Podcast - request for topics

Bgoodell said:

This has become quite a long thread so I hope I am not repeating any suggestions. After listening to most of the Meat Eater and Hunt Talk Radio I've really started to wonder about conservation history. I know it starts with Teddy Roosevelt and moves forward but I think I would like a guest who can really go in depth with conservation history. Who were the big icons of conservation history? How did conservation become what it is today? I know this topic has been brushed on previous podcast but I think every hunter should know the history of conservation and frankly why hunting is so important. Big Fin- do you have any reading suggestions on books to further my knowledge on conservation history?

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Yes. One of the leaders Roosevelt looked to was George Bird Grinnell. Grinnell was a friend of the Audobon family from New York. He graduated from Yale and became the first political activist in the conservation era that we all trace our hunter-conservationist roots to. He used his role as the editor of Forest and Stream Magazine (Now Field and Stream) to take some serious shots at the politicians who were working to destroy what he had come to admire during his time in the west. In addition to wildlife and the landscape, he was amazingly well-schooled in native culture, later becoming an activist on behalf of native people.

The best book I have found that best explains Grinnell's influence and how Grinnell bridged the gap from Audubon to Roosevelt is Michael Punke's - Last Stand: George Bird Grinnell, the Battle to Save the Buffalo, and the Birth of the New West.

Grinnell eventually formed the Audubon Society that we know today. If not for Grinnell, wildlife in Yellowstone Park would have been poached by market shooters. The bison of the plains would have completely perished. The start of modern day game laws and protections, such as the Lacey Act, were advocated for and made reality by Grinnell. As one of the founders of the Boone & Crockett Club, along with Roosevelt and others, Grinnell used the influence of that group to make a huge difference in wildlife and conservation.

Some might go further back than Grinnell, maybe to Audubon, or George Perkins Marsh. Both had a big influence on Grinnell. The country had not yet depleted its seemingly inexhaustible resources during the time of Audubon and Marsh, but by the time Grinnell grew to his positions, it has become apparent that there were limits to the land and the wildlife. Grinnell took their teachings and writings and put them into a new idea called conservation. Once Roosevelt joined in, he used his political influences to make some huge strides against odds that make today's challenges seem rather pedestrian.

Long answer, but that is where I would start. From Grinnell, the family tree of conservation goes many directions. You can spend the rest of your life reading the many books of how we got to where we are today. And in doing so, you will realize that as much as things change, when it comes to politics and our societal views and wildlife/wildlands/conservation, history has a tendency to repeat itself. Today could be no better example.

If you want some other stuff of people who influenced Grinnell when serving as his hunting guide, James Willard Schultz writes some of the best stuff out there, as far as adventure hunting in the mid 1870'-1880's. I have read his book My Life as an Indian many times. As I have his book Blackfeet and Buffalo, preferring the former a bit more of the two.

If hunting with Schultz was anything like reading his books, Grinnell must have had the time of his life while on those hunts. I think there was good reason why Grinnell gave Schultz as much magazine space as Schultz could supply him with.

Randy, I think you and Trent Loose would have a great conversation over the public land issue, since he's on the wrong side of the fence on the issue I think he would be great for a little back and forth on the issue.

This is possibly an idea for a podcast or short YouTube video. A friend that is interested in starting to hunt was asking me about gear. I know you have your gear dump video's and they are great. This is a sport/hobbie/lifestyle that is quiet expensive to buy into. I was thinking just about the basics of what is truly needed, and where one would start. An example is if you do not know if you will like it don't go blow a grand on top line clothing/ rangefinder. When maybe the outdoor clothing you have in your closet will work for the 1st year or two to see if you like it. Then maybe expand on an upgrade list, what must you always have with you, the kind of thing you would set up camp and then walk several miles back to the truck to get. (like your rifle).

Again thanks for the great forms of entertainment. I look forward to the podcast/youtube videos.

