In this episode of Bringing Back the Wild, Mike Arnold sits down with political strategist and Dallas Safari Club Government Affairs Director, Erica Tergeson, to explore why hunters must stay engaged in Washington, D.C. Erica shares her upbringing on a Colorado ranch, where she learned to shoot a Ruger .22, hunted prairie dogs, and developed a deep respect for rural life and wildlife. She explains how that background led her to Capitol Hill, where she now fights daily to defend hunting from federal restrictions and trophy import bans.

Erica breaks down how excise taxes through the Pittman-Robertson Act fund state wildlife agencies and why many lawmakers still misunderstand that system. She details her work building relationships with key committees, supporting pro-hunting candidates, and countering well-funded animal rights campaigns. She urges hunters to visit their representatives, engage across party lines, and support DSC’s political action committee to protect conservation, hunting traditions, and the future of wildlife management.

In this episode of Bringing Back the Wild, Mike Arnold sits down with South African master taxidermist Cecil Corringham to explore a life shaped by resilience, artistry, and a deep love for wild places. Cecil shares how he grew up in an orphanage and discovered hunting during weekend trips to friends’ farms, where he learned independence, bushcraft, and respect for wildlife. A survival course under renowned conservationist Dr. Ian Player cemented his passion for Africa’s wild landscapes.

Cecil traces his unexpected path into taxidermy, where natural artistic talent and relentless work ethic helped him build Life-Form Taxidermy into a world-class operation employing more than 100 people. He explains why hunters drive conservation across Africa, support rural economies, and protect habitat from poaching and corruption. Beyond business, Cecil funds anti-poaching units, supplies critical gear, and leads wheelchair initiatives that serve rural communities in Mozambique, South Africa, and Kenya.

This conversation highlights hunting’s role in conservation, the responsibility that comes with success, and the power of giving back.

#BringingBackTheWild #CecilCorringham #LifeFormTaxidermy #HuntingConservation #AfricanWildlife #EthicalHunting #AntiPoaching #SustainableUse #WildlifeManagement #Mozambique #SouthAfrica #HuntersForConservation #RuralCommunities #ConservationLeadership #WildlifeArt

Larry Weishuhn—Mr. Whitetail—returns for our first-ever repeat guest episode, and he delivers a masterclass in deer, habitat, and conservation.

Larry takes us deep into two extraordinary hunts for the smallest whitetail subspecies in North America: the Carmen Mountain whitetail (Odocoileus virgininianus carminensis) and the Coues deer (Odocoileus virgininianus couesi). He breaks down their biology, behavior, and habitats—from the rugged, high-elevation mountains of West Texas and northern Mexico to the oak- and pine-covered Sierra Madres of Durango.

This conversation goes far beyond hunting stories. Larry explains how exotic species like aoudad and elk reshape fragile desert ecosystems, compete with native deer, and force landowners and biologists to rethink wildlife management. He ties it all back to habitat, conservation economics, and responsible harvest—straight talk from decades of field experience.

If you care about whitetails, wild places, and doing conservation the right way, you don’t want to miss this episode.

#BringingBackTheWild #LarryWeishuhn #WhitetailDeer #CouesDeer #CarmenMountainWhitetail #Conservation #WildlifeManagement #HuntingHeritage #HabitatFirst #DSC #BackcountryHunting

At the Safari Club International Convention in Nashville, we sit down with Mark Newton, Managing Director of John Rigby & Co., for a powerful conversation about heritage, leadership, and the future of the British gun trade. Mark traces his roots back to stalking roe deer with his father in the English countryside, where hunting shaped his character and forged lifelong family bonds. Today, he pours that same intentionality into raising his own daughters, teaching them gratitude, responsibility, and respect for wild game.

Mark shares the remarkable story of Rigby’s revival—how mentorship under Paul Roberts, bold backing from the Blaser Group, and relentless commitment to authenticity brought the 250-year-old brand back to life in London. He explains why he refuses to reinvent Rigby and instead builds on its legacy of craftsmanship, adventure, and conservation.

We also explore his big-picture vision: a new headquarters, expanded training academies for young gunmakers, and a long-term plan to unite historic British gun brands under shared ownership. Mark leads with humility, passion, and deep gratitude—and his vision reaches far beyond rifles to the preservation of culture, craft, and ethical hunting itself.

#BringingBacktheWild #Rigby #JohnRigbyAndCo #SafariClubInternational #SCIConvention #BritishGunmakers #Gunmaking #FineRifles #HuntingHeritage #Conservation

In this episode of Bringing Back the Wild, host Mike Arnold sits down with Daniela Fanzoj of the historic Johann Fanzoj in Ferlach, Austria. Daniela shares how she grew up surrounded by mountains, hunters, and a 300-year family legacy rooted in a 500-year gunmaking tradition. She recounts taking over leadership after her father fell ill and describes how she and her brother transformed the company into an elite, niche manufacturer that produces only 20 to 24 handcrafted firearms each year.

Daniela explains how Ferlach’s gunmaking heritage earned recognition from UNESCO for preserving generational craftsmanship. She details the firm’s commitment to in-house production, rare Circassian walnut, and master engraving that can require hundreds of hours per project. Through their “Majesty of Nature” line, she channels art into conservation messaging, emphasizing that hunting sustains wildlife. Daniela outlines a bold vision: elevate meaning over decoration, mentor the next generation, and use functional art to champion conservation worldwide.

https://fanzoj.com/

In this episode of Bringing Back the Wild, Mike Arnold sits down with his longtime friend Joe Croot, a professional gamekeeper, outfitter, and founder of Royal Outfitters UK. Joe shares how his grandfather introduced him to hunting, land stewardship, and harvesting food from the wild, setting him on a lifelong path outdoors.

Joe explains how strict firearms laws in England shaped his early hunting career and pushed him toward rifle clubs, predator control, and eventually professional gamekeeping. He describes cutting his teeth on fox control, earning land access through trust, and building a reputation as a skilled and reliable hunter. That experience led him into large-scale estate management, where he worked on intensive conservation and game recovery projects in Scotland, including deer management and upland grouse restoration.

The conversation highlights Joe’s mentorship under an innovative gamekeeper who shaped modern driven shooting practices in the UK. Joe also walks listeners through the leap from employee to entrepreneur, detailing how he built a successful outfitting business and rural sporting goods store to serve hunters and shooters in remote areas.

Throughout the episode, Joe emphasizes responsibility, land management, and conservation as the foundation of ethical hunting. His story reflects a life built on hard-earned skill, mentorship, and a deep respect for wildlife and wild places.

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

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.

#BringingBackTheWild #KellyArmstrong #ConservationWorks #HuntingHeritage #WildlifeConservation #LandStewardship #WorkingLands #RuralAmerica #OutdoorTraditions #HuntersForConservation #YouthHunting #NorthDakota #DallasSafariClub