The Hunter Conservationist Podcast

In this episode Mark and Curtis are joined MLA Mike Morris from Prince George, British Columbia. Mike is a hunter and trapper and has been an MLA since 2013. Mike is an advocate for better forest practices and biodiversity conservation in the province. Mike reflects on his years of experience in politics and offers a ton of advice to hunter conservationists on how they can best work with their MLAs. Mike explains how government works and who the real decision makers are in government, what the difference between policy and regulations are, how to find wildlife management policy, how to prepare an effective letter or email to an MLA, what the best way is to build a relationship with an MLA, how form letters and nasty grams get filed in MLA's offices and whether hunters can ask for judicial reviews of wildlife management decisions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Mark and Curtis are stoked to have Kelly Molar of the Rookie Hunter Podcast on the show. The guys have a fireside chat about Kelly being a new Dad, how fatherhood changes hunting, and Kelly being joined by his Dad as a rookie hunter. Then the gang discusses the notion of ethics and morals in hunting, a way to resolve moral dilemmas while hunting and whether it is ethical and or moral to harvest an old nanny mountain goat. Curtis, Kelly, and Mark then weigh in on the controversial subject of words, phrases, and terminology that have become popularized in hunting and whether words are or should be a part of ethical hunting. Mark explains the root of the commonly used phrase animal down and the guys discuss their views on other words being used in hunting including kill being used as a verb and as a noun, whether a hunter’s choice of words portray a food or kill culture and what all these words could mean for the future of hunting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Mark and Curtis are joined by James Steidle from Prince George, British Columbia. James heads up a campaign called Stop the Spray BC which is dedicated to banning the spraying of glyphosate chemicals on public forests. James talks about some shocking aspects of the chemical herbicide Glyphosate, what ingredients we are not being told about that are in Glyphosate, and whether Glyphosate is a health risk. James explains why forest companies spray Glyphosate on your forests and why that is a concern to him for biodiversity and for moose conservation. James describes the ecological importance of aspen, birch, willow, and alder trees and why the forest industry likes to kill them all. James discusses some of the moose research that has been going on in Northern BC around moose food and exposes flaws in the claims that forest spraying is not hurting moose populations. James also shares his lessons learned from running a grassroots advocacy campaign. Bonus content - find out who blocks James on social media. Show Notes: Sign the Federal petition to ban glyphosate spraying in Canadian public forests here: https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-2738 Website: http://stopthespraybc.com/ Twitter: @stopthespraybc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Mark and Curtis are joined by the fun, energetic, and inspiring Land Tawney, CEO of the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers. The purpose of their conversation is to help Canadian hunters and anglers be effective in advocating for public land and water in Canada. With that purpose in mind, Mark and Curtis get Land to explain what makes BHA such an effective voice for conservation. Land explains what the new Great American Outdoor Act is, how much funding the Act dedicates to conservation in the United States, and how hunters and anglers helped get the bill approved. Land also talks about how BHA can rally its members behind important causes and how the grassroots approach of BHA helps the organization prioritize its campaigns. Land also imparts his philosophy about BHA as a-tell-it-like-it-is organization and why your voice is so important to politicians. The gang talks about the growth of BHA in Canada, the value of public celebrity figures who support BHA, and the common issues facing hunting, fishing, and public land conservation in Canada and the United States. Find out what challenge Mark accepts from Land for the BHA Rendezvous gathering in Missoula Montana in 2021. Land shares his vision for BHA in Canada but his answer will probably surprise you! Also, tune in to hear an important safety message about storing gas inside your SUV and Land’s take on 70’s avocado-coloured kitchen appliances. Show Notes: BHA Membership Giveaway Entry Details! BHA in British Columbia, Alberta and the Yukon are sponsoring a 1-year free membership to one Canadian listener of this podcast episode from each province and territory in Canada who is not already a BHA member! To win one of these BHA members here is what you need to do: Find the Instagram post for Episode 31 on The Hunter Conservationist’s IG account @the_hunter_conservationist. Post a comment that says, “I listened to Land Tawney and survived”. Tell us what province or territory you live in. The contest will run for the entire month of October 2020 and we will randomly select winners from each province and territory. We may give a membership or two away during the month so submit your entry early. Tell your friends who live in Canada too! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

this episode Mark and Curtis are helping celebrate Black Mammalogist Week by talking in-depth with Rhiannon Kirton. Rhiannon is a Master of Science candidate at Western University in London, Ontario who is studying the interaction between white-tailed deer and hunters. Rhiannon is a co-organizer for Black Mammalogists Week, and she explains the reasons behind this special week and all the events taking place across North America. Diving into the heart of this episode, Rhiannon talks about the history of Black Canadians as active pioneers, hunters, and fur trappers and her experience finding Black Canadians who hunt and fish. Other topics discussed include Canada’s underground railroad, the lack of data collection measuring diversity participation in hunting in Canada and why that data is important, perceptions of firearm ownership, the lack of Black Canadian hunters and anglers as role models, whether racism in Canada is different than in the United States, how the history of Black people in North America might influence participation in hunting and fishing, how family concerns might influence Black Canadians participation in backcountry activities and whether the remote regions of Canada’s outdoors is a space Black Canadians might feel safe in or not. In addition, learn whether Rhiannon is happy with the colour she painted her desk and how she gets GPS trackers on hunters. Show Notes Black Mammalogists Week schedule of events: https://blackmammalogists.com/#schedule Follow Rhiannon on Twitter at @Rhiannon_Kirton. Instagram @rhi_kirton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Mark and Curtis will walk through each of the new fair chase hunting regulations in effect in British Columbia this year. Part of this conversation will include what the new regulations are as well as how the decisions were made. Topics covered include e-bikes, wireless trail cameras, primitive weapons, smart rifles, drones, spotting from an aircraft, intentionally feeding and baiting wildlife, and the cougar pursuit season. Other pre-season primer topics that the guys discuss include what you need to have with you while hunting, bag versus possession limits, legal tines, transporting someone else’s game, and whether you can shoot ear-tagged or collared animals. To round out the podcast the hosts kick off the controversial conversation that few people are willing to talk about – the blockade of resident hunters from going on DIY hunts in Northern BC. In this discussion, Mark and Curtis pass along updates on reports coming out of Northern BC, the travel advisory issued by the Tahltan Central Government, how much you might have to pay to hunt up North, and what the harvest stats are saying about resident versus non-resident harvest levels. Finally, this episode will leave you with ideas of what you can do if you care about protecting your access to crown land. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Mark and Curtis are joined by Dr. Vic Adamowicz, Professor in the Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. Find why the University of Alberta is a hub for so many great Canadian wildlife scientists as well as what human dimension research is about and why an economist does research for wildlife management. Main topics discussed in this episode include an update on the status of CWD in Alberta, the aerial cull public backlash, whether hunters are moving to new hunting areas because of CWD, how hunters perceive the risk of CWD, whether hunters are eating or giving away venison before getting their test results and what CWD management scenarios hunters prefer. Also find out whether hunters would rather pay more to get CWD test results back faster or pay more so the province can monitor more areas for CWD, whether demand for license draws are declining as a result of CWD and what the general non-hunting public thinks of CWD and the risk to people. Show Notes: Watch Dr. Adamowicz’s presentation hosted by the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6BNf29L4JM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Mark and Curtis are joined By Chad Day, President of the Tahltan Central Government in British Columbia and Jesse Zeman, Director of the Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program for the BC Wildlife Federation. President Day explains where Tahltan Territory is located, who the Tahltan people are, how he became President of his Nation, what life is like as the President and how governance is structured in Tahltan Territory. Jesse gives a summary of how the grizzly bear hunt ban came about in BC and President Day explains how Indigenous hunting rights work in Canada with respect to grizzly bear hunting. Getting into the nitty gritty of grizzly hunting, President Day talks about what Tahltan people are seeing on the land today, why he is planning to go on his first grizzly bear hunt this fall and what his plans are if the province does not reinstate the grizzly bear hunt in Tahltan Territory. President Day reflects on all the Tahltan families and their relationship to guide-outfitting, explains how Tahltan used to manage predators and he shares the incredible story of the Tahltan Bear Dog. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Mark and Curtis are joined by Taylor White, Ariana McKay, Hannah McIntyre and Emily Chow. This is a fun, uplifting and inspiring conversation about four friends and the story of their journey mentoring each other and learning to hunt. The group discusses how and why they each got into hunting, what their journey towards having a successful hunt has been like, whether hunting gets frustrating, the deeper meaning of hunting and what barriers women can face getting into hunting. Other topics discussed included the good and bad of women-specific market segment analysis in hunting, interacting with men while hunting, being a mentor hunter, leadership styles, advice for new hunters, how women can find hunting partners, tips for women hunters, perspectives on hunting regulations and advice for young men hunting with women. You will hear about firewood stealing eavesdropping hunters and how to confront them as well as the importance of friendship and hunt camp. Show Notes: Take Action to Support Saving the Interior Fraser Steelhead from Extinction https://bcwf.bc.ca/initiatives/bcwf-calls-for-a-moratorium-on-lower-fraser-chum-gillnet-fishery/#newmode-embed-9022-22291 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Mark and Curtis take the opportunity on their 1-year anniversary of podcasting to dive into the super complex and controversial issue of coal mining, cutthroat trout, and bighorn sheep in the Elk Valley of Southeastern British Columbia. The guys describe how coal was formed in the Rocky Mountains and describe the complex industrialized-wilderness blended landscape that defines the Elk Valley. Topics include the history of water quality problems in the Elk River, the Minister’s Order, how water quality guidelines work, where selenium comes from and how it gets into fish, what selenium does and doesn’t do to fish, the myth of shortened gill plates on trout, how a water treatment plant works, what happened to the trout in the upper Fording River, the impact of coal mining on the future of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, the need for protecting sheep winter range, spanking the media and fear mongering as a new form of misplaced conservation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, in their quest for truth, honesty and objectivity, Mark and Curtis analyze the recent brouhaha over moose management in BC’s endangered caribou recovery zones. To kick things off, the hosts talk about the misinformation floating around over the number of black bear tags sold in BC, BC’s black bear harvest rate and some anti-bear hunting propaganda coming out of Vancouver Island. Then the hosts talk about why we cannot resist looking at dead cats. Using the concepts of misplaced conservation that Dr. Adam Ford explained in Episode 23, Mark and Curtis analyze the current state of the conversation regarding primary prey reduction and caribou recovery. Other topics covered in this episode include ways to assess polarized debates, the elephant in our brains, lies that spread faster than the truth, throwing hunters under the bus, politics and more politics, the war on science, as well as what objective truth, personal truth, and political truth mean. Wrapping it all up, the guys take a forward-looking perspective to discuss what hunter conservationists should really be fighting for. Show Notes: https://bcliberalcaucus.bc.ca/ndp-confirms-plan-to-cull-moose-calves-and-their-mothers/ https://bcliberalcaucus.bc.ca/mlas-condemn-ndp-plan-to-open-up-hunting-moose-calves-and-their-mothers/ https://tinyurl.com/jzmooseLEH https://www.castanet.net/news/Letters/302111/Letter-Prior-gov-t-mismanagement?fbclid=IwAR22ZhAOGUF_ke-1eSF9rCUnrAnWTiBWstTRxcBWbp_pCOlnFyEKdqr6fcE Listen to the archive which includes an interview with Kamloops North MLA Peter Milobar at 11:06 and Jesse Zeman at 11:21 am. Listen to the archive for June 08, 2020 https://buff.ly/37bY4wB Click on the link above and then you must choose June 8 and 11 AM — you can then start playing the audio file and click along the timeline to about 6 min in. https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-109-daybreak-north Click on segments and you will see one on June 9 talking to a fellow who has started a petition and June 10 Jen Psyllakis https://www.iheartradio.ca/cfax-1070/news/update-bc-liberals-sound-alarm-over-hunting-of-moose-mothers-calves-1.12596671 Finding Shared Solutions for Moose and Caribou Management in B.C. https://t.co/n4xiyCE2oo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Mark and Curtis break the barrier of pandemic isolation and are joined virtually by Dr. Adam Ford (not the dentist in Arizona) to talk about the best ways to protect your expensive fly rod, what happens when an elephant doesn’t like you and the emerging idea of misplaced conservation. Misplaced conservation is a multifaceted phenomenon going on right now involving misinformation and polarization and it is affecting the ability of conservation to focus on priorities. Adam explains the unintended and intended consequences of misplaced conservation including conservation that causes direct harm to wildlife populations, misallocation of conservation dollars, throwing conservation partners under the bus, and merchants of doubt messing with your minds. The gang also talks about why using honeybees as the poster child for saving native pollinators is like using a cow to save endangered caribou, raising money to outlaw something that is already prohibited and British Columbia’s controversial grizzly hunt. Wrapping it up the guys talk about the role of academic research in wildlife management and offer a few parting thoughts on what people can do to mitigate the impacts of misplaced conservation. Show Notes Follow Dr. Ford on Twitter at @adamTford Check out Adam’s WiRE Lab website - Wildlife Restoration Ecology Lab at http://atford.weebly.com/ and look for the land rover with the door crushed in by an elephant. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Mark and Curtis claw into the future of black bear hunting in Canada. The guys talk about the black bear’s unique evolutionary story in North America, all the different races of black bears in Canada, including the ancient glacial insular bears of British Columbia and how many black bears there are. Bearing in mind those discussions, Mark and Curtis provide encouragement for new hunters interested in black bear hunting that includes where to hunt spring black bears, what clues to look for to find bears, how to differentiate a black from a grizzly bear track, how to cook bear meat and what proportion of a harvested bear is utilized. The guys examine the return of the Ontario spring black bear hunt after its ban in 1999 as well as the lessons learned from the grizzly bear hunt ban in British Columbia and how these events apply to the future of black bear hunting in Canada. Rounding out the episode the hosts dive into the topics of baiting, hunting bears with hounds, non-resident guided black bear hunting, the narrative around bear hunting, why you should be proud of Canada’s history of black bear conservation and what things hunters could do right now to protect the future of black bear hunting in Canada. Finally, find out how to help ensure hunting and fishing in Canada can continue during the COVID-19 pandemic and figure out how many times a drumming ruffed grouse beats its wings. Show Notes Cover Image Copyright © Curtis Hall Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Mark and Curtis provide an update on how their spring turkey hunt went and they give a short recap on the recent announcement about hunting and fishing in BC during COVID-19. In addition to turkeys and social distance hunting, the fellas chat about an important aspect of wildlife management - the enhancement of habitat with the use of fire. Topics covered include when the era of fire began, fire tolerant and fire dependent species, fire regimes, how fire creates resilient ecosystems, top down and bottom up population regulators, the drivers of wildlife populations and how fire effects said wildlife population drivers. The guys also talk about how often critical habitats should be burned, the value of burnt snag forests, whether clearcutting emulates natural fire, the disruption of natural fire cycles, the size of fires in BC, whether forest fires nowadays are bad, how big habitat burns should be, how wildlife habitat burns can benefit humans and why moose have long legs. Show Notes EatWild BC Podcast. COVID-19 Can you hunt in BC? https://eatwild.podbean.com/e/eatwild-podcast-covid-19-can-you-hunt-in-bc/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s spring and Mark and Curtis are back in the studio to talk turkey. More specifically, the story of wild turkeys in Canada. Often thought of as a gamebird found only in the United States of America, the guys talk about how this native North American wildlife species came to be in the New World and how several Canadian provinces became home to the wild turkey. Topics discussed include the evolution of the modern wild turkey, the wild turkey species and sub-species, their distribution, biology, Mesoamerican domestication, population recovery, translocations and province-by-province status as well as a breakdown of wild turkey management in Canada and why BC is reluctant to make hunters buy a turkey tag. The guys also undertake their own version of MythBusters by digging into the alien information published about the wild turkey in order to sort fact from fiction. To put all this dialogue into context of the bigger conservation picture, Mark and Curtis weigh in on the philosophical aspects of what is natural and what is not. When humans move species around is it always bad? What makes a species native and where is it native to? What about species before and after glaciation? When is a non-native wildlife species invasive, when is it simply an introduced species and when does a species become naturalized? The guys also talk about the last time the ecosystems of North America were truly natural. Lastly, learn how to enter our April wild turkey contest giveaway thanks to the good folks at Hunt To Eat. Shows Notes https://hunttoeat.