The Wild Dispatch

Dr. Adrian de Villiers goes by many names, but perhaps the most notorious is Dr. Death.  —A nickname coined after becoming the first South African to ever harvest the big 6 on foot, with nothing but a bow and arrows. (elephant, rhino, lion, leopard, Cape buffalo and hippo) Despite his ominous title, ‘the Doc’ has been sharing nuggets of wisdom with outdoor enthusiasts for decades. For over thirty...

Today we’re excited to introduce two new guests to The Wild Dispatch Podcast. Hans and Adrienne Olufs began their journey as high-school sweethearts with a mutual love of wild places... they’ve since become two halves of a backwoods power-couple. Creators and owners of West Coast Archery Shop north of San Francisco, together they’ve helped build and support a community of archers, hunters, and lik...

The art of tracking an animal has been called one of the earliest forms of science. The first deductive thinking of our distant ancestors, in search of food. Together Alex van den Heever and Renias Mhlongo are helping to ensure these ancient techniques survive. Their books about tracking and their very own Tracker Academy continue to enhance tourism and conservation in South Africa — where they bo...

Justin has been unlocking South Africa’s foraging potential since he was a teenager. Having honed his mushroom senses for over 15 years, we’re excited to say he’s agreed to share a giant basket of skills and stories with us today. Thanks again to Justin for sharing his wisdom with us! You can follow Justin on Instagram @fungiandfragrance Visit his website - followyournose.co.za And read the first...

A man who’s helped bring many a fat gobbler into range… helping other folks find success has been Joe Costarella’s jam for many years. Today he serves up a big helping of tips and tactics, giving us the tools we need to outwit those feathery dinosaurs —Just in time for the season! Joe also shares what it’s like growing up in Sonoma county, learning to hunt, joining the family business, and why he’...

Today Robin hears how Dennis Mckiver's life saving, death-defying story concludes. Ever wonder what it's like treating a medical emergency in the middle of a enormous angry ocean? Why poachers hate it when fish & game work nights? And how it feels to have your parachute fail while falling at terminal velocity... more than one time? Dennis answers all (and more) in the final episode of this dou...

A man who’s had more than his fair share of close calls in the wild — it’s perhaps unsurprising that Dennis McKiver has a mountain of stories to tell. From farm-town life south of Sacramento, to his military days across the world, to a career spent chasing poachers for California fish and game, Dennis shares all in the first of two episodes on The Wild Dispatch. He also happens to be a local membe...

Today I'm excited to introduce Dylan Love : Creator and host of PH journals - the biggest hunting podcast in Africa.  On top of sharing his wild story, Dylan and I discuss bunch of subjects from the hunting world: How conservation works in South Africa, the mental health issues that surround the PH (guiding) industry, and the controversy that surrounds the term 'trophy hunter'.  Hold onto your sea...

Today we introduce Leigh Hauck : A guy who's spent more than half his life exploring the wilds of Canada. A born and bred Albertan, Leigh gives us his perspective on life spent north of the border and beyond. From building top-end bows and equipment, to chasing bears with a bow, to being the creative brains behind a US made broad-head company, he shares his story and a few  handy tips to boot. Tha...

How does bow-hunting work in South Africa? Is it difficult to get your equipment (and yourself) over there? Any essential gear that nobody tells you about? Robin and bow-hunting outfitter expert Fred Hammer break down the essentials in this episode of The Wild Dispatch Podcast. Thanks to Fred for sharing his skills and stories with us! You can follow Fred and his outfitting service at bowhuntingaf...

Today is the final edition in our Ejler trilogy... This episode we roll up our sleeves and delve into the homestead-building, monster-fishing, county fair-beating part of this story sandwich. If you missed the previous couple of episodes featuring Ejler, then we highly recommend you hit pause and start the adventure from the beginning, you won't want to skip it. If you'd like to see some pics and...

Today we're crawling out from last week's peyote induced stupor, and continuing the wild adventure that is the life of Ejler. If you missed the first episode then definitely give it a listen before circling back to this second episode. We've already heard some fantastic stories — and there’s plenty more to come. If you'd like to see some pics and videos from our conversation — check out @thewilddi...

