Shepherds of the Wild Podcast
Host and filmmaker Tom Opre discusses dynamic topics with some of the most well-known and recognized experts on wildlife and habitat conservation. It's a no holds barred, reality-based conversation about all the things Wild under man's ever increasing shadow.
Episodes
Ep 57 - From Festival to Field: Raw Audio Preparing for Operation Return of the Wild
Recorded on location in Zambia's Lower Luano Valley in July, this episode takes listeners inside the early preparation for Operation Return of the Wild. Tom Opre and photographer Tony Bynum attend a traditional festival in Shikabeta, reconnect with the rural communities at the heart of the project and speak with conservationist Roland Norton about what has changed since the filming of Killing the
Ep 56 - Trinity Vandenacre, Content Creator, Life in the West
What does conservation really mean, and when does protecting nature become removing people from it? Filmmaker Tom Opre sits down with Montana rancher, horseman, and Life in the West creator Trinity Vandenacre to discuss conservation versus preservation, wildlife management, hunting, ranching, predators, wildfire, and forestry. The conversation also turns to the emerging financialization of nature,
Ep 55 - Allan Savory, Founder of THe Savory Institute Part 3
In the final chapter of this 3-episode series, filmmaker Tom Opre talks to Allan about putting it all together, all the lessons of his life and research, and where this planet is headed. They talk about Allan's memoir, his life's work, and the big thing that everyone, from scientists to world leaders, keeps missing.
Ep 54 - Allan Savory, Founder of The Savory Institute, Part 2
In the second part of this 3-part series, filmmaker Tom Opre talks to a world-renowned scientist and speaker about growing up in a Rhodesia divided by civil war, forays into the military and parliament, and how tracking animals and enemies informed his attitudes and philosophies on nature and humankind's ultimate survival.
Ep 53 - Allan Savory, Founder of the Savory Institute, Part 1
Allan Savory is the Godfather of regenerative agriculture. In the first part of this three-part series, filmmaker Tom Opre talks to Allan about what brought him to wildlife, wild places, and the wise use of natural resources. They'll discuss his start, the cultural climate in Africa during the mid-19th century, during the demise of colonialism, and the trials and tribulations of trying to convin
Ep 52 _ Roland Norton, Makasa Safaris, Wildlife Conservator and Safari Operator
In this episode of the Shepherds of the Wild Podcast, Tom goes in-depth with Roland Norton of Makasa Safaris. As documented in Tom's film "Killing the Shepherd", over a decade ago, at the behest of the area's chieftainess, Roland and Makasa Safaris moved into the lower Luano Valley in Zambia to help restore wildlife numbers. After a decade spent fighting poaching, and engaged in community projec
Ep 51 - Pete Geddes, Chief External Relations Officer, American Prairie
In this episode of the Shepherds of the Wild podcast, filmmaker Tom Opre has a frank discussion with Pete Geddes. Pete is the Chief External Relations Officer for American Prairie, a non-profit dedicated to "restoring" a large swath of Montana to its previous state, before Lewis and Clark's Discovery of the Great Montana Plains. They'll discuss bison, land acquisition, the area's current resident
Ep 50 - Garrett Budds, Chief Conservation Officer, American Prairie
In this episode of Shepherds of the Wild, filmmaker Tom Opre sits down with Garrett Budds, Chief Conservation Officer of American Prairie, for a direct and wide-ranging conversation about one of the most ambitious conservation projects in North America. Budds explains American Prairie's vision to assemble a large, functioning prairie ecosystem in north-central Montana and addresses hard questions
Ep 49 - Mark Sather, Sportsman and Sieben Livestock Employee
In this episode, conservationist and filmmaker Tom Opre sits down with Mark Sather, a longtime Montana sportsman and employee of the Sieben Livestock Company, to unpack one of the most volatile and misunderstood issues in Western conservation: access, entitlement, and responsibility. Raised hunting the Gates of the Mountains and the Bob Marshall, Sather brings a generational sportsman's perspectiv
