There are lots of factors that influence where elk, deer, and other animals decide to spend their time. In this week's episode, we dive into research from Colorado led by researcher Storm Crews that tracked movements of over 400 elk from four elk herds in the Rocky Mountain state. The researchers determined if individual elk had resident or migratory movement strategies and from there, looked at how resource selection varied based on season, herd, and movement strategy. No surprise, all elk tend to avoid areas associated with development, but selection for other habitat characteristics differed, especially among elk herds. So it pays to know what your herd is doing, and you can't assume they all act the same.
If you want to see more from the paper, you can find it at this link.
Have you ever wondered how elk or other big game change their distribution when facing hunter pressure? Do they respond to different hunters differently whether it's archery or rifle season? What if elk aren't targeted but other hunters are in the area? This week, we dive into research by Joshua Smith and his colleagues out of Oregon to answer these questions. In this study, bull elk are tracked during various hunting seasons and the researchers looked at how they changed the amount they move around, the habitat that they select, and their distribution on the landscape. Check it out to increase your chances on your next hunt!
If you want to see more from the paper, you can read the document at this link.
This week we are excited to have Brittney Parker from BHA join us to talk about the ways recreationists impact wildlife in the outdoors. Britt has spent a lot of time thinking about this topic and wrote up a great article on it that you can find at this link. As the human population grows and more people access public lands, recreational trails will see more use and become more present on the natural landscape. But what does that mean for the wildlife that depend on those places? We dive into a study by Michael Wisdom and colleagues that assessed how elk in Oregon respond to four types of recreation: ATVs, mountain bikes, hikers, and horseback riders. As you’d probably expect, elk aren’t too happy when people are in the woods with them. We consider how all outdoor recreationists, not just hunters, impact wildlife and discuss ways we as outdoors enthusiasts may be able to minimize that impact. Enjoy the episode!
You can read the full paper by Michael Wisdom at this link
This week we dive into some of the complexities associatedwith conservation and wildlife management focusing on the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. We are joined by the Chief Conservation Officer with FWC, George Warthen, to learn how the commission operates and uses facts and science to inform their decisions and policies. We also discuss some history of conservation and recognize how challenges that were faced in the past are still common today. Enjoy the episode!
Announcements:
- Fish and Wildlife ConservationCommission meeting on August 13th and 14th to discuss apotential bear hunt - link
- Colorado Chapter of Backcountry Hunters andAnglers annual Rendezvous August 8th-10th - link
Announcements:
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission meeting on August 13th and 14th to discuss a potential bear hunt
- Colorado Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers annual Rendezvous August 8th-10th
This week we’re joined by George Zaragoza from the University of Central Florida to learn about the ways predators can affect the activity and habitat use of their prey. To address this, we dive into research led by Marta Prat-Guitart at the University of Florida that studied how the Florida panther changes the way deer and other prey species move around the landscape. High predation risk during the evening by nocturnal panthers drives deer to be more active during the day. We discuss how this may affect hunting opportunities if predator populations increase like they are in Florida. We hope you enjoy it!
You can read the full paper at this link
In this episode, we find out what makes pronghorn differentfrom other hunted mammals: their horns. We dive into pronghorn management looking at results from research led by Lee Tafelmeyer looking at the effects of hunting pressure on pronghorn horn size. While antler-growing ungulates like deer and elk get larger antlers with age, pronghorn have most of their horn growth in their first couple years. This can allow wildlife managers to adjust management plans so more big-horned pronghorns can be harvested while stillallowing good hunting opportunities in future years.
If you want to read the full paper, you can find it at thislink.
If you want to read the full paper, you can find it at this link
Announcements: South Florida Deer Scouting Workshop and Lunch
In this episode, we dive into the spring bear hunt and its affects on black bear orphaning rates following research by Hank Hristienko and his colleagues. Their study looked at reproductive data from harvested sows in Manitoba, Canada and used scientific literature to estimate the effect of the spring hunt on cubs. These statistics are compared to natural mortality rates to assess the overall impact of hunters on the population.
