00:00:09 Speaker 1: From Mediator's World News headquarters in Bozeman, Montana. This is Kel's we can review with Ryan Kel Kelly and now here's Kel. There's this old joke in regards to animal management that goes like this, There's a town hall meeting in regards to predator management, like coyotes or wolves. Some folks in the room are wanting to shoot predators to control numbers. Others are saying let live, and some are offering other courses of action a middle ground. One of these folks introduces the idea of predator population control by castration. If you are uncomfortable with castration, you could use any method of birth control in place of it. The well meaning person in this joke lays out the fact that shooting coyotes or wolves from helicopters, or having trappers go out and place lego holding traps or cyanide bombs cost money, and people who just don't like the idea of predator death will be appalled and angry. On the other side, if we let the predators continue unabated, then this will cost the state lots of money still, because the state will pay depredation money to those ranchers suffering losses. Ranchers will be angry at the loss of time, money, and appalled that the killing of livestock was allowed to continue. So here's this Fellows middle ground option. We'll capture those predators, will castrate them, and release them back into the wild. The population of predators won't grow, but they won't be killed. The audience in the town hall is thinking this over. Some have even come to think, like, hey, maybe this could be an option. When an old rancher stands up and says, son, those coyotes and wolves aren't breeding my cattle to death, they're eating him. Now, before I get to the point of telling you this joke, for all of you who have heard this one a million times, I do know how to tell this one better, but not when kids are listening, all right, So hold off on right and end to ask cal to tell me the better version. Anyway. A recent article by that fantastic journalist Pat Durkin at meat eater dot com titled incredible waste of money America's most ineffective deer management program will undoubtedly refresh that tired old joke. Only in this version will swap coyotes and wolves for white tails and livestock depredation for vehicle and landscape damage. New York City gave one thousand, seven d nineteen white tail bucks on Staten Island vass sectomys over the past four autumns. Steven Ronnella will tell you the procedure isn't that big of a deal. Only in his case, his insurance likely paid for part of a door. You know, it was just a personal expense, whereas in the Staten Island snip, the taxpayers are paying for this one, and despite public opposition from those pesky wildlife biologists, the bill is rising and taxpayers are paying for it. So far, buck Fast sectomy costs have exceeded two thousand five dollars per year roughly four point one million dollars, which, oddly enough, according to the Policy Genius website, is about what the procedure would cost a human here in the state of Montana. According to the same website, state of Rhode Island can take care of this for only if only they had the same deer problem. I guess if perhaps you were thinking about the reasoning behind snipping bucks and letting the ladies remain intact, Dirk incites a Cornell University study that shows that although tying the tubes of white tailed does does prevent pregnancy, it also allows for the dough to continually cycle in to estrus, signaling the opportunity to breed to surrounding bucks. In this study, although the fawn population dropped by the buck population rose an astounding eight hundred and seventy three. How could this be well, the mindset of what we fall into when reading these studies is possibly the mindset of Mayor to Blasio. We think of the deer as a static population, a controllable number. If that were the case, then how did the deer get to Staten Island in the first place? They swam? Or in Cornell's study, bucks from nearby areas, as in outside the study area smelled the scent of dough and estris and ran into the study area. Oddly enough, a dough that goes unbred, like in the case of a testicalist buck successfully mounting but not breeding the dough, that dough, although going through the sexual act, is not bread, so that dough will continue to go into estrius as well, you know, because the point is to make more dear, not just to be mounted. I guess. So it seems as if in either case of sterilization tying the tubes of a dough or vasectomes for bucks, nature still finds way. The buck just doesn't stop there. I guess interesting aside. I have a friend who lives and works in the District of Columbia, d c, our nation's capital. He has been involved in the culling, killing, hunting of deer and the supply of that dear meat to food banks in that area for many, many years. He once sent me a picture of himself with a white tail he had just leafully removed from a property. In the background of that picture was our nation's capital, YEP in Staten