The National Wildlife Federation has worked with hunters and anglers since 1936 to tackle the biggest natural resource challenges. The NWF Outdoors Podcast explores the most important conservation issues and the people who do the hard work to safeguard our fish, wildlife, lands, and waters. Hosted by Aaron Kindle, director of sporting advocacy at NWF.
Episodes
Thursday Nov 17, 2022
Duck Nuts and “The Grand Passage” with Chris Nicolai of Delta Waterfowl
Thursday Nov 17, 2022
Thursday Nov 17, 2022
Chris Nicolai is a certified “duck nut,” but he’s also a waterfowl scientist with a PhD and leads the waterfowl research program with Delta Waterfowl. For this episode, Aaron and Bill to talk duck and goose hunting just as a major front is hitting North America and sending a huge wave of waterfowl south. In addition to waterfowl hunting and this year’s migration, we talk about the current state of waterfowl, the confusion surrounding pintails and the future of the birds Chris loves.
Links:
https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbl/longevity/longevity_main.cfm (Record ages of wild ducks and geese)
https://birdcast.info/migration-tools/live-migration-maps/ (Keep up with bird migrations in real time)
Show notes:
3:19 – Bill introduces Chris from Delta Waterfowl.
4:15 – Chris shares what he has been doing outside recently. #DuckHunting
8:58 – Chris chats about heat records and how it changed flight patterns of geese and ducks.
10:36 – Chris was born is Missouri and tells us about his background and how he got into duck hunting.
16:31 – Waterfowl migration is amazing to see.
17:45 - Summary of the status of ducks and geese right now.
23:10 – Studying nest site fidelity. #DuckBiology
27:50 – Storms, snow on the ground and duck production. What scenario are we looking at right now?
33:39 - Chris talks about pintail numbers.
39:17 - Chris talks about the conversation regarding climate change in the duck hunting world.
45:46 – “It all comes down to habitat, and a lot of those habitat decisions are made at the policy level.”
48:12 – Bill wants to go back to talking about pintails…
54:00 - Chris talks about reporting bands and how it breaks his heart that some folks don’t report them.
57:09 – What does the future hold and how do hunters and anglers play a role?
1:00:12 – Closing statements.
Thursday Nov 03, 2022
Outdoors Swagger with Rue Mapp, founder and CEO of Outdoor Afro
Thursday Nov 03, 2022
Thursday Nov 03, 2022
Bill and Aaron welcome Rue Mapp, founder and CEO of Outdoor Afro to talk all things outdoors, Rue’s recent journey back into hunting and her new book – Nature Swagger. We hear about Rue’s early life and how her father, in particular, shaped her connection with the outdoors and how that led her to found Outdoors Afro. We also talk about Black Heritage Hunts, a unique hunting opportunity Rue co-leads in Northern California.
Links:
Rue Mapp transformed her kitchen table blog into a national nature business and movement.
Today, Mapp is founder and CEO of Outdoor Afro. For more than a decade, the not-for-profit organization has continued to celebrate and inspire Black connections and leadership in nature across the United States.
Mapp also is an awarded and inspirational leader, speaker, public lands champion, and published author. Her first national book titled “Nature Swagger: Stories and Visions of Black Joy in the Outdoors” releases with American publisher Chronicle Books on Nov. 1, 2022. Mapp also established for-profit enterprise Outdoor Afro, Inc., in 2021 and launched a co-branded hike collection with REI Co-op in September 2022.
Mapp became a National Geographic 2019 Fellow, Heinz Awards Honoree, and National Wildlife Federation Communication Award recipient as well. Her work has earned international media attention from Oprah Winfrey, The New York Times, Good Morning America, NPR, NBC’s TODAY, Forbes, and currently Netflix’s popular series “MeatEater” with Steven Rinella. Follow her adventures @RueMapp across social platforms!
Show notes:
4:01 – Aaron introduces Rue.
5:00 – Rue talks about her father and shares some insight into her path of helping people connect to the outdoors.
8:40 – Rue shares what she has been doing outside recently and what she is looking forward to this winter. She also shares the joy of walking her dog and being present.
9:38 – Bill and Aaron share what they have been doing outside recently.
13:16 -- Rue talks about her introduction and connection to hunting.
16:41 -- Rue explores her “Why”.
18:37 -- She is doing it all. Rue chats about being a hunter who enjoys pursuing all types of game.
23:27 -- Rue makes the connection between regarding her work and turkey hunt with MeatEater.
30:16 – Rue talks about her organization, “Outdoor Afro”.
36:00 – Short break for a message from our partner podcast, Artemis Sportswomen! Be sure to subscribe to their podcast follow them on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
38:17 -- Rue reflects on diversity in the hunting community.
40:35 -- How “Outdoor Afro” operates around the country.
46:00 – Community, support networks and making an impact through digital media and outreach.
48:29 -- Are we always going to need affinity group organizations?
50:38 -- Rue talks about “Black Heritage Hunts”.
54:55 – Who comes to these events? (Anyone is welcome to join!)
57:07 – Rue talks about her first book, Nature Swagger. It’s available now!
1:00:34 -- Aaron asks, “What was it at this moment that you said, you know I’m going to tell some of these stories, I’m going to bring these folks together, I’m going to tell these now?”
1:03:59 – “There’s no book like it that has been written before.”
1:07:36 -- Rue shares her thoughts and advice on the journey of Diversity Equity Inclusive and Environmental Justice efforts for the National Wildlife Federation. “Make new friends, nothing happens faster than the speed of relationships.”
1:12:24 – Closing statements.
