The Origins Foundation Podcast

Lindsay Thomas, the Communications Director of the National Deer Association, joins Robbie to talk about the science - and widespread myth and misinformation - around the culling of deer to improve antler class. The two dive deep into the studies around this and explain exactly why this is a bad strategy and what you should be focused on. Support our Conservation Club Members: Hunt with Maartens S...

The question was posed to me: why do you Robbie differentiate between hunting and photographic tourism? Are they not the same thing - i.e., tourism? What's the difference? When you take a step back and really examine what the definition of tourism is - it's simply defined as visiting a location for a specific reason - whether that is to take a photo, take a drink, hunt an animal. It's all the same...

Robbie is joined by Tim Gale, General Manager of the Game Animal Council of New Zealand, a government organization reporting to the Minister of Conservation whose mission is to set conservation policy in New Zealand. Tim and Robbie talk about the organization’s new hunter-friendly platform called Better Hunting, which was designed to create new hunters, give them all the information that they nee...

This is a little different podcast. Recorded from a land cruiser as the team was moving between Maun, Botswana and a concession called NG 41. Robbie was driving with one of the concession lease holders, Johan Calitz and a rangeland scientist out of Botswana, Christian Winterbach. The boys talk through wildlife, conservation, sustainable use and hunting, perspectives and perceptions around hunting,...

The question that was posed to me was one that we get a lot: Is Trophy Hunting Conservation? Or do people just use that terminology to make themselves feel better about killing animals? This is a great question for the Short Truths. Though the motivation of the individual may not be based in conservation, the action of the individual is conservation, though it may not be the direct motivation. Wha...

Mary O’Neill Phillips, host of Country Outdoors, is an Australian female in the hunting space. She talks about gaining notoriety from the controversial ‘Love and Likes’ show that was on Outdoor Channel, what it was like to have a massive viral campaign targeting her as a ‘huntress addicted to hunting’, and just generally what it’s like to be a strong female in the hunting space - which is the bigg...

Former competitive cross-fitter and firefighter in Denver, CO Matt Chan joins the Blood Origins podcast this week to discuss his feelings about coming out to the community he influences that he does, indeed, hunt - along with his feelings on hunting in general and what it’s like being a semi-retired influencer who hunts - loudly and proudly - in his space.  Support our Conservation Club Members: S...

The question that was posed to me was are Forest Elephants Endangered? I think the question was more writ large: Are elephants endangered? The answer technically by IUCN and CITES standards is yes, all elephant species in the world are endangered, but practically on the ground the answer for the African Savannah Elephant maybe answered a little differently. Since 2021 the African Forest Elephant h...

Callum Perry, a conservationist originally from the UK, who is now out of South Africa, joins Robbie to talk about how amazing dream job collaring rhinos, working with lions, and much more along with his viewpoints and perspectives of hunting.  Support our Conservation Club Members: Visit the Acadiana Chapter of SCI https://laacadianasci.org/ Hunt with Adam Clements Safaris https://safaritrackers....

The question was posed to me - do so-called ‘grip and grins’ hurt hunting? This is a fantastic question with a complicated answer. We get hit with this question or thought every single day - does the grip and grin picture or the "trophy" picture help or hurt hunting? The answer is that it depends. There are certainly things that are portrayed today through social media that are not good for huntin...

Scott Talbot, the new guides and outfitters liaison at Safari Club International (SCI) joins the Blood Origins podcast this week to discuss the revival of his role, which has been vacant for a couple of years, and his plans for the position. Scott, to his credit, has embraced the role completely - and takes the opportunity to dispel certain perceptions around SCI and guides and outfitters, the upc...

Corey Mason, CEO of Dallas Safari Club and Dallas Safari Club Foundation, joins Robbie in Zimbabwe to talk about the DSC’s convention and next steps of the Convention in years to come. Robbie and Corey spent some time together on a recent trip to Africa while touring the different professional hunting operations and recorded this podcast about the move in 2025 from Dallas to Atlanta, the reasoning...

The question was posed to me - what do I think about corner crossings? If you are not familiar with the United States and public lands, the landscape typically out west looks exactly like a checkerboard of private and public land. Often public land is opposite one another where their corners touch, and you can literally step from one piece of public to another. That is called corner crossing. If y...

