In this episode, Mike sits down with Dan Cabela, one of today’s most influential voices in hunting-led conservation. Dan shares the origin story of Hard Truths of Conservation and explains how a conversation around a campfire in Mozambique sparked a television project that now reaches global audiences. What began as documentation of lion reintroductions evolved into a cinematic series carried by History Channel and now Discovery Channel.

Dan explains why the show targets non-hunters, how it presents conservation challenges without preaching, and why honest storytelling matters more than advocacy slogans. He previews Season 4, which opens with a powerful bison relocation project near Kodiak Island that blends science, Indigenous culture, food security, and sustainable use.

The conversation then turns to one of the most ambitious wildlife projects in Africa: the reintroduction of lions, cheetahs, and hyenas into Coutada 11 in the Zambezi Delta. Dan details the risks, setbacks, and ultimate success of rebuilding apex predator populations that will fund their own conservation through regulated hunting.

Throughout the episode, Dan reinforces a clear message: science, local communities, and responsible hunting drive real conservation outcomes.

Sponsors of Bringing Back the Wild include: Dallas Safari Club, Royal Outfitters UK, Life-Form Taxidermy, Zambeze Delta Safaris, Travel Express, and AfricaSky Boutique Hotel.

In this episode of Bringing Back the Wild, Governor Kelly Armstrong of North Dakota joins the conversation at the Dallas Safari Club to talk hunting, conservation, and the real-world intersection of land use, agriculture, and public policy. Governor Armstrong shares how his upbringing in western North Dakota shaped his lifelong passion for bowhunting, bird dogs, and wild places, while teaching patience, humility, and respect for the land. He traces his path into politics from frustration with a single legislative issue to service in the state senate, Congress, and now the governor’s office.

Governor Armstrong explains why conservation matters to him not as an abstract ideal, but as a practical partnership with farmers, ranchers, and energy producers who live on and work the land every day. He makes a clear case that working lands create habitat, support wildlife, and sustain rural communities when policy respects local knowledge and economic reality. The discussion also dives into youth hunting, access to private land, and the importance of keeping hunting available to everyday families. Throughout the episode, Governor Armstrong emphasizes one core idea: if conservation, agriculture, and hunting all work together, communities thrive and wildlife follows.

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While visiting College of Coastal Georgia to give a seminar, Dr. Mike Arnold sat down with Tim Lowe and Duane Harris—the two visionaries behind an innovative speaker series within the college’s Environmental Sciences program.

Their shared goal was both bold and intentional: to bring forward voices willing to discuss the often-misunderstood importance of consumptive sports, including hunting and fishing, in modern conservation.

In this episode of Bringing Back the Wild, Tim and Duane trace the origins of their “brainchild” and explain why exposing non-hunting students to the central role of hunting and angling is essential to understanding conservation success in North America and beyond.

Thoughtful, educational, and timely, this conversation highlights how honest dialogue and academic courage can help bridge cultural gaps and secure a future for wildlife conservation.

Sponsors of Bringing Back the Wild include Royal Outfitters UK, Life-Form Taxidermy, Zambeze Delta Safaris, and Safari Specialty Importers.