Episode #20

MARK KENYON

About this Episode

My guest today is Mark Kenyon. Mark is a hunter, author, fellow-podcaster, and dedicated conservationist. He is the first guest of the show who is not a climber! Through rich outdoor experiences growing up, Mark took a dive deep into the world of conservation and public lands history. Now his entrepreneurial experience in conservation is nothing short of exceptional. The combination of hard work with his podcast, Wired to Hunt; his private land conservation efforts on the Back 40 project; and through his book, That Wild Country, his passion for and knowledge for our nation’s wild lands runs deep.

The main theme of the episode revolves around the notion of “public lands unite us.” We talk extensively about how the conservation and outdoor community, including hunters and climbers, have rallied together at imperative moments to create positive change when threats to our public lands were imminent. These victories we have seen in recent years are due to the effort and passion among all outdoor users joining forces. Mark provides a fresh perspective on the current state of our public lands through the eyes of a hunter, and walks us through where we started, where we have been, and where we are going.

0:31 – Intro

1:31 – Mark Kenyon: Hunter and angler, not a climber

4:02 – Conservation awareness

6:00 – More than just a public lands user

6:55 – Challenging assumptions about public lands and conservation

10:43 – Mark’s podcast, Wired to Hunt, and his experience at Google

17:42 – The hunter’s paradox

19:50 – Lessons and takeaways from Wired to Hunt

22:50 – The Back 40

26:43 – Transactional vs. participatory relationship with the outdoors

28:32 – “Giving away” the Back 40

29:22 – Mark’s book, That Wild Country

33:20 – Starting his book with the Bundys and the standoff at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

36:07 – Not here just on behalf of the hunting and fishing communities

38:24 – Are hunters the original conservationists?

44:15 – Declining numbers of hunters and anglers

49:22 – Top threats to climbers and hunters

53:10 – Joining forces and the resiliency of the conservation community

1:03:07 – Tools and resources

Mark’s Instagram: @wiredtohunt

Wired to Hunt: http://wiredtohunt.com/

The Back 40 Project: https://www.themeateater.com/watch/series/back-40

Back 40 Mini Series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOHFTvDmsbE

That Wild Country: https://www.amazon.com/That-Wild-Country-Journey-Americas/dp/1542043042/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

High Country News: https://www.hcn.org/

Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership: https://www.trcp.org/

Center for Western Priorities: https://westernpriorities.org/

“Public Lands Unite Us”: https://www.accessfund.org/open-gate-blog/our-public-lands-can-unite-us