Rock Hill, SC. – April 30, 2025 – Access to quality land remains one of the biggest challenges for outdoor enthusiasts, and one of the primary barriers to growing overall participation in activities like hunting. The hosts of The Connecting with Conservation (CWC) Podcast, Jon Gassett of Wildlife Management Institute and Jim Curcuruto of Outdoor Stewards of Conservation Foundation, welcome Sean Cross, chief contracting officer at iSportsman, to discuss how to legally access millions of acres of Department of Defense lands for hunting, fishing, target shooting and even collecting pine needles.
The U.S. military is the third-largest public landowner in the country, managing 30 million acres, and few people understand how to gain access to these lands for outdoor recreation. In this episode, Cross explains how the iSportsman permit system helps unlock access to these tracts of land.
“I was blown away by all the opportunities to access lands that I never knew about,” said Curcuruto. “It was also great to hear how millions of dollars in permit fees go right back to funding the natural resources management of these lands each year. If you’re looking for access to new lands, you’re going to want to watch this episode.”
Season 2, Episode 14: Cross shares how to gain land access to nearly 60 different military bases across the country, from Edwards Air Force Base in California to West Point Military Academy in New York. “The iSportsman online permit system is easy to use,” said Cross. “It allows users to not only obtain access permits, but also check in and out of lands, and submit harvest information, all from your mobile device.”
The Connecting with Conservation Podcast was created to allow a broad mix of guests from wildlife agencies, industry manufacturers and non-government organizations to share their stories about how they and their organizations support outdoor recreation and conservation. The conversational format, informative guests and compact episodes make it a great addition to any podcast rotation.
Featured recent episodes of the CWC Podcast include:
Season 2, Episode 10: Dr. Tommy Floyd, President of the National Archery in the Schools Program.
Season 2, Episode 15: Christian Hogg, Director of Marketing with Fiocchi USA.
Be sure to subscribe to The Connecting with Conservation Podcast’s YouTube and PodBean channels to be alerted to new episodes that drop weekly.
To become a guest on an upcoming episode of The Connecting with Conservation Podcast, reach out to Dr. Jon Gassett or Jim Curcuruto.
About iSportsman
Conceived in 2005 to help hunters and anglers check in and out of DoD lands using a web browser in the field and enter their harvest information directly into a wildlife management database. iSportsman is known as the trusted outdoor recreation management system for our nation’s most sensitive military bases. iSportsman also offers the same level of data collection and user-friendly engagement for commercial entities, nonprofits and individual sportsmen and sportswomen. Learn more about how to access new lands at https://isportsman.com/
About OSCF
Outdoor Stewards of Conservation Foundation (OSCF) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that works with all facets of the outdoor industry to improve cultural acceptance of gun ownership, hunting, fishing, trapping, and target shooting. We use research-based communications and engagement programs that help recruit the next generation of HATS (Hunters, Anglers, Trappers, and Shooters) and promote the positive contributions HATS make to society. To learn more about OSCF programs; “Fill A Bag While Filling Your Tag,” “Come With!,” “Connecting with Conservation,” “Donate A Deer” and the “Outdoor Industry Communication Council,” please visit www.OutdoorStewards.org, follow @OutdoorStewards on Instagram or contact Jim Curcuruto at (203) 450-7202, [email protected]. Keep up with the latest from OSCF on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
About Wildlife Management Institute (WMI):
WMI was founded in 1911 by conservation- and business-minded people alarmed by declining wildlife populations. Recognizing the need for dedicated professionals, the founders established a small, independent organization focused on wildlife restoration and habitat conservation. As a private, non-profit (501[c]3) organization, WMI operates from field offices, employing highly skilled wildlife scientists to address critical conservation issues. WMI plays a crucial role in advancing wildlife management through a diverse array of activities. Learn more at https://wildlifemanagement.institute/
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