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Mark and Curtis are in the studio respecting the social distancing rules. But the show must go on, so in the absence of a guest the guys take an in-depth look at wolf hunting and the story surrounding the recent death of a well-known coastal wolf in BC. Topics discussed in this episode include an analysis of British Columbia’s Wolf Management Plan, wolf population dynamics, wolf species and subspecies, wolf extinctions, theories of why some people trophy hunt, predator management in the North American sustained yield model, why some people find wolf hunting so disdainful, the possible motives behind why some resident hunters will kill a wolf, whether carnivore meat is edible, is this really going to be Cecil the wolf?, the current wolf hunting narrative, the shaming hunter tactic, trophic cascade, plural breeding and some solutions on how a wider range of social values around wolves can be incorporated into wildlife management and conservation without all the conflict and controversy. Show Notes Wolf Management Plan in British Columbia Globe and Mail Op-Ed Article Takaya the Grey Wolf Will Become BC’s Cecil The Lion Cover photo Credit: Copyright © hkuchera / Adobe Stock Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Mark and Curtis are in Fernie British Columbia with Dr. Clayton Lamb learning about the new discipline of road ecology. Dr. Lamb tells the hosts about his transition from researching grizzly bears for his PhD into his new wildlife research projects. Other topics discussed in this episode include finding out what this whole new field of road ecology is about, the magnitude of wildlife-vehicle collisions in North America as well as in Southeast BC and all the various ways that highway corridors can affect wildlife. Dr. Lamb discusses the effectiveness of highway fences and wildlife over and under passes for safely moving wildlife across busy highway corridors. The gang dives into the infamous flashing wildlife signs on Highway 3 in Southeast BC and whether automobile insurance companies are manipulating wildlife populations to save money. Show Notes: The Nevada Area 7 Mule Deer migration highway case study: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NK-mvhPMokY&feature=youtu.be Highway 3 wildlife detection system in British Columbia: https://www.tranbc.ca/2016/07/27/behind-the-scenes-bc-wildlife-trucks-saved-from-collision/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Mark and Curtis are joined by Al Duffy, Chair of the BC Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers and Bill Hanlon, the Co-Chair. The guys provide their perspectives on the controversial and nebulous subject of ethics and fair chase in hunting. Topics and questions discussed include defining what ethics are, what society expects of hunters, what morally good hunting is, how to define fair chase hunting and when does hunting cross the boundary where it becomes destructive to wildlife. The gang also grapples with hard questions including asking whether the types of weapons hunters use define hunting, if technology in hunting need to be more regulated and whether modern technology in hunting actually destructive to wildlife populations. Finally, everyone weighs in on why the subject of ethics and fair chase hunting is so divisive in the hunting community and how the net generation of leaders in the hunting community can have conversations about ethics and fair chase without folks getting so hot under the collar. When hunters suggest imposing more rules to regulate hunting practices what are they really trying to preserve? Show Notes: Everyone’s go to books on ethics in hunting include: Mediations on Hunting by José Ortega y Gasset Beyond Fair Chase and Inherit the Hunt by Jim Posewitz Heartsblood and A Hunter’s Hears: Honest Essays on a Blood Sport by David Peterson Bloodties: Nature, Culture, and the Hunt by Ted Kerasote Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Mark and Curtis join Dylan Eyers from EatWild BC, Jenny Ly, from the Chasing Food Club and Kelly Molnar and Mike Pedersen from the Rookie Hunter Podcast for a live podcast which was recorded in Vancouver, BC on January 30th. The crew shreds up the question – Why is Hunting So Hard? For many new and first-time hunters, hunting can be frustrating and maybe even demoralizing. Folks tell us they have gone years since starting hunting and never been able to harvest an animal. In order to help new hunters be successful, the lot of us offer perspectives on why hunting is hard and impart our ideas and advice how to fill your freezer this fall. Topics discussed include everyone’s hardest physical and mental hunts, how to develop hunt plans, best animals to hunt when starting out, expectations when planning a hunt, a bit on the spiritual awareness side of