Hunting Science

Latest Episodes:

Episode 18: Talking Bands I Dec 16, 2020

Overview

Imagine the stories that bands and the waterfowl who wear them would tell if they could talk. We try to bring those muted voice to life in this episode by talking with Drs. John Eadie, Robert “Rocky” Rockwell, Jim Sedinger and Mr. Brandt Meixell about the 100,000s of birds they have banded.

Show Notes

0:25 – Introduction and Background on Waterfowl Banding.
6:22 – Jim Sedinger starts us off with stories about banded Black Brant, including the amazing story about the “Marnie Bands”.
30:45 – We transition to stories from John Eadie about banded Wood Ducks. John uses some cutting edge technology to learn really cool things about Woodies. How many nest boxes do you think a hen Wood Duck visits during a breeding season?
50:45 – Rocky Rockwell tells us his stories about Snow Geese based on his 51 years of experience and his involvement with banding more than 250,000 geese. Rocky has the added challenge of banding around Polar Bears.
1:10:00 – Brandt Meixell, who is duck catching machine, shares stories about the hows of catching ducks and the love story of a duck named Romeo. Do you think a Bufflehead has ever been harvested in Columbia?
1:24:15 – We finish with a general discussion of the value of banding data and the essential partnership between hunters and biologists for generating some these data. Report your bands and please don’t target bands.

Additional Resources

US Geological Survey Bird Banding Laboratory
Report Your Bands!
DU podcast on banding, citizen science, and band targeting – episodes 33 and 34 in Season 1.

Photo Credit: David Stimac (see also https://www.davidstimac.com/index)

Episode 17: Why We Hunt? Nov 20, 2020

Overview

I talk with Dr. Todd Brinkman and Eduardo Wilner about the reasons why we hunt. We look at this question from a science and philosophy viewpoint, which I think you will learn through the podcast are similar views. There is a video of this episode if you’d like to watch instead of listen this time.

Show Notes

0:25 – Introductions, which bleeds into Eduardo talking about the similarities between science and philosophy
12:25 – We talk about the reasons we hunt.
21:30 – Eduardo talks about the difficulties of verbalizing the reasons why we hunt. He talks about how it is similar to trying to describe the reasons we run or perhaps give birth, if you are a women.
25:15 – Do we need to hunt?
28:50 – Why even ask why we hunt? Why don’t some people like hunting?
38:15 – Are we genetically programmed to hunt? How much has society shaped the reasons we do and don’t hunt?
43:50 – Todd talk about what surveys reveal about the reasons we hunt, which leads into a discussions about the importance of the kill and the ethics of hunting.
55:00 – Are the reasons we hunt and number of hunters changing? Listen to hear how Covid has affected hunter participation. What is public perception of the reasons we hunt? What are the greatest threats to the future of hunting?
1:13:00 – We finish with our favorite hunting stories that characterize our reasons for hunting.
1:19:52 – Outro.

Additional Resources

US Fish and Wildlife Survey on Hunting Participation

Photo Credit: Eduardo Wiliner. This photo has a dreamy quality because of the fog and image quality, which seems appropriate for the question of why we hunt.

Episode 16: The Science and Politics of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act Sep 30, 2020

Overview

Do you want more ducks on the strap or dead in a tailing pond? Your vote this fall may affect the outcome for waterfowl. I talk with Dr. Michael Anderson, retired biologist from Ducks Unlimited Canada, about how policy decisions by the current administration affect waterfowl management and possibly even your hunting experiences. You may not subscribe to the science behind climate change or even some of the science of Covid-19, however, there is no denying that the science behind the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) is being compromised by politics. Before you vote this fall, be sure you understand how the all the policies of both candidates might affect your hunting.

Show Notes

0:25 – Background and Introductions
7:00 – Mike describes why he was involved the North American Waterfowl Management Plan.
9:10 – We dive into some of the details of the Migratory Bird Treaty.
17:00 – How much money do you think natural disasters like the deep water horizon spill contribute to migratory bird conservation because of the MBTA? What are other sources of funding under the MBTA that may be in jeopardy.
19:50 – How does political support by hunters affect conservation action. This segment was inserted after the initial recording because of technical problems.
21:10 – How well has the 102 year old MBTA worked?
27:00 – We discuss how proposed changes by the Trump administration will affect the MBTA and how that may affect your hunting?
32:00 – Why propose these changes when migratory bird management has been working for 100+ years?
36:30 – How do I stay informed about how politics affects bird conservation and how do I influence these policies? See Additional Resources and Vote!
43:00 – We briefly discuss proposed changes to the Clean Water Act under the current administration.
44:35 – Do these proposed changes affect your hunting experience?
51:15 – Mike concludes with a story about a banded Canvasback (9X), a species he studied for many years. Learn more about the feature photo for this podcast. Stories about banded waterfowl will be the focus of a future podcast – stay tuned.
1:00:40 – Outro

Additional Resources

Photo: Mike Anderson (standing far left) prepares a crew to trap Canvasbacks in the prairies of Manitoba in 1987. Yours truly is kneeling front right. Listen to the podcast to get the full story behind this photo.

