What does it actually cost to keep wildlife on the landscape and who's paying for it? In this episode of Connecting with Conservation, hosts Jon Gassett and Jim Curcuruto sit down with Luke Thorkildsen, Chief Operating Officer of Weatherby, one of America's most iconic and longest-standing firearms manufacturers. Weatherby is an 81-year-old, still family-owned company that made the move from California to Sheridan, Wyoming in 2018–2019, a transition that, as Luke describes it, "almost broke" them but ultimately more than doubled their revenue and workforce. Luke walks through how Pittman-Robertson Act excise taxes work from the manufacturer's side: built into the first sale price, paid quarterly, and totaling millions of dollars annually from Weatherby alone. It's a tax the industry effectively imposed on itself and the conservation infrastructure it funds reaches far beyond most people realize.

Beyond the factory floor, Luke serves as chairman of the board at the Mule Deer Foundation and brings a candid perspective on where mule deer stand right now: one of the few big game species in the U.S. that is genuinely declining. Habitat loss, weather patterns, and landscape fragmentation are all in play, and the conversation goes beyond slogans to look honestly at the challenges ahead. The episode also covers the history of the Weatherby Award, a prestigious lifetime achievement recognition in hunting that predates most people's awareness of the brand itself. It also discusses the company's full product line from the .224 Weatherby to the .460 Weatherby Mag, and the new ultralight Backcountry Capra rifle coming in at just four pounds. For anyone who's ever wondered where conservation money actually comes from, or who's behind the numbers cited in policy discussions, this episode provides a clear, grounded answer from someone who writes the check.

For more information, visit us at:

Wildlife Management Institute: https://www.wildlifemanagement.institute

Outdoor Stewards of Conservation Foundation: https://www.stewardsofconservation.org

Weatherby Inc: https://www.weatherby.com

#connectingwithconservation #Weatherby #WeatherbyFirearms #pittmanrobertson #wildlifeconservation #muledeerfoundation #muledeer #publiclands #huntersforconservation #hunting #wildlifemanagement #wmi #wildlifemanagementinstitute #outdoorstewards #excisetax #conservationfunding #backcountryhunting #FirearmsIndustry #SelfReliantHunter #WyomingHunting #biggamehunting #CapeBufalo #MarkV #BackcountryCapra #65RPM #300WeatherbyMag

What does the timber industry have to do with hunting, fishing, and wildlife conservation? More than most people realize. In this episode of Connecting with Conservation, hosts Jon Gassett and Jim Curcuruto sit down with Darren Miller, Vice President of Forestry Programs at the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement (NCASI) to explore how private forest lands, responsible timber management, and science-based research are quietly driving conservation outcomes across the country.

Darren brings a career that bridges academia, corporate environmental stewardship, and applied wildlife science. After earning his graduate degree at Mississippi State studying black bears and wild turkeys, he spent more than 20 years as a wildlife scientist and research program lead for Weyerhaeuser Company, managing environmental research across millions of acres of southern timberlands. He joined NCASI in 2018, where he now leads a team of wildlife scientists, forest hydrologists, and carbon and climate specialists serving the forest products sector. The conversation covers the often-overlooked role of large private forest ownerships in supporting biodiversity, from game species like white-tailed deer and wild turkey to pollinators, songbirds, bats, gopher tortoises, and rare aquatic species. Darren explains how the Wildlife Conservation Initiative, a collaborative partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Alliance of Forest Owners, has documented 25 species of conservation concern on actively managed industrial forest lands in a single South Alabama landscape, and how that work is now opening doors to endangered species reintroduction on private lands.

The episode also digs into practical topics: how sustainable forestry certification standards (SFI and FSC) protect wetlands, vernal pools, and unique ecological sites; how forest thinning and regeneration cycles benefit pollinators; how eDNA technology is revolutionizing rare species surveys; and the remarkable recovery of the Louisiana Black Bear — a story that started with Darren's own master's research and came full circle when a bear showed up on his Mississippi property last November. This is an episode about the science, the partnerships, and the private landowners who are making conservation work on working lands.

