Fresh Tracks Weekly

Jan 31 2025 81 ep. 29 mins 36

Fresh Tracks Weekly Podcast artwork

The Fresh Tracks crew, led by Marcus Hockett, keeps you in the know about what's happening in conservation. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Don't miss this weekly podcast covering the everything you need to know.

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Congress Won't Do Their Job | Week of Jan. 27

Jan 31 2025 29 mins

This week, we are continuing the series talking about transferring federal land to the states and, in particular, how Congress has the ability to fix a lot of the issues with land management; they just refuse to do so. Some other news stories include; Trump’s executive order to pause federal grants and funding led to panic and confusion amongst many in the conservation world as

State Land is NOT Public Land | Week of Jan. 20

Jan 25 2025 30 mins

This week we’re discussing transferring federal land to the states and in particular state land boards, what a state land board is, what their responsibilities are and the history of them selling off their land. The big news story from the week is president Trump's executive orders and what they might mean to public land users and hunters. Backcountry Hunter’s and Anglers rel

Giving Federal Land to the States (Week of January 13)

Jan 17 2025 25 mins

This week, Randy and I are kicking off a series about public land transfer and how the same old ideas of selling and transferring public lands are popping back up. We’ll revisit how Utah has been pushing the idea of transferring federal land to the state and how the Supreme Court recently shut them down. The Supreme Court’s refusal to hear the case was certainly a win for publ

Politicians Cashing in on Public Land

Oct 09 2024 36 mins

Hunting season is in full swing, but Randy is fired up! So we sat down for a quick conversation about selling or transferring federal public lands. JD Vance recently mentioned the idea of transferring federal land to the states to address housing affordability along with the Biden administration talking about building housing on federal land. Randy's series on Public Land Trans

Paying for Comfy Lives with the Currency of Wildlife

Aug 02 2024 25 mins

This week, we’re discussing how wildlife and habitat are often used as currency to pay for our high standards of living and lower energy costs. We also discuss how issues are very often only evaluated economically and not biologically. In Montana, a judge just ruled in favor of Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks in a case in which a private landowner group sued the state for fail

Conservation Groups Can't Bid on Oil & Gas

Jul 19 2024 27 mins

This week, we’re discussing Wyoming’s recent ban on conservation groups bidding on oil and gas leases on state land and how, by doing so, they might actually be hurting the school system that they’re obligated to fund. A recently published study shows how human recreation and noise can negatively impact wildlife by displacing them and keeping them out of the area for extende

Follow The Science... Unless You Don't Like It | Week of June 24

Jun 28 2024 25 mins

This week, for our deeper dive, we’re talking about a new research project on Chronic Wasting Disease in Wyoming and how the best available science to slow the spread of the disease is likely not what hunters want to hear. In Wyoming, a ranch and family are attempting to close down a road that accesses a significant amount of public land. The road is also a primary access point

Are You a Public Land Jerk? | Week of June 17

Jun 21 2024 37 mins

This week, we’re discussing how you might be a jerk on public lands and not even realize it. A few news stories from this week include the following: A quick update on Colorado’s proposal to do away with non-resident over-the-counter archery elk tags. In Montana, American Prairie just acquired 12,500 more acres of land, bringing its total between deeded and leased property t

No More OTC Elk in CO? | Week of June 3

This week, we discuss how Colorado might shift away from over-the-counter opportunities for non-resident archery elk hunting. In Texas, the Parks and Wildlife Department killed off an entire herd of high-fence white-tailed deer after a severe Chronic wasting Disease outbreak and years of legal battles. In Montana, Governor Greg Gianforte is again in the spotlight after the New Yo

Conflicts of Interest on Game Commissions | Week of May 27

May 31 2024 33 mins

This week, we discussed some potential conflicts of interest within Fish and Wildlife commissions and how certain individuals could directly benefit from their votes as commissioners. In Montana, the statewide mule deer permit was recently raffled off by Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, raising a record amount of money for mule deer conservation. Last December, the Duck Stamp Mo