The Hunting Collective

Chef Jesse Griffiths is a encyclopedia of wild game cookery. He's also a down-home Texan that does things his way and never apologizes. He's also an author, owner of Dai Due Supper Club and all-around educator of the art of butchering. All of that is precisely the reason I decided to sit down with Griffiths for episode No. 9. We talked about key concepts around sourcing food, appreciating the stories our food tells, wild pork, hunting to fill the freezer, tips on getting the most out of venison, wild turkey cooking tips, and more. Enjoy.

 

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Sam Soholt is a nomad. As long as I’ve known him he hasn’t had a fixed address—and that hasn’t been a problem. Sam lives a life most of us dream of while we’re sitting at our desk staring at an inbox full of emails. He lives on his terms, travelling the world and making a living doing what he loves: photographing and filming hunts.

Nowadays when he doesn’t have a camera in his hand, Sam is at the wheel of a Blue Bird school bus. Why? He had the crazy idea to buy a used hunk of yellow metal and turn it into a DIY hunting camp on wheels. He also had the idea to use this venture to draw attention to America’s public lands. Hence the name of his latest project: The Public Lands Bus. 

Sam and I have traveled the world together and I can I trust him with just about anything. He’s a talented dude that makes everyone around him better. Anyway, not to lay the compliments on Sam too thick, but he has a lot to say. So enjoy episode No. 8 in which we talk building his bus, turks, shooting a cover image of Joe Rogan, how we met and other great stories. 

 

 

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Charles Post might look like a walking contradiction. Dig a bit deeper and you'll find he's far from it. Born and raised in northern California, Charles earned a B.S. and M.S. in ecology from U.C. Berkeley, serves as a conservation advisor for Sitka and editor of Modern Huntsman.

He's a Montana based filmmaker with a penchant for wildlife conservation stories that challenge the norms of perception. Whether it's Sky Migrations, a film Charles co-directed and is featured in, which shines a light on the conservation of raptors across two hemispheres, or a pair of upcoming films he's co-directing with Ben Masters: one that shines a light on bighorn sheep conservation in West Texas, and another that exposes the ecological impacts of wild horses on public land.

His approach stands out because he tells conservation stories through a lens free from the strings of politics or blind emotion. His social media account has become a forum for thoughtful conversations around wildlife, ecology and hunting. With his first season bowhunting public land ending with the harvest of a nice bull, Charles has waded further into the conversation, something we explore in this episode. Enjoy.

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Remi Warren is a badass. I know that's a term thrown around fairly liberally nowadays, but in Remi's case it's more than accurate.

He has weirdly pure instincts, a unique way of pursuing game that makes him as much of a professional as I've ever seen. It almost seems like he can make any shot, climb any mountain or take off by himself and come back with the biggest buck in the valley. Not to heap too much praise on him, but it's damn true. He's spent up to 300 days in the field in one calendar year, been charged by a bear, and guided hundreds of clients in Montana and beyond. He's walked me into the dirt a few times. Remi is also part of a new generation of hunting content creators and voices leading the charge in our industry. In this podcast we covered his upcoming nuptials, the great lost episode of 2018, whether men want their wives to hunt, social media's purpose, answer some tough questions, drink some beers and tell some hunting stories. Hope you enjoy.

 

 

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Shane Mahoney is a conservationist to his core. He loves wildlife and has poured his entire life into their well being. Talk with him for a few minutes about hunting and you’ll hear it in his voice and know he means business. Over more than 30 years of experience working primarily as a scientist, wildlife manager, policy innovator and strategic adviser, Mahoney has gained a unique perspective on our world and the hunter’s place in it.

I was joined by Mahoney on the phone for episode No. 5. It was an enlightening conversation that covers our history as hunters, the rise of conservation in America, how we take care of wildlife and how hunters can better represent our pursuits. Shane is to me, clearly the most interesting man in conservation. I hope you enjoy this talk.

 

 

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Here's John Dudley's resume: He has earned medals on multiple continents with 45 top 3 professional finishes in competition archery. He was APA Rookie of the Year, IBO National Champion (2X), NABH National Champion, European Grand Prix Gold medalist, World Field Championship Silver Medalist, US Open Silver and British National Indoor Champion.

In summary, he's pretty good at shooting a bow. He's also a great guy. His family is one-of-a-kind (shout out to his wife Shazz, a true gem) and he has one of the country's best whitetail havens in his backyard in Iowa. 

He joined me via phone to talk about so many things. Weirdly enough, the conversation didn't really land in Dudley's wheelhouse. We talked more about social media than we did anything else, but I think it led to some interesting topics. The impact of social media, how we decide who is influential and why the industry covets certain personalities. Oh yea, and whether hunters should continue the ol' grip and grin. 

