Scott Watley, host of Sportsman of Colorado, presents an engaging episode with guest Austin Parr, who sheds light on pressing challenges faced by outdoor enthusiasts in the state. The episode begins with a review of recent Colorado Parks and Wildlife Wildlife Commission meetings, where proposals with significant implications for sportsmen were put to the vote. Austin Parr, an advocate for outdoor sports, discusses the surprising outcomes of these meetings and stresses the unwavering need for sportsmen to engage and participate actively. Listeners gain insight into the realms of policymaking that affect recreational hunting and fishing, as Scott and Austin
Welcome to Sportsman of Colorado, Colorado’s premier outdoor radio show heard every Saturday afternoon on KLZ 560 with insights on hunting, fishing, archery, guns, and ammo from Colorado’s top outfitters featuring the industry’s leading experts on how to enhance your experience in the great outdoors. Now, here’s your host, Scott Watley.
SPEAKER 05 :
This is our live show on Saturdays, today, August 23rd. And this is our live show on Saturday. You’ll hear a couple of replays on Sundays, 8 in the morning, 8 at night. And then the following Thursday from 9 to 10 a.m., you’ll also hear that previous Saturday show. So hopefully one of those times will work out for you. And, of course, you can listen to our podcast wherever you get yours. Well, hey, no better person in the world of sportsmen to kick off with than outdoorsman than our guest today, Austin Parr. austin how are you bud doing just fine scott how are we doing i’m good man man i want to say personally and publicly and you know i’m glad nate uh zielinski put something on last night but um everybody in the outdoors and not just the anglers out there owes you a debt of gratitude and Just saying thank you for the hard fought fight and the hours and you took away from your family, your business and just doing fun things like fishing, you know, to help see this through. And I’ll explain to all of you, I don’t know, have any idea what I’m talking about right now. But man, I just want to tell you, thank you.
SPEAKER 11 :
Well, I appreciate it. But, you know, there’s really no thanks necessary. other than the ask for other anglers and sportsmen to also get involved, which we’re also going to be looking at here. And what we’ll be discussing is not what I want to be deeming a victory lap because it’s just simply continuing the status quo of what we’ve always done as hunters and anglers. And that’s kind of the scary part of this is that these attacks are going to continue to come. And if we don’t stand up as sportsmen, it was… It’s soberingly apparent at this meeting that we have the cards stacked against us.
SPEAKER 05 :
You know, you and I went down to CBW a couple weeks ago now and did get to meet the director and some other folks there and certainly appreciated their time. And it was nice to get to get those face-to-face meetings with them. And the director, Jeff Davis, has agreed to come on Sportsman of Colorado Radio, which I’m glad to say. And we’re looking forward to that conversation. So for those, you know, that may not know what we talked about and kind of what you’re talking about, what victory you guys talking about, kind of explain in a nutshell, you know, what’s been going on a little bit and then what happened over these last couple of days.
SPEAKER 11 :
Okay, so this particular meeting was on this last Thursday and Friday in Pueblo and was a standard CPW Wildlife Commission meeting. For people to be brought up to speed on this, the CPW Wildlife Commission is composed of governor appointees of various types of representation from agriculture to outfitters to sportsmen. At this point, whether anyone’s left, right, or center, there is no way to look past the fact that the Wildlife Commission has heavy influence from the governor and his husband, who the husband is a high-ranking PETA member and a wildlife, not wildlife, but animal rights activist. So there’s a lot of influence on that in the CPW Wildlife Commission. And the commission acts as the governing body for CPW. They have the broad rulemaking authority to add or subtract rules, hear petitions. all sorts of different things. And in this particular case, the angling community was faced with a couple of issues at this meeting, one of which was a proposal to allow a pilot program for the spearfishing of game fish, which CPW was ironically for. I myself am not really a huge fan of seeing trophy fish get taken at a rate far higher than what you’d be finding on a rod and reel style angler. But the commission, ironically, ended up voting against that particular petition, which makes sense for how they vote. But it was against CPW staff recommendation. The one that had a greater ability to influence what happens in the future was a policy. and petitioned from a group called Upstream Policies that would have banned the importation and or sale of what we originally thought was just live bait fish, but also had included live leeches into the mix. This particular initiative is funded by a group out of the UK. The parent company is called Charity Entrepreneurship, and they’re a big anti-fishing organization that’s looking to end up banning all live bait on a worldwide basis is what they’re end goal is. So they ended up placing this petition into the CPW commission back in the early portion of the year, and staff recommended, including the biologists, to deny this particular petition. And in the end, after way too much testimony, it was denied. But initially, it was set on what’s called the consent agenda, where commissioners would have been able to kill it right on the spot, However, four commissioners pulled it and then went through a lengthy process of debate, including several of the commissioners with animal rights legal type action. They’re both animal rights attorneys. They grilled and grilled and grilled various staff members and wound up, like I said, eventually voting against it. But this was way closer than any of us could have ever imagined it. And this would never have been in this type of a position if it wasn’t for how the commission is currently stacked at the moment. I want to give big thanks, however, to the director who stood up and actually mentioned our conversation, Scott, at the 10-year strategic plan meeting, as well as Frances Silva Blaney. She is the Outfitters representative and was, in this particular case, extremely advocating for sportsmen in this particular case. But The one thing I want to make blatantly clear here is I’m talking about and rambling on about this a little bit.
SPEAKER 05 :
No, dude, I want you to.
SPEAKER 11 :
Sportsmen are underrepresented in this meeting. And anybody listening has, unless you’ve attended a meeting, you have no idea what we’re up against. And I had no idea what we’re up against. Not only do we have a commission that is voting against sportsmen on a regular basis, but we have public commenters, both in person and online, through virtual comment period where we are getting absolutely overwhelmed. My small group, I had, I think, 10 people there. We all spoke on the matter. And then I want to still thank Dan Gates and Tim Emery, as well as Greg Lopez. All were there advocating for sportsmen. But when you want to talk about where that room sits, we are sitting at 90% underrepresented, both on virtual and in person. And if we don’t start standing up and showing up to these commission meetings on a regular basis, we are cooked And the one big highlight that I had was from a virtual commenter, and this is a general paraphrase of what she said. But she urged the CPW Wildlife Commission to avoid voting with sportsmen and continue to stop pandering to sportsmen because they are obviously shown that they are not represented and that anti-hunters and anti-fishermen is who she’s representing. largely overwhelm the sportsman community. And that is a telling thing, and I’m going to try and find that bit on the YouTube video from the entire meeting and post that as well. But if there’s not another comment in the entire meeting, that’s one right there that we need to wake up at. This deal here, it’s not over. They’re going to keep coming. They’re coming across the entire state for the live bait front. But hunters and anglers need to look at this and find this to be a sobering reality to start standing up for ourselves. Because if we don’t, it’s going to fall into the hands of the exact people that are looking to take it away.
SPEAKER 05 :
Absolutely. Austin Parr is our guest. Once again, the owner of Discount Fishing Tackle, 2645 South Santa Fe. And Austin just spent numerous hours, countless hours on this. And driving back and forth to Pueblo. And like I say, he’s got a family, got a business to run, and has really done a great job here. And Austin, it is something, you know. And look, I get it. I mean, yesterday I tried to rearrange some things because I have a live show during the week. And so… I understand sometimes there’s just no way people can get there. For sure. But in real life, there are some folks I think that could get there that just don’t understand how important this is. And it’s just like the mountain lion hunting deal we did last year, Prop 127. Not everybody’s a mountain lion hunter, but you know what? Look at Pheasants Forever donating, different group. So… Like you said, man, they’re coming from every area of our outdoor existence, aren’t they?
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah.
SPEAKER 11 :
And I didn’t realize, you know, this is I’m kidding. I’m fresh in on this. Dan Gates obviously has put a lot of time and effort into it. But I did not realize the amount of influence that some of the public comment period for the virtual has, too. That’s an easy way to get involved. If you have the ability to pop up, log in, you have to sign up for that virtual comment period about a week in advance of the meeting. But we need to start overwhelming these antis because there are, like I said, it’s countless numbers of them. And I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, you know, my business is in the fishing community, but I do a lot of hunting. We need to stop doing infighting between fly fishermen and conventional fishermen, between pheasant hunters and waterfall hunters, between rifle hunters and bow hunters. There needs to be a stop to us fighting each other and be united towards this front. I have been told directly by CPW leadership that there’s potential for a fur ban to be coming back onto this agenda. I have been hearing rumors from fair chase groups that they’re attempting to look at what the effects of sonar have on fishing and talk about mates banning sonar. It’s an interesting thing to be looking at because we need to be like i said united as a group and if hunting community is getting attacked we need to unite for that if the fishing community is getting attacked we need to unite for that because if we don’t like i said i mean i can beat the drum all i want but it’s this is a way larger issue than any of us have any ability to look at and i understand you know i’m i’m at the store and i feels like everything’s fine you know you’re you’re hanging out you’re talking to your customers you’re catching fish it’s a great time Meanwhile, this stuff’s happening in the background, and we all need to start paying attention.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, for sure. And, you know, hopefully through our visit there a couple of weeks ago and the conversations we had with the director and all, there’s going to be a little bit more discussion. Not a little bit more in his words. Hey, they’re going to do this. Give us better communication. You and I talked about the lack of advertising, for lack of a better word, to know when these meetings are, because I wouldn’t have known about the one you and I went to if you hadn’t said something. So, you know, I certainly want to work with you on this as well. And, you know, when you see something, you let me know. When I see something, I let you know. And, man, let’s try to get the word out about it so we can let everybody know, hey, this is something we need you at. Or this is something we need you to write emails to. Or this is something that you can, like you said, you can go on virtually and testify.
SPEAKER 11 :
um because man i’m telling you it’s it’s sad i mean i was talking with a guy this morning i was like who would have ever dreamed in a million years there’d be something like a live bait ban minnow it’s nuts i mean yeah you know growing up in colorado as a hunter and an angler you always knew that that the gun rights and and hunting there was always anti-hunters you always kind of knew that was under attack but i always felt that Fishing was kind of immune from it growing up and even within the last couple years. That’s obviously not the case now. We’ve seen multiple attacks on this lately, and they’re proving that they’re going to continue to come.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yep, absolutely. Hey, you mentioned Greg Lopez and I want to bring Greg up. Matter of fact, he is in Pueblo and he’s going to be coming on right after you here today. But, you know, I really did. And I’ve known Greg five years. Hey, and we met at the International Sportsman’s Expo in 2020. And so but it’s it’s been super refreshing. to have a gubernatorial candidate at CPW meetings and at outdoorsman days and to come to your shop. Have you ever had a governor or someone running for office come by your shop like Greg did?
SPEAKER 11 :
No, I mean, I have not. And I mean, I appreciate the commitment to sportsmen here. I mean, this is something that we all need to commit to this more, but he is showing up and he’s at these meetings and and commenting in favor of Sportsman. And that is a refreshing thing to look at because it can’t be said for a lot of other leadership on both sides of the aisle. And he is stepping up to the plate, and it’s something that I think is really making a difference.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yep, absolutely. Well, once again, man, we thank you. And hey, I want to end it on a happy note. Hey, there is fishing out there this weekend. And hey, so fill us in on maybe a few reports around.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, I mean, this weekend looks like it’s going to be a pretty good one. And aside from attending the meeting earlier in the week, the Chapgill fight has continued to be fantastic. The walleyes are All over structure still out there and can be caught numerous different ways from the same live bait that we’re talking about right now all the way through various soft plastics like soft plastic swim baits as well as jigging wraps. And then the mountain trout fishing, we have still a very good opportunity right now to get up and do that. Maybe running into a few thunderstorms, but we’re kind of running down to the last couple of weeks of really high elevation fishing. There’s good action when those fish start to feel that cooler temperature in the cutthroats and brook trout. We’ll start jumping all over both artificial flies and lure opportunities up there. So whether you’re a conventional angler or a fly angler, you have a really good opportunity to get up and do that. But I’ve also been hearing that the anterobites have been picking up in a big way. Tiger muskies are being caught with reasonable pace, and we’re definitely seeing a whole bunch of brown trout and cutthroats coming, and I think that would offer a very good opportunity. And with some of the cooler temperatures, it might actually even feel like fall for a couple of days.
SPEAKER 05 :
Wow, okay. Hey, again, Discount Fishing Tackle, 2645 South Santa Fe, and hey, if you’ve got a question, they’ve got answers there. You’ve got a great staff there that knows what’s going on in Colorado fishing. Anything you want to mention at the store?
SPEAKER 11 :
The big thing that we’re looking at, kind of back to some of these issues and such, is that You know, I’m going to be doing a lot better job through my personal social media and through Discount Fishing Tackle on Facebook to be filling people in on some of these issues, both hunting and fishing-wise. So feel free to give us a follow or send me a friend request on that and we’ll be able to hopefully be working together in the future. And that’s kind of the big thing I want to be doing on this is trying to unite the hunting and fishing community better than we have been doing.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, well, and like I say, we can all say we can do a better job. And Austin, again, thank you, man. I know it’s been something that took a lot of your time, and thank your wife and kids too because I know it took you away from them as well. But, hey, bud, the lines are always open here on Sportsman of Colorado Radio for you. You know that. So you just let us know, keep us informed, and we’ll do all we can to be there, not just support, but to be there when we can as well.
SPEAKER 11 :
Well, I appreciate it, Scott, and I appreciate everybody listening. And for everybody that did end up sending emails, I certainly thank you, and hopefully we can continue to provide a good fight.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yep, absolutely. Well, Austin, I’ll cut you loose. I know you’re busy, man. I appreciate it.
SPEAKER 11 :
Thanks, Scott. Have a great day.
SPEAKER 05 :
That is Austin Parr, Discount Fishing Tackle. Hey, go by there. Let’s support Austin. They’ve got a great store, everything you need right there under one roof. And when you go in, ask for him and shake his hand and tell him thank you because I’m telling you, he helped us out in a big way getting this set aside for now on this live bait ban. You’re listening to Sportsman of Colorado, Greg Lopez, former congressman and gubernatorial candidate. He’ll join us next live from Pueblo right after this.
SPEAKER 14 :
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SPEAKER 05 :
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SPEAKER 02 :
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SPEAKER 05 :
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SPEAKER 15 :
KLZ 560 AM, your home station.
SPEAKER 05 :
Welcome back to Sportsman of Colorado. Again, thank you so much for being with us. I just want to thank Austin Parr for being with us and our next guest, as I mentioned before the break, former congressman, gubernatorial candidate, Greg Lopez joins us live from the metropolis of Pueblo. Greg, how are you, sir?
SPEAKER 09 :
Good. How are you doing, Scott? Good to be on your show, brother.
SPEAKER 05 :
Hey, man. I appreciate it. I just want to say, I asked Austin Parr. We just spent the first 20 minutes with us and talking about all that went on. Here are the last couple of days in the meetings. A small victory for us, but hey, we’ll take a victory. I asked Austin, I said, hey, I know Greg came by your store and visited with you. Have you ever had anybody… that running for governor or the governor come by your office and just ask you about your business and what your concerns were. He said, never. So he gave you a public shout out here and he wanted to thank you for coming by.
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, that’s awesome. You know, I learned so much from Austin and, you know, yeah, it’s a small victory at CPW, but we all know that, you know, there’s a, there’s an agenda. Unfortunately, it’s not necessarily to help and support the outdoorsmen or to help and support, you know, small businesses. But you know what? It’s important that we as people here in Colorado make a firm decision. You know, what do we want to do? Do we want to save Colorado or do we want to make it California and make it the playground for the rich and famous and ignore, you know, the hardworking men and women that understand Colorado? Yeah.
SPEAKER 05 :
You know, Greg, you’ve been all over the state and I know you’ll continue to do so. But as you’re talking to people and, you know, I’ve been there with you here, especially I’ve laid it a few different deals. And the minute I may introduce you to someone or someone just come talking to you. I mean, just what I hear over. I was going to ask you what you hear, but just what I hear people. This is not the Colorado that either I was I was born in or that I moved here for. I mean, do you hear that quite a bit, too?
SPEAKER 09 :
I do. You know what? And like you said, Scott, I’m down here in Pueblo. The state fair just opened, and this morning it was the parade. And so as I’m walking, I have my little megaphone, and every time I talk about, you know, let’s make Colorado Colorado again, you get the claps and you get the cheers. And when I say let’s not make it California, let’s make sure it doesn’t become California, you get the cheers. You know, because people are thirsting to be Colorado, and that’s something that – Over the last seven years, because we’ve been under a one-single-party rule, now we know what it feels like to have someone decide that they’re not interested in Colorado values, they’re interested in California values, and they’re bringing them here. And so, yeah, people are like, Greg, help us bring Colorado back. And that’s what I’m going to do as the next governor of this great state.
SPEAKER 05 :
Absolutely. It’s greglopez.co for more information. You can look there and go to Greg’s website. You can also donate there, which we will talk about here before we get out of here, of how you can help Greg help you. We’ll get to that here in just a second. But, Greg, you know, you really have jumped in. And I told Austin, I said, you know, it’s kind of come full circle. I said, I met Greg in 2021. Wear at the International Sportsman’s Expo. So this isn’t new to you, you know, the whole sportsman’s outdoorsman’s world. But with all the things going on, you know, you have jumped in with both feet, so to speak, to learn all you can about things. What are some of the things that you look back now and say, wow, you know. man, this outdoor group, a sportsman’s group, conservationists, the Dan Gates of the world, the Austin Pars, and hopefully, you know, like our show, what are you learning from the outdoor community?
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, you know, Scott, what I’m learning is the value, the intense value that these organizations and these sportsman groups bring to the state of Colorado, not only as it pertains to, you know, the hunting and the recreation, but more importantly about What is Colorado and what makes Colorado so special? And because of the economic engine that we’re bringing in. And one of the things that every elected official will tell you is that, you know, if you want to have a good, vibrant economy, it’s always great to have people come in from out of state, leave their money, you know, enjoy Colorado and then go home because they’re helping the people here in the state. And so, you know, the whole industry that comes in from out of state, The reputation that Colorado has on the outdoors and the recreation and the vistas that we offer are now being kind of erased because of the narrative. But that’s what I’ve learned is that if we want to make Colorado Colorado again, we’ve got to support these groups. We cannot put regulations on their shoulders. We cannot discourage them from being successful. These are small business owners and they have families and they have employees. But you know what? More importantly, They care about the state. They care about the land. They care about our water. They care about our air. They care about everything because it’s all connected. And a lot of people don’t even understand that, the totality of how these industries make Colorado the state that we all want to live in.
SPEAKER 05 :
And folks, some of you may be listening going, hey, I didn’t tune in this for a political show. You know what? This is a political show because we need Greg Lopez to be the next governor of Colorado. And, you know, without Greg, in my opinion, personal opinion, not the station’s, my personal opinion, hey. We don’t get him in there. And we’re going to fight battles no matter who’s in. But, Greg, at least you are out there talking to people, listening. And I say that and I’ve said that in a lot of posts here. I said, Greg Lopez is listening. And I think that’s what has made a lot of people. automatically kind of have a connection to you because you’re just not getting out there blabbing and getting pictures. I mean, you’ll talk to a group of five people or you’ll talk to a group of 500 people. You just want to hear what’s going on and what their concerns are. And I think that’s going a long way for you, my friend.
SPEAKER 09 :
It is. Look, you’re absolutely right, Scott. Look, a lot of people don’t want to hear about, hey, what’s going to happen in the future. And everybody confuses politics with the future, right? And so if anybody of your listeners… care about what they’re doing today, care about the recreation and what they are happy about this state is, I just ask them, you know what, are you better off now than you were seven years ago? Is your life better today than it was seven years ago? You know, and when I ask people that, the answer is always no. And so let’s recognize that every decision that happens in local, office, county, state, that impacts our lives. Some way, somehow, it’s going to impact our lives. More importantly, our quality of life, right? Our quality of life. And so I would encourage everyone, you know, pay attention. Look at what’s going on around you. You decide whether it’s something you want to see more of or is it something you want to see less of. I’m of the mindset that we’ve got to have less government in our lives, less control over everything that we do, And we need to allow our local communities and our small business owners to survive and thrive. And so that’s where I come from. And I’m always going to put people over politics. I’m not going to play the political game. I’m going to put people in front of every political issue. And the question I’m going to ask myself, Scott, is, you know, is this helping people or is this hurting people? Is this a special interest group or is this going to help urban Colorado and rural Colorado? I’m going to do away with this urban-rural divide because we all matter. We all have a voice, and we all need to be heard.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yep, absolutely. Once again, former congressman and gubernatorial candidate Greg Lopez is with us. You can go to greglopez.co for more information. And for, hey, it’s going to take some money, Greg. And, again, I’ll let you take it from there and what you would like to make your plea to our listeners.
SPEAKER 09 :
You betcha. Hey, look, we all know that, you know, when you look at, you know, what’s it take to get elected? Well, you know what? Money is important. And I’m not going to deny that money is important. But what’s more important is having a candidate that can connect. For all those people that think we can’t change Colorado, I’m here to tell you that we can. And I ask you, make an investment in the future. You know, whether it’s $10, $20 a month, or a whole lump sum of $50 or $100. It really doesn’t matter, folks. The future of this state lies in your hands. It’s more than just a vote. If you truly believe… That it’s time for a change and make a contribution of whatever size because it all matters. And so go to my website, greglopez.co, greglopez.co, make a monthly contribution or make a one-time contribution. But let’s get Colorado back and let’s make Colorado, Colorado again. Yep.
SPEAKER 05 :
Hey, I know you were just recently in some testimony and different things, and I saw the one clip last night where one gentleman was coming back at you, and I don’t recall his name. I know you will, so I want you to fill this in a little bit. But, you know, here’s the thing. Here’s what cracks me up is, I mean— No doubt the state is in a huge loss for money. And their meeting had this special session, you know, to all these billions of dollars, all these different things. But what cracks me up is wasn’t it like 30 days ago the governor was wanting to build a $29 million bridge? Yep. You’re right. Dude, how does that make sense?
SPEAKER 09 :
It doesn’t. It doesn’t. You know, and that’s the sad thing about it is that you have elected officials today. that truly believe that nobody’s watching, nobody cares, and they can spend everybody’s money however they want to spend it. It’s their pet project. And people are saying, enough. We are not going to allow you to continue to put us in debt. We’re not going to allow you to continue to tell us how to live our lives, how to speak, what to do, what not to do, what to eat, what not to eat. We’re tired of that. You know, and it was interesting because I was testifying in front of the And it really had to deal with, you know, CPW and some of the fundies going to health care. And, you know, there was a Democrat senator that decided to go off script. His hair caught on fire because I was a congressman, former congressman. And all of a sudden he wants to talk about the national economy. You know what? And he was completely out of order. The chair knew he was out of order. And so when he starts crying about, hey, look, we’ve got to be here, we’ve got to work, We’ve got to figure out how to save $900,000 in the state budget. I had to remind him that the national budget is $37 trillion in debt, trillion dollars, and that our interest is more than the Department of Defense. He had nothing to say. He had no idea of how to look at it from a bigger picture. Why? Because he’s so tunnel vision that he truly believes everything comes out of his mouth is facts. And when someone challenges him and questions him, he has nothing to say. Yep.
SPEAKER 05 :
No, you’re in your your response was awesome. Hey, a big thing you jumped into and, you know, I know you’ve done some studying on and a lot of conversations over on the western slope with ranchers and all this wolf issue, share what you would like about that. And maybe your summer your conversations and does it still help for people to write into CPW with their feelings on this? What are your thoughts?
SPEAKER 09 :
Look, yes, it does help. Guys, we cannot allow our voices to be silent just because we feel we’re frustrated or we feel they’re not being heard. People are watching. People are listening. It is creating a buzz. While you may not feel it, it is, it is. I’m going to tell you, there is a lot of conversations that are happening. My perspective, Scott, is, look, we have a predator that we brought into Colorado, and it hunts in packs. And, yeah, we knew it was going to do a devastation on some of the cattle, depredation. But you know what? There is a pact that’s got out of control, and CPW doesn’t know what to do with it. They really don’t understand how to manage and introduce a wolf. They will always put the wolf in front of any rancher, any small business throughout the entire state. And here’s what a lot of people forget. You know, did it pass by the voters? Yes, but only by 58,000 votes. 13 counties out of the 64 passed it. So think about that, 13 out of 64. That means 51 counties said no, we don’t want it. And yet the counties that approved it were Boulder, Denver, in the urban corridor, putting pressure on the western slope. And so, you know what, when I talk to ranchers and I talk to farmers, I can hear it in their voices, I can see it in their eyes. The frustration, the fear, the uncertainty, the anxiety, the mental health issues that we’re creating with farmers, it’s unbelievable. And everybody just wants to look at, well, it’s the wolf. You know what? There’s a reason why they’re considered here in Colorado, and I want to make sure everybody hears me loud and clear. They are considered nonessential experimental population. In other words, what that means is the federal government said, you know what, whether they are successful to live in Colorado or not, does not matter because it’s an experiment we’re trying an experiment and what they’re finding out is the population is too big our cattle industry is too big there’s conflicts and so we need to recognize that this experimental thing is not working and it’s time to get rid of it right because what would you say we’re in our third year with this yep okay
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah. And I think the thing that you were talking about recently with him is, hey, let’s just pause this a little bit. Let’s take some of this money, do some other things, but let’s just pause this a little bit. Is that correct?
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah. Look, you know what? Taking a one-year pause of bringing in more wolves into the state of Colorado. People need to understand that what the state is doing is they’re moving wolves from Oregon, Canadian wolves, into colorado and they do what they call this hard release so scott imagine for a minute you get kidnapped you don’t know what’s going on you know within 12 hours you get released and when you get out of your cage you’re running and you realize after two hours like i’m not even in america i’m somewhere else i have no idea where i’m at that’s exactly what’s happening to the wolf And they’re thinking that, well, this is being kind to the wolf. It’s not being kind to the wolf. That is why some wolves are trying to get back to Oregon. They’re trying to get back to Canada. And when they cross the Wyoming border, they get killed. And so it is for those that believe they’re being compassionate towards the wolf. I think they got it mixed up because they truly have not done their homework. Right.
SPEAKER 05 :
And last couple of minutes here, and I appreciate your time. Again, Greg Lopez is with us, former congressman and gubernatorial candidate. I think Dan Gates told me this. I think a wolf, as far as pups, is like three or four pups average. And, man, these numbers are going to grow pretty quick if this next release even happens, isn’t it?
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, look, to your point, Scott, look, I said take a one-year hiatus. Don’t bring in more wolves. There are currently four packs, four packs in the state of Colorado that CPW has acknowledged and recognized. So if every pack has four to seven, four to six pups, right, that’s 27 pups in the next breeding cycle, which is going to be in April. Even Director Jeff Davis said, look, Traditionally, we always look at 40%, but because they’re new to the species where they’re new to Colorado, we expect that their survival rate is going to be closer to 50% to 60%. So we’re not removing the wolf from reproducing. What we’re doing is asking people to consider, don’t bring any more in. They’re still going to have more new bucks. So indirectly, you’re still going to achieve more wolves coming to Colorado than except they’re going to be born versus bringing them in physically. Yeah.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, Greg, man, thank you for all you’re doing and all you’re going to continue to do. I know. Thank you for coming to Outdoorsman Days, which we had in Florence a couple of weeks ago with Dan Gates. And I’m telling you, it means a lot to our sportsmen, outdoorsmen, gun owners. I mean, Our whole world, it means a lot just to have you there, have you listening, and to show that you’ve got an ear for us and that you care. Man, that means a lot to us. So, folks, I highly encourage you. And, again, I’ve known Greg five years, and I am 100% in with him. And if you have questions, you can reach me, 720-201-8585. If there’s a group out there, maybe you’re a sportsman’s group of some sort, and you would like for Greg to maybe come and meet your group and talk and ask questions, hey, let me know. We can get that planned for you. And, again, you can go to greglopez.co for more information. So how was the parade in Pueblo this morning?
