is the complete expert on mule deer and this is a discussion you don’t want to miss. 

Suggested Links: 

https://deernut.com/home

https://wafwa.org/wpdm-package/2023-range-wide-status-of-the-black-tailed-and-mule-deer/

Follow Jim on Instagram @CervidNut

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bill and Aaron have a fun conversation about all things onX hunt app with Jared Larsen, the company’s Whitetail Marketing Manager. We talk about the advent and growth of the company, new features, things in the works, how they feel about the complaint that folks don’t have to put in the work to scout areas, the conservation work onX does, and many other interesting topics. We also take a few questions from listeners who will now receive a one-year elite membership. Jared is a fun and charismatic dude. You don’t want to miss this one. 

Suggested Links:

https://www.onxmaps.com/hunt/app

https://www.onxmaps.com/news

https://www.onxmaps.com/onx-access-initiatives

https://www.onxmaps.com/onx-access-initiatives/private-land-public-access

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lots of guests elicit laughter and also a few tugs at the heartstrings. Laughter is pretty easy, but it’s rare a guest has both Aaron and Bill holding back tears in between the laughs, but Joey Monteleone did just that. From working hard in the inner city as a child of immigrants to traveling North America lecturing, writing and filming television shows about fishing, Monteleone has managed to live the life so many of us dream while hopefully watching a bobber during our youth. Over 50,000 (more than 1500 over five pounds) bass later, Joey’s focus on simplifying tackle and techniques is awesome information for both beginner and veteran fishermen. 

Suggested Links:

https://hub.jacksonkayak.com/team-jk/kayak-fishing-factory-team/joey-monteleone/

https://www.amazon.com/ILL-BE-TENNESSEAN-YA-History/dp/1689845139

https://www.amazon.com/60-Seasons-fishing-Joey-Monteleone/dp/1952474922

https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Storms-CentAnni-Joey-Monteleone/dp/1957344202/ref=sr_1_1?crid=15Q7IQIDO5MUD&keywords=the+secret+of+storms+joey+monteleone&qid=1692194518&s=digital-text&sprefix=the+secret+of+storms+joey+monteleone%2Cdigital-text%2C106&sr=1-1-catcorr

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aaron sits down with Chris Tymeson of Safari Club International while at the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies conference. They discuss what SCI is, what type of policy SCI works on, the work SCI does to defend hunting and what that currently looks like across the US. Aaron and Chris also discuss the negative impacts to wildlife management if/when attempts to degrade or reduce hunting opportunities become a reality.

Suggested Link: https://safariclub.org/

Show Notes:

1:29 - Aaron shares a little background on SCI and his connection with Chris.

4:35 - Chris shares his aim when attending conferences around the country.

5:54 - Chris has a background in litigation. He shares some of his legal background and experience.

7:17 - "What's the craziest thing that came across your desk?" Chris shares what he can on a podcast.

8:44 - SCI is a 501 C4 which also has a 501 C3 advocacy side. Chris talks about how SCI is structured and the type of work they do around the world.

12:15 - Defending the federal government more often than not? Chris unpacks this and then talks about his state to state work.

16:30 - Chris deals with everything from rabbits to rhinos.

21:01 - Short break for a message from our partner podcast, Artemis Sportswomen. Show notes are not available after this stage due to inserted ads from our hosting platform.

"Hunting pays for conservation. Hunting has paid for conservation for 100 years... or more"

For more great content, action alerts and information on how you can make a difference. Please follow NWF Outdoors on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrew Wilkins works on the land stewardship team at the National Wildlife Federation. During this episode of AFIELD, he sits down with Rob Catalanotto and Chris Wood of Trout Unlimited and Friends of Fletcher’s Cove.

Friends of Fletcher’s Cove is committed to maintaining, improving, and sustaining Fletcher’s Cove as a premier urban gateway to the outdoors within Washington, D.C. Through grassroots advocacy and stakeholder collaboration, they ensure Fletcher’s Cove is preserved and protected to benefit anglers, paddlers, wildlife enthusiasts, and outdoorspeople of all backgrounds.  

Fletcher’s Cove is a revered and historic outdoor resource along the Potomac River, located just below the fall line in the Potomac Gorge–roughly 2.5 miles upstream of Georgetown. The site is managed by the National Park Service within the boundaries of the C&O Canal National Historical Park, which receives millions of visitors each year. Fletcher’s Cove is one of the few public access points where for over one hundred years, visitors have enjoyed safe and reliable access to the Potomac river for fishing, boating, wildlife watching, and many other forms of outdoor recreation.

Chris has worked for Trout Unlimited for 20 years, and previously worked for the United States Forest Service. He is an average but exceptionally earnest angler.

Rob is a D.C. native who learned to love the outdoors and environmental conservation at Fletcher's Cove. Rob is also a Government Affairs representative for Trout Unlimited, working to advance coldwater conservation issues on Capitol Hill.

Learn more here: https://savethecove.org/theissue/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices