Bringing Back the Wild with Mike Arnold

Step into South Africa's breathtaking Great Karoo as I sit down with professional hunter and conservationist Kyle Hartley of Wenlock Safaris. Kyle shares how a childhood spent on a family farm grew into a lifelong commitment to wildlife, ethical hunting, and habitat restoration. We dive into the realities of managing sustainable game populations, balancing agriculture with conservation, and creating an ecosystem where wildlife thrives for generations.

Matt Burgess joins the podcast to share his journey from a young elk hunter in Colorado to a guide, outfitter, and conservation advocate. He credits mentor Mike LaRose for shaping his passion for hunting, public land, and the outdoors. Matt reflects on decades of elk hunting, guiding in Alaska, and building relationships with hunters and indigenous communities around the world.

Rans Thomas joins Bringing Back the Wild to share his journey from a Georgia farm to a career in wildlife biology, land management, and conservation leadership. He explains how early exposure to hunting and habitat stewardship shaped his path and fueled his passion for whitetail deer management. Rans dives into HuntPro, the AI-powered platform he helped build, which transforms trail camera data into actionable insights.

When a hunting podcast leaves you fighting back tears, you know you've heard something extraordinary.
This episode of Bringing Back the Wild shifts from outdoor communication to one of the most inspiring conservation and service stories you'll ever hear. Brandon Butler shares the remarkable journey of Retrieving Freedom, a nonprofit that trains exceptional service dogs for veterans with disabilities and children with autism—always at no cost to the families they serve.

On this episode of Bringing Back the Wild, I sit down with my friend Shane Jahn for a wide-ranging conversation about hunting, handguns, and a life built around shooting and conservation. Shane shares how he grew up hunting whitetails in Texas, learned patience the hard way under an oak tree, and carried those lessons into a career with the U.S. Border Patrol in some of the roughest country in the Trans-Pecos.
Shane walks us through his passion for handguns, his work covering revolvers for Gun Digest, and his role as a co-founder and editor of Gun Tales. He explains why traditional handguns still matter, how they perform in the field, and what it takes to hunt everything from Texas whitetails to Cape buffalo in Africa—with a revolver.
This episode blends stories, hard-earned experience, and honest talk about hunting culture, shooting skill, and conservation on the ground. If you love firearms, wild places, and conversations that don’t pull punches, this one belongs on your playlist.
#BringingBackTheWild #ShaneJahn #Gun Tales #HandgunHunting #Revolvers #WhitetailDeer #AfricanHunting #GunDigest #HuntingCulture #Conservation #Firearms

In this episode of Bringing Back the Wild, Mike Arnold sits down with Dusty Vickrey, wildlife operations manager at Choctaw Hunting Lodge, to explore how passion, stewardship, and science drive one of Oklahoma’s premier hunting properties. Dusty shares how he grew up deer hunting and bowhunting whitetails before building a 17-year career in the school bus industry. A chance hunting trip and the COVID shutdown redirected his path and led him into full-time wildlife management.
Dusty explains how the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma manages more than 22,000 acres of free-range habitat alongside a 1,000-acre high-fence operation. He details a strict, biology-driven approach to conservation, including aging harvested bucks, spotlight surveys, habitat burns, and collaboration with wildlife biologists. Mentorship from Larry Weishuhn plays a key role in shaping long-term management decisions.
The conversation also covers elk, bison, exotic species, and turkey hunting, along with partnerships through Dallas Safari Club. Dusty emphasizes discipline, restraint, and teamwork as the foundation for growing mature animals and sustaining exceptional hunting experiences year after year.
https://choctawhuntinglodge.com/ 

In this episode of Bringing Back the Wild, I sit down with legendary outdoor writer Jim Zumbo to explore the life that shaped one of the most influential voices in hunting and fishing. Jim shares stories from his early days chasing rabbits in New York to building a career that led him to Outdoor Life and decades of adventure across North America.

In this episode of Bringing Back the Wild, I welcome conservation attorney and educator Shelby LaButte for a wide-ranging conversation on hunting, law, and education. Shelby shares how she harvested her first whitetail deer at age seven in Texas and credits her father and grandfather for shaping her passion for the outdoors. She explains why whitetails still anchor her hunting life, then recounts a recent trip to New Zealand where she pursued red stag and turkeys while exploring international conservation practices.