The Origins Foundation Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 587 - Drake White || Hunting Is Healing Aug 26, 2025

Show notes

Country music star Drake White nearly lost everything after a life-threatening stroke—but hunting brought him back. His story proves how time outdoors, the pursuit of wild game, and the primal act of providing can heal body, mind, and spirit. From growing up hunting Alabama whitetails and wood ducks to touring the world as a country musician, Drake’s life changed overnight when a rare brain condition left him partially paralyzed. In this inspiring episode, he shares how a giant Tennessee buck, long days in the deer stand, and the camaraderie of duck camps gave him purpose and restored his strength.

Get to know the guest: https://www.drakewhite.com

Do you have questions we can answer? Send it via DM on IG or through email at info@theoriginsfoundation.org

Support our Conservation Club Members!

Hunting France: https://www.hunting-france.com/en/

Hunters for BC: https://huntersforbc.ca/

Engushay Primary School Construction: https://theoriginsfoundation.org/conservation-projects/engushay-primary-school-construction/

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Episode 586 - Minister James Meager || The World’s Only Hunting And Fishing Minister Aug 21, 2025

Show notes

New Zealand Parliamentarian, the Honorable James Meager, has a very specific designation—the first of its kind, in fact—in the world: Hunting and Fishing Minister of New Zealand. James joins to talk about the “HOSI” (Herd of Special Interest) process happening right now in New Zealand, which stands to greatly benefit many of the conservation organizations you’ve heard of and followed here at The Origins Foundation. Find out from James what it is, how it happens, and learn about the bright future of hunting in New Zealand. This is an incredible podcast, timed specifically to coincide with the Environment Select Committee taking comments on the two HOSI applications.

Get to know the guest: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/minister/biography/james-meager

Do you have questions we can answer? Send it via DM on IG or through email at info@theoriginsfoundation.org

Support our Conservation Club Members!

Glendene Hunting: https://glendenehunting.com/

Julian & Sons: https://julianandsons.com/

Panyame Cheetah Project: https://theoriginsfoundation.org/conservation-projects/panyame-cheetah-project/

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Music: Migration by Ian Post (Winter Solstice), licensed through artlist.io

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Episode 585 - Pierre Barau || Rhino Poachers vs. Dogs Aug 19, 2025

Show notes

Pierre Barau is a dog handler from Réunion (a former French colony), an island off the coast of Southern Africa. He currently serves as a dog handler for anti-poaching efforts in the Mkuze Falls area of Zululand, South Africa. Robbie met Pierre while filming the first installment of a rhino docuseries in South Africa. Pierre and Robbie sit down to talk about the stark realities of rhino poaching, what Pierre and his team are up against, and much more!

Get to know the guest: https://www.instagram.com/_pierre_barau_/?hl=en

Do you have questions we can answer? Send it via DM on IG or through email at info@theoriginsfoundation.org

Support our Conservation Club Members!

Glendene Hunting: https://glendenehunting.com/

Julian & Sons: https://julianandsons.com/

Panyame Cheetah Project: https://theoriginsfoundation.org/conservation-projects/panyame-cheetah-project/

See more from Blood Origins: https://bit.ly/BloodOrigins_Subscribe

Music: Migration by Ian Post (Winter Solstice), licensed through artlist.io

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Episode 584 - Peet Van Der Merwe || Hunting Benefits The Economy Aug 14, 2025

Show notes

Peet Van Der Merwe, a professor in the School of Tourism Management at the University of the Northwest, joins Robbie to nerd out on the science behind a paper on hunting tourism in a post-COVID world. Professor Peet is a returning guest, having discussed in earlier episodes the direct contributions of hunting in South Africa and much more. This is the kind of episode you need to listen to if you want to bury information in your brain about the benefits of hunting.

Get to know the guest: http://commerce.nwu.ac.za/tourism-research-economics-environs-and-society-trees-tourism-management/peet-van-der-merwe

Do you have questions we can answer? Send it via DM on IG or through email at info@theoriginsfoundation.org

Support our Conservation Club Members!

Bull Creek Outfitters: https://www.bullcreeklionhunts.com/

Cross Continent Expeditions: https://crosscontinentexpeditions.com/

Grumpy Duck Co: https://www.grumpyduckco.com/

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Music: Migration by Ian Post (Winter Solstice), licensed through artlist.io

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Roundup 157 || Hunting accident in South Africa, guided crocodile hunting in Australia, bear baiting and more! Aug 13, 2025

Show notes

Join Robbie and Ashlee for this week’s Roundup as they discuss the tragic hunting accident in South Africa, the connotations around the phrase “trophy hunting,” a proposed bill to allow guided crocodile hunting in Australia, and the continued debate over baiting bears!

Do you have questions we can answer? Send it via DM on IG or through email at info@theoriginsfoundation.org

Support our Conservation Club Members!

Bull Creek Outfitters: https://www.bullcreeklionhunts.com/

Cross Continent Expeditions: https://crosscontinentexpeditions.com/

Grumpy Duck Co: https://www.grumpyduckco.com/

See more from Blood Origins: https://bit.ly/BloodOrigins_Subscribe

Music: Migration by Ian Post (Winter Solstice), licensed through artlist.io

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Episode 583 - Mike Arnold || Bringing Back The Wild Aug 12, 2025

Show notes

Mike Arnold, a conservation geneticist, professor, and lifelong hunter from Texas, was blown away by the conservation ethic and benefits he witnessed during a hunting trip with Mark Haldane in Mozambique. He was so impressed, in fact, that he wrote a book about Mark’s efforts, Bringing Back the Lions. Robbie and Mike dive into why he wrote the book, what we can learn from these herculean efforts, and much more.

Get to know the guest: https://www.amazon.com/Bringing-Back-Lions-International-Tribespeople/dp/B0B4KXHVMH

Do you have questions we can answer? Send it via DM on IG or through email at info@theoriginsfoundation.org

Support our Conservation Club Members!

Bull Creek Outfitters: https://www.bullcreeklionhunts.com/

Cross Continent Expeditions: https://crosscontinentexpeditions.com/

Grumpy Duck Co: https://www.grumpyduckco.com/

See more from Blood Origins: https://bit.ly/BloodOrigins_Subscribe

Music: Migration by Ian Post (Winter Solstice), licensed through artlist.io

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Roundup 156 || Rewilding, Blondie The Lion, and More Aug 08, 2025

Show notes

On this week’s Roundup, Robbie and Ashlee discuss the IL “Rewilding” bill that was just signed into law, the controversy surrounding the take of “Blondie” the lion, a new bill proposing a national ban on baiting bears, increased Bear tags in LA and more!

Do you have questions we can answer? Send it via DM on IG or through email at info@theoriginsfoundation.org

Support our Conservation Club Members!

Wild Hunting Spain: https://www.wildhuntingspain.com/

Ivy Safaris: https://www.ivysafaris.com/

Old Wolf Taxidermy Cleaning: https://www.oldwolftaxidermycleaning.com/

See more from Blood Origins: https://bit.ly/BloodOrigins_Subscribe

Music: Migration by Ian Post (Winter Solstice), licensed through artlist.io

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Episode 582 - Marco Pani || Elephant Management In Zimbabwe Aug 07, 2025

Show notes

Marco Pani, Director of International Programs for Conservation Force, joins Robbie to discuss their behind-the-scenes conservation work on wide-ranging issues, such as the import-export of trophies, state-level game management and CITES. More specifically, the two dive deep in to their work with elephants in Zimbabwe and more - all from the floor of the inaugural Dallas Safari Club Summer Expo. Conservation Force is a little known organization that has done a yeoman's effort supporting government agencies all across the world in conservation, management of willdife, and policies and regulations of trade of wildlife.

Get to know the guest: https://www.conservationforce.org/

Do you have questions we can answer? Send it via DM on IG or through email at info@bloodorigins.com

Support our Conservation Club Members!

Wild Hunting Spain: https://www.wildhuntingspain.com/

Ivy Safaris: https://www.ivysafaris.com/

Old Wolf Taxidermy Cleaning: https://www.oldwolftaxidermycleaning.com/

See more from Blood Origins: https://bit.ly/BloodOrigins_Subscribe

Music: Migration by Ian Post (Winter Solstice), licensed through artlist.io

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Episode 581 - Travis Thompson || Alligator Alcatraz and Florida Black Bear Hunting! Aug 05, 2025

Show notes

Ashlee, with the Origins Foundations, discusses the conservation impacts of Alligator Alcatraz and whether Florida is about to get a real bear season for the first time in decades. Fifth Generation Floridian, Professional Hunting Guide & Conservationist of the Year, Travis Thompson, joins Ashlee to discuss the conservation and environmental risks associated with the highly controversial Alligator Alcatraz project in the Everglades as well as the upcoming final FWCC Commission vote on a Florida Black Bear Hunting Season.

Get to know the guest: https://www.instagram.com/travisthompson/?hl=en

Do you have questions we can answer? Send it via DM on IG or through email at info@theoriginsfoundation.org

Support our Conservation Club Members!

Wild Hunting Spain: https://www.wildhuntingspain.com/

Ivy Safaris: https://www.ivysafaris.com/

Old Wolf Taxidermy Cleaning: https://www.oldwolftaxidermycleaning.com/

See more from Blood Origins: https://bit.ly/BloodOrigins_Subscribe

Music: Migration by Ian Post (Winter Solstice), licensed through artlist.io

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Episode 580 - Mike Toft || 4,000 Rhino Dehornings And Counting Jul 31, 2025

Show notes

While Robbie was in Zululand starting to film a docu-series on rhinos, sustainable use of rhinos and all of the controversy around the trade in rhino horns, the team was fortunate enough to witness a couple of Rhino dehornings. The vet that performed the dehornings was Mike Toft, a wildlife veterinarian out of Kwazulu, Natel. A 30-year vet (no pun intended) of the wildlife veterinarian game, he has seen it all when it comes to rhino conservation. Robbie and Mike got together right after a recent dehorning by Mike of two rhinos that he’d darted from a helicopter less than an hour before the recording began. Mike recalls dehorning over 4,000 rhinos, and has arguably dehorned more rhino horns than anybody else in the world. Apologies for any shaking you hear in the background because Robbie and Mike recorded the podcast in Mike's vehicle as they were traveling between two dehornings.

Get to know the guest: https://www.instagram.com/drmiketoft/?hl=en

Do you have questions we can answer? Send it via DM on IG or through email at info@bloodorigins.com

Support our Conservation Club Members!

Backcountry Africa: https://www.backcountryafrica.com/

Builders Select Stone Company: https://www.buildersselectstonecompany.com/

Cantrell Outdoors: https://www.cantrelloutdoors.com/

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Music: Migration by Ian Post (Winter Solstice), licensed through artlist.io

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