Ep 48 - Matt Wickens, Montana Rancher and Outfitter
In this episode of Shepherds of the Wild, filmmaker Tom Opre sits down with Montana rancher and outfitter Matt Wickens to talk about the hard truths facing rural America. From razor-thin ranching margins to the rise of the American Prairie Reserve and the loss of working lands, Wickens lays bare the challenges of keeping family operations alive in a changing landscape. The two discuss the economic
Ep 47 - Sierra Stoneberg Holt, Biologist, Professor and 5th generation Montana Rancher
In this episode of the Shepherds of the Wild Podcast, filmmaker Tom Opre sits down with Dr. Sierra Stoneberg Holt — biologist, professor, and fifth-generation Montana rancher — to discuss what true conservation means on the American prairie. From family roots in the land to her critique of "rewilding" projects like the American Prairie Reserve, Holt argues that people are not separate from nature
Ep 46 - Trina Jo Bradley, Mt Cattle Rancher
In this raw, unfiltered conversation, filmmaker Tom Opre sits down with Montana cattle rancher Trina Jo Bradley, who runs a multigenerational ranch on the edge of the Rocky Mountain Front, bordering the Blackfeet Reservation. Bradley offers an unvarnished look into the beauty and brutality of ranch life — raising cattle amid drought, brutal winters, fluctuating markets, and the constant threat of
Ep 45 - Eric Wickens, Co-Owner, Wickens Cattle Company
Filmmaker Tom Opre sits down with rancher and co-owner Eric Wickens to talk straight about running cattle in today's West—land stewardship, herd health, tight markets, and the constant push-pull between policy and common sense. Eric lays out what it takes to keep a family operation alive while improving grass, water, and wildlife habitat for the long haul.
Ep 44 - Hilary Zaranek, Wildlife Biologist
In this conversation, Tom Opre sits down with wildlife biologist Hilary Zaranek, wife of Andrew Anderson from Episode 43 and co-steward of the J Bar L Ranch in Montana's Centennial Valley. Hilary shares her perspective on raising a family in ranch country, supporting regenerative practices on the land, and balancing the demands of rural life and financial stability with a deep commitment to conser
Ep 43 - Andrew Anderson, Ranch Manager, J Bar L Ranch
In this episode, Tom Opre talks with Andrew Anderson, Ranch Manager at the J Bar L Ranch in Montana's Centennial Valley. They explore the challenges and opportunities of managing a large working cattle operation while balancing wildlife conservation, land stewardship, and the pressures of modern ranching. Andrew shares insights into regenerative grazing practices, predator coexistence, and what it
Ep 42 - Ted Nugent, Musician, Conservationist
The Real Yellowstone, the latest documentary from award-winning filmmaker Tom Opre, is now streaming at www.shepherdsofwildlifestore.com. Rock Star and outspoken conservationist Ted Nugent has just screened the film, and the Motor City Madman has thoughts! In this episode, Tom and Ted discuss The Real Yellowstone, conservation, and the role we play in protecting healthy wildlife populations for fu
Ep 39 - Donna McDonald, 1st Woman Montana Outfitter
In this episode, filmmaker Tom Opre talks with Donna McDonald, a rancher and outfitter who holds the distinction of being the first licensed female outfitter in the state of Montana. They discuss the brutal weather at 6000 feet of elevation, and what it takes to survive and thrive in the modern world of the outfitter and rancher.
Ep 38 - Andrew McKean, Outdoor Writer/Journalist
As the hunting and conservation editor for Outdoor Life, and a Montana Rancher for over two decades, Andrew McKean knows a thing or two about the problems facing Ranchers, farmers and hunters in America. In this episode, Filmmaker Tom Opre and Andrew take a deep dive into those topics, as well as water, American Prairie, and the importance of the small community to the American West.
Ep 37 - Matt Skoglund, North Bridger Bison
In this episode, Filmmaker Tom Opre has a candid conversation with Matt Skoglund. Matt, a former environmental Policy lawyer from Chicago, moved his family from the big city to Montana to chase a dream, and started North Bridger Bison. Tom and Matt discuss regenerative ranching, biodiversity, and the disconnect between urban consumers and their food sources.
