The proposal to sell or otherwise dispose of hundreds of thousands of acres of public land in Nevada and Utah was pulled from the US House Reconciliation bill. The guys talk about how it happened, and how Representative Zinke's red line, along with hundreds of thousands of public lands lovers from across the country speaking out, helped pull a rabbit out of a hat. They also discuss what still lies ahead with the Senate. Other topics include: OnX's last minute blunder, and other pieces you might care about that are both in and out of the reconiciliation bill--like Ambler Road(out), the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (in), and tax relief on suppresors (in). Lots covered in this one. 

It happened. Through a middle of  the night amendment to the House Natural Resources Committee Reconciliation bill, nearly 500,000 acres of public lands in Utah and Nevada were identified for expidited sale/exchange. The guys break this down, and give some options for staying engaged in the process. 

You've probably seen the rumors about selling public lands using a process called Reconciliation. But, what exactly is that process, and what would it mean for public lands. The guys break down the Reconciliation process, and why public lands are on the radar of some law makers. Then, they talk about the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act, and explain why selling lands that may even already be deemed suitable for disposal through Reconciliation vs. the established process through FLPMA would only serve to hurt public lands. Lastly, they'll talk about what you can do to get involved. Oh, yeah, they also have a bro-country battle that nearly gets Nephi expelled from the podcast. 

The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals just found that corner crossing--the act of crossing from one parcel of federal land to another parcel of federal land while momentarily passing through the airspace of a private landowner--is legal (in 6 states). Dave and Nephi explain the decision, talk about the states where the judgment applies, and what it means for hunters, anglers, and recreationists everywhere.  If you've listened to prior episodes, you know we've been urging restraint and seeking more clarity from the court. This opinion provides that clarity. Join us in tipping our hats to the four hunters who endured years of legal stress, and their lawyers that skillfully litigated the case. The public will benefit because of it. 

This episode is wonkier than most--and that's saying something. Newly minted Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum, recently issued a series of Secretarial Orders that have some in the conservation space criticizing him. Dave and Nephi give a civics 101 and explain what a Secretarial Order is and what they do. Next, they dive into some of the orders Secretary Burgum issued and explain what they do. Spoiler: Not much--yet. If you like fast pace and drama, this episode might not be for you. In fact, both Nephi and Dave got distracted doing other things while recording. But, if you're interested in learning about some of the nuts and bolts that may ultimately lead to some drama, tune in. 

Thousands of federal employees within the country's land management agencies were recently laid off.  Dave and Nephi try to explain what happened, why it happened, and what it could mean for everything from grizzly bear delisting to enjoying your national parks. They also tell you who to contact if you've got concerns. Lastly, Dave made a mistake in this one by identifying the wrong position title of someone let go--but it doesn't change the impact. It's a bit of a somber discussion, but a necessary one--and one many of you asked us to discuss.  

In early Jamuary, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service issued a proposed rule that denied Montana and Wyoming's petition to delist grizzly bears in the Northern Continental Divide and Greater Yellowstone Ecosystems. The reasons behind the decision are complicated. Dave and Nephi explain what happened, and what the decision could mean for grizzlies going forward. 

In this quick hitter, Dave and Nephi provide an update on the State of Utah's efforts to dispose of public lands--calling their perpetual ownership by the federal government unconstitutional. In a one sentence order, the United States Supreme Court declined to exercise its original jurisdiction and hear Utah's case. The guys explain the decision and what comes next for Utah, and for public lands.

Dave and Nephi talk about what to expect as the Biden administration winds down and transitions to the Trump administration. They discuss what could happen to recent decisions of the Biden administration in the new administration, what the Congressional Review Act is and how will it apply, what last minute secretarial or directors mean, what to expect from the incoming Secretary of Interior on energy policy and conservation, the power of hunter/angler voices in a new administration, and more. They also discuss their 2024 elk hunting season, which including Nephi outperforming Dave.

Dave and Nephi recorded this episode in a back room of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Conferfence in September of 2024, and thought the file was lost forever, but some Nephi wizardry brought it back from the dead. The guys are joined by renound wildlife biologist, Jim Heffelfinger, as well as Chris Parish and Leland Brown of the North American Partnership.  They share some of the major takeaways from this leading edge conference including: better ways to facilitate species recovery through creative application of the Endangered Species Act, and voluntary programs to reduce lead impacts on wildlife including ammo buy-back, use of different ammunitition types, and best management practices in the field. Everyone also shares their "mountain." This episode was worth the three month wait! Check it out!