Tyler Sharp — CEO & Editor in Chief of Modern Huntsman — joins us for a fascinating conversation on his time in Africa, his thoughts on the rebranding of modern hunting, and how we can take control of the hunting narrative before we lose it forever. Tyler shares about his immersive experiences living and hunting in the African bush that were formative to his balanced outlook on modern hunting culture, and we also get to dig in on one of the most controversial hunts on earth — the African elephant. Tyler is passionate about elevating the hunting narrative, and we discuss his thoughts on the North American model of conservation, the hunter's paradox, and how we can make hunting more inclusive for all who want to participate.
Read MoreDr. Karl Malcolm is an ecologist and hunter who leads the Renewable Resources department for the Eastern Region of the US Forest Service. With his inclusive, boundary-pushing, and thoughtful ethos on conservation, he's a model of the hunter/conservationist of the future. In this episode, Karl shares about his experiences working with Moon Bears in China and the contrast between hunting and conservation here versus there. We also discuss his fresh perspectives on bringing other stakeholders outside of the hunting and angling community into the conservation funding model and how we can build bridges between hunters and non-hunters. Karl encourages us to push the conservation conversation into a new arena, and this thought-provoking interview will give you a lot to think about!
Read MoreIn today's episode, our host Daniel Vitalis shares an incredible experience he had fishing for a blacktip shark in the Florida Keys. Despite strong, well-managed populations here in the US, fishing for sharks has become somewhat controversial — largely due to unregulated and unethical practices in other parts of the world — and Daniel's story leads this episode into a much bigger conversation about the complexities of fisheries, regulations, hunting predators and the emotional charge around charismatic species, and the future of hunting and fishing in the US. Enjoy!
Read MoreToday's guest is Dr. Susan Crockford — zoologist, author, and the polar bear expert that’s rocking the boat on the climate change narrative that these bears have become — through very manipulated data and media talking points — enmeshed in. To be clear, this podcast isn’t countering the theory of climate change, but rather the way polar bears have been misused as the charismatic mega-faunal poster children for climate change. Susan is here to share her research and set the record straight on polar bears, what’s really going on with the arctic ice, and what can happen when you step out of line in the scientific community. This eye-opening interview is a must-listen!
Read MoreIn his book, The Fifth Beginning, archeologist and anthropologist Dr. Robert Kelly proposes a way of looking at the human saga that divides our history up into five distinct turning points — what he calls Beginnings — times of radical transition that fundamentally alter the way we live on the planet and with one another. In this conversation, Dr. Kelly walks us through the history of humanity, using the first four Beginnings as a framework that leads us to what he proposes is our current major stage of the human journey — the Fifth Beginning. This is a fascinating conversation, and we range across both time and geological space as we review human antiquity and speculate about our future too.
Read MoreBarb Barton — author of Manoomin: The Story of Wild Rice in Michigan, endangered species biologist, and leader of a local women's circle that teaches traditional wild food knowledge — joins us to share about wild rice, wild foods, and relationship to place from her unique perspective as someone with experience in both indigenous and modern approaches. Daniel and Barb discuss the history of wild rice, appreciating wild foods as gifts, the importance of restoring traditional knowledge, how speaking the English language vs North American indigenous languages can shape our worldview, and how to create ecological change on an individual level.
Read MoreIt's always a pleasure to have Arthur Haines — botanist, forager & Maine Guide — back on the show! In this episode, Daniel and Arthur go in-depth on maple syrup, maple trees, and their own home sugar bushes. An iconic wild food of the Northeast, maple syrup is an important staple in both Daniel and Arthur's homes. Tune in to gain an understanding of the process of harvesting maple syrup, its indigenous history, health benefits and nutrient profile, along with simple strategies for a beginner's maple sugaring set-up. If you're interested in getting started harvesting maple syrup, this conversation will give you invaluable insights from two seasoned harvesters to get you going this spring!
Read More"Hunting teaches a person to think with his heart instead of his head. That is the secret of hunting," says Dr. Randall Eaton — internationally-recognized authority in animal behavior, wildlife conservation and human evolution — in his book The Sacred Hunt. Dr. Eaton has dedicated his life to promoting hunting as a healthy expression of humanity, and it was a great honor to have him join us for a conversation about the more spiritual side of hunting. In this episode, Dr. Eaton shares his perspectives on the importance of connection and respect in hunting, the origins of trophy hunting, and recounts some of his incredible experiences with whales. We even get into some fun and subjective side tangents, including his thoughts on metaphysics and psychic communication with other species!
Read MoreTony Seichrist — owner and head chef at The Wyld and past podcast + WildFed TV show guest — just hosted us for a week of hog hunting outside Savannah, Georgia, and we sat down to talk wild hogs, recap a successful hunt, and to discuss our wild pork preparation. Wild hogs are invasive to the area and can be particularly destructive to native habitat and agricultural land, so hunting them is not just encouraged, but rather, management agencies are seeking total eradication of this deleterious, non-native species. In this episode, we discuss the wild hog conundrum — hunting with reverence and respect, yet also with a goal of eliminating the species from the landscape. There’s plenty of side tangents on utilizing meat from older animals, what it means to self-identify as a hunter and more!
