Chasing Wild

Jake takes listeners on a full immersion into the Serengeti National Park - his favorite place on the planet. Having lived in Tanzania for three and a half months in 2017, Jake shares everything: what game drives actually feel like ripping through the endless plains at full speed, the unexpected beauty of seeing 100,000 wildebeest stretching as far as the eye can see, and what it/s like to camp in...

Jake and Dean have special guest, Daniel Stolarek, on the show to talk some skiing, outdoor adventure and answer the question, "what's it like to be a zookeeper?". Jake has been a zookeeper since 2018 and Dean since 2023. Daniel plays the role of the audience, asking Jake and Dean the pressing questions that give insight into the daily life of a zookeeper. You'll also get to he...

Some of the biggest blockbuster films have been heavily inspired by nature. Think back to Jurassic Park, Jaws, Avatar and even Disney films such as The Jungle Book and Lion King. But just how often do artists draw inspiration from or reference the natural world in their art? Well, turns out it happens quite a bit.  On this episode, Jake and Dean cover a list of twelve different pieces of pop cultu...

Ready to build your very own adventure profile? Here's the layout: Wildlife Team: 1. Mammal 2. Amphibian 3. Reptile 4. Bird 5. Fish 6. Spirit Animal (any of the above classes) Expedition Log: 1. Favorite trip you've ever been on 2. Top bucket list destination 3. Second bucket list destination Conservation Impact: 1. The conservation impact that means the most to you (ex: human-wildlife c...

Join us for an exciting episode where we bring in Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Katie Adamson Conservation Fund (KACF), Dave Johnson. When a young conservationist and friend, Katie Adamson, passed away due to cancer, Dave stepped in to create a non-profit organization in her memory.  Based in Denver, Colorado, the fund is a community-based organization that travels across the world to h...

On this episode, we sit down with avid Fly Fisherman, Chase Halter, as he dives into some of his most memorable experiences out on rivers, boats and streams.  Chase talks about the differences between fly fishing and conventional fishing, and how each can be better suited for certain fish and certain ecosystems. He also gives a few tips and tricks on how to become an effective fisherman, using tac...

In this episode, we sit down with Blake Dudzik, longtime hunter, as him and Dean break down their experiences deer hunting in Illinois and Wisconsin.   A common misconception of hunting is that people often think it is a cruel sport that people do purely for self-satisfaction. While there are many forms of hunting and different hunters with different intents, deer hunting across the United States...

Unchanged for 340 million years, predating the dinosaurs, this parasitic species has survived 4 major extinctions and dates back to the Paleozoic era.  After being introduced to the Great Lakes in the 1800s, this invasive species has been wreaking havoc on native fish populations and is being called, "America's first destructive invasive fish species".  These prehistoric fish latch...

Monster bass, a 10 pound walleye, 39 inch muskie and 50+ years of fishing experiences!  This week we sit-down for our first guest episode with longtime freshwater fisherman and Jake's dad, Bob Johnson, to dive into the world of fishing. Bob's experiences provide listeners with an in depth view of what it looks like to be a passionate angler and how that's allowed him to have some tr...

Have you ever wondered what it's like to trek through one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet? Welcome to the Amazon Rainforest, home to roughly 10% of the world's known species.  A bucket list destination for both Jake and Dean, Dean breaks down his 3-day trip with JunglePro, a guiding company through the Amazon. With an incredible array of flora and fauna, Dean highlights s...

Travel to one of the seven human-made wonders of the world, Machu Picchu, with Dean as he breaks down his recent trip to Peru. An archaeological treasure, Machu Picchu was built by the Incas around 1450 AD, a full millennium after the fall of the Roman Empire and less than a century before the Spanish conquistadors arrived in Peru.  Re-discovered in 1911 by Hiram Bingham, Machu Picchu quickly beca...

Dive deep into the bioluminescent waters of the Sea of Cortez and enjoy one of the top 5 most biodiverse marine ecosystems in the world. The Vermilion Institute is a field station nestled on the coast of Baja California and is where the Project Dragonfly Master's Program brings students for Earth Expeditions. On this 5 day adventure, I was able to experience a super pod of dolphins, snorkel w...

Join an immersive storytelling experience where Jake travels to Rancho San Gregorio in the Sonoran Desert with the Master's Program, Project Dragonfly. This trip was the spark that led Jake down the path to start The Dreamers Initiative and ultimately, the Chasing Wild Podcast.  Rattlesnakes, scorpions, sleeping under the stars, new friends and the Sound of Silence Cover by Disturbed, this tr...

On today's episode, we break down our biggest role model, Steve Irwin. The charismatic "crocodile hunter" was a global symbol for wildlife conservation, but who was he as a person? There's been a lot of questions about how Steve interacted with wildlife and whether or not it was ethical. We'll dive into the facts, showing just how much he accomplished in his 44 years of li...

Join your hosts, Jake Johnson and Dean Dudzik, as we launch our new show, Chasing Wild. In this episode, we break down some of the experiences that inspired us to start a podcast, driven by wildlife, conservation and adventure.  From witnessing a nighttime lion hunt in the Serengeti to the first steps in a Costa Rican jungle, our first episode shares a glimpse of what is to come and who we are as...