EatWild Podcast

EatWild 63 - Adam Foss - Adventure Hunt Planning

In this episode, I am joined by Adam Foss. Adam is a filmmaker, photographer, conservationist and adventure hunter. Adam has dedicated time in the mountains filming wildlife and mountain adventures in addition to his remarkable personal hunting adventures. His passion is sheep hunting and he has a ton of knowledge and experience to share with us. 

 

We talk about how to plan for big adventures, critical gear that he relies on, where we can save weight and where we can add a few ounces to build a bigger safety net. Adam tells us who he likes to hunt with and the importance of supporting new hunters on their journey to success. 

 

As I listened to the podcast I really enjoyed hearing Adam's philosophy of hunting, about really seeing the stars and calming the mind.  This is one of the best conversations I’ve had since doing this podcast. I hope you enjoy it!

 

Adam's recent project, Community for the Wild, is available for Telus subscribers on Optik TV and will be available more broadly as it makes the rounds on the film festival circuit over the next year. 

 

Be sure to follow Adam @fossman8 and check out the Foss Media teamwork at foss.media

 

Find Adam's article on tents here!

 

This podcast was brought to you with the support of Seek Outside. @Seekoutside specializes in building ultralight reliable gear for adventures. Use the discount code to EATWILD at seekoutside.com

 

Poster photo by Francesca Pirolo 

 

EatWild 62 - Joe Eppele - Big Bulls, Bows and Fire Cooking

In this episode, I’m chatting with Joe Eppele. Joe is a passionate hunter, star of The EDGE hunting show, and Grey Cup champion.

This is the perfect episode if you're starting to think about brighter days ahead and what your hunting season is going to look like. Joe recaps his past year of hunting adventures - and what a year he had! As he tells stories about his last hunting season, Joe reveals what were his most challenging, and memorable hunts.

In this conversation, I learned that Joe is an excellent hunter, and got to find out about his techniques and decision-making processes that have to lead to success.

After this uplifting conversation, I am now super pumped about bow hunting and planning to practice this skill in 2022. 

You find Joe here @joe_eppele  or on the EDGE TV show @theedgetvshow

Hope you enjoy this one! 

 

Find our EatWild webinars and classes here www.eatwild.ca

 

This podcast is brought to you by West Coast Kitchen. Use the EATWILD discount code on your next order. 

EatWild 61 - Jay‘s Bull Elk Story - An Elk Hunt and Packraft Adventure

Join us on our annual elk hunting adventure! Tom, Tome and I have invited young Jay to join us for his first Northern BC elk hunting expedition.  We are packing rafts into a remote wilderness area with a plan to find a few unhunted bull elk. We have packed our Seek Outside camp and two Alpacka Forager rafts a day's walk up the valley. If all goes well we will get into some elk and use the rafts to float back to the trucks. 

This was an extra special hunt and fun adventure. I hope you enjoy the episode. Be sure to share this podcast and leave a review. 

Find our EatWild webinars and classes here www.eatwild.ca

This podcast is brought to you by West Coast Kitchen. Use the EATWILD discount code on your next order. 

 

EatWild 60 - Coastal Blacktail Hunting with Chris Pryn

In this episode, I’m joined by my friend Chris Pryn and we are talking about Blacktail hunting. Chris is part of the Fargone Media production team, telling hunting adventure stories in BC. He is also the host of the Behind the Glass Hunting Podcast. Chris has been instrumental in driving membership and engagement with our local chapter of the BC Backcountry Hunters and Anglers. And occasionally I can talk him into helping me out as an EatWild mentor to share his knowledge and passion with new hunters.

 

Chris is a relatively new hunter but has dedicated more time and effort than most to figure out how to hunt here in BC. He has lots of hard-learned lessons and great hunting stories to share. Chris is a dedicated Blacktail hunter so I am working him for a few secrets to add to my newfound passion for chasing these coastal ghosts. 