Episode 15: Do you have GRIT? Sep 10, 2020

Overview

Dr. Peggy Keiper, Director of the Sport and Recreation Business Program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, talks with us about Grit and how it is important for hunting. We also discuss our efforts to advance hunting education at a university level.

Show Notes

0:30 – Introductions
11:15 – Peggy discusses our efforts to bring education about hunting and hunters to university environment.
17:00 – We solicit your input on how we can best develop hunter education.
18:10 – We transition into an in depth conversation about Grit. What is Grit?
23:55 – How do you measure Grit?
29:45 – Who do you think has Grit?
33:50 – Can you develop Grit?
38:25 – We talk about some recent studies that Peggy completed. We hoped to post them with the podcast, but they aren’t quite ready yet for public consumption. Stay tuned.
40:30 – I’m happy to report that mental techniques for being Gritty that Peggy discusses here, worked well for the sheep hunt that my son and I did after recording this podcast. Give them a try.
42:22 – Why does Peggy have the nickname Ocho?
45:25 – Peggy discusses how your past experiences influence your Grit.
52:20 – Peggy shares a concluding story of Grit.
59:45 – Concluding remarks.

Episode 14: The Science of Whitefish Ecology and Glowing Fish Jun 19, 2020

Overview

In this episode, we continue our conversation with Randy Brown (see episode 10) and do a slight diversion from hunting to talk about fish ecology. Specifically, Randy describes his fascinating story of Whitefish, which includes Sheefish, ecology and migration on the Yukon River, Alaska. We also talk about the science behind glowing salmon.

Show Notes

0:30- Introductions (listen to episode 10 for more details about Randy’s resume).
1:50 – Randy gives some background about his fish research on the Yukon River.
6:00 – He provides details about how they conducted studies of Whitefish demography and migration.
8:15 – Do you know how to age a fish?
10:30 – How far do Yukon River Whitefish migrate and how often do they do this migration?
17:45 – We discuss the life-history of Yukon Sheefish and other critters with amazing migration behavior.
25:40 – Why do some salmon glow in the dark?
34:30 – Concluding remarks.

Additional Resources

Photo: Randy Brown holding a Sheefish caught in the Yukon River in 1997.

Episode 13: The Exercise Physiology of Backcountry Hunting May 20, 2020

Overview

Listen to this podcast to learn more about how to prepare for the physical demands of Backcountry Hunting. I talk with Dr. Robert Coker, professor of Clinical Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, and Larry Bartlett, avid outdoorsman and owner of Pristine Ventures about their participation in and studies of backcountry hunting.

Show Notes

0:25 – Introductions
7:00 – We talk about how they came to be studying the exercise physiology of backcountry hunting. How many calories do you think you burn on a hunt?
11:45 – How did they do these Hunt Studies?
18:30 – What is the total caloric expenditure for hunting moose and caribou in the backcountry and what are the metabolic benefits of backcountry hunting?
22:10 – We discuss more details about how hunters were sampled.
28:00 – Why did they measure liver fat specifically.
31;30 – Do you take alcohol on backcountry hunts?
33:45 – We put the physical and mental demands of backcountry hunting into context. Can you dunk a basketball? Do you have grit?
39:15 – What did they find from their hunt studies?
45:00 – We discuss ways of preparing for backcountry hunting both physically and mentally.
50:30 – We dive into more of the results and talk about how those results might affect how you pack for a hunt.
58:30 – How do you measure grit – the topic of a future podcast.
1:04:30 – We finish with couple stories of hunting adventures.
1:09:45 – Closing remarks.
1:10:35 – Outro.

Additional Resources

Pristine Ventures
Adaptations and Energy Requirements of Backcountry Hunting
Backcountry Health Studies
DIY ALASKA Hunting ADVENTURE! Public Land Bowhunting Caribou
Hunt Alaska Magazine articles on Backcountry Nutrition
- Here’s a link to 1 of those 4 articles

Photo: Sheri Coker does some “float dragging” in the snow during a backcountry hunt.
Photo Credit: Robert Coker.