Robbie is joined by Sarah Tilt, Executive Director of One Montana, which administers the Master Hunter program of Montana. Born of the increasing frustrations of landowners over the behavior of hunters, which closed the doors for everyone, the Master Hunter program tries to ensure proper etiquette among hunters and in return, landowners who believe in the program allow certain hunters to come out...

Robbie is joined this week by Gray Thornton, the President and CEO of the Wild Sheep Foundation. Gray returns to the podcast to discuss a controversial recent decision by the Wild Sheep Foundation board of directors refusing to show kill shots or the celebration of the kill in content shown at their Convention and through social media - what some might call ’white washing’ or ‘sanitizing’ and it h...

This week’s question: Are white-tailed deer endangered? Robbie desperately wanted to answer this one with a flip ‘have you lived in the United States at all?’ response, but he provides you with all the facts you need to refute it all the same. The simple answer, of course, is ‘no’. From golf courses to roadsides to backyards - white-tailed deer are nearly ubiquitous.  Support our Conservation Club...

Rich Froning, the man synonymous with the CrossFit Games, and Cross Fit as a lifestyle, has switched his entire mindset as a member of Blood Origins. Raw, authentic, we explore Rich’s transition into a hunter and the intricate details of our heart as hunters during this short and sharp conversation. This conversation specifically dives into the why behind why hunters hunt, specially Rich - asking...

Guav Johnson, a legend among the top tier professional hunters in Africa, joins the podcast. Everything about him speaks to his quiet, unassuming nature, from his long hair, cutoff sleeves, the ten-year-old boonie hat that offers zero sun protection. And he loves wildlife, especially the wildlife of his home in Zimbabwe. Robbie and the crew caught up with him while launching his new project Wilber...

Robbie is joined LIVE on location in Zimbabwe with the men from Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Zimbabwe Professional Guide Association - to discuss the guide and professional hunting licensing process and the importance of those standards to hunting. It’s an incredibly fascinating discussion that gives you a true insight into what it takes to be a guide in Zimbabwe - arguably the highest standa...

Who is Bob Marshall? You may have heard of the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area, or the Bob Marshall knife from Montanan Knife Company. But do you actually know who Bob Marshall, the man, was? Robbie did the research for you and educates you in this Short Truth about his life as a wilderness activist and contributor to the conservation of wild places and wild things in America. Support our Conservatio...

Most people have probably never heard the name of Semi Bird, but Semi is a former green beret who is running for Governor of Washington in 2024. He catches up with Robbie about not only his life and ambitions to bring back common sense, but about being a staunch proponent of hunting, even though he comes from a non-hunting background.  Support our Conservation Club Members: Shop Walther Arms https...

Mark Hall, Executive Director of Blood Origins CANADA and our sister show at the Hunter Conservationist Podcast joins this week’s podcast to talk about Canada’s new wildlife trophy import ban, what he is seeing from an ‘on-the-ground’ perspective and the cascading effect it could have on both hunting and wildlife all over the world - even in Canada! Support our Conservation Club Members: Shop Walt...

The question that was posed was - why do you guys always hunt old males? The question was indirectly why do you always hunt the things with the biggest horns / antlers? There is a lot of questions around why hunters hunt old males? It's often tied to the moniker of trophy hunting. You guys are always after the biggest horns or the biggest antlers. Ok? Isn't that what you would want to hunt if you...

The three young men behind Wild Origins, a new group out of India, join today’s podcast to discuss their efforts to tackle wildlife conservation in India. India is the global hotspot of human wildlife activity, with an incredible diversity of predators and prey. All three are for the idea of bringing hunting back to India which is likely one of the most controversial ideas around. As scientists, t...

Josh Hartwick, CEO of Feathers and Sheds Unlimited, joins Robbie on this week’s show to be a part of the first of our ‘Connecting The Dots’ content series where we wanted to discuss where Nilgai fit into the landscape as an introduced species in Texas from his perspective as a wildlife manager on the ranch on which we produced our content. This podcast is part of a content piece that focuses on wh...