Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
Dan Gates - Executive Director of Coloradans For Responsible Wildlife Management ( C. R. W. M. ) Host of Though the Gates podcast joins Bobby Marshall in studio for a powerful, co-released episode focused on the future of wildlife management in Colorado. A lifelong sportsman and passionate conservation advocate, Dan has dedicated his career to protecting Colorado’s wildlife through science-based policy, ethical hunting, and responsible stewardship. As a leader of CRWM and the Save the Hunt Colorado campaign, he works at the front lines of legislative battles, commission decisions, and public advocacy efforts that directly impact sportsmen, landowners, and outdoor communities across the state.
In this episode, Bobby and Dan dive deep into:
• Colorado wildlife policy
Dan breaks down why wildlife policy should be driven by science, data, and expert guidance — not emotion or political agendas — and explains why Colorado is becoming a “test market” for sweeping wildlife legislation.
He also issues a call to action for the Colorado Parks & Wildlife Commission meetings (March 4–5 in Westminster and May 6–7 in Grand Junction), encouraging citizens to attend, submit testimony, and stay informed.
Beyond policy, this conversation explores conservation ethics, biology, hunting tradition, archery, outdoor culture, and what it truly means to preserve wildlife responsibly for future generations.
If you care about conservation, hunting rights, wildlife biology, or the future of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation — this is a must-listen episode.
themountainsidepodcast.com
🔻Watch more of The Mountain Side Podcast Episodes here 🔻
youtube.com/watch?v=Ttr2lpNzq18&list=PLUVu632r4xm5lsI8x7BVdmpTQdQn7FHy0&index=1
Important Links
savethehuntcolorado.com
youtube.com/@UCCUKvQrp2u_6pkoqU1q55Xw
Sponsor Links:
SABObroadheads.com
Mountain Side listeners receive $10 off & Free Shipping on all SABO Broadheads!
00:00 Welcome Back, Dan Gates (Intro + Co-Release Setup)
01:44 Through the Gates Podcast: Building a Studio & Rapid-Fire Episodes
04:45 Fighter Mentality Meets Colorado Politics: Why the Fight Expanded
08:36 Colorado as a ‘Test Market’: Gun Laws, Extremes, and Losing the Middle
11:53 Going Viral with Facts: Using CPW Science to Cut Through the Noise
16:19 Opinions vs Facts: Statutes, CPW’s Mission, and the North American Model
22:18 ‘Food Is Political’ & Agenda-Driven Leadership: Where This Heads Next
33:04 What We’re Facing Now: SB62 Rodenticide Ban + Puppy Mill Bill Impacts
35:26 Dog Breeding Limits: When ‘3 Dogs a Year’ Makes No Sense
37:06 Unintended Litters on the Ranch: Who’s the ‘Breeder’ and What’s Legal?
37:32 Bigger Problems Than Pet Policy: Homelessness, Violence, and the ‘What About the Dog?’ Spiral
38:08 Colorado’s ‘Beaver Bill’ Explained: Stakeholder Process vs. Political Shortcuts
40:45 Translocation Reality Check: Why Moving Beavers Often Fails
44:01 Science vs. Activism: Fur-Bearer Petitions, Hot Mics, and ‘Cart Before the Horse’
45:15 National Domino Effect: Oregon IP 28, ‘Beef Out Day,’ and Outside Influence
48:51 Wolf Reintroduction Fallout: Ballot-Box Biology and Management Chaos
52:03 Follow the Money: CPW’s Budget, Jobs, and the Hunting/Fishing Economic Engine
53:25 March 4–5 Commission Meeting: The Fur-Sale Ban Petition and Overriding Denver’s Vote
56:31 North American Model Misused: Market Hunting History vs. Modern Regulated Trapping
01:08:46 What a Fur-Sale Ban Breaks: Fly Fishing, Taxidermy, Roadkill, and Nuisance Control
01:13:32 Rodenticides & Real Life: Rats, Mice Booms, and Public Health Consequences
01:17:54 Rodent Control Fallout: What a Ban Means for Restaurants & Food Safety
01:18:16 Supply Chain Reality Check: Mice, Disease, and Everyday Exposure
01:19:08 Swearing, Algorithms & Free Speech: Why Creators Self-Censor
01:19:49 Show Up & Lock Arms: March 4–5 Commission Meeting Call to Action
01:20:37 What’s on the Table: Wolves, Semi-Auto Permits, and Fur-Bearer Battles
01:21:28 Inside the Capitol: ‘Food Fights’ and the Breakdown of Civility
01:23:19 Deadlines That Matter: March & May Meetings Set the Next 11 Months
01:25:12 Can They Re-Run Ballot Fights? Lessons from 127 and Beating It Before
01:26:21 Commission Agenda Preview: Beaver Plan, Fur Harvest Petition, Wolf Compensation
01:27:30 Who Represents Hunters? Commission Makeup, Appointments, and the ‘Travesty’
01:29:30 How to Help (For Real): Share, Repost, Take a Day Off, Bring Your People
01:31:14 Logistics for Attending: No Registration, Arrive Early, Capacity & On-Site Plans
01:33:05 Where the Momentum Went: Industry Silence After 127 & Why This Fight’s Harder
01:37:12 Be Civil, Be Professional: Rally Without the Chaos
01:38:43 Support the Cause: Women of Conservation Calendar + Funding the Movement
01:43:38 Bigger Than Colorado: A National Sportsmen Model & Final Send-Off
01:45:36 Final Reminders: Dates, Links, Subscribe/Review, and Mountainside Outro
Dan Gates - Executive Director of Coloradans For Responsible Wildlife Management ( C. R. W. M. ) Host of Though the Gates podcast joins Bobby Marshall in studio for a powerful, co-released episode focused on the future of wildlife management in Colorado. A lifelong sportsman and passionate conservation advocate, Dan has dedicated his career to protecting Colorado’s wildlife through science-based policy, ethical hunting, and responsible stewardship. As a leader of CRWM and the Save the Hunt Colorado campaign, he works at the front lines of legislative battles, commission decisions, and public advocacy efforts that directly impact sportsmen, landowners, and outdoor communities across the state.
In this episode, Bobby and Dan dive deep into:
• Colorado wildlife policy
Dan breaks down why wildlife policy should be driven by science, data, and expert guidance — not emotion or political agendas — and explains why Colorado is becoming a “test market” for sweeping wildlife legislation.
He also issues a call to action for the Colorado Parks & Wildlife Commission meetings (March 4–5 in Westminster and May 6–7 in Grand Junction), encouraging citizens to attend, submit testimony, and stay informed.
Beyond policy, this conversation explores conservation ethics, biology, hunting tradition, archery, outdoor culture, and what it truly means to preserve wildlife responsibly for future generations.
If you care about conservation, hunting rights, wildlife biology, or the future of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation — this is a must-listen episode.
themountainsidepodcast.com
🔻Watch more of The Mountain Side Podcast Episodes here 🔻
youtube.com/watch?v=Ttr2lpNzq18&list=PLUVu632r4xm5lsI8x7BVdmpTQdQn7FHy0&index=1
Important Links
savethehuntcolorado.com
youtube.com/@UCCUKvQrp2u_6pkoqU1q55Xw
Sponsor Links:
SABObroadheads.com
Mountain Side listeners receive $10 off & Free Shipping on all SABO Broadheads!
00:00 Welcome Back, Dan Gates (Intro + Co-Release Setup)
01:44 Through the Gates Podcast: Building a Studio & Rapid-Fire Episodes
04:45 Fighter Mentality Meets Colorado Politics: Why the Fight Expanded
08:36 Colorado as a ‘Test Market’: Gun Laws, Extremes, and Losing the Middle
11:53 Going Viral with Facts: Using CPW Science to Cut Through the Noise
16:19 Opinions vs Facts: Statutes, CPW’s Mission, and the North American Model
22:18 ‘Food Is Political’ & Agenda-Driven Leadership: Where This Heads Next
33:04 What We’re Facing Now: SB62 Rodenticide Ban + Puppy Mill Bill Impacts
35:26 Dog Breeding Limits: When ‘3 Dogs a Year’ Makes No Sense
37:06 Unintended Litters on the Ranch: Who’s the ‘Breeder’ and What’s Legal?
37:32 Bigger Problems Than Pet Policy: Homelessness, Violence, and the ‘What About the Dog?’ Spiral
38:08 Colorado’s ‘Beaver Bill’ Explained: Stakeholder Process vs. Political Shortcuts
40:45 Translocation Reality Check: Why Moving Beavers Often Fails
44:01 Science vs. Activism: Fur-Bearer Petitions, Hot Mics, and ‘Cart Before the Horse’
45:15 National Domino Effect: Oregon IP 28, ‘Beef Out Day,’ and Outside Influence
48:51 Wolf Reintroduction Fallout: Ballot-Box Biology and Management Chaos
52:03 Follow the Money: CPW’s Budget, Jobs, and the Hunting/Fishing Economic Engine
53:25 March 4–5 Commission Meeting: The Fur-Sale Ban Petition and Overriding Denver’s Vote
56:31 North American Model Misused: Market Hunting History vs. Modern Regulated Trapping
01:08:46 What a Fur-Sale Ban Breaks: Fly Fishing, Taxidermy, Roadkill, and Nuisance Control
01:13:32 Rodenticides & Real Life: Rats, Mice Booms, and Public Health Consequences
01:17:54 Rodent Control Fallout: What a Ban Means for Restaurants & Food Safety
01:18:16 Supply Chain Reality Check: Mice, Disease, and Everyday Exposure
01:19:08 Swearing, Algorithms & Free Speech: Why Creators Self-Censor
01:19:49 Show Up & Lock Arms: March 4–5 Commission Meeting Call to Action
01:20:37 What’s on the Table: Wolves, Semi-Auto Permits, and Fur-Bearer Battles
01:21:28 Inside the Capitol: ‘Food Fights’ and the Breakdown of Civility
01:23:19 Deadlines That Matter: March & May Meetings Set the Next 11 Months
01:25:12 Can They Re-Run Ballot Fights? Lessons from 127 and Beating It Before
01:26:21 Commission Agenda Preview: Beaver Plan, Fur Harvest Petition, Wolf Compensation
01:27:30 Who Represents Hunters? Commission Makeup, Appointments, and the ‘Travesty’
01:29:30 How to Help (For Real): Share, Repost, Take a Day Off, Bring Your People
01:31:14 Logistics for Attending: No Registration, Arrive Early, Capacity & On-Site Plans
01:33:05 Where the Momentum Went: Industry Silence After 127 & Why This Fight’s Harder
01:37:12 Be Civil, Be Professional: Rally Without the Chaos
01:38:43 Support the Cause: Women of Conservation Calendar + Funding the Movement
01:43:38 Bigger Than Colorado: A National Sportsmen Model & Final Send-Off
01:45:36 Final Reminders: Dates, Links, Subscribe/Review, and Mountainside Outro
