The Wild Initiative

Mike Brasher of Ducks Unlimited joins Sam on today's Conservation Coffee Break. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brandon Butler joins Sam on The Wild Initiative at the Professional Outdoor Media Association Conference in Wichita, KS. In this episode, they discuss learning from the scary experiences of our youth, discovering and taking on the challenge of becoming an outdoor writer, how to follow your passion to get into the outdoor industry, working as a conservation lobbyist in the state capital, the workings of Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson, how to choose conservation organizations to support, hunting being a privilege and not a right and the exciting conservation steps made by Roeslein Alternative Energy. See more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/119. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nick Pinizzotto, President and CEO of National Deer Alliance (NDA), joins Sam on today's Conservation Coffee Break to introduce you to NDA and discuss some of the more pressing issues facing deer in North America. Learn more at thewildinitiative.com/conservation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Remi Adeleke, former Navy SEAL, actor, public speaker and author of Transformed, joins Sam on The Wild Initiative. In this episode, they discuss his transition from African royalty to the streets of the Bronx and the struggles of his upbringing, the incredible service done for him by his Navy Recruiter, working to join the SEALs regardless of his lack of qualifications and deeply rooting yourself in your “why” so you can face adversity without giving in. See more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/118. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nick Pinizzotto, President and CEO of National Deer Alliance (NDA), joins Sam on today's Conservation Coffee Break to introduce you to NDA and discuss some of the more pressing issues facing deer in North America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tom Opre, of the Shepherds of Wildlife Society, sits down with Sam at the 2019 POMA Conference in Wichita, KS. In this episode, they discuss historical market-hunting and the destruction of wildlife habitat, the superiority of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, restoration of African wildlife, how to be the “antichrist” of wildlife conservation, Cecil and the reality of what happens to old lions, his founding of the Shepherds of Wildlife Society and why there’s nothing happy about a Happy Meal. See more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/117. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dustin Wittwer and Corey Beckendorf of Team Backcountry sit down with Living Country in the City at Hunt Expo in Salt Lake City to catch up after almost 100 episodes. In this podcast, which includes some surprise guest appearances, they discuss big life changes over the past few years, building careers with companies in the hunting industry, uprooting your family to find better hunting opportunities, the benefits of hunting the same areas year after year, the exact GPS coordinates to the Team Backcountry honey holes and tips for planning your tag application strategy. See more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/116. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kristy Titus returns to Living Country in the City to catch up after two years. In this podcast they discuss living for those ultimate adventure backpack hunts, the Pursue the Wild elk call line, learning skills to build confidence in the backcountry, training how you hunt, people's disconnect on how meat gets to our table, tactics for dealing with anti-hunters, being a mentor, and focusing on our narrative as hunters. See more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/115. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

James Hardesty and Dana Davison sit down with Living Country in the City at Hunt Expo in Salt Lake City. We discuss the difference between preservation and conservation, key lessons learned from their time hunting, the excitement of being part of someone else’s success. We also discuss tips for a first-time elk hunter to prepare both mentally and physically for their first hunt, pack animal comparisons and pushing your limits with every trip to develop mental toughness. See more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/114. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jackson Hartley and Hunter Dahl of YoungHuntr sit down with Living Country in the City at Hunt Expo in Salt Lake City to talk about helping other youth hunters document their experiences, the grind of promotion on social media, the opportunities and challenges youth face when getting into the outdoors, the pain of switching from youth tags to adult tags and creating a supportive community for youth to share their hunting photos. See more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/113. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Legend, Spencer Kirksey sits down with Living Country in the City at Hunt Expo in Salt Lake City to talk about starting to really hunt as an adult, connecting with others through social media to improve your hunting experience, the positives and negatives of hunting in California, lessons he wish he’d learned when he first started hunting and his experiences hunting and harvesting his first deer on public land just outside of Los Angeles. See more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/112. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jordan Budd and Jordan Adams sit down with Living Country in the City to talk things new hunters should focus on when getting into the outdoors, finding what drives you, how to keep hunting from being a completely hellish ordeal, how to get good deals on gear and how to go about building your gear kit and investing in yourself to learn the skills required for hunting. See more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/111. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jacob Herman, Ali Spika and Dr. Brooks Tiller sit down with Living Country in the City to to discuss the issues standing in the way of making hunting more available to the weekend warrior, overpopulation of deer in the east, mentorship programs, pricing people out of hunting and tags being too expensive to encourage new hunters, proper deer herd management, hunting no longer being a tribal activity and how we’re losing the “path” of the hunt. See more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/110. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Brooks Tiller, Jacob Herman and Ali Spika sit down with Living Country in the City to talk about how to create a fitness plan for your hunt. In this episode the discuss learning to move well before increasing intensity, focusing on progress rather than comparisons, workouts that don’t require a gym, diet as part of fitness, altitude issues and the efficacy of training masks and investing in yourself so you can enjoy your passions long into the future. See the show notes page at livingcountryinthecity.com/109. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Bair, VP of Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife, sits down with Living Country in the City to discuss some of the biggest challenges facing hunters and our wildlife. In this episode the talk about not becoming a “single issue sportsman” by setting aside our personal interests for the sake of hunting, his passion for coyote and predator hunting, the heritage of trapping, appreciating the good days because of the bad and tips on choosing a location for a coyote stand. See the show notes page at livingcountryinthecity.com/108. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Justus Neilsen of Rocky Mountain Ramblers joins Living Country in the City to talk about the excitement of bowhunting. In this episode they discuss getting his first hater, “normal” versus “weird” hunts, working at No Limits Archery, all about Rocky Mountain Ramblers and the story of his Alaskan bear hunt with his buddy Caleb. See the show notes page at livingcountryinthecity.com/107. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Corey Beckendorf of Crispi sits down with Living Country in the City at Hunt Expo in Salt Lake City to talk about the history of Crispi. In this episode they discuss what differentiates Crispi from other boot manufacturers, factors to consider when deciding on a boot, the diversity of the Crispi lineup, boot options for different styles of hunts, the pros and cons of different boot features and common questions asked when selecting a boot. See the show notes page at livingcountryinthecity.com/106. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Travis Greenwood and Scott Daniels of Team Bad Decision hop on the line with Living Country in the City to discuss the origination of their name and the book. In this episode they discuss their definition of “backcountry”, transparency and authenticity in storytelling, now downplaying your mistakes, the importance of developing mental toughness and how hunting has changed their lives. See the show notes page at livingcountryinthecity.com/105. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brian Barney from the Eastmans’ Elevated Podcast interviews Living Country in the City, discussing podcasting. In this episode they talk about taking advantage of what’s around you and getting out hunting without overthinking logistics, hunting turkey in pajama pants, focusing on priorities, getting hangry and planning meals for hunts, pushing beyond your limits to develop your mental toughness and how hunting affects and improves other aspects of your life. See the show notes page at livingcountryinthecity.com/104. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kimmi Greentree sits down with Living Country in the City at Hunt Expo in Salt Lake City to talk about growing up as a city girl. In this episode, they discuss her interest in hunting being sparked by a desire to spend more time with Adam, not knowing your true capabilities until you step outside your comfort zone, her first hunt and harvest, how life has changed with this new notoriety and her advice for someone looking to get into hunting with their significant other. See the show notes page at livingcountryinthecity.com/103. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Stallone of Interviews with the Hunting Masters joins Living Country in the City to discuss his Hunter Up initiative. In this episode they discuss fighting for those outside of your niche, presenting a united front in the fight to preserve hunting, portrayals of hunters in the media, voting hunting first, how to beat the Facebook algorithm and educating others to bring them into the hunting community. See the show notes page at livingcountryinthecity.com/102. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brandon Waddell of the Wilderness Attitude Podcast and Mountain Archery Fest joins Living Country in the City to talk about his terrible first experience with hunting and how his perception has changed. In this episode, they talk about the satisfaction of teaching his children to hunt and watching them succeed, some of the more sordid details of his past and the person he used to be, the joy of providing for our families, starting Wilderness Attitude and the meaning behind it and all about the exciting new Mountain Archery Festival. See more on the show notes page at livingcountryinthecity.com/101. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Living Country in the City summarizes over two years of podcasting and makes a big announcement about the brand. Daniel Walters, the editor of Living Country in the City, also joins the podcast to discuss his impressions of hunters prior to the podcast and how that's changed, concepts he’s learned, his favorite episodes, things he’s interested in learning about, the behind-the-scenes of Living Country in the City and advice for new hunters. See the show notes page at livingcountryinthecity.com/100. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dave Brinker joins Living Country in the City to talk about moving on from a long career with Sitka to transition into singing and songwriting. In this episode, they discuss the process and challenges of crowdfunding and releasing his first album, the parallels between hunting and releasing music, setting realistic measures of success, seeking people to learn from, asking the “dumb” questions and embracing your misses. See more on the show notes page at thewildintiative.com/99. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shannon Mobbs and Cory Ford of Angry Spike Productions join Living Country in the City at Hunt Expo to talk about the differences between chasing elk in the PNW and Coues deer in southern Arizona, pulling cactus out of unfortunate places, the importance and struggles of heavy glassing, why Walmart sucks the enjoyment of observing rutting bucks, the best way to prepare wild game, hunting in the grocery store and all about lion attacks. See the show notes page at livingcountryinthecity.com/98. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adam Weatherby of Weatherby, Inc. sits down with Living Country in the City to talk about considerations when selecting your first hunting rifle. In this episode he discusses the origins of Weatherby in Southern California, the different models across the brand, general considerations when planning your first hunt, the obstacles to starting hunting from scratch, women outshooting men, learning how to sight in a rifle and practicing your shooting in hunting situations. See the show notes page at thewildintiative.com/97. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dave Beronio (a.k.a Hollywood Dave) of Outback Outdoors joins Living Country in the City to talk about immersing yourself in the outdoors. In this episode they discuss volunteering with conservation organizations or your local fish and game department, finding commonalities with the opposition, planning your draws, fitness in the backcountry, what to look for in a hunting guide and setting a good example as hunters by being educated about conservation. See the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/96. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Luke Caudillo of Gladiators Unleashed joins Living Country in the City at the International Sportsman’s Expo to talk about starting the show. In this episode, they discuss hunting being a reason to stay in fighting shape, motivation and beating yourself up in the backcountry, working a lot harder when the camera is on, being raw and honest with your hunting, learning from “bad” hunting experiences and staying accountable making ethical hunting decisions. See the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/95. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jade Helmich of Full Draw Film Tour joins Living Country in the City to talk about the tour and its history. In this episode he discusses the types of films in the tour, raising money for non-profits like The Hunt of a Lifetime Foundation, film submission requirements and selection criteria, balancing storytelling with film quality, how to choose filmmaking gear and being passionate about all parts of the hunt. See the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/94. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wildlife Photographer, Tony Bynum, joins Living Country in the City to talk about learning to jump on incredible opportunities when they present themselves as well as creating your own opportunities. In this episode, he discusses his love of photography and its importance in conservation, tattoos and their meanings and training your mind for hunting and the outdoors in unique ways. See the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/93. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Locker Wheeler of T3 Game Calls and The Progression Series joins Living Country in the City to talk turkey about… well… turkey. We cover what makes turkey hunting so appealing, the basics and definitions of turkey hunting, types of turkey sounds and their meanings and uses, essential gear, shot placement and we walk step-by-step through a typical turkey hunting scenario. See the show notes page at livingcountryinthecity.com/92. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joel Pilcher gets introspective with Living Country in the City to talk about getting started drawing wildlife for a living, designing branding and logos for companies, “making a living” in the hunting industry, being unique and more than just a logo, hunting for fun versus hunting for work and deciding if you REALLY want to start your own hunting brand. See the show notes page at livingcountryinthecity.com/91. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Modern Huntsman Co-Founders, Tyler Sharp and Brad Neathery, join Living Country in the City to discuss the publication, misinformation between hunter and non-hunters as well as dissension among hunters, awareness of how your content is perceived by varied audiences, adjusting messaging to encourage productive conversations, the savage nature of wildlife, developing a connection to the meat you consume and hunting’s “PR problem”. See the show notes page at livingcountryinthecity.com/90. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marc “Muley Slayer” Smith joins Living Country in the City to talk about why he loves hunting mule deer, avoiding cold weather, rifle versus archery, how to get started hunting muleys, sharing the mountain and sharing core beliefs, important gear to invest in, shooting “consolation bucks”, the tao of hunting industry success, celebrating mediocrity in the fullest and how to be successful in both hunting and life. See the show notes page at livingcountryinthecity.com/89. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lt. Alan Gregory of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife joins Living County in the City to talk about the Advanced Hunter Education program, predator hunting in CA, filling in the knowledge gaps for the adult onset hunter, the difference between hands-on experience and watching a YouTube video, the benefits of processing your own meat, the stigma of being a Californian, special hunt offerings in CA and courses offered in the program. See the show notes page at livingcountryinthecity.com/88. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sam Soholt joins Living Country in the City to talk about jumping into hunting with both feet, needing a homemade 2x4 truck bed extender for mass amounts of gear, relaxing on hunts, extreme nature walking, photographing Joe Rogan, buying a school bus as a billboard to advocate for public lands and why public lands are so important and how they’re in danger. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Garrett Johnson, the Brush Wolf Hunter, joins Living County in the City to talk about the ethics of predator hunting, tips for calling coyotes, decoy dogs, calling in your underwear, pet coyote pups, rookie mistakes and the strategy of calling coyotes as a giant rabbit. See more on the show notes page at livingcountryinthecity.com/86. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Living Country in the City calls all the way across the pond to the UK to talk with Rachel Carrie about the traditions of hunting in England, running hawks and ferrets with her father, hunting as an upper-class “gentlemen’s” sport, dealing with the antis and changing the perspective of a PETA model, the expansion of shooting sports in the UK and the differences between hunting in the US and the UK. See the show notes page at livingcountryinthecity.com/85. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Living Country in the City hops on the line with Doug Boze, author of The Ultimate Guide to Black Bear Hunting to talk about hunting black bears without bait or dogs, learning about bear sign, predator calling for bear, ground shrinkage, the allure and ethics of predator hunting, following wounded bears into thick brush and judging boars versus sows. See the show notes page at livingcountryinthecity.com/84. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kelvin Eldridge of Crooked Wood Pack Llamas joins Sam on Living Country in the City during their Colorado elk hunt to talk about struggling through the thin air in the Colorado “medium country”, the difference between coyote howls and elk bugles, favorite Mountain House flavors, best ways to prepare grouse in the backcountry, figuring out how to hunt silent and invisible elk, wrestling llamas across streams and finally spotting elk after a long time of nothing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Living Country in the City throws on the headset solo to look back on his Arizona summer hunt with Hunt 3A and talk about thoughts and experiences from the past several weeks. See the show notes page at livingcountryinthecity.com/82. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Living Country in the City sits down at the top of a 12,000 ft peak with Brandon Waddell of The Wilderness Attitude Podcast and "Muley" Matt Howell of The Mule Deer Hunter to talk about moose chairs, highlights from my epic road trip, kayaking through the La Plata mountains, adapting to achieve what we want, dry firing bows, meeting other folks in the hunting community and being okay with not knowing what's next. See the show notes page at livingcountryinthecity.com/81. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Arizona Hillbillies of Hunt 3A, Josh and Mason Deards and Jeremy Samuelson join Sam on Living Country in the City to talk about Cheeto-loving raccoons, practical versus theoretical knowledge, lion attacks interrupting muley stalks, honor, respect, and appreciation as hunters, first-time experiences and overcoming fears, defining appropriate measures of success, sashaying while stalking and generally having some fun telling hunting stories. See more on the show notes page at livingcountryinthecity.com/80. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The "ElkNut," Paul Medel, joins Sam on Living Country in the City to unveil the secrets of elk vocalization in the ultimate insider's guide for successful elk hunting. As a seasoned elk hunter with 35 years of dedication to understanding elk vocalizations, Paul shares his wealth of knowledge and tips for effectively communicating with elk. Drawing parallels between elk and turkey hunting, Paul highlights the significance of instructional videos and tools in honing elk calling skills. Navigating through the nuanced world of elk vocalizations, Paul divulges the intricacies of their language and how mastering it can spell the difference between a fruitful hunt and an empty expedition. From locating bugles to imitating breeding sequences, Paul delves into various vocalization techniques that can attract, engage, and call in bulls. With a focus on preparation, physical conditioning, and affordable equipment, Paul encourages hunters to leverage resources like the ElkNut app, a comprehensive guide to elk vocalization. This app equips hunters with the knowledge to quickly learn and understand elk sounds, empowering them to interpret the emotions and behaviors of these majestic creatures. For those embarking on an elk hunting journey, Paul's advice is invaluable. He underscores the importance of staying motivated, setting achievable goals, and pursuing passions. Whether you're a novice or an experienced hunter, Paul's insights into elk vocalization will undoubtedly elevate your hunting prowess. Tune in to Living Country in the City and discover the world of elk vocalization through the expert lens of the 'ElkNut.' Whether you're an avid hunter or a curious enthusiast, this episode offers an unrivaled insight into the captivating realm of elk communication. Guest Info ElkNut elknut.com @elknutoutdoors facebook.com/elknutoutdoors youtube.com/@ElkNutOutdoorProductions elknut.com/Contact-Us.html Mentioned in this Episode Download the ElkNut App for iOS/Apple Download the ElkNut App for Android -- Get deals and discounts on products, gear and more from friends of The Wild Initiative at thewildinitiative.com/discounts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lincoln Tapp of YoungWild joins Sam on Living Country to talk about working his way through twenty-two of the twenty-nine animals in the North American Super Slam. On this episode, they discuss learning to deal with disappointment and difficult hunts, learning patience and building self confidence through hunting and how hunting can forge strong relationships with others. See the show notes page at livingcountryinthecity.com/78. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rihana Cary joins Sam on Living Country in the City to talk about starting her hunting career as a vegan, expectations versus reality on your first hunt, the pressure of cooking wild game, tree stand snuggies, hunting Australia and New Zealand with Jess Byers and making friends with bear cubs. See more on the show notes page at livingcountryinthecity.com/77. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Keith Balfourd, Director of Marketing and Justin Spring, Director of Big Game Records for The Boone and Crockett Club join Sam on Living Country in the City to talk about the founding of B&C. On this episode, they discuss The Era of Extinction, establishment of the term conservation, the stigma of the trophies and the conservation roots of trophy scoring, creation of decades worth of data sets to use in the management of game and the concept of fair chase hunting. See the show notes page at livingcountryinthecity.com/76. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dennis Stokes of Initial Ascent joins Sam on Living Country in the City to chat about the intersection of dumb people and bears, hunting Arizona deer, killing deer with a coffee and cigarette in hand, starting Initial Ascent and building packs for the backcountry and some good ol' fashioned hunting talk. See more on the show notes page at livingcountryinthecity.com/75. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Phil Mendoza and Braden Forsyth of Alpha Bowhunting and Brian Horton of Fit4theHunt sit down at No Limits Archery in Denver, CO with Sam on Living Country in the City to talk about The Alpha Bowhunting Challenge, finding ways to train that closely replicate hunting situations, evaluating yourself to advance as a bowhunter, developing a structure and process for yourself while shooting, defining green light/red light situations and eliminating "maybe" and how the Alpha System applies to all types of hunting. See more on the show notes page at livingcountryinthecity.com/74. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brian Horton, Rob Brezen and Cory Arola of FIt4theHunt join Sam on Living Country in the City sits to talk about how fitness and hunting ethics are intertwined. On this episode they discuss, "being a vegan" in the hunting industry, what plans and events the Fit4theHunt program offers, partnering with Phil Mendoza of Alpha Bowhunting, gauging the reality of your abilities in the field and how fitness can provide confidence in all aspects of your life. See the show notes page at livingcountryinthecity.com/73. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices