The National Wildlife Federation has worked with hunters and anglers since 1936 to tackle the biggest natural resource challenges. The NWF Outdoors Podcast explores the most important conservation issues and the people who do the hard work to safeguard our fish, wildlife, lands, and waters. Hosted by Aaron Kindle, director of sporting advocacy at NWF.
Episodes
Friday Jul 15, 2022
Friday Jul 15, 2022
Aaron and Bill sit down with David Willms and Mike Butler to discuss the recently introduced the RETURN Act and how it would dismantle the world’s most successful conservation program and begin a cascade effect that would set back America conservation in myriad ways. We walk through a refresher on the Pittman-Robertson Act – what it is, how it works, why it is so successful and why we need to protect by all means possible. Then we pivot to the RETURN Act – what it is, why it came about, how terrible it would be for American conservation and why we need to step up to stop it dead in its tracks.
Links:
https://tnwf.org/new-bill-would-gut-conservation-funding/
Show notes:
5:08 - Aaron shares a little background on this episodes guests.
7:56 - The group shares what they have been doing outside recently.
13:05 – David explains the Pittman-Robertson Act. Why do we have it and what it does?
19:38 – Mike discusses the significance of this legislation in Tennessee alone.
20:36 – What would it look like from state to state if we didn’t have the Pittman-Robertson Act?
24:02 - How is it funded? Who pays it? When do they pay it?
26:01 - Mike talks about the North American model of conservation and why Pittman-Robertson is integral to it.
29:31 – David lines out how much conservation funding comes from Pittman-Robertson and how it’s growing every year.
33:39 – Highlighting the 2nd Amendment and how it relates.
35:16 – What does the Return Act do exactly?
42:27 – Where did the concept of the Return Act come from? Let’s also highlight the conflict of interest at play here…
46:43 – Mike points out some fallacies in the proposed legislation and the press release from Rep. Clyde.
52:35 – It’s incredibly rare when a member of congress goes through the active process of removing their name from the list of cosponsors for a proposed bill. This is happening right now with the Return Act. Get informed! Call your congressman.
55:37 – What about the those who might like to see the majority of conservation funding coming from somewhere else besides the sporting community?
59:10 – Closing statements. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
“A man who doesn’t speak has no advantage over a man who can’t – so use your voice.” –Bill Cooksey
Friday Apr 15, 2022
Friday Apr 15, 2022
Jake Latendresse may be the most well-known sportsmen you’ve never heard of. He’s one of the nation’s finest hunter/angler videographers and has produced content for some of the biggest companies and organizations in the world. You see his work on Bassmaster every weekend and on videos and television shows from myriad entities, and it’s there because Jake had the courage to live his dreams. As a bar owner, videographer/producer and owner of Prairie Rock Outfitters, there’s no doubt he’s a driven entrepreneur, but Jake’s comments about childhood and conservation are what left Aaron and Bill speechless.
Links:
https://www.bassmaster.com/news/have-camera-will-travel-for-latendresse/
http://lmcollective.com/about/
https://prairierockoutfitters.com/
Show notes:
3:27 – “Everything in moderation, including moderation.”
3:38 – Bill gives some background on Jake Latendresse, the guest for the show.
6:12 – Everyone shares what they’ve been doing outside recently.
7:50 – Jake reflects on the recent below freezing weather events, “It was one of the most extreme weather conditions that we’ve ever had in the Great Lakes…”
8:49 – Jakes gives an update on the recent happenings in his life.
9:53 - Jakes shares how many events he films per year, relating the “Bass Master” events to a full football season.
11:29 – How does Jake balance all the things he does in addition to being a single dad.
14:18 - How Jake got started and established in sporting media and an early interest in art and photography.
22:00 - Was being fulltime in the outdoors something Jake dreamed about as a kid? (plus: Jake shares a very special story for the first time ever, it’s a heartfelt story about what happened one time when he couldn’t go hunting with this father. His father never left him home during a hunting trip ever again.)
25:21 - At what point did Jake break through and become a sportsman?
29:39 - A day in the life of Jake capturing the “meat” of events all over the world.
34:30 - Jake talks about what the day is like and the relationships that form when he gets in a boat with a pro angler.
37:30 – Short break for a message from our partner podcast, Artemis Sportswomen!
38:58 - Jake chats about some of his other film projects he has done around the world starting with a sheep hunt in Mongolia.
44:28 – How did Jake meet Bill?
45:12 - Horse incident while hunting stone sheep hunt in B.C.
