Category: Podcast
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149: Changes to Deer Hunting and Firearms Licensing in Ireland with Liam M. Nolan
There is a lot going on for Irish deer hunters at the moment. First, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine launched a Public Consultation on the Management of Deer in Ireland. There are a lot of questions and worries about the potential outcomes of this consultation. The online survey published as a part of it only confirmed these concerns. There is a common perception that it was constructed to lead to a preconceived outcome rather than to solicit…
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148: Environmental Dialogue with Rob Yorke
Those of you who follow me on social media already know that last week I gave a presentation about the use of podcasting for communicating complex and nuanced ideas to non-experts. The presentation was part of the 7th International Journalism Symposium on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Wildlife Resources. The symposium was moderated by a well-known environmental dialogue broker, Rob Yorke. Having Rob right then and there I couldn’t miss the opportunity to sit down with him for a quick…
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147: Woodcock Research and Hunting with James O’Neill
The woodcock is one of the most interesting birds. It is a wader that adapted to the woodland habitat. It has a range of unique characteristics like 360-degree vision, a flexible bill and white tail feathers that reflect up to 30% more light than the feathers of any other bird. It is also a valued game bird, meaning it is a sought-after quarry for bird hunters. So much so that an entire breed of gun dogs, cocker spaniels, was created…
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145: The Future of Hunting with Richard Prideaux
With declining wildlife populations, expanding urbanisation and dwindling social acceptance of hunting I often question whether this activity has a future. Add to the list the ageing population of hunters and the minimal recruitment of new hunters from young generations and the picture doesn’t look pretty. So is hunting fading into the history books together with the abundance of wild game and fish? To discuss this topic I sat down with Richard Prideaux, a wilderness skills and survival instructor, writer,…
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144: How to Cut All Chemical Nitrogen on a Farm with James Foley
I always enjoy speaking with farmers, whether on my podcast or when I’m out in the fields hunting and fishing. Therefore, I welcomed an opportunity to not only talk with James Foley, a dairy farmer from Co. Waterford, but to visit him and spend the day on his farm. Yes, that means it’s one of those rare episodes where I meet my guest in person, like in the old days, shake his hand and sit down in the same room…
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143: Emergent with Miriam Kate McDonald
In conversations about nature and wildlife, we often observe an ideological divide between two groups: farmers and rewilders. This divide can be seen in their different approaches to conservation and land management. Farmers tend to prioritise the production of food and other resources, while rewilders focus on restoring natural habitats and ecosystems, with a focus on ecological processes. We often ask the question of whether farming and rewilding can coexist. Today we are going a step further and asking if…
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142: Treated Like Animals with Alick Simmons
The subject of the humane treatment of animals is not an easy one. As hunters, anglers, conservationists, farmers and pet owners we like to think that we instinctively know which interactions with animals are humane and okay, and which are not. And when someone questions our actions or intentions we often tend to get irritated and defensive. The epithets like “bunny hugger” or “animal rights brigade” get thrown. The subject, however, is neither simple nor intuitive if you examine it…
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141: Atlantic Bluefin Tuna with William Roche
Join me for the conversation with Dr William Roche, a senior research officer at Inland Fisheries Ireland, about angler-driven fish tagging programmes. We put a particular focus on the Tuna CHART programme but we also talk about the Marine Sportfish Tagging Programme which is aimed at elasmobranch species of fish like sharks, skates and rays. And as you might expect I did not forget to enquire, albeit briefly, about the bass tagging program too. During our chat, we discuss the…
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140: Salmon Aquaculture and Coastal Communities with John Aitchison
I knew that salmon farming was bad but I didn’t realise quite how bad it really is. Salmon aquaculture creates massive ecological and welfare issues for the fish. Both farmed fish as well as wild fish populations are negatively affected by open-net aquaculture. And that is even before I mention the impacts the industry has on coastal communities. The massive amounts of toxic waste, misuse of pesticides, diseases and spread of parasites that negatively affect wild salmon are just the…
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139: Tommy’s Outdoors Year End Show
This is the final show of the year 2022. So, instead of examining another complex subject from the realm of conservation or ecology, I decided to record a solo episode and summarise what this year has been like for the podcast. I will also reveal some of the changes that are coming to the show. I look forward to bringing you more wildlife, conservation, hunting and fishing, rewilding and ecology content in the coming year. All the very best and…