 

I hope you enjoy! 

 

This podcast is supported by West Coast Kitchen Canada. Use the EATWILD discount code to get 10% off your next order. 

EatWild 59 - The Ramtastic Adventure Part 3 - Getting the meat home

This is the third and final episode of the​ Ram​tastic adventure​ Sheep Hunting podcast series. In this podcast, I’m catching up with our crew after having re-entered our post-adventure lives​ and we debrief about the challenges that we​ faced as the trip progressed. 

 

After a hugely successful opening day, we had two rams on top of the mountain and we faced the perils of getting ourselves,​ and the meat off the mountain ​and down the river ​safely. We were confronted with lots of barriers in getting the meat to butcher without spoiling in the hot temperatures. ​​The hot weather persisted, the bugs were brutal, the river was scary, and our resiliency was waning.​ We break down our systems for what worked well and what we would do differently next time.

We also share our experience with getting both rams through the compulsory inspection process. This turned out to be such an awesome opportunity to learn from sheep experts about ageing wild sheep.

And lastly, we get to start planning the next adventure.

I hope you enjoyed this episode. ​Please leave a review and share this podcast.  

 

​This adventure was made possible by our good friends at West Coast Kitchen for nourishing us all on the way, ​our Friends at ​S​eek ​Outside for gearing us up with ultra-lightweight backpacks, and our friends at ​Alpac​k​a ​Rafts for the bomber lightweight rafts for the voyage.

 

​Try out West Coast Kitchen on your next adventure and use the EATWILD discount code for 10% discount. ​

EatWild 58 - The Ramtastic Adventure Part 2 - Stalking sheep

Joined by great friends Jenny P, La'goot, and Scott, we set out on a fly-in, hike-up, paddle-out sheep hunt. In part 2 of the Ramtastic Adventure, we share our opening day sheep hunting adventures. We split up into two hunting parties for opening day with a plan to take a closer look at what we hoped were legal rams.  Join us as we recap our respective hunts and what will no doubt be the hunt of a lifetime for all of us. 

This adventure was fuelled by West Coast Kitchen gourmet freeze-dried meals, and heavy loads were supported by the Seek Outside ultralight rugged packs. 

EatWild 57 - The Ramtastic Adventure Part 1 - A sheep hunting story

This adventure was, without a doubt, the hardest and most rewarding thing I have ever done. 

 

Joined by great friends Jenny P, La'goot, and Scott, we set out on a fly-in, hike-up, paddle-out sheep hunt. In part 1 of the Ramtastic Adventure you get to meet the team, hear about our hunt plan, and then join us on the hunt as we navigate our way into sheep country, try to survive the elements, and experience the hunt of a lifetime. 

 

This adventure was fuelled by West Coast Kitchen gourmet freeze-dried meals, and heavy loads were supported by the Seek Outside ultralight rugged packs. 

EatWild 56 - Illegal Sheep Harvest -Why are we making mistakes?

Some troubling news in the sheep hunting community. At least 12 illegal rams have been seized by the Conservation Officer Service this year. These rams did not meet the legal requirements and yet hunters still pulled the trigger. Thinhorn rams must reach either eight years of age or full curl in order to be legal for harvesting in BC. In an average year, 3 to 5 rams typically fail inspection as legal rams. 

So why are we making mistakes? I’m joined by Adam Janke of the Journal of Mountain Hunting and Kyle Stelter of the Wild Sheep Society of British Columbia to look at the reasons that could be fueling this problem.

We talk about the growing interest in sheep hunting, and how tools and technology are making sheep hunting more accessible. Being exposed to an abundance of information gives a false impression of knowledge accumulation, however, this does not and cannot replace experience and true skill building in the field – sheep hunters will relate to our discussion about the challenges of ageing sheep in the field.

Is sheep hunting attracting more inexperienced hunters? Are the motivations changing for this type of hunt? Why are we making the wrong call on these sheep? And most importantly, what are the implications to sheep conservation and our privilege to continue hunting sheep in BC?

