Anchored with April Vokey

Latest Episodes:

Anchored Podcast Ep. 172: Keith McCafferty on Survival, Outdoor Skills and Living to Write About It Oct 12, 2020

Show notes

Keith McCafferty is the Survival and Outdoor Skills Editor of Field & Stream, an author of eight books, winner of numerous literary awards, and just an all-round likeable guy. In this episode of Anchored, we hear the story behind Keith’s impressive history with Field and Stream, as well as the inspiration behind his novels and how he maintains his enthusiasm.

Outline of This Episode

[3:15] Keith’s hair-raising mountain lion encounter
[8:23] Keith’s upbringing set him on to a life of literature and the outdoors
[16:18] Does writing get better with age?
[24:54] How Keith became the wilderness survival editor at Field and Stream
[28:06] How did he end up in Montana?
[37:38] Is there any money in writing novels?
[46:25] On his encounter with a grizzly
[51:22] What is the most useful survival skill that he knows?
[57:44] Where to find his books

This episode is brought to you by Brownells.

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Anchored Podcast Ep. 171: Woniya Thibeault on Tanning Hides and the "Alone" TV Show Sep 24, 2020

Show notes

Woniya Thibeault has spent her life studying ancestral skills. As the owner of Buckskin Revolution, she teaches classes and workshops, sharing her belief in the coexistence of humans and nature. In this episode of Anchored, Woniya and I discuss the desire to live off-grid, tanning deer hides and her remarkable experience on the popular tv show, Alone.

Outline of This Episode

[3:15] Woniya has spent a lot of time learning ancestral skills
[7:45] A skills gathering opened her mind
[14:34] Why she chose to participate in the Alone show
[26:56] How she survived so long alone in the Arctic
[34:29] How did she stay warm and sheltered during her time in the Arctic?
[43:25] Community was a huge part of our ancestors’ lives
[44:20] What do people not know about sewing buckskin?
[51:02] How does Woniya feel aobut cultural appropriation?
[57:22] Wearing buckskin is much different than wearing cloth

This episode is brought to you by Brownells!

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Anchored Podcast Ep. 170: Jim McLennan on the Bow River, Pioneering, and Growing Up Sep 11, 2020

Show notes

Jim McLennan was one of the first fly-fishing guides on Alberta’s Bow River. A well known writer and speaker, Jim has authored four books and written countless magazine articles. In this episode of Anchored we discuss why we fish, how Jim got his start in the fishing industry, what the Bow river used to be like and how we change as we get older.

Outline of This Episode

[2:35] Jim was born in Edmonton, Alberta
[11:14] He started guiding on the Bow in the 70s
[19:43] How did Jim become an editor?
[26:54] How to piece all the income together to get by
[34:25] What happens if you wake up one day and don’t want to go fishing?
[41:49] Where is Jim in his evolution of fishing?
[48:02] Jim is still involved in fly fishing
[56:58] Jim’s thoughts on the best resources for learning the sport

This episode is brought to you by Norvise!

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Anchored Podcast Ep. 169: Yarrow Willard on Wild Mushrooms, Foraging and More Aug 21, 2020

Show notes

Yarrow Willard is an herbalist and philosopher who lives in British Columbia, Canada. Yarrow was born into a family of foragers who have changed thousands of people’s lives over the years. I was excited to sit down with him to pick his brain about mushrooms, wild foraging, pollens and more. Even if you’ve never foraged a day in your life, you're sure to walk away from this episode looking at the outdoors a little differently.

Find his YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/user/TheHarmonicArts

Outline of This Episode

[4:55] Yarrow is the son of an herbalist born in Calgary, Alberta
[12:10] How do you ensure that a small child won’t eat a plant they shouldn’t when foraging?
[18:04] Learn 10 herbs a year
[22:24] Does Yarrow mainly forage for medicine or food?
[32:12] How to harvest the inner bark of a tree
[39:08] 5 easy starter plants to learn
[58:24] What’s the deal with lichens?

Find us at www.AnchoredOutdoors.com

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Anchored Podcast Ep. 168: Nanci Morris Lyon and Nelli Williams on Pebble Mine Aug 05, 2020

Show notes

Nanci Morris Lyon and Nelli Williams have been working for over a decade to safeguard Bristol Bay from the Pebble Mine. Nanci owns Bear Trail Lodge on the famed Naknek River, and was one of the first female fishing guides in Alaska. Nelli is the Alaska Director for Trout Unlimited in Anchorage. Both Nanci and Nelli are mothers, avid anglers, and spokespeople for a cause that needs us more than ever. In this episode of Anchored, I sit down with both of them to hear why the general public’s help is needed now more than ever before.

As many of you probably already know, the mine is an issue that has long been discussed by anglers and hunters, but what you might not know is that it’s on the brink of obtaining a major permit that could push the project forward. Last month, the Final Environmental Impact Assessment was released, outlining massive impacts to Bristol Bay fish, wildlife and water. A decision determining if the permit will be issued will be made by the Trump Administration sometime between now and this fall. Now, more than ever before, is the time to speak up. Learn more at: SaveBristolBay.org

http://www.savebristolbay.org/tellpresidenttrump

Also, I’d like to personally invite you join myself and a luminary panel to watch a live, national screening of the film, The Wild, which is certain to give you a firsthand look at what’s at risk here. The show is on August 6th at 5pm Pacific time. I’ll be watching alongside you with a live panel and will be hanging out after the film to discuss it. Time after time we’ve watched places disappear. Not Bristol Bay. Not this time.

Get your ticket at www.evaswild.com/screenings/the-wild-aug6-anchored-outdoors. See you there!

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Anchored Podcast Ep. 167: Chad Brown On Battling PTSD With Fly Fishing Jul 22, 2020

Show notes

Chad Brown is a decorated US Navy veteran who struggles with PTSD. A failed suicide attempt eventually led Chad to found a non-profit organization called Soul River Inc. Soul River brings together at-risk youth and veterans who act as mentors. Together they visit threatened wild spaces and embark on mission-driven experiences based around advocacy and outdoor education. In this episode of Anchored, Chad and I discuss his remarkable story, the realities of PTSD, and what it’s like to be a black man in fly fishing.

Team up with Soul River here.
You can donate to Soul River here.

Outline of This Episode

[3:15] Fishing came later in his life
[8:22] Fish more was his new prescription
[17:33] Joining the military was the beginning of the roller coaster ride
[19:54] Chad describes PTSD
[26:45] PTSD looked different in each different war era
[36:57] He didn’t even know what fly fishing was
[42:07] How did Soul River start?
[49:47] How does a troubled youth find Soul River?
[1:00:22] How can people help?
[1:03:44] Should we see colour?
[1:13:19] How to get involved without tokenizing the situation?
[1:20:25] What is the best way to connect on the river?
[1:25:27] A challenge for the listener

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Anchored Podcast Ep. 166: Brad Salon and Sarah Corrigan on Instinctive Shooting, Mushroom Identification, Basketry, Foraging Jul 12, 2020

Show notes

***Check out our Bow Drill Masterclass here!***

Brad Salon and Sarah Corrigan own the Roots school in Vermont. They teach a variety of skills, including self-reliance, survival, tracking and naturalist studies. In this episode of Anchored we discuss instinctive shooting, mushroom identification, basketry, foraging, hide tanning and more.

If these sorts of skills interest you, be sure to check out my new website www.AnchoredOutdoors.com where we cover all things fishing, foraging, homesteading and subsistence hunting. Our first masterclass drops this week and the next dozen are soon to follow! If you sign on now, memberships are only $4.99 a month. That will be changing once the first three classes are up, so don’t wait to hop onboard!

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Ep. 165: Elena Joy Thurston and Kristen Kile on the LGBTQ Community Jun 24, 2020

Show notes

Elena Joy Thurston is an inspirational speaker and founder of the Pride and Joy Foundation. When she reached out to me to see if we might be able to connect for a podcast, I wasn’t sure how her story linked back to the outdoors. So I tuned in to her TED talk, only to be taken aback when I learned that fly fishing changed her life. In this episode of Anchored I sit down with Elena and her partner Kristen to discuss the story of how they met, diversity in fly fishing, feeling trapped in the corporate world and more.

This episode is brought to you by Olukai.

Outline of This Episode

[4:15] What is the politically correct way to refer to the community?
[7:55] How did Kristen get into fly fishing?
[15:05] Elena has a big story
[28:18] What is it about being outdoors that awakens someone’s soul?
[32:12] Being trapped in an office job
[44:27] Does the LGBTQ community feel underrepresented in the outdoors?
[52:52] Elena Joy speaks of her divorce
[58:42] There are some native fish in Arizona
[1:00:36] A work-life balance discussion

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Ep. 164: John Dietsch Graced By Waters Jun 16, 2020

Show notes

John Dietsch is perhaps best known in fly fishing circles for supervising all of the fly fishing scenes on the OSCAR winning film "A River Runs Through It", where he also conceived and executed the famous final fishing scene doubling for actor Brad Pitt by swimming a rapid while playing a fish. In this episode of Anchored we discuss John’s new book "Graced by Waters" and the healing properties of immersing ourselves in the outdoors, as well as John’s personal journey through loss, scenes in "A River Runs Through It" and more.

This episode of Anchored is brought to you by Norvise!

Outline of This Episode

[3:15] John grew up fishing around L.A.
[9:05] How did he get involved in A River Runs Through It?
[16:33] Meeting Redford was intimidating
[20:35] The final scene was all John
[25:45] The fly fishing is about more than just catching
[33:22] Fly fishing has the potential to heal
[44:09] How he lost his brother
[48:23] How can we process the pain in the world right now?
[55:54] How to prevent nature deficit disorder

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Ep. 163: Hank Shaw on Hunter Angler Gardener Cook Jun 12, 2020

Show notes

Hank Shaw is a celebrated chef, author and outdoorsman who runs the award-winning website Hunter Angler Gardener Cook. In this episode of Anchored, Hank and I walk through his timeline, stopping along the way to discuss how we age game-birds, our favourite edible weeds, dandelion wine and more.

This episode of Anchored is brought to you by Great Fishing Adventures of Australia.

Outline of This Episode

[9:15] Ancillary information makes you a good angler, but also a good hunter
[15:22] His Master’s in History
[22:02] Hunting is about more than just the meat
[34:37] Do you have to let all meat age a while to actually taste it?
[38:30] His newspaper career taught him restraint
[45:44] He made the transition to running the website fulltime in 2010
[51:03] Does he want to take it to the next level?
[52:55] He is a seasonal eater
[1:03:33] Dandelion wine is all about the aroma
[1:12:54] Be a conscious harvester

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