Randy,watched the new FB short on NM in the transfer deal series you are doing. Excellent and right on the $.
Even scarier is NM now has a $300-500mil budget shortfall all of a sudden,due to low oil revenue$ now that there is a glut.
What do you think the state would do with extra land?
Still trying to get stance from candidates and forwarding all of your,BHA,RMEF& TRCP items to all I can.
Who knows maybe one of the anti relatives and aquaintances will wake up and ask ,"Where will I go hike,do yoga/tai-che ,birdwatch if not on public lands? Family camping? ................try the KOA.

i love what jryoung had to say. and once again i thank you for what you have done for hunting in general. Im following along on a lot of these threads but since i dont have a lot of experience out west i dont speak up enough. how about hunting in the east. you say that anyone can come out west for elk why not come try hunting in the east. Alligator tags are easy to get here in fl. Deer are over the counter almost every where in the southeast along with hogs. osceolas are here in large numbers in the spring and the pan handle has fair chase sambar deer. i understand that you dont have a lot of experience in these hunts but thats exactly why i like listening to you productions. Learning and trying new things. lets here about how you would put together a trip to come east the same way we try to put one together to come west. Hearing from you how you would tackle some of these new hunts would be helpful to us in the east on putting together a hunt in the west.
Stuff im constantly looking at are travel, meat care, someone to share the hunt with, and an entirely new hunting landscape. It would be awesome to here your thoughts for the audience here in the east.
thanks again for what you due.

I have always wanted to know more information on the specifics of hunter's involvement in directly funding conservation, DFG, etc. I have heard bits and pieces but nothing dedicated to the specifics. I know it changes state by state but haven't heard anything that I feel really confident in the source. Maybe it is because I work as a financial controller but I would be interested in what hunters directly fund and what we don't.

Not sure if anyone has mentioned this, but I would be interested to hear Randy talk with a hunter from Scandinavia (Finland, Sweden, Norway). It seems to me that they are the closest to the North American public lands hunter. It would be interesting to compare the stories and how those systems (especially with respect to access) work.

Suppressors/Silencers/Hearing protection

I have tinnitus (as do many other hunters) and I won't rifle hunt again until I get my suppressor. Living with ringing in my ears 24/7 for the rest of my life is so depressing when I think about it (I'm only in my mid-30's). Then I see Randy and most other TV hosts shooting without protection or inadequate protection and it just makes me cringe. We need to set a better example for the next generation. I think an episode about this problem and the mitigation methods would be very interesting and could save a lot of people a lot of anguish.

Thanks for the great podcasts and keep up the good work with RMEF and all the other great stuff you do, Randy.

I enjoy how the podcasts and media content keeps its boundaries on mostly western DYI big game hunting and public land transfer issues in the U.S. Reading through some of these comments and requested topics is intriguing but definitely leads to a whole new rabbit hole. There already are so many micro topics into western DYI hunting ex. gear, bivy or basecamp, online scouting, treeking poles, tag drawings, animal knowledge etc. The group did an incredible job on teaching elk education with youtube and a few podcast. As a beginning DYI elk hunter (going two weeks solo archery in Colorado OTC, WHOOP WHOOP!), the information I have learned from these segments are priceless to me. They provide a less steep route on the western learning curve.

I would love to hear more information on basic survival, what to do during emergencies (bob breaks a leg in the mountain), What to pack in the truck during a long backcountry drive(tools, winches etc, tire chains.) Also how do I keep the wife at bay without her freaking out about these western hunts I want to pursue(money, roses, a puppy?)

If it's feasible... it would be awesome if you could get a representative from Montana, CO, WY, ect. FWP on to discuss the finer points of regulations. I know they have a thick book for each state but there are tons of things that aren't covered that keep getting brought up on the forum would be nice to get some answers straight from the horses mouth. (Might be interesting if we could get wardens a section on the forum they answer questions)

Examples... and I'm sure there are more.
1. Corner crossing in various states
2. Pulling off highways to hunt public (how far... is it legal? Thinking I-70, I-90 ,I-25) I know CO and WY are different for instance.
3. Moving to a different state do you have to give up tags/points
4. Wearing a vest with a backpack on... is this legal as the orange isn't visible
5. If you buy a federal duck stamp and it's attached to your CO license and you hunt MT do you just bring your CO license with?
6. Hunt Rosters in Montana these rules are super vague?
7. What are the biggest things people get cited for that are easily avoidable.
8. Blaze orange for a bow hunter in MT during the spring bear season. Called Helena, Bozeman, and Kalispell offices and got different answers???

How about a packing discussion? Not just how to properly load a pack with meat boned/unboned, but what about for a 5-6 day backpack hunt? I know I spent a good 4 nights in a row re configuring my pack last year before leaving. What are the lightest/best "lashing material" for quick deployment? Last fall I used both Para and rubber coated wire from Walmart that costs 6 bucks for 20 feet. Wrapped it around my frame in 2 foot lengths in case I needed it.

I'm sure you have thought about this podcast format but with how often the podcast is linked to Hunt Talk through the subjects generated or how often it is mentioned, what about a podcast with a few regulars that have been here over the years? I understand it would be tough to get everyone together or on the phone, but just an idea. I;m not sure where the discussion would head but I am convinced this forum has the most well informed, intelligent hunters out there. I am sure some good subjects would pop up in an hour and a half.

Schaaf said:

I'm sure you have thought about this podcast format but with how often the podcast is linked to Hunt Talk through the subjects generated or how often it is mentioned, what about a podcast with a few regulars that have been here over the years? I understand it would be tough to get everyone together or on the phone, but just an idea. I;m not sure where the discussion would head but I am convinced this forum has the most well informed, intelligent hunters out there. I am sure some good subjects would pop up in an hour and a half.

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+1. I will pay the gas money to or from Laramie to get Buzz on there.

A couple other notes from my opinion I know you all value so much-

-You're a great historian Fin, I could listen to you talk about North American Wildlife history all day. Someone like Dan Flores or other history based guests would get a huge thumbs up from me.

-I stopped listening to the sponsor ones a while ago. I wouldn't be surprised if I'm the minority on that one though.

-I would love to hear more hunting stories. Old stories, new stories, whatever. Hunt specific podcasts, maybe in unison with episode airing would be awesome.

-The sound level changes are difficult to say the least. Whispers followed up by loud laughing have me constantly adjusting the loudness setting.

Randy11 said:

+1. I will pay the gas money to or from Laramie to get Buzz on there.

A couple other notes from my opinion I know you all value so much-

-You're a great historian Fin, I could listen to you talk about North American Wildlife history all day. Someone like Dan Flores or other history based guests would get a huge thumbs up from me.

-I stopped listening to the sponsor ones a while ago. I wouldn't be surprised if I'm the minority on that one though.

-I would love to hear more hunting stories. Old stories, new stories, whatever. Hunt specific podcasts, maybe in unison with episode airing would be awesome.

-The sound level changes are difficult to say the least. Whispers followed up by loud laughing have me constantly adjusting the loudness setting.

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^^^ I agree with all these points/suggestions ^^^ My thoughts exactly.

Get Andrew McKean back on. I went back and listened to that podcast again and really enjoyed it.

Maybe how to camp in bear country. Precautions and safety measures to take.

Not a whole episode worth of material, but I would like to learn who are the good guys (individual people, companies, and organizations) in the state transfer debate and the entire conservation framework? Name some names like you did when you said the TRCP and RMEF were on our side in the state transfer issue. I would also like to know who is sitting on the sideline and who is against us.

Youth. Young adults. In the western hunting arena I see and hear very little about recruitment and retention of youth and even less in terms of actions. For young adults, outside of a couple of your podcasts that touched on it (the Nicole Q one comes to mind) it is rare to hear about recruiting these folks into our ranks. I would value a discussion on recruiting and retaining these people.

The rising costs of non resident tags. The disturbing trend of funding the rising cost of wildlife divisions on the backs of non residents. I would love to see a long conversation that breaks down the numbers in terms of increase, the "justification" from the side of a state official, the method in which states determine the increase, and most importantly the potential loss of future hunter because of the skyrocketing fees.

I was listening to poscast 37 about the public image of hunting and trapping. Really enjoyed it. Was wondering if with the trapping topics if you would be willing to do a youtube video on the common type traps used etc. i noticed that you had mentioned it in your podcast but thought that might be a good quick vid. Also had a podcast topic similar to MNElkNut about recruitment. My daughter is turning 8 already has her first .22 singleshot. We go fishing and now she's asking about hunting with me. Was wondering what you thought about children in hunting, appropriate ages, and understanding that kids are different but things we can do to instill hunting virtues and outdoor life in our you g.

Discuss how you hunt/camp in bear country. Safety tips and how you set up camp.