Roundup 151 || Public Land Selloff, DOGE, Cheetah Conservation And More!

Summary

Blood Origins: Roundup 151 || Public Land Selloff, DOGE, Cheetah Conservation And More! Release Date: May 16, 2025
Hosts: Brittany and Mike Axelrod
Organization: Blood Origins Inc.

---

Introduction

In the 151st episode of Blood Origins, hosts Brittany and Mike Axelrod delve into pressing conservation issues, government policy changes affecting public lands, and updates on hunting legislation. This episode provides listeners with an in-depth analysis of current challenges and initiatives in wildlife conservation, emphasizing the critical role of informed advocacy and community support.

---

Cheetah Conservation Project

One of the episode's highlights is the discussion on Blood Origins' ambitious cheetah conservation project. Mike Axelrod shares exciting updates on relocating cheetahs to Mozambique, marking it as the world’s largest cheetah relocation effort.

Key Points:

• Project Scale: Over 18 cheetahs have been moved, with six more scheduled for relocation by the end of May, aiming to establish a substantial population in Mozambique’s 500,000-acre habitat ([04:14]).
• Genetic Diversity: Cheetahs have undergone historical genetic bottlenecks, emphasizing the importance of genetic diversity in conservation efforts ([05:28]).
• Challenges Faced: The project has encountered numerous obstacles, including political unrest, logistical issues, and even accidents during transport ([12:53]).

Notable Quote:

"Cheetah is one of the most endangered carnivores in Africa. Breeds very, very well under the right conditions." – Mike Axelrod ([05:28])

---

Government Budget Cuts and Conservation Impact

The hosts examine recent budget proposals that pose significant threats to conservation agencies. The Trump administration's budget has proposed drastic cuts to the Department of Interior and the U.S. Geological Service (USGS), raising alarms within the conservation community.

Key Points:

• Department of Interior Cuts: Proposed reductions include $1.2 billion to the National Park Service and the elimination of $26 million in grants ([18:20]).
• USGS Funding: A proposed 5.8% cut threatens vital research in hydrology, ecosystems, and wildlife management ([28:34]).
• Workforce Reductions: Over a thousand National Park Service employees have been laid off, leading to a loss of invaluable expertise and leadership ([31:34]).

Notable Quote:

"We need to make sure they're hearing from the right people, whether that's agency heads or members of Congress." – Brittany ([16:31])

---

Proposal to Sell Federal Lands

A significant portion of the discussion centers on the controversial proposal to sell nearly half a million acres of federal land in Utah and Nevada. This amendment, introduced in the House, aims to expedite land transfers without the usual public consultation processes.

Key Points:

• Specifics of the Proposal: 200,000 acres in Nevada and 260,000 acres in Utah are slated for sale, with additional lands potentially included ([19:26]).
• Reasons Behind the Proposal: Linked to budget cuts, the administration aims to fund other priorities like energy and drilling projects ([23:01]).
• Public Lands Significance: Public lands offer unparalleled access for outdoor activities and are a cherished aspect of American heritage. Selling these lands could lead to irreversible loss and development ([25:10], [26:03]).

Notable Quote:

"The thing that makes America so amazing... is the fact that we have public lands. You can just go." – Mike Axelrod ([25:10])

---

Impact on Conservation Agencies

Budget cuts are not limited to land sales but extend to essential conservation and research agencies, jeopardizing ongoing projects and future initiatives.

Key Points:

• USGS Program Cuts: Entire programs, including wildfire research and invasive species management, are at risk of elimination ([27:09]).
• Leadership Vacuums: Many senior leaders have resigned or been laid off, leaving agencies without the expertise needed to maintain and advance conservation efforts ([31:34]).
• Broader Implications: These cuts hinder the ability to manage natural resources effectively, respond to environmental challenges, and support wildlife populations ([33:19]).

Notable Quote:

"We are losing decades and decades of this leadership, this expertise. So no one's there anymore to run it." – Brittany ([32:25])

---

Hunting Legislation Updates

The episode also covers recent legislative changes impacting hunters and wildlife management, with a focus on Alabama and Pennsylvania.

Key Points:

• Alabama Deer Breeder Bill: Passed into law, classifying deer as personal property of breeders. This move contravenes the North American model of wildlife management and has broader implications for neighboring states ([39:30]).
• Pennsylvania Sunday Hunting Bills: Both Senate and House have introduced bills to allow all-day Sunday hunting, currently under review. The outcome could set precedents for other states ([41:55]).
• Racial Considerations: There are underlying racial factors influencing hunting legislation, particularly in states like Maine, where hunting rights have historical roots related to racial dynamics ([43:15]).

Notable Quote:

"How you handle your wildlife management... affects your surrounding states." – Brittany ([39:37])

---

Call to Action

Brittany and Mike emphasize the importance of civic engagement, urging listeners to contact their congressional representatives to advocate for the protection of public lands and sustained funding for conservation agencies.

Key Points:

• Immediate Action: With the budget process underway, now is the time to voice support for the Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, and USGS.
• Educating Representatives: Encourage constituents to inform their representatives about the importance of these agencies and the consequences of budget cuts.
• Protecting Public Lands: Advocate for the preservation of public lands to maintain America’s natural heritage and biodiversity.

Notable Quote:

"Call your members of Congress and say, please keep these things in the budget." – Brittany ([34:34])

---

Conclusion

Roundup 151 of Blood Origins successfully highlights critical conservation issues, the impacts of governmental policy changes, and the ongoing efforts to protect and preserve America’s natural landscapes and wildlife. The hosts advocate for informed and active participation in legislative processes to ensure that conservation remains a priority.

Final Quote:

"Do what's right to convey the truth around hunting." – Mike Axelrod ([48:33])

---

Stay Connected

For more information, feedback, or to get involved, listeners are encouraged to reach out via Blood Origins' official channels.

