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January 28, 2025

In The Arena: Will Retzer

TRCP’s “In the Arena” series highlights the individual voices of hunters and anglers who, as Theodore Roosevelt so famously said, strive valiantly in the worthy cause of conservation.

Will Retzer

Hometown: Sparks, Nevada
Occupation: Electric Troubleman, NV Energy

Growing up in southern California, Retzer’s family took advantage of the local hunting and fishing opportunities in the mountains near Los Angeles. But once the family moved to Nevada, Retzer’s love for the outdoors exploded. Since then, he’s been able to experience the incredible hunting and fishing of the Silver State and appreciate the conservation efforts that make it possible.

Here is his story.

Retzer on one of his favorite Nevada glassing knobs.

TRCP: How were you introduced to hunting, fishing, and the outdoors? Who introduced you? 

Retzer: When I was growing up in California, my grandfather and dad had me out fishing the Eastern Sierra and Colorado River systems as soon as I could walk. As a young boy, my dad took me along as he hunted coastal blacktail deer in the mountains of southern California outside of Los Angeles. Then we moved to Nevada in 1978, and my love for the outdoors grew exponentially. This included fishing the desert creeks and hunting upland game birds and big game.

TRCP: Tell us about one of your most memorable outdoor adventures. 

Retzer: I have so many, but if I had to narrow it down, my most memorable outdoor adventure would be my wife Elaine’s Nevada Desert Bighorn in 2022. It was on the sixth day of the hunt, all our help had left, and it was just me and her when we finally spotted the ram she wanted to take. After an hour of glassing and planning, we needed to close about 1000 yards. That included crawling 300 yards on our hands and knees up a mountain across from the bedded ram. She made an awesome shot, and he never moved from his bed. 

Tied for my most memorable adventure would be my son Beau’s 2024 elk hunt. I had the same tag 12 years prior and was so excited to experience this premiere muzzleloader tag in Nevada with my son. By no means are we the perfect hunters but this was the perfect Nevada rut hunt. On the second day, we spotted a good bull and made a plan. Beau was able to get into position below the bull and I came in several hundred yards behind and made a few cow calls. The bull bugled and headed straight toward Beau but hung up about 60 yards out. I gave three more cow calls, and the bull bugled again, thrashed a tree, and came within 40 yards to where Beau was able to make a clean shot. Watching this from 400 yards out was an experience as a dad I will never forget. 

Don’t get me wrong, I always look forward to the day that tags are released, and I always want to see my name on one of them.  However, when my wife, daughter, son, or friends get the tag, I’m just as excited (maybe more). I find it more rewarding helping and supporting than I do when I get my own tag. The chance to be out and experiencing Nevada and what it has to offer just blows me away every time!

Will and his wife, Elaine, celebrate her ram.

TRCP: If you could hunt or fish anywhere, where would it be and why?

Retzer: The state of Nevada because we offer world-class hunting opportunities with many species of western big game. The opportunities here are due to the incredible efforts of the Nevada Department of Wildlife and wildlife support groups such as the Nevada Chukar Foundation and Nevada Bighorns Unlimited and their Midas and Elko chapters that fundraise for wildlife conservation.

TRCP: Why is it important to you to be involved in conservation? What are the major conservation challenges where you live?

Retzer: I want to make sure that this generation, and future generations, have the same opportunities to enjoy hunting, fishing, and an outdoor lifestyle like I have for the past 56 years. Drout, wildfires, new growth encroaching on wildlife habitat, wild horses, as well as predator management make up the biggest conservation challenges in Nevada.

TRCP: Why should conservation matter to the next generation of hunters and anglers?

Retzer: Through conservation efforts, Nevada is home to the largest population of wild sheep in the Lower 48. We also recently reissued moose and bear tags. These are just a few examples of the importance of how conservation today can make a huge difference in the future. I was taught by my dad and grandpa to leave our camp better than we found it and have passed that on to my children as well.

Photo credits: Will Retzer


The TRCP is your resource for all things conservation. In our weekly Roosevelt Report, you’ll receive the latest news on emerging habitat threats, legislation and proposals on the move, public land access solutions we’re spearheading, and opportunities for hunters and anglers to take action. Sign up now.

