The Wild Initiative

Jared Wiklund of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever joins Sam on today's Conservation Coffee Break to introduce you to Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever and discuss the issues that the organizations are currently tackling here in North America. Learn more at thewildinitiative.com/conservation.

Joel Turner of Shot IQ joins Sam on The Wild Initiative to take your bow and rifle shooting up a notch. In this episode, they discuss the importance of shot control and Joel's development of his Controlled Process Shot System, learning to override your nervous system and consciously defy human nature, the four fundamentals of shooting, finding your determination, how to blueprint your successful shots and learning to decide, not shoot. Learn more on the show notes page at...

Mike Sprague is the founder and CEO of Trout Headwaters, Inc., an ecological restoration design and build firm. Mike and his team focus on repairing damaged streams, wetlands, and riparian areas to bring them back to their former glory, and he believes that ecology and economy can and should coexist in order to derive the best benefit for all. In this episode, we get into some of the common threats facing headwater ecosystems and how companies like Trout Headwaters are addressing...

Brian Lynn of Sportsmen's Alliance joins Sam on today's Conservation Coffee Break to introduce you to Sportsmen's Alliance and discuss the issues that the organization is currently tackling here in North America. Learn more at thewildinitiative.com/conservation.

Collin Cottrell joins Sam on the Wild Initiative for the first episode of 2020. In this episode, they discuss the difference between working in the hunting industry and being a professional hunter, finding old MySpace photos, giving others power over you by putting so much effort into hating on them, his perspective of Ryan Michler's first hunt, the exponential value of introducing others to hunting, Al Gore's invention of the Internet and the value of making yourself available. Learn more...

Mel and I have been friends for years, and she’s one of my favorite people to fish with. So naturally, when she decided to spend a month fishing in New Zealand, I wanted to pick her brain about her trip and the logistics behind planning a destination fly fishing trip. Mel did her trip totally DIY, and she shares plenty of tips for anyone looking to do a trip over there. Of course, we also got into her stories of success and heartbreak. This is part 2 of a two-part...

Brenna McCoubrey of the She Does What?! Podcast joins Sam on The Wild Initiative. Brenna and Sam have recently worked to launch a brand new design and website for her podcast, which focuses on providing a resource to women who are new to the outdoors. In this episode, they discuss hunting ducks and fishing for striped bass out in New England, things she’s learned from running the podcast, addressing fears as you go along through your hunting journey and what she’s doing to grow as a...

Mel and I have been friends for years, and she’s one of my favorite people to fish with. So naturally, when she decided to spend a month fishing in New Zealand, I wanted to pick her brain about her trip and the logistics behind planning a destination fly fishing trip. Mel did her trip totally DIY, and she shares plenty of tips for anyone looking to do a trip over there. Of course, we also got into her stories of success and heartbreak. This is part 1 of a two-part...

Ryan Michler, of Order of Man, joins Sam on The Wild Initiative. In this episode, they discuss how a focus on masculinity often leads directly to hunting, finding fulfillment, not in success, but in overcoming challenges, seeing remorse and embarrassment as positives, communication and compromise and his reasons behind starting Order of Man. Learn more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/128.

Jacob Knight is the Director of Business Development at GoWild, a social media platform built for outdoorsmen of all types. Whether you like hunting, fishing, hiking, or birdwatching, you can find likeminded people and meaningful conversations on the GoWild app. Jacob and I talk about the platform, as well as his experiences fly fishing and teaching his kids how to fish. Instagram: @jacobknight24 GoWild: Jacob Knight LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-knight24 Email:...

Jaden Bales joins Sam on The Wild Initiative to talk about his successful 2019 archery elk season. In this episode, they discuss the factors leading to his success after five years of unfilled tags, The Rich Outdoors Elk 201 mini-course, pushing through disappointments, elk calves trying to crawl into your pack and tactics to be a more consistent elk hunter year after year. Learn more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/127.

Landon DeKeyser is the host of The Fishing Podcast and is a well-rounded angler from Michigan. In this episode, we chat a bit about his podcast, what he has in store for Season 2, and the varied fishing techniques he uses to catch fish in his home state. We cover fly fishing, ice fishing, and Landon’s hunt for big brown trout. Instagram:@thefishingpodcastFacebook:facebook.com/thefishingpodcastWebsite:thefishingpodcast.com

Ali Bair is a fly fishing guide and producer on an upcoming documentary called “Daughter of the White River.” Ali and I have been good friends for years and decided to have a beer together over the phone and talk about the movie, the fly fishing film world, and some of our favorite memories fishing together. Instagram:

Bill “The Gravel Bar Gourmet” Cooper and “Paddle” Don Cranfill sit down around the campfire at Driftwood Acres with Sam during their whitetail hunt to have a few drinks and swap old hunting stories. Learn more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/126.

Peter Stitcher is the owner and “Chief Fly Geek” at Ascent Fly Fishing, a company that focuses on helping anglers get prepared for the exact time and place they want to fish by creating personalized fly selections. In addition to discussing Ascent’s goals to help anglers, Peter also shares his PAUSE and MATCH methods for learning the insects in your area and finding the right flies to match. Then, we get into the topic of secrecy in fly fishing, and how we can all be a little nicer to each...

Jared Larsen is a Marketing Specialist with OnX Maps, one of the most robust and useful mapping apps available. Originally designed for hunting, OnX is also extremely useful to anglers, hikers, campers, and anyone else recreating outdoors. Jared and I discuss the features that are particularly useful to anglers, how to use OnX effectively, features that are expected to come out in the future, and the ridiculousness of stream access laws in many western states. Jared...

Pro angler and GoWild CSO, John Hunter, joins Sam on The Wild Initiative. In this episode, they discuss the differences between whitetail and elk hunting, techniques and essential gear for along with what to expect from your first whitetail hunt, the differences between expectation and reality when it comes to elk hunting and tips for a whitetail hunter heading out on their first elk hunt. Learn more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/125.

Nick DelVecchio is a fly fishing guide and the owner of Wildwood Outfitters out of Franklin, PA. In this episode, Nick and I chat about fly fishing culture, the divisive nature of modern-day fly fishing, and also get sucked into some talk about fishing and fishing regulations in PA. Instagram: @wildwoodoutfitterspa Website:wildwoodoutfitterspa.com

Joel Webster of Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership joins Sam on today's Conservation Coffee Break to introduce you to TRCP and discuss the issues that TRCP is currently tackling here in North America. Learn more at thewildinitiative.com/conservation.

On his drive back home from Montana, Sam recaps his 2019 fall elk season. In this episode, he covers lessons he’s learned in his time hunting, discusses his thoughts and feelings about the hunt and tells a story or two about his time in the field. Learn more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/124.