Thursday Oct 20, 2022
Thursday Oct 20, 2022
Aaron and Bill sit down with Mitch and Jarred, two experts from the great Northwest, to discuss transboundary mining issues. Numerous mines, and one in particular, in British Columbia threaten people, watersheds, and wildlife in Northwest states, including years of salmon recovery and restoration. We discuss the Copper Mountain mine, the potential for a catastrophic disaster that would devastate downstream communities, wildlife, and fisheries. We also discuss the landscape, the history, and the complications of advocating for responsible development across an international boundary.
Links:
Reports: https://www.cct-enr.com/copper-mt-mine-bcc
Breach animated simulation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgwAsdFLHmo
Recording of presentation of simulation study: https://youtu.be/B9jRMCHZwTg
More resources: https://conservationnw.org/our-work/wildlands/healthy-watersheds-campaign/
Conservation Northwest homepage: https://conservationnw.org/
Colville Tribe homepage: https://www.colvilletribes.com/
Colville Tribe Salmon Reintroduction work: https://www.colvilletribes.com/fish-wildlife
Colville Tribe Environmental Trust Copper Mountain Mine BCC : https://www.colvilletribes.com/environmental-trust
Show notes:
3:34 – Aaron introduces the guests.
7:24 – Jared shares what he has been doing outside recently.
9:32 – Mitch shares what he has been doing outdoors of late.
13:03 – Jared describes the landscape we are focusing on during this episode.
16:50 – Mitch adds that we are talking about the need and the right for clear, clean, cool, productive rivers that flow across the border.
18:42 – Aaron asks for the description of the fish and wildlife who live on these transboundary rivers.
26:04 – Bill asks for some background on the mines themselves and what makes them such a problem… particularly the Copper Mountain Mine upstream of Princeton, B.C.
30:53 – What are the risks? What are we worried about? What’s going to come out of these places if the dams fail.
41:12 – Should we expect these dams to eventually fail?
43:49 – Jared shares the tribal perspective on transboundary mines.
46:35 – Short break for a message from our partner podcast, Artemis Sportswomen! Also, be sure to follow NWF Outdoors on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter!
47:29 -- What do we want right now to safeguard the wildlife and communities downstream?
52:23 -- What can someone listening to this do to help?
58:18 -- What has the B.C. government said as a response? Are they listening? Is anything happening?
1:01:48 – Mitch shares his closing statements.
1:03:47 – Jared shares his closing statements.
1:06:05 – Bill shares his thoughts.
1:06:44 – Aaron closes the show with some wisdom and thank you’s.
Friday Sep 23, 2022
Getting Uncomfortable with Chad Hoover
Friday Sep 23, 2022
Friday Sep 23, 2022
After tons of travel and scheduling conflicts, Aaron and Bill are together again and joined by the world’s biggest promoter of kayak fishing! Retired Naval officer, kayak fishing pioneer, author and television show host Chad Hoover has a lot of experience and a lot to say.
From what it was like being a young naval officer on September 11 to starting a tournament organization to getting people involved in hunting and fishing, Chad has always faced uncomfortable things. In fact, getting uncomfortable is now something of a mantra for his view on life.
Conservation and growing our sports aren’t always easy, but a willingness to face the discomfort is something we all need.
https://www.kayakbassfishing.com/
https://www.heliconia.ca/portfolio/chad-hoover-fishing/
Show notes:
3:47 – Bill shares a little background on Chad Hoover.
6:15 – The team shares what they have been doing outside recently. Chad shares his passion for overlanding and shares insight into the various regions of Lousiana.
21:24 - Chad shares what it was like to be serving in the military during 9/11.
30:36 – Chad shares how 9/11 changed his civilian career and the way in which he trains and prepares for fishing.
33:53 – Short break for a message from our partner podcast, Artemis Sportswomen!
35:26 – Chad highlights how he got into kayak bass fishing.
51:52 - Chad talks about catch-photo-release and his T.V. shows.
1:02:53 - Chad chats about embracing the hard things in life.
1:25:30 – Closing take home words.
Thursday Sep 08, 2022
From the Field: Commercial fishing off the coast of Sitka, Alaska with Robby Bruce.
Thursday Sep 08, 2022
Thursday Sep 08, 2022
We are excited to launch a short form story telling series on the NWF Outdoors podcast! We invite you to enjoy the premiere of our “From the Field” series with an episode recorded on board a 90’ wooden fishing vessel off the coast of Sitka, Alaska. For this episode, Aaron and Mandela joined the crew of the “North Wind” for a beautiful morning in the harbor and open water off the coast of Southeast Alaska. For this 15 minute interview, Aaron sits down with Robby Bruce, the operator of the "North Wind" -- a 90’ boat constructed in 1944. They discuss the fishing season, climate change, Alaskan fisheries, conservation and what a typical day looks like for his crew.
Curious where the boat is right now? Check out this live tracker: https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/shipid:445614/mmsi:367448380/imo:7100316/vessel:NORTHWIND
Show notes:
0:05 – Intro to the show, the boat and Robby.
1:09 – Robby chimes in regarding what he and his crew are up to today on the fishing tender called the North Wind.
3:22 – When does the season begin?
4:35 – Fisheries conservation in Alaska is unique.
5:41 -- Commercial fishing as conservation.
7:19 -- What are fishermen concerned about? Sustainability…
8:34 -- Robby reflects on climate change and his concerns regarding ocean acidification.
9:40 -- What do fishermen think about seasons when the sockeye &/or king salmon are smaller than average?
11:46 -- Robby talks about his boat, crew and operations.
12:54 -- Robby chats about his future and the future of fisheries.
14:58 -- Robby shares some closing words.