Salida Gunshop

Wildlife biologist Martin Lowney breaks down the dangerous myth that nature simply balances itself without human management. In this episode of the Salida Gunshop podcast, Adam and Josiah sit down with Martin Lowney to talk predator management, Colorado wildlife policy, CPW, hunting, trapping, ballot-box biology, and the growing gap between wildlife science and public emotion. Martin brings decades of experience in wildlife biology and USDA Wildlife Services, with a background in predator-prey work, livestock protection, waterfowl management, airport wildlife hazards, and state-level wildlife policy. The conversation covers coyotes, wolves, lynx, bobcats, foot traps, e-tagging, harvest data, animal rights organizations, and why public misunderstanding can lead to bad wildlife decisions. Chapters: 0:00 - Opening clip 0:26 - Meet Martin Lowney 1:31 - Wildlife biology background 3:51 - USDA Wildlife Services 5:36 - What is hurting wildlife today 12:23 - Hunters, voting, and Colorado policy 19:38 - The myth that nature balances itself 21:05 - Predator-prey cycles explained 24:54 - Foot traps and public misconceptions 33:07 - Wildlife math, harvest data, and management 37:40 - Colorado e-tagging 42:21 - CPW science vs public doubt 47:48 - Ballot-box biology and emotion 49:03 - Wildlife as a public resource 51:04 - Closing thoughts Subscribe for more conversations on Colorado wildlife, hunting, conservation, public policy, and Second Amendment culture. #ColoradoWildlife #WildlifeBiology #SalidaGunshop #PredatorManagement #ColoradoHunting

In this episode, Adam Weldon of the Rocky Mountain Bighorn Society (RMBS) joins us to discuss Initiative 302, Colorado wildlife policy, hunting and fishing rights, conservation funding, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), and the growing challenges facing science-based wildlife management. 

Colorado hunters are losing ground, not because they're outnumbered, but because they've stopped talking. Dustin Lovell of ULLR's Archery joins us to break down the Colorado Conservation Film Festival, what it actually takes to bring new people into hunting culture, and why the conversation is the most powerful tool we have left. We get into the Colorado film festival submissions (open through June 30th), why unsuccessful hunts tell better stories than grip-and-grin highlight reels, what ballot box biology is doing to Colorado's wildlife future, and how one conversation over a backstrap dinner can change a person's entire perspective on conservation. If you hunt in Colorado, or care about what happens to public land, wildlife management, and the people who fund it, this one's worth your time. 🎟️ https://theoriginsfoundation.org/ 🧢 Our clothing: salidagunshopgear.com 🌿 CRWM / Save the Hunt: savethehuntcolorado.com Subscribe for more Colorado hunting, 2A, and conservation content from Salida. #ColoradoHunting #ConservationFilmFestival #SalidaGunshop

Colorado hunters are losing ground, not because they're outnumbered, but because they've stopped talking. Dustin Lovell of ULLR's Archery joins us to break down the Colorado Conservation Film Festival, what it actually takes to bring new people into hunting culture, and why the conversation is the most powerful tool we have left. We get into the Colorado film festival submissions (open through June 30th), why unsuccessful hunts tell better stories than grip-and-grin highlight reels, what ballot box biology is doing to Colorado's wildlife future, and how one conversation over a backstrap dinner can change a person's entire perspective on conservation. If you hunt in Colorado, or care about what happens to public land, wildlife management, and the people who fund it, this one's worth your time. 🎟️ https://theoriginsfoundation.org/ 🧢 Our clothing: salidagunshopgear.com 🌿 CRWM / Save the Hunt: savethehuntcolorado.com Subscribe for more Colorado hunting, 2A, and conservation content from Salida. #ColoradoHunting #ConservationFilmFestival #SalidaGunshop

This is for anyone who believes in self-reliance and the Second Amendment but hasn't examined their own capability. Taking care of yourself is community responsibility work. You either carry weight, or the people around you do. Beth Davis, owner of CrossFit Salida, breaks down how physical fitness and mental resilience directly impact your ability to protect your family, show up for your community, and stay independent. When you neglect your health, that cost transfers to the people who depend on you. Featured: Beth Davis, CrossFit Salida | Hosted by Josiah Nierman, Salida Gunshop

Colorado hunters are losing ground, not because they're outnumbered, but because they've stopped talking. Dustin Lovell of ULLR's Archery joins us to break down the Colorado Conservation Film Festival, what it actually takes to bring new people into hunting culture, and why the conversation is the most powerful tool we have left. 🎟️ https://theoriginsfoundation.org/ 🧢 Our clothing: salidagunshopgear.com 🌿 CRWM / Save the Hunt: savethehuntcolorado.com

This is for anyone who believes in self-reliance and the Second Amendment but hasn't examined their own capability. Beth Davis, owner of CrossFit Salida, breaks down how physical fitness and mental resilience directly impact your ability to protect your family, show up for your community, and stay independent. 

Tucker Daubs is a working ranch hand at Eightbar Ranch in the Colorado Rockies. Adam and Josiah sit down with him to break down what real cowboy life actually looks like -- 20 to 34-mile horseback days, managing water systems built over a century ago, moving cattle across extreme terrain, and dealing with predator pressure from wolves, bears, and coyotes. They also get into the firearms that actually get used in ranch work, why suppressors are a practical tool out here, and what the decline of agriculture means for the next generation. Video on our YouTube: Salida Gunshop

Tucker Daubs is a working ranch hand at Eightbar Ranch in the Colorado Rockies. Adam and Josiah sit down with him to break down what real cowboy life actually looks like -- 20 to 34-mile horseback days, managing water systems built over a century ago, moving cattle across extreme terrain, and dealing with predator pressure from wolves, bears, and coyotes. They also get into the firearms that actually get used in ranch work, why suppressors are a practical tool out here, and what the decline of agriculture means for the next generation. Premiered on our YouTube "Salida Gunshop" on April 13, 2026

Teddy Collins is the owner of Spartan Defense, a firearms instructor who has trained over 15,000 people, VP of the Colorado State Shooting Association, and candidate for Colorado State Senate District 4. He sits down with Adam and Josiah to talk about the moment he stopped playing polite and called out a legislator on camera at the Capitol -- and what it set in motion. They cover Colorado's gun laws and the small businesses getting crushed by them, school safety and the FASTR program, what actually happens inside committee hearings, ongoing Second Amendment lawsuits, and why he got in the race. Premiered on our YouTube April 2, 2026

Jason Mikesell is a sheriff, frontline lawman, and business owner who has spent his career dealing with the consequences of failed policy in Colorado -- cartel activity, the fentanyl crisis, gun laws, rural neglect, and decisions made at the Capitol that hit real people hardest. Now he's running for Governor. He sits down with Adam and Josiah to break down what he's seen firsthand and what he plans to do about it. One of three candidate interviews releasing before the June 30th primary. Listen to all three and decide for yourself. Premiered Sep 28, 2025

Former U.S. Congressman, Air Force veteran, and ex-Mayor of Parker, Greg Lopez is running for Governor of Colorado as an independent -- no party machine, no primary, straight to November. He sits down with Adam and Josiah to cover what's actually broken in Colorado, wolf reintroduction and "Wolfgate," the Second Amendment under attack, crime, sanctuary state policy, election integrity, and what day one looks like if he wins. One of three candidate interviews releasing before the June 30th primary. Listen to all three and decide for yourself.

Victor Marx is running for Governor of Colorado as a Republican. Combat veteran, martial arts champion, and founder of All Things Possible Ministries -- he's never held political office, and he thinks that's the point. Adam and Josiah sit down with him to talk about what's broken in Colorado, why he got in the race, and why he believes he's the only candidate who can win the general. One of three candidate interviews releasing before the June 30th primary. Listen to all three and decide for yourself. Posted to YouTube on March 24, 2026

Andrea Wilson is an endurance athlete, hunter, and bike mechanic with a story that starts with a solo trip into Colorado's backcountry and ends with two mountain lions watching her from the trees. Adam and Josiah talk with Andrea about predator encounters, solo female hunting, survival instincts, and what it takes to stay calm when nature turns on you. Recorded on July 22, 2025

Josiah and Adam sit down with Dan Nachtrieb to uncover a buried family story involving land theft, murder, and a courthouse burned to ash. Dan's great-grandfather was killed for standing in the way of greed, and what followed was a cover-up and a 12,000-acre land grab that shaped the region for generations. Recorded on July 15, 2025

Adam and Josiah sit down with Colorado trapper and advocate Dan Gates to cover the wildlife management crisis, the assault on hunting and trapping traditions, and how anti-hunting agendas are infiltrating commissions and state law. Recorded on June 27, 2025

Adam and Josiah break down legislation moving through Colorado's Capitol that could strip Colorado Parks and Wildlife of its authority and hand control to politicians with no wildlife expertise. What's behind the push, who benefits, and what it means for hunters, anglers, and conservationists across the state. Recorded on June 23, 2025

Adam and Josiah break down Colorado's proposed suppressor ban and what it could mean for gun owners, hunters, and the broader firearms community -- from legal implications to real-world impact on enthusiasts across the state. Recorded June 13, 2025

  Colorado legislators are pushing SB-25-003, a bill that would gut your constitutional right to self-defense. Every Coloradan needs to know what's at stake.  Recorded on March 25, 2025.