Roundup 157 || Hunting accident in South Africa, guided crocodile hunting in Australia, bear baiting and more!

Summary

The Origins Foundation Podcast: Episode Roundup 157

Release Date: August 13, 2025
Host: Mike Axelrod & Brittany
Title: "Roundup 157 || Hunting accident in South Africa, guided crocodile hunting in Australia, bear baiting and more!"

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1. Addressing Misconceptions and Media Misrepresentation

The episode opens with Mike Axelrod discussing recent media backlash faced by Wild Origins Canada’s Director, Mark Hall. Mike highlights Mark's proactive stance in correcting false narratives propagated by mainstream media.

Mike Axelrod [03:22]: "Mark Hall getting bashed... he’s not afraid to put the head above the parapet and take bullets and send bullets."

Brittany adds her admiration for Mark's commitment to truth and integrity.

Brittany [05:18]: "He does a really good job of that stuff and I love that he goes on to call them back out and basically say, don't ever believe anything that God puts out."

The hosts emphasize the importance of combating misinformation and maintaining factual accuracy in conservation and hunting-related discussions.

2. The Impact of Social Media on Hunting Perceptions

Brittany delves into the negative experiences the community faces on social media, particularly following the tragic hunting accident in South Africa where a hunter was killed by a buffalo.

Brittany [09:51]: "The rhetoric and the horrible, horrible comments that people have been putting out on Facebook just celebrating this man's death have been just absolutely shocking to me."

Mike echoes the sentiment, criticizing the lack of empathy and the pervasive vitriol present across various demographics on social platforms.

Mike Axelrod [11:23]: "It's been disgusting, vile vitriol, really. And at the same time, I think a lot of news articles and press sites picked up on it and saw the potential for massive, massive, massive engagement."

They discuss the challenges of maintaining a respectful and informed dialogue in the face of widespread online hostility.

3. Bear Baiting Controversy in Louisiana

The conversation shifts to the ongoing debate over bear baiting in Louisiana. The hosts share feedback from listeners, illustrating the divided opinions within the community.

Brittany [16:33]: "There's a barrel full of sweets and donuts? No thanks. Not hunting to me, but I'd never wish to legislate on that opinion."

Mike presents a counterpoint, advocating for a balanced perspective that respects different hunting methods.

Mike Axelrod [17:03]: "If Ashley is so anti bear baiting and can't keep an open mind to it or do due diligence to hear out arguments in favor of it, what is she doing with this organization?"

They explore the ethical considerations and practical aspects of bear baiting, emphasizing the need for dialogue and understanding differing viewpoints.

4. The Terminology of Trophy Hunting

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to dissecting the term "trophy hunting" and its implications. Both hosts express concern over the negative connotations and the potential disconnect it creates between hunters and the general public.

Brittany [25:30]: "The phrase trophy hunting has become this phrase that the anti hunters have started using. They've taken that phrase and they have turned it into something bad."

Mike suggests alternative terminology to foster better understanding and reduce stigma.

Mike Axelrod [30:46]: "Some people have tried to change the wording in our industry. They've called it conservation hunting, they've called it selective hunting, but it's like putting lipstick on a pig, right?"

They debate whether to redefine the term or continue educating the public on its true meaning, ultimately advocating for responsible and ethical hunting practices.

5. Legislative Developments Affecting Hunting Rights

The hosts discuss recent legislative actions impacting hunting rights in various regions, including Oregon and Florida.

• Oregon's IP28 Proposal: An anti-animal use bill proposed in Oregon faces significant opposition and is unlikely to pass due to its stringent restrictions on livestock and animal welfare practices.

  Mike Axelrod [47:16]: "It's a complete animal rights anti animal use bill. That's what it is, an anti animal use bill."

• Florida's Black Bear Hunting Season: Florida is finalizing public comments on its black bear hunting season. Some areas are advocating for inclusion in the hunting territories, reflecting ongoing tensions between supporters and opponents.

  Brittany [40:55]: "Today, Florida is hearing final public comments on their black bear hunting season."

6. Guided Crocodile Hunting in Australia

Mike and Brittany explore the resurgence of guided crocodile hunting in Queensland, Australia. Once endangered, saltwater crocodiles have rebounded, leading to legislative efforts to allow Aboriginal communities to engage in controlled hunting for economic and conservation purposes.

Mike Axelrod [35:34]: "They have recovered so phenomenally that they have an abundance of saltwater crocodiles... They can take hunters on paid."

The discussion highlights the balance between wildlife management and economic benefits derived from sustainable hunting practices.

7. Community Engagement and Conservation Funding

The podcast emphasizes the role of community engagement in conservation efforts. Mike promotes Safari Specialty Importers, highlighting their partnership and commitment to donating a portion of their proceeds to conservation projects.

Mike Axelrod [05:35]: "Choose to spend your money with a team that's dedicated to you and is dedicated to helping show how hunting is a great conservation model."

Additionally, Brittany shares personal anecdotes about integrating trail cameras into her hunting practices, demonstrating practical conservation techniques and the benefits of technology in wildlife management.

Brittany [22:10]: "Being ground hunting a lot more because of what we've seen. And so some of the places we didn't realize we had a lot of wildlife... it's just been really fun."

8. Engaging the Audience: Calls to Action

Throughout the episode, Mike and Brittany encourage listeners to participate by submitting their thoughts, questions, and experiences related to hunting and conservation. They provide contact information for audience engagement, fostering a sense of community and open dialogue.

Mike Axelrod [24:07]: "Let us know, let us know what your thoughts are on trophy hunting. 601-790-0607."

9. Upcoming Topics and Final Thoughts

As the episode concludes, the hosts preview future discussions, including a detailed look into black bear hunting developments in Florida and the ongoing legislative battles in Oregon.

Mike Axelrod [50:36]: "All right, 601-790-607. Text us any questions. Let us know. Have a wonderful week."

They reiterate the importance of conveying truth and maintaining integrity in all hunting and conservation endeavors.

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Key Takeaways:

• Combatting Misinformation: Proactive measures by organizations like Wild Origins Canada are crucial in maintaining factual narratives about hunting and conservation.

• Social Media’s Double-Edged Sword: While it offers a platform for engagement, social media can also amplify negativity and hostility, challenging the community to respond thoughtfully.

• Ethical Hunting Practices: Debates around practices like bear baiting and trophy hunting underscore the need for ongoing dialogue and education to bridge understanding between hunters and the broader public.

• Legislative Vigilance: Staying informed and involved in legislative processes is essential for protecting hunting rights and supporting conservation efforts.

• Community and Technology in Conservation: Engaging the community and leveraging technology, such as trail cameras, play significant roles in effective wildlife management and conservation funding.

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Notable Quotes:

• Mike Axelrod [03:22]: "Kudos, Mark. That's what we want to do."

• Brittany [09:51]: "I just was not prepared to deal with that."

• Mike Axelrod [25:27]: "Responsibly sourced. That's what I'm going to use from now on."

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Thank you for tuning into Roundup 157 of The Origins Foundation Podcast. Stay informed, stay engaged, and continue supporting ethical hunting and conservation initiatives.

Transcript

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[Mike Axelrod]

So there's a reason why I started Blood Origins, and that reason is simple, is that I wanted to convey the truth about hunting. It brings awareness to non hunters that it's more than just killing animals.

[Brittany]

How do I start it? Brittany?

[Mike Axelrod]

My name.

[Brittany]

Does my hair look okay?

[Mike Axelrod]

My name is Mike Axelrod. Start again. Yeah, I hated it too. Braxton, you said something in the car to me. You said that you were living on borrowed time. There's a perception around who hunters are, what we're supposed to be. And a feminist that works for a non profit that is a hunter that has only eaten wild game for the last 20 years is likely not the thing that people think about when it comes to a hunter. Today you are officially an aircraft pilot. Why are you looking so quizzically?

[Brittany]

I'm trying to pull up my email.

[Mike Axelrod]

Oh, I thought you could multitask.

[Brittany]

Well, I just don't start quite yet.

[Mike Axelrod]

It's already started all the time. Like, you know, I saw it was a countdown on the screen. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

[Brittany]

I was not watching. I was looking at my email.

[Mike Axelrod]

Oh, well, we started. Congrats.

[Brittany]

All right. Hello.

[Mike Axelrod]

You're a famous aircraft pilot today. Finally, you.

[Brittany]

You don't make fun of anyone else when they wear their headphones because I.

[Mike Axelrod]

Don'T talk to everybody every day, every, every, every week at the same time.

[Brittany]

So you're nicer to everyone else.

[Mike Axelrod]

Well, I'm nice to you. Don't lie.

[Brittany]

You are nice to me most of the time.

[Mike Axelrod]

Well, welcome back to the roundup. I Will say this, I'll start with this. I don't know if you've been watching. I just looked at the Wild Origins Canada instastory and Mark was being, he was pretty funny this morning. He said, he said, you know, you, you, you've, you've actually done something right when the Minister of the Environment texts you and said, hey, have you seen these articles of you getting bashed?

[Brittany]

So Mark, Mark getting bashed, not you.

[Mike Axelrod]

Mark hall getting bashed. Yes. Okay, so Mark hall, our Director of Canada Operations Director of Wild Origins Canada has about a couple of months ago, the whole cougar kitten fiasco, whatnot, he called John Marriott out for all of the false information that he was putting out constantly. Well, Don Marriott is now back in the limelight because the cougar kitten cubs that were rescued are now being placed somewhere. And so he has called him an imposter. He's called him like this. It's, it's bloodthirsty killer. He's been called everything by John Marion. Well, there's been several articles posted and about this new kitten release and Mark has taken it upon himself, which is essentially the job that we do. And he has pushed back on the articles and he's, he's sent emails into the editors to say you guys are publishing false information, completely non factual information. And one of them was global news that said after poachers killed the mother for a trophy, two cougar cubs from Alberta find sanctuary in Quebec. And if you go there today, you can't find the article. It's gone.

[Brittany]

It's gone.

[Mike Axelrod]

And the person reached out to Mark and said, thank you so much for flagging our mistake. I want to personally apologize for the factual error and misleading headline. Our interpretations were this, but they were wrong. We've diligently removed the inaccurate information, updated the story and headline to reflect the truth, rectify the facts. Brilliant. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. Kudos, Mark. That's what we want to do. That's what we want to do.

[Brittany]

He does a really good job of that stuff and I love that he goes on to call them back out and basically say, don't ever believe anything that God puts out.

[Mike Axelrod]

Yeah, exactly. And look, he's just, you know, he's, he's not afraid. Like we aren't afraid to put the head above the parapet and take bullets and send bullets.

[Brittany]

Well, and there are unfortunately some organizations out there that don't care about putting out the truth and they will repeatedly put out propaganda over and over and over again. That is not.

[Mike Axelrod]

Well the last eight Days has really, you know, the whole wangy line thing and then the buffalo that killed the guy out of Texas. It's really put a stamp on how a lot of these anti hunting organizations, supposedly pro wildlife organizations, are actually not pro wildlife at all. They just hate hunting. End of story. And so it's like again, I've said that to you before, I've said it to others. I said I'm super motivated now to really dive into rhetoric and showing truth and showing facts and explaining things and explaining things ad nauseam, really. And so that we get our story out there, our voice out there constantly. Look guys, I'm a hunter, right? And when I go hunting, I like to figure out how to get my trophies back home as expeditiously as possible. Well, you don't have to look much further than Safari Specialty importers. We know that trophy importation can be quite a headache. That's why Safari Specialty importer strives to make it as easy and hassle free as possible. They have access to a bonded warehouse, you won't be charged storage fees and you get a dedicated team that's readily available and will update you at every step in the process. They'll even go one step further. Safari Specialty importers is working with us and they are going to donate $100 from every shipment that they work with to conservation projects that anti poaching, community development and wildlife conservation. At the end of the day, choose to spend your money with a team that's dedicated to you and is dedicated to helping show how hunting is a great conservation model. Hassle free logistics, fuel and conservation go with Safari specialty importers. Hunting and shooting suppressed have become the norm in over 42 states where suppressors are legal. The growing popularity of suppressors has even led to legislative changes. You might have heard some things around the big beautiful bill, right? Including the reduction of the NFA mandated tax stamp. Before you used to pay 200 bucks and now starting January 1st of 2026, the tax stamp is going to zero. However, why wait until January 1st? Our partners silence Essential great friends of ours, they're going to pay your tax stamp right now. So if you buy a banished suppressor or other popular brands that essentially are qualifying purchases, Silas Essential is going to cover the cost of the tax stand. They're going to save you 200 bucks right now. So make sure you don't miss out. Shooting suppressed. If you're in the market for a new suppressor, Whether it's your first or your next one, visit silenceessential.com or call them. 866-811-6536. Silence Essential is going to cover your tax stamp right now. They're going to simplify the submission process and deliver your suppressor right to your door. Don't wait. Get your suppressor right now and start shooting. Suppress this season. Bushnell is eager to help you get set up for conservation success. That's right. They want to help you. The conservation and research community is dominated by good people doing good things and investing significant time and effort for the benefit of habitat and the species. So what do you need to do? Pretty simple. Send us your conservation story and or your conservation wish. Could be managing whitetails, could be understanding your environment or species or something else related to conservation. What would you be able to do if you had a great trail camera setup? We will select the best story every other month and send you a camera bundle. Cell camera, normal SD camera, SD cards as well as optics. Everything you need to get set up for success. I can't wait to see what you submit. You can email us, DM us, message us whatever you want. We are not hard to find. Good luck.

[Brittany]

People are really hateful sometimes and this past week has been very disheartening seeing the comments and the statements that people on the anti hunting side of things have and especially what's been troubling to me is I have gone and looked at the profile, the profiles of some of the people who've been commenting and they're young, they're really young. I mean I've seen like high schoolers commenting and just saying just horrible things about, and, and just a refresh or if you don't know what we're talking about, we're talking about the, the gentleman from Texas that went over to South Africa and was hunting a Cape buffalo. And unfortunately there are risks with every hunt with an apex predator and he was killed by this buffalo. There are inherent risks with every type of hunt. But our hearts go out to his family and, and Robbie, you know this outfitter very, very well and his family, they are just a top notch, very reputable outfitter and I'll let you speak to that. But the, the rhetoric and the horrible, horrible comments that people have been putting out on Facebook just celebrating this man's death have been just absolutely shocking to me. I shouldn't be shocked because things like that happen all the time in politics. But I mean this just been really, really discouraging.

[Mike Axelrod]

Well, it just shows you the Drakes, it's almost like the dregs of humanity and how people just don't actually care about human life and they care about their rhetoric, they care about their position, their, you know, and I've seen it. I've seen comments from all walks of life, all genders, all races, all political affiliations. It doesn't matter. It's been disgusting, vile vitriol, really. And at the, Unfortunately, I think a lot of news articles and press sites picked up on it and saw the potential for massive, massive, massive engagement. And that's why they put the headlines out the way that they put the headlines out. Whether or not they even believed in the headline or had that same stance around, you know, championing the fact that, you know, champion the, the buffalo and how he killed this, this, this awful trophy hunter, I don't know. I, you know, unfortunately, media is in the engagement space and they want the most impressions, they want the most engagement. And so it's just going to perpetuate. But I have seen in the last 24 to 48 hours two or three articles that have gone out that are telling more of a truthful component to it. I know that there's an article coming out with the Daily Maverick on Wednesday with our mate, a good friend, Ed Stoddard, that is talking about it. It's fantastic, fantastic piece. And then we're actually talking to, I'm not going to tell the organization's name. We're talking to somebody at 2 o' clock today for a piece that goes out hopefully this week.

[Brittany]

Okay. I think the people feel like they can say things almost as if they're anonymous on social media and, and they're, they forget that you see who they are. I mean, I had people that I know, people I considered friends, putting comments out that I was incredibly disappointed in, that I never would have thought, would have made comments that they made because I think that in this world we now live in, on social media, it's almost like the same people text things that they would never say in person, that you would never say to somebody's face, that you would never say to somebody's family, you would never even say on the telephone. But if you're just typing it on your phone, it's almost as if you are anonymous, but you're not. And these are real people, these are real humans that we're dealing with out there. And I think people forget that. And it's one of the things I hate. Even though you and I operate and we operate as an organization in the social media realm, in the realm of getting news out in different formats, I just, that's an Aspect that I think we have to constantly fight against and just remind people that these are real humans out there. These are real stories that we're dealing.

[Mike Axelrod]

With in most scenarios. You know, we'll deal with the rhetoric and we'll deal with people commenting and that's fine. Like we'll interact with. But this was just like again, dealing with a, specifically a human and lack of empathy and sympathy. It just. After a couple of responses, I just, I literally gave up and. Which we've never done before, gave up and I just started blocking people. That's what I did.

[Brittany]

Well, at the end of the day.

[Mike Axelrod]

And it's not what we do typically, we don't ever block anybody. But hatred and vitriol against, with, with a lack of empathy around a human life. I just was not prepared to deal with that.

[Brittany]

Right.

[Mike Axelrod]

I wasn't going to deal with that.

[Brittany]

Right.

[Mike Axelrod]

I think that's going to accept that.

[Brittany]

Somehow as a society we have to get back. And I think that our, our subscribers, our followers do a really good job on the whole about this because there's a lot of issues within the hunting space, within the conservation space. Not everybody agrees on. I mean, there's a lot of issues that you and I talk about. You and I don't agree on everything all the time.

[Mike Axelrod]

And I don't want everybody to agree with me every time. Right. I don't want people to say, oh, that's correct. That's correct. Because sometimes I'm not correct, sometimes I'm not right.

[Brittany]

Well, it's not very often.

[Mike Axelrod]

It's not very often.

[Brittany]

Everything is not one size fits all across the globe. It's not. And we could agree to disagree on different things, whether it's politics, whether it's how to raise your kids, whether it's your style of hunting, whether it's rifles versus bows, whether it's baiting versus not baiting, which people love to engage with us with on. I. We just have to get to the point as a society that we can agree to disagree again. And, and that's okay. That's okay. That's what makes the world go around. We're all different. We all think about different things.

[Mike Axelrod]

So, so last time we talked about, obviously we went through the Louisiana sort of bear baiting scenario again. What, what else were we talking about when it comes to bear baiting? It doesn't matter. We were talking about bear baiting again and we asked people to text message.

[Brittany]

Us in and we, we got quite a few, quite a few messages.

[Mike Axelrod]

Got some text messages. So why don't you start. I know we've got a couple, so go ahead.

[Brittany]

Well, we had some people agreeing with me.

[Mike Axelrod]

Don't lie. Don't lie.

[Brittany]

I'm not lying. I'm not lying.

[Mike Axelrod]

Okay.

[Brittany]

One for Ashley and then some people thinking. Some people. One person in particular thinks I shouldn't even be working for Origins foundation if I do not think the bear should be baited.

[Mike Axelrod]

Okay, so let's get her out of here. Tell me your text message and then I'll, I'll do the one that.

[Brittany]

Well, there's, there's several. There's several. I'm, I'm. I'm not actually gonna. We actually got a lot this week, so I'm not going to read all of.

[Mike Axelrod]

Read a couple.

[Brittany]

Let's see. Totally agree with Ashley on baiting bears or any huntable species. Use hounds, spot and stalk, sit in a tree, stand on travel corridor, etc, or learn your native food sources to set up on etc. But a barrel full of sweets and donuts? No thanks. Not hunting to me, but I'd never wish to legislate on that opinion. Lol.

[Mike Axelrod]

I like that.

[Brittany]

Appreciate that. Appreciate that. Winter Wildlife Studio. Thank you for weighing in. I appreciate it.

[Mike Axelrod]

So then the one that.

[Brittany]

Look, I will say on this, on this topic, more people agree with Robbie than they do with me, but that's okay.

[Mike Axelrod]

So the one that. The text message that you were talking about before. Here's the thing about. And I'm. This is the text message. Here's the thing about bear baiting. Even female cubs can look like an adult male from a distance. Just like tree and cougars, you have an opportunity to verify their gender before making the decision to take the shot. I can agree that processed food is less than ideal. Fast forward a little bit. There's also the fact that you don't bait in your backyard. Generally you need to pack a barrel of food away and out into the woods. So any arguments of laziness need to go out the window because it is tough work then. I hate to say it, but if Ashley is so anti bear baiting and can't keep an open mind to it or do due diligence to hear out arguments in favor of it, what is she doing with this organization? Question mark? Question mark.

[Brittany]

What?

[Mike Axelrod]

I will answer and say, I actually quite enjoy the fact that Ashley has certain opinions that differ from mine. I enjoy the fact that, you know, I think again, this isn't a dictatorship. I very much appreciate, you know, articulated arguments for or against a position of something. Right. Like for instance, trophy hunting. We're going to talk about trophy hunting a little bit today. I can appreciate someone who says I'm not a trophy hunter. And here's my cogent, intelligent, articulated argument for me being against it. I get it. And if that's the. If that's something that you need to be a part of, then okay, great. But I'm going to be for the other side. And I think at the end of the day, I don't think we need actually to be in favor of bear baiting. I think you can be completely not against it. And again, I think you would agree with that first text message, right? You're not going to do it. Which is, again, if we take a step back, what the guy said was, I'm not going to do it, but I'm not going to be against those who decide to do it.

[Brittany]

Right. But he doesn't want to legislate it. Yeah. And I have repeatedly said, to each their own on that. I get, I get why some states do it. I get why some states don't. I just happen to fall on. The states fall more in line with the states that don't. Look, I'm also one of those gals that I am a hundred percent. You do not feed in a CWD zone. You do not bait in a CWD zone. You don't bait your deer where you're going to spread it quicker. And there are people that disagree with me there. You know, I mean, that's a huge topic. We could go on and on and on for days, on. And there are people that I'm probably gonna. It's gonna fire that Google voice text up again. Why do you know? You know, I mean, look, I. I am just old school. I just put out game cameras on our farm last year for the first time ever. I mean, we have been hunting blind, basically old school. We have.

[Mike Axelrod]

So why didn't you do it before?

[Brittany]

You know, there was just something about popping out a little bit. I mean, a little bit. And. And when we bought our farm, there were feeders out and my husband put. Filled them once for turkey season. And then I was like, I don't. I don't want them filled at all for deer. And then he actually voluntarily was like, no, I'm not going to do it anymore. Like, so we just have food plots and that's all we've ever done. Because honestly, I think they are just as effective. And the science has proven that they're just as effective as feeders. And, and that's just. That's just me that's my personal philosophy. I also think that artificially feeding, you know, congregates the deer.

[Mike Axelrod]

What about the trail cameras? Trail cameras.

[Brittany]

So. Trail cameras. The part of it was just.

[Mike Axelrod]

I, you know, did you feel like you could. It was all about, like, oh, the. There's. On the picture. I can go out there and shoot it right now.

[Brittany]

And it wasn't really a little bit. A little bit. And so then it got. It. It. We got so busy with the kids extracurricular activities and work and travel that we weren't able to go down as often, and we weren't there as much. And so it became okay. We really got to even know where they are. So we can. I can take these boys and at least have a better chance because I couldn't be out there day after day after day. I couldn't walk around. I couldn't track as much, you know.

[Mike Axelrod]

Worked, because honestly, I was gonna say I'd be interested to know if it's worked or not, because most people will have a camera out and go like, oh, there's a buck that shows up, and then go out and hunt it, and it never shows up.

[Brittany]

Well, now. Now we're in year two, and so what. What it's done is it's shown us that we need stands in places we didn't have them, and we need to move our. Some of our stands. So. So that it has. Yeah, it's. It's worked. And. And I've. We've been ground hunting a lot more because of what we've seen. And so some of the places we didn't realize we had a lot of wildlife. We have a lot of wildlife. And some of the places we thought we did, whether it was because of, you know, where we've had, you know, fences or whatever, you know, I mean, it's. Yeah, it's. And on. And honestly, it's just been really fun. It's so fun to have them out there and just watch. Just watch what shows up.

[Mike Axelrod]

So has it changed? Like, obviously, you had this preconceived notion that it was tied to your ethics for not having trail cameras out there.

[Brittany]

Not even hugely. It wasn't like this, oh, my gosh, I'm not putting cameras out. It was just, you know, kind of like this general, like, gonna be super old school and not, like, it wasn't anything huge. It's just, are we really gonna. Let's put money in other things. And then finally I was like, all right, we're gonna bite the bullet, and let's just see what happens? And it was so fun.

[Mike Axelrod]

Here's a good question. Are they cellular cameras or they. You have to go get the SD card from the camera.

[Brittany]

They're cellular.

[Mike Axelrod]

Okay.

[Brittany]

And, and so the time. And the, the boys have so much fun looking at the pictures. Of course.

[Mike Axelrod]

What deer is available? What deers are around. Have we seen that deer before or. We have. He was at this part of the property. Now he's on this side of the property.

[Brittany]

Well, and the, and the turkeys. Honestly, Brad, watching the turkeys. It's been just as much fun watching him watch the turkeys.

[Mike Axelrod]

Of course, of course. Trophy hunting. We'd love to hear from you about trophy hunting. Obviously it's been in the news a lot. You can text us or send us a voice note. 601-700-607 what?

[Brittany]

You gotta set that up a little bit more. See you can't just.

[Mike Axelrod]

No, no, I am going to. I am going to. I'm going to, I'm going to. I was just putting that out there right now.

[Brittany]

Okay.

[Mike Axelrod]

The text number or voice number. 17900607. I would like to know what your thoughts are to trophy hunting. I'd like to understand your definition of trophy hunting.

[Brittany]

The phrase itself, the phrase trophy hunting, it means so many different things to different.

[Mike Axelrod]

Yeah. And it was interesting. We were talking earlier, I said I don't ever use trophy hunting like I'm going hunting.

[Brittany]

I try not to, I try not to ever say that phrase.

[Mike Axelrod]

But when you dig. And I've always been of the position that we know the hunting community doesn't use that, but we actually do, like, oh, look at this trophy. There'll be lots of pictures like, look, this trophy or that trophy. Oh, we're after this huge trophy. He said a lot. So it's not just a piece of, of rhetoric that the antis use against us, which I believe is completely bastardized, but we also tend to use it.

[Brittany]

Well, I don't use it but I read it a lot. So. So here's the thing. Unfortunately, I don't think, I think it's changed over the years how people use it, why they use it, what they mean. And I think that the phrase trophy hunting has become this phrase that the anti hunters have started using. It's been going on now, I mean for decades, but they have taken that phrase and they have, have turned it into something bad and they've thrown it out there so many times and they've used it in so many ads and they've thrown it out there in so many campaigns, in anti hunting rhetoric. And, and what they mean when they say the phrase trophy hunting is they mean some rich person going over and hunting usually an apex predator that not many people in America eat, or not many people around the world eat. And the person is only hunting that animal to kill it, throw away every part of it except for possibly, possibly the head, have it mounted and put it on a wall. And that's what they mean by a trophy. That person wants that animal on their wall and they don't care what happens to the meat, they don't care what happens to any other part of it and whatever it costs. And they're going to spend a lot of money to do it. And it's, and it's to them a blood sport. And to I think most of the historic outfitters in Africa and the villages that people hunt around. And in America that's not the case. I mean, yes, a lot of people will mount part of the animal as a so called trophy to put on their wall. And it, and it's because of the trophy, you have them mounted in your room. You know, if you win something, you put it up on a shelf or wall or whatever you do with it, but you also do eat the meat. I don't know any species that people don't eat.

[Mike Axelrod]

Well, here's the, here's the connotation, right? Yes, everyone eats the meat in South Africa. In Africa it's either feeds the villages or in the South African context it becomes this big economic driver. Community's fed, the camp staff are fed, the clients are fed. But then it's also processed and put into the food chain in South Africa. And South Africa just released a huge new game meat strategy, wild game meat strategy for use, for economic development.

[Brittany]

And they use the hides, everything, everything. And it creates jobs. I mean it's just this, it's the cycle.

[Mike Axelrod]

Yeah. And we would be in this position if as Americans, you could bring the meat back.

[Brittany]

But you can't.

[Mike Axelrod]

You can't. No, you're not allowed to. You're not allowed to. And so you can't, you can bring everything else back through your permitting process. But for instance, hippo meat, Hippo meat is amazing. It's super marbled. It's got, it's like wagyu steak. If you could, I guarantee you everybody would be freeze packaging that up just like you do in Alaska. And they buy, you know, they spend 400, $500 to ship that meat back. They do the same thing in Africa. You just can't. It's it's illegal to bring it back into the States. So that adds to the connotation that you're only going there for the things that you can bring back.

[Brittany]

And I don't think a lot of Americans realize that, especially non hunters. I don't think they realize that you cannot bring your meat back, you can't ship it back, you can't send it back, you can't import it.

[Mike Axelrod]

Exactly.

[Brittany]

Another reason you can't buy it anywhere. So that, I mean that's the only thing that these hunters can bring back is, is the mount. And it does cost a lot of money, but that money goes to amazing uses over there.

[Mike Axelrod]

Yeah. And I'll say this last thing on it, there was an anecdote that came out of a guide out of Pakistan and they were just talking about the trophy and whatnot and the guide said, we're giving you the thing that means the least to us, the head, the horns, the hide. We could care less about, take them, they're going to end up in the rubbish heap anyway. We're keeping all the valuable stuff, we're keeping all the meat. We kept your money, we kept everything except the thing that we don't want. You can have that. Go take it, take it home with you.

[Brittany]

So the question is, should we as responsible ethical hunters, and I don't know the answer to this, I honestly don't. Should we phase out the term trophy hunting and just continue to push back against all of the negative connotations around that phrase or should we embrace that phrase and just continue to educate people on what that really means? I, you know, I don't, I will.

[Mike Axelrod]

Say this, I will say that some people have tried to change the wording in our industry. They've called it conservation hunting, they've called it selective hunting, but it's like putting lipstick on a pig, right? People are saying, oh, it's the same, it's the same thing. You're just calling it something else. I will say though, if I am making a post to educate the non hunting majority about just a hunt scenario, I won't call it trophy hunting, I'll just call it hunting. And it's the same reason why I, if I'm, if I'm specifically talking to an anti hunter or somebody who doesn't hunt, I would use the term harvest versus kill. And it's not because I'm using harvest to, you know, I'm a, you know, I'm, I'm a liberal or I'm a snowflake or I'm Apologizing for killing items, it's just, it's just pure marketing. It's one on one. If I want someone to come across to my side or buy my product or buy what I'm selling, I'm going to change my rhetoric to the person I'm selling to. If I'm talking to hunters, I'm talking about killing, I'm talking about trophy hunting, because that's what they understand. But if I'm talking to somebody who doesn't, I'm talking about hunting, I'm talking about harvest, I'm talking about taking an animal.

[Brittany]

Right.

[Mike Axelrod]

And it's not me apologizing, it's me just being smart.

[Brittany]

In the grocery store, they don't put responsibly killed on any of the meat. They say responsibly sourced on meat packages.

[Mike Axelrod]

I like that. Responsibly sourced. That's what I'm going to use from now on. I sourced that animal on that mountain.

[Brittany]

Well, you did. Responsibly harvested it, responsibly sourced it. I mean, we don't need to be ashamed of what we're doing because we are more humanely killing our food than anything in any grocery store.

[Mike Axelrod]

Dude, I'm telling you now, the feather that we have not championed is the actual animal welfare feather.

[Brittany]

Oh, gosh, I know.

[Mike Axelrod]

We have such a. We have such a story when it comes to animal welfare. Who practices till the, the day they leave for a hunt, who doesn't take shot opportunities, who spends all this money practicing. And if we, you know, being effective, why are we upgrading all of our equipment to be more effective? Because we want to be. We want to execute a shot that is the most painless, humane shot possible.

[Brittany]

Well, I think that that movement, though, is starting because. And we talked about this on one of the past roundups, the I, I believe. And I'm going to have to go back and refresh my memory, but wasn't it, was it Massachusetts that passed the responsible. I can't remember the way they phrase it. I'm gonna have to go back and look. But the, basically the bill is, you know, where your food comes from bill, and it just makes it legal to go hunt.

[Mike Axelrod]

It was Maine. It was Maine.

[Brittany]

Maine. Okay. One of the areas.

[Mike Axelrod]

Yeah, Maine was wanting to sort of legalize. Not legalize, but legislate the right to. Not the right to hunt, but the right to harvest. Yeah.

[Brittany]

As we should all have the right to harvest our own food. You should be able to know where your food comes from and humanely harvest your own food.

[Mike Axelrod]

Well, Let us know, Let us know what your thoughts are on trophy hunting. 601-790-0607 any of your thoughts, any of your questions around it, shoot it our way.

[Brittany]

So harvesting well in Australia.

[Mike Axelrod]

Oh yes.

[Brittany]

Where your family lives.

[Mike Axelrod]

The original though. The dark side of my family.

[Brittany]

I. But you sound a lot like them.

[Mike Axelrod]

You better shut your mouth.

[Brittany]

Romney does not like to be told. He sounds like an Australian.

[Mike Axelrod]

I don't. I sound like a.

[Brittany]

He gets told. Okay, okay. The crocodiles, the saltwater crocodiles were once originally endangered in Australia. They have recovered so phenomenally that they have an abundance of saltwater crocodiles. And the Aboriginal people regained the right to hunt them, which they now have. And they can. And they are asking. A bill has been proposed. They are asking for the right to be able to take hunters on paid. Yep. They want to make money doing this.

[Mike Axelrod]

This is what's happening all over the world. Save the X. Let's use saltwater crocodile. Save the X. They desperately needed saving over commercial harvest just absolutely decimated. There was no policies, no regulations. Okay, yes, we needed to do something. 70s, 80s, 90s, 2000s. The population is exploding now because of the trade industry. They go and harvest the eggs just like they do in Louisiana. They go harvest the eggs, they hatch them in and croc farms over there. A certain percentage has to be returned to the wild and then the rest is used for meat, is used for their leathers. Okay, but now they've got so many.

[Brittany]

Of them, over a hundred thousand.

[Mike Axelrod]

It says the animal rights mass coal building. Despite opposition from animal rights groups. Opposition to what? This is the thing everywhere. Elephants, wolves, grizzlies, polar bears, whatever, you know, camels, wild horses, donkeys. Opposition to what? Oh, we have too little of them. No, we have plenty of them. You're just in opposition of the idea of harvest, kill, taking, sourcing. That is what you are in opposition of. End of story.

[Brittany]

And they're the world's largest living reptile. These things are massive.

[Mike Axelrod]

They're terrible. And they are right.

[Brittany]

They're massive.

[Mike Axelrod]

Terrible. They're massive and they see humans as prey. They are not scared of nothing.

[Brittany]

And they can, they do have the ability to cull smaller animals, foxes, sharks, koalas. But right now they don't have the ability.

[Mike Axelrod]

Koalas. I don't think that. I don't think they're culling koalas.

[Brittany]

Well, actually they can.

[Mike Axelrod]

I know they can, but I don't think.

[Brittany]

Well, maybe they're not, but they could, but they can't. They haven't had the ability to call these crocodiles. And this guy got sued because they had. He had two in a freezer that he was going to eat. And he won the lawsuit. And so now that they've won the lawsuit, they got their right to hunt them back. And he said they want to take these other people. So they're considering this in Queensland now.

[Mike Axelrod]

Yeah, I look fall east far north Queensland. Up in the. In the aboriginal areas, there's just. It's incredible country. It's in the Cape York. It's probably the best pig hunting with a bow that you can have on, in this plan on this planet. It's just swamps, it's unbelievable. But it's also just phenomenal croc habitat and just mangroves and it's just unbelievable. But it's a resource. It's a resource that has grown, population that has grown. They're not going to get decimated again. They're not going to go back to being extinct anymore. Why not suppress the population, slightly improve areas that are habitated for humans to get rid of these problem crocodiles and put a value on them. Makes complete sense.

[Brittany]

This. It doesn't look like it's going to sail through. It doesn't look like it has just. I mean, look, everything over there is controversial when it comes down to honey.

[Mike Axelrod]

But in Queensland is very specific why it's not going to sail through. Is that the house? They've got the upper house and the lower house. It's a. It's a colonial parliamentary system and it's a very tough. You'll know, a very tough political environment for something like this to pass. They've been trying to get deer hunting. Deer hunting for feral. The deer are feral and invasive. Okay. They've been trying to get just deer hunting passed in state parks in Queensland and they can't get that passed through the current political environment in the two houses.

[Brittany]

Good grief. Well, they are going to decide next month. Parliament is going to decide. So Queenslanders make your voices heard.

[Mike Axelrod]

Yeah. And they've also got obviously the. The Australian zoo with the famous Steve Owen, who is the crocodile hunter. That's in Queensland. You've still got the, the, the wife alive, Terry and Bindi and Robert running the show there. And they've got very, very powerful voices that probably would be not for something like this. So we'll see.

[Brittany]

We will see. Today, Florida is hearing final public comments on their black bear hunting season. And there are some parts of the state that are upset they are not included. So there's a lot of support for this, it looks like it's going to pass Santa Rosa, Florida, which is where? Fort Walton, of course. And like Grayton beach, you know, Seaside, they would like to be included in. And right now they're not. So it'll be interesting what the final territory is. But this is interesting. A few years ago I was down in this very county and I get kind of bored of the beach and so I took my sons to one of those. They have a state park in the area with some natural inland lakes, freshwater lakes, just right off the beach. And we were kayaking on one of those and saw a bear. Right there.

[Mike Axelrod]

Pretty.

[Brittany]

Right there. Yep. So that's amazing. I 100% believe there must be a lot for us to have seen one the one day we were kayaking state park. So they would like to be included. A Fort Malton man was bitten back fairly recently and they say they see them all the time and they're getting in their garbage and so it's interesting. So anyway, guys, this week is your big vote on whether you have a bear season this year.

[Mike Axelrod]

Yeah, today. So we'll see. Hopefully the commissioners, you know, supposedly this year a club is busing people. Did you look at that? That email? That. Not email, but like press statement that went out. It's a long day. Like these people, they are dedicated. They're getting on a bus at 3am in the morning and being bused in. And I think you only get back at like 10pm at night.

[Brittany]

The protesters catching the bus. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Have fun, guys. Have fun doing that.

[Mike Axelrod]

Yeah. So they're going to bust them all in. So let's see, there's probably going to be news crews and all sorts of things outside of this commission hearing for sure.

[Brittany]

So big time Texas hunts are back. This is sounds like a pretty good program that you can actually draw that you have entered and drawn before.

[Mike Axelrod]

I used to do this all the time. I used to put in. It's like, you know, it's just like tag applications in the west, but you can apply for nil guy hunts on some of their state parks. There's an exotic safari.

[Brittany]

Desert bighorn sheep, alligators on the Gulf Coast.

[Mike Axelrod]

There's a beautiful mule deer hunt. Yeah. And it's 10 bucks, 9 bucks or 10 bucks to apply. Nine online, 10 in person, if I remember correctly. You can go in. There's certain like hunt dates. There's like three different hunt dates or whatnot. Yeah. One year I won. I was selected for, I think that exotic safari, which is like an axis hunt in one of Their state parks at borders like the one of the rivers. And the date range that I, that I was drawn for was the same date range as I would have been in Dallas Safari Club. So I was like, oh, so. But yeah, well, I encourage everyone to.

[Brittany]

Go Parks and wildlife. You've got to apply by October 15th. But for that price, I am going to go apply.

[Mike Axelrod]

You're not going to win anything.

[Brittany]

I might.

[Mike Axelrod]

No, you won't. I'm going to win it.

[Brittany]

I might. We'll see. Do you get to take someone? Is it solo?

[Mike Axelrod]

No, I think it's definitely one tag solo. Like I think anybody can come with you. It's not because it's in. It's just it's your hunt. You can, you know, take whoever you need. I don't see a link in this article for it.

[Brittany]

I don't see one. But I mean, just go to, you know, TBWD's website. I'm sure they have a link.

[Mike Axelrod]

Let me look up. If I can just tpwd. I'm just gonna do it in front of you. Twd, Texas Big hunts and see what comes up. Oh, there we go. Top of the page. Big time Texas hunts, nine bucks. All that adventure. Your grand slam. Geez. The grand slam is a bighorn sheep, whitetail deer, pronghorn and desert bule deer.

[Brittany]

Jeez.

[Mike Axelrod]

The. Oh, the mule deer hunts in the panhandle, which is amazing. Man, there's some good hunts here.

[Brittany]

Can you enter all of them?

[Mike Axelrod]

Purchase your digital. Okay, I'm going, I'm going. Let's have a look. Boom, boom. Purchase items, update account. You've got to have. Should have my system in here. I'm not going to give you all my details.