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January 24, 2025

TRCP Applauds Reintroduction of Bipartisan Public Land, Migration Bills

Bills would strengthen public lands and help conserve big game migration corridors   

The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership cheers the reintroduction of two priority bills aimed at maintaining access to public lands and conserving big game migrations. 

The Public Lands in Public Hands Act, first introduced in the 118th Congress by Representatives Zinke (R-Mont.) and Vasquez (D-N.M.), would require congressional approval for the sale and transfer of public lands to non-federal entities in most instances. The biggest impact of the bill would be to prevent the Bureau of Land Management from selling important access parcels as part of its land disposal process, which would effectively maintain valuable hunting and fishing access for sportsmen and sportswomen. 

“Millions of American sportsmen and sportswomen depend on public lands for their hunting and fishing access,” said Joel Webster, chief conservation officer with the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “TRCP appreciates the leadership of Representatives Zinke and Vasquez to prevent the sale or transfer of our valued public lands by reintroducing the Public Lands in Public Hands Act.” 

The Wildlife Movement Through Partnerships Act, first introduced in the 118th Congress by Representatives Zinke (R-Mont.) and Beyer (D-Va.) and Senators Padilla (D-Calif.) and Hoeven (R-N.D.), would formally authorize existing federal programs initiated by the Department of the Interior during the Trump Administration through Secretarial Order 18-3362, signed by then Secretary Zinke, to conserve big game migration corridors. These programs were supported by the Biden Administration but remain discretionary. Congressional action to formalize these discretionary programs guarantees that the work will persist regardless of future administration changes. This is important because state and Tribal wildlife agency annual budgets are unable to meet the full demand for wildlife management. The financial and technical assistance from these federal programs would help to bridge that gap and also provide resources to private landowners for voluntary conservation actions. 

“The Wildlife Movement Through Partnerships Act had broad bipartisan support in both chambers during the 118th Congress, and we look forward to working with the original bill sponsors to see it passed into law in the 119th,” said Madeleine West, VP of western conservation with the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “America’s hunters and anglers will benefit from this common-sense, bipartisan bill that promotes collaborative conservation to ensure big game abundance.” 

Learn more about TRCP’s commitment to public hunting and fishing access HERE, and TRCP’s commitment to migration HERE

January 23, 2025

Wyoming Sportspeople Celebrate Conservation of Iconic Big Game Migration Corridors with Kelly Parcel Sale to Grand Teton National Park 

Hunting and grazing will be retained in perpetuity on the parcel 

In the waning hours of 2024, the State of Wyoming and Department of the Interior finalized the $100 million sale of the 640-acre Kelly State Trust Parcel to Grand Teton National Park, marking the terminus of the years-long effort to conserve its outstanding wildlife values.  

Alarmed by a proposal to sell the parcel at public auction in 2023, a broad coalition of Wyomingites, including numerous sportspeople’s groups, worked with the Wyoming legislature, Governor Mark Gordon, auditor Kristi Racines, and treasurer Curt Meier to authorize its direct sale to the park, generating a windfall for public education. Hunting and grazing will remain on the parcel per the sales agreement.  

The Kelly Parcel remains one of the few accessible public tracts of land available for bison hunting in Wyoming. As seen in the feature image, after 16 days of hunting, including an opportunity on the Kelly Parcel the day before, Cody, Wyoming, resident Austin Reed was successful on the National Elk Refuge in early 2025.

“Wyoming sportspeople quickly recognized the threat to pronghorn and elk migration paths, wildlife habitat, and public access should the Kelly Parcel be developed,” said Josh Metten, Wyoming field manager for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “The sale to Grand Teton National Park is a win-win for wildlife, sportspeople, and Wyoming school children. We thank the legislature, Governor Gordon, auditor Racines, treasurer Meier, and the broad coalition of Wyomingites who worked tirelessly to achieve this historic win.” 

The sale was furnished by monies from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which receives royalties from offshore oil and gas development, and private donors to Grand Teton National Park Foundation. Revenues will directly benefit Wyoming school children as required by the Wyoming constitution. 

“The broad support from Wyomingites to convey the Kelly Parcel to Grand Teton National Park is a clear indication of our desire to find common-ground solutions that avoid political gridlock and partisan politics,” added Metten. “We thank Grand Teton National Park for retaining hunting and grazing in perpetuity for this parcel, which is now forever conserved for future generations to enjoy.” 

For several decades, conservationists and Wyoming’s elected representatives have recognized that state trust parcels found within Grand Teton National Park’s boundaries could be added to the park while also meeting those parcels’ constitutional mandate to generate revenue for public education. In 2003, the late senator Craig Thomas led the passage of legislation authorizing exchanges, sales, or trades of state trust inholdings. The Kelly parcel acquisition is the culmination of this effort and is a historic win for Wyoming and all Americans.  


The TRCP is your resource for all things conservation. In our weekly Roosevelt Report, you’ll receive the latest news on emerging habitat threats, legislation and proposals on the move, public land access solutions we’re spearheading, and opportunities for hunters and anglers to take action. Sign up now.

January 17, 2025

Greater Sage Grouse Land Use Planning Complete in Colorado and Oregon  

TRCP urges the BLM to work with states to expeditiously complete remaining plans.

Recently, the Bureau of Land Management signed records of decision for greater sage grouse plan amendments in Colorado and Oregon, two of the 10 Western states where plans are being updated in response to a court ruling.   

“For more than a decade, state agencies have worked in an unprecedented collaboration with the BLM to revise management plans to conserve over 67 million acres of sagebrush habitat,” said Madeleine West, vice president of Western conservation for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “The completion of plans in Colorado and Oregon is great progress toward ending the cycle of planning so that agency staff and resources can move back to where it needs to be -on species and land management to benefit the sagebrush ecosystem and Western communities that rely on it.”  

In November 2024, the BLM issued final plans across the 10 state range of the greater sage grouse (California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming) and has been working since that time to resolve administrative protests and consistency reviews by several Governors.   

“With these new plans, the BLM has removed some poison pills that existed in the 2015 plans, retained important changes included in the plans finalized in 2020 to respect state authorities, and incorporated updated science to reflect an improved understanding of ecosystem needs over the last decade,” added West.  “We hope the Trump Administration will pick up this work quickly and collaborate with the remaining states to finalize all the plans in a manner that creates durable management in a consistent manner across the remaining range of the species.”     

The TRCP has been on the front lines of sage grouse conservation for years. The decline of this iconic game bird of the American West indicates that sagebrush habitat is in trouble, and that matters for sportsmen and women because the sagebrush ecosystem is home to more than 350 different species of plants and animals, including such iconic game species as pronghorn and mule deer. 

For more information about the plans, click HERE.   


The TRCP is your resource for all things conservation. In our weekly Roosevelt Report, you’ll receive the latest news on emerging habitat threats, legislation and proposals on the move, public land access solutions we’re spearheading, and opportunities for hunters and anglers to take action. Sign up now.


Sporting Groups and Partners Cheer Conservation Investment in the Rio Grande Headwaters

New federal funding will support enhanced fish and wildlife habitat while tackling challenges faced by fish, wildlife, and communities along the Rio Grande in Colorado and New Mexico

Today, the Department of the Interior and Bureau of Reclamation today announced a $24.9 million investment to support water conservation and habitat restoration efforts in the headwaters of the Rio Grande. These new federal resources will ensure greater resilience to drought and water security for Colorado and New Mexico communities while significantly enhancing the quality of fish and wildlife habitat in the region for future generations of hunters and anglers.

“Today’s announcement provides a critical downpayment that will make the headwaters of the Rio Grande better prepared to handle the ongoing impacts of drought, while supporting state and local efforts to sustainably manage water supplies for future generations,” said Alexander Funk, TRCP director of water resources. “Further, this announcement shows that when Colorado and New Mexico work together, big things can happen that benefit fish and wildlife, support local economies, and tackle some of the region’s most pressing water challenges.” 

The Rio Grande is a vital resource for the region—it provides water for agriculture, which remains the backbone of the economy, communities, Pueblos, acequias, and iconic fish and wildlife, including the Rio Grande cutthroat trout and migratory waterfowl. Yet the Rio Grande is amid a long-term drought, which has placed considerable strain on surface and groundwater resources in the region. The funding announced today will help to provide a critical downpayment on addressing these challenges by investing in state and locally led efforts to encourage sustainable surface and groundwater management, update aging water storage and delivery infrastructure, and benefit fish and wildlife habitat by restoring wetlands and riparian areas.

The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership worked in partnership with the Rio Grande Water Conservation District, San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District, Conejos Water Conservancy District, Rio Grande Headwaters Restoration Project, Colorado Open Lands, Santa Clara Pueblo, Middle Rio Grande Water Conservation District, New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission, Colorado Water Conservation Board, National Wildlife Federation, American Rivers, Amigos Bravos, and others in developing and securing this federal funding for the Upper Rio Grande.

“We are thrilled to see this funding go towards these critical projects in Colorado. We are particularly proud to have played a role in assisting these projects in securing funding through Colorado Water Conservation Board funding programs including our Federal Technical Assistance Grant Program, Projects Bill funding and Water Plan Grants,” said Lauren Ris, Colorado Water Conservation Board Director, “By building upon the capacity of our local partners, we provide extra resources and guidance to navigate complex federal funding processes.”

“This funding will expand the Department’s ongoing efforts to restore riparian habitats, enhance fish passage for Species of Greatest Conservation need, and maintain outdoor recreational opportunities for New Mexicans – now and into the future,” said Michael Sloane, Director, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. “We are thrilled to continue to work with our federal, state, and private partners to get these funds on the ground to benefit fish, wildlife and habitat that supports them.” 

“The Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District is excited to partner with the Corrales farming community to invest in durable solutions to address infrastructure constraints and water supply shortages in their service area” said Jason M. Casuga, P.E., CEO and Chief Engineer of the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District. “This innovative partnership is vital for the sustainability of the Corrales farm economy and area food security.”

“This funding is a critical investment in healthy rivers and communities in the Upper Rio Grande – an often overlooked but vital watershed for drinking water, agriculture, and wildlife. The projects supported by these funds will confront and solve long-term challenges in supplying clean, safe, reliable drinking water, improving water quality for wildlife and agriculture, and reducing risks across the region from drought and overuse,” said Emily Wolf, Rio Grande Coordinator, American Rivers. “We are proud to support this work, and our local partners, in securing this funding, and applaud the Bureau of Reclamation in supporting this crucial step.”

“With $24.9 million from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the Upper Rio Grande Basin will gain drought-resilient infrastructure, restored ecosystems, and advanced water management—ensuring sustainable water resources for generations to come,” said Amber Pacheco, Deputy General Manager, Rio Grande Water Conservation District. 

“This funding will be a catalyst for our collective work to restore the health of the San Luis Valley’s rivers and aquifers, which will improve the Upper Rio Grande Basin’s resilience in the face of changing water supplies,” said Heather Dutton, Manager, San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District. “The completion of these critical projects will make a difference for the community now and for future generations!” 

“This investment will be critical for a number of headwater streams, improving the resilience of these watersheds as well as the mainstem of the Rio Grande in light of the climate stressors we are facing. The projects will benefit the communities who rely on the watersheds, acequias and traditional agriculture, and the wildlife who call this region home,” said Steven Fry, Projects and Policy Specialist, Amigos Bravos. “The Bureau of Reclamation and the Biden-Harris administration are demonstrating once again that investing in our local communities and watersheds throughout the Rio Grande remains a priority and we thank them for their continued leadership.”

“The Rio Grande is the underpinning that supports the economic and ecological health of the region. This funding allows conservation partners to critically address and relieve the challenges this habitat and community have experienced from long-term drought and sustainability insecurity,” said Tracy Stephens, senior specialist for riparian connectivity at The National Wildlife Federation. “We applaud the Bureau of Reclamation’s investment and recognition of the importance of riparian health and habitat connectivity. This funding is an important step forward in a collective effort to achieve well-connected and functional riparian corridors to protect the wellbeing of people, plants, and wildlife in the Upper Rio Grande.”

 

Learn more about TRCP’s commitment to habitat and clean water HERE


The TRCP is your resource for all things conservation. In our weekly Roosevelt Report, you’ll receive the latest news on emerging habitat threats, legislation and proposals on the move, public land access solutions we’re spearheading, and opportunities for hunters and anglers to take action. Sign up now.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

TRCP has partnered with Afuera Coffee Co. to further our commitment to conservation. $4 from each bag is donated to the TRCP, to help continue our efforts of safeguarding critical habitats, productive hunting grounds, and favorite fishing holes for future generations.

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