Swanny Evans, state government affairs director for Pheasants Forever/Quail Forever, joins the guys on a late night in late September (yes, just releasing now) to discuss conservation. Topics include: why there aren't quail in Wyoming, Swanny's deer capture research in Georgia and Pennsylvania, how to dart a deer safely, prairie dogs and black footed ferrets, strangest meat they've ever eaten, wild/feral horse management, how it's different to work on issues in different parts of the country, R3, the work of Pheasants Forever/Quail Forever, Swanny's mountain, and much more.
In this episode, Dave and Nephi dive into the creative ways people are accessing their public lands. Topics include: Dave's successful big game hunt; Nephi's slow start to the season; using the Congressional Review Act to overturn a barred owl management plan; an update on the corner crossing case; why you still shouldn't cross from state land to state land at corners; the use of helicopters to access public lands; are helicopter pilots dropping hunters on public land considered outfitters; use of ebikes for access; why just because you can do something doesn't always mean you should; whether it should be easy for everyone to access all public lands; how states could ban certain activities on public lands (i.e. hunting) without banning access; and more. This discussion gets more pointed than most, with lots of points and counterpoints. Give it a listen, and then send us your thoughts at yourmountain@itsyourmountain.com.
Dave and Nephi may have recorded this episode in September, but it remains topical today. The guys discuss transferrable landowner hunting licenses. Topics include: the history of landowner licenses; the effect of transferrable tags in other states; the importance of landowners for habitat and wildlife; what transferrable tags can do to tag availability in the random draw, and so much more. Safe to say that Dave and Nephi aren't perfectly aligned on this one. Let us know who's side you are on by sending us an email at yourmountain@itsyourmountain.com.
Dave did it again. We recorded this a month ago, and Dave is just getting it published. And, his excuses are worthless. In this episode, the guys talk about changes to implementation of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and the proposal to rescind the Public Lands Rule. Woven throughout is a discussion about the need for more durable outcomes for conservation, and why pendulum swings of the "my way or the highway" approach that both political parties use these days is bad for wildlife and conservation.
In late August, the Administration published a proposal to rescind the Roadless Rule in most states across the United States, calling into question the legal status of more than 45 million acres of National Forest lands. Dave and Nephi provide a high level overview of the history of the Roadless Rule; activities it allows and disallows; the unique status of Colorado and Idaho; the importance of Roadless areas to wildlife; the importance of roads to firefighting; what the proposal actually does; how to provide comments; and whether there's a middle ground. Take a listen--like everything, there's some nuance.
In this episode that the guys recorded a month ago and Dave forgot to publish, Dave and Nephi discuss a recent effort to use the Congressional Review Act to repeal three BLM Respurce Management Plans, and the unintended consequences of such action. They also discuss why hunters are so important to achieving positive conservation outcomes, why influencers can play an important role in achieving the goals, and why we need to keep recruiting new hunters into the ranks. At least, that's we we think we discussed--I mean--we recorded this a month ago.
The guys are joined by the Steve Smith, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Game Commission, to discuss a new law that lifts the ban on hunting on Sundays in the state. Steve discusses the history of "blue laws", prior efforts to lift the Sunday hunting prohibition, the concerns of landowners and recreationistsand how they were addressed, how the agency will move forward with permitting Sunday hunting, how it will benefit hunters and wildlife, tresspassing in Pennsylvania, Dave and Nephi's different approaches to hunting antelope and elk, Steve's mountain, and so much more. It's not everyday that a several hundred year prohibition for hunters ends. It's worth celebrating! Tune in, and share this episode with your friends, family, colleagues, and enemies.
In Part 2 of our reflection on Sen. Lee's attempt to sell millions of acres of public lands, we take a look forward. The guys discuss why the threat of sale isn't dead; why hunters must remain vigilent in defending public lands; and ideas for helping turn the temperature down on sales threats by identifying solutions to better manage public lands for the benefit of everyone. Have other ideas for turning the temperature down after listening to this episode? Let us know by sending us an email at yourmountain@itsyourmountain.com, or via Facebook or Instagram at the handle @itsyourmountain.
As everyone knows, Sen. Lee's public land sales provision was pulled from the Reconciliation bill at the last moment, giving public lands champions a big win. However, this wasn't the first, nor will it be the last attempt to sell public lands. What led to this effort, and what can we do to quash it in the future? In a two part series, Dave and Nephi dive into those questions, and more. Part 1 focuses on the history of public lands, including the acquisition of lands, disposal of lands, conditions for admission of states to the Union, reserving lands for various purposes, ending homesteading, why we have so much public land in the west, and what sorts of events led to a desire to sell public lands. In Part II, the guys will discuss the future of public lands, and possible solutions to turn down the temperature.