[Brittany]

You don't have to have your license before you enter either.

[Mike Axelrod]

No, it's just your name.

[Brittany]

Just if you win before you go, you have to buy your license.

[Mike Axelrod]

Social Security number. There we go.

[Brittany]

I bet they, I mean, they've raised a lot of money. I don't, I don't bet they actually just read it. They have raised a lot of money over the years, so it's great for their conservation program.

[Mike Axelrod]

All right, here we go. I'm going to start shopping. Yes. I'm going to be a digital customer.

[Brittany]

They have raised more than $21.3 million in the last 27 years through this program, which is pretty good.

[Mike Axelrod]

Wow, that's pretty good.

[Brittany]

So even if you don't win, it's going to a good cause.

[Mike Axelrod]

Oh, yeah. Here we go. Let's just look at this Wild hog adventure. Digital enter for a transfer in a Wild Hog Adventure. Oh, it doesn't give you any details, you just get to add it. Oh, you can get as many as you want in there. Like it's nine bucks a shot. You can buy up to 125 shots. Look at that. Wow. That's where they're going to make the money. Because somebody's not just going to buy one, they're going to buy 10. Tell Brad you're going to spend $1,000 putting in.

[Brittany]

No, I'm not. I'm not going to spend $1,000 entering. I may do one each maybe.

[Mike Axelrod]

Well, again, what these are cool little news articles and it's great. There's not much happening around the news horn, but the bear situation today in Florida is huge. We're going to keep our eye on that. As we said earlier, if you've got any thoughts around trophy hunting, if you have a specific question around it, like you'd like to learn more, like you want something answered, text us. 601-960-1790607 oh, should we mention the Oregon bill?

[Brittany]

The gentleman that would like me prior.

[Mike Axelrod]

To origin is IP28 upset.

[Brittany]

We're not talking about this.

[Mike Axelrod]

Yeah, is backup and IP28 used to be IP13. It used to be IP3. We have been following this terrible, absolute uselessness of intentional proposal in Oregon for four or five years and it is.

[Brittany]

All about thankfully continues not to pass.

[Mike Axelrod]

Well, it doesn't get the votes. Like it doesn't get the signatures to get onto the ballot. Farm Bureau keep resurrecting it.

[Brittany]

Yeah, I don't think it will ever get past Farm Bureau thankfully because they're including livestock in this bill.

[Mike Axelrod]

Livestock fisheries. It's a complete animal rights anti animal use bill. That's what it is, an anti animal use bill, I. E. They've said that artificial insemination in cattle is sexual abuse of those cattle animals.

[Brittany]

So like if you. I have an English, I had an English bulldog. Most to breed bulldogs. It's incredibly difficult and, and, and all of breeds like that. So to artificially inseminate these or other animals that would be sexual abuse.

[Mike Axelrod]

Not allowed in. Would not be allowed in Oregon.

[Brittany]

What about C sections?

[Mike Axelrod]

Probably not.

[Brittany]

Probably not. So I'm guessing that the people behind this bill are the same people that dress up as dogs and cats and pretend to be those, you know.

[Mike Axelrod]

No.

[Brittany]

Furries are ones you see like walking around.

[Mike Axelrod]

Furries are cool. Furries are cool.

[Brittany]

Is that, did you just say furries?

[Mike Axelrod]

No, it's a Whole. Check it out. Google it.

[Brittany]

That's what they're called.

[Mike Axelrod]

Google it. Google it in front of me. I want to see your reaction.

[Brittany]

No, I mean, I've seen their pictures. I just didn't know there was a phrase. I didn't know there was furries, but.

[Mike Axelrod]

Furries aren't connected with animal rights.

[Brittany]

I mean, I thought that was like, you know, like the transgender movement, only it was like the species movement. They were.

[Mike Axelrod]

No, no, no.

[Brittany]

Furries are identify as cats or dogs.

[Mike Axelrod]

Furries are for a completely different sector of people.

[Brittany]

Furries?

[Mike Axelrod]

Yeah.

[Brittany]

You're not saying fairies, you're saying furries.

[Mike Axelrod]

Furries. F U R R I E S. Okay, hold on. Google it. Oh, I Google it and you'll see it's got nothing to do with animal rights. It's just people like to dress up as furry cats and furry dogs and.

[Brittany]

Oh, okay. But I'm not just talking about people that have. This is. Furries are people with a strong interest in anthropomorphic animals or animals with human characteristics. Right. I'm talking about the people that have started identifying as these things.

[Mike Axelrod]

There's not many of those. There's not many of those.

[Brittany]

It's an. It's an increasing trend and I think there's a. More in Oregon than.

[Mike Axelrod]

Anyway, so IP28. I don't think it's going to go anywhere.

[Brittany]

Let's hope not.

[Mike Axelrod]

But there's a strong. Obviously, the Oregon Hunters Association. We've got strong ties into Oregon. They would let us know the standstills of the world. Gosh, I'm forgetting her name now. Amy. Amy's. I can't remember Amy's last name, but she's the executive director. Right. Of the Oregon Hunters Association. She's amazing. She'd keep us up to date, but just like the others, I think it's gonna fizzle out. It's just too ludicrous and affects too many people. Like, even fishing, like pulling a fish out and smacking on its head to kill would be illegal.

[Brittany]

If you are a furry, we would like to hear from you as well. We'd like you to come on this podcast.

[Mike Axelrod]

Oh, yeah, I'd love to talk to a furry, but have them on. They'll be dressed up. Be sweet.

[Brittany]

That would. That would be awesome.

[Mike Axelrod]

All right, 601-790-607. Text us any questions. Let us know. Have a wonderful week. I hope next week we're talking about a big celebration for the onset of a new era of black bear hunting in the state of Florida. See you later. Well, that's it for today. I appreciate you listening. As always, leave a review, share it with your friends, and most importantly, do what's right to convey the truth Around.

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