In this episode, we dive into a scientific study on Red Snapper (Lutjanus campechanus). In this study, they use known harvest numbers from both recreational and commercial fisheries to train a model for population growth to predict how different regulations will affect the population of snapper in the future. They look at reducing effort, using pressurized release devices to address barotrauma, discard mortality, size limits, bag limits, season lengths and timing, and much more. I hope you enjoy this one!
You can find a copy of this weeks episode at this link if you want to learn more!
Current events:
- Register for the Lake Kissimee Mudboat Poker Run (May 17th) at the following link: http://www.tinyurl.com/kissmudrun
- Buy raffle tickets for the Uncle J Custom Boat at: http://www.tinyurl.com/unclejboat
- BHA Beers, Bands, and Barbwire Strands, May 16-18, Gunnison, Colorado: https://www.backcountryhunters.org/beers_bands_barbwire_strands_2025
- Florida Commission meeting May 21-22, Ocala: https://myfwc.com/about/commission/commission-meetings/may-2025/
- BHA Ocala Pint Night, May 21, Ocala: https://www.backcountryhunters.org/_science_not_emotions_ocala_pint_night_presented_by_onx_hunt
In this episode, we look at a paper by Griffin et al. from 2024 that looks at the effects of fly fishing and lure fishing tackle on the injury and survival of striped bass. This paper looks at the effects of circle hooks, J hooks, bait fishing, and number of other methods. What is found in this application is applicable to a variety of different recreational species and could help fishermen become more responsible handlers of caught fish. Hopefully, you find some of this information helpful! Enjoy!
Read the papers yourself at this link
In this episode, we round off our turkey discussions with yet another paper out of Dr. Mike Chamberlain's lab. In this peer reviewed article, the researchers looked at how hunting pressure affects the way that adult male turkeys (Toms) choose their roost location and investigate if there is any pattern in roost selection through the hunting season. We discuss how this might influence decisions in the woods while turkey hunting regarding trying to find turkey roost areas.
Another great episode, make sure you subscribe!
Find a copy of this weeks episode at this link if you want to learn more!
Current Events:
o FWC is hosting 3 identical virtual meetings to get your opinions on HOW a bear hunt should be done in Florida. These meetings will occur on April 2, 3, and 5 at varying times. Find more info at http://www.myfwc.com/hunting/bear
In this episode, we are talking about turkeys yet again. In this one we are answering the question: How do turkeys change habitat selection during hunting season. In this paper, the researchers put GPS tags on hunters and turkeys to see how habitat selection changed through 4 different seasons(pre-season, youth season, early season and late season). The research found that turkeys do respond to hunting pressure but not in the way you would expect. This is a good one guys, you might learn something!
Find papers discussed in completed episodes here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1EytbWQ1NieajqUTuBUjhaEe_AOzTzaJ7?usp=sharing
Make sure you subscribe/follow, tell your friends about this brand new podcast, and we hope to have you tune in again in the future!
Find papers discussed in completed episodes here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1EytbWQ1NieajqUTuBUjhaEe_AOzTzaJ7?usp=sharing
Current Events:- FWC is asking for YOUR input on the potential bear hunt. Go to the following link on March 13th at 6pm EST: https://myfwc.com/news/all-news/bear-meeting-225/- Get registered for the Lake Kissimmee Mudboat Poker Run at http://www.tinyurl.com/kissmudrun
In this episode, we dive into a paper that looks at how weather patterns and environmental conditions may affect how much turkeys gobble in the morning. We talk about how this can affect your turkey hunting strategy this turkey season.
Make sure you subscribe... and enjoy!