---

Note: This summary excludes all advertisement and non-content segments to focus solely on the episode's substantive discussions and insights.

Transcript

[Brittany]

Fishing trips anywhere, anytime fishingbooker.com create stories for life on a scenic eclipse Mediterranean voyage with scenic it's more than a journey of a lifetime. It's ultra luxury cruising along elegant European Rivieras and idyllic Italian coastlines. It's being immersed in the history and culture of glamorous cities, towns and villages.

[Mike Axelrod]

Its colorful architecture, landscapes and and regional cuisine. Scenic eclipse in a class of its own.

[Brittany]

Book your all inclusive voyage now and.

[Mike Axelrod]

Save Midway USA Brand product designers have one straightforward develop high quality technically sound products and deliver them to customers at reasonable prices. If you are immersed in the shooting sports industry and pay close attention to every single detail, you know our products are built right and stand up to everyday use. Who has shooting mats and range bag systems to hunting clothing and just about everything for the outdoors. Log on and shop 247 with superfast shipping midway USA.com so there's a reason why I started Blood Origins and that reason is simple is that I wanted to convey the truth about hunting. It brings awareness to non hunting hunters that it's more than just killing animals.

[Brittany]

How do I start it? Brittany?

[Mike Axelrod]

My name is.

[Brittany]

My hair look okay.

[Mike Axelrod]

My name is Mike Axelrod. Start again. Yeah, I hated it too. Braxton, you said something in the car to me. You said that you were living on borrowed time. There's a perception around who hunters are, what we're supposed to be. And a feminist that works for a non profit that is a hunter that has only eaten wild game for the last 20 years is likely not the thing that people think about when it comes to a hunter.

[Brittany]

I'm just going to turn off my outlook.

[Mike Axelrod]

Yes, please. I don't want to hear dinging all the way through our roundup since we, we, you know, we're so regular doing these roundups lately.

[Brittany]

I was about to say it feels like I haven't seen you on one of these in forever.

[Mike Axelrod]

Oh, it's been a while.

[Brittany]

Where have you been, Robbie?

[Mike Axelrod]

Where is Waldo? Is what I've been hearing from a lot of people instead of Where's Robbie?

[Brittany]

Although we do kind of always know because you always show us where you are at all times of the day and night.

[Mike Axelrod]

Well, I hope this week's travel is a little better through Dallas. DFW has not been my greatest friend in the last 10 days.

[Brittany]

Well, please tell me you are not flying American again.

[Mike Axelrod]

I am tomorrow.

[Brittany]

Oh Robbie never learn. You gotta go Delta for Atlanta.

[Mike Axelrod]

I had already booked this flight and if I hadn't booked this flight based on my last flight or the five flights before that, I would have just.

[Brittany]

I think you're just a glutton for punishment, Delta.

[Mike Axelrod]

I should have gotten the direct from Delta into Denver and then just rented a car from Denver and driven down to Colorado Springs.

[Brittany]

Oh, wait, you're going to Colorado before you go to South Africa?

[Mike Axelrod]

Yes. No, I'm definitely finding South Africa. Delta. No, there's no. There's no other option for me.

[Brittany]

Okay. Okay. This week's Colorado, then Africa.

[Mike Axelrod]

Yep.

[Brittany]

Okay. Okay. Okay. Well, it's good to see you.

[Mike Axelrod]

Yeah. And I'll have a week at home, so we'll do the roundup again next week, so.

[Brittany]

Oh, okay.

[Mike Axelrod]

Two weeks in a row.

[Brittany]

I'd already tried to schedule something on top of me, so that's good to know.

[Mike Axelrod]

Oh, you wanted to push me to the side already?

[Brittany]

No, no. Look at this. It will be spreading news all around. So hopefully we'll have good news next week. Because I feel like all I have is bad news this week. Doom and gloom to match the weather.

[Mike Axelrod]

Well, I'll start with good news. I'll start with good news. And it should have come out yesterday. I think the roundup is going to drop on Wednesday. Um, but we are finally letting people know about our cheetah conservation project. Our cheetah work.

[Brittany]

We can talk about it.

[Mike Axelrod]

Yeah, we've been working on it for 20 months. We've moved 12 cheetah at the end. I'm going back to South Africa at the end of May to move the final six, which will put then us at the biggest. The world's largest cheetah relocation project, period. Uh, we are releasing cheetah in ten days time. Uh, for the first time, there's a schedule on which females are being released first. And hopefully they stay put, cross fingers, cross the toes, and they start killing animals.

[Brittany]

And so exciting.

[Mike Axelrod]

Set up a home range and then we're going to release the males. Hopefully the males interact with the females and hang around.

[Brittany]

Okay. You have not really talked publicly about this at all.

[Mike Axelrod]

No, we'll do a separate. I think we'll do a separate podcast about it, but yeah, it's a. It's just a big deal for us. It's the first real big cheetah conservation project that we've ever. It's the biggest conservation project we've been involved with.

[Brittany]

And just in a nutshell, explain what we have and are doing, because this is one of the most exciting things I think I've ever like, just not. I'm not even really a part of it other than just observational and moral support. But it's so cool.

[Mike Axelrod]

Yeah, I think you know, it's. Cheetah is one of the most endangered carnivores in Africa. Breeds very, very well in, under the right conditions. And just like every other species in Africa is facing habitats are shrinking spaces where people want animals like cheetahs are shrinking. And so, and cheetahs have another interesting piece of, of their, his, their history really which is they, they've been known, they have been, they've said that they've gone through a genetic bottleneck in their past. So 10,000 years ago cheetahs were reduced to say 12 animals in the population. And from those 12 animals the rest of the cheetahs that we have today exist. Right. There's the extremely persecuted in the livestock agricultural business because cheetahs do not like lions. Once they kill, they won't return to a kill. They'll eat the animal then and there. And once they're satiated, they're satiated and they move on. They don't stay with the animal and so they can easily be driven off by, by hyenas and lions and leopards and whatnot. And so they'll never then come back to that kill. They'll go and do, they'll go and kill again. But genetically a cheetah that you can pull out of the, out of the reserves in South Africa or the wild in Namibia is very, very similar to a cheetah out of the San Diego Zoo. Look guys, I'm a hunter, right? And when I go hunting I like to figure out how to get my trophies back home as expeditiously as possible. Well, you don't have to look much further than safari specialty importers. We know that trophy importation can be quite a headache. That's why Safari Specialty importer strives to make it as easy as and hassle free as possible. They have access to a bonded warehouse. You won't be charged storage fees and you get a dedicated team that's readily available and will update you at every step in the process. They'll even go one step further. Safari Specialty Importers is working with us at Blood Origins and they are going to donate $100 from every shipment that they work with to conservation projects that include anti poaching, community development and wildlife conservation. At the end of the day, choose to spend your money with a team that's dedicated to you and is dedicated to helping show how hunting is a great conservation model. Hassle free logistics, fuel and conservation go with Safari specialty importers. Did you know that in 42 states, it is 100% legal to buy a suppressor and protect your hearing. Silencer Central pioneered the simplified silencer buying process. It allows you to buy a suppressor online or over the phone. You go through all the paperwork with a certified expert and that suppressor ships directly to your front door. I don't even believe it, but I've done it and it's come to my door. You can buy a suppressor and have it shipped to you. They offer the best in service, a suppressor expert to make sure you get the suppressor you want. And from there they take care of everything. They take care of the paperwork, the applications to the atf. They even set up a free trust if you want one. And if you don't have the money, put down an interest free payment plan. It's incredible. You get access to your own customer portal online. It tracks your progress. So why not go get started today? Go to silenceessential.com or call 866-811-6536. And with today's fast approval times, you're actually going to be shocked at how quickly your suppressor arrives at your door. Bushnell has been a longtime supporter of Blood Origins and in keeping with the spirit of our collaboration, we've come up with an amazing idea. Bushnell is eager to help you get set up for conservation success. That's right. They want to help you. The conservation and research community is dominated by good people doing good things and investing significant time and effort for the benefit of habitat and the species. So what do you need to do? Pretty simple. Send us your conservation story and or your conservation wish could be managing whitetails. Could be understanding your environment or species or something else related to conservation. What would you be able to do if you had a great trail camera setup? We will select the best story every other month and send you a camera bundle. Cell camera, normal SD camera, SD cards as well as optics. Everything you need to get set up for success. I can't wait to see what you submit. You can email [e-mail] DM US. Message us whatever you want. We are not hard to find. Good luck to the very distinct. So you've got to watch out for inbreeding. So in these little reserves, you know you've got a reserve of 20,000 acres. Okay. Has four cheetah on it. All of a sudden with good conditions, good prey, you've got 14 cheetah. Because good cheetah moms can become super moms and drop four or five cubs at a time and raise four or five cubs. And so if you don't, you're not careful, sisters will start breeding with brothers, sisters with fathers, mothers with sons, that kind of stuff. And so you'll get a little bit of inbreeding effect through, you know, F2, F3, F4, F5 generations. So you have to move them around, but you also have to find new ground for cheetahs. Otherwise those 14 cheetahs, you have to find homes now for ate cheetah. Okay, well, there's not many homes available for cheetah anymore, so we found a home for them which is close to 500,000 acres of new habitat in Mozambique that potentially leads into much larger international connected landscapes of. Of good cheetah habitat.

[Brittany]

And they had virtually disappeared from this area.

[Mike Axelrod]

Gone. Except a Malone male cheetah showed up 20 months ago out of the blue. We don't know where it came from. We think it came from mana pools, which is up the middle Zambezi. This is all connected through the middle Zambezi of when you go to Zimbabwe. It's underneath Kariba. From Kariba all the way down to the Mozambique border. Zambia is on the northern boundary. Just a really cool system. And so, yeah, these cheaters, you either have to find a home for them or they get the green liquid and they get euthanized. And so we found a home for them.

[Brittany]

What's the green liquid? I've never heard that before.

[Mike Axelrod]

Euthanasia.

[Brittany]

And that's because they're inbred.

[Mike Axelrod]

No.

[Brittany]

Or just there's too many.

[Mike Axelrod]

Too many.

[Brittany]

Okay. And there's too many in South Africa.

[Mike Axelrod]

I wouldn't say there's too many. It's just you struggle to find homes for them all.

[Brittany]

Okay.

[Mike Axelrod]

And you can't have 14 cheetah become 25 cheetah. All of us, very quickly, they're like, we gotta take care of this problem. And so they'll call in the vets and the vets will dart just like lions. Or if, you know, somebody's got four line on their property, they're pretty happy with having four lion. All of a sudden the lions breed and there's 14 lines, right? And they're eating you out of house and home and you're like, we need four lines.

[Brittany]

Again, this was a major, major effort that was not without great difficulty.

[Mike Axelrod]

Major, major. Like if everything, everything under the sun went wrong, including someone dying and political unrest and, and political unrest and can't get permits, can't, you know, driver falling asleep, smashing into the back of a vehicle at 4 o' clock in the morning, Us getting stuck in the Kalahari at one o' clock in the morning, transporting these things.

[Brittany]

Anyway, all the crazy things.

[Mike Axelrod]

We'll do a full podcast. Yeah, we'll do a full podcast on it.

[Brittany]

And huge congratulations. This is so incredibly exciting. Cheetahs in Mozambique now. Relocation of a pretty good percentage of cheetahs from.

[Mike Axelrod]

Yeah, it's like what did we, we.

[Brittany]

2 or 3% of the.

[Mike Axelrod]

Yeah, we, we, we. It was funny, we said something.

[Brittany]

Cheetah populate population.

