Live Wild with Remi Warren

Episode 221 | Conservation and How Hunters Are Making an Impact with RMEF President Kyle Weaver
Release Date: February 5, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode of the Live Wild podcast, host Remi Warren sits down with Kyle Weaver, President and CEO of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF), to discuss the critical role hunters play in conservation. The conversation centers on land and habitat conservation, the importance of access, multi-species benefits of big game initiatives, and the ongoing political and scientific challenges to wildlife management. The discussion also delves into exciting, large-scale projects across the West and East, the growing need for advocacy work to defend hunting, and the value of educating hunters through platforms like OutdoorClass.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Foundation of Conservation: Habitat and Access

• Hunters = Conservationists:
  Remi frames the entire discussion by asserting that hunters are the backbone of conservation:
  "As hunters, conservation is at the forefront of what we do... If there's no elk, if there's no mule deer, if there's no pronghorn, then there's no tags and all of this is for naught." [01:00]

• Land and Ecosystem Focus:
  Kyle emphasizes RMEF’s holistic approach, collaborating with state/federal partners and private landowners to conserve not just elk habitats, but entire ecosystems:
  "We have this little kind of... sweet sauce, which is that land and habitat thing... It’s really around this entire ecosystem." [03:34]

• More Than Elk:
  RMEF’s work benefits a broad swath of wildlife, including mule deer, pronghorn, and species both hunted and non-hunted.
  "Everything’s impacted as this big animal... is doing it. Well, why not be more intentional about it?... In the end, it helps the entire ecosystem." [05:07]

2. Highlighted Conservation Projects

Windmere Hills Conservation Easement (Elko, Nevada)

• Scope and Impact:
  22,000-acre conservation easement, connecting 73,000-75,000 acres, protecting migration corridors for both mule deer (up to 15% of Nevada’s population) and elk. Includes hunter access easements and habitat improvement opportunities.

  • "It’s a massive piece... that migration corridor... has probably become one of the most important parts of mule deer’s future." [09:34]

• Personal Connection:
  Remi’s personal history in the area underscores the significance of maintaining both habitat and traditional access for future generations.

  • "It’s protecting it for the way things are gonna be in the future. And that is what excites me, that I know my kids are gonna be able to enjoy the places that I used to enjoy as a kid." [12:10]

• Challenges of Checkerboarded Land:
  Patchwork ownership in the West complicates continuous habitat and public access, highlighting the importance of conservation easements.

• Notable Moment:
  "Sometimes you hit a home run, this is kind of the grand slam... it hits so many parts of our mission." [13:07]

Cumberland Forest Project (Southwest Virginia)

• Scope:
  62,000-acre easement—the largest public access project of its kind in Virginia, supporting a growing elk herd and preserving open space for diverse wildlife and recreation.

  • "That’s a big deal. In the east, that... is massive. But as that herd can grow... this starts to let that herd grow and provide a way for other private landowners..." [20:23]

• Ecosystem Connectivity:
  Links Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia, supporting elk migration and future population expansions. Benefits turkeys, whitetail, ruffed grouse, and others.

  • "Probably the largest of the forest and the smallest… are benefiting together here on this deal." [24:05]

Research Initiatives: Fire and Mule Deer (Utah)

• Biologgers and Science:
  A decade-long study tracking how fire impacts mule deer nutrition, stress, movement, and overall population health. Integrates heart rate, fat reserves, and migration data.

  • "Where does fire go from being good thing to bad thing?... This study really figures out, well, how did it truly affect the animal?" [37:51]

• Applying Science to Management:
  Data informs not just post-fire habitat work, but future targeted burning and landscape restoration for optimal animal benefit.

  • "When you understand the impact of these fires, you know where to go back and do targeted prescribed burning." [41:50]

3. Advocacy and the Political Fight: “Hunt to Conserve” Initiative

• C3 vs. C4 Distinction:
  RMEF (as a C3) is limited in direct political advocacy. The creation of “Hunt to Conserve” (a C4, with its own board) allows RMEF to more aggressively combat anti-hunting ballot initiatives and protect hunting rights.

  • "You gotta get into the emotional game... You gotta have a harder call to action... The C3s can’t do that, but the C4s can." [27:59]

• Recent Success Example – Colorado Mountain Lion:
  Proactive campaigning flipped a projected loss into a win for science-based management.

  • "We turned that thing from a 13-point behind to 11-point win... This will get rid of some of those limitations..." [29:41]

• Warning and Call to Action:
  Both warn how quickly rights can be lost and how difficult it is to claw back, as seen in California and potentially Oregon.

  • "Once it’s gone, it doesn’t come back... Hunters as a whole have to rally together on these things." [32:11]

• Ballot Initiative Manipulation:
  Many initiatives use misleading wording and titles, tricking uninformed voters—making education efforts essential.

  • "There was wording... that said if you take a tooth, an ivory, an antler... it’s now trophy hunting... Now that’s considered trophy, basically bans all hunting." [35:00]

4. Education and Hunter Development

• OutdoorClass Ownership:
  RMEF has fully acquired OutdoorClass, transforming it into a member benefit focused on delivering expert-led instruction and science translation for hunters.

  • "Us owning it really allows us, I think, to expand the use of it... to really make it a mission endeavor for us and a benefit for our members and supporters." [47:08]

• Scientific Research = Better Hunters:
  Data-driven knowledge helps hunters understand animal behavior, habitat, and best practice, enhancing both conservation outcomes and personal hunting success.

  • "If you know the animal and every in and out of the animal, what they’re thinking, what they want, you can go anywhere and be successful." [42:10]

• Best Management Practices:
  Upcoming programs (“Restore an Elk Country”) will offer land management and restoration guidance, again tying conservation work to hunter skills.

  • "The good thing about all this... it’s great, all the science... but we can make people a better hunter." [44:15]

5. The Power and Responsibility of Community

• Member Support and Volunteerism:
  RMEF’s success hinges on volunteers, donors, and members giving time, small donations, and advocacy muscle.

  • "They raise, you know, millions of dollars, 20 bucks at a time. They give us their most precious thing, which is their time." [50:32]

• Ongoing Mission:
  Every project, every acre, every issue is navigated with a sense of stewardship.

  • "Everything we do is about working for wildlife." [35:59]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Remi Warren:
  "If there's no elk, if there's no mule deer, if there's no pronghorn, then there's no tags and all of this is for naught." [01:00]

• Kyle Weaver on Access and Future Generations:
  "It's protecting it for the way things are gonna be in the future. And that is what excites me, that I know that my kids are gonna be able to enjoy the places that I used to enjoy as a kid." [12:10]

• On the Political Challenge:
  "The science and the research and the data are ignored most of the time. They really are. It's emotional. ... There's a huge misunderstanding of what hunting is." [27:21 & 27:40]

• On Ballot Initiative Deception:
  "Not just in the honeywell, anybody walking by asking for a signature, and you read it and you're like, I don't even understand what you're asking. That's intentional and really intentional in these ones that we've been fighting on the hunting world." [33:59]

• On Conservation Legacy:
  "I think since we started, we've conserved nearly one square mile a day since we've been around." [51:47]

Important Timestamps

• Opening / Introductions: [00:00–02:18]
• Land and Habitat Conservation Overview: [02:18–07:07]
• Windmere Hills, NV Project Details: [07:07–17:34]
• Cumberland Forest, VA Project Details: [18:45–24:05]
• Political Advocacy, Hunt to Conserve: [26:18–36:29]
• Mule Deer Fire Research Project (Utah): [36:29–43:28]
• OutdoorClass Education & Hunter Development: [43:28–48:17]
• Member/Volunteer Impact & Closing Reflections: [50:32–52:45]

Conclusion

This episode stands as a must-listen for anyone invested in the intersection of hunting and wildlife conservation. Through firsthand stories, project spotlights, deep dives into advocacy, and a shared passion for the wild, Remi and Kyle illuminate the role of hunters in shaping the future of North America’s wildlife, habitat, and outdoor heritage.

Whether you’re a seasoned member of RMEF, new to conservation, or just trying to draw a tag, the message rings clear: conservation starts with you—your dollars, your votes, and your voice on behalf of wildlife.

For more information:

• Join or support RMEF: rmef.org
• Learn about “Hunt to Conserve”: hunt2conserve.org
• Explore hunting education: outdoorclass.com

"Everything we do is about working for wildlife." – Kyle Weaver [35:59]