The Hunter Conservationist Podcast

Maya Basdeo grew up in a non-hunting family and actually considered herself an anti-hunter. Maya found a unique path into hunting through birds of prey. Maya shares her amazing story of hunting with falcons, what’s that taught her about hunting, how the birds have inspired her to become a hunter and how supportive and welcoming the hunting community has been to her. Maya is also a scientist pursing a Masters degree. She shares her thesis topic and her passion for publishing research that shows the positive sides of hunting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Mark covers the impact of the fall time change on wildlife, a wildlife feeding ban in Alberta, Alberta Sunday hunting rules, wild pigs in Jasper National Park, a First Nation not included in the hunting agreement for Jasper National Park, e-licensing in Manitoba, gun and ammo exports from the USA, 1 billion dollars for conservation in BC, phragmites control in Ontario, a massive hunter check in Quebec, a BC trapper standing up for black bears and what changing bird names means for Stone’s and Dall’s sheep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dana Dykema is a busy business owner and entrepreneur in British Columbia. She runs Valley to Shore which is an organic harvest box delivery service. Dana talks about why she got into this business and how she loves to help customers reconnect with food ingredients and recipes for healthy eating. Dana is working towards becoming a hunter and she discusses her reasons for wanting to hunt and harvest her own meat. Dana talks about the challenges of having a busy professional and family life and finding time to study for her hunting course. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dylan Eyers is a legend in the Canadian hunting community. Dylan is the face of the EatWild brand and in this episode he explains what EatWild’s mission is all about and why he mentors new hunters. As a skilled hunter, teacher and mentor Dylan is all heart and passion when it comes to hunting as a way of life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ross Hinter is with the Alberta Trappers Association and he is also a member of the Fur Institute of Canada’s Trap Research and Testing Committee. Ross joins Mark and Curtis to talk about the recent technology improvements, testing and certification of kill snare systems for trapping in Canada. The guys address some of the misinformation about killing snares and anti-trapping campaigns before discussing the mechanisms of how a snares works. Topics discussed include the Agreement on International Humane Trapping Standards, the testing of snare systems, veterinary assessments, certification of snare components, trapping ethics and Canada as the leader in trap development and testing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark Ryckman, Manager of Policy for the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters and Matt Besko, Executive Director of Alberta’s Hunting & Fishing Branch join Mark to catch up some recent news in Ontario and Alberta. Mark discusses a win for hunters with gains in Sunday hunting and he fills us in on a loss for hunters from the hunting ban in the Grimsby municipality. Matt discusses Alberta’s new Hunting and Fishing Branch which looks to be a promising win for hunters in Alberta. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Bruce McLellan, author of the newly released book Grizzly Bear Science joins Mark and Curtis to discuss his life researching grizzly bears. Bruce discusses why he moved to a cabin in the remote Flathead Valley with his life partner Celine, what his grizzly bear research was about, raising his kids Michelle and Charlie in the wilderness, why there aren’t more grizzlies, the future for grizzlies, his advice for emerging scientists and how important Celine was to his life’s work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this story Mark covers the fatal grizzly attack in Banff National Park, night versus day time grizzly attacks, the vacant human-wildlife conflict specialist in Alberta, hunting in Jasper National Park, the two headless rams found in Jasper National Park, the caribou recovery program in Jasper, Alberta’s wild feral horses, the black bear cub rehab policy in Alberta being challenged, self-cloning invasive crayfish in Ontario and Nova Scotia, Truro Nova Scotia feeding families from its urban deer management program, hunting access issues in Saskatchewan, BC’s endangered spotted owl gets written off, restricting hunter access in BC and a cattle grazing investigation in BC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Dr. Lee Foote joins Mark to discuss the 2023 waterfowl breeding survey. Lee discusses what the population trend numbers mean for overall duck population health and for hunters this fall. Topics discussed include the top duck species harvested by hunters, population trend numbers for each duck species, ecological and environmental factors affecting numbers of breeding ducks, why mallard drakes will mate with a fence post and how cosmic events might affect migrating birds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brant MacDuff, author of the book Shotgun Conservationist - Why Environmentalists Should Love Hunting joins Mark and Curtis in this episode. Brant