On October 26, 2019, five female outdoor communicators became Soque Slayers at Headwaters on the Soque (HOTS). It was the lodge's inaugural Ladies Cast and Blast event. Five women from different states, backgrounds, interest levels, and fishing styles all united by a love of fishing, fly and all, share their experiences from this heavenly slice of northeast Georgia. Here are their fish tales. Our roundtable discussion featured: Cindy Nguyen of Columbia Sportswear: https://www.instagram.com/sidtx...
Nov 27, 2019•37 min•Season 2Ep. 58
In Episode 57 of District of Conservation, Gabriella dissects the gun control bills that will be heard in Virginia's General Assembly come January and why they won't stop crimes but rather criminalize law-abiding gun owners in the state. She also offers three ways to be proactive and fight back these bad bills. SHOW NOTES: HB 2 Firearm transfers https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?201+sum+HB2 DOJ study https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/suficspi16.pdf HB9 Stolen firearms -24 hour penal...
Nov 25, 2019•28 min•Season 2Ep. 57
District of Conservation will now drop episodes every Monday. And for the holiday season, we'll double up on episodes on Mondays and Wednesdays. On Monday, Gabriella will have an episode about the gun control bills that will be heard in Virginia's General Assembly come January. On Wednesday, her group interview with female outdoor writers from her Headwaters on the Soque trip debuts. You don't want to miss it! Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/34eUwr0 Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Q...
Nov 22, 2019•3 min•Season 2Ep. 56
Stephanie Vatalaro of Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation is our guest for Episode 55 of District of Conservation. She serves as the Senior Vice President of Communications and Marketing at the organization, which is based in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. The Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) is a national, non-profit organization that has been leading the drive for over 20 years – in partnership with industry and government, and through its brands Take Me Fishing and...
Nov 19, 2019•19 min•Season 2Ep. 55
Gabriella visited with Ben Cassidy, Chip Honeycutt, and Cyrus Baird at SCI's new DC headquarters on October 21st to see what they're up to, what's going on federally and across the states (in terms of legislation), their new podcast "Tag Soup" debuting, and so much more. Safari Club International (SCI) is a not-for-profit organization of hunters whose primary missions are to protect the freedom to hunt and to promote wildlife conservation. SCI's 50,000 members and 180 chapters in the US and arou...
Oct 29, 2019•48 min•Season 2Ep. 54
In Episode 53 of District of Conservation, Gabriella discusses the latest outdoor and conservation news AND previews some upcoming interviews on the docket. Why it's important for Virginia voters to vote for pro-gun candidates on November 5th Dierks Bentley getting fined $139.50 for not fishing with a license. No one is above the law: https://www.coloradoan.com/story/life/2019/10/17/country-star-dierks-bentley-fined-illegal-fishing-during-colorado-music-festival-seven-peaks/4013609002/?fbclid=Iw...
Oct 22, 2019•14 min•Season 2Ep. 53
Joe Kondelis of Western Bear Foundation is BACK on the podcast to talk about what's happening with the grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE)—which comprises portions of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. When we first spoke to Joe last year, Judge Christensen ruled that a tentative fall 2019 managed grizzly bear hunt in the region couldn't take place on the grounds that wildlife biologists allegedly "misled" the public on the recovery status of GYE grizzly bears, despite delisting e...
Oct 08, 2019•33 min•Season 2Ep. 52
In Episode 51 of District of Conservation, Gabriella ventured to the Washington, D.C., office of the National Shooting Sports Foundation to sit down with Mark Oliva, the trade association's Director of Public Affairs. NSSF annually puts on SHOT Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, and boasts well over 10,000 members. Mark discussed: His military career and how he landed in public affairs His role at NSSF How NSSF differs from NRA, GOA, and Second Amendment Foundation What NSSF's platform is and its variou...
Oct 01, 2019•51 min•Season 2Ep. 51
In Episode 50 of District of Conservation, Gabriella interviews award-winning outdoor writer and photographer Ken Perrotte. Ken is an Air Force veteran with decades' long experience in the communications field. He has served as the Fredericksburg Free Land Star's outdoor columnist since 1997, and also serves as the Conservation Field Editor for NWTF's Turkey Country and as Ducks Unlimited Magazine's South Atlantic Flyway Editor. Ken has had over 2,000 articles published in dozens of hunting, fis...
Sep 24, 2019•50 min•Season 2Ep. 50
In Episode 49 of District of Conservation, Gabriella discusses the following: What to expect on Season Two of the podcast Whether or not adult onset hunting is an epidemic or not How Aurelia Skipwith's nomination hearing to become the next U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officer went
Sep 17, 2019•14 min•Season 2Ep. 49
In Episode 48 of District of Conservation, Gabriella discusses the following: Congressional Democrats pushing the Assault Weapons Ban of 2019 (which would ban most semi-automatic firearms), red flag laws, and universal background checks (plus a plug for WHY MEADOW DIED) A Swedish scientist suggests eating human flesh will curb climate change and better the planet (Gross) The Department of Interior appropriating $170.6M in grant money for more Land and Water Conservation Fund projects SHOW NOTES ...
Sep 10, 2019•12 min•Season 2Ep. 48
In Episode 47 of District of Conservation, we've got much to celebrate! First, it's our one year anniversary of launching, so this show will be a special one to mark the start of Season II of the podcast. Gabriella discussed the start of the 2019-2020 hunting season and why it's important to get more adult onset hunters into the field. She also discussed William Perry Pendley, the new BLM Deputy Policy and Programs Director, and his op-ed at the Denver Post hitting back at critics about his posi...
Sep 03, 2019•23 min•Season 2Ep. 47
In Episode 46 of District of Conservation, Gabriella interviews Jeff Traynor of Furbearer Conservation. Nothing provokes immense reaction from Americans today than any mention of fur or fur-trapping. Celebrities, advocacy groups, and politicians have suggested wearing fur is murder and evil. In recent years, the war on fur has greatly reached new heights. This year, we saw many states take up bills banning predator hunting and trapping—namely in the states of New Mexico and California. Was this ...
Aug 20, 2019•58 min•Season 1Ep. 46
In Episode 45 of District of Conservation, Gabriella breaks down three important news items. They include: Newly-unveiled rules changes—or improvements—to the Endangered Species Act, specifically Section 4, 4(d), and 7, were announced by the Department of Interior yesterday to ensure more than 3 percent of listed species are delisted and can be recovered A defense of culling efforts of feral hogs which are invasive and not human-caused, despite one New Republic article claiming otherwise Why Rep...
Aug 13, 2019•18 min•Season 1Ep. 45
In Episode 44 of District of Conservation, Gabriella discusses the start of National Shooting Sports Month, the critical role firearms play in this country, and how August serves as the perfect opportunity to teach people real gun safety and handling. Notes: National Shooting Sports Month context How excise taxes collected on firearms go back to and pay most of conservation funding (i.e. habitat conservation and wildlife restoration efforts) First Department of Interior declaration in support of...
Aug 01, 2019•7 min•Season 1Ep. 44
In Episode 43 of District of Conservation, Gabriella chats with Cody McLaughlin—a Republican political operative by day, outdoorsman and conservationist by night and weekend. Cody sits on the board of the New Jersey Outdoor Alliance. He was recently recognized as a " 30 Under 30: The Green Generation " winner and Insider NJ's 2019 Insider 100 winner. He discusses the following on today's episode: His background and how he got hooked on fishing and hunting Why New Jersey has great fishing and hun...
Jul 30, 2019•42 min•Season 1Ep. 43
In Episode 42 of District of Conservation, Gabriella discusses her just released interview with Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt up at Sporting Classics Daily. Prior to becoming the 53rd Interior Secretary, Mr. Bernhardt served as Deputy Interior Secretary under past Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, who exited the Trump administration in December of last year. He also served various posts in the same agency during the Bush administration from 2001-2009 and most recently was a Board...
Jul 23, 2019•6 min•Season 1Ep. 42
In Episode 41 of District of Conservation, Gabriella deconstructs the misconceptions about political conservatives and conservation by arguing the two can be reconciled. She also discussed the formation of the Republican-led bicameral Roosevelt Conservation Caucus , her findings at the recent DC Project fly-over , and why Bureau of Land Management moving out West is good for improving stakeholder and land management efforts ....
Jul 16, 2019•21 min•Season 1Ep. 41
In District of Conservation, Gabriella interviews Lexi Quinn, a newly-retired firefighter and immediate past U.S. Forest Service wildland firefighter. She discusses how she got her start in the Great Outdoors through bowhunting, what compelled her to become a firefighter, how fires are started, what it was like combatting the recent California fires, what it's like for women to serve as firefighters, her thoughts on forest management and what should improve, her next move(s), the value of POMA a...
Jul 09, 2019•1 hr 26 min•Season 1Ep. 40
In Episode 39 of District of Conservation, Gabriella previews her interview with Interior Secretary Bernhardt and what they discussed; the problem with this anti-hunting op-ed in the Hartford Courier that calls for cutting hunting access on public lands with declining hunting numbers; and why you should buy a 2019-2020 duck stamp ....
Jul 02, 2019•18 min•Season 1Ep. 39
In Episode 38 of District of Conservation, Gabriella returns from a two-week hiatus and updates listeners on the latest happenings and what she's been up to. During Professional Outdoor Media Association's (POMA) Business Conference in Wichita, Kansas last week, she won the Pinnacle Award in the Conservation category for her Sporting Classics piece "Judicial Review Shouldn't Trump Wildlife Conservation" and she discusses why she's glad she belongs to POMA. Gabriella also discusses the piece bein...
