00:00:09 Speaker 1: From Meat Eaters World Headquarters in Bozeman, Montana, this is Cal's Week in Review with Ryan Cal Callahan, presented by First Light. Here's Cal. Minnesota man Mike Siebert was out hunting rough grouse in the Northwoods when his dog went on point. The two-year-old Brittany had found a bird, just not the kind you'd expect. The bird that it had pointed was a full-sized emu, or emu. Anyway, it ain't from Minnesota. An emu, by the way, is a large flightless bird that's somewhat similar in appearance to an ostrich. Of course, emus aren't native to North America, but in Australia, they can grow up to 9 feet tall and weigh over 300 pounds. Back in Minnesota, Siebert's dog broke its point on the unusual quarry and retreated to him, but the giant bird actually began to approach them, and it even reportedly pecked Siebert's gun 40 to 50 times. I was worried she was going to peck off the safety and the gun would fire, Siebert told the Star Tribune. There was a simple explanation for the wild scene. Earlier that day, Siebert had run into a woman who had said she'd lost three emus, but only found two of them. The one that Siebert's dog found was the missing bird, and she was named Penelope. Siebert called the bird's owner and attempted to lead it back toward a road, but at some point the big feathered critter veered off the trail. At the time we wrote this episode, Penelope is still on the loose. Oh, Penelope. For those of you wondering, emu are raised for their meat in a lot of places. In fact, folks who get the dreaded alpha gal syndrome from a tick bite, the old Lone Star tick, Often, the only red meat that they can eat, steak-like red meat, is emu. This week, we've got ocean-run rainbows, the right to hunt, shotguns and stamps, and so much more, but first I'm going to tell you about my week, and my week has been, well, crankin', my friends. One cool thing, I got my beetle-cleaned Alaska brown bear skull the other day. It is definitely bigger than most of your run-of-the-mill lower 48 grizz skulls and would not be mistaken for Ursus americanus. Good looking dude. Young, still has his teeth, at least all the teeth Alaska Fish and Game left him with. Has some wear across the board, you know, like a little cavity showing here and there. And the canines are well-rounded, but young. One day. I'll make it back up and look for Grandpa with all the abscess and missing teeth and battle scars. But until then, heck of a dude. We knocked out the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers board retreat last week, during which we hiked for birds and fished in the mornings before putting our heads together on the business of the org. I gotta say, we have a really amazing group of folks volunteering their time to provide guidance and expertise on both current standing and what's next. For the record, I hate saying business of the org. My goal as president and CEO is to eradicate the mission, which would in turn destroy the business, put us all out of the jobs and back into the elk woods or chukar mountains or antelope and mule deer filled sagebrush slopes and prairies. And I don't think that's a bad goal or a lofty one. I do believe that in my short time running in these CEO circles, there's decisions being made out there that are more for the business and less for the mission. And if you are a member of an organization, you remember your place is to set us straight, keep us in line. It's called accountability. Now, in order to kill the business of conservation, I just need everyone to demand that the stewardship of these landscapes and public resources are just a given. Let it be an irrefutable keystone of American architecture where we can still quibble about, you know, the other stuff around the country, but migration corridors, landscape connectivity, and the ability or right of an American citizen to go to a healthy, remote, biological, rich, and diverse landscape is a given. The collective consciousness says we need to invest in what soil we have left both on the private and public side of the fence, and to understand where wild and cultivated food comes from. We understand and protect and defend the fact that hunting, fishing, public land, public water, public wildlife are part of who we are, and they are not bargaining chips on the political table. And we're going to get there, friends and neighbors. It just takes you. A friend of mine once said, public lands don't have a bank account. They cannot vote. They just have you. So keep showing up. You should know that through BHA action alerts, we submitted over 98,000 comments on the roadless rule. That's a big deal. You showed up. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. We are not done yet. But take a moment to understand that you, and roughly 1.5-ish million other folks through other platforms, just like you, had enough give-a-shit, as the old man used to say, to weigh in. During hunting season, no less. I wouldn't have taken the time in my youth. So that's it. Thank you. I know you'll show up again. We're making a difference. And if you want to talk about this stuff, you know, in person... Come on out and talk stories and celebrate our joint ownership in public lands, waters, and wildlife. You know, if you're in the greater New York City area. Storytelling Night at Filson takes place Wednesday, October 14, 2026. 6 o'clock to 9 o'clock at the Filson Store on Broadway. My buddy Sean Brock, Chef Sean Brock, is going to be there serving tasty bites. And we'll have some libations. Should be a great night. The 16th. We got a free open to everybody fishing night at the Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 5. Then we have a like a BHA pint night after that. And then that date in the middle, October 15. We're going to gather at, you know, their club, as the kids say, or I've heard on SNL anyway. Yeah, the night of the 15th. We are gathering in an old fishing-related establishment that does not allow advertising. So please email bird, B-I-R-D, at backcountryhunters.org for more information about any and all of, you know, what I just rattled off there. Would love to see you come on out. I'll tell you exactly why I'm there versus being out in the elk woods. But it's worth it to me to see you. So we'll see you there. Fun stuff to win and some exclusive things just for showing up. Can't wait to see you. Moving on. It's a poor year for steelhead fishing in the Pacific Northwest, and that's putting it mildly. According to a recent estimate from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, The 2026 steelhead run for the Columbia and Snake Rivers is predicted to be the lowest ever recorded. The revised estimate, which is based in part on early returns, shows a total return of 56,900 steelhead at Bonneville Dam, with just 18,900 of those being wild. Those totals are around half of the 10-year average and look to also be well below the former lowest count. which was a return of 69,104 in 2021. The dismal count is triggering restrictions, including reducing bag limits in the region, which is widely considered one of the last best places to target steelhead in the lower 48. While the reduced bag limits impact the take of hatchery steelhead in particular, it also reduces fishing pressure overall, which can help the river basins and battled wild fish. Full closures are also being implemented in some areas. What's causing this fall's dramatically low return is not totally clear, with officials saying that there is no one factor behind the poor return and that it's hard to know what happens to steelhead when they're in the ocean before they return to spawn. You know, because the ocean is not small. During that time, they can be impacted by things such as, I mean, you name it. Water, temperatures, currents, upwelling, prey availability, predation events, broader climate patterns, disease, so much more. One thing that Idaho Game and Fish hasn't pointed out, but that other groups have, is the impact of dams along the Columbia and Snake Rivers. Experts from Trout Unlimited have said that Snake River dams can harm salmon and steelhead populations in myriad ways, from flooding, spawning, and rearing habitat to killing juvenile fish as they pass each structure and much more. To put it simply, they're certainly a part of this picture. If you ask me, the lowest ever runs are a sign that we need to act to improve fish passages on these dams and remove them whenever we can before it's too late. And it also means that this probably isn't the best fall for a steelhead trip in Idaho, Oregon, or Washington, though one silver lining is that the fish that are returning to spawn are somewhat larger than usual. This is a fishery I used to hit a bunch when I was living in Idaho. Had some unbelievable days. You know, and the wives' tale is, since it's one of the furthest inland spawning runs of steelhead, they are the toughest and most capable. There's trade-offs with everything. There are economic benefits to having even a fraction of the pre-dam returns to this area. in terms of salmon and steelhead. Cultural benefits, too. Speaking of the Nez Perce tribe in particular down there. We did shoot a really cool video on this cow in the field episode on the Meat Eater YouTube channel. Go check that out. I had a darn good time. We talked with a bunch of folks out on the river and in the towns. Really, really cool opportunity. Jumping over, I should say flying over to the duck stamp desk. You know, the one thing that you could do for a couple of bucks to really make an impact out there? Buy a duck stamp. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently held its annual Federal Duck Stamp Contest in which artists from around the country submit artwork featuring migratory waterfowl, the winning art that graces the stamp that every waterfowl hunter must purchase before hitting the wetlands during the following year. The results are in. and older Robert Hauptmann won with an acrylic painting of a drake and hen long-tailed duck. If the name sounds familiar, it's because the Hauptmanns are a bit of a dynasty when it comes to this competition. Robert has now won it four times, his brother James seven, and Joseph, who took third this year, is a six-time winner. While the overall winner was a competition veteran, the artist who took home second, was a bit of a dark horse. 20-year-old Madison Grimm of South Dakota received that honor for a beautiful depiction of a King Eider standing on a bank. It's great to see young artists do so well, and I suspect this isn't the last time we hear her name in connection to this competition. While the contest is certainly fun to talk about, it's also a good reminder to recognize the importance of the federal duck stamp from a conservation perspective. Since the duck stamp was created in 1934, it has generated over $ 1. 3 billion, with a bee directly conserving over 6 million acres of wetlands. By law, 98% of the purchase price goes to the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund, which has been used to develop the National Wildlife Refuge System, among other projects. It's a fantastic example of a conservation initiative that works and works well, Our refuge system is truly like one of the envies of the world. It is a cornerstone in why we can hunt migratory birds today. We have migratory songbird species and shorebird species. Support your national wildlife refuge system. Jumping over to the scattergun desk. Two of the most expensive shotguns ever sold at a Rock Island auction sale. The first one was actually the most expensive shotgun to go into a public sale. It was a Browning Auto V, a mass-produced semi-auto that was designed by John Browning in 1898. But this one had a unique story. It was owned by Clyde Barrow of the infamous criminal duo Bonnie and Clyde. The old Auto V was actually recovered at the scene of their death when law enforcement officials fired over 100 rounds into a stolen 1934 Model 40B Deluxe four-door sedan. It went for a million dollars. Topping Billy the Kid's double-barrel 10-gauge, which went for $ 978, 312 in 2021. That's just a wee bit more than the old Weatherby shotgun I shoot ducks with myself. Just kidding. I'm a working man shotgun type of guy. But both of these were at the time. They were hardware store pickups. And in the old kids case, a second hander. The other gun that sold for a record sum was a punt gun. You know, those giant oversized cannons that market hunters used to fire into whole flocks of waterfowl back in the day. The 7-foot Holland & Holland that went for $ 117, 500 was actually fired on a recent MeatEater YouTube video. So head over to the site to check that out. The best part of the sale, which marks the priciest punt gun ever sold, is that all of the proceeds went to MeatEater's Land Access Initiative, which supports projects to open and improve access to public lands and waters. Huge shout-out to Spencer Newharth, and old Steven Rinella coming up with that brainchild. Going over to one of our mostly, you know, square-ish, slightly rectangular states, Colorado. On the ballot this November will be Amendment 83, which would create a constitutional amendment protecting the right to hunt fish in the centennial state and making hunting the preferred means of managing wildlife there. Passing this amendment would mean that neither the state legislature nor future voter ballot initiatives could curtail hunting and fishing rights that would protect hunters and anglers, trappers against efforts by animal rights groups like the recently narrowly defeated petition to prohibit fur trapping. Opponents of the amendment are the usual suspect of animal rights groups, and they're focusing their opposition on one phrase in the proposed amendment which would protect hunting and fishing, quote, This phrase just means that the kinds of hunting and trapping that are legal today would be protected, and, for example, trapping couldn't be outlawed in the future. But the anti-hunting groups are arguing that this phrasing could bring back archaic, cruel, and destructive methods of take. Jay Tuchton, the current chair of the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission, appointed by Governor Jared Polis, told the Colorado Sun, quote, What was traditional 100 years ago would now be objectionable today. In part, these fears are well-founded. For example, animal rights groups want to make sure that the bans on hunting bears over bait or with hounds stay in place in Colorado, and this amendment would make it easier to bring those badly needed management tools back. But objections to the phrase traditional methods are also being used to scare people with the non-existent threat of going back to the market hunting era. The use of that old punt gun, for example. The right does not trump regulation. Biologists informed regulation. Right now, we can't tell for sure if this one is going to pass, but remember when things seemed darkest after the petition to ban fur had passed but before it was voted down? We didn't give up then, knowing that if we kept working, good things would happen. Well, this is another time to stay hopeful. Get to your polling place and urge your friends, family, and neighbors to get out and vote. We'll always have more work to do, but this one would make work a whole lot easier in Colorado. California is now weighing whether to reinstate bobcat hunting after it was outlawed there six years ago. The state is asking for public comment on an update to its bobcat conservation and management plan, which would allow consideration of hunting and trapping as a management option. In a statement, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife emphasized that only the state Fish and Game Commission could vote to establish a new hunting or trapping season, so this change would just allow the biologists at CDFW to make recommendations that could lead to a vote by the commission. Laying a little groundwork gives them the option, which is great when it comes to management. CDFW's bobcat population estimate shows about 62,000 individuals in the state, which is abundant by any measure, and the leading causes of death for bobcats give you an idea of why a hunting and trapping season might be a good idea. Vehicle strikes and mange are the top two. Mange is a really, really nasty mite-borne disease that is, you know, horrific when you see those critters with it. Managing bobcat numbers. will reduce road fatalities and infections. The comment period on this one is open until November 1st, and we'll put the instructions for submitting your comments in the show notes. Make your voice heard on this one. Last time I had Bobcat, I was at a Backcountry Hunters and Anglers Armed Forces Initiatives gathering down in the Idaho desert. Had Bobcat carnitas, and they were delicioso, man. What should I say here? Enough? to make your stomach purr. Not too bad. October, as you may or may not know, is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, National Arts and Culture Month, and Italian American Heritage Month. But I bet you did not know that October is also National Firewood Month. The temps are getting cooler, people are wanting to snuggle together around a blaze, but those cozy feelings can get ruined in a hurry. if you handle your firewood carelessly. That's because firewood is a major vector for invasive pests to spread and species like the emerald ash borer and the asian horn beetle have hitched a ride on logs for thousands of miles around the country wreaking havoc wherever they go The emerald ash borer alone has killed hundreds of millions of trees and threatens to wipe out ash trees entirely across the continent if it's not contained. The Nature Conservancy oversees National Firewood Month, and they want you to remember a few simple rules. First, only use local firewood, meaning stuff that was cut within 50 miles of where you're burning it. As nice as that wood pile looks at home, do not load those logs in your truck and take a road trip to national forests for camping or a multi-state or county drive during hunting season. Even the prettiest stuff could still have an invisible and very destructive fungus. Second, where it's allowed, gather wood directly around your campsite. Make sure you're following local laws and only take wood from dead and downed trees. Third, if you're going to buy wood and bring it with you anywhere, make sure it's certified heat-treated firewood. The stuff you want will have a state or federal stamp or seal on the outside. Visit www.dontmovefirewood.org for more good info, including a map with all the firewood laws across the country and a link to firewoodscout.org, which can help you find approved firewood vendors across the country. Let's toast those s'mores this fall without toasting the forest around us. I do have to insert here, this is extremely embarrassing, but on my car camping expedition across Idaho, I lost my 14-inch bar clean, quiet, powerful, dependable, steel, battery-operated chainsaw. I want that baby back. If you found it, I know it's yours, but chances are we could make a deal. Right in. A-S-K-C-A-L. That's askal at themeateater.com. Best as I can tell, it's somewhere south of those beehive kilns I described a couple episodes ago. Forgot to get it in that episode. I think just out of sheer embarrassment. You got to take care of your stuff, kids. This is why we can't have nice things. Jumping over to the Department of the Interior. John Murdoch started working for DOI in 2002, cutting his teeth on the response to the Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf in 2010. In response to the administration's decision this year to exempt a new drilling operation in the Gulf from the Endangered Species Act, Murdoch wrote in his resignation letter, quote, I do not want to now be part of creating an even greater disaster. Unquote. Murdoch also cited the drastic doge cuts to department staff, crowds for offshore wind developers to abandon their projects, and other quote-unquote glaring legal flaws as reasons why he has resigned. It's a pretty sobering list and more evidence that we need to be heading in a better direction with our environmental policy. For more detail on this one, head over to the Guardian or to the newsletter public domain where Murdoch spoke further about this move. I was just speaking with a oil and gas industry exec, former exec, I should say, representative. Let's go that route. And just, we all use this stuff. We need it. If we pretend like we don't, and in this case, pretend like we don't care, the really good companies... that are doing the best they can and pushing the needle in terms of being a responsible extractor, are not going to be competitive. Because deregulation allows the sloppy players to play. Jumping over to a thing that, well, prevents jumping over, wildlife crossings, The Department of Transportation recently opened the application process for the Wildlife Crossing Pilot Program, which is allocating $ 80 million for wildlife crossing infrastructures like bridges, underpasses, and fencing that let animals follow their migration routes without having to cross roads and get hit by cars. Notably, these funds are also available for fish migrations, so if your area has a culvert that needs to be widened so that spawning fish can get through more easily, this money is available for you too. There is no minimum or maximum award amount, although $ 80 million is on the table no matter what. The program is also considering allocating any remaining funds from the total of $ 350 million dedicated to reducing wildlife vehicle collisions and promoting habitat connectivity that the feds made available in 2022. I know I don't have to convince many of you listeners about how important wildlife crossings are, but just to brag about the success of these projects... The new Cervidae Peak Overpass near Boise, Idaho, is projected to reduce car accidents with wildlife by 80%. Not to mention the boost to the survival and growth of the populations of all kinds of animals that unfettered migrations allow. This benefits not only the species we love to go after, like elk, deer, and pronghorn, but also the ones that are just along for the ride. Ocelots, possums, lynx, and dozens of others Even if you're just looking at the bottom line, the millions and millions of dollars these wildlife crossings save in insurance money and property damage make them an absolute bargain. Applications for this funding are due by November 16, so head over to the grants.gov website for this one. We'll put some info in the show notes. That's all I got for you this week. Thank you so much for listening, and remember to write in to askcal, that's askcal at themeateater.com, Let me know what's going on in your neck of the woods. You know we appreciate it. Thanks again. We'll talk to you next week.