What happens when the fight to protect hunting, fishing, and wildlife conservation moves from the field to the political arena?

On this episode of Through the Gates, Dan Gates sits down with Cable Smith, host of the Lone Star Outdoor Show, for an in-depth conversation about the future of hunting, science-based wildlife management, public lands, predator hunting, and the growing political challenges facing sportsmen across America.

Cable shares how he went from a radio broadcasting graduate with a passion for bass fishing and duck hunting to building one of the longest-running outdoor media platforms in the country. With more than 800 weekly episodes, decades of hunting experience, and a growing role in conservation advocacy, Cable has seen firsthand how the outdoor industry has changed—and why hunters can no longer afford to ignore wildlife politics.

The conversation explores the lessons Colorado's Proposition 127 fight holds for other states, why public lands matter even in states dominated by private property, and how hunting traditions connect families and communities across generations.

Dan and Cable also discuss chronic wasting disease (CWD), mountain lion and bear hunting with hounds, wildlife commissions and political decision-making, the funding behind North American wildlife conservation, and the importance of protecting the right to hunt and fish for future generations.

With Colorado's Amendment 83 on the ballot, this conversation takes on added significance. Dan explains how a constitutional Right to Hunt and Fish could help protect Colorado's outdoor heritage while preserving wildlife management authority and science-based conservation.

Whether you're a lifelong hunter, an angler, a public-land advocate, or someone who cares about the future of America's wildlife, this episode connects the dots between hunting, conservation, politics, and the responsibility to pass our outdoor traditions on to the next generation.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• Cable Smith's journey building the Lone Star Outdoor Show
• Why hunters must get involved in conservation politics
• Lessons from Colorado's fight against Proposition 127
• Public lands, private land hunting, and access for future generations
• The traditions and family connections built around deer and elk camp
• Backcountry elk hunting and the rewards of DIY hunts
• Mountain lion hunting, houndsmen, and ethical decision-making
• Chronic wasting disease and wildlife management controversies
• Texas wildlife policy and the role of state wildlife agencies
• Why science should guide wildlife commissions
• The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation and conservation funding
• Colorado's constitutional Right to Hunt and Fish and Amendment 83
• Why apathy is not an option for hunters and conservationists