Ep 36 - Randy Newberg, Public Land Advocate
In this episode, filmmaker Tom Opre talks with Randy Newberg. Randy is a C.P.A. with over three decades of experience working with farmers and ranchers. From financial planning to taxes and succession plans, Randy has seen it all, and as a staunch advocate for public land access for sportsman, he offers some common sense tactics for achieving solutions in a landscape fraught with conflict
Ep 35 - Bill Hilf - American Prairie Chairman
In this wide-ranging interview, Tom Opre engages Bill Hilf in a candid and often challenging discussion about American Prairie's mission, strategies, and impacts on the rural communities and ecosystems of the American West. Hilf articulates the organization's vision to build a massive, continuous nature reserve in Montana, modeled on African-style wildlife preserves. He emphasizes goals around bi
Ep 41 - Allan Savory: Regenerative Ranching Advocate Part 2
In the second installment of a two-part conversation, Filmmaker Tom Opre discusses solutions and failures with the Founder of the Savory Institute, and one of the true pioneers of Regenerative Agriculture, Allan Savory.
Ep 40 - Allan Savory, Regenerative Ranching Advocate Part 1
Filmmaker Tom Opre sits down with Allan to discuss the restoration of biodiversity around the world, the hard choices facing a planet struggling to feed its population, and the steps necessary to fix it.
Ep 34 - Peter Fraser, Retired Gamekeeper, Scotland
Filmmaker Tom Opre sits down with well-known retired gamekeeper Peter Fraser to discuss the issues facing keepers and their families in the Highlands of Scotland.
Ep 33 - Patrick Laurie - Scottish Author & Organic Farmer
Noted author and organic farmer from the Galloway, Scotland sits down with filmmaker Tom Opre to talk about land and wildlife management issues and how rewilding fits into the equation.
Ep 32 - David Balharry (Part 2) - John Muir Trust
Filmmaker Tom Opre follows up with his initial interview with John Muir Trust CEO David Balharry. Hold on as the conversation gets interesting.
Ep 31 - Alex Jenkins - Headkeeper, Edinglassie Estate
Tom Opre, filmmaker and director of The Last Keeper, talks to Edinglassie Headkeeper Alex Jenkins about what it is to be a keeper.
Ep 30 - Dr. James Fenton, ecologist, author, trustee- National Trust for Scotland
Filmmaker Tom Opre sits down with noted author and ecologist Dr. James Fenton to discuss the ecology and history of the land in Scotland.
Ep 29 - Dee Ward, Owner- Rottal Estate, Scotland
Dee Ward, the owner of the grouse moor Rottal Estate in the Angus Glens speaks with filmmaker Tom Opre about land management solutions he employs which consider both climate and biodiversity concerns.
Ep 28 - Peter Cairns - Scotland: The Big Picture
Filmmaker Tom Opre talk to Scotland: The Big Picture executive director Peter Cairns about rewilding concepts, sporting estates, the rewilding economy, and how various stakeholders can find common ground.
Ep 27 - Nigel Fraser - Trees for Life
Filmmaker Tom Opre and Photographer Tony Bynum speak with the chairman of the board for Tress for Life Nigel Fraser about rewilding, carbon sequestration, deer and red grouse management, and what will happen to the rural communities if the sporting estate model is regulated out of existence in the Scottish Highlands.
Ep 26 - Scott MacKenzie - Gamekeeper
Listen to filmmaker Tom Opre and photographer Tony Bynum discuss land use issues and deer management with headkeeper at Fearann Eilean larmain Estate on the Isle of Skye, Scotland.
Ep 25 - David Balharry - CEO John Muir Trust (part 1)
Filmmaker Tom Opre sits down with John Muir Trust CEO David Balharry to discuss Scotland's land use issues.
Ep 24 - Andy Wightman, Author, Scottish MSP 2016-2021
We speak with Scottish land reformer and retired politican Andy Wightman in Scotland.
Ep 23 - Jeff Crane, Congressional Sportsman's Foundation
Ep. 22 - India Human Wildlife Conflict with Mathen "Rajeev" Mathews
Tom Opre sits down with Rajeev Mathews, a government contractor who has been monitoring and documenting the almost unknown facts about human-wildlife conflict (HWC) in India where approximately 10,000 people per year are attacked and killed by wildlife. He is a senior consultant with Zen Technologies Limited based in Hyderabad on developing various uses for armed and paramilitary forces. Serves a
Ep. 21 - Trophy Hunting Import Bans with John Shields & Nikolaj Bichel
Tom Opre speaks with John Shields, a supporter of community development in rural Zambia and a UK citizen, and scientific researcher and author Nikolaj Bichel from Denmark regarding the efforts of anti-use organizations and politicians to ban the import of hunting trophies in countries all over the world.
