Blood Origins

Blood Origins is an non-profit organization bringing unique storytelling and conservation together to change not only how hunting is viewed, but also how we fund conservation programs around the world more efficiently and effectively.

Wilderness
26
Episode 447 - Anthony Roe || From Feral to Reso...
Anthony Roe is the owner-operator of Dama Dama Free-Range, a venison distribution business in Victoria Australia. Anthony joins Robbie to discuss the amazing mechanism he has optimized through which he can share his ethically wild harvest meat with the rest of the world and how we can all use this example to better share wild game meat in Australia and beyond. Its a eye opening episode that truly showcases how a species like deer can be move from being non-native (sometimes classified as feral or invasive) to an incredible resource
53 min
27
Episode 446 - David Howe || Chasing Predators W...
Anthropologist/Archaeologist David Howe was introduced to the show via Correy Hawk (@organic.archer on instagram). He specializes in ethnocynology - the study of ancient humans and their dogs. In light of Colorado’s ballot initiative banning cat hunting with dogs, David brings his perspective on the history of using dogs for hunting and answers the tough questions about where we’ve come from, where dogs have come from, and whether or not hunting with dogs is something new or should be frowned upon.
47 min
28
Episode 445 - Heather Kelly ||  Backcountry and...
If you’re a hunter, you are probably acquainted with Heather’s Choice, the dehydrated food company out of Alaska. Heathers Choice CEO Heather Kelly joins Robbie on the heels of her debut on the ABC hit series Shark Tank. Heather talks about her experiences, whether or not she herself is a hunter, and the intersection between what she does, the backcountry, and the front country.
37 min
29
Episode 444 - Mark Duda || Does the American Pu...
Mark Duda is the CEO of Responsive Management, a survey company based out of Virginia that has performed thousands of surveys over the last 30 years as it relates to wildlife, hunter attitude, general population responses to hunting, and more. Mark talks about the being at the forefront of the science behind these surveys and their responses, and what they can teach us about how to present hunting to the non hunter majority.
63 min
30
Episode 443 - Dave Gittleson || ‘Shoot, Shovel ...
Colorado Rancher Dave Gittleson returns to the Blood Origins podcast this week to give us an update on the Colorado wolves issue. You may remember Dave as the first rancher whose calves were the subject of depredation by reintroduced Colorado wolves, and applied for a 10-J ruling to lethally remove wolf 2101 for chronic depredation issues with it. Robbie asks if Dave’s attitude has changed around wolves, and gets into the tough questions like the ‘shoot, shovel, shut up’ doctrine and more. 
45 min
31
Episode 442 - Lindsay Thomas || Busting The Myt...
Lindsay Thomas, the Communications Director of the National Deer Association, joins Robbie to talk about the science - and widespread myth and misinformation - around the culling of deer to improve antler class. The two dive deep into the studies around this and explain exactly why this is a bad strategy and what you should be focused on.
48 min
32
Short Truths Ep. 15 - Hunting Tourism VS Photog...
The question was posed to me: why do you Robbie differentiate between hunting and photographic tourism? Are they not the same thing - i.e., tourism? What's the difference? When you take a step back and really examine what the definition of tourism is - it's simply defined as visiting a location for a specific reason - whether that is to take a photo, take a drink, hunt an animal. It's all the same thing. There is an economic endeavor tied to that activity and at the end of the day both consumptive (i.e., hunting) and non-consumptive (i.e., photo tourism) from a wildlife perspective should have one common goal from their profits - wildlife conservation. If that's true, and they are honest to that goal, then there isn't really a difference. So here's my answer ...
5 min
33
Episode 441 - Tim Gale || Exploring New Zealand...
Robbie is joined by Tim Gale, General Manager of the Game Animal Council of New Zealand, a government organization reporting to the Minister of Conservation whose mission is to set conservation policy in New Zealand. Tim and Robbie talk about the organization’s new hunter-friendly platform called Better Hunting, which was designed to create new hunters, give them all the information that they need from field skills such dressing and skinning, to safety skills such as navigation and medical train ing, to kitchen skills such as butchering and more.
43 min
34
Episode 440 - Conservation Musings || Interview...
