Randy sits down with three hunttalk.com regulars - Gerald Martin, Sean Clancy, and Eric Albus to talk about how a group of people with different backgrounds can talk about solutions and not just problems. How do you improve the health of Montana's mule deer herds while keeping the solution socially acceptable, maintaining hunting opportunity, and keeping Montana FWP's operating budget as-is? Coming up with a solution is the goal for this group of hunters. Learn more about your ad choices....

In this episode (#253) Randy is joined by David Willms, an attorney with the National Wildlife Federation and avid hunter from Wyoming. The guys explore Utah's latest attempt to demand 18 million acres of BLM lands be transferred to Utah. Utah is known for selling their state lands to fund their school system. What's the motivation? Why now? This is another repackaged effort to rekindle the movement to rid America of its public lands. Utah is spending millions and millions to do this. The...

In this episode (#252) of Leupold's Hunt Talk Radio, Randy is joined by Mike Kautz and Paul Kemper of American Prairie, known as AP. Topics focus on access and conservation. AP has enrolled 88,000 acres of their private land in Montana's Block Management access program, along with allowing access across their private land to reach otherwise inaccessible public lands. The focus is on an uncrowded "quality experience," not necessarily big animals. AP has a herd of 800 bison and leases their...

This episode (#251) of Leupold's Hunt Talk Radio is the first of hopefully four that explore statewide candidates and their views on hunting, fishing, public lands, and conservation. Both US Senate candidates have been invited as have both Gubernatorial candidates. In this episode Ryan Busse gives his views and ideas on hunting, fishing, conservation and public access. Invitations have been sent to the other candidate, Governor Greg Gianforte, and we hope to have that podcast to...

In this episode (#250) of Leupold's Hunt Talk Radio, Randy is joined by Curt Meine of the Aldo Leopold Foundation to talk about the legacy of Aldo Leopold as we celebrate 100 years of the Gila Wilderness and 75 years after the Sand County Almanac. Topics covered include expansion of the Land Ethic Leopold started, history of Gila Wilderness, revolutionary thinking, Wilderness Society, Thinking Like a Mountain, humans as part of a big community, indigenous knowledge, and other topics that...

In this episode of Leupold's Hunt Talk Radio, Randy talks mule deer, research, and migrations with Dr. Kevin Monteith from the University of Wyoming. In addition to some pronghorn and other points, topics covered include habitat being primary importance, fidelity to a core area, migrators learn from mom, fat does mean healthy fawns, mule deer as specialists, migration distance changes peak rut dates, mule deer not as adaptable as elk, elk do impact mule deer, pronghorn management to have our...

Randy and the crew (Marcus, Michael, and Jace) talk about the new video series Beyond Stock, where the guys built their own semi-custom rifles, competed in NRL matches, and share their learnings. Shooting skills are an important part of rifle hunting, and there is a lot to be learned from competitive shooting - everything from handloading ammunition to improving your form. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode (#247) of Leupold's Hunt Talk Radio, Randy is joined by Doug Duren. Doug is a leading advocate for putting Aldo Leopold's Land Ethic into action. On his Wisconsin farm, Doug practices sustainable and regenerative land management with a focus on the land. He is famous for his motto. "It's not ours, it's just our turn." Topics covered include many of Leopold's essays, the relevance of the Land Ethic today, using wild places and wild things as our currency for a high standard of...

Randy shares bison hunting stories with Andy Morris and Jake Ahmann. Topics covered include their free-range bison hunts in Utah, Montana, and Wyoming, the amazing meat, field dressing challenges, bison history, bison tragedy as the conservation genesis in America, how to create advocacy for more bison, tribes leading bison restoration, concerns of those most impacted by bison, and a lot of other topics related to free-range bison and the possibilities toward more of them. Learn more about...

Randy is joined by long-time friend and past guest, Hal Herring. They summarize a day of walleye fishing that allowed them to discuss many topics, danger in focusing on abstraction, including do our actions mirror our words, how we can do better, paying more for the comforts we demand, society being subsidized by nature, spending the resource inheritance of future generations, getting people to think about their actions, Hal's public land book, Tecumseh as an example for hunter advocacy, and...

Randy is joined by Gaspar Perricone, hunter, strategist, former Colorado Parks & Wildlife Commissioner, and influential member of Colorado Wildlife Conservation Project, the group fighting ballot initiative 91 in Colorado. Ballot Initiative 91 would prohibit hunting for Mountain Lion, Lynx, and Bobcat in Colorado. In this episode, we talk about how hunters can effectively communicate to the 80% of voters who are non-hunters, strategies for hunters to be effective in policy while being a...

Randy is with Leupold's Bruce Pettet and Tim Lesser. Topics covered are Leupold's new products, the Leupold company story, company conservation as a core value, investing in conservation is an investment in the future, workforce as the core company asset, a Montana turkey hunting story, too many rules in turkey hunting, RMEF's contribution to our hunting life, improving access to elk, new rangefinder technology, and other fun stories about hunting and conservation. Learn more about your ad...

Randy shares a mic with Rachelle Schrute. The discussion starts with their stories of advocacy burnout, what causes it, and how Randy overcame it. Other topics include outside pressures, media's role in hunting, why we care so damn much, and a lot of tangents from Rachelle's perspectives as a hunter, advocate, and outdoor writer. Remember, find the music and ignore that static. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Randy shares the mic with Tim Sakai and Alex Rich of Mystery Ranch. Topics covered include some elk hunting stories, evolution of the Mystery Ranch Metcalf, Mystery Ranch in the hunting space, MR approach to problem solving, load carriage, identify the problem, R & D, experiments, everyone learns to sew, the Mystery Ranch DNA, accessories, multi-year lead times, change in pursuit of improvement, and a ton of other insights to the Mystery Ranch model for product design and...

In this episode of Leupold's Hunt Talk Radio, Randy visits with Ashley Nichole Lewis, a well know angler, guide, historian, and fishing personality to talk all things related to salmon and conservation issues for the Quinault Indian Nation, known as "The Salmon People." Topics covered include learning to fish from her mother, having to hide from being an indigenous woman, her journey to be a fishing guide, conservation as indigenous people, the Boldt decision, obtaining a PhD in indigenous...

Randy shares the mic with Dan Gates of Coloradans for Responsible Wildlife Management. The conversation focuses on the Colorado ballot initiative and how it is being used to widen bans on hunting. Additional topics cover using a 501(c)(4) organization to represent hunters in political fights, getting every hunter to vote, how to message to non-hunters, Randy's challenge to all non-residents who apply in CO, and a lot of other timely topics related to attacks on hunting and wildlife...

Randy shares a mic with return guest Heather Douville, and her father, Mike. Mike shares his experiences of growing up in a Tlingit village before Southeast Alaska developed to the levels seen today. Topics include Mike's lifetime of fishing, hunting, and trapping, for his livelihood, to include deer, halibut, shellfish, salmon, seals, sea otters and perspectives on the Marine Mammal Protection Act and using the landscape sustainably for food. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

In this episode (#237) of Leupold's Hunt Talk Radio, Randy is joined by three members of the Montana Wild Sheep Foundation; Ty Stubblefield, Jack Atcheson, and Kurt Alt. Topics covered include putting more sheep on the mountain, learning from successes and failures, how to increase your odds of drawing a sheep tag, some sheep hunting stories, and a lot of banter from the 2024 Wild Sheep Show in Reno. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Leupold's Fresh Tracks, Randy talks with Brandon and Nate of GOHUNT about the big changes for non-resident hunters in 2024. Topics covered include Wyoming fee increases and new GENERAL elk units, AZ and WY deadlines, how to prioritize and get the tag you want, how much opportunity exists if you want it, having realistic expectations, and a lot of other nuggets to help you go hunting in 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Randy sits down with Dustin Diefenderfer, Founder of MTN TOUGH. Randy explains his journey of liver issues, injuries, and the realization that age (Father Time) is winning. Randy first planned to hunt elk until age 65, but with that only 9 years off, the stake has been moved. Randy has been meeting with Dustin and MTN TOUGH to make a plan for a busy travel season and his upcoming sheep hunt in the MacKenzie Mountains of NWT Canada. Mental toughness, physical endurance, and determination rule...

In this episode of Leupold's Hunt Talk Radio Randy is joined by Jim Baitchtal, videographer Jace McFetridge, Frank O'Niel of LIndell Boats, and Sam Lundgren. The topics covered are all things related to black bears and other adventures found in Southeast Alaska. Lots of discussion about our most recent black bear hunt that seemed rather luxurious, thanks to Frank and Lindell Boats. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode (#233) of Leupold's Hunt Talk Radio, Randy and Andrew McKean wrap up their four episode series that explores the changing attitudes towards hunting in rapidly urbanizing western states by using political appointments to fill the agenda of those who are against hunting. We summarize what we've learned in our research and from our guests. We discuss where this effort is going, how well it is funded, and the importance of hunters getting involved, no matter what state they live...

In this episode (#232) of Leupold's Hunt Talk Radio, Randy and Andrew McKean explore more of the efforts to marginalize hunters and hunting in wildlife management. In this episode we are joined by Tony Wasley, former Director of Nevada Department of Wildlife, now with the Wildlife Management Institute focusing on the relevancy of hunting and hunters in a rapidly changing society. Nevada is one of the most diverse and urbanized states, forcing Tony and his Commission to address rapidly...