MDF Podcast - Talking Mule Deer with Steve Belinda and Jodi Stemler

S2 E29 - Ron and Betsy Spomer of Ron Spomer Outdoors

This week we are honored to have the incredible Ron Spomer and his wife Betsy talking mule deer with us. Ron has been a nationally known outdoor writer for decades and he tells us about how he got his start in the industry. We talk about the history of conservation and that we are now facing a lot of challenges in our efforts to protect the wildlife and outdoors that we love. Betsy talks about some of her international hunting expeditions, including an experience in a swamp in Mozambique. They tell us about the things they’ve seen on those international hunts that provide an interesting comparison to North American wildlife conservation and sustainable management. In addition, we talk about the increased focus on wild game cooking and the growing numbers of people taking up hunting because they’re interested in where their food is coming from. The Spomers tell us about their new home in Idaho and the habitat restoration that they are planning for the mule deer and elk that are found on their property – as well as a Columbian sharp-tailed grouse lek. We wrap up by talking about the individual actions that hunters can take to help with boots-on-the-ground habitat conservation work as well as protecting the rights of hunters through groups like MDF.