Read MoreDonnie Vincent — explorer, biologist, conservationist, and sportsman — uses cinematography to share intimate stories and adventures from the field that beautifully represent his conscientious approach to hunting. In this thoughtful conversation, Daniel and Donnie explore why the struggle and hardship in hunting is well worth the reward. They discuss how connection to land and participation in the cycle of life fuels what they do, and they also unpack why being present in the hunt matters. A must-listen and inspiring conversation for all who value procuring their own food from the wild!
Read MoreDr. Greg Skomal — senior fisheries biologist with Massachusetts Marine Fisheries — is one of the world's leading shark experts and is the foremost authority on great white sharks in the Northeast. Join us for a glimpse into a typical day at "the office" for Greg — from harpooning great whites for research off the coast of Cape Cod to an adrenalizing encounter with a shark while out on the boat’s pulpit. In this riveting conversation, Greg sheds light on this often misunderstood species and shares a bit about their evolutionary biology, life history, intelligence, attacks on humans, and the current science that informs white shark management and conservation.
Read MoreDr. Mark Elbroch — mountain lion biologist, tracker, writer & Puma Program Director for Panthera — joins us to discuss his latest book, The Cougar Conundrum, where he unpacks the relationship between humans and mountain lions, as well as challenges the North American model of wildlife conservation. Mark gives us a brief history of hunting and conservation, and we explore his thought-provoking — and sometimes controversial — views on our current wildlife management policies. A must-listen for anyone interested in wildlife conservation, hunters and non-hunters alike!
Read MoreWe sat down with wild game cookbook author Kate Gooding at her home in Maine to chat about our shared love of preparing and eating wild game. A self-trained chef, the secret ingredient in Kate's flavorful dishes is the eclectic range of spices she utilizes. Kate shares some of her favorite ways to prepare wild game, including two of our favorite meats — bear and beaver. She also shares the basics of making a delicious stock, her essential kitchen equipment recommendations, and her top spice tips . Kate's enthusiasm about wild game cookery is sure to inspire you to experiment in the kitchen in the new year!
Read MoreBen Greenfield — host of the Ben Greenfield Fitness podcast and New York Times Bestselling author — is perhaps best known for his contributions to the world of biohacking and human body/brain performance. He's also an avid outdoorsman who hunts, fishes, forages and cooks wild food meals alongside his wife and twin sons. In this interview, we delve into how Ben incorporates wild food into his daily life and the creative ways in which he includes his boys in the pursuit of wild food. We also get into some illuminating conversation on spiritualism and how scientific reductionism has disconnected us from nature.
Read MoreDr. Krysten Schuler — wildlife disease ecologist at the Cornell Wildlife Health Lab — joins us for a briefing on Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a highly contagious prion disease that affects deer species. We learn some facts that may surprise you about prions, best processing practices for deer hunters in CWD-affected areas, and Krysten's thoughts on the future of deer hunting in the US. We also get into Krysten's research on lead ammunitions' impacts on wildlife and how she and other researchers are working to get more hunters to make the switch to non-toxic ammo.
Read MoreMansal Denton is the founder of Sacred Hunting and host of the Mansal Denton Podcast. Mansal has a fascinating past that ultimately led him to mentoring under a Muskogee/Creek medicine man in his pursuit of the art of sacred hunting. In this powerful conversation, Daniel and Mansal explore their own conscientious approaches to this ancestral practice, Mansal's unique experiences hunting with indigenous peoples, our death-phobic society, and becoming comfortable with mortality. At the heart of sacred hunting is connection — to food, to place, to the species you hunt, and, for many, to spirit.
Read MoreChris Gilmour — forager, tracker and wilderness survival guide — joins us to share how cultivating awareness can increase your competency and resilience in the field and beyond. We discuss how you can use tools like tracking and bird language to hone your senses and build awareness in all aspects of your life. We also chat about how tracking has shaped our development over time, fascinating micro-nuances in tracking, counter tracking, and Chris even gives us some simple awareness exercises you can get started with right now.
Read MoreJudy Camuso is Commissioner of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and is the first woman ever to lead MDIFW. A wildlife biologist, avid birder, hunter and outdoor enthusiast, Judy's world is rooted in the outdoors, and she's ardent about preserving access to hunting and fishing for all. It was great fun getting to ask Judy some of our most pressing questions regarding state management of wildlife and wild places. We also chat about getting women involved in hunting, Maine's unique access laws, and so much more!
Read MoreIt was a great time getting together with wild food enthusiast, author, and foraging instructor Langdon Cook. Daniel and Langdon had a wide-ranging conversation focused on the wild foods of the Pacific Northwest but with an overarching theme of stewardship of wild species and places that's applicable to any ecoregion. Tune in to hear about x-rated clams, the fascinating underground world of mushroom hunters, how the plight of wild salmon impacts us all, and so much more!
Read MoreNatalie Bogwalker is the founder and director of Wild Abundance, a permaculture and homesteading school nestled in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Natalie is passionate about preserving ancestral primitive skills, and we had a lively conversation about the importance of keeping these skills alive in modern times with a focus on wild food, hide tanning, and community involvement. We also get into the ins and outs of hide tanning, including the history, science and practical applications of this lost art.
Read More