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 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.
Friday Aug 26, 2022
Friday Aug 26, 2022
Continuing with our newfound love of "from the field" podcasts, we take this one to Florida. Podcast co-host Bill Cooksey attended ICAST (a big fishing industry tradeshow) in July and had the opportunity to sit down with Geoff Mullins from the Everglades Foundation and Captain Chris Wittman from Captains for Clean water to talk about the myriad habitat problems in the Everglades and South Florida and what hunters and anglers can do to help. The region is full of iconic hunting and fishing locations such as Lake Okeechobee and Florida Bay, and waterfowl hunters come from around the country to hunt mottled ducks, black-bellied whistling ducks and fulvous ducks. When most people think about Everglades issues, they think pythons and algae closing down beaches, but there’s a whole lot more at stake.
Episode links:
https://www.evergladesfoundation.org/
https://captainsforcleanwater.org/
https://www.vanishingparadise.org/restoration-solutions/projects?state=florida
Show Notes:
1:05-Intro to ICAST.
3:22-What have we been doing lately?
5:15-Geoff explains what Everglades restoration means.
6:47-Chris explains restoration from his point of view as a sportsman.
8:50-What is Captains for Clean Water?
11:35-Geoff, where do sportsmen fit in this puzzle?
13:50-Bill offers his take on the issues.
15:55-Chris talks duck hunting and the impact of declining habitat and restoration.
18:05-Geoff, what is the most critical component at this moment?
21:35-How is the state involved financially with restoration?
23:35-Chris discusses the changes he’s witnessed to some bucket list Florida destinations.
29:35-What do the next ten years look like?
31:35-Who are the stakeholders?
38:05-Why is this a national issue?
39:55-What should Florida sportsmen be doing?
42:55-What have we missed?
47:15-Words of wisdom from Geoff, Chris and Bill
Friday Aug 12, 2022
Friday Aug 12, 2022
Join us for this fun pilot episode of our new “From the Field” podcast series we are beginning to explore. For the past week, our sporting team has been traveling around Southeast Alaska recording interviews with hunters and anglers regarding the endless opportunities and abundance of the region. During this episode, Aaron and Mandela sit on the edge of the Tongas National Forest with Artemis ambassador, Jodee Dixon, and the Executive Director of the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council (SEACC), Meredith Trainor. We discuss their friendship and connection through hunting, mentorship and Yoga. We learn about the important conservation work SEACC does and the Artemis outreach programs Jodee offers. We also talk about the ways in which their background in mountaineering and whitewater kayaking parallel hunting and fishing.
Enjoy this abbreviated podcast pilot episode and let us know what you think. Did you like hearing podcasts recorded in the field? Would you like them to be shorter or longer? What questions would you like to ask our guests?
Links:
Show notes:
0:26 – Aaron sets the scene, introduces the guests and the stand-in cohost for this episode.
3:00 – Jodee talks about her passion for seeking and sharing knowledge. How she met Meredith and the transition to teaching Meredith how to hunt.
5:10 – Jodee talks about the different species she and her husband hunt in SE Alaska including Dahl sheep, elk, black bear and Sitka blacktail deer.
7:00 – Meredith talks about how she met Jodee and grew an interest in hunting after being a vegetarian for most of her life.
10:30 – Jodee shares how she got introduced to hunting and the story behind her first big game hunt for Dahl sheep.
14:00 – Jodee is currently teaching Meredith how to hunt. They both chat about how Artemis helped strengthen their connection and the opportunity to bring women together to share wild game and embrace a curiosity of hunting.
18:49 – Jodee and Meredith share how their experiences in whitewater kayaking, Yoga and mountaineering parallel how they approach hunting and fishing. Jodee reflects on single point focus and “forced meditation”.
23:19 – Meredith shares the conservation work she and her team at the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council (SEACC) focus on. One part of their work is focused on climate action, citizen science and the importance of sharing observations of a changing landscape due to climate change.
27:53 – Alaska is front and center when it comes to a warming climate. Meredith discusses how an increase in 3-6 degrees effects wildlife in Southeast Alaska.
29:40 – Jodee shares her observations and concerns regarding hunting, fishing and climate change in Southeast Alaska.
31:56 – Jodee highlights some of the Artemis outreach opportunities she offers in the region.
32:55 – Closing statements.
Friday Jul 29, 2022
Good News for Duck Hunters with Dr. Mike Brasher of Ducks Unlimited
Friday Jul 29, 2022
Friday Jul 29, 2022
It’s late July, and much of the country is in the midst of a heat wave, but Aaron and Bill are back talking ducks with Dr. Mike Brasher from Ducks Unlimited. Waterfowl are both a vocation and advocation for Mike as he’s spent his career studying and his free time hunting them. For the last two years, COVID protocols in Canada have prevented the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service from conducting the Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey (known to duck hunters as the BPOP and May Pond Count). This survey is used to set future seasons. The 2022 flights have wrapped up, and Mike is here to help us understand what the initial reports could mean to duck hunters all over the country. And for the first time in several years, there’s some positive news!
Links:
https://www.ducks.org/media/du-podcast
And here’s a photo page from the folks who actually count the ducks:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pilotbiologist/albums/with/72157706996280821
Show notes:
3:40 – Bill introduces Mike and provides a little insight into his background and what we are going to cover in the show regarding ducks and how ducks are counted.
5:25 – Mike introduces himself with a little more detail.
7:19 – Mike, Bill and Aaron share what they have been doing outside recently.
13:40 – Jumping right into B-POP (Breeding Population Survey) but first, let’s clarify that we are not talking about K-POP.
14:21 – What is B-POP and why should duck hunters understand it?
19:13 – Laying out the mechanics of how big the count is, where do they fly and how are we doing with the trajectory of current population counts.
24:27 – Discussing the word “census” and why this count isn’t a census.
28:23 – What are the results?!
35:05 – Why have biologists been concerned, drought in the western U.S. and how are the numbers doing down south?
41:27 – Short break for a message from our partner podcast, Artemis Sportswomen! Be sure to follow NWF Outdoors on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube for even more great content.
42:20 -- Because the count hasn’t happened for a few years, what was the approach this year?
46:39 -- Discussing the scientific approach to climate issues as they relate to duck populations, trajectory, warming trends and droughts.
53:33 -- Discussing the significance of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act and recently introduced North American Grasslands Act. How does this legislation relate to natural infrastructure, habitat restoration and resilience.
1:00:23 -- With fresh water and fresh habitat, what does that mean for the productivity of waterfowl? Also, a few reflections on the current count numbers and what that might mean for the upcoming duck hunting season.
1:07:33 – Mike shares some closing statements.
1:10:24 – Ducks Unlimited U.S. and Ducks Unlimited Canada are teaming up soon to do a livestream!
1:12:53 – Bill shares some closing statements.
1:13:18 – Please speak up on behalf of shutting down the Return Act, the swift passage of the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act and the North American Grasslands Act. Get engaged, stay engaged and look for folks like Mike for guidance.
Friday Jul 15, 2022
Friday Jul 15, 2022
Aaron and Bill sit down with David Willms and Mike Butler to discuss the recently introduced the RETURN Act and how it would dismantle the world’s most successful conservation program and begin a cascade effect that would set back America conservation in myriad ways. We walk through a refresher on the Pittman-Robertson Act – what it is, how it works, why it is so successful and why we need to protect by all means possible. Then we pivot to the RETURN Act – what it is, why it came about, how terrible it would be for American conservation and why we need to step up to stop it dead in its tracks.
Links:
https://tnwf.org/new-bill-would-gut-conservation-funding/
Show notes:
5:08 - Aaron shares a little background on this episodes guests.
7:56 - The group shares what they have been doing outside recently.
13:05 – David explains the Pittman-Robertson Act. Why do we have it and what it does?
19:38 – Mike discusses the significance of this legislation in Tennessee alone.
20:36 – What would it look like from state to state if we didn’t have the Pittman-Robertson Act?
24:02 - How is it funded? Who pays it? When do they pay it?
26:01 - Mike talks about the North American model of conservation and why Pittman-Robertson is integral to it.
29:31 – David lines out how much conservation funding comes from Pittman-Robertson and how it’s growing every year.
33:39 – Highlighting the 2nd Amendment and how it relates.
35:16 – What does the Return Act do exactly?
42:27 – Where did the concept of the Return Act come from? Let’s also highlight the conflict of interest at play here…
46:43 – Mike points out some fallacies in the proposed legislation and the press release from Rep. Clyde.
52:35 – It’s incredibly rare when a member of congress goes through the active process of removing their name from the list of cosponsors for a proposed bill. This is happening right now with the Return Act. Get informed! Call your congressman.
55:37 – What about the those who might like to see the majority of conservation funding coming from somewhere else besides the sporting community?
59:10 – Closing statements. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
“A man who doesn’t speak has no advantage over a man who can’t – so use your voice.” –Bill Cooksey