On this episode of The Wisconsin Sportsman, Pierce is joined by George Ermert, Kyle Rorah, and Brian Glenzinski from Ducks Unlimited to talk about Ducks Unlimited's role in advocating for the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship fund, and everything that DU does for conservation! The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund is a fund unique to Wisconsin that has been used to purchase public land, create easements, and build bike trails, boat ramps, and campsites. Recently, the state of Wisconsin underwent their annual budget approval process, of which Knowles-Nelson did not make the cut. Now, that's not necessarily a bad thing, as you'll hear explained by George, Kyle, and Brian, but it is something that should be on your radar going forward. Outside of Knowles-Nelson, the guys share how DU works to purchase land through the Knowles-Nelson fund, how they build relationships with politicians in the state, ways they work to collaborate with non-hunters to work towards conservation initiatives, the importance of R3, and what the future of DU and Knowles-Nelson hold. It's a fantastic conversation you won't want to miss!

If you'd like to get connected with Ducks Unlimited and learn more about Knowles-Nelson, you can do so using the links below:

https://www.ducks.org/wisconsin - One-stop show for all things Wisconsin DU related (i.e. conservation projects updates, WI policy updates, upcoming events, ways to get involved, in-state contacts, etc.)

https://ducks.quorum.us/campaign/107428/ - Ducks Unlimited Call to Action page where people can easily send messages to their elected officials about the importance of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship program.

Big thanks to our fantastic partners:

Lone Wolf Custom Gear: www.lonewolfcustomgear.com

onX Hunt: www.onxmaps.com

Huntworth: www.huntworthgear.com

Good Chance Fly Fishing: www.goodchanceflyfishing.com

Wisconsin Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: www.backcountryhunters.org/wisconsin

TAKE ACTION THROUGH BACKCOUNTRY HUNTERS & ANGLERS

1. www.backcountryhunters.com/take_action
2. Call the US Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to speak with your representative's office

On this episode of The Wisconsin Sportsman, Pierce hops on the line with Dan Johnson to flesh out a few deer thoughts that have been rattling around! The guys cover everything from Dan's small-town coffee shop clout, to the moving target that is fitness, summer deer chores that actually have a high ROI, trail cam locations, seasonal deer transitions, hunting around livestock on working farms, hunting terrain features vs beds, and all the great new podcasts coming out of The Sportsmen's Empire!

Follow along with Dan on social media @ninefingerchronicles and find all the great shows the guys talked about at www.sportsmensempire.com

Big thanks to our fantastic partners:

Lone Wolf Custom Gear: www.lonewolfcustomgear.com

onX Hunt: www.onxmaps.com

Huntworth: www.huntworthgear.com

Good Chance Fly Fishing: www.goodchanceflyfishing.com

Wisconsin Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: www.backcountryhunters.org/wisconsin

TAKE ACTION THROUGH BACKCOUNTRY HUNTERS & ANGLERS

1. www.backcountryhunters.com/take_action
2. Call the US Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to speak with your representative's office

On this episode of The Wisconsin Sportsman, Pierce sits down with Derek Malcore, host of the Dropping Pins Podcast and co-host of The Okayest Hunter Podcast, to kick off this year's deer talks! The guys dive into aquatic food sources for deer, Derek's art background and how that translates to the woods, Derek's success last season, how hard it is to find your shot site, trail camera locations, early-season rubs, in-season scouting, getting kids into hunting, hunting on your toes, and much more! If you like deer, this episode is for you!

Be sure to follow along with Derek @thegreatartdoors, and go check out his awesome podcasts: Dropping Pins & The Okayest Hunter wherever you do your listening or at https://www.okayesthunter.com/pages/okayest-podcast-network

OPPOSE THE SALE OF PUBLIC LANDS

1. www.backcountryhunters.com/take_action
2. Call the US Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to speak with your representative's office

Big thanks to our fantastic partners:

onX Hunt: www.onxmaps.com

Huntworth: www.huntworthgear.com

Wisconsin Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: www.backcountryhunters.org/wisconsin

Good Chance Fly Fishing: www.goodchanceflyfishing.com

On this episode of The Wisconsin Sportsman, Pierce is flying solo with tons of updates and announcements regarding upcoming events, public land battles you might not have heard about yet, and what his e-scouting process has looked like so far this year. We've all heard about the ongoing fight to oppose the sale of public lands in the budget reconciliation bill, but a few conservation battles are being fought without as much attention: blocking the deconstruction of the lower four dams on the Columbia River Basin, and a push to maintain the Rodman Dam in Florida to protect a trophy bass fishery. On top of that, the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund is on the chopping block here in Wisconsin, which will be covered much more in-depth in the coming weeks. Lastly, as everyone's minds shift towards deer season, it's time to find that next honey hole for November, and Pierce shares some of his thoughts and ideas for finding big bucks using the onX Hunt app. We've got a little bit of everything this week, so buckle up, and enjoy!

OPPOSE THE SALE OF PUBLIC LANDS - BHA LINKS & CONTACT INFO:

1. www.backcountryhunters.com/take_action
2. Call the US Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to speak with your representative's office

PROTECT THE RODMAN DAM

https://www.bassmaster.com/conservation-news/news/urgent-call-to-action-save-rodman-reservoir-write-the-governor-today/

Big thanks to our fantastic partners:

onX Hunt: www.onxmaps.com

Huntworth: www.huntworthgear.com

Wisconsin Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: www.backcountryhunters.org/wisconsin

Good Chance Fly Fishing: www.goodchanceflyfishing.com

On this episode of The Wisconsin Sportsman, Pierce sits down with Wisconsin BHA Chapter Chair, Alec Bekkers, to talk all things public lands and public land policy! By now, I'm sure you've seen countless posts highlighting the importance of stopping the sale of public lands, and for good reason. But some of you might still be asking, "why?" Alec is here to answer that question and dives into the importance of holding on to our public lands to be used or leased for generations to come, which will in turn generate revenue for the government for years to come unlike a one time sale that only brings in payment once. The guys dive into how nuanced the issue of public lands is, and why talking about the multiple uses of public land are incredibly important for various groups. After that, the guys touch on some spring hearing questions, the use of cell cams to check traps, and upcoming events to be on the lookout for!

To get involved and join the Wisconsin BHA Chapter, or the chapter in whatever state you're from, visit backcountryhunters.org/join and if you want to take action by contacting your Senator, visit backcountryhunters.org/take_action to find your representative

Big thanks to our fantastic partners:

onX Hunt: www.onxmaps.com

Huntworth: www.huntworthgear.com

Wisconsin Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: www.backcountryhunters.org/wisconsin

Good Chance Fly Fishing: www.goodchanceflyfishing.com

On this episode of The Wisconsin Sportsman, Pierce sits down with Taylor Finger, the Wisconsin State Game Bird Ecologist, to talk about Wisconsin's birds and learn more about what would be required to finally have a sandhill crane hunt in the badger state! Taylor shares a ton of information on the current state of turkeys in WIsconsin, and some of the reasons that populations have boomed over the last couple of years. Then the guys dive into the history of Wisconsin's push to get a sandhill crane hunt, how Wisconsin would have to work with not only the Flyway Council, but also all of the states in the Mississippi Flyway, how the flyway councils work across the country, agricultural impacts of sandhill cranes, how bag limits are decided, and lots more! Whether you're a waterfowl hunter or not, you're going to enjoy learning all about how birds are managed in Wisconsin, and across the country!

Big thanks to Taylor for coming on the show! If you'd like to learn more about sandhill cranes or other birds in Wisconsin, visit dnr.wisconsin.gov , and to get in touch with Taylor or his team about any questions you may have, you can email him at taylor.finger@wisconsin.gov

Big thanks to our fantastic partners:

onX Hunt: www.onxmaps.com

Huntworth: www.huntworthgear.com

Wisconsin Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: www.backcountryhunters.org/wisconsin

Good Chance Fly Fishing: www.goodchanceflyfishing.com

On this episode of The Wisconsin Sportsman, Pierce is joined by Craig Amacker, owner of Madison Fly Fishing Company to talk about what Craig's career has looked like guiding in the driftless for nearly three decades! Craig is a Madison-native and lifelong fisherman who after working out in Yellowstone National Park, returned home and started guiding for Driftless trout and managing the fly shop of Fontana Sports. The guys dive into what the Driftless fishing scene looked like when Craig first got into fly fishing, how the bugs, fish, streams, and culture of the Driftless have changed, what his experience was like running a fly shop on the west side of Madison, advice for folks fishing in the Driftless, and much more!

If you want to book a day with Craig, visit www.madisonflyfishing.com to find more information and book your trip!

Big thanks to our fantastic partners:

onX Hunt: www.onxmaps.com

Huntworth: www.huntworthgear.com

Wisconsin Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: www.backcountryhunters.org/wisconsin

Good Chance Fly Fishing: www.goodchanceflyfishing.com

On this episode of The Wisconsin Sportsman, Pierce sits down with his long time hunting/fishing buddy, Logan Steinhoff, to tell the story of how they both punched their 5th period turkey tags, and capped off their season! Logan is a Wisconsin-native and lifelong outdoorsman who shares some wild stories from his time working for the Nohr Chapter of Trout Unlimited shocking trout streams in the driftless, doing stream restoration in central Wisconsin, and participating in deer collaring surveys through the DNR. The guys dive into the ups and downs of their final week of turkey season, the purchasing of a new shotgun in the middle of the season, how Pierce quickly redeemed himself after yet another mishap, and the story of Logan filling his tag while Pierce filmed the entire hunt!

If you want to watch how it all unfolded, go check out the latest video on The Wisconsin Sportsman Podcast YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheWisconsinSportsman

OPPOSE THE SALE OF PUBLIC LANDS - BHA LINKS & CONTACT INFO:

1. www.backcountryhunters.com/take_action
2. Call the US Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to speak with your representative's office

Big thanks to our fantastic partners:

onX Hunt: www.onxmaps.com

Huntworth: www.huntworthgear.com

Wisconsin Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: www.backcountryhunters.org/wisconsin

Good Chance Fly Fishing: www.goodchanceflyfishing.com