hunting and Dylan’s recent bison hunt. If you are a new hunter that has not grown up in a hunting family and you feel the hunting struggle is real, download this episode and listen to the conversation. The live podcast was sponsored by the BC Chapter of the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Filsons store in Vancouver and Stanley Park Brewing. Proceeds will go to an on-the-ground-project managed by the Region 2 chapter of BHA. Show Notes: As promised in the podcast, here is a good resource for mule deer hunters: Ecology and Conservation of Mule Deer in Idaho: Management Strategies for Restoring Populations Dr. Mark Hebblewhite, University of Montana https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNOH627-WqU Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Mark and Curtis are in Cranbrook, British Columbia talking all things deer with Senior Wildlife Biologist, Pat Stent and resident hunter dude, Jeff Berdusco. Pat gives us a run down on the findings from his mule deer research studies in Southeastern BC. He explains the factors influencing mule deer populations, what’s happening with predation and how mule deer survival rates in this part of BC compare to other mule deer jurisdictions. Pat also discusses a new whitetailed-deer study that he is getting ready for this year. The group also covers deer harvest management, antlerless seasons, why some hunters are against hunting does and, everyone’s favorite deer topic, the urban deer problem. Show Notes: Ecology and Conservation of Mule Deer in Idaho: Management Strategies for Restoring Populations Dr. Mark Hebblewhite, University of Montana https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNOH627-WqU Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Mark and Curtis are talking with British Columbia’s provincial wildlife veterinarian, Dr. Helen Schwantje. Helen explains how she secured herself a full-time position as the head of wildlife health in the province. Other topics the gang chats about include captive conservation breeding programs as a tool to save endangered species including caribou, being a women vet in male-dominated wildlife management field, millennials in wildlife biology, the types of wildlife health programs she oversees, the kinds of reports and questions Helen receives from the public, BC’s chronic wasting disease surveillance program, wild sheep diseases, population-level health monitoring, whether alpacas and llamas are a threat to wild sheep, and aggressive camelid owners. Most importantly, you can learn what the future of wild monkeys will be in British Columbia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Mark, Curtis, Erin, Karlee and Jake are all together to reflect on our 2019 adventures. Large cutties, catch and release fishing, the state of fishing on Haida Gwaii, deer hunting in 2019, the November lull, first duck hunts, first deer harvests, packs of marauding grizzlies in the late deer season, wild Christmas dinner, perch tacos, awesome elk hunting, debate on a freezer full of venison or mallards, hunting and gathering goals for 2020,and moms who hunt. Thrown into all of this is a bit of a serious rant about using hunting regulations as a tool to recover and increase wildlife populations and a what to think of another annoying news article that tries to talk about hunting and wildlife management. Finally, we thankfully recognize all the people that helped us get the podcast to where it is now; their generous contribution of time, advice and expert knowledge have allowed The Hunter Conservationist Podcast to create a high standard focused on what we are all passionate about: conservation, science and responsible hunting in Canada Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Mark and Curtis are at the Big Ranch near Sparwood, BC with BC Backcountry Hunters and Anglers Chapter Board Co-Chair, Bill Hanlon and his giant cape buffalo. Bill tells us about the history of BHA and how British Columbia became a chapter. We also learn about the surge in membership growth occurring in BC, the types of hunters and anglers that are joining, what the focus and priorities for BHA in British Columbia are, the building of a Canadian identity and the great support BHA provides for the professional development of its chapter volunteers. Bill also explains how the green decoy fiasco backfired and BHA turned it around to their advantage. Of course, we talk about hunting and big white-tailed-bucks, trail cams and technology in hunting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Mark and Curtis are in Edmonton Alberta with Matt Besko, the Director of Wildlife Policy for Alberta Environment and Parks. We discuss the rich and diverse ecosystems of Alberta, and we get a run down on the status of big game and waterfowl populations and conservation concerns in the province. Other topics we cover include white-tailed deer populations, what the province is bracing for with respect to the impacts of Chronic Wasting Disease, hunters access to private land, who is responsible for invasive wild pig control, and the complexities of wildlife management in an world of changing public attitudes and perceptions. As well, we chat about duck hunting, duck cooking and why you might have to go roebuck hunting in Germany in order to get a great bird dog. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Mark and Curtis are in Edmonton Alberta with archaeologist and author Jack Brink. Jack was instrumental in helping uncover and tell the story of Aboriginal communal bison hunting at Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is situated in the Porcupine Hills in southern Alberta. Jack discusses how bison were coaxed over the deadly jump using highly sophisticated hunting methods involving trickery, mimicry and an unrivaled understanding of bison behavior. Jack explains how the animals were processed at the butchering grounds and what a monumental task that was. We chat about what the best season was for driving bison to the buffalo jump, what specific animals were preferred as food, how long the jump was in use and why it came to an end. We also learn why Head-Smashed-In was the largest single gathering of food in the history of humankind. Show Notes: Jack’s book: Imaging Head-Smashed-In. Aboriginal Buffalo Hunting on the Northern Plains. Athabasca University Press. Jack W. Brink 4th printing 2017. The proceeds from Jack’s book goes to the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton, Alberta. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Mark and Curtis are at the University of Alberta joined by Dr. Andrew Derocher. This episode explores one of the world’s most iconic wild animals – the Polar Bear. Topics discussed include the things that make a polar bear tick, fat vacuums, chill bears, ponies with teeth, whether polar bears are land or marine mammals, their conservation status, what polar bear habitat really is, a half-baked plan to introduce polar bears into the Antarctic, polar bear politics and catching polar bears versus grizzly bears. Dr. Derocher gives us a run down on his research in the Canadian Arctic and explains how these bears are fairing with climate change, and he distinguishes between traditional knowledge, local knowledge and science as it relates to polar bear conservation. Andy also digs into Nunavut’s new Polar Bear Management Plan as well as, what polar bear sustenance hunting and trophy hunting means to Indigenous People in the Canadian Arctic. Lastly, we learn what a banana seal is and how many degrees of separation we have from super scientist Dr. Fred Bunnell at the University of British Columbia. Follow Dr. Derocher on Twitter at AEDerocher and check out his book, Polar Bears: A Complete Guide to Their Biology and Behavior. John Hopkins University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Mark and Curtis are joined by Brenda McLennan and Mance Visetin. The lady’s husbands were both Conservation Officers whose unique career paths brought them together. In this episode we learn what it was like for the newly married spouses of Conservation Officers back in the old days when officers were called Game Wardens. We find out what it was like being a Game Warden in Canada’s high arctic and British Columbia’s remote north before traditional ways of life were gone forever. Other topics discussed include Game Wardens that had to work alone without radio communication and were gone for days or weeks on end, safety of the officers and their families, polar bears in the family basement, late night phone calls about hunting regulations, how pssing off a Conservation Officer’s wife is not the best idea and a historic event involving the RCMP, a Game Warden and his school teacher wife, a bride and a groom who were all commandeered by the Prime Minister to secure the sovereignty of a disputed island in Canada’s high arctic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Mark and Curtis are joined by new hunters Bryce McKinnon and Derek Johnson. These young men didn’t grow up in hunting families, but they are having fun finding their way in hunting by trial and error. This episode will help other new hunters and established hunters will hear what it’s like for a new hunter to try to get started in hunting. Topics discussed include how the guys got into hunting, what’s missing from the hunter training course, what the essential supplies for game processing are that should be in your pack, how and when to use the gutless method, whether you can age meat in your refrigerator, building your own game cooler with a Cool Bot, how many guns should one own, advice for new hunters and whether making eye contact and walking straight at a deer actually works. Show notes Check out the great hunting and butchering courses and workshop with Dylan and the crew athttp://www.eatwild.ca/The best video to learn the gutless method of field dressing an elk is from Randy Newberg Hunter:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ny5z3kJWbn8The CoolBot device if you want to make your own game cooler:https://www.storeitcold.