Continuing our miniseries on the cross-border discussion of elephant hunting out of Tanzania and Kenya, 3rd generation Tanzanian, hunting professional and current chairman of the Tanzania Hunters and Operators Association, Robbie and Michel explore the the viewpoint of the Michel and TAHOA on the elephant debate. As we have noted in previous podcasts, as typical to issues, there are two sides to every discussion, and especially with something so controversial like elephant hunting those sides can be quite polarizing. If this is the first in the podcast series that you are listenting to we would encourage you to go a listen to the other 4 in the series that covers the professional hunter involved in some of the hunts, the community manager of the Enduimet WMA, Dr Kohi, talking about Tanzanian elephant and habitat conservation efforts, as well as Richard Bonham, the co-founder of Big Life Foundation from the Kenyan perspective. Learn more about TAHOA here: www.tahoa.org 

Continuing our miniseries on the elephant hunting in and around Enduimet out of Tanzania, Dr. Edward Kohi is the Director of Research and Training at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism in Tanzania. Having served since 2008 in the wildlife conservation space, working with elephants much of that time, he brings his wealth of experience in the field to an interesting discussion with Robbie about elephant movements, habitat protection and wildlife conservation protection in Tanzania as one of the foremost experts on the subject. This is the 4th podcast in the series that is hoping to bring light to a very complicated matter on the border between Tanzania and Kenya. There are several factors involved in thinking through all of this and specifically elephant movements and the idea of what elephants are utilizing the Enduimet system is critical to understanding it all. Be sure to go back in the series and listen to them all. If you have any questions please feel free to email us at info@bloodorigins.com or DM us through our social media platforms.

You’ve asked, we’re answering! Robbie is joined on location in France by the fan favorite Slots Media boy for another of their rip-roaring post-shoot roundups! Sorry team - today' episode is only with JACK, the fan favroite Lewis happens to be on a 75ft yahct in the Carribean photographing marlin fisherman. After a trip through France and Belgium with new member of the crew Steffan, a welshman with one of the toughest accents on the show. After a gentle ribbing of our new compatriot on his maiden voyage in podcasting, the boys cover what they’ve been up to with their travel and sneak preview some content that will be forthcoming from the Blood Origins team!

Continuing our miniseries on the Enduimet elephant debate, we reached out across the Border to Kenya, to Richard Bonham of the Big Life Foundation. It was important to have Richard on the podcast as he has been in the wildlife conservation landscape for decades in the Amboseli region. Richard joins Robbie on the Blood origins podcast to discuss the Amboseli system, Big Life's involved in wildlife conservation, their involvement in Enduimet, and other topics. Blood Origins prides itself in being able to have conversations with ALL parties when it comes to a debate and discussion aroubnd controversial topics. The sensitivity around the big tuskers between Tanzania and Kenya requires cooler heads to prevail, everyone to come around the table and lay all the cards down and a compromise created.

Continuing our miniseries on the Enduimet elephant controversy out of Tanzania, Robbie gets some time with Igno Laitayok, the Community Manager for the Enduimet Wildlife Management Area. Over the last 8 months two big tuskers have been hunted in Enduimet.

This is the first podcast in a mini-series of podcasts on the elephant controversy in Tanzania and Kenya. This is likely the most controversial blood origins podcast episode to date. Robbie is joined by Zidane Janbeck, from Kilombero North Safaris for a 2 1/2 hour conversation on the controversial topic of elephant hunting in Tanzania's Enduimet area. There is so much information swirling around the hunt, what happened, as well as rhetoric from both sides of the proverbial fence - that Robbie wanted to use a mini-series of podcasts to get information from the people involved. This conversation is with the professional hunter involved in both elephants taken in Enduimet.

Robbie Kroger is joined in this week’s roundup by Charles Whitwam of the Howl For Wildlife group that is doing the Yeoman’s work on wildlife issues all over the west. After catching up on this week’s game of ‘Where In The World Is Robbie Kroger, Robbie's upcoming trip to France and Belgium, the two discuss a laundry list of issues including an upcoming roe deer conservation project in Europe, the Colorado lion hunting issue, ongoing efforts of the Fjordland Wapiti Foundation and Forest & Bird in New Zealand to fight for deer. They touch on a concerning anti-human sentiment among anti-hunters, the controversy surrounding Blood Origins billboards promoting hunting in Australia (and plans for more!), recent legislative developments in Vermont and New York, as well as the challenges faced by hunting organizations in Oregon and Washington. Tune in to get the full scoop in this week’s roundup!

Jimmy Liautaud, aka Jimmy Johns of Jimmy Johns sandwich fame joins the Blood Origins podcast after 3 years of engagements and does a sit down, in-depth interview to get to know who exactly he is. What Robbie wanted to do in this interview is be able to allow folks to hear from a different side of Jimmy. Everyone knows the hunting side of Jimmy, the very confidence, almost laissez faire attitude of I don't care what people think, but based on what I had been hearing there is something else behind that front facing display. When you listen to this podcast what you will very quickly learn is that Jimmy has a heart of gold and does things in the wildlife / hunting conservation space that nobody knows about. I am thankful to Jimmy to opening his home and his heart to allow us to have this kind of conversation.