This is a little different podcast. Recorded from a land cruiser as the team was moving between Maun, Botswana and a concession called NG 41. Robbie was driving with one of the concession lease holders, Johan Calitz and a rangeland scientist out of Botswana, Christian Winterbach. The boys talk through wildlife, conservation, sustainable use and hunting, perspectives and perceptions around hunting, the science tied to wildlife conservation and more.
57 min
35
Short Truths Ep. 14 - Is Trophy Hunting Conserv...
The question that was posed to me was one that we get a lot: Is Trophy Hunting Conservation? Or do people just use that terminology to make themselves feel better about killing animals? This is a great question for the Short Truths. Though the motivation of the individual may not be based in conservation, the action of the individual is conservation, though it may not be the direct motivation. What is conservation? Preservation, sustaining, not wasteful loss of a resource, that has a plan to its management in order to maximize biodiversity. That is a bastardized combination of the Oxford dictionary and the Merriam Websters dictionary; it paints the picture of what conservation actually is - which then begs the question does hunting conform with that definition? So here's my answer ... Do you have a question we can answer on the short truths? Please DM us through Instagram, leave a comment below, or email us at info@bloodorigins.com
5 min
36
Episode 439 - Mary O’Neill || A Strong Woman In...
Mary O’Neill Phillips, host of Country Outdoors, is an Australian female in the hunting space. She talks about gaining notoriety from the controversial ‘Love and Likes’ show that was on Outdoor Channel, what it was like to have a massive viral campaign targeting her as a ‘huntress addicted to hunting’, and just generally what it’s like to be a strong female in the hunting space - which is the biggest growing demographic in the hunting space. 
57 min
37
Episode 438 - Matt Chan || From Crossfit To Fir...
Former competitive cross-fitter and firefighter in Denver, CO Matt Chan joins the Blood Origins podcast this week to discuss his feelings about coming out to the community he influences that he does, indeed, hunt - along with his feelings on hunting in general and what it’s like being a semi-retired influencer who hunts - loudly and proudly - in his space. 
43 min
38
Short Truths Ep. 13 - Are Forest Elephants Enda...
The question that was posed to me was are Forest Elephants Endangered? I think the question was more writ large: Are elephants endangered? The answer technically by IUCN and CITES standards is yes, all elephant species in the world are endangered, but practically on the ground the answer for the African Savannah Elephant maybe answered a little differently. Since 2021 the African Forest Elephant has been reclassified as a separate species and the first comprehensive survey of their population has occurred. It's a very secretive species that lives in the dense tropical forests of Gabon, Congo, and West Africa, where poaching and habitat destruction are the two pressures causing population constraints and decline. So here's my answer to the question - Are Forest Elephants Endangered? If you have any questions please DM us through Instagram, leave a question in the comments below, or email us at info@bloodorigins.com and maybe we will answer your question through the Short Truths!
5 min
39
Episode 437 - Callum Perry || A Dream Job In So...
Callum Perry, a conservationist originally from the UK, who is now out of South Africa, joins Robbie to talk about how amazing dream job collaring rhinos, working with lions, and much more along with his viewpoints and perspectives of hunting.
39 min
40
Short Truths Ep. 12 - Do ‘Grip And Grins’ Hurt ...
The question was posed to me - do so-called ‘grip and grins’ hurt hunting? This is a fantastic question with a complicated answer. We get hit with this question or thought every single day - does the grip and grin picture or the "trophy" picture help or hurt hunting? The answer is that it depends. There are certainly things that are portrayed today through social media that are not good for hunting. The picture with the animal should reflect respect for wildlife, respect for the animal, show a semblance of animal welfare, and also most importantly provide context to the entire process. Robbie takes the time to dive deep and explain in this short, 5-minute episode of Short Truths!
5 min
41
Episode 436 - Scott Talbott || Guides, Outfitte...
Scott Talbot, the new guides and outfitters liaison at Safari Club International (SCI) joins the Blood Origins podcast this week to discuss the revival of his role, which has been vacant for a couple of years, and his plans for the position. Scott, to his credit, has embraced the role completely - and takes the opportunity to dispel certain perceptions around SCI and guides and outfitters, the upcoming SCI convention in Nashville, and an introduction to who Scott himself is and his storied history in wildlife conservation here in the United States. Tune in and enjoy!
32 min
42
Episode 435 - Corey Mason || All About DSC’s Co...