Find papers discussed in completed episodes here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1EytbWQ1NieajqUTuBUjhaEe_AOzTzaJ7?usp=sharing
Current Events:
o Comejoin us in Tallahassee at Backcountry Hunters and Anglers Pint Night at ProofBrewery on the FSU Student Union on Feb 26th at 7pm. This event
o LakeKissimmee Mudboat Poker Run, May 17th (tinyurl.com/kissmudrun)Raffling off a custom Uncle J Mudboat (tinyurl.com/unclejboat) to buy tickets
In this episode, we follow up on last episode where we dovedeep into a population of Mountain Lions in Colorado where hunting was haultedfor 5 years to observe short term impacts of hunting on their populations. Inthis week’s study, we look at the impacts that cougars have on blacktail deerpopulations in California where Mountain Lion hunt has not be allowed fordecades. The resulting dynamic is a declining deer population, driven bytop-down predation from lions. Despite this known effect, California gamedepartments still don’t consider the option of harvesting lions to rectify thesituation. This is a controversial and timely topic as Proposition 127 inColorado was NOT PASSED, which attempted to take wildlife managing power awayfrom Colorado Parks and Wildlife by creating a legislative ban. Anti-huntingenvironmentalists have not taken this loss with grace as they continue toattempt to ban big cat hunting with targeted and misleading propaganda. Inlight of this misleading information, it is important to remember that wildlifemanagement should depend on science, not emotion, so here is a deep dive intosome science! If we allow decisions to be made based on emotion, we may end upin a similar situation as California.
Make sure you subscribe/follow, tell your friends about thisbrand new podcast, and we hope to have you tune in again in the future!
In this episode, we take a break from the regimented and structure approach that we are used to and just have a unstructured chat over drinks. We bring in Mark's girlfriend/wife, Patricia Izbicki, and Cody's fiance/wife, Natasha Viadero. We discuss a variety of topics including what it's like to date a hunter when you are not a hunter yourself, why women should select guys on dating apps that only have fish pics, what game species is the most productive to hunt to fill your freezer, how mark turned his vegetarian girlfriend into a meateater, Why women are better shooters than men, why hunting public land is better than private land, are swamp buggies good for the environment? Are hogs good for the environment?
Find papers discussed in completed episodes here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1EytbWQ1NieajqUTuBUjhaEe_AOzTzaJ7?usp=sharing
Current Events:
- Join the Florida Chapters of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers and American Daughters of Conservation for small game hunt at Upper Hillsborough WMA on February 16th. More details and RSVPs can be found at: https://www.backcountryhunters.org/small_game_hunt_with_fl_bha_upper_hillsborough_wma
- Submit your public comment about the potential Florida Bear Hunt by emailing: BEARCOMMENTS@myFWC.com
- Join Mark and the rest of the Florida Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers board at the Tallahassee Pint Night at Proof Brewing at the Student Union location on February 26th. This pint night occurs after day 1 of the FWC Commission Meeting hosted in the same building: LINK COMIN SOON
In this episode, we dive deep into wildlife science on the Colorado’s Mountain Lion populations. This is a controversial and timely topic as Proposition 127 was NOT PASSED, which attempted to take wildlife managing power away from Colorado Parks and Wildlife by creating a legislative ban. Anti-hunting environmentalists have not taken this loss with grace as they continue to attempt to ban big cat hunting with targeted and misleading propaganda. In light of this misleading information, it is important to remember that wildlife management should depend on science, now emotion, so here is a deep dive into some science! This paper “Effects of hunting on a Puma population in Colorado” published in Wildlife Monographs by Kenneth Logan and Jonathan Runge in 2020, was able to implement a 5 year hiatus on hunting in the Uncompahgre Plateau unit to assess how hunting pressure impacts population dynamics, age structure, and distribution of Puma concolor (mountain lions).
Make sure you subscribe/follow, tell your friends about this brand new podcast, and we hope to have you tune in again in the future!
Find papers discussed in completed episodes here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1EytbWQ1NieajqUTuBUjhaEe_AOzTzaJ7?usp=sharing
Submit your public comment about the potential Florida Bear Hunt by emailing: BEARCOMMENTS@myFWC.com
BHAxADC Small Game Hunt - Upper Hillsborough WMA:RSVP here: https://www.backcountryhunters.org/small_game_hunt_with_fl_bha_upper_hillsborough_wma
In this episode, we dive deep into wildlife science on the Florida Black Bear. This is a controversial and timely topic as the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has requested that a bear hunt proposal be presented at an upcoming commission meeting. This request followed a 5 year update on the Florida Bear Management Plan which showed increasing population and range trends.