In this conversation, Robbie and new grandpapa Cody tackle an update on Cody from chickens, to dogs, to the evolution of Blood Origins. They talk about Cody's recent experiences from raising and protecting baby chickens to the joys of being a grandparent. The conversation then shifts to the evolution of Blood Origins and the importance of genuine and independent content in the hunting community - and Cody’s role in that over the last few years. They highlight the unique nature of Blood Origins' content and the support it has received from brands like Bergara and Eberlestock. Robbie and Cody discuss the importance of maintaining a personal touch in the organization and the need for nimbleness in order to adapt to changing circumstances. They also touch on the challenges and debates within the fishing and conservation communities, such as the Louisiana Redfish Creel limit and the issue of bag limits. The conversation ends with a discussion about upcoming screenings of Lion Heart and the appreciation they have for each other's contributions to the history and future of Blood Origins.

Khory Hancock, an environmental scientist who owns a company called Climate Revive on the Gold Coast of Australia, joins to talk to Robbie about regenerative agriculture, taking care of and restoring the land, and that all interacts with cattle grazing, and taking care of the land. Naturally Robbie was curious to hear Khory's outlook on hunting, its effect on grazers, and how hunting can synergistcally work together with these large carbon projects to create the outcomes that they are interested in as well as provide opportunities for hunters. 

Dr. Daniel MacNulty is an Associate Professor in the Department of Wildland Resources at Utah State University. Robbie really is interested in the wolf elk dynamics across the west, and really wanted to dig into what the science actually says - are wolves decimating elk herds? We have seen graphs from Idaho about changes in elk due to wolves, and so what better place to start this conversation than in Yellowstone, with the giy that spent more time studying this than most anyone else. Dan and Robbie examine the impact of wolves on the landscape, trophic cascades, the dynamics of predator prey interactions in Yellowstone, and more as a part of a deep-dive series of podcasts examining the truth about wolves in the west.

Robbie chops it up with Ben Cassidy, the Executive Vice President of Safari Club International, from the recent CIC General Assembly in Portugal. The two reminisce about Brazilian soccer and Robbie’s early childhood there, the recent epic call-out by Botswanan President Mokgweetsi Masisi challenging the UK and German governments to take delivery of elephants, a legal clarification by the German government on the legality of owning elephants (2,000 hectares and minimum 5 elephants, if you’re wondering), New Zealand’s Forest and Bird’ National Game Act judicial review and the hypocrisy behind their suit against Fjordland Wapiti Foundation, Catalina Island deer, and more!

Ron Thomson is a former 25-year Zimbabwe Parks Board veteran who was involved in wildlife management’s heyday in the 60’s through the 80’s. Ron was involved in elephant management - including so-called ‘precision removal’ of elephants, i.e., a population control mechanism called culling. Culling is an extremely controversial topic and has been eradicated from all elephant management today. It was removed from management because it was seen by as cruel and unethical. Culling was a tool to maintain elephants at a certain level (i.e., Kruger Park at 7,500 elephants). He and Robbie catch up about Ron’s storied career, what it was like ‘back in the day’, his thoughts on elephants today, and old school stories of Zim. This is the first in a series of podcasts around elephants in Africa. Its such a strongly emotive topic, but there is no greater conversation needed than the successful management of elephants.

Dylan Williams out of the UK makes his livelihood in the shooting sports arena. He is a stalwart in the english shooting and conservation space, and was gratefully brought to our attention by a very good friend of us both, Hannah Gibson, the GM of Spartan Precision. Raised a farmer, with a formal education in conservation, has a broad idea of game bird resource conservation, rural life and shooting sports, and more. This is a fascinating conversation between two individuals that passionately believe in the shooting sports and what it can do for people, for wildlife, and the communities that live with them. Be sure to subscribe to Apple podcasts so that you never miss out.

David Quammen, the evolutionary author behind Robbie’s favorite book ‘Monster of God’ (you’ve DEFINITELY heard that title a few times) joins Robbie for an amazing, insightful conversation with his favorite author.

Peet Van Der Merwe is a senior lecturer on tourism economics at Northwestern University in South Africa. Peet has dedicated much of his career to studying the economic impacts of consumptive (hunting) tourism, tourism writ-large, and how they benefit the region. So, if hunting disappeared, what would happen to the economy and wildlife conservation? Its an important question to ask and get answered because value is the thing that will keep wildlife around for many generations to come. Robbie delves deep with Peet to talk about it. If you LOVE the SHOW don't forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts to make sure you don't miss a single episode. 