Island, New York, to prove him effective and much more cost effective method dear removal from the urban environment is too dangerous. This week we've got corrections, updates, giant anchovies, and so much more. But first I'm gonna tell you about my week. As all of you wonderful listeners and participants. When I say participants, I'm speaking about you folks that right in and send in info from your neck of the woods. No, my week and this podcast is powered by Steel Power Equipment, world's first and finest chainsaws Anyway, I finally bagged a couple of turkeys last week, and I learned something. If you recall my hunting story about Tom giving me the slip, possibly due to a Jake decoin, I spread well, j honest poo tell Us tells me that jake's late in the season will group up and beat up on single Toms. It happens to be a pretty darn good year for the jake turkey population. There are plenty roaming around in this last weekend, I was working Tom when a four pack of Jake started calling the Tom shut up and effectively disappeared. This repeated itself throughout the weekend, but eventually ended up with one Jake and one Tom, neither in the way. I really wanted to be back in a turkey. It's just so much fun to watch those birds come in and interact with the decoy that decoying is the preferred method. But this go around, I had made up my mind that Saturday I was holding out for Tom. Sunday, anything will do. As I vowed, this was my last turkey venture of the year so I could get onto fishing. So what I'm saying is nobody wanted to play my game, so I ended up popping over a ridge and shooting a jake. Then, with a combination of calling and crawling, I got in range of a young, yet fifteen pound tom and came home with both of those two. When I got home, I collected all the carcasses from the season, put next backs, shanks, and even the feet into a stockpot, and made a beautiful, rich urkey stock. The backs still had bits of long blood, kidney, and even a few testicles in them. I know this may turn off a few listeners, but the end product is the best I have ever had. This was a very simple stock, and even long before it was reduced, I was blown away by how good it tasted. Along with this cooking, it is a very good long time friend of mine's upcoming forty birthday. As I write this, in fact, I think his birthday was yesterday, and in preparation for his big forty birthday party, I did a pile of cooking. The plating and the finishing will take place on the banks of the Missouri River the Mighty mo I'm going Korean with my last huge oregon elk shank doing the wild game rendition. A chef David Chang's bosam recipe, which is kind of like a sugar cured ham that gets pulled into taco meat, covered an amazing aromatics asses with lots of toppings that I did skewers a collected turkey gizzards and hearts, duck hearts, duck gizzards, and then all the turkey wings even through in a couple of turkey tales. Cooked all these gently too tender, covered in Korean wing sauce recipe provided by one woo j and a whole octopus. All of this a little sugary, and I'm finishing it over an open fire to give it some char and smoke. Holy cats, friends and neighbors, it can be so nice to experiment a little in the kitchen and tested on your friends. Happiest of birthdays, Ryan Parker Thompson. Another interesting thing about the old Missouri River on which I have spent many good and many frustrating days, getting pushed the wrong direction by wind and sometimes the wrong direction by the jaw dropping amount of anglers on that river. I was speaking with Buddy Mine who works there at Adipose Boat Works, and hell in him Montana Justin is his name? What I like about Ada Post other than the fact that their skiffs are really great boats to fish out of, is the fact that simultaneously, as they cater to a very picky fly fishing clientele, you just wouldn't have an adipose drift, or if you weren't a little picky out of pose. Boat Works modifies jetboats. This all happening under one roof is a classic oil and water situation for many, I call it bipartisan boat building. Anyway, we were talking all things Montana, and one of the things that came up is the fishing regulation change from the two thousand nineteen unlimited walleye keeping regulation on the section of the Missouri River from Holter Damn to Cascade Bridge, going from unlimited keep to a twenty daily forty in possession regulation inok on that exact same stretch, suggesting that although non native and invasive, the wally has earned a degree of right on the Upper Missouri. Then, of course we talked about the fact that, um, what the heck is natural and native? It is not the brown trout, which you can only keep one of on this stretch. It is not the rainbow trout of which you can keep three and it sure as heck is not the dam. The damn, of course, is the thing that releases warmed up water from the reservoir above and is very beneficial to the fish below it, whether you prefer those darned slimmers or the eyes slimmers being a derogatory term