48:04 – “I carry an expedition medical kit wherever I go…”
52:47 - Jake talks about his father and the Gov. of Tennessee working together.
55:12 – Conservation! Mentorship! When and how did Jake get involved with conserving resources. “My dad pushed conservation on me pretty hard from a very young age.”
59:56 - What advice would Jake give to kids who have a similar dream of following the path he took in life. “Don’t force your children to do what you want them to do, support what they want to do. Allow them to be free and go down the road.” “Never give up.”
1:04:07 - Shout out for the video project that Bill and Jake are working on in the Everglades. Be sure to follow NWF Outdoors and Vanishing Paradise to see more!!
“Everyone deserves to have the opportunity to understand what their great outdoors are all about.” -Jake Latendresse-
Friday Apr 01, 2022
Friday Apr 01, 2022
After a month of tech issues and time conflicts, Aaron and Bill finally get together with Jim Ronquest of RNTV. Jimbo outlines his 21/22 duck season experiences from both home and on the road filming the show before moving to the timely topic of turkeys. After decades of population growth, many regions are experiencing declines, and we learn how Turkeys for Tomorrow is trying to find out why. It’s a lot to unpack, and then Jimbo drops a bomb on us!
Links:
https://turkeysfortomorrow.org/
https://www.drakewaterfowl.com/
https://www.nwf.org/-/media/PDFs/Outdoors/NWF_GameSpeciesAnalysis_Report_Final
Show notes:
4:18 – Aaron, Bill and Jim discuss what they’ve been doing outside lately.
8:00 – Talking the beginning of turkey season!
10:30 -- Jim talks about his upbringing and early years as a sportsman. “It was raining pitch forks and tater babies…”
17:14 -- Jim rounds up duck season.
21:27 – Shout out to Jim’s show, “RN T.V.” on the Sportsman Channel. Other than Ducks Unlimited, it is the longest running dedicated waterfowl show on outdoor T.V.
23:13 – Bill reflects on the first year he went turkey hunting with Jim almost twenty years ago.
25:40 – Jim discusses Turkeys for Tomorrow: Promoting America's hunting traditions, conservation, and education through the timeless collaboration of hunters and wildlife professionals to ensure we all have TURKEYS FOR TOMORROW.
38:15 -- What are the known turkey conservation issues? #HabitatLoss
41:57 – Aaron shares some critical stats regarding the loss of turkey habitat in a few states.
44:14 – Jim talks about how much he enjoys the transition from duck season to turkey season.
44:58 – Quick break for a message from our partner podcast, Artemis Sportswomen!
46:42 -- Jim talks about a research project he would like to have done regarding the use of chicken litter and fertilizer on pastures potentially causing disease.
50:07 – Jim reflects on hunters’ response to Turkeys For Tomorrow.
53:52 – “If you’re able, we need more than to just buy a license. That’s the bare minimum for conservation… “ If you don’t have money, perhaps you have time to volunteer.
54:50 – Jim highlights the unique model for wildlife management in North America.
55:30 – How long has Jim been on RN T.V.?
56:55 – JIM SHARES SOME BIG NEWS!!
1:00:17 – Jim talks about hunting with some of the Bass Elite guys during duck season. “I fish so I can go duck hunting…”
1:02:50 – Keep an eye out for Jim’s upcoming Climate Chronicle short film by making sure you’re following NWF Outdoors on social media!
Thursday Mar 24, 2022
The Chronic Wasting Disease Research and Management Act with Representative Ron Kind
Thursday Mar 24, 2022
Thursday Mar 24, 2022
In this episode Aaron and Ashley talk with Representative Ron Kind of Wisconsin. Representative Kind discusses how he came to understand the weight of CWD and eventually become a champion for it in Washington D.C. We cover what the Chronic Wasting Disease Research and Management Act is, it’s current status, how it could impact states’ ability to manage the disease, and the boost it would give to researchers’ efforts to develop new science and tools like a live test for CWD!
Links:
Chronic Wasting Disease Research and Management Act
Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus
Show notes:
4:33 – Rep. Ron Kind talks about his background as a bow hunter growing up in Wisconsin, his family farm where they hunt whitetail and pheasant, how he got into politics and how he got involved with Chronic Wasting Disease.
6:58 – Rep. Kind talks about 2002 when CWD was first detected in Wisconsin.
10:15 -- Rep. Kind is asked whether or not he has ever harvested a deer which has tested positive for CWD.
12:31 -- Discussing the fact that CWD will be handled at the state level and the CWD Research and Management Act will provide funding directly to states and Tribal management agencies.
14:15 – Rep. Kind shares some of the frustrations he has experienced as a hunter trying to test the deer he has harvested. He gives an overview of the CWD Research and Management Act and the end goal.
16:04 -- How is this bill different than previous attempts at trying to control the disease?
18:10 -- What is Rep. Ron Kind telling other Senators and collogues who need to get moving on this Bill right now?
20:24 -- Rep. Kind brings us back to the moment when he realized CWD was a major problem.
23:55 -- What are the lessons that other states can learn from Wisconsin? “Don’t be afraid of testing, just because you’re not testing doesn’t mean it is not there.”
25:13 -- What will be entailed in the review of the herd certification standards which are currently in place?
27:13 -- Discussion regarding the potential and importance of a live test for CWD.
28:35 -- How do we smooth out the dips in the funding cycle for this Bill? It would be great if it was eradicated within six years but we need to be realistic as we look forward on the next iteration of this bill and (maybe) an eventual permanent authorization on this.
30:38 -- What does the average hunter needs to think about and what actions should they be taking to stay engaged and keep this movement.
33:07 -- Rep. Kind discusses the decline of hunters and fewer youth being involved with hunting and fishing. He highlights that this is another issue we need to address as hunters and anglers are some of the most powerful conservationists out there.
35:13 – Update as of 03/23/2022 regarding the CWD Research and Management Act.
Be sure to get engaged by following NWF Outdoors on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter—where you can access action alerts and timely updates regarding CWD and many other hunting and angling conservation issues we are working on. Thanks!
Thursday Mar 17, 2022
Thursday Mar 17, 2022
Aaron and Bill have an interesting chat with Casey Stemler, the lead for Secretarial Order 3362. S.O. 3362 was issued during the Trump Administration but continues to this day. It is aimed and conserving and resourcing big game migration corridors. It has already helped infused millions of dollars into migration areas and connectivity projects. We discuss how and why the order came to be, it’s latest status, why no sheep and moose, and other lessons learned on the conservation of migration corridors.
Links:
https://westernmigrations.net/
https://wildlifemigration.utah.gov/
https://migrationinitiative.org/
Show notes:
3:00 - Aaron shares a little of Casey’s background and recent work regarding wildlife corridors.
5:00 – What the crew has been doing outside recently.
6:54 – Sika deer!
9:52 – Latest news on SO 3362 (Improving Habitat Quality in Western Big-Game Winter Range and Migration Corridors).
13:34 – What exactly is wildlife migration and connectivity work? Why does it matter? Plus, some good stories regarding the amazing stuff they have learned doing this work.
20:46 – The focus of state agencies collaring animals, miniature vs. large skill migration routes, technology and what this focus reveals to us about what these critters do and what they need.
25:22 – 3362 is focused on deer, elk and pronghorn.
27:26 – We know that pronghorn don’t like fences; will they also avoid railroad tracks?
30:50 – This work benefits more species than just deer, elk and pronghorn.
35:06 – The infrastructure bill and how much it will benefit habitat connectivity.
37:13 – Short break for message from our partner podcast, Artemis Sportswomen! Also, for more great content, be sure to follow NWF Outdoors on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
38:53 -- Casey brings folks up to speed on 3362 regarding habitat conservation, due diligence, and the introduction of bighorn sheep, moose and migratory birds as species to consider.
45:16 – Habitat work regarding ducks and duck hunting.
48:07 -- Corporation with private land owners within 3362.
50:55 -- Do large chunks of area (i.e. 5,000 acres) present new problems compared to working with smaller ones?
52:00 -- Discussing other developments that are happening parallel to this which is helping move it along.
55:39 – The Tribal Wildlife Corridors Act.
58:17 – Discussing the diverse habitat projects on the border between Colorado and New Mexico and NWF rock star, Jeremy Romero.
1:00:06 – The Southern Ute Tribe is very engaged in these conservation efforts including building an overpass.
1:01:51 -- Suggestions for people on how to keep up with these issues on a local level. Skip the social media and go back to the good stuff by supporting your local newspaper and gatherings in your community!
1:04:41 -- Closing thoughts from Casey, “We have to take the initiative.”
“With privilege comes obligation. We've got this amazing natural resource, this wildlife... especially as sportsmen and women, we get to go enjoy it and bring it home and feed our our families… Go take care of it.” –Aaron Kindle.