EatWild Podcast

This adventure was, without a doubt, the hardest and most rewarding thing I have ever done. Joined by great friends Jenny P, La'goot, and Scott, we set out on a fly-in, hike-up, paddle-out sheep hunt. In part 1 of the Ramtastic Adventure you get to meet the team, hear about our hunt plan, and then join us on the hunt as we navigate our way into sheep country, try to survive the elements, and experience the hunt of a lifetime. This adventure was fuelled by West Coast Kitchen gourmet freeze-dried meals, and heavy loads were supported by the Seek Outside ultralight rugged packs.

Some troubling news in the sheep hunting community. At least 12 illegal rams have been seized by the Conservation Officer Service this year. These rams did not meet the legal requirements and yet hunters still pulled the trigger. Thinhorn rams must reach either eight years of age or full curl in order to be legal for harvesting in BC. In an average year, 3 to 5 rams typically fail inspection as legal rams. So why are we making mistakes? I’m joined by Adam Janke of the Journal of Mountain Hunting and Kyle Stelter of the Wild Sheep Society of British Columbia to look at the reasons that could be fueling this problem. We talk about the growing interest in sheep hunting, and how tools and technology are making sheep hunting more accessible. Being exposed to an abundance of information gives a false impression of knowledge accumulation, however, this does not and cannot replace experience and true skill building in the field – sheep hunters will relate to our discussion about the challenges of ageing sheep in the field. Is sheep hunting attracting more inexperienced hunters? Are the motivations changing for this type of hunt? Why are we making the wrong call on these sheep? And most importantly, what are the implications to sheep conservation and our privilege to continue hunting sheep in BC? Lots to be discussed here. This is a challenging conversation, but one we need to have in the hunting community. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks to Adam Janke and Kyle Stelter for making the time for this important discussion. Photo credit: Fort Nelson Conservation Officer Service Thanks to West Coast Kitchen for their support! The discount code is EATWILD

I am pleased to welcome Mike Bridger back on the podcast as part of our wildlife biologist series where we are talking about wildlife management of the big game species in BC. In this episode, we are talking elk just in time for elk hunting season. Whether you are a seasoned elk hunter or planning your first elk hunt, this episode is for you! In our conversation, we get to learn about the rewarding work that Mike Bridger does as a wildlife biologist in the North East of BC. Mike describes elk habitat, population distribution, and population dynamics. We discussed the habitat change drivers that affect the population such as wildfire, and the wildlife management tools that are used to manage the population. We break down elk hunting regulations and the wildlife management strategies behind them. Mike provides insight into why we have a six-point regulation and a cow season. We chat tips for counting points. Lastly, Mike shares his sheep hunting premonitions for my upcoming sheep hunting adventure... You can find Mike Bridger here @bc_bridger Please help us find more listeners by sharing this podcast and leaving a review. Find West Coast Kitchen Here - Discount code is EATWILD

We are kicking off a series of podcasts with a focus on learning more about big game species in BC and how they are managed to ensure sustainable wildlife populations and hunting opportunities. In the first episode, I am pleased to welcome wildlife biologist Conrad Thiessen. Conrad has a very cool job in the Northwest corner of BC (Region 6). This is an area of relatively low road density and high wilderness and wildlife values, so he spends his workdays flying around in a helicopter, in spectacular wilderness areas, counting wildlife. Conrad's work is focused on caribou management, so we dive into the topic of caribou, discuss ecotypes, their range, habitat, migration patterns, population status in BC, and methods to assess herd health and numbers. Conrad describes survey and calculation methods, as well as the opportunity to work with First Nations on research projects. He introduces and explains concepts like “calf recruitment”, the ideal calf/cow ratio, and shares details about the delicate and exciting process of “netting caribou” for the purpose of fitting them with research collars. Of course, we get to talk about caribou behaviour, hunting experiences and the ideal time to hunt caribou for optimal taste. We reflect on the impacts of human activity, climate change and predation on caribou population dynamics and Conrad reveals an unlikely, yet successful caribou predator, besides wolves and bears. Give this episode a listen if you are interested in caribou biology, conservation or hunting and you will find a few other exciting details about the life of caribou and wildlife biologists in Region 6. To keep an eye on Conrad and his adventures in an “unbelievably, indescribably” beautiful place, follow him on Instagram @conrad_thiessen. Poster photo credit: Clint Walker This episode is dedicated to Dr. Valerius Geist, wildlife biologist, conservationist, great storyteller, and kind human. You will be missed by the conservation community. This episode is brought to you by West Coast Kitchen. Check out their stuff and use the EATWILD discount code for 10% off Show note: At some point in the podcast I mention that Jody, the hunting camp cook, will not use cook with caribou meat that is harvested in late September. The intention was to suggest that the meat may have a gamey taste, and may not be as pleasant as the other meat options. In Jody's case, she may choose to use the moose or sheep meat that would also be available in a hunting camp to make dinner. The caribou hunters are required to take all edible portions of the meat home and it will be consumed, just with a bit more spice if it happens to be gamey.

Sheep hunting season is a few weeks away. I’ll be hauling heavy packs into the mountains and relying on my body to hold up to the rigours of the terrain and to have an injury-free adventure. With over a year of Covid living, my body is feeling the effects. I need to get in shape... FAST. Fortunately, my hunting partner Jenny P has been working with Emilie Whittemore to get her body ready for the sheep mountains. Emilie is a physiotherapist and strength and conditioning specialist, who believes in an integrated practice that is focused on injury prevention by building strength and conditioning the body to ready for the adventures ahead. I am a little late to the party, but it’s time to get on it. We’ve invited Emilie on the podcast to talk about what it is going to take for us to get our bodies ready for the long hard days and strain of the sheep hunting season. If you’re coming off some idle time and want to get back in shape and doing the things you love to do in the mountains, then you’ll love this podcast. Thanks for doing this Emilie! Emilie on LinkedIn Emilie @ Evolve Physiotherapy - [email protected] This episode is supported by West Coast Kitchen backpack food. Fuel your passion on your next adventure with West Coast Kitchen food. Enter EATWILD into the promo code for a 10% discount!

The adventure hunting season is around the corner! I am getting excited, and that means the podcast is shifting focus to conversations on preparing and planning for the season. In this episode, I am having a beer with Kevin Timm, co-founder of Seek Outside, and we are talking ultra-lite tents and the ideal backpack for packraft hunting. Seek Outside (SO) is known for the single-pole tent with an ultra-lite packable wood stove system. The huge advantage of this system is that you can backpack a roomy tent with a stove into the backcountry. This can make late hunting in the mountains way more comfortable and safe. I've had several adventures in my Seek Outside 8-person tent and I am considering investing in a 2-person super lite tent for the sheep hunting season. I am also looking to replace my backpack with a waterproof system. But before I can give up my MSR Hubba and my pack, I have a bunch of questions for Kevin? How safe is it to have a wood stove in a tent made of technical fabric? What's the best way to manage bugs in the early season? Can I use my down sleep bag inside of a single-wall tent? What's the best option in the SO pack designs for my next packrafting sheep hunting adventure? What are the pros and cons of an integrated pack frame vs the breakaway carry system? Along the way, we get insight into how a cybersecurity researcher finds his way into the high-performance gear manufacturing industry, and what motivates him to develop the best products on the market? Kevin breaks down his philosophy and process of making his tents and backpacks and ensuring they stand the test of the elements. This conversion was lots of fun. I hope you enjoy it and start to get excited about the adventure season ahead. If you have any questions about my experience with SO tents you can reach out to me on Instagram @eatwild. Drop your question in the comments of this post or you can email me direct [email protected] You can see all the SO gear at seekoutside.com and be sure to follow Kevin and his team @seekoutside. Thanks for the time Kevin!

The face of hunting in North America is prominently white. Is there a place for people of colour in the hunting community? Can we make the hunting space more inclusive? I think so, but we have some work ahead to make the hunting community more welcoming and inclusive. In this episode, I am joined by Jimmy Flatt the co-founder of Hunters of Color. Hunters of Color was founded by Jimmy Flatt, Lydia Parker, and Thomas Tyner in August of 2020 with a mission to share a love for the outdoors with everyone. 94% of the hunting community is white. HOC believes that the "Outdoors are for Everyone," and is forging a road ahead to welcome a diverse community of new hunters. Jimmy shares his personal journey of being a passionate hunter in a community dominated by people who don't look like him. We chat about implicit racial bias and how we can build awareness through education, with the goal of breaking stigmas and stereotypes concerning hunting. Here is the link to the MeatEater Rebuttal by HOC. Find HOC here! Thanks for listening.

In this episode, I am sitting with my good friend Jody Peck of Wild Northern Way, happy that the spring foraging season is finally here. We are talking about harvesting wild plants from urban settings and the forest in a sustainable and ethical way, the seemingly daunting duty to process them the importance of finding fun ways to prepare them. We touch upon the ephemeral nature of the foraging seasons with the added engagement that brings and, at the same time, the stable nature of discovering your foraging spots and maintaining them through respectful harvesting practices. There are many edibles out right now and many more about to start coming out soon through this foraging season. We are getting excited about hosting a foraging workshop series this spring. We are conspiring to teach our guests to ethically forage wild edibles and how to make delicious and beautiful food and cocktails with the harvest. Book your spots for the foraging workshops here. You can find Jody Peck on Instagram @wildnorthernway and through her website wildnorthernway.com.

If you’re a Vancouver Canucks fan, hunting enthusiast, or a passionate fisherperson you’ll enjoy this episode. I’m joined by Brendan Morrison, 15-year veteran and star of the National Hockey League. Brendan is a local legend from his years centring the West Coast Express line flanked by Todd Bertuzzi and Markus Näslund that generated some of the most exciting moments in Canuck history. Brendan Morrison has always been a passionate fisherman which has led him to produce and host the Reel West Coast fishing show in his retirement. Fishing led Brendan to discover hunting after his hockey career. I invited Brendan on the podcast to talk about the journey to become an adult-onset hunter. We get into a few great hunting stories and valuable lessons learned. We chat about the barriers and opportunities for how to get into fishing and hunting. Brendan shares his passion for scoring goals, catching fish and hunting critters on this episode. This one was lots of fun. instagram/reelwestcoast

The iHunter App is an essential tool for the new Hunter. Apps like the iHunter tool have changed how I approach hunting entirely. E-scouting, orienteering, checking regulations, and recording where and how I hunted an area have all been improved with the innovations of the app world. The Hunter App brings together multiple essential app tools to make hunters more effective, safe and help hunters stay on the right side of private property boundaries and regulations. In this episode, I'm joined by Mark Stenroos, iHunter App developer, and my hunting partner Jenny P. Mark breaks down the functionality of the app and the benefits of the tool. Jenny and I share how we have adopted the app into how we hunt. Along the way, we chat about getting lost and found and our favourite hunts. Join us for our next EatWild E-Scouting Webinar. ihunterapp.com instagram@ihunterapp instagram@jennyp403

Are we losing our social license to hunt? Social license refers to the perceptions of the public that deem an activity as socially acceptable. The concept of an activity requiring a "social license" emerged in the 1990's as the natural resource industry realized they needed to build public and stakeholder support for resource extraction projects to be successful. A recent article published by Chris Darimont in the Society of Conservation Biology Journal applied the concept of social license to hunting. The study suggests that the public perception of hunting carnivores can pose threats to the social license for carnivore hunters and potentially other hunters. The article kicked off a storm of discussion and reaction within the hunting community. There has been a call to action across social media platforms encouraging hunters to take action to "defend" hunting rights. What are we defending, what's the battle, who are we fighting, who started it, what's at risk.... are we just fighting ourselves? I have a lot of questions and I am confused, so let's have a discussion. I have invited Jenny Ly with Chasing Food Club and volunteer with BC Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, and Jesse Zeman, BCWF director for Fish and Wildlife Restoration on to the podcast to try to understand what's happening in our community. We talk about our interpretation of social licence and how, as a hunting community we can build our social licence We are living in an era where images and storytelling inform public perception. What is the impact of the images we share? Can we do a better job of telling our stories? Please share this podcast. Note: In our discussion, I overestimated the number of new hunters. Based on the stats that I have, there has been an increase of 11,000 more hunters purchasing licenses in 2021 than in 2011. Total BC Hunting Licenses Issued: 2010/11 - 95,000 2020/21 - 106,000

Sandra Riches is the Executive Director of the BC AdventureSmart program and she joins me on the podcast to talk about how search and rescue works in BC, using the AdventureSmart App to leave a trip plan, and the essential gear to make hunting and foraging adventures safer. There's lots of good info in this podcast to stay safe on your next adventure. Everything is "unprecedented" this past year, including the number of search and rescue calls for people on outdoor adventurers. More people than ever are getting out into our wilderness to take refuge from the challenges that have come with the pandemic. AdventureSmart and Sandra Riches are working to reach folks to help them get prepared for their outdoor adventures so their trip doesn’t result in another call to 911. Find out more about AdventureSmart and download the trip planning app here: adventuresmart.ca

We survived 3 days of the storm and then another 5 days of being stuck in the tent waiting for the skies to clear. So that's about 192 hours with 4 guys sharing 36 square feet of real estate. We pulled it off and we are all still friends. Catch up with our crew as we debrief the Pole Bender Adventure. We reflect back on the decisions and the gear that kept us safe. Also, we share another near-disaster story as we make the flight out of the mountains. Lots of good info in this podcast if you are planning an adventure hunt this year. Thanks for listening!

Cliffed out, rained out, blown out and snowed out: the pole bender adventure. In August 2019, I set out with my hunting crew on a caribou hunting adventure in the mountains of the Tahltan Traditional Territory in Northern British Columbia. Idyllic summer days strolling across the mountain tundra spotting caribou and goats, everything was going according to plan. But our plan took an unfortunate turn, and an unseasonably harsh arctic storm front blasted our camp with hurricane-force winds and 3 feet of snow. We went from hunting to surviving. Taking shelter in the tipi tent, we took turns keeping the center pole from snapping as we held down the tent praying for the storm to let up. Join us for this three-part series on the Pole Bender Adventure. These are great episodes if you're planning an adventure trip in the wilderness. We talk about the logistics of planning a fly-in trip, trip safety plans, emergency communications, and a little bit about sneaking up on goats. I hope you enjoy this. You can find the article by Cleston Lee in the 02/2021 BC Outdoors Magazine.

Cliffed out, rained out, blown out and snowed out: the pole bender adventure. In August 2019, I set out with my hunting crew on a caribou hunting adventure in the mountains of the Tahltan Traditional Territory in Northern British Columbia. Idyllic summer days strolling across the mountain tundra spotting caribou and goats, everything was going according to plan. But our plan took an unfortunate turn, and an unseasonably harsh arctic storm front blasted our camp with hurricane-force winds and 3 feet of snow. We went from hunting to surviving. Taking shelter in the tipi tent, we took turns keeping the center pole from snapping as we held down the tent praying for the storm to let up. Join us for this three-part series on the Pole Bender Adventure. These are great episodes if you're planning an adventure trip in the wilderness. We talk about the logistics of planning a fly-in trip, trip safety plans, emergency communications, and a little bit about sneaking up on goats. I hope you enjoy this. You can find the article by Cleston Lee in the 02/2021 BC Outdoors Magazine.