[Mike Axelrod]

2% I think is going to be moved. Um, so pretty astounding.

[Brittany]

Incredible. I'm very proud. I think it's fantastic news.

[Mike Axelrod]

Well, meanwhile, play your cards right, you may get to see them one day.

[Brittany]

I'm trying. So, you know, there is. There historically has been a lot of international conservation funding that the United States has taken part in, including some for cheetahs, elephants, different species. Because, you know, we're all in this together, worldwide conservation efforts. Except that right now the current, the Trump administration has funded, has frozen all international conservation grant funding. So it's all frozen. So anyway, hopefully that will unclog eventually. But. But right now it's interesting.

[Mike Axelrod]

I was looking through who got the money from the last cheetah projects that you sent. Well, number one was very, very specific. So it's interesting. You and I know how this world works. Right, right. Somebody had talked to one of the program directors under the direct. The, what is it? The Division of International Conservation and said we have a cheetah trafficking problem in the Horn of Africa. Somebody had told them that and you need to put $4 million towards it because that same person probably had projects lined up that they wanted to fund. And it's all about like cheetah trafficking. And the money went to AWF African Wildlife foundation, which is an entity that we can talk long and hard about. There's another one called IFAW that got a million bucks from Fish and Wildlife Service. They were the ones who just did that elephant relocation project into Kasungu that's led to a class action lawsuit of 14 people dying because of elephant translocated Colorado State University and the Cheetah Conservation Fund, which is Lori Marle out of Namibia, was very interesting that it was so specific, tied to the Horn of Africa and cheetah trafficking. You wish something like this. Now, I don't get me wrong, you know, there is good work that needs to happen. You know, partnerships need to be made, you know, research needs to be done. But if you really wanted to move the needle, you'd be funding people like the Metapopulation Initiative, ewt, Cheetah Conservation Fund, to find new habitats, to put cheetah in well, you know, and grow a cheetah population.

[Brittany]

Yeah, but, but in a lot of these cases, it's who, you know, who.

[Mike Axelrod]

You talk to a hundred percent. It's, it's, it's a long road, like, to get to that point. That's probably five years worth of work on the director, you know, sending someone like you to DC meeting with the director, having lunch, talking, oh, what programs are you interested in? Boom, boom, boom, boom. Here's some information.

[Brittany]

Yeah, right. Well, and, and just getting the right information to the right people is so much of it. And, you know, it's, you never know who is hearing what from whom. And that's the case in every facet of government. I mean, where do they get their information? Because they have to get it from someone. And so that's why it's so important that we speak up as sportsmen and women and conservationists, because, I mean, they're going to make their decisions based on something and based on people that they're hearing from. And so we have to make sure they're hearing from the white right people, whether that's agency heads or members of Congress or appointed or elected officials in any capacity. We have got to make our voices be heard. And that's why it's so important, you know, what you do and what Blood Origins does and just getting the message out, telling the truth about these issues. So it's one reason, I think, so many people are concerned right now about what we are hearing in the news about all of these budget cuts to the Department of interior and the U.S. geological Service and proposed selling of federal lands. And it's very confusing, I think, to so many of us. I mean, you really have to dig in to find out, okay, what exactly is going on.

[Mike Axelrod]

So are all these things baked into what, the latest thing that came through the House or wherever it is right now in the budget amendment?

[Brittany]

No, they're all different, they're all different components. So the, the, you know, we keep hearing, oh, Trump's selling federal lands, Trump selling federal.

[Mike Axelrod]

Okay, okay, so let's talk about that. Where is that coming from?

[Brittany]

Okay, so one, let's, let's talk just for a second about how the budget works and, and federal lands and things like that. So the President has limited powers. He can make recommendations and proposals, but it's, Congress is the only entity that has the authority to pass the budget and to make actual budget cuts.

[Mike Axelrod]

Okay.

[Brittany]

And so. And as far as selling off federal land, same thing. So the only actual federal lands at the moment, now we think there's probably more coming, but right now the only actual federal lands that have been officially proposed for sale are these lands in Utah and Nevada. And they are. There's a like specific number of acreage.

[Mike Axelrod]

Half a million. I think it's 500, 000 acres.

[Brittany]

Yes, yes. And the, and the biggest. I mean, I, you know, let's back up for a second because I think that there isn't a person in the country that doesn't want to reduce government waste, doesn't want us to reduce our national debt. And, and so there are so many components that go into this, but these land cells. Okay, so I have it here. The plan includes specifically 200 acres in Nevada, 350 acres in Pershing County. There are two different counties. 200.

[Mike Axelrod]

You're talking 200,000 or 300.

[Brittany]

200,000.

[Mike Axelrod]

Okay, 200,000.

[Brittany]

There are 460 specific acres in Nevada and Utah. And then. And then another like 460,000. Yeah. That are specified. And then there's another like sort of vague proposal. So we don't know how many. You know, it's. There's a couple of things people are really up in arms about. And it's. One, the fact that it was proposed after 11 hours of the meetings and kind of in the middle late night, I think it was like 11pm or something like that was really late.

[Mike Axelrod]

This is an amendment to the budget.

[Brittany]

Yeah, this. Well, this was just in the budget process. It was an amendment to. There they were just in a like markup process of this budget and, and also expediting these land transfers. So not going through the normal process that they normally has to do when they mandate the public lands are sold or exchanged or transport. Instead they were like, okay, well we're going to do this and we're going to do it on this expedited process. And so that has a lot of people saying, you know, why, why are you, why are you doing it this way? And so those are the only specific lands that have been proposed so far. The, the other problem though is that everyone is pretty sure one, because they keep talking about it in the budget, you know, proposal. I mean, in, in all of the, you know, sound bites and press briefings and all these things, it seems like it's coming down the pipeline. I mean, that he wants to do, you know, probably sell.

[Mike Axelrod]

What are the reasons? Do we know? Has anybody come out publicly? Whoever. Obviously it must be Is this the Senate budget or the House budget so far?

