Living Country In The City

Byron Pace, photographer and filmmaker, joins Sam on The Wild Initiative to discuss conservation and our hunting media. In this episode, Byron discusses his involvement in Modern Huntsman and the changes in our consumption and presentation of hunting media as well as the important values his father imparted to him with regards to the outdoors. They also discuss the concept of individual versus ecosystem passions for animals, the existence of the Loch Ness monster, the blood-lust journey through hunting, offensive gingerism and, of course, Cecil the Lion. Learn more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/150. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tom Rowland, fishing guide and host of Saltwater Experience and the Tom Rowland Podcast, joins Sam on The Wild Initiative to discuss how fitness has improved his life as a hunter, angler and family man. In this episode, they discuss the sacrifices you have to be willing to make to live the life you want and how to discover your direction. Tom tells the story of falling out of shape, finding himself consistently beat, sore and injured and how that affected his time in the outdoors. He then talks about his journey, the importance of physical fitness to both the outdoors and your family life and why staying fit is critical rather than just a luxury. Learn more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/149. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robin Black, MMA Analyst and Commentator and king of the one-minute breakdown, joins Sam, in this bonus episode of The Wild Initiative, on an Instagram Live session. They have a fantastic conversation covering a little bit of everything including trophy hunting, masculinity, athlete hunters, the emotional connection to what we fight or kill and the numerous ways their individual passions coincide. See more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/podcast/2020/5/podcast-bonus-episode-robin-black-enjoy-the-hostilities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Blake Manning, a fellow California native, joins Sam to talk about the endless opportunities for hunting that California offers. In this episode, they discuss the ins-and-outs of reaching out to private landowners, their Spring turkey seasons, hunting coastal blacktail, taking his wife out on her first hunt, and sharing the bounty of the hunt with family and friends. See more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/148. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Powerlifter Brandon Lilly joins Sam on The Wild Initiative to discuss overcoming adversity and the power of stripping life down to the basics. In this episode, Brandon walks us through his journey as a powerlifter and through his recovery from a catastrophic rupture of both knees. He also provides his insight on a wide variety of topics including moving towards a primitive lifestyle, facing difficult situations, controlled breathing exercises, fitness routines and functional movement, the ethics of a “Texas Heart Shot” and learning to slow down and observe before taking action. See more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/147. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Britt Longoria joins Sam on The Wild Initiative to discuss what it truly means to be a hunter. In this episode, Britt reminisces about traveling the world hunting with her father, the important legacy he left, the start of her love affair with Africa and growing up with dreams of running an African Safari Company. They also discuss the controversial “leopard photo,” flipping the stereotypical image of a hunter, speaking at an emotional level about our reasons for hunting and learning to understand the non-hunter perspective in order to more effectively communicate. Learn more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/146. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Quiet Survivalist and 30+ year military and federal law enforcement veteran, Michael Lavalle, joins Sam on the Wild Initiative to talk about essential survival skills. In this episode, they discuss must-have survival gear for your pack, fire-starting tactics, how to find water in the desert, and even some super handy tricks for locating and tracking elk on “over-hunted” public land. See more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/145. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Locke Wheeler is back again, talkin' turkey with Sam on The Wild Initiative. In this episode, they discuss how the weather and seasons affect turkey behavior during the day, whether or not to use decoys, turkey rafter dynamics, decoy setup strategies, aggressive and timid calling techniques and how to locate toms in the morning. Learn more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/144. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anna Van Nostrand of Anna V Outdoors joins Sam on The Wild Initiative to talk all about wing-shooting, bird dogs and the hunting life. In this episode, they discuss her history as a firearms instructor, developing her passion for wing-shooting and bird-doggin', getting her daughters into hunting, how to get your start in the sport and the essential gear you'll need. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fisher Neal of Learn to Hunt NYC and Yale Drama School joins Sam on The Wild Initiative to talk about his passion for teaching others to hunt. In this episode, they discuss wanting to pursue a career in acting without sacrificing hunting and fishing, the opportunities available to hunters in New York and New Jersey, the logistics of managing whitetails on Staten Island, city-dwellers' fascination with the ethical harvest of organic meat, starting Learn to Hunt NYC and the importance of mentorship. Learn more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/142. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark Kenyon of Wired to Hunt and MeatEater joins Sam on The Wild Initiative to discuss his new book, That Wild Country. In this episode, they discuss advice for someone building a career in the outdoor industry, the romantic mythology of “heading west” and his personal journey, advice for first-time mountain hunters, physical fitness, setting expectations, how public lands became foundational to his life and his ideal public lands tour for the newbie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Isaac Aleman, formerly of Easton, joins Sam on the Wild Initiative at Hunt Expo in Salt Lake City to discuss, among other things, why FOC stands for "f**king overcomplicated." In this episode, they cover Easton's history and roots in California, Rambo First Blood Pt 2, the value of hunting the same area year after year, introducing your kids to hunting, getting into the hunting industry, the "Goose, Maverick and Iceman" levels of pro-staff, discovering your bad habits and starting simply as you're learning to shoot. NOTE: Since recording this episode, Isaac has moved on from Easton and is currently pursuing other opportunities. Learn more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/140. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marc Smith and Jeremy Dugger sit down with Sam on The Wild Initiative at Hunt Expo in Salt Lake City to talk hunting big muleys. In this episode they cover, locating big mule deer and learning to kill them where they are, important terrain features to look for, tracking deer, road hunting, laying down in deer beds pushing deer and pretty much everything you need to know to hunt big muleys. Learn more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/139, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Justin Spring, Director of Records for Boone & Crockett Club joins Sam on today's Conservation Coffee Break Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jordan Romney of Drift on the Fly joins Sam on The Wild Initiative at the Sacramento International Sportsman's Expo. In this episode, they discuss guiding fly fishing in California, how Steelhead runs can interfere with college courses, starter gear and how fly fishing is becoming more affordable for beginners, power versus style, the physics behind casting a fly, the step-by-step process of casting, "last cast syndrome" and simple tips and tricks you can practice to improve your fly casting. Learn more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/138. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President and CEO, Patrick Berry and Conservation Chair, Dave Peterson of Fly Fishers International, join Sam on today's Conservation Coffee Break. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kaitlyn Lowes joins Sam on the Wild Initiative in the NSSF Lounge at SHOT Show in Las Vegas. In this episode, they discuss hunting her family’s property in Texas and taking her first deer, the beauty of processing your own wild game meat, shooting and hog hunting from horseback, the ethics of high-fence hunting and hunting overseas. See more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/137. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tom Opre, Founder and CEO of the Shepherds of Wildlife Society, joins Sam on today's Conservation Coffee Break. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mitch Hartley, Assistant Coordinator of the Atlantic Coast Migratory Bird Joint Ventures, joins Sam on today's Conservation Coffee Break. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nick Smith, the Informative Fisherman, joins Sam in a boat at the Sacramento International Sportsmen’s Expo for this episode of The Wild Initiative. In this episode, they discuss his becoming the first full-time fishing YouTube’er and earning the name “Informative Fisherman”, the science of mother nature and how it affects bass fishing, calling fishing “audibles”, the easiest way to get started bass fishing, eating Double Whoppers on the treadmill, building a multipurpose fishing kit, different types of lures and why/when they work, shoot-and-release hunting and setting your fishing expectations correctly. See more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/136. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices