Episode 668 - Dale Lewis || From Poachers To Farmers

When one thinks of poaching, the mind often turns to Africa—snares, and people involved in the illegal bushmeat trade. Few would think of poaching occurring in the United States of America. Boone and Crockett Club President Tony Schoonen and researcher Jon Gassett join Robbie to talk about the Club’s new Poach and Pay program. This enormous undertaking to understand poaching in the U.S. revealed a massive “dark number” of poachers—and what that means for the landscapes and lifestyles we love. It’s an incredibly fascinating episode where you’ll learn the data and science behind the true impact of poaching in the U.S. today, what motivates it, and what steps can be taken to combat its staggering scale. This is the kind of podcast you’ll definitely be talking about with your colleagues around the water cooler—or the coffee pot—in the morning.

A Kazakh horse expert living in Wyoming argues that America’s wild horse debate needs more honest, practical conversation—even when the answers are uncomfortable. Jamila shares her unique perspective on Kazakhstan's horse culture, the management of wild horses in the US, and innovative ideas for sustainable livestock practices. Discover how her background influences her advocacy and what solutions she proposes for wild horse management.

Ashlee and Robbie discuss the weekly roundup of news, including Robbie’s visit to Parliament for the premier of an Origins wildfowling film, restored federal hunting rules in Alaska, bipartisan Senate legislation to improve endangered species recovery, an $80 million new wildlife crossing grant program, 3 California laws expanding hunting & wildlife opportunities, and concerns over Louisiana’s proposed $100 billion SpaceX site and its impacts on coastal wildlife habitat and local access.

Carlo & Hugo Engelbrecht are 6th generation farmers and game owners in South Africa. They currently reside in Kwazulu Natal and they came onto Robbie's radar due to a film about a significant rhino poaching incident that occurred on their farm. Robbie invited Carlo and Hugo to join the podcast to kick off our Rhino Wars podcast series. This special series is aiming to educate people about the reality of rhino conservation on the ground in Southern Africa. From the poaching crisis to the reality on the ground, Robbie and the Engelbrechts dive deep into this important conservation issue.

In this episode, we go behind the scenes at Splitting Image Taxidermy in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, to uncover the people, craftsmanship, and livelihoods behind the taxidermy industry. Through conversations with the team, we explore the artistry involved, the opportunities created for local communities, and the family-like culture built around hard work and mentorship. More importantly, we challenge perceptions surrounding hunting and conservation, highlighting the human impact of the industry and the importance of understanding the full story before forming an opinion. Because championing the truth around hunting starts with the people and communities whose lives depend on it.