[Brittany]

This is the House. That was the House. We'll see the Senate's, you know, working on theirs at the same time. But, you know, Trump finally released his. So he basically, he comes out with his budget, his proposed budget, and then Congress takes this into consideration when they pass their series of spending bills. And Trump's proposal includes drastic, drastic cuts, especially to the Department of Interior. I mean, he has proposed cutting 1.2 billion to the National Park Service, 900 million. Reduction in park operations, cutting 1,000 national park employees with potential reductions of up to 20%, eliminating grants of 26 million. Um, I mean, it's like just these, like, drastic, drastic, drastic. So, you know, that begs the question.

[Mike Axelrod]

Does Trump's budget have public land sales in it?

[Brittany]

So that, that's, that wouldn't be something that would be in the budget, because that's.

[Mike Axelrod]

Oh, gotcha, gotcha, gotcha. This is something that is just like an additional thing. Like the, The House Congressman from Utah decided, hey, yeah, I'm throwing this in because this is something that is important to me. I'm going to get a little bit of. Maybe there's a lobby that he's after.

[Brittany]

I don't, you know. Yeah, I mean, I get. I don't know what else.

[Mike Axelrod]

Why else would you do it if you're not just trying to acquiesce, not acquiesce, appease a constituent that funded you?

[Brittany]

I mean, it's a lot of acre. So, I mean, you know, part of it, I think would be turned over to the state. I don't know. I don't know. Because there's this drastic cut proposed to the Interior and to the National Park Service. People are thinking, well, they're just going to be sitting there and you can't run them. And if there's no one to run these things and if you've cutting all the services, then they must be lining up to sell off some of these lands. You know, I mean, you know, they've made no bones about the fact that they want to open them up for, you know, more energy and drilling and things like that.

[Mike Axelrod]

Well, here's what I'll say is that to me and a lot of people, you know, there's been a bunch of people in our DMs saying, why aren't you saying anything about. Or whatnot? And I said, well, you know, we're just waiting. It's a wait and see kind of scenario, and it's big politics. And really, at the end of the day, Based on what you just said, it's very specific, big politics. Utah, Nevada specifically. And when it comes to budget passes, those two states don't have the say of the budget. There's going to be a give and take, push, pull. I'm getting this. You're getting that kind of scenario. And obviously everyone's talking to the representatives. And most, you know, you would think most of the West's representatives are getting pressure from a lot of their constituents to say, guys, this isn't a good idea because you're setting precedents and whatnot. Beyond that, I'll say this because I have a point of view that most people don't have. The thing that makes America so amazing and the thing that I'm so proud of to be an American is the fact that we have public lands. The fact that I can go out my back door with a loaded gun 20 minutes down the road and in season or based on the regulations of the land that I'm on, I can do what I want, essentially.

[Brittany]

Right?

[Mike Axelrod]

You can't do that anywhere else in the world. I remember visiting Cody, Wyoming, and the guys that I was there for, the American Bear foundation, took me out of town on a sunrise walk. And we parked on this. This unknown little dirt road on this little unknown dirt parking lot. We got out and we just started walking. And I was like, where are we walking? He's like, oh, no, you're on public ground right now. I was like, what? They're like, yo, this everything in front of you. Anybody can use, anybody can go walk on. And we walked up to this cliff and we sat on the edge of the cliff and watched the sunrise. And I was just blown away. I was like, this is amazing. I don't have to pay, I don't have to get an interest fee. I don't have to get a license to come here. I could just go. And that's available to anybody in the world, really. At the end of the day, anybody in the world can do this. And to me, that's what makes America amazing.

[Brittany]

It. It really does. And, you know, I just got back from Arizona, where the public land out there is just mind boggling, Lee, if that's a word, beautiful. It's stunning. And. And there's so much more public land out in the west than there is where, you know, we live in the South. You and I both live in the South. And, and so to be able to go out there and everywhere we hiked, every single place we hiked was public land. And so people travel from all over the country and all over the world to be there. I mean, there were people from France and Germany on hikes where we were hiking, and they were just so appreciative to be over there and have that opportunity, as was I. So I do think it's so important for us to fight to save our public lands and to at least say, look, we don't like this. Um, I mean, in the grand scheme of things right now, 460,000 acres is, is a tiny drop in a bucket. But, but we need to make sure, like any loss of public land is not great.

[Mike Axelrod]

You're never getting it back. You're never getting it back. You know, you know this already. Like, people convert from forest to agriculture. It's never going back to forest.

[Brittany]

Well, or it'll be developed. I mean, out there. Out there would be developed in a heartbeat. So I mean, we are, we are running out of places for people to live. And in the most beautiful parts of the country, those are the first places that they are putting up, you know, hotels and ski resorts and, you know, they'll be developed. So we do have to protect it. I am just as concerned, if not more so at the moment because it's happening right underneath us about these drastic cuts in the US Geological Service. USGS is what we call, does just as important work as the US Fish and Wildlife Service. And there have. I mean, we are, we are losing entire programs under usgs. So just in case you don't hear a lot about usgs, you don't hear.

[Mike Axelrod]

As much about background research Agency do great hydrological work. I've interacted with him for my earthquakes.

[Brittany]

Earthquakes and natural resources, water resources, ecosystems and wildlife, energy, natural resources. They are, they are the research and science component of virtually everything outside in America.

[Mike Axelrod]

I remember we had two fisheries professors that were USGS co op unit guys, Miranda and, and, and. Oh, shit, what was his name? Hal Shram. Hal Shram, yeah. Two old curmudgeonly buggers. But they were great fishery scientists.

[Brittany]

Well, some of the most brilliant people I've ever interacted with have worked for USGS because they have all these brilliant scientists who work for them. But I mean, all invasive species research virtually in America goes through usgs and like the entire center for Biological Research has been cut. The house has proposed a 5.8% reduction in funding. That doesn't sound.

[Mike Axelrod]

So when you say the center for Biological Research has been cut, they're still working through the budget process.

[Brittany]

They're still working through the budget. But what's happened is. And this is. I've had to dig because, like, part of my mind saying, well, the administration can't do this. But. But I interact with Fish and Wildlife Service and USGS on a regular basis, as you know, and they are getting emails left and right. So what they're doing is they're coming in and they've come in with things like rif, reduction in workforce methods. They send basically performance evaluations, and they have come in and fired everybody within the probationary period. You know, we, we all kind of heard about that.

[Mike Axelrod]

Haven't all those people been rehired again? I heard they were rehired. Like all the National Park Service people got rehired.

[Brittany]

Not all of them. Or like they've told, like, almost all of the senior leadership of the program we just talked about. They all resigned because they got, hey, your bud. Your. All of the, all of the budget for your program is being cut. It's all going away. So we're giving you the opportunity to take early retirement. We'll buy you out. So then everybody's like, well, we see the writing on the wall and so we'll resign. And then so you lose decades and decades and decades of this leadership, this expertise. So no one's there anymore to run it. And you can't replace that. I mean, you can't just come back in and rebuild decades and decades of research and these programmatic, like, I mean, basically these entire programs, I mean, for, for lack of a better way to put it, they're. They've been utilizing all of these really sort of creative ways to reduce, like, the workforces. They have rescissions, reprogramming, withholding funds. Like they, you know, at will, political appointees have been rescinded. They. Civil servants versus political appointees. Like just all these hiring freezes.

[Mike Axelrod]

Isn't that typical though, of any administration change?

[Brittany]

Not like this. Not like this. Not like this. I mean, it's kind of basically like leave or, you know, you're going to end up being fired. Like.

[Mike Axelrod]

But they can't be fired.

[Brittany]

Well, yeah, they can be fired. What do you mean they can be fired? If there's not going to be any. If there's not going to be any.

[Mike Axelrod]

There's processes in place.

[Brittany]

Not, not like, not like you would think. Not like you would think. It's, it's. It's been. It's. It's kind of been really crazy. So, I mean, we've already had a thousand National Park Service employees laid off. A thousand.

[Mike Axelrod]

That was that, that probationary thing.

[Brittany]

They have not gotten Their jobs back. No, a thousand have not gotten their jobs back.

[Mike Axelrod]

Interesting.

[Brittany]

So, I mean, there's just. There's just a lot.

[Mike Axelrod]

And we think this is just tied to. But that is, we. We think this is as tied to budgets, trying to. To trim bridge budgets. And it's happening to every agency across the board. So we're thinking all government agencies. EPA is also feeding the crunch, because I haven't heard anything from EPA side of things.

[Brittany]

Oh, I think every agency is feeling the crunch. And. And so that's one of the things that concerns me. Like, I think we needed to reduce government waste. I think that a lot of stuff could be and can be cut. I just think it's going so fast. It's going so fast. Like. Like, why can't we take a breath and figure out what's the good stuff? What is the stuff that we need? I mean, like, the entire wildfire research prevention program has been cut. So that seems. That sounds pretty important to me.

[Mike Axelrod]

Yeah, well, they need more of that. They need more like wildfire management, if anything.

[Brittany]

I mean, that's what I would think. So that's concerning. I mean, there's just all these programs that are really important that have been cut. And I just think that, you know, instead of relying on some of the leadership, like going to them and saying, okay, you gotta make cuts, cut 20% and give us your proposal and we'll look at it, and if that's reasonable, then we'll go with it. But not just coming in and saying you're gonna cut this, this, this, and this without giving the people that know it, know what they're doing, the opportunity to weigh in and say, okay, well, we understand we have to cut, and here's where we think it should be cut.

[Mike Axelrod]

Do you think they didn't do it because they felt like if they had asked the question, it would never have gotten done?

[Brittany]

I don't know. I don't know. I mean, I just think they felt like they needed to do it quick, fast. It was like super fast. I don't know. I mean, I wish I knew because, I mean, I think a lot of us have been surprised.

[Mike Axelrod]

Well, it's almost like, again, and this is why we probably haven't said much about it, is what do you do? Like, this isn't.

[Brittany]

You know, right now everybody needs to be calling their members of Congress.

[Mike Axelrod]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure.

[Brittany]

Right now. Because we're in the middle of the budget process right now. The president's budget proposal has been put out. Congress is in the middle of Finishing up their appropriations requests. They're in the middle of working on their budget bills, and now is the time, like, to call your members of Congress and say, look, we care about the Department of Interior, we care about the Fish and Wildlife Service, we care about the National Park Service, we care about public lands, and we care about, you know, science and research. So, like, please keep these things in the budget. You know, whatever you don't care about, tell them what you don't care about.

[Mike Axelrod]

We don't care about spending. One point. We don't care about $180 million being spent on rounding up one courses.

[Brittany]

Right. Or Department of Education or whatever it is, you know, that you don't care about. Say, cut this, you know, but don't cut these things. I mean, do you know that more people visited national parks last year than they did football stadiums, baseball stadiums, Disneyland, Disney World, and something else combined?

[Mike Axelrod]

That's amazing. Well, it doesn't. It makes sense, man. It's. It's. Those are icons of. Icons of the world, right? Yellowstone, Yosemite.

[Brittany]

Yeah. And I don't have it in front of me, but it is something like the National Park Service entire budget is something like 0.15% of 1% of the national budget. Like, it's a. It's a tiny drop in the 0.1%.

[Mike Axelrod]

Probability of the defense budget.

[Brittany]

It's. Yeah, it's like, it's such a small portion, so, like, golly, so important to most Americans, and it's such a small percent of our overall budget.

[Mike Axelrod]

I think future, maybe future defense contracts should have a 0.1% to go towards science and research and natural resources conservation in the States. How about that? That would be sweet.