In this episode, I am catching up with my friend La’goot Spencer Greening. La’goot is a Tsimshian leader, storyteller and academic. In addition to being a passionate hunter and forager, La’goot generously shares his perspective around the importance of Indigenous knowledge and stewardship of the land. I wanted to ask La'goot about his perspective on ceremony around the hunt. This past hunting season I witnessed a range of ceremonies that hunters practiced after taking the life of an animal. At one end of the spectrum, I overheard what sounded like a new years eve celebration as a couple of nearby hunters got lucky on the road, to being part of Miki's first hunt where her ceremony involved calm moments of contemplation as she processed the experience of taking her first animal. We start with a question about holding a ceremony after taking an animal’s life and dive deep into a conversation around rituals, that, in some traditions, start a long time before the hunt takes place. La'goot shares his experience of the role that his community, elders and mentors play in learning rituals and developing the practice of ceremony. We reflect on how having those connections can help new hunters be more present in their actions and have a mindful experience when faced with taking an animal's life. This podcast goes in a few more interesting directions. I am grateful for these insightful conversations with La'goot, and I feel fortunate to be able to share them with our listeners. Reading recommendations: Tsawalk: A Nuu-chah-nulth Worldview - by Eugene Richard Atleo Spirits of our Whaling Ancestors - Revitalizing Makah and Nuu-chah-nulth Traditions - by Charlotte Coté Ecologies of the Heart: Emotion, Belief, and the Environment Hardcover – by E. N. Anderson (Author) For more time with La'goot listen to episodes 27 and 28 of the EatWild Podcast. More about La'goot Spencer Greening: Spencer’s Ph.D. research emphasizes the importance of Indigenous knowledge and stewardship of land in the context of colonial management practices and law. Specifically, it explores how the connections among Indigenous pedagogy, language, and the sharing of place-based knowledge are linked to heritage preservation, identity, and more sustainable environmental management. Spencer is analyzing one of the Cultural Keystone Places in his home territory, in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest, where his Elders were born and raised in a life of fluent Gitga’at culture, language, and ecological relationships. By working with their ancestral knowledge systems, he is able to highlight local Indigenous knowledge and its vital role in academic scholarship, Canadian law and policy, and the promotion of environmental awareness. His research is also unique as it is led by his community and rooted in Indigenous research methodologies and frameworks. This ensures its contributions to cultural continuity, self-determination, Indigenous research, and decolonization. You can find La'goot here. Please review and share this podcast! Thanks, Dylan

Setting your sights on your first rifle - tips for buying the right firearm In this episode, I’m hanging out with Travis Bader from Silvercore. We’re breaking down the things to consider when buying your first firearm for big game. We get into some common misconceptions about firearms. We talk recoil and how to reduce the shock to the body. We discuss pros and cons of calibers for the new hunter who wants a rifle that can do it all. Travis is an expert in all things firearms. He is a gunsmith and a leader in the firearms training industry. Silvercore provides a range of training opportunities from firearms safety to bear safety and much more. Check them out. You can find the Silvercore podcast here. Find Travis and Silvercore on Instagram here.

What species should a new hunter target for success? In this episode, I am joined by Mark Hall of the Hunter Conservationist Podcast. We are talking about a graduated approach to hunting species that builds confidence and skills for success. What are the most accessible hunts which offer the experience that help you progress to more challenging hunts? What can we learn from grouse and bunny hunts and how those lessons apply to your first buck or a 55" bull moose? Are new hunters taking on challenging mountain hunts without a reasonable foundation of experience to stay safe? This was really fun for us and we hope you enjoy it too! You can hear more of Mark on the Hunter Conservation Podcast and the Round Canada Podcast. I am a big fan of both and I hope you check them out. Mark is on Instagram here.

In this episode, I’m catching up with Kelly Molnar from the Rookie Hunter Podcast. The Rookie Hunter Podcast has grown to be one of the most popular hunting podcasts, not just in BC, but across Canada and North America. Mike and Kelly have built a following of loyal listeners by openly sharing their rookie hunter experiences and being relatable to new hunters. The podcast has evolved to bring on some of the most notable hunters and conservationists in the broader hunting community. In this conversation, I get to ask Kelly how they got started and learn about what it takes to build a successful podcast. We chat about the challenges and opportunities of building community around hunting by connecting people and we dig into the importance of mentorship. Hope you enjoy it. You can find Kelly on Instagram @ rookie_hunter_podcast therookiehunter.com

What does guided hunting look like when the border is closed to 98% of commercial hunting clients? I am catching up on the 2020 hunting season with Nolan Osborne. Nolan is a hunting guide and the managing editor of the Journal of Mountain Hunting. We’re talking about the impacts of COVID-19 on the guide outfitting community. As we get caught up on our respective hunting seasons, we get into sheep hunting and the challenges of ageing legal rams, and we talk about the pressure on a guide to ensure success on a once-in-a-lifetime hunt. It’s always a good time when I get to hang out with Nolan. He’s a super modest and knowledgeable mountain hunter. I hope you enjoy this one. You can find Nolan at the Journal of Mountain Hunting or on Instagram @nmo. Please share and review! Thanks for listening, Dylan Eyers www.eatwild.ca Instagram I Podcast I YouTube

Are you going deer hunting? Yes? Then this is essential listening! We are hanging out in the wall tent talking mule deer hunting around the fire. I’m joined by my hunting mentor Geoffrey Horsfield, and my pals Jenny P and Scott Donker after a successful hunt in the grassland country in British Columbia. We are quizzing Geoff on his mule deer hunting techniques. We talk about spot and stock, still hunting timber and other tips for successful mule deer hunting. This is one of the more fun episodes that we’ve recorded. I’ve been holding onto it and since last year to share with you during hunting season. Hopefully, you’ll learn something and have a bit of fun too. Geoff has over 50 years of experience hunting, adventuring in B.C., has a wealth of knowledge and is a great storyteller. Dylan Eyers, Owner/Operator www.eatwild.ca Instagram I Podcast I YouTube

I set out on an elk hunting trip with good pals Will, Ben, Tome and Tom. Our plan was to float down the river, camp on the riverbank, and hunt elk for the week. Elk hunting was pretty slow and I was getting discouraged when things took a big turn. I was set up calling for Elk, I heard a crunch, and an unexpected critter showed up. In some parts of BC, we have an open moose season, but you can only harvest immature bulls that have 2 points or less, or mature bulls that have 3 points on their brow palm or a total of 10 points on one antler. Confusing? Absolutely! Then try and count those points while a moose popping in and out of view in the willows and thick timber. In this episode, I talk about counting points in the field and building the confidence to pull the trigger.

This is the wrap-up episode of our adventure hunt podcast planning series. Celina, Jenny and I are on the road on our way back from our packrafting hunting adventure. Sadly we are not coming home with an animal from the trip. We worked hard, we learned a ton, built new skills, and had so much fun. So does all that make up for not coming home with an animal? We discuss our evolving expectations and reflect on our experience from the trip. We recorded this in the truck while on the road so the audio quality kinda sucks, but the conversation is great. Thanks for listening.

We are joined by Christy Long to debrief our packrafting adventures on the river. Christy is a whitewater paddling guide. She supported Jenny, Celina, and me with paddling training ahead of our trip. On our trip, as we looked over some tricky water ahead, we would ask our selves: "What would Christy say?" Now we get to ask. So enjoy! We used Alpacka Forager rafts on this trip.

Jenny, Celina and I are waiting out a rainstorm in sheep country. We are 5 days into our adventure hunt. We have left the rafts on the river and fought our way up the mountains into sheep habitat. In this podcast, we talk about the challenges and some tricks for getting from the river or the road up into the alpine country. Good terrain and forest cover assessment can make or break a successful ascent up the mountain. Hope you enjoy it!

Join for episode 4 of our expedition hunting planning series. In this episode, we are talking backpacking food for a 12-day backpack-packrafting hunting expedition. We have invited Penny from West Coast Kitchen to hang out with us and talk about how to keep food light and gourmet. Celina, Jenny and I are on our way into the mountain and we are counting ounces to keep our weight down, but we still need to max out calories to keep up climbing mountains. Specifically, we talk about: How do we keep it light and taste? How many calories do I need to bring? How much should my food weigh per day? Breakfast packing tips? Lunch favourites? Dinner plans? Favourite lightweight snacks? Thanks for joining us Penny! https://westcoastkitchen.ca/ Dylan Eyers, Owner/Operator www.eatwild.ca Instagram I Podcast I YouTube

In this episode, we're joined by Thor Tingey of Alpacka Raft. Jennie P, Celina and I are doing our research on how to best prepare for a 12-day packrafting wilderness adventure. So we thought we would invite the expert on all things packrafting. We had a ton of fun hanging out with Thor as he shares the origin story of the packraft, a few adventures, and everything we need to know to prepare and plan for our adventure. Specifically, we discuss how durable these boats are, and what types of repairs we can plan for? How much weight can we load into these boats, and how best to load the weight? What should we bring in a repair kit? Thank you Thor! www.alpackaraft.com Dylan Eyers, Owner/Operator www.eatwild.ca Instagram I Podcast I YouTube

Wildlife biologist Mike Bridger joins us in this episode to talk about planning for a sheep hunt in Northern BC. As a Provincial biologist for the Northern BC, Mike gets the privilege of overseeing the management of wildlife in the remnant wilderness of North America. All nine big game species thrive in this area and Mike's job is to keep an eye on things. He pretty much has the coolest job in North America. Mike is passionate about his work managing Stone's Sheep, and he is a self-described elk hunting fanatic. Celina, Jenny and I are continuing our podcast series planning for our sheep and elk hunting expedition into Northern BC. One of the most important parts of a successful hunt is doing the research on the species that you plan to hunt. We have the opportunity to ask Mike about planning our adventure and how to go about hunting Sheep in Northern BC. This is a fun episode, I hope you enjoy it. Thank you Mike for hanging out with us. @bc_bridger Ageing sheep link: https://wildsheepsociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Understanding-Sheep-Aging-Andrew-Walker.pdf Dylan Eyers, Owner/Operator www.eatwild.ca

I'm getting excited! Safe and successful hunts start with research, planning, practice and gearing up with the right equipment for the trip. It takes time and commitment to pull it all together, but for me, it might be the best part of the trip. Jenny P, Celina and I are in the process of putting together what will be an adventure of a lifetime. We are planning to fly packrafts into the Northern Rockies and drift down 100 kms of river through spectacular sheep, elk and moose country. Join us for the next series of podcasts as we put together our plan for a safe and successful hunt. We will be inviting experts on packrafting, wildlife biologists, and safety and gear experts as we research and get equipped for this adventure. And we will have a bit of fun too. https://www.alpackaraft.com/rafting/ Thank you Jenny P and Celina for doing this! Please share and enjoy the podcast. Dylan

EatWild 30 - Dylan's first bear hunt - Tips and tricks of the road hunter In this episode, I'm hanging out with my hunting partner Jenny P. She's taking me along on a bear hunt. As I learned, bear hunting includes a lot of Truck Huntin'. Jenny is a bit of a pro-truck-hunter, so we thought it might be fun to break down the tips and tricks of the road hunter. Along the way, we recap our hunting adventure and my first ever bear hunting experience. I have struggled with the idea of hunting bear. I've had long relationships with black bears. As a park ranger, I've befriended many black bears over the years. I grew up eating moose and deer, so bear meat was unfamiliar. In recent years, I have been exposed to the culinary opportunities of black bear meat. Jenny P and Chef Mark Perrier have prepared numerous exquisite meals with bear meat. Bear meat has a greater fat content than ungulate meat that allows for some new recipe ideas and cooking techniques that the lean ungulate meat will not allow for. From a wildlife management perspective, hunting black bears is a sensible way to put meat in your freezer. Black bear populations are thriving in BC, which affords hunters the opportunity for a hunt with a high probability of success while ensuring the long term sustainability of the black bear population. Even knowing that black bear makes for a sustainable and ethical source of meat for the freezer, I am still challenged by the idea of bear hunting. We tell the whole story in the podcast. I hope you enjoy it! For more information on black bears and black bear hunting, I recommend that you check out Hunter Conservations Podcast on the future of black bear hunting in BC. Please comment and share this podcast! Thanks! Dylan Eyers, Owner/Operator www.eatwild.ca Instagram: Eatwild I Facebook: EatWild I YouTube: EatWildDylan

"Wow...how do I take care of this amazing hide?" That's what I needed to know when I walked up on the dead Bison in the snow. Fortunately, my friend Mara was expecting this call from me. In this episode, I’m joined by Mara Cur of Crow's Nest Wildcraft, a hide tanner, land tender, and community herbalist and teacher. Mara and I connected a while back to offer a hide tanning workshop with the EatWild community. On that call standing over the massive Bison, Mara walked me through the important steps of taking care of the hide. I have since dropped off the Bison hide with Mara, and we talked about the steps in the hide's journey from the Peace, to it eventually laying around my home in Vancouver. Join us as we chat about how to take care of a hide in the field, natural smoked tanning methods, and staying connected with the wildcraft and harvesting community during these strange days. Mara offers hide tanning workshops, herbal medicine workshops and recently introduced the Limina wild skills webinar series, centred on healing through backcountry and ancestral skills. https://www.crowsnestwildcraft.com/workshops/ Find Mara here: https://www.instagram.com/woodland.cur/ Please share, review, and thanks for listening! Dylan Eyers, Owner/Operator www.eatwild.ca

I am connecting with La’goot Spencer Greening over Zoom for part 2 of our discussion on Indigenous rights and title and wildlife management. In our first conversation, we talked about Indigenous approaches to harvesting fish and wildlife throughout the seasons. In this episode, we get into the sticky bits of a much more complex discussion about the legal framework that reaffirms Indigenous rights and title to manage the land and what that means for current and future wildlife/fisheries management in British Columbia. Will resident hunters lose access to hunting and fishing opportunities? What would it look like if First Nations took over land management in their territories in BC? Will fish, wildlife, fishers, and hunters benefit from over 10,000 years of Traditional Ecological Knowledge incorporated into modern wildlife management? La’goot is a Tsimshian leader, storyteller and academic. In addition to being a passionate hunter and forager, La’goot is generous about sharing his knowledge around the importance of indigenous knowledge and stewardship of the land. If you want to dig a little deeper please read La'Goot:s article on Indigenous Harvesting Rights And Practices on @aprilvockey 's anchoredoutdoors.com. You can find La'goot here Please share this podcast! Thanks for listening, Dylan Eyers, Owner/Operator www.eatwild.ca Instagram: Eatwild I Facebook: EatWild I YouTube: EatWildDylan

Can we go hunting in British Columbia during the COVID 19 pandemic? Answer: Maybe, if we all follow the Provincial Heath Orders, guidelines, and recommendations. I am sitting down with Jesse Zieman of BCWF and Mark Hall of the Hunter Conservationist podcast to discuss the recent announcement by the Province of BC that hunting is an essential service and what that means for hunting during the COVID 19 pandemic. This announcement is good news for hunters, but this announcement could lead to a misunderstanding in the hunting community and unintended consequences. Hunting as an “Essential Service” means that the Province will ensure that the regulatory infrastructure and services are in place so residents can continue to hunt (buy tags and run the LEH program). It does not mean that you can ignore PHO recommendations to avoid non-essential travel, stay local and maintain social distancing. To many of us, hunting is essential to our way of life, but this announcement does not mean that we can travel to go hunting. The small communities throughout BC are extremely vulnerable to the COVID 19 virus. All it would take is for one hunter who is unknowingly carrying the virus to pass it on at a gas station, a Tim Hortons, or picking up a 6 pack at the cold beer store. These communities do not have the health infrastructure deal with an outbreak. The BC hunting community must not put rural communities at risk. In the podcast, we discuss our interpretations of the recent essential service announcement, the PHO travel restrictions and COVID hunting guidelines. Be patient with everyone. Provincial Hunting and Fishing COVID 19 Updates BC LEH COVID Recommendations Kai Negata on Potential Impacts of Hunting on Rural Communities Mark Hall - Hunter Conservationist Podcast Jesse Zieman - The BC Wildlife Federation Thanks for listening. Dylan Eyers www.eatwild.ca

In this episode, I am joined by La’goot Spencer Greening. La’goot is a Tsimshian leader, storyteller and academic. In addition to being a passionate hunter and forager, La’goot is generous about sharing his knowledge around the importance of indigenous knowledge and stewardship of the land. We got together to talk about Indigenous and resident hunter perspectives on wildlife management and hunting. Over a cup of tea, we ended up talking about the commonalities of our way of life as it revolves around the seasons of eating wild. We are planning a follow-up episode shortly to dig into the politics. But for now, I hope you enjoy a chat about harvesting wild food on the North Coast. If you want to dig a little deeper please read La'Goot:s article on Indigenous Harvesting Rights And Practices on @aprilvockey 's anchoredoutdoors.com. We recorded this podcast during the Covid-19 pandemic. We met in the cemetery across the street from my house. This peaceful quiet outdoor space allowed us to maintain our social distancing while we recorded the podcast. Please share this podcast! Thanks for listening, Dylan