Ep. 20 - Mike Angelides - Tanzania Deforestation
Host Tom Opre speaks with Mike Angelides, president of the African PH & Guides Association about deforestation in Tanzania. Mike has a lengthy history with the A.P.H.A. For the past 3 years, he was the Vice President. Mike previously held a board member position. Before that was the APHA Executive Officer, his other committee experience includes leadership positions as Secretary-General of the Ta
Ep. 19 - What is Conservation? Professor Adam Hart - University of Gloucestershire
Founder Tom Opre speaks with Professor Adam Hart on the issue of what exactly is conservation? Adam Hart is an ecologist, conservation scientist, and entomologist, and is the University of Gloucestershire Professor of Science Communication. As well as research and teaching, he is a regular broadcaster for BBC Radio 4 and the BBC World Service, presenting documentaries on topics from trophy huntin
Ep. 18 - Emmanuel Koro - South African Environmental Journalist
At CITES CoP 19 in Panama, Shepherds of Wildlife Society founder Tom Opre had the opportunity to speak with Environmental Journalist Emmanuel Koro regarding his concerns related to neocolonialism, human rights, and racism in CITES and how CITES decisions negatively affect indigenous rural communities throughout southern Africa.
Ep. 17 - Bupe Banda - Community Leaders Network (Southern Africa)
During the CITES CoP19 in Panama, host Tom Opre had the opportunity to interview Bupe Banda, a vibrant voice for community-based wildlife and habitat conservation in southern Africa.
Ep. 16 - Ivonne Higuero - CITES Secretary General
Shepherds of Wildlife founder Tom Opre sat down with CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero at CoP 19 in Panama City, Panama. She is an environmental economist with a career spanning 26 years in international organizations in the area of sustainable development. CITES is the treaty on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. 184 countries are party to th
Ep. 15 Tom E. Opre - Pulitzer Award-Winning Environmental Writer
This podcast is with award-winning outdoor and conservation writer Tom E. Opre. Tom wrote conservation, environmental, and outdoor articles over 24 years while working for the Detroit Free Press. He's the host father, and his work helped propel his son down the track he follows today through the Shepherds of Wildlife Society.
Ep 14 Nate Turner - Alaskan Subsistence Trapper & Guide
Tom Opre has an eye opening and important conversation about sustainable utilization with Alaskan subsistence trapper and guide Nate Turner. They cover Nate's early years growing up in New York and then moving to his father's trapline in the Alaskan bush. Nate also discusses what it's like to live off the land and raise his family in remote Alaska.
EP 13 Tom Speeze - National Wild Turkey Federation
Tom Speeze is the National Director for Field Conservation for the National Wild Turkey Federation. In this podcast, we discuss a wide arrange of land and wildlife management techniques and issues surrounding the Mirriam's Wild Turkey.
EP 12 Brian Wakeling - Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
Tom Opre interviews Brian Wakeling the Game Management Bureau Chief of Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks about the management of the Mirriam's Turkey. This interview was used in his Tom's film "Mountain Thunder" a film for the National Wild Turkey Federation.
Ep 11 Author Jim Posewitz (Part 2) "Beyond Fair Chase," Wildlife Biologist
Tom Opre talks with Jim Posewitz, an icon in the ethics of hunting and wildlife conservation world. Jim had a long career as a wildlife biologists with the State of Montana before becoming a noted author. He is one of Montana's most respected conservationists who pioneered protections for fish and wildlife and was a nationally recognized voice on the ethics of hunting. They discuss the common grou
Ep 10 Dr. Stuart Marks - Biologist, Ecologist, Economist & Philosopher (Part 2)
Tom Opre meets with noted author and scientist Dr. Stuart Marks. Dr. Marks is a biologist, ecologist, economist, and philosopher. A Fulbright Scholar and son of a missionary dentist, Dr. Marks spent much of his early childhood living in the Congo, Africa. He has spent over 60 years studying the Bisa people of eastern Zambia and their relationship with wildlife. They also discuss Tom's new film Kil
Ep 9 Dr. Marco Festa-Bianchet - Professor, University of Sherbrooke
Tom Opre talks to Dr. Marco Festa-Bianchet, wildlife biologists and Professor at the University of Sherbrooke (Quebec, Canada). They discuss bighorn sheep evolution and management in Alberta, Canada; issues with hunting certain age-class bighorn sheep in Alberta; sustainable hunting; diseases affecting wild sheep; mountain ecosystem management; social media information wars; social media and probl
Ep 8 Jim Posewitz - Author "Beyond Fair Chase," Wildlife Biologist (Part 1)
Tom Opre talks with Jim Posewitz, an icon in the ethics of hunting and wildlife conservation world. Jim had a long career as a wildlife biologists with the State of Montana before becoming a noted author. He is one of Montana's most respected conservationists who pioneered protections for fish and wildlife and was a nationally recognized voice on the ethics of hunting. They discuss the common grou
Ep 7 Dr. Stuart Marks - Biologists, Ecologist, Economist & Philosopher (Part 1)
Tom Opre meets with noted author and scientist Dr. Stuart Marks. Dr. Marks is a biologist, ecologist, economist, and philosopher. A Fulbright Scholar and son of a missionary dentist, Dr. Marks spent much of his early childhood living in the Congo, Africa. He has spent over 60 years studying the Bisa people of eastern Zambia and their relationship with wildlife. They also cover wildlife management
EP 6 Dr. Mark Boyce - Wildlife Biologist, Wildlife Population Ecologists
Tom Opre talks with Dr. Mark Boyce, Professor of Ecology for the Alberta Conservation Association (Canada) and a Fellow with the Royal Society of Canada. Dr. Boyce, with a doctorate from Yale and a post doctorate from Oxford, discusses the population issues for elk and mule deer. They also hit on game ranching; chronic wasting disease (CWD); high-fenced hunting; hunter recruitment; grizzly bear ma
EP 5 Dr. Valerius Geist - Wildlife Biologist & Noted Author
Tom Opre talks conservation; wildlife deserts; wolves; the fall of communism; ecosystem collapse, grizzly bears; Spanish conquistadors; and the human population collapse with world renowned wildlife biologist Dr. Valerius Geist. Oh, they also get into big issues facing the Mule Deer, including chronic wasting disease (CWD). Geist is a Canadian biologist and a professor emeritus in the Faculty of
Ep 4 Dr. Juan Herrero - Spanish Biologist/Ecologist
Dr. Juan Herrero, Spanish biologist/ecologist, and Tom Opre discuss the wildlife and hunting management in Spain. His work is dedicated to applied research on large mammal conservation and management, including Pyrenean chamois, Iberian wild goat and feral goats. He is a professor of Ecology, Protected Areas, Zoology and Environmental Education at the University of Saragossa (Huesca, SPAIN).
Ep 3 Nate Turner - Alaskan Subsistence Trapper & Guide
Tom Opre has an eye opening and important conversation about sustainable utilization with Alaskan subsistence trapper and guide Nate Turner. They cover Nate's early years growing up in New York and then moving to his father's trapline in the Alaskan bush. Nate also discusses what it's like to live off the land and raise his family in remote Alaska.
Ep 2 Tony Bynum - World-Class Wildlife Photographer
Tom Opre and world renowned photographer, Tony Bynum talk about the issues facing the iconic North American grizzly bear. They cover everything from human-bear conflict in Montana to management concepts and educating people on how to co-exist with grizzly bears.
Ep 1 Catherine Semcer - Environmental Security & Conservation Finance
Host Tom Opre sits down with Catherine E. Semcer. Semcer is a Research Fellow with the Property and Environment Research Center (PERC) where her work focuses on rights and market based solutions to policy challenges in environmental security, conservation finance and sustainability. Catherine is the past COO of Humanitarian Operations Protecting Elephants (H.O.P.E.), a boutique NGO delivering trai
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