Episode 12: Capturing the Hunting Lifestyle in Photos and More on Duck Hunting Apr 09, 2020

Overview

Phil Kahnke talks to us about his photography and duck hunting. Phil tells us about his techniques and philosophy for capturing his incredible images. I was particularly intrigued by our conversation about his philosophy for photographing the hunting lifestyle, which I believe appeals to hunters and non-hunters alike. I challenged Phil to provide a photos for this podcast and our instagram site (@huntingscience) that would make anyone go hunting and it seems to me he accomplished that in aces. No conversation with Phil would be complete without talking about duck hunting and we definitely spend time on that topic as well. Thanks again to Phil for talking to us, sharing his amazing images, and educating us about photography and duck hunting.

Show Notes

0:25 – Introductions.
7:50 – Phil describes his favorite hunt.
8:45 – We quickly transition into Phil’s approach to photography.
17:20 – We drill into his philosophy for photographing the Hunting Lifestyle.
29:20 – How does Phil accomplish the realism and organic nature of his photography?
34:20 – What’s next for Phil and his photography?
36:45 – We talk about the most important factors to consider for good hunting photography, many of which are also important for hunting, and we use that as a transition into duck hunting advice. What do you think is the most important factor for getting ducks to finish for both photography and hunting?
54:00 – Phil goes into more detail about how weather and maybe climate affects duck hunting. Have you seen changes in weather and climate at your hunting sites over the last couple decades that affect your duck hunting? Let us know in the comments section.
1:04:30 – Phil shares his thoughts on the future of photography and hunting.
1:09:45 – Phil finishes with an exciting hunting story.
1:21:45 – Wrap up

Additional Resources

Phil’s Website
Phil’s Instagram Sites – Photography and Outdoors
Banded Hunting Gear

Photo: @Phil Kahnke

Episode 11: Hunters and Viruses: Wash Your Hands! Mar 15, 2020

Overview

Listen to my conversation with Dr. Andy Ramey about hunters, viruses, and other zoonotics. Andy is research wildlife geneticist with the U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, who specializes in wildlife health and diseases. In this special episode, we try to educate listeners about viruses, zoonotics, and what you might consider doing to better protect yourself while in the field and kitchen.

Show Notes

0:15 – Why this special episode?
2:10 – Andy introduces himself.
4:10 – We have a quiz on viruses and zoonotics. How many can you answer correctly?
5:40 – Andy defines viruses and zoonotics.
8:30 – We talk about viruses that hunters may encounter with a focus on bird flu. Do you know the difference between low and high pathogenic avian viruses?
15:55 – Should I currently worry about bird flu when I’m picking up my ducks?
17:45 – How prevalent is bird flu in Alaska waterfowl and are they affected by infections?
20:45 – Andy discusses frontiers for avian influenza research.
21:30 – What other zoonotics should hunters think about?
25:55 – We return to our quiz questions. Can you answers these questions now?
27:40 – What practices should hunters consider to be safe in the field. Should you pick your nose while hunting?
31:15 – Outro.

Additional Resources

Photo: Andy and Chai team up to retrieve a pair of Black Brant on a personal hunting trip to Cold Bay, Alaska.

Episode 10: Care of Meat in the Alaska Wilderness Feb 06, 2020

Overview

In this episode, I talk with Randy Brown about his knowledge of care of red meat and fish that he obtained during his 15 years of living in the Alaska bush. We start our conversation by having Randy first tell us about how he struck out into the wilderness at the age of 18, a fascinating story in of itself. We then hear about the experiences (science) that provided him with the skills and knowledge that were essential for his survival. Randy shares this science with us, including for example why he thinks Beaver is the perfect food for living in the wilderness. This is part one of our conversation with Randy. Later this month we will release the 2nd episode, a conversation with Randy (a fisheries biologist by training) about the science of Whitefish ecology in Alaska and glowing Salmon. This slight diversion in our hunting theme is a fascinating tale about the wonders of fish migration and bacteria.

Show Notes

0:30 – Introductions
3:00 – Randy describes how he entered the wilderness and the people he met that were essential for his education.
8:00 – Randy discusses the essential foods for surviving in the wilderness.
11:00 – We return to his story of entering the wilderness and starting a family.
12:30- Moving back to the big city (Fairbanks) where he continues his education.
16:00 – We discuss care of meat in the field.
24:15 – Learn why you might want to hunt moose earlier in the season.
26:50 – Randy shares some thoughts about care of fish in the field.
28:45 – Surviving through the winter – Lynx it’s what for dinner.
32:10 – Final thoughts on dos and don’ts of meat care in the field.
36:10 – Wrap up.

Additional Resources

Alaska Department of Fish and Game guide on meat care

Photo Courtesy of Randy Brown – packing a Dall Sheep.

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