Listen to your elders; it’s storytime with Larri Woodrow. Success in hunting and fishing, and in life for that matter, is achieved much more easily with the benefit of knowledge. I attribute my competence as a hunter and fisher, and my confidence in life, to the knowledge that has been shared with me by the elders along the way. In this episode, I’m hanging out with Larri Woodrow. Larri is a grandfather, teacher, conservationist, hunter, fisher, adventurer and storyteller. I’m fortunate to call Larri my good friend. His passion for wilderness has driven him to explore every river and trail in British Columbia. He’s an encyclopedia of the kind of knowledge that I cherish. Larri's been around a while and he has seen the changes to our forests, oceans, and wildlife populations. Larri takes us back 75 years to growing up fishing on Vancouver Island. We talk about our perceived baseline of abundance for fish and wildlife in the oceans and forests of British Columbia. The sad truth is that if we don't know what we had, we are unlikely to know what we are loosing. I hope this to be the first of a few episodes where elders can share their stories and passion for their way of life. Please give me some direct feedback or provide a review. If you like it, please share it too! Thanks for listning. Dylan Eyers www.eatwild.ca Instagram: Eatwild I Facebook: EatWild I YouTube: EatWildDylan

Join us at the dinner table to hear first harvest success stories from the EatWild hunter community. The First Buck Banquet is an annual event where new hunters are invited to come for dinner and share their first harvest stories. All of the hunters bring something special for the dinner table from the harvest. This is a fun event and I hope you enjoy the stories.

Why is hunting so hard? In this episode, I am joining Mike and Kelly of the Rookie Hunter Podcast, Mark and Curtis of the Hunter Conservationist Podcast, and Jenny Ly of the Chasing Food Club blog for a live recording of a podcast/swapcast. We talk about the barriers and challenges for hunting success. We get into the different measures of what success means on a hunt. Is it just about filling the freezer or getting eyes on a mature animal? A big thanks to the crew at Filson Vancouver for hosting us at there shop. This event was hosted by @backcountryhuntersbc Please share and review this podcast! Thanks for making this happen @rookie_hunter_podcast, @chasingfoodclub, and @the_hunter_conservationist Thanks for listening! Dylan www.eatwild.ca https://www.therookiehunter.com/ https://thehunterconservationist.com/podcast/ https://www.chasingfood.club/

The Bison has tipped! Join us for the conclusion of our Bison hunting adventure. All of the mistakes, hard work, and lessons learned result in some exciting hunts for our rookie bison hunting crew. Catch the end of the story here and a bit of the celebration. Thanks to the crew for putting up with the podcast machine! The crew: @seanbadart @devontaylorstewart @taylor.j.e.woodcock @jennyp403 If you like this podcast and the raw format, please let me know, and share your review! Background: Follow along with our rookie Bison hunting crew as we figure out how to hunt this majestic animal. Our hunting group drew a "once-in-a-lifetime" tag to hunt Bison in Northern B.C. At one time there were over 60 million Bison roaming the plains of North America. Market hunting and habitat destruction reduced the herd to less than a thousand animals by 1900. Since then, numerous conservation efforts have helped Bison recover to over 500,000 animals. It's estimated that there is a population of over 2000 Bison living in B.C. The Bison herd is expanding and they are competing with threatened wild sheep for limited winter range habitat. Wildlife managers have encouraged a limited hunt to manage the Bison population growth and herd expansion. Our group was lucky enough to get drawn for two tags for Bison on this hunt. The tags allow us to shoot a bull, cow, or calf bison. This hunt took place in late January in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. It was - 38 degrees Celcius when we arrived at our cabin and all of our beer was frozen. We had a lot to learn about this animal, its habitat, and how to hunt them. Come join us on the hunt! --

Part 2 of the 3 part Bison adventures podcast series. Our rookie Bison hunting crew are carrying on with our adventure and taking steps towards success. This episode recounts days 3 and 4 of the hunt. Some near misses, lessons learned and some foreshadowing of events to come. Enjoy!

We are hunting Bison! Follow along with our rookie Bison hunting crew as we figure out how to hunt this majestic animal. Our hunting group drew a "once-in-a-lifetime" tag to hunt Bison in Northern B.C. At one time there were over 60 million Bison roaming the plains of North America. Market hunting and habitat destruction reduced the herd to less than a thousand animals by 1900. Since then, numerous conservation efforts have helped Bison recover to over 500,000 animals. It's estimated that there is a population of over 2000 Bison living in B.C. The Bison herd is expanding and they are competing with threatened wild sheep for limited winter range habitat. Wildlife managers have encouraged a limited hunt to manage the Bison population growth and herd expansion. Our group was lucky enough to get drawn for two tags for Bison on this hunt. The tags allow us to shoot a bull, cow, or calf bison. This hunt took place in late January in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. It was - 38 degrees Celcius when we arrived at our cabin and all of our beer was frozen. We had a lot to learn about this animal, its habitat, and how to hunt them. Come join us on the hunt!