Jun 25, 2019•20 min•Season 1Ep. 38
In Episode 37 of District of Conservation, Gabriella discusses how listeners can participating in National Fishing and Boating Weeks festivities through Free Fishing Days again via wwww.takemefishing.org but largely discussed Great Outdoors Month and how to participate; why Trump shouldn't ban suppressors despite one being used in the Virginia Beach mass shooting; and the brewing war on the proposed 2020 Federal Duck Stamp hunting theme. Notes: — 2019 National Fishing and Boating Week informatio...
Jun 04, 2019•17 min•Season 1Ep. 37
In Episode 36 of District of Conservation, Gabriella discusses fishing in western Maryland for the first time and why the area is a hidden gem. She also discusses taking her friend, Matthew Redmond, on his second fishing trip and his unconventional "first catch" with a carp plus their visit to Catoctin Wildlife Preserve in Thurmont, Maryland. She also discusses the upcoming 2019 National Fishing and Boating Week and how listeners can practice safe boating and ethical fishing practice s from June...
May 28, 2019•12 min•Season 1Ep. 36
In Episode 35 of District of Conservation, Gabriella discusses being selected as a finalist for Professional Outdoor Media Association's 2019 Pinnacle Awards. She'll find out June 19th if she's a Category Winner or Outstanding Achievement recipient in either the Newspaper/Online Publication or Wildlife Conservation categories. She also touched upon the new SCOTUS ruling, Herrera vs. Wyoming , that ruled 5-4 that a 1868 Native American treaty exempts the plaintiff from adhering to state wildlife ...
May 21, 2019•12 min•Season 1Ep. 35
In Episode 34 of District of Conservation, Gabriella recounts her recent tarpon fishing trip and how she lost a battle with one. However, she didn't come up empty-handed: she caught some bluefish and her first speckled trout. She fished alongside two ladies, Emily Feeks and Amy Lockhart, who serve in the Navy, thanks to James Boggs of Team ADDO . They fished with Captain Jason Lineburger of Ruthless Fishing Charters, who put them on the board with a lot of snook, speckled trout, and blue fish. G...
May 07, 2019•15 min•Season 1Ep. 34
In Episode 33 of District of Conservation, Robbie Kroger of Blood Origins joins the podcast to discuss Season 3 of his project and the power of video storytelling in the hunting industry. Here's what he touched upon: His background and how a letter is the inspiration behind Blood Origins His career in wildlife biology What is Blood Origins and the gist of the project Why he prefers America's conservation system over anywhere else The challenges that arise from people and entities not engaged in ...
Apr 30, 2019•43 min•Season 1Ep. 33
In Episode 32 of District of Conservation, Gabriella discusses the bleak origin of Earth Day and how sportsmen and women can reclaim the holiday from radical environmentalists. She also discussed her new CFACT video series CONSERVATION NATION and what viewers can expect from it. She also touched upon the latest chronic wasting disease (CWD) case found in a Culpeper, VA deer and some new members of the Department of Interior's Sport Fishing and Boating Council . Watch CONSERVATION NATION EP. 1 wi...
Apr 23, 2019•15 min•Season 1Ep. 32
On Episode 31 of District of Conservation, Gabriella interviews Brian Lynn and Bruce Tague from Sportsmen's Alliance. Brian serves as the Vice President of Communications and Marketing, while Bruce serves as Vice President of Government Affairs. Sportsmen's Alliance first began as the Wildlife Legislative Fund of America and Wildlife Conservation Fund of America, the organization formed in 1977 after Ohio Ballot Issue 2 threatened Ohio’s trapping community. After leading the fight to successfull...
Apr 16, 2019•56 min•Season 1Ep. 31
In Episode 30 of District of Conservation, Gabriella recounts her experience in Virginia's Elk Country and why this is a conservation success. She also talked about her upcoming talk at Ohio State University tomorrow on how "Hunting is Conservation" alongside Bruce Tague of Sportsmen's Alliance and Dr. Robert Gates from Ohio State University's School of Environment and Natural Resources. There are about 200 elk in SWVA right in the heart of Coal Country. Elk used to roam much of the East Coast u...
Apr 02, 2019•13 min•Season 1Ep. 30
In Episode 29 of District of Conservation, Gabriella invites listeners to hear from Stephen Gutowski of the Washington Free Beacon. He is an NRA-certified firearms instructor and a recipient of a 2018 Defender of Liberty award from Second Amendment Foundation. Why firearms? Excise taxes collected on firearms through the Pittman-Robertson Act help pay the majority of conservation funding that comes from hunters and anglers. Gutowski has written for WFB since September 2014. What sparked his inter...
Mar 26, 2019•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 29