discusses his journey into hunting as well as his top reasons why non-hunters should love hunting. Other topics covered include the nuanced differences between a conservationist versus an environmentalist and an anti-hunter versus a non-hunter, who uses the term non-hunter the most, the ethics of trapping, issues in hunting, taxidermy and questions about hunting and conservation in Canada. The Hunter Conservation Podcast is supported by: J Martin Taxidermy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Mark covers a bear attack in BC, illegal crocodile meat in Alberta, killing fish in Banff National Park, coyote attacks in BC, a coyote transmitted disease in Alberta, a whale hunter-ed course in Nunavut, a new Alberta bison hunt, crab poaching fines, cuts to conservation in Manitoba, feral pigs in BC as well as convictions for illegal polar bear exports and moose hunting in Ontario. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Mark discusses a grizzly that was killed in BC and whether it is another indicator of shifting social attitudes. Other stories covered include mining lithium in protected caribou habitat in Manitoba, a coyote attack in Cape Breton, a request from First Nations in BC about moose hunting, caribou funding in Ontario, protecting species at risk habitat in BC, and some new funding for seal and sea lion research that may lead to a hunting season, maybe, who knows. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt Besko, Executive Director of Alberta’s Hunting and Fishing Branch along with Dr. Lee Foote, retired ecology scientist join Mark and Curtis to wrestle with a really tough question – should hunting be deemed a cultural heritage that is legally protected? The discussion is based on a research paper from Poland that uses the five tests of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage to assess the intangible elements of the Polish hunting model. Topics discussed in this episode include hunting skills and knowledge as an intangible cultural heritage in Canada, the significance of intergenerational hunting knowledge and skills for nature protection and conservation, and whether hunting skills and practices in Canada deserve, or already have, legal protection as a cultural practice that result in tangible benefits to Canada’s natural heritage. Matt and Lee always dig into topics with the highest level of critical thought and humor which in turn create a fun and engaging conversation. Brought to you by Community-Minded Cranbrook Toyota Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Melanie Dickie, PhD candidate and caribou scientist along with Jesse Tigner, habitat restoration ecologist, join Curtis and Mark to discuss how they are trying to slow wolves down. This episode is a piece of the endangered caribou recovery story in Western Canada that rarely receives attention – the habitat restoration piece. Melanie shares her experience researching how wolves use old seismic trails to hunt caribou and moose more effectively in Canada’s Western Boreal Forest region. Jesse describes how his on-the-ground projects are using the science to restore seismic trails to slow wolves down and reduce their ability to find and kill endangered caribou. Melanie discusses the uncertainties around monitoring and effectiveness of this kind of habitat restoration work especially given that it’s relatively new. Jesse discusses the shear size of the number of seismic lines that need restoration. Mel and Jesse discuss where the future of slowing wolves down and restoring habitat in endangered caribou need to move towards. Brought to you by Community-Minded Cranbrook Toyota Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Mark covers a polar bear attack in Nunavut and the relationship to a new book on carnivores that hunt humans, as well as other trending stories on human-polar bear conflict in Churchill Manitoba, BC grizzlies, West Coast chinook salmon quota, East Coast capelin fishery concerns, a Fisheries Act judicial verdict on constitutional rights, Quebec endangered caribou, Baffin Island caribou harvest, CWD funding in Manitoba, NWT’s fur review, elk management in Ontario, more on Saskatchewan private land access and a look back at greater sage grouse habitat protection in the prairies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jesse Zeman, Executive Director for the BC Wildlife Federation joins Mark and Curtis to provide the Federation’s analysis of the new draft grizzly bear management plan for British Columbia. Jesse talks about whether there is dedicated funding for grizzly bear science and population monitoring, how many grizzly bear experts there are in the province now, grizzly bear management objectives and accountability of government for grizzly bear management. Other topics covered include how much money BC spends on taking care of wildlife and habitat, how many grizzly bear scientists there are in Montana compared to BC, who and what is killing grizzly bears now that hunting is banned, how much money hunters still commit to grizzly conservation, where hunters can go to comment on the draft management plan and the need for a pro-hunting voice on the future of grizzly bear management in BC. Take Action: Provide input on the draft Grizzly Bear Management Plan before September 8th here: https://engage.gov.bc.ca/govtogetherbc/engagement/grizzly-bear-stewardship-framework/ Sponsored by Community-Minded Alpine Toyota Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Robbie joins Mark to discuss the fallow deer cull on Sidney Island in British Columbia, the recent brown bear cull in Alaska and private land access in Canada. Topics covered included using hunters versus contract sharpshooters for population control, whether caribou or bears are worth more in Alaska, if it pays it stays mantra, private land rights in Canada, exclusive rights, changes in Saskatchewan’s Tress Pass Act and concerns over Land Trust coming to Canada. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Presented by Blood Origins Canada This podcast is sponsored by Community-Minded Alpine Toyota in Cranbrook, BC. Dr. Bruce McLellan and Dr. Clayton Lamb join Mark and Curtis in episode 100 to impart their wisdom on grizzly bears, conservation and sustainable hunting. Topics discussed include whether wolf or grizzly bear hunting is more controversial, the biological factors of grizzly bears critical for managing a hunt, ranges in sustainable harvest rates, when hunting permits get revoked, average age of bears killed by hunters, social and political factors influencing hunting and whether hunting reduces human-bear conflict, cub killing and predation on ungulates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Mark discusses a controversial announcement made by the Manitoba Metis Federation in regard to asserting constitutional hunting rights across the Metis Homeland of Canada and the USA. Mark takes you back 500 years for journey into the history of Canada's Metis People and their current effort to protect Metis culture and rights. Mark summarizes the proposed expansion of the Metis Harvesting Initiative, how Metis harvesting is governed in Manitoba and the response of the Manitoba Wildlife Federation to the recent announcement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Mark updates you on the outcome of the government’s decision to expand dog hunting training areas in Ontario as a well as, the reversal of the Alaska commercial fishery closure for salmon headed for Canadian rivers to spawn, a lawsuit over spotted owls in BC, the feds threating Ontario over endangered caribou protection, rounding up geese in Toronto, a land use plan for Nunavut, a highway overpass for BC bighorn sheep, a national conservation award for the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation, the mackerel fishery closure extension in Atlantic Canada, anthrax in NWT bison and whether the stage is set for a fight over who gets to kill bison in Banff National Park. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brought to You by Community-Minded Alpine Toyota Chris Parish and Leland Brown from the North American Non-Lead Partnership join Mark & Curtis to discuss lead shot and the risk to upland game birds. Christ and Leland. The guys discuss advances in X-ray technology that’s been showing more invisible lead particles in game meat than previously have been detected. Other topics include lead shot effects on partridge, grouse, and doves, dove mortality studies, distribution of lead shot on the landscape, lead impacts on flight distances in partridge and the number of shotgun shells used annually in dove hunting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brought to you by Community-Minded Alpine Toyota Dr. Doug Manzer, Senior Scientist and Wildlife Program Manager for the Alberta Conservation Association (ACA) joins Mark and Curtis to discuss a cool habitat enhancement project. This conversation comes on the heels of the field trip where Doug toured Mark and Curtis around a habitat enhancement project that the ACA is helping the landowner with to restore upland game bird and waterfowl habitat within the heart of the intensive agriculture zone in south-central Alberta. Topics covered include historical and modern farming practices in Alberta, landscape changes, gray partridge, ring-necked pheasants, waterfowl, songbirds, wetlands, water retention, groundwater recharge, insect diversity, crop predators, brood habitat, rearing habitat, security cover and paying for private land habitat management. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Mark is joined by life long Ontario hunter Sean Foster to uncover the truth about hunting coyotes in Ontario with hound dogs. Sean describes a typical day hunting coyotes, how hunters put dogs onto the coyotes, and the farm areas that hunters focus on. Sean talks about hunting regulations, ethical hunting, the importance of calling dogs off a hunt, mange, exploding populations, how coyotes are actually taken, whether a chase harms the coyotes, the hound hunting community and respect for coyotes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Mark covers the rough start for Bill C-21 in the senate and how it may be a good sign, a bit more on Ontario's dog trialing pen areas licensing controversy, no go on goose control in BC, coyote bites gardener, cougar attacks and renaming bear spray. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brought to you by Community-Minded Alpine Toyota Jesse Zeman, Executive Director of the BC Wildlife Federation is back on the podcast. Jesse talks about a research project he completed looking at the willingness of hunters to pay for a moose tag under different combinations of moose management models, percentages that license fees contribute to moose management, and how many moose are allotted to hunters. Find out how much hunters would pay if only a portion of their moose license fee were used for managing moose versus all the license fees. Jesse also describes the level of confidence and trust hunters in BC have in the government and what hunters would be willing to pay if BC had a US-style Game Commission or a co-government wildlife management model with First Nations. Finally, find out what a protest vote is and how researchers handle them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brought to you by the Community-Minded Alpine Toyota Holly Wise, Vice President of the BC Trapper's Association joins Mark & Curtis on this episode. Holly is BC’s first certified women’s trapping instructor, and she talks about her journey to becoming certified. Holly discusses her other outdoor teaching pursuits including the Becoming an Outdoors Woman program and the hunting training course. Holly talks about what it means to her to teach and pass on her skills, the interest in trapping, trends, and barriers as well as the challenges trapping faces. Other topics covered include places to trap, the pros, and cons of society-owned traplines, priorities for the future, urban geese and snakes caught in garden deer fencing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Mark covers an interesting and chaotic fishery for the American eel in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, a controversial amendment in Ontario for training dogs to hunt coyotes, whether addling goose eggs will work, a judge's ruling on salmon fishing in Alaska, spotted owl rewilding effort in BC and new legislation in Haida Gwaii. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brought to you by Community-Minded Alpine Toyota Paul Jones, senior biologist with the Alberta Conservation Association joins Mark and Curtis to talk all things pronghorn. Topics covered include historic and present-day distribution, population dynamics, migrations, migration barriers, pronghorn friendly fences, highway crossing structures, twinning rates, migratory versus nomadic, urban pronghorn, principles for managing pronghorn for hunting and the longest distance travelled by a pronghorn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Mark is joined by firearm policy expert Tim Thurley again to discuss the federal governments latest gun control amendments to Bill C-21. Topics Tim cover include magazine capacity, the semi-automatic prohibition clause and the resurrection of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brought to you by Community-Minded Alpine Toyota Mark and Curtis are joined by Tim Killey, President of the BC Trappers Association to talk about fisher trapping and conservation in British Columbia. Tim explains the current trapping restrictions on fishers in Central part of the province and new regulation proposals being tabled. As well, Tim explains the two fisher sub-populations in BC, and trappers concerns about how the endangered status of the Columbia sub-population was established and the estimates of how long it will take fishers to go extinct with and without trapping. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Mark discusses his assessment of the veterinary photographic records of wolves killed in the caribou recovery areas of BC, some great news from the Nakusp caribou maternal pen, Canada’s commitment to the 30x30 biodiversity initiative, the future of hunting in Northern Manitoba and another anti-trapping campaign. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brought to you by Community-Minded Alpine Toyota John Schneider and Adam Weir join Mark and Curtis to discuss spring black bear hunting. John speaks from experience hunting in Alberta and Adam from hunting in Ontario. The guys discuss what spring bear hunting means to them, what the landscape is like where they hunt, how to find spring black bears, hunting methods, judging bears, bating tactics, step to safely recovering a bear, advice for new hunters and of course, lots of humour. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Mark covers a decision in Alberta regarding wild boar farming, white nose syndrome in bats in BC, coyote killing contests in Ontario, true wild horses in Canada, new firearms acts in Alberta and Sask, caribou in Nunavut, Roosevelt elk on Vancouver Island, an Indigenous Protected Conservation Area in BC, boreal caribou and climate change in the NWT, poaching fines, and Manitoba’s limits on foreign freelance waterfowl hunting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hang on this is a a big episode! Tim Thurley, Canadian firearm policy and firearm homicide expert joins Mark to give a full update on everything that's been going on in the gun control debate since the hunting firearm amendments to Bill C-21 were with drawn. Topics covered include, recent random homicide trends in Canada, public fear, whether gun control leads to less firearm violence, variants, the Nova Scotia Mass Casualty Report's potential impact on licensed gun owners, pro and anti-gun control groups, a polarized nation, loss of public trust, tin foil hats and whether the entire gun control debate is about public safety or political tactics to position parties for an election. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brought to you by Community-Minded Alpine Toyota Joe Northrup , Research Scientist Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Mark Ryckman, Manager of Policy Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters. Joe was the lead scientist on the recent study looking at the question of whether the Ontario spring black bear hunt reduced or increased human bear conflict. Joe discusses how the study was conducted and what its major findings were. Topics discussed include the spring bear pilot hunt, changes in bear populations, changes in human-bear conflict, baiting, age and sex of bears taken by hunters, possible explanations of the human-bear conflict phenomena, limitations of the study findings and whether the research will bring about changes to the spring bear hunt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Mark brings you up to date on CWD in Manitoba, new CWD research, court challenges to the federal fish farm ban in BC, Nova Scotia’s moratorium on fish farms, goldfish the size of footballs, the state of the mackerel fishery closure in Atlantic Canada, Saskatchewan deer depredation permits, and Alberta’s new Firearms Act. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Mark bring you up to date on an feral/wild horse crime in BC, destruction of fish habitat, endangered caribou recovery in Manitoba, Jasper National Park and Ontario, wolf control in a National Park and whether firearms are worth more than endangered caribou. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brought to You By Community-Minded Alpine Toyota Charles Whitwam, founder of Howl for Wildlife joins Mark and Curtis to discuss hunter activism. Charles explains how the Howl for Wildlife call center works and cites several great examples of where Howl has helped organize hunters’ voices to make a difference in protecting science-based wildlife management, hunting and trapping. The guys discuss trends in hunter engagement, the idea of hunters becoming activists, the four quadrants of activism, getting hunting brands and influencers to promote action campaigns, reclaiming the wolf as a symbol of hunting not anti-hunting, fostering the pack mentality, howling across borders, hitting anti-hunting groups in the pocketbook and anti-hunting t-shirts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brought to You by Community-Minded Alpine Toyota In this episode, Tyler Freel, staff writer for Outdoor Life, host of the Tundra Talk Podcast, and Alaska state resident join Mark and Curtis to discuss predator management. The guys dig into a new scientific paper out of Alaska that says predator management has not helped hunters to harvest more moose. Topics discussed include factors other than predator control that influence moose hunter success, why caribou were left out of the analysis of hunter harvest, predator management objectives, the reliability of hunter harvest to predict moose populations or as a measure of success for predator management, predatory scientific journals and shooting down spy balloons. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Mark’s covers federal actions on Atlantic salmon fish farms on the west coast, Quebec’s endangered caribou and BC’s endangered spotted owl. As well, Mark covers stories about Saskatchewan deer hunting, a potential Indigenous Protected Conservation Area in the Yukon, the elk population in Banff National Park and New Brunswick’s lynx and wolf conservation status. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Mark provides an update on gun control Bill C-21 and covers stories including COVID in deer, Saskatchewan's deer hunting problem, modifying geese habitat, the first ever Caribou Summit in the NWT, hunting caribou from snowmobiles, an Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area in BC, commercial fishing and trapping fines, and the Alberta bison ghost herd. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brought to You by Community-Minded Alpine Toyota Wildlife biologist/scientist Mateen Hessami joins Mark and Curtis to scrutinize a new research paper that looks at whether the newly reinstated spring black bear hunt in Ontario has reduced human-bear conflict in the province. Mateen discusses key things that wildlife scientist looks for in setting up research studies as well as concepts such as confounding factors, before and after studies, length of time, change in human population and hypothesis testing. Matten discusses whether this research study provides a robust conclusion about bear hunting and human-bear conflict in Ontario. Other topics discussed include motivations of hunters for spring bear hunting, spatial overlap of bear hunters and human-bear conflict areas as well as the efficacy of hunting for reducing bear populations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brought to you by Community-Minded Alpine Toyota In the episode Mark and Curtis talk turkey with Matt Besko, Director of Wildlife and Licensing for the province of Alberta. The topics they cover include the moving wild turkey from BC to Alberta, the difference in attitudes towards managing wild turkey in BC versus Alberta, the philosophy of non native wild turkeys in an altered landscape, valuing wild turkeys, wild turkey-human conflict, myths about wild turkey, adaptive management, Alberta’s wild turkey Minister tags, hunting wild turkey, iconic hunting cocktails to represent the regions of Canada and gator tails. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Mark brings you up to date on the issue of too many geese on Vancouver Island, geese frozen to the ground in Ontario, rehabilitating an angry moose in Ontario, moose poaching fines, illegal trapping in a Vancouver Park, beavers moving in to the arctic, white nosed syndrome in Alberta, rabbit hemorrhagic disease in Alberta and a feel good deer hunt in Nova Scotia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Mark is joined by Doug Chiasson, Executive Director for the Fur Institute of Canada. Doug and Mark discuss two recent trapping stories trending in the news across Canada. One story is from Prince Edward Island involving a tragic story of a family's dog and illegal trapping on private land and the second story is about an urban bobcat in Calgary Alberta with a trap on its foot. The guys assess the anti-trapping angle in each of these stories and they provide a nuanced assessment of the two stories and the likelihood commercial trapping was involved. As well, this episode provides some tips for backcountry users on how to be prepared for the emergency of a pet getting caught in a trap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brought to you by Community-Minded Alpine Toyota Dr. Doug Manzer, Senior Scientist & Wildlife Program Manager with the Alberta Conservation Association joins Mark and Curtis to discuss all things upland game birds. Doug breaks down upland game birds into their primary habitat niches and provides insight into the life cycles, feeding habits, and significant sources of mortality. Other topics covered include upland game bird conservation and management, bag limits, harvest reporting, flushing rates, grouse populations, snow cover, upland game bird hunting, hunting with dogs, wing shooting, and the value of pursuing grouse with purpose. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Mark covers the last stories from 2022 including, the United Nations COP15 summit on biodiversity conservation that was hosted in Montreal, protecting 30% of the earth, polar bear declines in Hudson Bay, the findings of a 2009 fatal coyote attack, coexisting with coyotes in Ottawa, annoying turkeys at a Montreal daycare, First Nations opposition to the gun control Bill C-21, pellets from a turkey hunter’s shotgun that hit a bystander, CWD updates for Manitoba and BC, researching chinook salmon that migrate between Alaska and the Yukon, a reduced fine for feeding bears in Whistler BC, the 2022 Fishery Audit, whales on the west and east coasts and, pesky rodents in Banff’s cemeteries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Curtis and Mark are joined by Mackenzie Clarke, wildlife biologist and researcher, Fredric Hanner, CEO of the Blaser Group UK, and team member of the Wild Boar Fever show on My Outdoors TV, Matt Besko, Director of Wildlife and Licensing in Alberta, and Dr. Lee Foote from the University of Alberta. Topics discussed include a check up on the state of wild pigs in Canada, how wild boars are hunted across Europe, how driven hunts are run, wild boar population control and management principles in Europe, the reality of managing wild pigs with hunting vs eradication in Canada and whether Canada could develop a wild boar driven hunting culture based on the methods used in Europe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brought to You by Community-Minded Alpine Toyota In this episode Curtis and Mark are joined by Robbie Kroger of Blood Origins. The crew discusses the state of the debate over hunting and how social media is the new public square for the debate. Robbie provides his thoughts on how this debate is going and what hunters are doing well and not so well. Topics covered include using truth and proof, extremists versus moderates in social media, stepping outside the echo chamber, shifting moderates views, the social media prism, opening your mind with an ice pick, polluting the public debate, whether facts are enough, whether you should tell people what to think, occasionally speaking the truth to punish, the Zimbabwe elephant story, conservation hunting, tell the story about the consequences of hunting, and taking bullets in the chest and the back as well as Robbie’s priorities for Blood Origins in 2023 that will continue advancing a pro hunting narrative. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Mark is joined by Adam Weir, Fisheries Biologist with the Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters. Adam provides a breakdown of the major fishing regulation changes being proposed for FMZ 10 and 15. Adam also provides a high-level overview of Ontario’s’ ecological basis for its fisheries management zones and the collaborative round tables as well as the key changes the province is proposing for walleye, brook trout, and lake trout. Adam identifies the regulation proposals OFAH supports and the ones it is pushing back one, where anglers can get more information and where anglers can provide their own comments on the proposed fisheries management regulation changes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices