Through the Gates

In Episode 56 of Through the Gates, we sit down with Patt Dorsey, former Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) leader and current Regional Director for the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF). With decades of experience at the intersection of wildlife biology, policy, and public engagement, Patt shares valuable insight into the challenges of managing Colorado’s wildlife amid political and social pr...

In Episode 55 of Through the Gates, we sit down with Teller County Sheriff and CO Governor Candidate Jason Mikesell to break down the political forces shaping Colorado’s future. This conversation digs into the reality of ballot-box biology, rural vs. urban divides, and the growing influence of Denver politics on communities across the state. We explore how decisions at the Capitol and by appointed...

In Episode 54 of Through the Gates, we dive into the challenges and opportunities facing Colorado’s outfitters and guides. From navigating shifting wildlife policies to ensuring fair access for hunters and landowners, this conversation highlights the critical role outfitters play in both conservation and Colorado’s outdoor economy. Guests break down how ballot-box biology, shifting regulations, an...

In this episode of Through the Gates, host Dan Gates speaks with John Aliss of United Houndsmen of Colorado and Austin Parr of Discount Fishing Tackle about the latest challenges facing hunters, anglers, and conservationists at the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission. From debates on live bait bans, fur-bearing animals, and beaver management groups, to broader issues like rewilding, eminent dom...

After a short update about wolf legislation, beaver and fur bearer working groups and the continued undermining efforts of the anti-hunters we jump back to the 2025 Outdoorsman Days event where Dan had the opportunity to sit downed with Fred Eichler and Ralph Cianciarulo. Fred Eichler highlights the importance of passing down traditions, building community, and ensuring that wildlife management st...

In Episode 51 of Through the Gates, we head to the Furtakers of America Convention in Spencer, Iowa to uncover the challenges hunters, trappers, and conservationists are facing as politics, activism, and ballot-box biology threaten the future of wildlife management. Dan meets with Paul Antczak, Bret Bohn and Ivy O’Guinn - stars of the History Channel series "Mountain Men," as well as Iowa DNR cons...

Celebrate the first 50 episodes of the Through the Gates podcast with producer Sean Ender as look back at some of our featured guests and their stories of conservation, wildlife management, hunting adventures and more. This compilation celebrates our accomplishments with the show thus far as we look to expand upon the relationships we've built and set ourselves up for success in our ongoing effort...

In this episode of Through the Gates, we sit down with Shorty Gorham, world-renowned PBR bullfighter and proud advocate for science-based wildlife conservation. From 27 years in the arena to the dedicated life of a houndsman, Shorty shares an unfiltered look at his lifestyle, commitment,  and the grit behind protecting bull riders and the hunting tradition. We cover: - His rise in Professional Bul...

In this emotional and brutally honest episode of Through the Gates , host Dan Gates sits down with Colorado ranchers Nikki Day and Amanda Cerveny  as they share what really happened after the Copper Creek Pack of wolves were secretly dropped near their homes in Pitkin County . These aren't activists. These are mothers, wives, and land stewards living with the consequences of ballot box biology , a...

In this episode of Through the Gates, Dan Gates delivers a critical update on Colorado’s ongoing wildlife policy battles—including an inside look at the fur bearer working group and the rising influence of animal rights extremists in shaping wildlife regulations. With Amendment 14 already limiting science-based tools for wildlife management, new petitions now threaten to ban the sale and use of al...

In this episode of Through the Gates , Dan Gates is joined by two veterans of wildlife policy in Colorado—former CPW Commission Chair John Howard and longtime wildlife professional Dean Riggs —for a deep dive into the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation . They share decades of field and policy experience to help listeners understand what’s at stake: how ballot initiatives, shifting polit...

In this episode of Through the Gates, we revisit the 7 Tenets of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation—the foundation of science-based wildlife management in the U.S. and Canada. Host Dan Gates breaks down each principle and how they’re being threatened by ballot box biology, misinformation, and political agendas. Featuring a powerful speech from conservation icon Shane Mahoney, this e...

Dan heads to Bozeman, MT for the Ram Rendezvous with Wild Sheep Foundation and Schnee's Boots. He talks conservation, ballot box biology, and what’s coming next for wildlife management. #RamRendezvous #WildSheepFoundation #Conservation #BallotBoxBiology #DanGates #SavetheHunt #HuntingPolicy #BozemanMT #WildlifeManagement #WesternHunting #PublicLands #SchneesBoots Send us Fan Mail  STREAM TO SHOW -...

On this week's episode of Through the Gates we sit down with lifelong rancher and conservationist Rusty Ross, whose family has been working the same Colorado land since 1904. Rusty shares raw, personal stories of surviving not one but TWO mountain lion attacks, land management, the toll of predator mismanagement, and the impact of ballot-driven wildlife policy on rural families and ranching tradit...

This is the full force of the anti-hunting agenda coming to fruition and it's time to reengage. Host Dan Gates lays out the multi-faceted approach from the anti-hunters that we're facing currently and that will all align - coming to a head this year and next to end hunting. Led by the Polis administration, their agenda aims to dismantle Colorado Parks and Wildlife and all forms of consumptive use...

Inside Colorado's Troubling Wolf Reintroduction: In this explosive Through the Gates episode, fifth-generation ranchers Tim Ritschard and Doug Bruchez expose the truth behind the state’s wolf reintroduction fallout. This is the raw truth that chronicles exactly what has happened on the ground; from mass depredations, the total betrayal of a management plan, biologists and ranchers being kept in th...

Salida Gunshop | Wildlife, Gun Laws & the Fight to Save Colorado Conservation In this joint episode with the Salida Gunshop, Dan Gates sits down with Adam Nelson and Josiah Nierman to break down the threat of Initiative 98—and why it's a direct attack on Colorado Parks & Wildlife. We also dive into the state's fast-evolving gun laws and how new regulations are hammering FFLs, retailers, an...

🔥 URGENT: Congress Is Trying to Sell Off YOUR Public Lands | What You Need to Know NOW In this special Through the Gates update, producer Sean Ender and guest Ryan Bronson (Dir. of Government Affairs, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation) break down a fast-moving threat in the U.S. Senate: a hidden provision in the federal reconciliation bill that would mandate the sale of 2–3 million acres of prime pub...

In this special edition of Through the Gates, we sit down with Doug Barnes, a master taxidermist, lifelong sportsman, and conservation advocate based in Penrose, Colorado. Doug shares his journey from apprentice to award-winning artist, and explains how taxidermy is not just art—it’s a form of reverence for wildlife, rooted in the North American model of conservation. Doug opens up about the evolu...

In this urgent episode of Through the Gates, we break down the truth behind Initiative 98—a new ballot proposal that could dismantle Colorado Parks & Wildlife, strip science-based wildlife management from professionals, and hand authority to unelected special-interest commissions. From the false promises of conservation to the erosion of private property rights, Dan Gates dives deep into how t...

In this episode of Through the Gates, we sit down with Mark Turner—lifelong Idaho Springs resident, traditional bowhunter, and outfitter behind Rocky Mountain Big Game Adventures. Mark shares his deep-rooted hunting heritage, how he helps hunters pursue bighorn sheep, goats, and moose, and why conservation and political engagement matter now more than ever. Topics: - Colorado big game hunting - Tr...

Brandon Duarte with StealthHunter Gear joins the show to share his thoughts on what it means to be a responsible hunter with the use of gear the assists us in our pursuits. Fair Chase will always be the utmost importance and the gear we use can help us practice, learn, manage wildlife and properties so that we remain ethical, responsible and engaged in the pursuit. All the while the wrong gear in...

On this special episode of Through the Gates we're teaming up with Randy Newberg and his show Hunt Talk Radio. Dan and Randy unpack the monumental effort of defeating Proposition 127 and everything that went into that fight. The effort to Save the Hunt continues as a new wave of animal rights extremists aim to end hunting through backwards legislation and detrimental ballot initiatives. - STREAM T...

The fight to Save the Hunt goes on 365 days of the year and we continue to need funding for our efforts at the CPW Commission, Legislature and Ballot. Learn more about what we're doing and how you can support the Coloradans for Responsible Wildlife Management and enter to win either a Gunwerks rifle package or a once in a lifetime elk hunt with Sangre De Cristo Outfitters in Colorado. - STREAM TO...

Part two in our discussion with Jeremiah Wilber - a man who embodies the word Elite as former Green Beret, cowboy, outfitter, horse trainer and founder of War Party Movement. Over these two episodes he shares his life experiences in war, adventuring in the Rocky Mountains and dedication to helping Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women through the movement. If you missed part one, go back and learn...