Here’s our take on Joe Rogan Experience episode #1738 featuring Backcountry Hunters and Anglers board member Ben O’Brien. If you like your ears to bleed as much as we do, it’s certainly worth a listen.

Hey everyone! Look, it’s just what we needed! ANOTHER podcast in which Joe Rogan, the Podfather himself, preaches about the benefits of elk meat and informs his audience that tender, juicy ribeye steaks are the reason why their jaws are weakening. DON’T GIMME NO FILET MINYAWNS, I’LL TAKE A RUTTY MULE DEER FLANK STEAK, THANK YEW!

What’s better than listening to Rogan talk about elk meat for the 10,000th time? I’m glad you asked! How about listening to a rich asshole detail his journey towards public land enlightenment? I can picture his future book plug in my mind’s eye.

“Writer, philosopher and environmental activist Ben O’Brien delivers just what the doctor ordered in his riveting self-biography titled, ‘Riches to Rags: A Wealthy Man’s Guide to Hunting Like the Poors.'”

Ah, yes Ben – hunting on public land is a lot less stressful when you don’t have to, right? Here’s the deal: if I had the means and resources to hunt elk exclusively on private land with the assistance of a guide, I’d do it seven days a week and twice on Sunday. I don’t have a “holier than thou,” public-land-hunter mentality. But, I suppose when you’re a grifter like O’Brien who peddles “Public Land Owner” t-shirts, you should probably see how the other 99 percent lives. It only makes sense!

If you find yourself wondering, “what’s wrong with BHA and those Public Land Owner shirts?” don’t worry. Just be sure to subscribe to this blog because I’ll be ripping them a new asshole soon enough. For now, just trust me a little and hate them.

Ok, back to the podcast. O’Brien later equates hunting alone to being in a UFC fight. I’m not sure if he’s ever seen a UFC fight, but it’s this thing where grown adults literally try to put one another out of consciousness. There’s like, blood and bruises and brain damage – it’s good shit. It’s not at all comparable to walking alone with your guide on another rich guy’s ranch, though.

This of course prompts Rogan to yet again talk about mountain lions. O’Brien has a really cool name for lions – meat processors on four legs – hopefully that moniker catches on! Next time I see a cougar, I’m asking for 20 percent suet. I’m done with this 10 percent garbage.

Shortly after the whole mountain lion thing, we shockingly learn that O’Brien is pro-wolf. According to a Montana State University study (which I trust more than O’Brien, BHA and other conservationists), wolves have caused elk in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem to change their behavior so much so that herds are having fewer calves. I’m no rocket scientist, but fewer calves = fewer elk, right? Before you make your mind up about wolves, whether you’re in O’Brien’s camp or have a more pro-hunter stance (like me), do some research. While researching, it’s also important to follow the money. Again, another blog post for another day.

Eventually they get into the Pittman-Robertson Act and fumble through it. It’s hard to follow their conversation after two hours of weed and whiskey, but this is what you need to know about the Pittman-Robertson Act. It redirects a federal excise tax on firearms and ammunition to a Wildlife Restoration Trust Fund. The excise tax is set at 10% of the wholesale price for pistols and revolvers, and 11% for other firearms, ammunition, and archery equipment. The funds are apportioned to state fish and wildlife agencies annually through an equation based on the geographic area and the number of hunting licenses annually sold in each state.

You should also know the Pittman-Robertson Act was updated in 2018 to allow a portion of the tax proceeds to be used for hunter recruitment, retention and reactivation (R3) efforts. O’Brien loves R3, because he believes more hunters will mean more money for BHA. The matter of R3 usually prompts a lively debate, but I’m not particularly happy that my tax dollars are contributing to the growing number of Rogan acolytes I see at the trailhead. I’ll let you draw your own conclusions.

Then they get into something about grizzly bears, but I’m going to level with you, reader. This podcast is three hours long and it’s literal cancer. I can’t do this anymore. Pray for my liver.