for trout, of course, brings me to a great question sent in by a listener, James writes in asking what makes a species native or non native? And how long does it take to make a non native species native? Great great question, James, and the answer is who would you rather fight with? This is a can of worms. Just look at the fish you discussed second ago about wallye and out. We don't like seeing one species harm another, meaning if that dard walle i could hurt the trout numbers by eating small trouts or the food trout eat, then they shouldn't be there until, of course, enough people start to like that wally that they all be hard enough to get just a bit of regulation change from unlimited to let's say, only twenty per day. This is speaking broadly and at the same time kind of personally. If you have a unique species that is home to only one area and for all intensive purposes. It has been and is doing great in its area, then we should protect it, even if some other tasty critter is introduced that we may actually like even more. I will tell you that if something disappeared long before people came along, who could you know record things on cave walls or paper. Let's say, take, for instance, the American lion. I do not think we should go drop some lions off in Oklahoma and say, hey, we're just putting them back. I think we also need to realize, and I am speaking to you bucket biologists who drop fish wherever you please. A new species in a place where they haven't been takes a toll on the whole ecosystem, not just one other species. We'll talk more about that later. It's a great question, James. I know I didn't answer it directly, and maybe not at all, but you can dig on that one for a long time. I suggest you do. It's fascinating. Take a look at the history of the horse here in America. In your follow up question, I'll let you know if I'm in the South and looking to home my pistol skills. Good luck with the kids and getting outside this season. James all Right corrections American alligator in South Carolina. Wow, turns out I have a lot of listeners in South Carolina. Thank you. And as it turns out, you South Carolinians know how to pronounce your county names and island names correctly. First, the unfortunate alligator victim was taken and drowned on Kiawa Island, not as I stated, Kiowa, which is in Charleston County, not Beaufort County, which is actually pronounced Bufort. Your neighbors in North Carolina say Beaufort. I don't want to be like those folks. Due to all the folks writing in, either currently in South Carolina or previously from South Carolina, I just need to come down and visit, so right in and let me know what's happening conservation wise, and I'll make a stop and see what's up. And lastly, before we move on to the hard hitting conservation news that you signed up for, one question in regards the meat Eater Land Access Initiative, where the proceeds from all Ronella who tell Us campaign merchandise goes to providing access to more hunting and fishing for America. Well, listener writes in saying quote, I firmly believe everyone should have access to all public lands. I'm setting up the beneficiary for my retirement account at work, and since none of my hateful family members deserve my money when I die in a tragic hunting accident, I would like my money to go to something more worthwhile. Great question, no to answer it. Meat Eater is a for profit business, and the Land Access Initiative, although a cool and generous move, is not a nonprofit. You can donate your savings too. You can buy merch and we'll put that money to good use. But if you don't want to do that, there's good news for you. Before your family gets you in that aforementioned unfortunate hunting accident. Oops. You can set up a trust with all manner and nonprofits to make sure your hard earned bucks go to more bucks, or habitat, or waterfowl or access sometimes all the above. Do your research and find the group that speaks to what you are passionate about. I know which ones I like, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Teddy Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Pheasants Forever, National Wild Turkey Federation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, National Wildlife Federation. All the state Wildlife Federation members do some homework and it's a great idea. I know my sister's kid is too spoiled to need my cash too. Moving on, If you like me, cannot order a Caesar salad if it does not come with anchovies, you will like this one. Researchers at the University of Michigan used to sort of jacked up cat scan technology called micro computed tomography to perform an in depth analysis of two fifty five million year old fish fossils, one forty long, one long. Despite having rows of sharp teeth consistent with predators, including one long saber tooth located at the front of the jaw, the fish were found to be ancient anchovies. There are many different species of anchovies swimming and being hand today. The largest anchovie swimming