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we are joined by Reg Parsons and Odd Aasland to discuss their careers as taxidermists. With 80 ish years of combined experience in their field of work, we discuss how these gents first got into taxidermy as a career, the history of taxidermy, the process of taxidermy, how taxidermy contributed to conservation, the infamous duck incident, whether size (antlers) matter, whether taxidermy is a verb or a noun, the evolution of taxidermy as an art and what defines a master. The guys reminisce, tell stories, joke and banter about their careers as master taxidermists. In case you miss a point or two, a few of the stories will be told and retold to enhance your ability to retain the information. But most importantly, follow along to hear Reg and Odd’s sage advice on how to live a fulfilled life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we are joined by Cait Nelson, Wildlife Health Biologist with the government of BC. Cait oversees the province’s Chronic Wasting Disease on-the-ground program. Topics discussed include the latest on CWD science, global CWD news, the history of CWD in Canada, BC’s CWD program up to 2019, BC’s CWD free status, new CWD cases close to BC, the new mandatory head submission order for hunters in parts of Kootenay Region 4, what hunters need to do with their deer this fall, all the groups (including hunters) that have stepped up to help Cait with her program, and why hunters and hunting is awesome. Show Notes BC’s CWD public information website https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/plants-animals-ecosystems/wildlife/wildlife-health/wildlife-diseases/chronic-wasting-disease BC’s CWD 2019 CWD Surveillance and Response Program Management Plan https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/plants-animals-and-ecosystems/wildlife-wildlife-habitat/wildlife-health/wildlife-health-documents/bc_cwd_plan_june2019_approved.pdf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Mark and Curtis are at the University of Saskatchewan to discuss the growing problem of invasive wild pigs in Canada. Topics covered include leaky farms, the difference between wild boar versus wild pig, whether hunting is helping control wild pigs, where wild pigs are found in Canada, whether wild pigs can survive in the Yukon, countdown to 1 million square kilometers, whether sounder is a maritime term or not, what might be on your spinach, what a wild pig can do in 108 days, whether time is running out to eradicate wild pigs in Canada, and our favorite Ryan Brook quotes. Show Notes Follow Ryan on Twitter at RyanKBrook Check out the Canadian Wild Pig Research Project - CWPRG on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/WildPigResearch/ Learn more about Ryan and his research at https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ryan_Brook and at https://agbio.usask.ca/faculty-and-staff/people-pages/ryan-brook.php#BriefBiography Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Mark and Curtis are in Cranbrook BC with Nikita Dalke, Jeff Berdusco, and Erin Aasland Hall. We chat about our earliest memories growing up in the outdoors, strategies for getting kids into hunting and fishing, indoctrination vs. exposure, expectation adjustments, when kids are old enough to hunt an animal, letting kids use social media or not, competing with a world of instant gratification, keeping kids comfortable in the outdoors vs. coddling them, and the strategy of suckering them in. Show Notes Follow Nikita on Social Media at CanadaHuntress. Check out her family blog rockymountainoutdooradventures.blogspot.com and read her article Tips for Hunting with your Kids wideopenspaces.com/tips-hunting-kids-pics/ Jeff is a private guy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we are in Revelstoke, British Columbia chatting with caribou researcher Dr. Rob Serrouya from the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute. We learn why caribou in the southern population in BC and Alberta are endangered. We also discuss cool t-shirts, saving endangered species with adaptive management, where white-tailed deer fit, social science, trade-off decision making, the controversial moose and wolf stabilization efforts, 500 jobs vs. 500 wolves and whether the cart was put before the horse at the caribou public consultation forums in BC. Show Notes Check out Rob’s research work at, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Robert_Serrouya Recent collaborate research paper on saving endangered species using adaptive management: https://www.pnas.org/content/116/13/6181 As discussed in the show, the Revelstoke area and “Big Bend” of the Columbia River are within the overlapping traditional territories of the Silix, Sinixt, Secwepemc and Ktunaxa First Nations. Contact the podcasts hosts at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we are joined by grizzly bear researcher Clayton Lamb, from the University of Alberta. We discuss the facets of grizzly bear conservation and biology, Clayton’s PhD work in the Elk Valley, hangry bears, science of the obvious, source-sink dynamics, the ominous Olsen Pit, modern day raptors trying to kill prehistoric raptors and using data to make flooring decisions. Clayton's website. Follow Clayton on Twitter at ClaytonTLamb Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices