Fresh Tracks Weekly

Find your deadline to vote in your state - https://www.fvap.gov/uploads/FVAP/VAO/PrimaryElectionsCalendar.pdf About 20% of the US population participates in the primary elections but those primaries often determine who will be elected. Have your voice felt this election season. Get out there and VOTE! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

https://shopfreshtracks.com/collections/gear-list Contact your Representatives (202) 224-3121 Take Action on North Dakota issueshttps://www.backcountryhunters.org/get-involved/take-action This episode of Fresh Tracks Weekly addresses the recent rescission of the Public Land Rule and the implications of excluding conservation from multiple-use mandates. The episode examines the broader erosion of public land protections, including the North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act and a proposed bill to transfer 140,000 acres of the Kisatchie National Forest to local control in Louisiana. It covers the lawsuit filed by BHA and PLWA against Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks regarding corner crossing, the BLM’s proposal to open 79,000 acres in Arizona to oil and gas leasing, and the confirmation of Chronic Wasting Disease on the National Elk Refuge. Additionally, the show discusses the Senate confirmation of Steve Pearce as BLM Director, the revocation of American Prairie’s grazing permits for bison, and the introduction of the Public Lands Integrity Act to prevent fast-tracked federal land sales. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

WATCH OUR Latest Elk Hunt with Ted Roosevelt IV - https://youtu.be/0n_1BAyYRiQ RANDY’S GARAGE SALE: Grab a map set and the $25 Trophy Bag Kooler at https://shopfreshtracks.com/ QUESTION OF THE WEEK: If you could hunt with anyone, alive or dead, who would it be and why? Let us know in the comments! GET IN TOUCH: Have a question or a news tip? Email us at weekly@freshtracks.tv Deeper Dive: Randy Newberg and Marcus Hockett talk us through a recent decision on antler point restrictions in Wyoming, where public pressure for trophy quality is currently clashing with biological data. - Link to Mule Deer Working Group Fact Sheets - https://wafwa.org/publications/mule-deer-working-group-fact-sheets/ News Stories Wyoming Ups the Charge for Non-Resident Preference Points - Blake breaks down the staggering math behind Wyoming's recent non-resident point price hike. An increase that could generate over $40 million annually without removing a single animal from the landscape. - https://wgfd.wyo.gov/news-events/commissioners-vote-increase-non-resident-preference-point-prices 2026 Farm Bill Passes in House - Blake jumps into a critical update on the 2026 Farm Bill passing the House and why its conservation titles are the backbone of public access programs like Block Management and PLOTS as well as other items that hunters and anglers should be following. - Link to Last Week's Fresh Tracks Weekly about Virtual Fencing - https://youtu.be/jGMybr7Xxv8 - https://www.outdoorlife.com/conservation/farm-bill-passes-house/ - https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/voluntary-public-access-and-habitat-incentive-program/news/usda-announces-52 - https://sportsmensalliance.org/news/house-passes-2026-farm-bill-anti-hunting-language-removed-in-major-win/ Idaho’s New Ban on Hunting Tech - Cell trail cams, thermal imaging, helicopter hunting, and more regulations coming out of Idaho that could impact your 2026 hunting season. - https://www.outdoorlife.com/conservation/idaho-hunting-technology-ban/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Interested in some gear from Randy’s Garage Sale? Visit https://shopfreshtracks.com/ We have a full slate of items happening on this week’s episode of Fresh Tracks Weekly. First off, Blake is headed out for his first-ever elk hunt this fall and needs your help. What broadheads are you shooting and why? Drop your recommendations in the comments below! For this week’s Deeper Dive, Randy and Marcus discuss why the biological recovery of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem grizzly is a success story being held hostage by litigation. - What does "State Control" actually look like? - The history of the Simpson-Tester wolf rider and why a similar "backdoor" move might be the only way forward for grizzlies. - The reality of future grizzly hunting: Why it won't be "over-the-counter" and why hunters must be the most disciplined stewards of this iconic species. - Then we jump into a weekend update where Blake and Marcus celebrated their birthdays by tagging some turkeys! News Topics Covered: Boundary Waters Update: A deep dive into House Joint Resolution 140 and the controversial use of the Congressional Review Act to bypass environmental safeguards in Minnesota. Links • Outdoor Life • https://www.outdoorlife.com/conservation/senate-votes-revoke-boundary-waters-protections/ • https://www.outdoorlife.com/opinion/how-congress-stripped-boundary-waters-protections/ • MeatEater • https://www.themeateater.com/conservation/public-lands-and-waters/senate-votes-against-protecting-boundary-waters CWD & Wyoming Elk: Good news from the winter feed grounds, but why dry conditions and "prion-persistence" mean we aren't out of the woods yet. Links • WYO File - Zero CWD Cases at Feedgrounds • https://wyofile.com/record-warmth-open-slopes-give-wyomings-fed-elk-a-reprieve-from-advancing-deadly-disease/ • WYO File - Historically Warm Winter • https://wyofile.com/record-warmth-open-slopes-give-wyomings-fed-elk-a-reprieve-from-advancing-deadly-disease/ Mossy Oak Turkey Stamp: How your 2026 stamp purchase funds critical research into LPDV (a virus affecting wild turkey populations). Links • Purchase a stamp here • https://store.mossyoak.com/products/2026-wild-turkey-stamp?srsltid=AfmBOoqj0zUwWgZvBYJBMNfJkiz1juImYhCLCykJEz4g1vnlJm1s5j16 • Where you money goes when purchasing a Mossy Oak Turkey Stamp • https://www.mossyoak.com/our-obsession/blogs/turkey/mossy-oaks-wild-turkey-stamp-funds-lpdv-disease-research Delta Waterfowl Milestone: Celebrating 100,000 new hunters through the "First Hunt" program. Link • https://deltawaterfowl.org/whats-new/news/delta-waterfowl-achieves-historic-milestone-100-000-people-introduced-to-duck-hunting/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we discuss the USDA announcement to move Forest Service headquarters to Salt Lake City and shift from regional to state-based management. A bipartisan amendment to the Farm Bill regarding the Greyhound Protection Act and its potential impact on bird dog training methods has sportsmen concerned. A Review of a Headwaters Economics report detailing the 1.3 trillion dollar economic impact of outdoor recreation in the United States was recently released. A gold mind and AI data center have been proposed within the Blackfoot River watershed and potential environmental concerns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No News for this week's Fresh Tracks Weekly. However, Randy Newberg and Marcus Hockett take a deep dive into some controversial comments from Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and his management plan of our public lands. Is the federal government actually following sound business practices, or are they holding a fire sale on assets that belong to you, the American taxpayer? Join Marcus and Randy as they break down the "balance sheet" of our National Forests and BLM lands. From 0% royalty rates on hard-rock mining to the massive $1.3 trillion outdoor recreation economy, we explore why treating public lands solely as a resource for extraction ignores the very people who own them. We’re tackling the myth that conservation and industry can’t coexist and calling out the "swamp rats" looking to profit off our shared backcountry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we’re discussing ballot measures and how they can be used to impact wildlife and conservation, specifically with the example of Oregon IP28, a proposal that would criminalize standard animal husbandry, hunting, and fishing practices The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted 11 to 9 along party lines to advance Steve Pearce’s nomination for Director of the Bureau of Land Management to the full Senate. The Secretary of the Interior opened 2.1 million acres along the Dalton Highway to mining claims, a move that facilitates land transfers to the state and clears a path for the proposed Ambler Road. The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission approved a petition to ban the sale and trade of fur statewide, despite opposition from the agency’s director and the majority of public commenters. House Bill 4145 passed the Oregon House, modifying a previous ballot measure to extend firearm permit processing times and increase fees. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we discuss the Congressional Review Act. This fast-track law allows a simple majority in Congress to overturn agency rules and permanently bars those agencies from creating any "substantially similar" regulations in the future. We also cover a few news stories including:A new Forest Service proposal would shorten public comment periods to as little as 10 days and move official notices from newspapers to government websites while using AI to summarize feedback. A new citizen petition aims to ban the commercial sale of fur through the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission meeting on March 4 and 5. A new study reveals that wolves frequently scavenge mountain lion kills, forcing lions to hunt deer over elk to minimize the time spent at vulnerable kill sites. Another new study suggest that hunting vocal toms during peak breeding periods may reduce overall reproductivity, sparking discussions about shifting season dates to better protect populations. HJR 140 is still up for a senate vote. The resolution threatens protections upstream of the boundary waters canoe wilderness area. Theodore Roosevelt IV has issued an open letter urging the Senate to vote against HJR 140, arguing that the resolution favors foreign mining interests and ignores sound science. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we explore the friction between hunters and state wildlife agencies, specifically focusing on the common misunderstandings regarding agency jurisdictions and roles. Contact your Senators via the Capitol Switchboard (202) 224-3121 Watch the Killing Catalina film here https://www.howlforwildlife.org/catalinaisland Also... The Senate is expected to vote next week on using the Congressional Review Act to overturn the 20-year mining ban near Minnesota's Boundary Waters; those opposed can use the Backcountry Hunters & Anglers website to quickly contact their representatives. https://www.backcountryhunters.org/get-involved/take-action A recent cold snap allowed the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to issue a unique executive order, resulting in the removal of over 5,000 invasive green iguanas after citizens were permitted to collect and transport cold-stunned animals to state drop-off sites. Arizona is considering its first-ever landowner deer tag system through a new bill that could be a step towards the potential privatization of wildlife and the allocation of public hunting opportunities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we examine the Bureau of Land Management's decision to revoke grazing leases for American Prairie bison and provide updates on public land funding, mining in Minnesota, wolf reintroduction in Colorado, and land access in North Carolina. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Fresh Tracks Weekly, we discuss a renewed threat to Wyoming’s famous mule deer migration. New oil and gas leases on BLM land are near critical winter ranges and migration corridors for the Sublette mule deer and pronghorn herds. We discuss how the Rock Springs Resource Management Plan is being bypassed and why "energy independence" is no longer a valid excuse for poor conservation. We also cover several headlines from the week, including 2026 federal budget cuts, the reopening of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, and the controversial "flooded corn" baiting debate in waterfowl hunting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy the Elk Conservation Stamp here (proceeds donated to RMEF) https://shopfreshtracks.com/products/2025-elk-conservation-stamp?srsltid=AfmBOorlsI5T-OHN5wvqK1ZU72s6EISgCuMItcxQQxYBMWOvkWb2fxjs In this episode, we sit down with Jesse DeVoe from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, to discuss an elk research project in Northwest Montana. Jesse shares insights into this large-scale collaborative effort to better understand local elk populations and looking into habitat and impacts from predators. News this week includes: -A Wildlife Migration License Plate Design Contest announced by TRCP and Montana FWP -A recent land conveyance in Alaska under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act -New data from a national survey on public attitudes toward hunting and shooting sports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Fresh Tracks Weekly, we cover a major win for public land advocates: Senator Mike Lee was forced to removed the controversial public land sale language from the "Big Beautiful Bill." While it's a victory for now, Randy Newberg breaks down why this issue isn't going away and where to watch for future attempts to sell off public lands. We also cover several key conservation and public access updates: The EXPLORE Act has officially been implemented, expanding access to outdoor recreation, improving public land maps, and increasing coordination to combat invasive species. A collaborative project in Nevada brought volunteers and conservation groups together to install a new wildlife guzzler in Churchill County, providing critical water resources in desert habitat. The Department of Government Efficiency has canceled grants to the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, raising concerns over the future of the "Take Me Fishing" program. Pheasants Forever has enrolled a new landowner into South Dakota’s PATH program, opening nearly 30,000 acres of high-quality habitat to public hunting and recreation. Pennsylvania is on the verge of lifting its longstanding ban on Sunday hunting, with HB1431 awaiting the governor’s signature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices