Cliff Bampton’s career in wildlife management traces the origin of the profession. From graduate school dropout to chief of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission's Division of Game, Bampton helped define modern wildlife management.

In this episode of “Our Wild Lives,” host Katie Perkins sits down with long-time TWS member, Cliff Bampton. The conversation spans from his early adulthood experiences trapping black bears (Ursus americanus) in the Adirondack Mountains to his decades of experience at the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and Ducks Unlimited.

Despite the challenges he faced, such as trouble in school, color blindness, office politics, and more, Bampton leaves a legacy rooted in hard work, compromise, and cooperation.

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The National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have proposed four rule changes to the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

This episode of “Our Wild Lives” unpacks the four-rule proposal that could narrow ESA consultations, limit critical habitat, remove automatic protections for threatened species, and elevate economic considerations.

TWS staff members , Cameron Kovach, Kaylyn Zipp and Kelly O’Connor explain why these changes are happening, how they affect wildlife professionals and communities , and how to submit substantive public comments, which can be submitted until December 22, 2025.

Learn more:

Proposed Rules: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/11/21/2025-20549/endangered-and-threatened-wildlife-and-plants-listing-endangered-and-threatened-species-and

TWS ESA News Article: https://wildlife.org/endangered-species-rules-rollback-to-2019/

TWS Position Statement on the ESA: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://wildlife.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/TWS_IssueStatement_USEndangeredSpeciesAct_FINAL_2023.11.pdf

Submit comments about the proposed rules: https://www.regulations.gov/document/FWS-HQ-ES-2025-0039-0001

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A century ago, black bears in North Carolina were on the brink. Today, they’re thriving in mountains, coastal swamps, and even neighborhoods.

In this episode, we sit down with Colleen Olfenbuttel, TWS member, longtime bear biologist and the NCWRC game mammals and survey unit supervisor, to unpack how science-based management helped the once-rare species rebound. They also talk about how wildlife managers are tackling coexistence in a quickly urbanizing state.

Colleen takes us inside the state’s pivotal moves in the 1970s—mandatory harvest reporting, protections for females and cubs, and the creation of bear management areas that seeded recovery across the landscape. We dig into human-bear conflict, why unsecured attractants and intentional feeding sit at the root, and how BearWise communities, feeding bans, and bear-resistant trash cans cut problems at the source.

Colleen shares practical safety advice for black bear encounters, explains why relocating “problem bears” fails, and demystifies dens and hibernation.

Learn more:

About Colleen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-olfenbuttel/

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission: https://www.ncwildlife.gov/

BearWise: https://bearwise.org/

Bear cub rehabilitation program: https://www.ncwildlife.gov/wildlife-habitat/species/black-bear/what-happens-orphaned-black-bear-cubs-north-carolina

Become a Certified Wildlife Biologist - https://wildlife.org/certification-programs/

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A century ago, wild turkeys were a rare sight in many parts of the United States. Populations were estimated to be 200,000 or less across the country. Through science-based conservation and management, education, and sound policy, the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) helped grow turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) populations to over 6 million.

In this episode, Katie Perkins and Ed Arnett of The Wildlife Society join Mark Hatfield, former national director of science and planning, Jen Davis, hunting and shooting R3 coordinator for Michigan and Teresa Carroll, education and outreach program coordinator of the NWTF at turkey camp to share how their work has contributed to this remarkable recovery.

Through a mentored hunt, we learn what it took to bring wild turkey populations back from the brink and the role hunting can play in wildlife conservation.

Learn more:

The National Wild Turkey Federation: https://www.nwtf.org/

Mark Hatfield: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hatfield-mark/

Jen Davis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-davis-29a30817b/

Teresa Carroll: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresa-carroll-06912725/

NWTF Programs - https://www.nwtf.org/who-we-are/programs-outreach

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How do a lifetime of “firsts” and a fearless curiosity reshape everything we know about the world’s top predators?

