My first experience chasing gobblers — also known as turkeys — was during May 2008 in southwest Colorado’s San Juan Mountains.

On Jan. 24, I attended a regional gathering of hunters, anglers, and other public lands advocates on northern Minnesota’s Pelican Lake. It was the same day Federal immigration agents shot and killed Veterans Affairs nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.

In December 2025, I visited Sweden, Finland, and Estonia. A friend recently asked if I had any takeaways or words of wisdom from all these travels and interactions with people across the country and planet.

As most elk hunters know firsthand, keeping healthy elk herds on public lands requires ample secure habitat.

The people have spoken!