Lucas Cooke, CEO of Field and Game Australia, joins Robbie on the podcast on the eve of the upcoming duck season in anticipation of the amount of anti hunters that will be pushing back on the duck season. Antis fell just short of a victory last year when the parliamentary inquiry voted to suggest banning duck hunting in Australia, but the force of the trade unions swayed them, and the labor government refused to ban duck hunting. Today marks the opening of the 2024 duck season in Victoria Australia. Blood Origins and Field and Game Australia have teamed up on a great pro-active piece - by putting a billboard up in Sale, Victoria showing people truth about duck season. There has been a seperate website set up to direct folks to what is duck hunting in Victoria: www.savethehunt.com.au 

Sarah Vermaak was a non hunter before she got married into the Vermaak family. The Vermaaks are a stalwart family of the hunting industry of South Africa, starting in 1970 (they are actually the longest standing outfitter in South Africa) and as a result today has very much become an avid hunter. Robbie catches up with Sarah on location in Zululand, in the hills next to the Tugela river, when he was in South Africa at the beginning of March filming an embedded Blood Origins episode with the Vermaak family.

Robbie catches up with Jess Johnson, the Government Affairs Director of the Wyoming Wildlife Federation, an independent affiliate of the Wildlife Federation and the biggest and oldest conservation advocacy organization in the state. The two cover Wyoming’s HB 60 concerning elk population issues in the state, some misinformation that’s spreading around about the unlimited elk tag proposal in Wyoming, the Kelly Parcel in Grand Teton National Park, wolves in Colorado, and more!

Here is the question on everyone’s lips – are mountain lions in Colorado trophy hunted? The technical answer is no. The emotional answer is tied to the motivation of the individual. Motivation is something that is not easily controlled – this is for all segments of the population including drunk driving, cheating on your taxes, taking steroids for body-building competitions – its unclear what makes people do certain things. Mix in different backgrounds, different ethics, and how you were raised – all combined in a melting pot that is diverse as humanity itself. So all we can talk to is the technical, legal answer. That answer is no – mountain lions are not trophy hunted in Colorado. You see they are not classified as a trophy animal, nor are they classified as vermin or furbearers, they are classified as big-game – just like wild sheep, elk, mule deer, pronghorns. Big game are hunted for many reasons, but the law tells you that you must sustainably utilize all parts of the animal. For example, by law you are not allowed to leave the meat in the field. By law you are not allowed to leave the head in the field. By law you are not allowed to leave the cape in the field. It all has to come out with you. So here's the #truth

Eamon Waddington is a passionate bowhunter in Australia. As he grew in his bowhunting career and started growing more and more on social media, he constantly had folks reaching out to him asking him all the normal questions - how do I get into it, where do I go, how do I cook the meat. He figured - man there is definitely a niche that is needing to be filled - from that Broadside Hunting was created - an opportunity for people to learn how to hunt, butcher, cook, in a hosted environment. He tells his story to Robbie and explains why he is so passionate about this.  

We’re keeping this lady's full name anonymous, and as a result Robbie gets to delve deep into a discussion with a private landowner within Cabaneros National park, where hunting has been banned. They talk about the system, what challenges she faces, and what that means for the land. This podcast is going to be followed up with several videos towards the 3rd Quarter / 4th Quarter of 2024 in which the full Cabaneros documentary will be complete and released for everyone to see. Its a documentary that covers the impact of a ban of hunting on people, on their livelihoods, on wildlife, and on the habitat. 

Robbie records this introspective Roundup solo from his hotel room in space after a grueling trip that saw the Blood Origins team span two continents in the quest to share the heart of hunting with you all. He makes a big announcement of a new Heritage Tier supporter of Blood Origins in Bergara, covers what exactly the Blood Origins team was up to in Spain and South Africa, an upcoming appearance on Jim Shockey’s podcast. Robbie covers the economic and environmental impacts of anti-hunting pushes in Spain, elephant controversies in Tanzania and Kenya, and more.

Here is a question floating around out there – are mountain lions and bobcats threatened and endangered in Colorado? This question is a valid one. We currently hunt both species in Colorado and if their respective populations were threatened in anyway or endangered, then all the sportsmen and women in Colorado and those non-residents that hunt them would say absolutely, we shouldn’t be hunting them. This is an incredibly important question to answer specifically in light of the potential ballot initiative being moved forward through signature gathering in the State of Colorado right now to ban the hunting of mountain lions and bobcats. So what’s the truth? Here's my answer ... If you have a question that you would like us to answer please reach out to us via DM on IG or via info@bloodorigins.com

South African wildlife researcher Willem Briers Louw joins the Blood Origins podcast to talk about his role in wildlife research and monitoring. One could argue that Willem has the best job in the world (or more likely the most romantic job in the world). Flying around in helicopters, helping dart elephants, collaring lions and elephants to camera traps, to a recent research program started out the 24 lions project to the 100 lions project and more. Willem is in the thick of it as the lead researcher with Zambeze Delta Safaris in the Delta of Mozambique. This podcast should inspire anyone to understand more about wildlife, more about African wildlife, and maybe inspire you to live out your dreams and be a researcher in a setting like Willem is in.