Ep. 44: Jim Posewitz

Biologist, historian, author and renowned conservationist, Jim Posewitz is among the foremost experts on Theodore Roosevelt, conservation history and fair chase philosophy.

For this podcast, my colleague Sam Lungren and I traveled to Jim’s home in Helena, Montana. He took us along on the history of his life, which closely mirrors the history of conservation—from making fake deer tracks in the mud at a deer-less summer camp in his native Wisconsin; to traveling West to play football at Montana State University and see robust wildlife populations; to a 40-year career at Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks on the front lines of conserving wild places and waterways; and a prolific “retirement” in which he founded Orion–The Hunter’s Institute and wrote five books: Beyond Fair Chase, Inherit the Hunt, Rifle in Hand, Taking a Bullet for Conservation and My Best Shot.

Jim’s work Beyond Fair Chase has been printed more than 800,000 times and has become a standard text for hunter safety courses nationwide. We ended the recording with a thoughtful discussion of fair chase and the considerations hunters should make afield to abide by this valuable mindset. I hope you learn as much as I did!

 

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