Following the 2015 Florida Bear hunt, anti-hunting groups have cited the lack of sound science to get the hunt shut down until more data is available. At the December 2024 commission meeting, both sides of the argument were asking for the commission to make decisions based on the science, so what does the science say?
In this episode we discuss a paper titled “Change in Black bear Range and Distribution in Florida using Two Decadal Datasets from 2001-2020”. This paper written by lead author, Brian Scheick, the program manager of the Florida Bear management program is a comprehensive look at all sources of available data, including vehicle collisions, public sightings, reports, as well as structured scientific data collection.
Make sure you subscribe/follow, tell your friends about this brand new podcast, and we hope to have you tune in again in the future!
Find papers discussed in completed episodes here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1EytbWQ1NieajqUTuBUjhaEe_AOzTzaJ7?usp=sharing
To contact Matt about his National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) posters, email us at: scientificoutdoorsmen@gmail.com
In this episode, we are joined by our guest Travis Thompson to take a deep dive into the 2023 paper titled " Sixty Years of Community-science data suggest earlier fall migration and short-stopping of waterfowl in North America" by Amelia Cox et al. In which, the scientists asked the questions: Is climate change shifting duck migrations through space and time? Are ducks migrating earlier or later? Are they not migrating as far? Are less ducks making it to historic ranges? What implications does this have on waterfowl management in the future?
We discuss the potential implications of this data, and how it can be used to improve our management strategy; including moving season dates, focusing on management of resident species, and much more.
Make sure you subscribe/follow, tell your friends about this brand new podcast, and we hope to have you tune in again in the future!
Find papers discussed in completed episodes here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1EytbWQ1NieajqUTuBUjhaEe_AOzTzaJ7?usp=sharing
To contact Matt about his National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) posters, email us at: scientificoutdoorsmen@gmail.com
In this episode, we dive into a study that looks at whether or not the solunar charts that are often made available in hunting apps have any real merit. The researchers use gps locations of deer over time to compare their movements to different moon and sun positions and moon phases, to answer this question.
We discuss the potential implications of this data, and how it can be used to improve our hunting strategy.
Make sure you subscribe/follow, tell your friends about this brand new podcast, and we hope to have you tune in again in the future!
Find papers discussed in completed episodes here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1EytbWQ1NieajqUTuBUjhaEe_AOzTzaJ7?usp=sharing
To contact Matt about his National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) posters, email us at: scientificoutdoorsmen@gmail.com
In this episode, we take a deep dive into the 1980 paper titled " Effect of Fall Orphaning on White-tailed deer fawns and yearlings" by Dennis Woodson et al. In which, the scientists asked the questions: What happens to fawns after you shoot their mom? Do fawns die after being orphaned? Do orphaned deer find a new mom? Do doe fawns and button bucks respond differently to orphaning? Do fawns with siblings increase or decrease survival rates? Do orphaned deer travel further? Are orphaned does more or less likely to get bred in their first year?
We discuss the potential implications of this data, and how it can be used to improve our hunting ethics; including knowing when it might be ok to shoot a doe that has a fawn or fawns.
Make sure you subscribe/follow, tell your friends about this brand new podcast, and we hope to have you tune in again in the future!
Find papers discussed in completed episodes here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1EytbWQ1NieajqUTuBUjhaEe_AOzTzaJ7?usp=sharing
To contact Matt about his National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) posters, email us at: scientificoutdoorsmen@gmail.com
In this episode, we take a deep dive into the 2022 paper titled "Behaviour of a large ungulate reflects temporal patterns of predation risk" by Kevyn Wiskirchen et al. In which, the scientists asked the questions: Does hunter pressure cause whitetail deer to change the way they move and when they move? Do does and bucks respond differently to hunting pressure? Do older mature bucks and does respond differently to hunting pressure? And does it matter which day of the week you choose to hunt?
We discuss the potential implications of this data, and how it can be used to improve our hunting strategy; including moving in closer to bedding areas, choosing the best times and days to hunt, and hunting at night with a spotlight (just kidding!).
Make sure you subscribe/follow, tell your friends about this brand new podcast, and we hope to have you tune in again in the future!