SPEAKER 09 :
You know, it was great. I mean, it’s a two-hour mile. It’s a two-mile walk. But a lot of great people. And best of all, Scott, the temperature was not over the top. No doubt.
SPEAKER 05 :
No doubt, man.
SPEAKER 09 :
It was a great morning. We had a great time. You know, any time that I’m in Pueblo, Colorado, which is known as the city of heroes, you know, because of the military and four Purple Heart recipients in Pueblo, Colorado, it’s amazing. You know, so, yeah. I encourage everybody to come down, enjoy the state fair, be a part of what Colorado is all about. You won’t regret it.
SPEAKER 05 :
All right. Well, Greg, we appreciate it, bud, and I’m sure I’ll be in touch with you this week.
SPEAKER 09 :
All right. You take care.
SPEAKER 05 :
All right. You too, sir. That’s Greg Lopez, former congressman, and your prayerfully next governor of Colorado in 2026. This is Sportsman of Colorado. We’ll be back with more right after this.
SPEAKER 08 :
Are you in the market for a new firearm? Or maybe looking to purchase your very first firearm? Well, wouldn’t it be great to have an experience worth telling your friends and family about while making such an important purchase? At Big Horn Firearms, we know how important that is, and it’s our mission to provide this experience to every customer that walks through our front door. Hi, I’m Ryan, owner of Bighorn Firearms, located in southeast Denver, and my team and I are customers too. We know what it’s like to experience the typical specialty store attitude, and we believe everyone deserves a first-class experience when purchasing a firearm. If you’re searching for friendly service, a knowledgeable and passionate staff, and a great selection of firearms, we’d like to invite you to Denver’s best independent gun store, Bighorn Firearms, one mile east of Evans and I-25. Whether it’s your first gun or you’ve been collecting for years, our friendly and knowledgeable staff are passionate about answering all of your questions. Service and selection is our commitment to you. That’s Bighorn Firearms, located at 2175 South Jasmine Street, Suite 105, Denver. Call us now, 303-758-9423, or shop online, bighornusa.com.
SPEAKER 05 :
For over 10 years, hunters have relied on OnX maps to help navigate public and private land boundaries across the country. OnX Hunt is the only tool comprised of more than 400 countrywide maps that give clear private and public land boundaries, trails, hunting specific data, and more. New map layers are constantly being added by pairing with some of the leading names in conservation and the outdoor industry, like the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Boone and Crockett Club, and Eastman’s. Whether it’s on your smartphone or handheld GPS, make the most of your precious time in the field by navigating with Onyx Hunt. Go to the App Store or onyxmaps.com.
SPEAKER 10 :
Riding an e-bike will make you feel like a kid again. Just try it. Hi, I’m Randy Crancy, founder of e-bike of Colorado. E-bikes are a fun way to ride the trails. Pedal assist technology flattens the steepest hills. We have 14 major brands to choose from and our expert staff will find you the perfect bike. Come take a free test ride at e-bike of Colorado in downtown Louisville next to the historic grain elevator. Open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Learn more at ebikeofcolorado.com. Just try it.
SPEAKER 05 :
Need new glasses fast? With Stack Optical’s on-site lab, you’ll get your prescription glasses in just three to four days. No long wait times. Hey, this is Scott Whatley and I’ve trusted my eye care to Allen Stack and Stack Optical for the last 15 years. Eye exams are only $69. and that should be a part of your physical checkups each year. For over 50 years, Denver has trusted this family-owned boutique eye care center for premium vision care, custom eyewear, and expert repairs. See the Stack Optical difference today. Call 303-321-1578. That’s 303-321-1578, and tell them Scott sent you. Stack Optical. Since 1968, at Stack Optical, you’ll see the difference.
SPEAKER 03 :
Hey, Dan. You know, our jobs are pretty different. I’m a baseball announcer. You’re an attorney and a talk show host.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, but we do have something in common. Really? What’s that? Our favorite car dealer, Len Lyle Chevrolet. Yeah, definitely not your typical dealership. That’s so true, Jack. No high-pressure sales tactics. They respect your time. And when you have two jobs, that’s important.
SPEAKER 03 :
You know, I’d recommend Len Lyle Chevrolet to anyone. And with their low overhead, that means… Lower prices.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, we really do have something in common.
SPEAKER 03 :
Len Lyle Chevrolet, go east and pay the least. Chevy, find new roads.
SPEAKER 05 :
Here’s your Water Talk Minute with Paul the Waterman, brought to you by Water Pros.
SPEAKER 01 :
The EPA announces it will keep maximum contaminant levels for PFOs and PFAs. in our drinking water. What that means is that municipalities are going to have to test and monitor for these contaminants and they will not move to the unregulated contaminant list. This is important for us so that way in our water quality report they’re going to tell us exactly what levels of PFAS are in our water supply. It’s important because you want to have a point of use drinking water system to remove these contaminants and understand the quality of water that’s being provided to you. I’m Paul the Waterman.
SPEAKER 15 :
AM 560, KLZ, your home station.
SPEAKER 05 :
Welcome back to Sportsman of Colorado. Again, thank you so much for being with us. Our next guest you will hear during the week on Haystack Health Radio. We also like to get him in once a month or so here on Sportsman of Colorado because you know why? It’s hard to enjoy the outdoors if you can’t see properly, all right? Alan Stack is with us, Stack Optical. His office is located at 2233 South Monaco Parkway. They’re number 303-321-1578. Alan Stack, good to see you, my friend. Thank you, Scott. How’s the summer and now getting into fall going to be? It’s wonderful, yeah.
SPEAKER 13 :
And we just didn’t have that hot summer like we usually do. No, I mean, there was a few warm days, but yeah. I just remember when we were pushing 100 for weeks. I know. I think it’s been a pretty nice summer.
SPEAKER 05 :
I’m from Texas, as you know, and let me tell you, it ain’t hot. Because what my friends will tell me, I’ll go… Oh, we get down in the 70s or something. They’re like, man, if it’s 108 here at midnight, it’s 101. You know, I mean, it just doesn’t cool off. I do not regret moving to Colorado, for sure. Hey, I want to talk about the outdoors, of course, and glasses and so many things. You know, we’re getting into the hunting seasons here, big game and all that about to go on for us. And then we’re going to be hitting the slopes with skiing. You know, golf is still pretty much year-round here in Colorado. So a lot to talk about when it comes to seeing properly for all these different outdoor activities.
SPEAKER 13 :
Yep. The biggest thing is probably the tinting for your sunglasses when you’re hunting. It’s really important. I’d stay away from any kind of gray lenses when you’re hunting. You’ve got to be able to see in those shadows. The different type of… You know, glassing a slope and that type of thing, you know, you’ll miss them if they’re in the shadows. Sure. If you’re wearing gray lenses. So, and then, you know, we’ve got new lenses out that change color, you know, depending on the light condition. You know, I’ve got these transition brown lenses and they call them drive wear lenses that really work well for hunting. And they’ve got, they’re polarized as well. You know, so they’re great for fishing.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, I was about to say, I want to touch on that because fishing is huge on our show.
SPEAKER 13 :
Yeah, there’s nothing like a brown polarized lens being able to see the colors of the fish and the streams and the lakes. Right. That really makes a difference.
SPEAKER 05 :
Now, Kevin Flesch always encourages people to get a lanyard with their glasses. Absolutely. He’s got experience in that, doesn’t he? See, I said, you know what? Alan probably did that on purpose. He probably didn’t even mention buying a lanyard.
SPEAKER 13 :
I remember Dad making me a nice pair of fishing glasses in the 80s. And we were out on the boat, and I looked down, and there they went. That was the last time I had those on without a lanyard.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, no doubt. But, no, you look at all the different things, you know, with motorcycle riding. A lot of people ride bikes, you know, bike riding and things. So is there – there’s really not one pair of glasses that’s going to cover everything, is there?
SPEAKER 13 :
Right, right. But, you know, depending on what you’re doing, a lot of times I can do one pair of glasses and change out the lenses. Oh, okay. You know, I have that one kit. I think you have. Right, right, yeah. You know, and we can, you know, use that same frame and snap different lenses in there depending on what you’re doing. Or, you know, some folks just, you know, they want a different type of frame. So I’ll make one for their hunting and one for their driving and that type of thing.
SPEAKER 05 :
Right. Do you see that a lot with sportsmen that, boy, they had no idea about? Now, we always see yellow lenses and orange lenses pretty much with people. But a lot of times people really didn’t know. They just think it’s a hunting lens, but maybe it’s not the right prescription for them. We talked about that on our Haystack show.
SPEAKER 13 :
And that’s why any time somebody comes in for sports glasses or hunting glasses, that kind of stuff, you want to start off with a current eye exam. Yeah. Because that will make such a big difference if you have the right correction in there. And then marrying that with the proper tint for whatever activity you’re into.
SPEAKER 05 :
Right. Now, if people shoot guns a lot and they’re using the open sights and things, so many things have gone to these optics today.
SPEAKER 13 :
I still have folks that are more traditional. Alan, no, I still use iron sights. And I’ve got lenses for that, you know. and my lenses i still like to use my iron sights but i also like to use my optics i can use the same lens i just adjust the frame a little bit depending on what i’m doing so there’s a lot of different ways we can solve issues right right and then we we do allow you and i want to be super clear and take my time with this because we do allow you if you’re a shooter and man you’ve got a gun you want to
SPEAKER 05 :
Bring in – you can do that, but make sure it’s unloaded three times. Make sure it’s unloaded. Right, right. And I’m going to check it, too. Have it cased. Right, right. All right, have it cased. And make the appointment with Allen, all right? And that way, when you call, just call 303-321-1578. You guys can go in the back there, and Alan can see. Yeah, I have a private office that we can go in the back. Exactly how. You’re looking through your sites and seeing what’s going on, so you can get that correction where you need it, right? Absolutely.
SPEAKER 13 :
I’ve had folks come in with a lot of different types of lenses. I’ve had my standard one with that upside-down bifocal, but I’m finding people are using a lot of different things.
SPEAKER 05 :
You’ve said that upside-down bifocal.
SPEAKER 13 :
That sounds kind of weird. It’s a segment that’s up towards the top instead of the bottom. So you’ll put it up on top. And I set it basically at arm’s length where that front sight is. So you can bring in that front sight, and then you tilt back just a little bit, and you shoot. No, I’m sorry, just the opposite. So the bottom part is all distance. Right. So you’ll put it on, you’ll acquire your target, and then drop your head just a little bit to bring in your front sight and squeeze. That’s pretty slick for the iron sights. But the frame that I use, you can pinch in the nose pad, bring it up, and you’ve got your distance for all your optics because you don’t need that for your optics. It’s like your red dots and that type of thing.
SPEAKER 05 :
Because I tell you, I’ve noticed this too. You get into some of these ranges, you know, it’s a little bit dark maybe against a darker target, and you’re looking down at that black iron sight, and dude, you can’t see it, you know.
SPEAKER 13 :
And what’s kind of cool is, you know, depending on the type of lens, I like to use that brown transition for those. Because when you go indoors, and then they pretty much lighten up. You know, have a slight tint. And all that’s doing is just… It’s giving you kind of like that high definition. Right. Because you still got that light brown tint to it.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah. Now… $69 is an eye exam. We said this on Haystack the other day when Alan was on. If you cannot remember the last time you had a good, comprehensive eye exam, you probably are due for one. And you know what? Hey, you’re in your 30s. You don’t have to wait until you’re old to get an eye exam. I mean, get one. Then you’ve got a baseline, right?
SPEAKER 13 :
Absolutely. Yeah, I can’t believe some of these people come in in their 30s and 40s. You’ve ever had an eye exam? No. My vision is great. Oh, my God, you know. So we go through the dilation and all that kind of stuff, make sure everything’s good. And a lot of times just a little bit of a correction, they put them on and go, oh, wow, I can see the leaves on the trees.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER 13 :
But, you know, you don’t know. What you’re missing. If you haven’t had that correction, you think everything’s normal.
SPEAKER 05 :
Right.
SPEAKER 13 :
Until you get that correction, oh, wow, I do see better.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah. And the doctor there does a great job. I’ve been seeing him for years with Alan. And, of course, you’ve got your traditional looking at the chart, but then they check pressures.
SPEAKER 13 :
Absolutely. He looks in the back of the eye. We can take snapshots of the eye and that type of thing. Yeah. Yeah, it’s a comprehensive eye exam.
SPEAKER 05 :
What does that mean when you blow that little puff in the eye?
SPEAKER 13 :
So he’s checking the pressure in the eye and see if we have high pressures. If he does, we’ll refer out. But that’s just one check on the glaucoma. You could have a high pressure, but that’s just normal for you. The big thing is to make sure it’s not affecting the optic nerve, and that’s what he’s looking for when he dilates. Look inside the eye. So there’s a lot of different factors that go into it. Making sure everything’s okay.
SPEAKER 05 :
Right. Now, you mentioned snow skiing and maybe snowmobiles, whatever. Goggles, you can also work with lenses and goggles.
SPEAKER 13 :
Absolutely. You’ve got a pair of goggles, and maybe they’re your favorite goggles. Well, now I’ve got different adapters I can put in there and put your prescription in there. You just need to bring in your goggle and let me see if I have something that will fit them.
SPEAKER 05 :
Right. One-stop shop.
SPEAKER 13 :
That’s right.
SPEAKER 05 :
For everything you need. Yep. All right. Hey, if you hadn’t had an eye exam, call 303-321-1578. Again, if you’re going to do something with a firearm, be sure you ask for Allen. Again, make sure it’s unloaded. Make sure it’s cased when you go in. I tell you, you won’t find a more convenient spot to get to. Just right there at Monaco and Evans. Super easy parking. Walk about 20 feet from where you park and you’re in the front door. That’s right. I was driving real quick. I was driving down by Cherry Creek, your old location.
SPEAKER 13 :
You saw my parking lot?
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, I saw it. Yeah, and I was like. Man, what a blessing he must feel to have all that parking right there at his front door. That’s right.
SPEAKER 13 :
From what that used to be. Yeah. No, I’ve driven down there, too. And, you know, I think we were there for 45, 47 years. That’s a long time. Yeah.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah. Hey, Alan, take care of you. Hey, when you stop in, let them know you heard them here on Sportsman of Colorado or Haystack Hub. Just tell them KLZ 560, and we appreciate that. Check out their reviews at stackoptical.com. Alan, always appreciate it. Thank you, Scott. I’ll stop by and see you soon. Okay. So we want to thank all of our guests today. Mostly, thank you for being with us on Sportsman of Colorado. Hope you have a great rest of your weekend. And leave it right here on KLZ 560.
SPEAKER 12 :
The views and opinions expressed on KLZ 560 are those of the speaker, commentators, hosts, their guests, and callers. They are not necessarily the views and opinions of Crawford Broadcasting or KLZ management, employees, associates, or advertisers. KLZ 560 is a Crawford Broadcasting God and country station.
Scott Watley, host of Sportsman of Colorado, presents an engaging episode with guest Austin Parr, who sheds light on pressing challenges faced by outdoor enthusiasts in the state. The episode begins with a review of recent Colorado Parks and Wildlife Wildlife Commission meetings, where proposals with significant implications for sportsmen were put to the vote. Austin Parr, an advocate for outdoor sports, discusses the surprising outcomes of these meetings and stresses the unwavering need for sportsmen to engage and participate actively. Listeners gain insight into the realms of policymaking that affect recreational hunting and fishing, as Scott and Austin
Stand Up and Be Counted! The Fight for Hunting and Fishing Rights
Scott Watley, host of Sportsman of Colorado, presents an engaging episode with guest Austin Parr, who sheds light on pressing challenges faced by outdoor enthusiasts in the state. The episode begins with a review of recent Colorado Parks and Wildlife Wildlife Commission meetings, where proposals with significant implications for sportsmen were put to the vote. Austin Parr, an advocate for outdoor sports, discusses the surprising outcomes of these meetings and stresses the unwavering need for sportsmen to engage and participate actively. Listeners gain insight into the realms of policymaking that affect recreational hunting and fishing, as Scott and Austin
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