Have you ever missed a shot at an animal? Nerves, distance, brush or just plain poor judgement can lead to a miss on an animal. In this episode, we are talking about the factors that lead up to a missed shot and reflect on how we can improve our decision making and skill set to minimize the potential of this happening. I am joined by hunting partner Chef Mark Perrier and hunting guide and friend Nolan Osborne of the Journal of Mountain Hunting. This is swapcast with the Journal Of Mountain Hunting "Beyond the Kill Podcast" so you can find our conversation there too. Nolan Osborne is hunting guide, outdoor writer, and the editor of the Journal of Mountian Hunting - @nmo Mark Perrier is a Chef and restauranteur based in Vancouver - @thechefwhohunts Join us for one of our workshops www.eatwild.ca Download the EatWild Hunter App

In this episode, I am hanging out with Chef Mark Perrier of Savio Volpe and Jody Peck of Wild Northern way. We are having an in-depth discussion on cooking wild game meat. We cover off fundamentals of how to get the most out of your harvest. Don't miss this episode if you like to eat wild, or just like talking about food! Jody, Mark, and Dylan are launching EatWild Cooks in January 2020. We will be hosting a series of wild game cooking classes over the next few months. Join us to learn the fundamental of cooking wild game and a truly unique dining experience. www.eatwild.ca. Mark Perrier is one of Vancouver’s best chefs, and he is the proprietor and chef of the acclaimed Osteria Savio Volpe. A passionate hunter, he has been perfecting his hunting skills over the past three years while developing and adapting his favourite recipes to be used with game meat. @thechefwhohunts Jody Peck grew up in the Peace River Valley in Northeastern BC and, from a young age, learned how to butcher and cook game meat as a bush cook (camp cook at hunting outfits). Jody has serious wild chef cred, as she has only ever cooked wild meat for her community, family, and clients. Her passion lies in ethically harvesting, butchering, imagining and creating delicious meals that nourish anyone lucky enough to be at her dinner table. Jody creates wild food experiences for crews, workshops and backcountry events @wildnorthernway. http://www.wildnorthernway.com/ Hope to see you at EatWild Cooks! Enjoy the podcast. Dylan

In this episode, I am joined by Jesse Zeman of the British Columbia Wildlife Federation. This past whitetail hunting season was the most challenging year on record for our hunting camp. Simply put we saw very few deer over our 10-day hunt. This led me to want to know what was going with the deer population. Too much logging? Too many hunters? Too many predators? What gives? Jesse and I sat down to chat about deer population dynamics to better understand how that impacts hunting success and opportunities in BC. Jesse is the Director of the Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program with BCWF and provides an excellent overview of deer population dynamics, and management efforts in BC. We touch on the importance of citizen science wildlife monitoring and get into a few tips on deer hunting. I hope you enjoy it, and please share and review this episode! Follow Jesse Zeman @JZ.thinair Find me in Instagram @Eatwild Thanks for listening, Dylan

In this episode, I am hanging out with Travis Bader of Silvercore Inc. Silvercore is a leader in firearms training in Canada. We are chatting about firearms care, maintenance, and storage while on the hunt and in the field. We also get into some fundamentals of firearms safety when hunting, around camp, and in the vehicle. You can find out more about Silvercore @ www.silvercore.ca Please tell us what you think and share this podcast!

In this podcast, we are talking about how hunters can help work towards reconciliation with Indigenous communities. This is a very difficult conversation, but it one that we need to have as Canadians, British Colombians and Hunters. Here in British Columbia, Indigenous communities have lived, hunted, and manage resources on these lands for time immemorial (a really long time!). For many of us whose families have settled on these lands, we are now unravelling an uncomfortable history of colonization. We are just starting to understand the implications of this history and the responsibility that we share to work towards reconciliation with the peoples who lived here before settlers showed up a couple of hundred years ago (not very long ago). In BC, 95% of lands are described as crown lands. The courts in Canada have acknowledged that these lands were managed by indigenous communities for thousands of years before settlers showed up, and the courts have ruled that the Indigenous communities have never legally given those land rights away to the crown. As a hunting community, we need to start a respectful conversation with Indigenous communities about how this will impact our ability to hunt and gather food on unceded First Nations traditional territories.

Rob and I are waiting out a storm and hoping for the skies to clear so we get out on our sheep hunt. Rob Wilson is a Park Ranger and a 20-year veteran with Seach and Rescue teams and has spent many days and nights looking for lost hikers and skiers in the mountains. In this podcast, we are talking about planning for safety on an adventure trip. We review the essential gear you need to pack with you and tips for staying safe on adventures in the mountains.

Hunting partner Will Varda won the draw for a Roosevelt Elk hunt on the west coast of BC. In this episode, we talk about the planning, challenges and unexpected success on this once in a lifetime hunt. Check it out!

In this episode, I am hanging out my good pals Tome and Will. They have just returned from their first successful elk hunt. They both started hunting about five years ago. In this episode, we chat about the journey to becoming successful hunters. We also cover some lessons learned and strategies for hunting elk in Britsh Columbia. I hope you enjoy!

This podcast I’m joined by my friend Jody Peck for a chat about the hunting guide outfitting industry. Jody grew up in commercial hunting camps cooking, guiding and hanging out in the wilderness. She still cooks for the industry during the hunting season, but spends her offseason as a successful artist working on cool projects. Jody brings a unique perspective on the guide outfitting industry, new hunters, and life as an artist in the city of Vancouver. To find out more about Jody Peck and what she’s up to, check out her out here: www.wildnorthernway.com

First moose, deer and bear hunting stories. Join us at the dinner table for the annual EatWild First Buck Banquet. New hunters are invited to join the EatWild team for dinner and then everyone takes a turn telling their first successful hunt story. So stick around and share in the hard work, success, trials and tribulations of these new hunters. Hope you enjoy the episode!