Your Mountain

Former Department of Justice attorney, Erik Petersen, joins Dave and Mike to talk about being a wildlife attorney for largest law firm in the country (DOJ). Learn more about how DOJ operates, and also some war stories. They talk litigation involving grizzly bears, wolves, wild horses (aka "range trash"), wildlife impacting Naval operations, driving a trolley in Boston, litigation as a fundraising mechanism, political bias among DOJ attorneys, Erik's mountain, and lots of other great discussion. 

The federal shut down ended, and now it's time to talk about what to expect for sportsmen from the 116th Congress. Dave, Mike, and Nephi discuss the recently introduced Natural Resources Management Act, which is poised to move in this Congress.  Topics include: LWCF, transporting bows in National Parks, shooting ranges, public land access, Partners in Conservation program, hunting on public lands, and so much more. This bill has something for everyone, and you should know about it. Take a listen. 

Special Forces veterans, Kyle Lamb, Ryan Cleckner, and Scott Steiert join Nephi for an elk hunt, and then get into a frank discussion about all things hunting. Topics covered include: killing v harvesting game, long-range shooting, veteran's as hunters, thanking service members, training for combat, hyphenated-hunters, defending the Constitution, respecting people's hunting preferences, a new partnership with Viking Tactics, and each guest's mountain. Leave your political correctness at the door and enjoy.

The guys sit down with Ryan Bronson of Federal Premium Ammunition, Kyle Lamb of Viking Tactics, Mark Boardman of Vortex Optics, and Landon Michaels of Gunwerks to discuss: conservation, the biggest challenge facing the hunting/fishing community today, ways to address that challenge, and their favorite hunting/fishing memory. Oh yeah, and to announce a series of partnerships that will help deliver important, relevant content on issues facing your land, water, and wildlife to the broadest audience possible. 

Dave, Mike, and Nephi are back after a brief holiday hiatus to tackle the partial federal government shutdown that's on the verge of becoming the longest in US history. They identify the agencies impacted, how different employees are impacted, how federal appropriations work, and what the shutdown could mean to the outdoor recreation community. Spoiler alert: not a lot of good news to report, but plenty of good information. Take a listen.

Dave and Nephi are joined by the leaders of State Outdoor Recreations Offices; Tom Adams (UT), Rachel VandeVoort (MT), and Domenic Bravo (WY) prior to their presentation at the Western Governor's Association. Topics include: what state outdoor recreation offices do; how we expand and enhance the outdoor recreation economy; building coalitions; using an area to death, funding resource management; growing an outdoor economy too fast; keeping Coloradans out of Wyoming, and a host of other interesting tidbits.

Wildlife conservation requires a regulated system for managing the game and the hunter. Known as the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, it has prevented many extinctions over the past 100 years. Everyone must follow state game laws now, right? Not so fast. The guys discuss a pending US Supreme Court case interpreting an 1868 Treaty that could exempt some citizens from state game laws on many federal lands. Listen to learn about the background of the case, and how it could impact you. 

The guys sit down with TRCP's Alex Maggos and Zane Zaubi of Horizons Land and Farm Development to dive into the conservation title of the Farm Bill. From the Voluntary Public Access Program, to youth hunting, Alex and Zane make the case for continued conservation funding. Other topics include: importance of private land in conservation, sportsmen and landowners as partners, recruiting first time hunters, voluntary conservation, CRP, creating duck habitat, whether Congress can strike a deal, and more. 

You've heard about the Farm Bill, but do you understand it? After this episode, you will.  The guys take you through the history of the Farm Bill.  Learn about it roots during the Great Depression, and attempts to reauthorize it in Congress today. We also emphasize the various voluntary conservation programs funded through the Farm Bill. If you care about clean water, good habitat, and abundant wildlife as well as an affordable, stable food supply then you should care about the Farm Bill. Take a listen.

Ranchers are an important part of public land management in the West. David and Mike visit with Ethan Lane, Executive Director of the Public Lands Council and National Cattlemen's Beef Association - Public Lands. They dive into myriad topics surrounding public land management. Topics include: Access to "landlocked" public lands, respecting private property rights, history of checkerboard and state lands, Land and Water Conservation Fund, corner crossing, protecting the working landscape, and more. 

The guys cut through all the fear-mongering and hyper-partisanship to explain what the election results mean for the hunting and angling community. Is the 2nd Amendment at risk? What about access to public land? Conservation funding? Listen to find out. Other topics include, North Carolina and Georgia's outdoor related constitutional amendments, some non-profits using fear to raise money, the increasing polarization of the United States, and why local elections matter more than national races this year.

We ask every guest the same question - what's your mountain? Now it's Dave's turn to answer. Listen as Dave describes his mountain, and the events that led to it burning this fall. Topics include: Dave's orange vest, 19th century mining and tie-hacking, pine beetles, fire suppression, dangers of hunting in beetle killed forests, litigation as a tool to prevent forest management, stories from Dave's mountain, fire as a reset button, and lots more.

The guys are back to talking about wild horses again. Would Dave hunt a wild horse? Take a listen. Other topics: using the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation to manage horses, horses out-competing other wildlife, lack of predators, the reduction in public-land grazing since 1971, comparing management of wild pigs to wild horses, writing laws with the heart vs the mind, how the Act should be applied, chances of amending the act in today's political climate, and more.  Come along for the ride.

Continuing a conversation from episode 18, David and Nephi visit with wildlife attorneys Kelley Myers, Chris Tymeson, and Tamara McIntosh. Topics covered include: A day in the life of a wildlife attorney, collaborative conservation, Tamara's Yellowstone back country tips, waterfalls of Yellowstone, David's bass fishing first, tracking doves, revisiting the Utah Cutt-slam, searching trail cameras, the dedication of wildlife professionals, arm-chair biologists, and more. 

CORRAL your friends, and SADDLE up your listening device. This episode is UNBRIDLED and WILD. The guys dive into the history of horses in the United States, and what lead to the Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. Topics include: Horse populations in the wild and captivity, cost of raising captive horses, Nephi’s proclivity for horse meat, changes to the Act, mgn’t challenges and a cliff-hanger to bring you back for part II.