The Wide Open

Latest Episodes:

The Roadless Rule - Extra May 04, 2026

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The Roadless Rule is back on the chopping block. And what happens next could have really big implications for Montana, the region, and the country – for grizzlies, for other endangered species, and for entire ecosystems. What do we lose, or gain, when our bedrock environmental regulations go away, along with public input on how it all happens?

The Wide Open Live: Beyond the Fireline Sep 26, 2025

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This week, we shift gears to examine another thorny environmental issue in the West: Wildfire. Fires are getting bigger and more destructive, and as part of the ecosystem, they're not going away. Listen in as four wildfire experts discuss the issue at the Free Press Fest in Bozeman.

What's a wolf worth - Extra Aug 20, 2025

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State wildlife officials will take up a proposal Thursday to overhaul hunting regulations in order to reduce wolf numbers statewide. But locals near Yellowstone National Park say the proposal would impact the region’s vulnerable wolf population and the economy built around it.

Help protect public media from congressional funding cuts Jun 10, 2025

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Public media faces its most urgent threat yet. Congress will soon vote on whether to eliminate $1.1 billion in already-approved funding. Visit Protect My Public Media to learn how to call your representatives and voice your support for public media.

Out of the Woods — Extra Jun 02, 2025

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For decades, people have been trying to find the ivory-billed woodpecker, convinced it’s still out there, despite many – including the federal government – claiming it’s gone extinct. But some avid birders are convinced it still exists. Some think they’ve seen it. Today: A bird lost to extinction, or maybe just the deep, dark Southern hardwood forest. The search for the ivory-billed woodpecker.

The Darter and the … Other Darter - Extra Apr 23, 2025

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After 50 years of legal battles testing the limits of the Endangered Species Act, the snail darter is still making a big splash. New research argues it's not a separate species and was never endangered. What does that mean for the fish, and what does it say about the Endangered Species Act?

The Discovery of Extinction — Extra Feb 13, 2025

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How Thomas Jefferson’s quest to prove America’s wildlife was bigger and badder and better than anywhere else led him to face off with the idea of species going extinct.

New Administration, New Grizzly Bear Policy? — Extra Jan 28, 2025

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Last week, President Trump released an order to freeze all kinds of federal rules proposed in the days before the Administration changed, including the latest grizzly bear delisting rule. The Trump Administration is reviewing what Biden tried to do with grizzlies, and deciding what’s next.

Big News for Grizzlies — Extra Jan 17, 2025

Show notes

On January 8th, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service made a big announcement about the future of grizzly bear management. Host Nick Mott breaks down the news and what the reaction to it means looking ahead.

A Grizzly Charge — Extra Nov 12, 2024

Show notes

Two days after The Wide Open premiered, host Nick Mott had a grizzly encounter of his own.

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