Ep. 479: Are We Losing the Right to Hunt? Private Land, Public Ground & the Future of Access w/ Mark Kenyon

About this episode

Beau Martonik discusses the future of hunting access and conservation in America with Mark Kenyon.

In this episode of the East Meets West Hunt podcast, Beau sits down with Mark Kenyon (Wired to Hunt / MeatEater) for an in-depth conversation about the current state of hunting, public lands, and conservation in America. They dive into how becoming a father changes your perspective on the future, why public lands are facing more complex threats than ever, and how hunters and anglers can actually make a difference. From private land access challenges and leasing pressure to the Land & Water Conservation Fund and the Boundary Waters mining issue, this conversation breaks down what’s happening — without the noise — and focuses on practical action. If you care about access, opportunity, and making sure the next generation can hunt and fish the way we have, this is one you’ll want to hear. Topics: 00:00:00 — Intro 00:03:10 – Catching up with Mark Kenyon 00:10:16 – Mark’s conservation journey & stepping into his new role at MeatEater 00:18:02 – The Alaska moment that reshaped how he views public lands 00:23:01 – The biggest current concern: public land protections under pressure 00:29:30 – Multiple use, resource extraction & why it’s not black and white 00:37:10 – State vs. federal…

People in this episode

Guest: Mark Kenyon

Topics covered

• Intro
• Catching up with Mark Kenyon
• Mark’s conservation journey & stepping into his new role at MeatEater
• The Alaska moment that reshaped how he views public lands
• The biggest current concern: public land protections under pressure
• Multiple use, resource extraction & why it’s not black and white
• State vs. federal engagement — where hunters can truly make impact
• The private land access problem, leasing & shrinking opportunity
• Three practical ways to protect hunting access
• Boundary Waters explained: what’s happening & why it matters nationally

Keywords

• hunting
• public lands
• conservation
• access
• anglers
• private land
• leasing pressure

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: East Meets West Hunt, Wired to Hunt / MeatEater

Places: America, Alaska, the Boundary Waters

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