In this episode, we sit down with Maurice Hornocker—TWS member, Aldo Leopold Memorial Award winner, and a widely considered godfather of carnivore research—to uncover the work that helped write the playbook for studying large predators.

Hornocker helped pioneer the practice of marking individual animals, and transformed wildlife research in the process. Along the way, he built something just as critical: the credibility and community trust needed to turn data into policy that lasts.

From grizzlies and cougars to bobcats and river otters, Hornocker has seen it all. His stories reveal not only how we learned to study carnivores, but how we learned to understand them.

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Learn more:

About Maurice Hornocker - https://wildlife.org/maurice-hornocker-wins-aldo-leopold-memorial-award/

Maurice's memoir, "Cougars on the Cliff" - https://www.cougarsonthecliff.com/

Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Maurice-G-Hornocker-31501351

Aldo Leopold Memorial Award Speech - https://youtu.be/vjtevQzncWg?si=oCM0lYKBDzyTqBjH

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The U.S. Virgin Islands is a picture of paradise, with pristine beaches, and postcard views of green hills and turquoise waters. But their name and the beautiful landscape disguise the fact that islands like St. Croix have experienced massive ecological change over the past few centuries. Invasive species like feral cats, mongoose and a number of introduce plants have driven many of St. Croix’s endemic species to extinction while others are barely hanging on. But some wildlife managers are working hard to turn back the destructive tide born from a legacy of colonialism.

Learn speaks with Nicole Angeli, director of the USVI Division of Fish and Wildlife, Jennifer Valiulis, executive director of the St. Croix Environmental Association, Olasee Davis, an assistant professor in the School of Agriculture at the University of the Virgin Islands, and Yaira Ortiz, an undergraduate student finishing her degree at the University of Miami who volunteers to survey endangered wildlife.

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How can the worlds of wildlife conservation and music come together in perfect harmony?

This episode brings together longtime members of The Wildlife Society, Emily Thoroski and Merlin Shoesmith, to show how science and art collide.

Emily shares how she works with children in her school workshops to co-write songs about nature. Merlin brings a lifetime of wildlife experience, including an incredible story about facing over a dozen grizzlies in Yellowstone. Together, they explore the balance between the scientist’s need to explain everything and the songwriter’s goal to say just enough.

Their song “The Eyes of the Wolf” reimagines Aldo Leopold’s famous insight about predators and ecological balance, turning a key conservation lesson into music that connects with people everywhere.

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Learn more:

Stream “The Eyes of the Wolf” - https://youtu.be/xRsw7O5RPsw?si=xrlHgbuU13XwTRY8

Emily Thoroski - https://www.manitobamusic.com/theenvironmentalmusician

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theenvironmentalmusician/?hl=en

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/7FZNZOIrL1l2UlUMwzZZK2?si=ZTAP6vnCR4mU5tAJP6lZSg

Merlin Shoesmith - https://www.naturemanitoba.ca/award-recipient/merlin-w-shoesmith/

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How does a voter mandate become a wolf reintroduction program?

In this episode, Katie and Ed sat down with Brenna Cassidy and Eric Odell of Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) to unpack the Colorado gray wolf (Canis lupus) reintroduction program.

The conversation explores ecological and behavioral questions surrounding gray wolf reintroduction. Can wolves trigger trophic cascades and change rivers? How are ungulate populations, such as elk (Cervus canadensis) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), altering their behavior? Are predator dynamics shifting as wolves reestablish their range?

Odell and Cassidy share their tips for navigating contentious topics with stakeholders, and they reveal what CPW is doing to mitigate wolf conflict.

The conversation also gives wisdom for aspiring biologists: say yes to varied work, build long‑term relationships, and listen first.

Learn more:

Colorado Parks and Wildlife: https://cpw.state.co.us/

Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan: https://cpw.widencollective.com/assets/share/asset/wixcpz0wez

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