In this episode we introduce a new guest: Ejler Hjorth-Westh is a true student of the wild. Originally from a farming island in Denmark, Ejler now lives out on a homestead a few miles away from the town of Elk, Northern California. In this episode Ejler takes us back to his early years, where his obsession with a wild-lifestyle began, and his outdoor adventures nudged him into the man he is today....

Our guest today is Bailey Sonora — from the deserts of Arizona to the wilds of Washington, Bailey has been close to nature for as long as she can remember. In this episode we hear her story, we experience the many different landscapes of her life and hear about the people who've shaped her journey most. She's also been kind enough to share some of the skills and wisdom she's learned along the way....

In the fist episode of 2024 Robin and Cayden Marquis reflect on their adventures over the past year. They cover blacktails, mountain lions, turkeys, bears, warthogs and other African plains game animals, the fallow deer rut... even a breed of mountain zebra from the wilds of Namibia plus the hijacking of it's hind-quarters shortly after. Link to my episode on The Hunting Stories Podcast here -----...

In this episode Robin and previous guest Cayden Marquis   take a break between outdoor adventures to record a quick message for the holiday break. From guests, to listeners, to the folks who’ve lent a nugget or two of wisdom on this project — thank you for being part of this podcast. Fingers crossed everyone’s enjoying a delicious foraged-fished-hunted-home grown meal with the people they care abo...

In this episode Robin picks the brains of Dr. Preston Ward - A physical therapist for team USA Archery and founder of his own practice based out of Utah. Preston also happened to start bow-hunting because of an administrative error... It's probably safe to say he had no idea he'd go on to successfully harvest a bison with a well-placed arrow. Whether it's chasing animals, or treating people all ov...

In this episode we dig deep through the duff of Billy Sprague's mushroom-shaped mind. From the fruiting sequences of NorCal's most popular fungi, to understanding micro-climates and their impact — Billy shares many observations he's earned through his years spent picking in the woods. Thanks again Billy for the treasure chest of information! You can find Billy on Instagram Check out his amazing mu...

Today Robin catches up with Cayden Marquis — A bowhunter from the city of Cape Town, SA. In this episode we hear what it’s like growing up in South Africa: the highs and lows of learning to hunt with a bow, and how his skills in the bush inspired his full free-range carnivore diet. Thanks again to Cayden for jumping on the show! You can follow what Cayden’s up to on Instagram ----------------- Sub...

Our guest today is Joel van der Loon — A man who has learned exactly what it takes to survive and thrive in a smorgasbord of different wild places. Growing up in both South Africa and Tanzania, it was through his adventures out in the bush, under the watchful eye of the Maasai, that his wild skills really began to develop. Joel has wrestled snakes,  sailed oceans, and tracked a moose worth 1 milli...

Our guest today is Billy Sprague — A self taught mushroom hunting savant from the misty coastline of Northern California. In this episode we hear Billy's story, how he fell in love with all things mushroom, and learn the best tools to get started yourself.  We also dig up a few insights into the way he observes the natural world around him - and what that means for mushrooms, no matter the time of...

Our guest today is Candace Lewis . A phenom with a butchers knife — In this episode she shares her story, breaking down the twists and turns that led to her job at one of the best butcher shops in the San Francisco area. She also shares a bunch of tips and tricks: What to do, and more importantly what not to do when you get an animal on the ground. You can find Candace on Instagram and contact her...

In this episode Robin catches up with Fred Hammer — a bow-hunter & guide from South Africa. Fred shares his story: Growing up in South Africa, shooting birds near the flight zone of Johannesburg's largest airport, being sent to school to teach manners, shooting giant warthogs, learning hard lessons from the local wildlife, making the most successful bow-hunter in Africa his mentor, and why Fre...

In this episode I give the quick who-what-why of my brand new podcast. Join me on a three minute journey as I describe where I've come from, and where I'm heading with The Wild Dispatch. Episode 1 arriving soon!  Hosted by Robin Warman. Follow @thewilddispatch on Instagram, Tik Tok, YouTube, anywhere you find your most delectable content.   ----------------- Subscribe to this podcast so you're alw...