For more information:

Wildlife Management Institute: https://www.wildlifemanagement.institute

Outdoor Stewards of Conservation: https://www.stewardsofconservation.org

National Council for Air and Stream Improvement: https://www.ncasi.org

#wildlifeconservation #PrivateLands #forestmanagement #sustainableforestry #hunting #fishing #conservation #NCASI #LouisianaBlackBear #pollinators #esa #endangeredspecies #wildlifemanagement #sfi #fsc #HunterFunding #pittmanrobertson #connectingwithconservation #wildlifemanagementinstitute #outdoorstewards

The northern bobwhite was once a fixture of the American countryside — heard on nearly every farm, fence row, and field edge from Texas to New England. Today, populations have collapsed across most of that range, and bringing them back requires more than good intentions. It takes habitat, scale, and a lot of people willing to change how they manage their land. In this episode, Jon Gassett and Jim Curcuruto sit down with John Morgan, President and CEO of the National Bobwhite and Grassland Initiative Foundation, to dig into what's driving the decline, what recovery actually looks like on the ground, and why quail conservation matters far beyond the bird itself.

John Morgan brings 20-plus years of on-the-ground experience to the conversation, from managing wildlife areas in Florida to running Kentucky Fish and Wildlife's small game program before joining NBGI. He traces the initiative's 30-year history, from a 1995 meeting of southeastern state wildlife agencies who recognized the problem was too big for any single state to solve, to today's 25-state network spanning federal agencies, state wildlife agencies, universities, and nonprofits. The conversation covers what quail actually need to survive (more edge, less mowing, and a lot more connected habitat), why five to ten percent of the right landscape can make a real difference, and how a CREP-driven restoration effort in central Kentucky once had hunters taking bag limits of wild bobwhite for the first time in two decades.

The episode also tackles some of the harder questions: Why can't a small landowner just fix their own ten acres and call it done? What role does the Farm Bill play — and where does it fall short? And perhaps most importantly, how does restoring native grassland habitat connect to clean water, pollinator health, and even human wellness in ways that can build conservation support far beyond the hunting community? Whether you're a quail hunter, a wildlife professional, a farmer, or just someone who wants to understand what healthy working lands should look like, this one is worth your time.

For More Information:

Wildlife Management Institute: https://wildlifemanagement.institute

Outdoor Stewards of Conservation: https://stewardsofconservation.org

National Bobwhite and Grassland Initiative: https://nbgi.org

#wildlifeconservation #bobwhite #habitatrestoration #farmbill #quail #connectingwithconservation #hunting #conservationfunding #NativeGrasslands #outdoorstewards #wildlifemanagementinstitute

In this episode of Connecting with Conservation, hosts Jon Gassett of the Wildlife Management Institute and Jim Curcuruto of the Outdoor Stewards of Conservation Foundation welcome Sue Tidwell, award-winning author of Cries of the Savanna. Sue came to Africa not as a hunter but as a skeptic — a Western Pennsylvania deer hunting family background gave her an understanding of the North American model, but hunting lions, leopards, and zebras felt entirely different. What she discovered on the ground in Tanzania changed everything. Through her friendship with Lillian, a female government-assigned game scout, and her immersion in the daily realities of remote African communities living alongside dangerous wildlife, Sue came to understand that regulated hunting is not just compatible with conservation — in many areas it is the only thing making conservation economically viable. Her debut book, honored with a Reader's Favorite Gold Medal, the Professional Outdoor Media Association's Pinnacle Award, and The Wildlife Society's Conservation Education Award, tells that story through adventure, humor, and hard-won perspective.

The conversation tackles some of the most contentious issues surrounding African hunting head-on including the photo tourism versus hunting debate, the bastardization of the phrase 'regulated hunting' following the Cecil the Lion controversy of 2015, and the devastating consequences that hunting bans have had on lion habitat, anti-poaching capacity, and local communities across Tanzania and beyond. Sue shares a deeply troubling case study involving the International Fund for Animal Welfare's elephant relocation project in Kasanga, which resulted in human deaths, destroyed crops, and shattered livelihoods, while the organization declared it a success and continued fundraising on it. Jon and Sue agree that well-meaning donors need to research conservation organizations carefully, comparing mission spending ratios before writing checks to groups that may be using donations to fund lawsuits against the very wildlife agencies that manage the animals they claim to protect. The episode closes with a practical discussion of how regulated hunting keeps money, meat, and anti-poaching presence in remote African communities — and why removing hunters from the equation exposes those landscapes to the exact threats conservation donors say they oppose.