currently is the Japanese grenadier anchovy, which can be found up to the twenty mark. Another interesting fact about this species is although salt water dwelling, they've been found to go six hundred miles up the Yangsee River. However, none of our current anchovy species are considered predators, and not a one has a saber tooth. The theory is that the anchovy was the beneficiary of a mass extinction event, not just because it survived, but because a lot of its predators did not. The anchovy grew and changed to exploit its climb up the predator pecking order. The question is what came along to knock them back down. Next up from the invasive species desk murder hornets two inch long, three inch wingspanned hornets exactly one in the US to be exact. Bring the kids inside, you fools. I'm kidding. Of course, I won't bore you too much with this one, because you've already heard it twice right here on the Weekend Review, long before the mainstream media needed to rename them murder hornets. We've covered this topic and it's just not that sensational. As you know. The State of Washington is looking for volunteers and vigil citizens to report any sightings of the potentially destructive species. The Asian giant hornet does not eat you. It does eat honey bees, which is very concerning really for everyone, But immediately for those looking to pollinate crops, they maybe put up some honey. Here is a cool fact for you. In Japan, it has been documented that when an individual hornet enters the hive of a honey bee, the bees will swarm the individual, completely covering the two inch long hornet in themselves. Then they vibrate their wings. Temperatures inside these b balls can exceed one twenty two degrees, which will kill the intruder. Be leave it. Next up the Argentine black and white tegu, a four ft long, ten plus pound iguana like lizard, actually monitor like lizard. I first heard of this lizard from a friend in Florida who is working to document and eradicate the reptiles there. This story, however, is out of Georgia, where the tegu has just officially established itself. Georgia d n R are warning residents of tombs and tattnall counties. Uh. The email is a s k C A L at the Meat eater dot com. Go ahead and let me know how I did on the pronunciation of those two. Anyway, if you reside or wander through that region of Georgia, be on the lookout and do what you can to help mitigate the spread of these unwanted lizards. They are burrowers, so fill any holes on your property that may serve as a dam. Remove brush and collect your chicken eggs before they go to feed something other than you. The tegu is an excellent survivor due to both its diet and what appears to be seasonal endothermi. The dentition of this critter is well familiar. The tegu has molars in the rear for crushing fruit and plants, and teeth in the front for small animals, insects and eggs. Sound familiar. Now for the other thing I said, reptiles are not endothermic, essentially, meaning that their body temperature is tied to the ambient temperature of any given day, which is why you can look at YouTube videos of people knocking iguanas, which are very fast and heat out of trees with sticks in the cold. The black and white tegu, although slower in the cold, does have a body temperature on average higher than those of similar species, and it seems to be able to regulate its body temperature slightly more during its reproductive season. This is known as reproductive endothermi, which some speculates how birds and mammals may have made the evolutionary leap to temperature regulation full warm blooded us, in other words, which is something you may want to ponder the next time you see an attractive member of the opposite sex and feel your face get flush in your temperature rise. Georgia, being a state famous for turkeys and turkey hunting, should pay special attention to this one. The tegu is a ground nesting bird's nightmare. But it doesn't stop there. Tegus have been captured on camera walking right past an American alligator guarding her nest to grab an egg. The alligator apparently did not recognize the foreigner as a threat. Good news here. If they are anything like iguanas, they taste a lot like chicken, maybe a little like catfish. Georgia din R would like to remind everyone that there are no state wildlife laws or regulations protecting these animals. They can be humanely and legally trapped or killed. I know the South has a lot of hunting opportunities, but if you were to add tagu to your list, the birds would take you, and the state would take you, and if you came up with the killer recipe, some other folks would probably take you two. That's all I've got for you this week. Thanks for listening, and as per usual, you can always get a hold of me at ask cal. That's a s k C a L. At the meat eater dot com. I want to know what's happening in the wide world of conservation in your neck of the woods or marsh. Thanks again, I'll talk to you next week.

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