This is a collaboration between Your Mountain and Randy Newberg's Hunt/Talk Radio Podcast. On June 24th, the Senate Parlimentarian determined that Senator Lee's piece of the reconciliation bill mandating the sale of 2-3 million acres of public lands violated a procedural rule and stripped it from the overall bill. Not to be dissuated, late on the evening of June 25th, Senator Lee followed through on his promise not to give up. He submitted a revised bill that would mandate selling 612,500-1.225 million acres of BLM lands in the West. Dave, Nephi, and Randy Newberg talk late into the night to break down what's in this revisied version of his land sell off bill, whether it can survive the Parlimentarian review, whether there are enough votes in the Senate to pass it, what the House might do, and what you should do. Spoiler: This remains a really bad proposal.
On Wednesday, June 11, Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) released a proposal that mandates the sale of 2-3 million acres of public lands in 11 Western States (except Montana). You've probably seen the talking points, but what does the proposal actually say, and what would it actually do. Dave and Nephi do a deep dive into the text, and let you know all of the gory details. Hint: don't take the bait that this is about "affordable housing."It isn't. We will explain. Share this podcast with everyone you know. This is not a drill. This is not crying wolf. This is something that could actually happen. Time is of the essence. Oh, and thanks for listening to our 200th episode!
State Game Commissions set hunting seasons and bag limits, and direct wildlife management of all species in their states. Anti-hunters know this, which is why Commissions are under attack. The guys discuss a proposal in Colorado that could take authority away from the state game commission and lead to a reduction in hunting opportunities. They also discuss some of the chaos that's going on with the Washington Game Commission.
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!
13 states have joined Utah in calling for the disposal of public lands. Dave and Nephi discuss which states, and what this means. They also discuss the banning of recreational shooting in Bears Ears National Monument, and provide an update on a bill that would allow Sunday hunting in Pennsylvania. We call this segment--how to kill a bill.
Bird numbers are down sharply across North America over the past 50 years. Dave and Nephi dive into some of the data about what's killing all the birds, and discuss a little bit about what can be done to mitigate some of the losses. Hint: cats don't come out looking great in this episode.
In late August, the state of Utah asked the United States Supreme Court to hear a case, where if Utah prevails, it could force the federal government to sell, transfer, or otherwise dispose of more than 18 million acres of public lands in Utah, and potentially hundreds of millions of acres of public lands across the country to states, or the highest bidder. Dave and Nephi take a deep dive into the issue discussing topics like: Utah's claims, how we got here, whether a decision favorable to Utah would include lands outside of Utah or lands beyond the Bureau of Land Management. They also discuss what happens if the Supreme Court declines to hear the case (hint: that's not the end of it), what they might want legislatively, their $12 million public education campaign, and other things you should know about this effort. If you are passionate about public lands, you should not miss this episode!
Organizers in Colorado gathered enough signatures to put a proposal to end mountain lion and bobcat hunting on the ballot this fall. Gaspar Perricone has been fighting this, and other ballot box biology efforts for years. He joins Dave and Nephi to discuss what it all means for the future of hunting and wildlife management. The guys also raise a glass to former co-host Mike McGrady for his recent appointment to a judgeship. Audio is a little choppy in spots, but don't let that keep you from listening to this important episode.
A lot of people in the media have opinions on Project 2025, a conservative think tank's vision for a republican led government. But, has anyone actually read it? Dave and Nephi breakdown what it actually says about the future of public lands and wildlife. Spoiler: it's a mixed bag. The guys also discuss a new innovative pilot project to encourage non-lead ammunition use on certain National Wildlife Refuges around the country. Double Spoiler: Nephi is fresh out of knee surgery and still a bit groggy at the time of recording, which means he doesn't hold back!
The Supreme Court recently overturned the 40 year old Chevron Doctrine, which required courts to give discretion to agency interpretations of the statutes Congress entrusted them with administering. Dave and Nephi break down the history of the Chevorn Doctrine, what the Supreme Court actually said, and what the pros and cons of this decision could be.
Dave is getting lazy. It took him almost a month to publish this episode after recording it. However, the timing is still good. Recently the States of Wyoming and Utah sued the federal government to challenge the Bureau of Land Management's controversial "Public Lands Rule". In this episode, Dave and Nephi discuss the rule. What it does. What it doesn't do. Where the concerns are valid, and where they could be misplaced. Lots to unpack in this one.
The guys break down a number of current events in hunting and conservation. First, they condem the torture and killing of a wolf in Wyoming. Then, they analyze ways to address a gap in the law to ensure behavior like this is appropriately punished if it ever occurs again. Next, they break down the U.S. House passing the EXPLORE Act and a recent court decision in the long running Tribal Treaty hunting rights case of Herrera v. Wyoming. Other topics include, a safe storage firearms bill in Minnesota, a teaser on sage grouse management plans in the west, joining the Pennsylvania Game Commission's Annual Meeting, a thank you to a retiring state wildlife agency director, and more. Tell us what you think at yourmountain@itsyourmountain.com.