[Brittany]

Just leave it how it is. I mean, you know, we've got some really good mechanisms to fund these things. So anyway, that's my. So, yeah, we haven't, you know, and to answer your point as to why we haven't been hammering this thing on, like, Instagram, social media. Everybody else is. Everybody else is. We have so many partners who are. We have been reposting, you know, all these other stories. I mean, I feel like the conservation community has rallied around this, and so there's a lot of people working on this. You know, I haven't seen a single post about the USGS cuts or the Department of Interior cuts or Fish and Wildlife Service. So, you know, once we see more of these budget bills come out, we'll probably start putting more out there.

[Mike Axelrod]

So give everybody. What is, what is the timeline from now? Like, if, if they're discussing budgets. Are we talking, Is this a 4 week, 1 month effort or 3 month effort or a 12 month effort? When do they have to get the budget passed by?

[Brittany]

Oh, well, I mean, they're supposed, they're supposed to get it out. I mean, technically. So the federal government runs on Wednesdays. Get the state in the federal.

[Mike Axelrod]

I think it's October 1st, right?

[Brittany]

Yeah. And they're supposed to pass it. I think they're supposed to pass it before July. But don't, don't quote me on that. I have to look it back up. Every state is a little different versus the feds. But I mean, they never do anymore. They never do anymore, which is why we keep having these continuing resolutions. Continue resolutions. So, I mean, I, I don't think we even have the one for this past year done to get us through the end of this fiscal year. But it's just, it's just been a complete mess.

[Mike Axelrod]

So it seems like certain things were like hot and hot and bothered. And then lately you're not hearing anything like, I don't, I haven't heard. Again, this is definitely not what we typically talk about from a roundup perspective. I haven't heard anything about Doge lately or anything like that. It's almost like, it's like the firework went off and I don't hear it anymore.

[Brittany]

On, on which. What do you mean?

[Mike Axelrod]

Just the, what is it? The Department of Governmental Efficiency.

[Brittany]

Oh, no, they're still working.

[Mike Axelrod]

Yeah, but I don't hear, you know, you don't hear that like all the sensational stuff anymore. I don't know. Anyway, it's not.

[Brittany]

You may have just been blocking it from your algorithm.

[Mike Axelrod]

I don't know. Maybe, maybe, maybe.

[Brittany]

But here, here, in case anybody wants some more bad news. Um, so Alabama, we talked about. You, you were gone, but Fred Bird and I talked about the Alabama, the deer breeder bill that was moving through that we were, you know, there was a lot in it about CWD testing, you know, restricting the agency from killing testing, transferring deer.

[Mike Axelrod]

But it was more to do with like owning deer. Right?

[Brittany]

Well, that was our biggest concern. Our biggest concern was that it would said specifically in the bill that deer are considered personal property of the breeder. And, and that was what we were really upset about. Well, that was signed in the law last week in Alabama.

[Mike Axelrod]

So the governor signed that into law.

[Brittany]

Yeah, as of May 11, it passed the Senate on May 7 in Alabama. And, and you know, we kept hearing from within Alabama. Oh, you know, you, you guys, you know, everybody should Stay out of it. It's an Alabama, it's an Alabama, you know, situation. It's a, we need to handle it within our state. But I take issue with that as a Mississippi hunter. And also I'm from Memphis. You know, we hunt in Tennessee, surrounding states. I've hunted in Georgia, hunted in Louisiana. Like it's not just an Alabama issue. Like what you do in one state affects your surrounding states. And so you can't just say it's just an Alabama issue. Like that's not true. I mean, how you handle your wildlife management and which is why these states are so collaborative. You know, all the wildlife biologists talk to each other across states. You know, the deer biologists in Mississippi talk to the head deer biologists in Louisiana and right now in Alabama, which I think is not coincidental. They don't have a head deer biologist at the moment. So I don't think it's surprising that this is when this bill was introduced. You know, they're a longtime deer biologist resigned and they haven't filled the position. So for instance, when they were holding public meetings to have like CWD listening sessions and such, they asked our head deer biologist from Mississippi to go over there. I mean, people were not very nice to him. So anyway, we don't have to get into it, but just wanted to let the public know because we have talked about it, that, that, that passed. I think it's an alarming trend because it does go against the North American model of wildlife management here with the, with the privatization of wildlife. So I don't, I don't love that we're still monitoring some of these Sunday hunting bills that we've talked about. You know, as of right now, we've had some good committee action in Pennsylvania. The, both the Senate bill and a House bill have been introduced to allow all Sunday honeymoon. So they. We've had bills in both the Senate and the House introduced so that Pennsylvania would have all Sunday hunting opportunities. And they are under review in the Senate Gammon Fish Committee and also the House Game and Fish Committee. So we're continuing to monitor that Pennsylvania session will go all year long. The way they operate is they have a two year session and they meet on certain days throughout the year. Yeah, so they'll go through December. So there's still a lot of opportunity for that to potentially pass. So if you live in or around Pennsylvania, please call your members, tell them.

[Mike Axelrod]

What other Sunday issue, what other Sunday hunting is. It's just Pennsylvania right now.

[Brittany]

No, no, no. Well, two states don't have it at all. Maine and Massachusetts do not allow Sunday hunting. I mean, these go back forever.

[Mike Axelrod]

Maine is never going to change. I'm sorry.

[Brittany]

They've got the right of. They have the whole, like, food sovereignty.

[Mike Axelrod]

Yeah. But here's the issue. And they've been taking the call. Like, I went to the main Supreme Court and the main Supreme Court said, no.

[Brittany]

They just got the right to hunt and fish. Passed out of committee in April.

[Mike Axelrod]

Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. But.

[Brittany]

But that would not override.

[Mike Axelrod]

No. And here's the thing.

[Brittany]

Why do you think they'll never get it?

