While visiting College of Coastal Georgia to give a seminar, Dr. Mike Arnold sat down with Tim Lowe and Duane Harris—the two visionaries behind an innovative speaker series within the college’s Environmental Sciences program.

Their shared goal was both bold and intentional: to bring forward voices willing to discuss the often-misunderstood importance of consumptive sports, including hunting and fishing, in modern conservation.

In this episode of Bringing Back the Wild, Tim and Duane trace the origins of their “brainchild” and explain why exposing non-hunting students to the central role of hunting and angling is essential to understanding conservation success in North America and beyond.

Thoughtful, educational, and timely, this conversation highlights how honest dialogue and academic courage can help bridge cultural gaps and secure a future for wildlife conservation.

Sponsors of Bringing Back the Wild include Royal Outfitters UK, Life-Form Taxidermy, Zambeze Delta Safaris, and Safari Specialty Importers.

In this episode of Bringing Back the Wild, host Mike Arnold talks with longtime friend and professional hunter Mark Haldane about one of Africa’s most remarkable conservation success stories—Coutada 11 in Mozambique.

Haldane traces his path from a free-roaming childhood in South Africa to nearly four decades in the safari industry, culminating in his work restoring a war-ravaged landscape. When he first entered Coutada 11 in 1994, wildlife barely survived. Buffalo numbered in the hundreds, sable antelopes clung to a single small herd, and zebra nearly disappeared. Through protection, habitat recovery, and disciplined management, wildlife rebounded dramatically. Today, tens of thousands of animals roam freely across an unfenced ecosystem.

As the land healed, Haldane made a deliberate choice to restore balance by reintroducing apex predators. Lions, supported in part by Mary Cabela and her family, returned to the landscape under rigorous scientific monitoring. Hunting now removes less than one percent of the population while funding long-term protection.

The conversation also highlights community-driven conservation, including a thriving beekeeping program that empowers local women and a successful pangolin rehabilitation effort. Throughout the episode, Haldane delivers a clear message: when conservation creates real value for people, the wild comes back—and stays.

Sponsors of Bringing Back the Wild include Royal Outfitters UK, Life-Form Taxidermy, Zambeze Delta Safaris, Safari Specialty Importers, Travel Express, and AfricaSky Boutique Hotel.

In this engaging and wide-ranging conversation, Mike sits down with Diana Rupp, Editor-in-Chief of Sports Afield, for a fun, thoughtful, and insightful discussion.

From stories of Diana as an eight-year-old helping her parents field-dress deer, to her professional journey in outdoor media, the episode traces how a lifelong hunting heritage shaped her worldview.

The conversation goes deeper into Diana’s understanding that hunting is the most effective tool for conservation worldwide—supporting wildlife management, habitat protection, and community engagement.

With humor, mutual respect, and plenty of authenticity, this episode highlights how tradition, science, and storytelling intersect to help “bring back the wild.”

Sponsors of Bringing Back the Wild include Royal Outfitters UK, Life-Form Taxidermy, Zambeze Delta Safaris, and Safari Specialty Importers.