Be sure to listen to the Nock On Podcast, follow Dudley on Instagram and get educated on archery. You won't regret it

 

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Aubrey Marcus is unique.

He's the rare guy that you can have a beer with, laugh and quote Will Ferrell movies and in the next instance be exploring spiritual oneness via psychedelics. He also happens to be a hunter with a passion for the pursuit and a deep understanding of the natural world. I first met Marcus three years ago on a South Texas pig hunt. It was clear then, as it is now, that he possesses a clarity of thought that you just don't find in most folks. For him, this life is a game and he's trying to find out what all the buttons do. It's safe to say he's got most of it figured out. Marcus is the CEO of Onnit, an athlete, a media mogul and consciousness explorer that runs in circles far, far outside of our hunting community bubble. All of that makes him a great guest for episode No. 3 in which we cover topics deep and shallow with a lot of laughs in between.

 

 

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Aubrey Marcus is the CEO of Onnit, an athlete, a media mogul and consciousness explorer that runs in circles far, far outside of our hunting community bubble. All of that makes him a great guest for episode No. 3 in which we cover topics deep and shallow with a lot of laughs in between.

Ryan Callaghan is one of the good guys.

There are a bunch of other things that can be said about First Lite’s Director of Conservation and Public Relations, hunting guide and frequent contributor to MeatEater. One of the more apt descriptions, though, is that Callaghan is real. The things he says and the things he does are one in the same. He backs up his passions with action. Callaghan is truly a conservationist because he gets involved. Whether it’s city council meetings, public land rallies, or his recent election to the National Board of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers; the Montana-native has built up a distinct voice in the world of conservation during his six years at First Lite. His opinion matters because it’s grounded in his efforts to fight for lands and wildlife. Also Cal know a whole heck of a lot about the pursuit. Callaghan joined me at the Western Hunting Conservation Expo in Salt Lake City for a great conversation on the trade show floor that explores many of the hunting toughest topics. 3:05 - Are we creepy? 6:28 – Podcast ground rules 8:18 – Ben’s upbringing 14:20 – What is the hunting industry? 18:00 – Michael Pollon’s “Omnivore’s Dilemma” 19:40 – Hunting’s generational changes 22:58 – BHA’s National Board 25:09 – Are hunters conservationists? 33:03 – Do hunters know what Pittman-Robertson is? 38:02 – Daunting new hunter challenges 42:25 – Discussing National Monuments 48:00 – The slippery slope of losing public land 53:18 – Public Land hunting in Texas or lack thereof 1:00:01 – Peas are the devil’s balls 1:06:19 – Promoting the end result and the fear of failure 1:08:20 – Generation gap in hunting 1:09:15 – Hunting with The Chive and the urban bubble 1:15:00 – Seattle’s Batman and his hunting journey 1:18:14 – More urbanites is good for hunting? 1:23:12 – Positivity in hunting 1:26:50 – Talking to your younger self about hunting 1:28:56 – Describing the scene at The Expo (Ben is finally quiet.) 1:32:20 – Where the podcast is headed Enjoy, and we’ll see you next week.

 

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On the first episode of The Hunting Collective, I’m joined by the great Steven Rinella. You probably already know him by now, whether it’s as an author, public speaker, host of MeatEater TV or the MeatEater podcast. No matter how you’ve discovered his work, there’s no doubt that you’ve benefitted from Rinella’s take on hunting.

I first met Rinella in 2011 on the heels of the debut of his Travel Channel show The Wild Within. Back then, his name was fresh, and his approach to presenting hunting to the mainstream was even more so. His pragmatic style centered on a cultural and historical exploration of wild animals, the land they inhabit, and a keen sense of who we are as hunters. The years that followed built Rinella’s presence in the hunting world and turned him into something more: a simple but authoritative voice that both speaks clearly to hunters and rings true to even the most ardent skeptics. That’s why he’s the perfect first guest for this podcast. I hope The Hunting Collective can mirror Rinella’s path. So join Steve and I on a glassing tit in Sonora, Mexico for an in-hunt conversation about life, hunting and our values in both. Show Notes: Introductions (2:00) Hunting Cous deer late in the year (4:30) Hunting public land (10:15) Discovering a new spot (13:00) Perspectives (19:15) Radio sidebar (23:00) Family influence (25:00) Early memories of hunting with Dad (31:45) Not expecting whats next in life (36:45) Steering people in the right direction (43:30) Individual value (53:00) The goal of starting this podcast (56:00) The emotional hurdle (1:02:00) “Types” of hunting (1:06:00) We are all in the same boat (1:11:00) Another guest appearance (1:16:00) High fence trophy hunters (1:17:00) Changing mentalities (1:23:00) A system of values (1:28:15) Final thoughts (1:33:30)

 

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