Ryan Callaghan

Date: 2025-07-16 | Duration: 2h 17m

Category: Nature & Outdoors, Politics & Media

Episode Overview

Joe sits down with Cal, host of 'Cal's Week in Review' and North American board chair for Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, to dig into the fierce battle over public land access in America. They trace the Utah lawsuit that sparked a multistate amicus coalition, break down the tangled checkerboard pattern of federal, state, tribal, and private ownership, and assess whether Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' could open the door to sell-offs. Cal explains Montana's private land public access sign-up program, gives a rundown on bison population management and how animals end up on private ranches, and pushes back hard on the monocrop agriculture argument made by critics of hunting. With 150,000 comments and calls submitted through BHA's action-alert center, Cal credits grassroots advocates like Randy Newberg for moving the needle — and vows to keep fighting.

About Ryan Callaghan

Ryan “Cal” Callaghan is a prominent conservationist and the Director of Conservation for MeatEater, where he champions sustainable hunting and wildlife management. As a national board member of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, he advocates for public land access and the protection of natural resources, earning a reputation as a leading voice in the outdoor community. Known for his engaging storytelling and deep commitment to conservation, Cal blends his passion for hunting and the outdoors with a mission to educate others on the importance of environmental stewardship. His insights into wildlife conservation and responsible outdoor practices make him a compelling figure in the dialogue surrounding environmental issues.

Key Moments

– Public land sell-off threats and the Big Beautiful Bill
– Utah lawsuit and the multistate amicus brief coalition
– Federal checkerboard land ownership explained
– Montana private land public access program
– Bison conservation and population management
– Monocrop agriculture vs. hunting and land stewardship
– Backcountry Hunters & Anglers grassroots advocacy
– Randy Newberg's role in the public lands fight
– Affordable housing and public land development pressure
0:00:19 – Big Beautiful Bill and the public land threat landscape
0:14:30 – Utah lawsuit triggers multistate coalition of support
0:29:57 – Breaking down the checkerboard land ownership pattern
0:44:57 – How Montana's walk-in access program works for hunters
0:59:30 – How bison end up on private land and population stats
1:12:13 – Monocrop agriculture and the fake meat critique
1:26:13 – Cameron Hanes and the fight lawsuit drama
1:42:09 – Randy Newberg and the public lands advocacy payoff
1:55:34 – Historical context of land transfers from public ownership
2:09:57 – Affordable housing on public land — a flawed easy answer

Transcript Excerpt

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Joe Rogan Experience. Trained by day, Joe Rogan podcast by night, all day. Right, right, right. Right, right. Right, right. Right, right. Right, right. Right, right. Starting point is 00:00:19 Right, right. Right, right. Right, right. Right, right. Right, right. Right, right. Right, right. Right, right. big beautiful bill. Yeah, we did it. We did before we even got you in here Well, I mean we're not out of the woods yet. Yeah is the reality. Yeah, I mean we're I was hoping that you and I were gonna we're gonna team up and tee off on these sons of bitches and Starting point is 00:00:39 Watch it die together That would've been ideal. I think it's dead. It's it is dead together that would have been ideal. I think it's dead. It is dead. It is dead, but we're a long way from this stuff being- Dead ever. Dead ever. Yeah. Starting point is 00:00:51 Right. Exactly. It's got to be dead forever. It's not theirs to sell. It's very unique to the United States. It's an amazing thing that we have. I don't think people in other countries understand this. I don't think people in America even understand how unique it is. Like our public lands, what they Starting point is 00:01:08 did when they set that up, not just national parks but all the public lands, we created this insane resource, this beautiful resource where we can go into the mountains, into the woods and enjoy nature and it's ours. It's all of ours. And I get, I mean, the amount of response from listeners that live outside the country and to a person, they're like, are you guys really going to screw this up? They're like, how do people not know? How do people not appreciate what you guys have? Don't turn into this country or this country or this country, basically any other country outside of Canada and the US. Starting point is 00:01:48 I think the real issue is the people in America that don't experience it and don't go there and don't know how insanely unique this situation is. Like I do...

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Who was the guest on Joe Rogan Experience #2350?

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What topics were discussed on JRE #2350?

On Joe Rogan Experience #2350 with Ryan Callaghan, topics include Public land sell-off threats and the Big Beautiful Bill, Utah lawsuit and the multistate amicus brief coalition, Federal checkerboard land ownership explained, and Montana private land public access program.

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