Zinke touts opening up public lands at Vegas gun show

Interior Department Secretary Ryan Zinke took his professed love for hunting to the world’s largest gun trade show in Las Vegas this week, where he spread the word on the importance of public land access.

Speaking on the Josh Tolley radio show from the event Thursday morning, Zinke said he attended the Shooting, Hunting Outdoor Trade Show — which he referred to as “Trump country” — to “let people know that our public lands belong to our people and not the government.”

“Local voices have been ignored,” Zinke told the radio host, adding that the administration is “opening our roads and letting people enjoy their land and putting the ‘R’ back in recreation,” appearing to allude to Republican.

“These special interest groups don’t want people on what they perceive as their land — you cannot even ride a mountain bike in a lot of lands, so we need to adjust that.”

Zinke made a number of radio appearances at the event and tweeted out photos of him doing interviews with conservative radio hosts Michael Koolidge and Dana Loesch.

{mosads}

“Radio row is always fun. Talking with #Illinois own @koolidge about #hunting and @NatlParkService #SHOTShow, ” Zinke tweeted.

Radio row is always fun. Talking with #Illinois own @koolidge about #hunting and @NatlParkService #SHOTShow pic.twitter.com/Hu1CJQj5hb

— Secretary Ryan Zinke (@SecretaryZinke) January 25, 2018

In his time as Interior secretary, Zinke has made strong policy pushes to expand hunting opportunities on national park land and has made no secret of his passion for hunting.

On his first day in office last year, Zinke issued an order which overturned a recent ban a recent ban on lead ammunition and fish tackle on Fish and Wildlife Service lands and waters. In September he issued another secretarial order designed to increase access to various public lands for hunters and fishers.

Zinke also touted his shrinking of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante, two national monuments located in Utah, as moves in part meant to expand access to hunters.