[Mike Axelrod]

Because it comes down to this. It comes down to the idea that Maine is an open hunt state, which means if you do not post your land, anyone can hunt it. Okay.

[Brittany]

Okay.

[Mike Axelrod]

So here is the crux, as I understand it. If Sunday is the reprieve. So Sunday is I can walk on my land if I choose to let people hunt my land. Okay. Sunday is time for me. It's time for me to enjoy my land by myself. I'm giving you open access every other day. Sunday is my day. If you say they can come hunt on Sunday, Okay. Now I'm shutting it all down for seven days. Now you can't have access to anything because you won't give me my one day.

[Brittany]

Okay.

[Mike Axelrod]

That's the crux.

[Brittany]

Okay. Well, how unusual.

[Mike Axelrod]

It's a very. Look, look, it. It has pros and cons. And then you have. But then you also have people doing research that say that won't happen. People won't shut their lands down. It's a. It's just. And it's been. Let's actually, they've. They've brought this forward. Like, I think it's 25 years now. Not every year, but it's been going for 25 years trying to change this.

[Brittany]

Well, this year is still going. We're still working on it.

[Mike Axelrod]

There's also a lot of, like, there's actually a. I. We don't. Don't have time to get into it today. And I don't know the details of it, but there is a. There's a backstory.

[Brittany]

No. Well, I would like to hear the backstory.

[Mike Axelrod]

There's a. There's a sort of. I don't know if it. I think it's got to do with race. A racial backstory to why hunting. Yes. Is in place back from the, like, early 1900s. Don't quote me on that. I might be getting that wrong. But there is a. There is a story to why it's in place.

[Brittany]

Okay, let Me back up for one second because I just did double check. They did, in March, pass the CR current continuum budget resolution through this fiscal year, which will conclude September 30th. So we do have a budget. So through September 30th. Thank goodness. And then so now they're working on next year's. So.

[Mike Axelrod]

Okay. All right. Well, now I can hear your dogs.

[Brittany]

Hi. No, I don't know how to mute. Can I mute myself on here and yell?

[Mike Axelrod]

You can, but you can't talk. Then if you're muted.

[Brittany]

Lunch. Can I mute for, like, one second? How do I do that? Just hit mic.

[Mike Axelrod]

There's a little. Yeah, hit the little mic button and it'll go mute. So whilst Ashley is yelling at her dogs. Yeah, just. What's our number? Google number. If you want to text us, give us some information, give us some feedback, our Google number is. I'll find it right now. 6017-906076-01790.

[Brittany]

Have you gotten any lately?

[Mike Axelrod]

607. Well, it's because you haven't been advertising and we haven't been doing a roundup.

[Brittany]

I want to flash it up on our. I feel like it should be on our Instagram profile.

[Mike Axelrod]

Okay. Text Kate.

[Brittany]

Okay. I'd like some more Google messages.

[Mike Axelrod]

Okay. Be careful what you wish for.

[Brittany]

Hit us up. Hit us up.

[Mike Axelrod]

Be careful what you wish for.

[Brittany]

Yeah, and. Yeah, and give us some more. Let us know what you want to talk about.

[Mike Axelrod]

Okie dokie. I'm off to Colorado tomorrow. I'll be in Colorado wins round Roundup drops. Yeah, I will not.

[Brittany]

I will be in rainy Mississippi.

[Mike Axelrod]

We've been having a lot of rain. Everyone's been having a lot of rain. South Africa's been having a lot of rain. Tick bite fever is through the roof. Coming out of South Africa this year. I even got it.

[Brittany]

Oh, yeah. Are you all well from that, by the way?

[Mike Axelrod]

Yeah. I've got this nasty little, like, wound on my inside of my right leg. Still a little. Oh, it's still got a little lump there. Yeah. For sure.

[Brittany]

Y' all don't want.

[Mike Axelrod]

You want to see it?

[Brittany]

No. You've sent me a picture before.

[Mike Axelrod]

Don't tell people that.

[Brittany]

Of your leg wound. That's all he sent me a picture of, just to clarify.

[Mike Axelrod]

Hilarious. Yeah. So it's just crazy, the ticks in South Africa right now, everyone's complaining about them. It's just been wet, wet, wet and still raining. Like, it's supposed to be drying up now and it's still raining.

[Brittany]

Well, it's it has not quit here for weeks. I feel like we are never, ever, ever going to end baseball season because we have makeup games for months to oh, geez.

[Mike Axelrod]

Yeah, yeah. I'm glad my kids aren't in that. I have to take Leo the scouts, I think tonight. That's it.

[Brittany]

Okay, well, ciao. Have fun in Colorado.

[Mike Axelrod]

Ciao.

[Brittany]

Talk to you later. Thanks, guys.

[Mike Axelrod]

Well, that's it for today. I appreciate you listening. As always, leave a review, share it with your friends, and most importantly, do what's right to convey the truth around hunting hey, what's up happy people? This is Robert Arrington from Deer Meat for Dinner. If you're into bow fishing like I am, you need to check out Cajun Bow Fishing. I've been using their gear for for years, from the Sucker Punch Pro to the Winch Pro reel. It's tough, it's reliable, and it works. Whether you're just getting started or you're ready to take the step to the next level. Head over to cajunbowfishing.com and check out everything Cajun Bow Fishing has to offer. I trust their gear because it works. So if you're hitting the water soon, make sure you're rigged up with Cajun Bow Fishing. You will not regret it.

[Brittany]

Want to plan your next fishing trip without the hassle? FishingBooker.com is the best way to find and book a fishing charter anywhere in the world. Whether you're chasing trophy fish or just looking for a family day on the water, fishingbooker makes it simple, fast and secure. With thousands of experienced guides, verified reviews and 247 customer support, FishingBooker takes the guesswork out of planning. Visit fishingbooker.com and book your trip today. FishingBooker Fishing trips made easy.