Dan Gates breaks down and responds directly to public comments from the loudest anti-hunting activists influencing Colorado wildlife policy, including First Gentleman Marlon Reis, Project Coyote representative Mark Surls, and Samantha Miller (Ctr. for Biological Diversity), examining how their rhetoric collides with science-based wildlife management and the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation.

Using their own words, Dan examines how emotional activism, misinformation, and ideological pressure are increasingly shaping wildlife decisions — often at the expense of science-based management. The episode highlights how these narratives impact Colorado Parks and Wildlife, public trust, and the future of regulated hunting, trapping, and conservation funding.

This is a critical conversation for anyone who cares about wildlife science, transparency, accountability, and keeping conservation decisions in the hands of professionals — not extremists.

Listen, share, subscribe and stay informed — the future of wildlife management depends on it.

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In our final episode of the year, Dan Gates takes a serious look at what’s coming next for Colorado’s furbearer management as the CPW Commission prepares to debate sweeping changes that could permanently reshape wildlife conservation in our state. We dig into what’s really at stake — from the future of regulated trapping and ethical fur use, to the role furbearers play in healthy ecosystems, to the danger of emotional politics replacing science-based wildlife management.

We talk about what these proposals could mean for Colorado’s wildlife, ranching communities, working landscapes, and the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. If you care about science, sustainability, ethical use, and real conservation, this is a conversation you need to hear.

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In this episode, Dan updates us on some of the recent news coming from Colorado breaking down the political influence on Colorado wildlife management and the real-world consequences now playing out inside Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

The discussion begins with the resignations of Director Jeff Davis and Commissioner Murphy Robinson. Dan explains why these departures matter, what they signal about internal pressure, and how politics are increasingly overriding professional wildlife expertise.

From there, the episode dives into beaver management, furbearer policy, and how trapping bans and public perception are reshaping effective conservation tools. Dan also addresses deer population research, declining herd health, and how predator management—or the lack of it—directly impacts big game across Colorado.

This conversation ties each issue back to the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, explaining how funding, data-driven decisions, and professional biologists are being sidelined by emotion, ballot initiatives, and political optics. For hunters, conservationists, and anyone who cares about where their food comes from, this episode lays out why Colorado has become ground zero for a national wildlife policy fight.

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In this unique Through the Gates episode, Dan visits Colorado Gators in the San Luis Valley—one of the most unexpected reptile sanctuaries in the West. Chad Hacking walks us through the history of the farm, how a tilapia operation became an alligator rescue, and why hundreds of gators now thrive in a place better known for snow than swamps.

Hear the real story behind reptile rescues, why alligators don’t make good pets, how invasive snakes became a crisis in the South, and what it takes to care for hundreds of crocodilians at 7,500 feet. From reptile behavior to wildlife education, this episode blends conservation, curiosity, and Colorado oddities in a way you won’t forget.

Perfect for listeners interested in wildlife sanctuaries, conservation, invasive species, reptiles, and the North American Model.

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In this special international episode of Through the Gates, Dan sits down in remote Porcupine Plains, Saskatchewan with Bryon Patchin, owner of Piwie Lake Outfitters and a lifelong trapper, guide, fur buyer, and outdoorsman.

Bryon shares a rare inside look at what it means to truly live off the land—from 40 years of trapping, guiding whitetail and black bear hunters, and buying furs across some of the most remote regions in Canada. He explains how Indigenous trappers survive without roads, how registered traplines work, the challenges of fluctuating fur prices, and the realities of predator–prey cycles, wolf pressure, and habitat conditions.

This episode highlights the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, sustainable use, and the deep cultural connection rural Canadians have with wildlife management. It also draws important parallels to the challenges U.S. sportsmen face with misinformation, anti-hunting activism, and the growing disconnect between urban emotionalism and real conservation.

If you care about hunting, trapping, land-based heritage, or understanding where your wildlife conservation dollars go—this is a must-listen.

Listen, share, and stay informed — the future of wildlife management depends on it.

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Colorado is becoming the nation’s testing ground for aggressive anti-hunting and anti-management efforts — and in this episode, we break down exactly what’s happening, who’s behind the push, and how it threatens the future of wildlife conservation in the West.

This conversation in conjunction with Cable Smith's Lone Star Outdoor Show dives deep into the rising political pressure on wildlife policy, ballot-box biology, predator management, wolf reintroduction, misinformation campaigns, rural vs urban value clashes, and the growing movement to eliminate hunting opportunities in Colorado.

If you care about hunting, conservation, wildlife science, or the future of outdoor heritage, this is a must-listen episode.

✔ How anti-hunting groups are targeting Colorado
✔ Why ballot initiatives are becoming the new battleground
✔ The real science behind predator management
✔ Why hunters are losing ground — and how to fight back
✔ What the public doesn’t understand about wildlife agencies
✔ How social media shapes false narratives about conservation

Listen, share, and stay informed — the future of wildlife management depends on it.

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In this powerful joint episode of Through the Gates and Rokcast, Sam Weaver sits down once again with Dan Gates, Executive Director of Coloradans for Responsible Wildlife Management (CRWM), to break down the escalating fight for science-based wildlife management in Colorado.

Dan explains the behind-the-scenes political pressure, legislative maneuvering, and activist tactics threatening hunting, fishing, agriculture, and wildlife conservation across the West. From the mountain lion hunting ban proposals, to attacks on furbearer management, to the wolf introduction fallout — this is the most in-depth look at what’s REALLY happening in Colorado’s wildlife policy arena.

If you care about hunting, conservation, predator management, trapping, houndsmen, wildlife biology, ranching, Western values, or public lands, this episode is required listening. Learn why Colorado has become the national battleground for anti-hunting groups — and what sportsmen and women around the country MUST do to fight back.

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In this episode of Through the Gates, Dan sits down with Randy Jackson, founder of Rustic Living / Rustic Log Furniture, to explore how true craftsmanship, sustainable forestry, and Colorado heritage come together in heirloom-quality furniture. Randy shares how a simple Mother’s Day project grew into a decades-long business built on responsibly harvested dead-standing aspen, rigorous quality control, and a deep commitment to reducing waste through long-lasting, handcrafted products.

Listeners will discover how sustainably sourced forest products support both healthy ecosystems and local economies, why natural aspen creates timeless rustic pieces, and how Randy’s team works closely with the Forest Service to remove dead timber that would otherwise fuel catastrophic fire risk. You’ll also hear how his passion for design, engineering, and innovation turned Rustic Living into one of Colorado’s most respected furniture makers.

If you care about sustainable home goods, handcrafted quality, thoughtful use of natural resources, or Colorado’s tradition of working with the land—this episode is for you.

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