Legends of the Wild, A Field & Stream Production

Episode 7: Epic Hunts and Wild Stories with Filmmaker Donnie Vincent
Host: Sam Soholt
Guest: Donnie Vincent
Release Date: September 10, 2025

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, Sam Soholt welcomes renowned outdoorsman, biologist, and filmmaker Donnie Vincent for a deep dive into the heart of wild hunting adventures, the art of storytelling in outdoor film, and the transformative effect of immersive time spent in the wild. Donnie recounts formative research trips, close calls in unforgiving landscapes, the slow craft of his films, and why hardship in the outdoors makes life richer. Listeners are treated to vivid stories, philosophical takes on hunting’s meaning, and thoughtful reflections on the evolution of outdoor media.

Main Themes

• How deep time in wild places shapes a hunter and storyteller
• The collaborative, intentional approach behind Donnie’s acclaimed films
• Transformative power of outdoor hardship and extended backcountry trips
• The balance of sorrow and euphoria in the hunt
• The beauty (and risk) of pushing physical and mental limits in wild places
• Slow, meaningful content as antidote to the “junk food” of viral videos

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Donnie Vincent’s Unusual Path: From Biologist to Outdoor Filmmaker

[03:44] Donnie Vincent describes how a love of wildlife led him into biology and field research, never expecting it to turn into a career in hunting and filmmaking.

• Initial filming was just to share stories with family (“maybe I'll just take a Handycam…”).
• Breaks in the industry came via networking and helping fill TV show episodes.
• Meeting cinematographers Kyle Nicolai & William Altman sparked the long-form, high-quality approach now synonymous with Donnie’s team.
• Importance of collaboration: “I realized I couldn't tell the stories in the way that I saw them in my mind… without very talented individuals around you.” [06:13]

The Power of Teamwork and Detail in Film

• Donnie’s team includes a dedicated composer/sound designer: “Casey Olson...scores all of our music and does our sound design custom, which is amazing.” [07:57]
• Importance of pursuing the exact shot, regardless of the hunt—a ptarmigan sequence required crawling through biblical mosquitoes for a unique moment, all for the artistry.

“We make things for what that piece is. We kind of want to give it a life of its own...Because if I built it for you or built it for someone else, then we would constantly be changing our direction, much like fashion.”
—Donnie Vincent [Taylor-made for his philosophy at [68:16]]

Formative Field Biology & Wild Research

Tiger Research in Nepal & Bangladesh

[11:00–18:00] Donnie shares stories from field studies under famed ecologist Dave Smith:

• Capturing and collaring raccoons set the stage for rare opportunities abroad.
• Working by boat in the Sunderbans—navigating tiger, crocodile, pirate-infested mangroves:

  "It was really...one of the scariest places I've ever been in my life." [14:32]

• Elephant-based research in Nepal; culture shock and life lessons from life abroad.

Grouse Study and Alaska Genetics Camps

[18:34–24:26]

• Nighttime wildlife surveys include 15-kilometer, pitch-black hikes with bear encounters ("Run into an oil painting...").
• Five-and-a-half months in a remote Alaska tent fostered an appreciation for deep immersion, slow time, and the coming to life of a wild system.

“Laying there in bed staring up at the ceiling. My family's back home, my friends are back home, but then it transitioned from the quiet to I belong here and I'm home."
—Donnie Vincent, on his remote Alaska assignment [24:11]

The Transformative Power of Time in the Wild

Donnie and Sam discuss how extended wilderness trips—and even hardship—reset the mind and fulfill a deep human need.

• The longer the hunt, the more alive Donnie feels (“Whenever I've done a 5-day, 7-day, even a 10-day hunt, I feel rushed...So I try to go for as long as possible now.” [24:26])
• Success is no longer tag-focused, but experience-focused (“the tag used to burn a hole in my pocket...Now, I passed a 63, 64-inch bull on the second to last day because I didn't like the scenario.” [27:44])
• The hunt becomes about immersion, chores, finding oneself in the rhythm of nature.

“Chasing the experience, not the end goal, just makes for a better...I am stronger than I know I am. And that's a powerful thing.”
—Sam Soholt [39:57]

Euphoria, Sorrow, and Forest Immersion

[31:13–36:54]

• The emotional complexity of a successful hunt—euphoria of skill, sorrow for the animal, pride and physical fatigue of the pack-out.
• Research shows time in wild forests measurably changes physiology and mood (“lowers your blood pressure, increases your testosterone, increases your cognitive ability in your brain” [34:10]).
• Even fishing in the morning brings dopamine hits and resets the soul.

"Feeling that on the end of your line is...validation that food is on the end of your line...That's where it comes from."
—Donnie Vincent [35:12]

Facing Danger and Close Calls in the Wild

[40:00–49:50]
Donnie recounts three life-threatening moments:

1. Bering Sea—Winds of Adak:
   • Passing through walls of water, risk of rolling the boat, and a captain who warns, “If we roll, you’re gonna let go...we're gonna lose you.” [41:24]
2. Chugach Mountains Dall Sheep Hunt:
   • One-handed cliff traverses with snow/ice, a thousand-foot drop below, and the strange calm after surviving.
3. Toque Sheep Film:
   • Climbing down a cliff, a massive rock breaks loose while Donnie clings by abs and fingertips, just inches from disaster.

“All the time, it’s weather, water, heights. People always want to talk about bears, but it’s always weather…” [49:47]

The Value of Hardship

[54:00–55:54]

• Doing hard things makes returning to “normal” life richer and more meaningful.
• Sam notes it improves him as a man, husband, and father ("when I’m having conversations...I have a way longer fuse").
• Donnie adds: “The more you challenge yourself, the more alive you’re going to feel.”

Reflections on Storytelling, Patience, and the Outdoor Media Landscape

[62:03–79:27]

• Donnie’s films often take 3, 7, even 14 years to bring to completion, in contrast to viral short-form content:

  “Short form content feels like digital junk food...but you won’t remember it.” —Sam Soholt [63:21]

• The Rivers Divide took 2 years to film, 1 year to edit; the bear film took 7 years of footage and another year to edit.

• Donnie’s patience is both necessity and intentionalism. They save stories until they feel complete, not rushing for the algorithm.

  • “We make things for what that piece is...We stay true to ourselves.” [68:16]
  • They now want these films to be free and available on YouTube, rather than locked behind paywalls.

Upcoming Work: The 'Fantastic Places' Series

• Retelling old adventures—"True Detective"-style—with contemporary narration over archival footage.
• Upcoming cadence: 2-3 “Fantastic Places” per year plus longform new work.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On risk in the wild:
  "It’s over in a whistle. It’s literally a blink of the eye." —Donnie Vincent, rockfall stories [53:41]

• On wild immersion:
  "We just take things one day at a time and...I just want to live a soulful life. I want everyone else to live a soulful life." —Donnie Vincent [80:25]

• On storytelling:
  "If I built it for you or built it for someone else, then we would constantly be changing our direction, much like fashion." [68:16]

• On accepting hardship:
  "Mother Nature is in control. Don't even...just have a good time. You're not in control. Mother Nature’s in control." —Will Primos, shared by Donnie Vincent [60:25]

Memorable, Light-Hearted Moments

• Donnie discovering he lost his toenails after a mega-hike; “My toenails are all black... the article I'm reading says that you're a badass.” [76:09]
• The field biologist’s “beach party” funded by returning radio collars. [12:29]
• Donnie admitting he didn’t know they had a YouTube channel until they had ~50,000 subscribers. [79:43]

Important Timestamps

• [03:44] — Donnie’s bio, origins, and first steps into media.
• [11:00]–[18:34] — Stories from tiger, raccoon, and grouse research.
• [22:43] — Extended time in a remote Alaska tent; the importance of immersion.
• [24:26] — The impact of slower, longer solo trips on perspective.
• [31:13]–[36:54] — Euphoria, sorrow, and the science of forest immersion.
• [39:57]–[49:50] — Three close calls with death: sea, mountain, and stone.
• [54:00]–[55:54] — Why adversity in the wild improves life back home.
• [62:03]–[68:16] — Outdoor media: the case for slow, high-value storytelling.
• [73:05]–[77:36] — The making of “Toque” and the “Fantastic Places” series.

Where to Find Donnie’s Films

• YouTube: Donnie Vincent — For access to free films, both new and archival stories (“Fantastic Places”).

Closing Thought

This episode captures the heart of hunting and storytelling: a call to seek difficult, soulful experience, to stay humble in the face of wild nature, and to pursue your own story—at your own pace.

“I just want to live a soulful life. I want everyone else to live a soulful life. We're so very fortunate to live in this country and have friends like you...Like, when you asked me to do this podcast, I was blown away, quite honestly.”
—Donnie Vincent [80:26]