For more information:

Wildlife Management Institute: https://wildlifemanagement.institute

Outdoor Stewards of Conservation: https://conservationstewards.org

Sue Tidwell — Author of Cries of the Savanna: https://www.suetidwell.com

Cries of the Savanna is available on Amazon, Spotify, and Carbon TV (free audio by chapter).

#wildlifeconservation #AfricanWildlife #RegulatedHunting #CriesOfTheSavanna #SueTidwell #HuntingInAfrica #ConservationAfrica #antipoaching #NorthAmericanConservationModel #huntersforconservation #wildlifemanagement #SustainableUse #PhotoTourism #africasafari #humanwildlifeconflict #outdoorpodcast #conservationstorytelling #huntingcommunity #WildlifeAdvocacy #CecilTheLion #ethicalhunting #conservationfunding #wildlifemanagementinstitute #ConservationStewards #AfricaConservation

In this episode of Connecting with Conservation, hosts Jon Gassett of the Wildlife Management Institute and Jim Curcuruto of the Outdoor Stewards of Conservation Foundation sit down with Charles Whitwam, Founder and President of Howl for Wildlife. Charles traces the origin of Howl to a grassroots effort he organized with co-founder John Stallone to stop a California Senate bill that would have eliminated black bear hunting in the state. The rapid success of that campaign, fueled by hunters mobilizing nationally, not just locally, convinced him that the hunting community desperately needed a permanent, tech-driven infrastructure to match the organizational sophistication of anti-hunting groups. Launched four years ago, Howl for Wildlife has since built an action platform that generates personalized, AI-assisted messages to legislators and commissioners, moving well beyond the form letters that legislative staffers have learned to ignore. Charles explains how that same model helped hunters show up in force, over 400 strong, to a recent Colorado wildlife commission meeting, and why he believes face-to-face engagement with non-hunters in everyday settings is ultimately more powerful than any digital campaign.

The conversation takes a deep dive into the Catalina Island mule deer controversy and Howl's documentary film Killing Catalina, which has surpassed 200,000 YouTube views in its first 40 days. Charles details how he became skeptical of the Catalina Island Conservancy's plan to eradicate all deer on the island using sharpshooters from helicopters. He deployed thermal drones to survey actual deer densities and uncovered significant inconsistencies between the Conservancy's claimed management programs and what the island's outfitter, fired after 26 years, reported actually happened on the ground. The episode closes with a powerful message about coalition-building: the Catalina fight has united hunters, LA County supervisors, social media influencers, and even a representative of the Catalina Humane Society, all calling for ethical hunting as the management solution over eradication and waste.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Wildlife Management Institute: https://wildlifemanagement.institute

Outdoor Stewards of Conservation: https://conservationstewards.org

Howl for Wildlife: https://www.howlforwildlife.org

Howl for Wildlife on social media: @howl_org

Killing Catalina Documentary: https://www.howlforwildlife.org

#wildlifeconservation #HowlForWildlife #KillingCatalina #catalinaisland #muledeer #HunterAdvocacy #ballotboxbiology #sciencebasedmanagement #wildlifemanagement #HuntingRights #NorthAmericanConservationModel #conservationstorytelling #outdoorpodcast #huntingcommunity #WildlifePolicy #huntersforconservation #CaliforniaHunting #PublicTrustDoctrine #WildlifeAdvocacy #antipoaching #outdoorstewards #HuntingAndConservation #wildlifemanagementinstitute #ConservationStewards #HowlPack

In this episode of Connecting with Conservation, hosts Jon Gassett of the Wildlife Management Institute and Jim Curcuruto of the Outdoor Stewards of Conservation Foundation sit down with Shane Meisel, President of Christensen Arms — the Utah-based company that pioneered carbon fiber rifle barrels in 1995 and has grown into one of America's premier precision rifle manufacturers with approximately 200 employees. Shane traces his career from early outdoor experiences outside Eugene, Oregon through 11 years at Leupold — where he rose to head of marketing — followed by a stint as president of Field Ethos Journal, before landing at Christensen Arms.

The conversation covers what carbon fiber does for a hunting rifle (weight reduction without sacrificing rigidity or accuracy), why a sub-6-pound mountain rifle is a game changer for backcountry hunters, and how Christensen Arms has expanded beyond its bolt-action roots into carbon fiber stocks, MSR platforms, and a new walnut-stocked safari line in 375 H&H. The episode takes a deeper look at the financial backbone of American wildlife conservation — specifically the Pittman-Robertson excise tax, which requires firearms and ammunition manufacturers to contribute 11% of revenue to conservation funding. Shane and the hosts connect that tax directly to the $1 billion annually that flows from the firearms and ammunition industry into state wildlife agencies, alongside another $1 billion from hunting license sales. Jon shares the origin story of the Wildlife Management Institute, founded in 1911 by the firearms industry precisely because manufacturers understood that without healthy wildlife populations, there would be no hunters to sell to. The group also discusses Christensen Arms' conservation partnerships with organizations including the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Mule Deer Foundation, Safari Club International, and Ducks Unlimited.

The conversation rounds out with a look at emerging trends in the firearms industry — ammunition and caliber innovation, suppressor growth and potential NFA reform, the modern sporting rifle market, and the troubling rise of ballot-box biology in states like Oregon and Colorado where anti-hunting initiatives bypass the science-based wildlife management system entirely. Shane and the hosts agree that lowering barriers to entry for new hunters and shooters — access to land, tags, ranges, and education — is as important to the future of conservation funding as any policy fight.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: 

Wildlife Management Institute: https://wildlifemanagement.institute

Outdoor Stewards of Conservation: https://conservationstewards.org

Christensen Arms: https://www.christensenarms.com

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#wildlifeconservation #ChristensenArms #CarbonFiberRifle #pittmanrobertson #conservationfunding #huntingindustry #precisionrifleseries #FirearmsInnovation #boltactionrifle #mountainhunting #huntersforconservation #NorthAmericanConservationModel #wildlifemanagement #outdoorindustry #longrangeshooting #Suppressors #HuntingAndShooting #RMEF #MuleDeerFoundation #ducksunlimited #outdoorpodcast #BallotBoxBiology #wildlifemanagementinstitute #ConservationStewards #ScienceBasedManagement

In this episode of Connecting with Conservation, hosts Jon Gassett of the Wildlife Management Institute and Jim Curcuruto of the Outdoor Stewards of Conservation Foundation sit down with Kevin Paulson — founder of HuntingLife.com, creator of the Outdoor Hive newsletter, and Executive Director of AGLOW (Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers). Kevin traces his career from litigation work in Washington, D.C. through outfitting in Idaho and Montana, to building one of the outdoor industry's most recognized media platforms. He discusses how storytelling has shifted from newspaper columns and legacy print magazines to blogs, podcasts, YouTube, and digital newsletters — and why that evolution is critical to growing hunting and fishing culture in a country where fewer than 10% of the population hunts.

The conversation covers the outsized role outdoor media plays in shaping public perception, including a focused discussion on the Boone and Crockett Club's poaching research led by Jon and his wife. The hosts and Kevin agree that public attitudes toward poaching must shift the same way drunk driving did over the past 40 years — from tolerated to socially unacceptable — and that effective storytelling is the primary tool to drive that change. Kevin also breaks down the trade show circuit, explaining how events like SHOT Show, the Archery Trade Association show, SCI, and the Western Hunt Conservation Expo serve as essential networking hubs where he runs up to 65 meetings in a single week across his three organizations.

Finally, Kevin introduces Outdoor Hive, a free weekly newsletter now in its 77th issue that lists outdoor industry jobs from the factory floor to the C-suite — filling a gap that LinkedIn and other general job platforms have never addressed for the hunting, fishing, and shooting industries. He also previews AGLOW's upcoming annual conference in Lewiston, New York near Niagara Falls, which will feature a fishing tournament on the Niagara River — one of the premier freshwater fisheries in North America.

For more information:

Wildlife Management Institute: https://wildlifemanagement.institute

Outdoor Stewards of Conservation: https://conservationstewards.org

HuntingLife.com: https://huntinglife.com Outdoor Hive : https://outdoor-hive.com

Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers: https://aglowoutdoors.com

#wildlifeconservation  #huntinglife  #outdoormedia  #ConservationStorytelling  #HuntingIndustry  #OutdoorHive  OutdoorJobs  #OutdoorCareers  #aglow  #OutdoorWriters  #huntingandfishing  #NorthAmericanConservationModel  #PoachingAwareness  #wildlifemanagement  #huntingcommunity  #outdoorpodcast  #conservationfunding  #wildlifeprotection  #HuntersForConservation  #outdoorindustry  #OutdoorNetworking  #SHOTShow  #wildlifemanagementinstitute  #outdoorstewards  #OutdoorStorytelling

Scott Linden, creator of Wingshooting USA and host of the Upland Nation podcast, joins Jon and Jim to explore the cultural, economic, and conservation impact of upland bird hunting. With decades of experience across radio, television, and outdoor media, Scott shares stories about his start in journalism, his transition into outdoor broadcasting, and how bird dogs became the central passion that shaped his entire career. From pointers to Labradors, he discusses why dogs are the top reason many hunters take to the field and how they both attract newcomers and keep long‑time hunters active.

