Over the last week or so I piece by piece listened to a 3 hour podcast by Randy Newberg that really resonated with me. This was episode 149 (December 21, 2020) of his Hunt Talk Radio series. Anyone who is familiar with it knows he covers the gamut from tips and techniques, to gear, rules, public land issues, and he isn't affraid to tell is how he sees it. He grew up a trapper in north central Minnesota and now resides in Montana and focuses on mostly DIY hunting and public land access.

Here's a summary of the episode to peak your interest (or not!):-) It starts kind of slow as he's just getting over Covid and goes on a tangent about that experience. "In this episode (149) of Leupold's Hunt Talk Radio, Randy goes a bit unfiltered as he shares a COVID recovery day talking to Hal Herring about many issues of politics, conservation, easements, guns, nationalized elections, loss of local media outlets, competition for ideas, voting monopolies, crowded woods during COVID, the good 2A-conservation politician connecting single-issue 2A voting and anti-public landers, and a lot of other issues that try to explain how we end up with the policy positions we do."

It's available on pretty much all podcast platforms but here's a direct link. https://hunttalk.libsyn.com/ep-149-politics-of-guns-public-lands-with-hal-herring

He and his guest touch on a lot of issues directly applicable to most if not all of us in this ever changing fast moving outdoors world. It was almost like I was listening to conversations I have with myself when I'm out recreating and pondering the world we live in today and how it is going to look for my recently born children. What's the world going to look like in 30 years and how are we as people, conservationists, farmers, trappers, hunters, etc. going to have to adjust and adapt. One thing I took out of it is that a person has to be forward thinking in everything they do AND be involved in things they care about in order to have some sliver of influence. Another point I got out of it was we have to look at all sides of "issues" and such to fully understand the situation and how we might be able to best achieve our desired goal, outcome, or future.

Maybe I'm crazy, but I thought this very possibly the best 3 hours of audio I have listened to in many years......besides David Allan Coes greatest hits of course!! Next time you're on a long drive or need some background noise to keep you sane, give it a listen. Happy trapping! ScottW

I havent listened to the podcast but I would agree that being involved is important. Im not so sure about forward thinking. I've been trapping and hunting professionally for almost four decades now, and the concessions hunters and trappers have made during that time is amazing. Has it made any difference? Not one iota from what I can see. We continue to lose on almost every front. The people who are against trapping and hunting will not be satisfied until it is banned everywhere. They dont want sportsmen and women to adapt, they want it all shut down and the've gotten very creative at making it happen.

Well, if they will not quit until "it" is banned everywhere I would say it's still worth the time to do what one can to fight and drag "it" out a couple generations versus letting "it" die tomorrow.

I think respectfully educating anyone you can even just a little bit helps. If people respect you as a person, they are usually going to take your thoughts to heart and consideration even if they generally disagree. Happy trapping! ScottW

I agree Scott, with education. I've been saying for years now that trappers and hunters need to work that angle a lot more. Here in Yukon about 12-15 years ago a schoolteacher friend of mine started a program where school kids could go bison hunting. They take the hunter ed course in school and if they pass they get to go on a class bison hunt in the spring. This hunt lasts for a few days so there is the whole skidooing camping thing involved as well. The kids love it! Fish and game are involved and the program is very successful. I think things like that are the answer. Few kids these days ever have an opportunity to get out in the woods so giving them that opportunity will help in many ways. What I dont think will help is going along with so called science. Ive seen examples of this so many times and it seems to never end. The trap certification process we have here is a good example. Now we are fighting to keep the grizzly season open, and they have already shortened our wolverine season. None of this is based on sound science. Organizations and even individuals are hesitant to push back on these decisions and thats when we lose.

That sounds like a great deal, some lucky kids for sure. Any kind of local outreach like that is priceless and has lasting effects. As you mentioned, one of the problems now is so few kids have that type of opportunity which has led to a disconnect between generally the younger generation along with most urban folks and our natural world. One thing changine is the "new" generation of outdoor people with little history of it in their family heritage, many of them getting into hunting primarily for access to quality wild food.

So called science as you mention can be a double edged sword. Science is generally fact based, but most would agree even facts can have SOME subjectivity based on how they are derived. That said, it can be a double edged sword, but when science is on your side I think it is a great card to have. When it's seemingly against you, that's tough.

Happy trapping! ScottW

A teacher on the Outer Banks of N.C. had a classroom contest that awarded two winners the opportunity to go bear hunting on a county owned farm. This was 2-3 years ago. The morning of the hunt, the two winning students each harvested a bear in excess of 600 lbs - EACH! They had to find a tractor to load the bears. The school kids were elated to say the least. Their picture was in the newspaper. Soon some liberals put a stop to future contest.

I think respectfully educating anyone you can even just a little bit helps. If people respect you as a person, they are usually going to take your thoughts to heart and consideration even if they generally disagree

thank you Trump,...https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/secretary-bernhardt-announces-historic-expansion-hunting-and-fishing-opportunities