Lots to be discussed here. This is a challenging conversation, but one we need to have in the hunting community. I hope you enjoy it.

Thanks to Adam Janke and Kyle Stelter for making the time for this important discussion. 

Photo credit: Fort Nelson Conservation Officer Service

Thanks to West Coast Kitchen for their support! 

The discount code is EATWILD

 

EatWild 55 - Elk Management with Mike Bridger - Wildlife biologist series

I am pleased to welcome Mike Bridger back on the podcast as part of our wildlife biologist series where we are talking about wildlife management of the big game species in BC. In this episode, we are talking elk just in time for elk hunting season.  Whether you are a seasoned elk hunter or planning your first elk hunt, this episode is for you! 

 

In our conversation, we get to learn about the rewarding work that Mike Bridger does as a wildlife biologist in the North East of BC.  Mike describes elk habitat, population distribution, and population dynamics. We discussed the habitat change drivers that affect the population such as wildfire, and the wildlife management tools that are used to manage the population. 

 

We break down elk hunting regulations and the wildlife management strategies behind them. Mike provides insight into why we have a six-point regulation and a cow season. We chat tips for counting points. 

 

Lastly, Mike shares his sheep hunting premonitions for my upcoming sheep hunting adventure... 

 

You can find Mike Bridger here @bc_bridger

 

Please help us find more listeners by sharing this podcast and leaving a review.  

 

Find West Coast Kitchen Here - Discount code is EATWILD

 

EatWild 54 - Caribou Management with Biologist Conrad Thiessen

We are kicking off a series of podcasts with a focus on learning more about big game species in BC and how they are managed to ensure sustainable wildlife populations and hunting opportunities.

In the first episode, I am pleased to welcome wildlife biologist Conrad Thiessen.  Conrad has a very cool job in the Northwest corner of BC (Region 6). This is an area of relatively low road density and high wilderness and wildlife values, so he spends his workdays flying around in a helicopter, in spectacular wilderness areas, counting wildlife. 

Conrad's work is focused on caribou management, so we dive into the topic of caribou, discuss ecotypes, their range, habitat, migration patterns, population status in BC, and methods to assess herd health and numbers. Conrad describes survey and calculation methods, as well as the opportunity to work with First Nations on research projects.

 

He introduces and explains concepts like “calf recruitment”, the ideal calf/cow ratio, and shares details about the delicate and exciting process of “netting caribou” for the purpose of fitting them with research collars.

 

Of course, we get to talk about caribou behaviour, hunting experiences and the ideal time to hunt caribou for optimal taste. 

 

We reflect on the impacts of human activity, climate change and predation on caribou population dynamics and Conrad reveals an unlikely, yet successful caribou predator, besides wolves and bears.

 

Give this episode a listen if you are interested in caribou biology, conservation or hunting and you will find a few other exciting details about the life of caribou and wildlife biologists in Region 6.

 

To keep an eye on Conrad and his adventures in an “unbelievably, indescribably” beautiful place, follow him on Instagram @conrad_thiessen.

Poster photo credit: Clint Walker 

 

This episode is dedicated to Dr. Valerius Geist, wildlife biologist, conservationist, great storyteller, and kind human. You will be missed by the conservation community.  

 

This episode is brought to you by West Coast Kitchen. Check out their stuff and use the EATWILD discount code for 10% off 

 

Show note: 

At some point in the podcast I mention that Jody, the hunting camp cook, will not use cook with caribou meat that is harvested in late September.  The intention was to suggest that the meat may have a gamey taste, and may not be as pleasant as the other meat options.  In Jody's case, she may choose to use the moose or sheep meat that would also be available in a hunting camp to make dinner. The caribou hunters are required to take all edible portions of the meat home and it will be consumed, just with a bit more spice if it happens to be gamey.