The conversation also examines how hunting fuels the broader conservation economy through licenses, excise taxes, and the lesser‑recognized budgets tied to dog ownership, gear, and travel. Scott reflects on years of promoting R3 principles, creating content that inspires hunter recruitment, and advocating for a broader outdoor‑recreation “funnel” that welcomes newcomers at every level. Whether you love dogs, upland hunting, or the business side of conservation, this episode offers an insightful look at the traditions and motivations that continue to shape America’s outdoor community.

For more information

Wildlife Management Institute: https://wildlifemanagement.institute

Outdoor Stewards of Conservation: https://outdoorstewards.org

Wingshooting USA: https://findbirdhuntingspots.com

#uplandhunting #birddogs #wingshooting #hunting #outdoors #huntingdog #gundog #huntinglife #outdoorlife #whatgetsyououtdoors #wildlifeconservation #huntingisconservation #nature #wildlife #pointerdogs #retrievers #huntingseason #dogtraining #outdoorstewards #wildlifemanagementinstitute

In this episode of Connecting with Conservation, Jon and Jim welcome Jenifer Wisniewski, Chief Marketing Officer at the National Deer Association and long-time leader in conservation communications. Jen shares her unique background in state agency marketing and R3 efforts—recruitment, retention, and reactivation—and explains how thoughtful marketing strategies can generate millions in license revenue and boost federal conservation funding. With 11 million deer hunters in America, she highlights the incredible influence of deer hunting on conservation.

The conversation explores the evolving challenges facing deer managers and hunters, from overabundance and habitat pressure to shifting cultural attitudes and the rise of adult-onset hunting. Jen also explains NDA’s Field to Fork program, new hunter education initiatives, and groundbreaking research on the true nutritional value of wild venison. This episode provides powerful insights into how deer hunting, food culture, private lands access, and smart communication strategies are shaping the future of conservation in the U.S.

For more information:

Wildlife Management Institute: https://wildlifemanagement.institute

Outdoor Stewards of Conservation: https://outdoorstewards.org

National Deer Association: https://deerassociation.com

#hunting #deerhunting #outdoors #hunter #hunt #huntingseason #huntinglife #whatgetsyououtdoors #outdoorlife #wildlife #wildlifeconservation #conservationthroughhunting #huntingisconservation #conservationfunding #outdoorstewards #bowhunting #nature #wildlifemanagementinstitute #connectingwithconservation

Kids & Clays Executive Director Zac Lemmon joins Connecting with Conservation to share how charity sporting clays events across the country are raising millions for Ronald McDonald Houses while introducing thousands of new shooters to the outdoors. He traces the program’s growth from a single Chicagoland event in 1999 to more than 40 million dollars raised, 40+ annual shoots in over 20 states, and a waiting list of houses eager to participate.

The conversation walks through a typical event day, from Egg McMuffins at registration to raffles, auctions, and “loaner gun” stations designed for first-time shooters, while explaining how corporate teams, the firearms industry, and McDonald’s owner-operators all play a role. Jon and Jim also highlight the conservation angle: every shell fired supports excise-tax funding for wildlife agencies, making Kids & Clays a win for sick kids, new participants, and fish and wildlife conservation.

For more information:

Wildlife Management Institute: https://wildlifemanagement.institute/ 

Outdoor Stewards of Conservation: https://outdoorstewards.org/

Kids & Clays: https://kidsandclays.com/

#kidsandclays #sportingclays #ronaldmcdonaldhouse #wildlifeconservation #conservationfunding #shootingsports #newshooters #outdoorindustry #clayshooting #pittmanrobertson #mcdonalds #nonprofit #fundraisingevents #corporateevents #outdoorstewards #wildlifemanagementinstitute #wildlifeconservation #outdoorstewards #shootingcommunity