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Birdshot Podcast

#341 | The Prairie Partnership: Ranchers, Wildlife, and the Grasslands We Stand to Lose

Birdshot Podcast

Nick Larson

Leisure, Science, Sports, Nature, Hobbies, Wilderness

4.8 • 971 Ratings

🗓️ 5 December 2025

⏱️ 68 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In this episode of the Birdshot Podcast, Nick Larson welcomes back Ted Koch, for an important conversation on prairie grouse conservation, grassland loss, ranching, and the future of upland habitat across North America. Ted also shares unforgettable elk-hunting stories, ruffed grouse parallels, and urgent insights into habitat fragmentation and the decline of gamebird populations. Ted Koch is a retired endangered species biologist and CEO of the North American Grouse Partnership. With decades of experience in western wildlife conservation, Ted works directly with ranchers, agencies, and conservation partners to protect prairie grouse species, including sharp-tailed grouse, greater prairie-chickens, lesser prairie-chickens, and sage-grouse. Expect to Learn Why prairie grouse populations are collapsing across North America How grassland loss and fragmentation impact sharptails, prairie-chickens, and sage-grouse Why ranching is essential to upland bird habitat How public-land and private-land management affect upland hunting access What hunters can do to support prairie conservation and rangeland stewardship Episode Breakdown with Timestamps [00:00:00] - Introduction [00:04:36] - What’s keeping Ted Busy [00:19:20] - Storytelling, memory, and the hunt [00:20:42] - Introduction to the North American Grouse Partnership [00:25:18] - Private-land rangelands and public perception [00:37:05] - How Conservation Practices Create Real Value for Wildlife and Habitat [00:43:37] - Rangelands, Cattle Production and Food Output [00:56:12] - Comparing The Approach with CRP [01:00:50] - National Grasslands Conservation Act and Its Role in Farm Bill Funding [01:04:40] - Learn More about The North American Grouse Partnership and Membership Follow the Guest Ted Website: grousepartners.org  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GrousePartners  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/na_grouse_partnership/?hl=en  Saving Ranching to Save Wildlife: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxM6vvEoRgc Follow the Host Nick: Instagram: @birdshot.podcast Website: www.birdshotpodcast.com Listening Links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/17EVUDJPwR2iJggzhLYil7 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/birdshot-podcast/id1288308609 YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@birdshot.podcast SUPPORT | http://www.patreon.com/birdshot Use Promo Code | BSP20 to save 20% on https://www.onxmaps.com/hunt/app Use Promo Code | BS10 to save 10% on https://trulockchokes.com/ The Birdshot Podcast is Presented By: https://www.onxmaps.com/

Transcript

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0:00.0

We lose two million acres of grasslands every single year.

0:03.6

We used to be able to hunt lesser prairie chickens 11 years ago. Now they've been listed twice under the Endangered Species Act. And this is on us hunters. We have concluded, if we want to save prairie grouse, we must save ranching. And I will never forget, as he strutted, his eyeball rose above the branch and below the branch as he took each step around the end

0:21.4

of this branch and he stopped and looked at me and I just drew back on two populations of

0:26.1

Pronghorn found in North America that are listed under the Endangered Species Act.

0:30.6

There's some genetically distinct population here.

0:33.3

Is there space to increase range lands and cattle production while still maintaining our level

0:39.4

of food output in agriculture?

0:40.9

I don't know in an ultimate sense, but I do know in a proximal sense.

0:44.3

I mean... Good to me.

0:57.0

Good girl, sweetie.

1:11.3

That's a big bird.

1:17.3

Wow.

1:20.2

Hey everyone.

1:21.2

Nick Larson here, host of the Birdshot podcast, the show that brings you conversations,

1:25.7

stories, and traditions from all across the

1:28.0

uplands. The Birchop podcast is presented by Onyx Hunt and supported by folks just like you via

1:33.3

our Patreon community. If you want to stay up to date and not miss any of our upcoming episodes,

1:37.9

be sure to subscribe and follow the show in your podcast player or on YouTube, wherever you're

1:41.9

listening or watching today. tap that button for me.

1:45.3

Thank you for doing so.

1:49.2

And with that said, let's get into today's conversation on the Birdshot podcast. Thank you. Welcome back to another episode of Virtchop podcast, everyone presented by OnX Hunt today.

2:17.9

We are excited to be joined once again by Ted Cook, retired endangered species biologists and current CEO of North American Grouse Partnership.

...

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