Corey Mason, CEO of Dallas Safari Club and Dallas Safari Club Foundation, joins Robbie in Zimbabwe to talk about the DSC’s convention and next steps of the Convention in years to come. Robbie and Corey spent some time together on a recent trip to Africa while touring the different professional hunting operations and recorded this podcast about the move in 2025 from Dallas to Atlanta, the reasoning behind some limitations on the number of vendors, and more!
33 min
43
Short Truths Ep. 11 - What do you think about C...
The question was posed to me - what do I think about corner crossings? If you are not familiar with the United States and public lands, the landscape typically out west looks exactly like a checkerboard of private and public land. Often public land is opposite one another where their corners touch, and you can literally step from one piece of public to another. That is called corner crossing. If you are reading this - you are likely thinking what's wrong with that? Well it's illegal to do. However, this has recently been challenged in Wyoming where a group of hunters did it, got charged, it went all the way up to the Supreme Court of Wyoming and they were found not-guilty, essentially paving the way to make corner crossing legal. So here's my answer on what I think about Corner Crossings!
4 min
44
Episode 434 - Sarah Tilt || Work Ethic Is The C...
Robbie is joined by Sarah Tilt, Executive Director of One Montana, which administers the Master Hunter program of Montana. Born of the increasing frustrations of landowners over the behavior of hunters, which closed the doors for everyone, the Master Hunter program tries to ensure proper etiquette among hunters and in return, landowners who believe in the program allow certain hunters to come out and hunt or earn their way to a hunt in the ‘old school’ way of mending fence, bailing hay and more! Dig in to the program more with Sarah and Robbie!
33 min
45
Episode 433 - Gray Thornton || Does Hunting Nee...
Robbie is joined this week by Gray Thornton, the President and CEO of the Wild Sheep Foundation. Gray returns to the podcast to discuss a controversial recent decision by the Wild Sheep Foundation board of directors refusing to show kill shots or the celebration of the kill in content shown at their Convention and through social media - what some might call ’white washing’ or ‘sanitizing’ and it has sparked a controversy around the question - does hunting NEED to be sanitized? True to form, Robbie dives deep with Gray and lays out both sides of the argument so you, the listener, can think for yourself.
52 min
46
Short Truths Ep. 10 - Are White-tailed Deer End...
This week’s question: Are white-tailed deer endangered? Robbie desperately wanted to answer this one with a flip ‘have you lived in the United States at all?’ response, but he provides you with all the facts you need to refute it all the same. The simple answer, of course, is ‘no’. From golf courses to roadsides to backyards - white-tailed deer are nearly ubiquitous. 
4 min
47
Episode 432 - Rich Froning || Mr. CrossFit Himself
Rich Froning, the man synonymous with the CrossFit Games, and Cross Fit as a lifestyle, has switched his entire mindset as a member of Blood Origins. Raw, authentic, we explore Rich’s transition into a hunter and the intricate details of our heart as hunters during this short and sharp conversation. This conversation specifically dives into the why behind why hunters hunt, specially Rich - asking the question - why do you hunt?
47 min
48
Episode 431 - Guav Johnson || An African Succes...
Guav Johnson, a legend among the top tier professional hunters in Africa, joins the podcast. Everything about him speaks to his quiet, unassuming nature, from his long hair, cutoff sleeves, the ten-year-old boonie hat that offers zero sun protection. And he loves wildlife, especially the wildlife of his home in Zimbabwe. Robbie and the crew caught up with him while launching his new project Wilberforce, which seeks to re-wild areas of his home country.
39 min
49
Roundup 116 || Catching Up With Zimbabwe Profes...
Robbie is joined LIVE on location in Zimbabwe with the men from Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Zimbabwe Professional Guide Association - to discuss the guide and professional hunting licensing process and the importance of those standards to hunting. It’s an incredibly fascinating discussion that gives you a true insight into what it takes to be a guide in Zimbabwe - arguably the highest standard of guiding in Africa!
52 min
50
Short Truths Ep. 9 - Who Is Bob Marshall?
Who is Bob Marshall? You may have heard of the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area, or the Bob Marshall knife from Montanan Knife Company. But do you actually know who Bob Marshall, the man, was? Robbie did the research for you and educates you in this Short Truth about his life as a wilderness activist and contributor to the conservation of wild places and wild things in America.
4 min