For a few short weeks starting in late February, there is a window of opportunity to see an enormous congregation of geese, swans, ducks and other birds at a wildlife management area in Montana during their annual migration to northern breeding grounds.

In this episode of “Our Wild Lives,” Brent Lonner, a wildlife biologist with Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks and Ali Marschner, a farm bill biologist with Pheasants Forever, dive into the annual staging of hundreds of thousands waterfowl at Freezeout Lake Wildlife Management Area.

This episode tackles several issues, including the impact of drought, how a small-town festival built a tourism industry around the spring bird liftoff and the shifting uses of wildlife management areas.

“Our Wild Lives” is The Wildlife Society’s weekly podcast, sharing compelling stories from wildlife professionals doing critical work around the world. Your hosts, Katie Perkins and Ed Arnett of The Wildlife Society, bring you thought-provoking conversations with leading experts and emerging voices. New episodes are released weekly wherever you get your podcasts.

Further reading:

Wild Wings Choteau Festival: https://www.wildwingschoteau.org/

Share your thoughts on the Our Wild Lives Podcast by sending us a text here!

Become a member of The Wildlife Society: https://wildlife.org/membership/

Support Wildlife, Invest in Wildlife Professionals: https://wildlife.org/donate/

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Richard Dolbeer has spent his career trying to strike out airplane collisions on birds–his pitch for a solution has always been to support management action with good science.

In this episode of “Our Wild Lives,” host Katie Perkins sits down to learn about Dolbeer’s storied career. From reducing agricultural conflicts with the Bye-Bye Blackbird Committee to sorting through the wreckage of the “Miracle on the Hudson” for ‘snarge,’ the stories he tells are wild to say the least.

At 80 years old and 50 years of TWS membership, he still has no plans to retire. He continues to research and develop ways to keep wildlife and people safe on the runways and in the skies.

“Our Wild Lives” is The Wildlife Society’s weekly podcast, sharing compelling stories from wildlife professionals doing critical work around the world. Your hosts, Katie Perkins and Ed Arnett of The Wildlife Society, bring you thought-provoking conversations with leading experts and emerging voices. New episodes are released weekly wherever you get your podcasts.

Further reading:

Richard Dolbeer’s memoir “A Life on the Wild Side” - https://a.co/d/0fK9TgAf

Share your thoughts on the Our Wild Lives Podcast by sending us a text here!

Become a member of The Wildlife Society: https://wildlife.org/membership/

Support Wildlife, Invest in Wildlife Professionals: https://wildlife.org/donate/

Follow us on

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewildlifesociety/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewildlifesociety

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-wildlife-society/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@The_Wildlife_Society

Our winter 2026 issue of The Wildlife Professional featured a special focus on the mental health of wildlifers with articles discussing burnout, rehumanizing the workplace, imposter systems and more.

In this episode of “Our Wild Lives,” TWS digital content manager Katie Perkins is joined by TWS member and special focus contributing author Michelle Doerr. Together they explore Doerr’s path from urban deer biologist to conservation wellness and culture consultant. Along the way, she shares actionable tips for wildlifers looking to prioritise their mental health.

“Our Wild Lives” is The Wildlife Society’s weekly podcast, sharing compelling stories from wildlife professionals doing critical work around the world. Your hosts, Katie Perkins and Ed Arnett, of The Wildlife Society, bring you thought-provoking conversations with leading experts and emerging voices. New episodes are released weekly wherever you get your podcasts.

Further reading:

About Michelle - https://anavahconsulting.com/about-us/

Michelle’s business: https://anavahconsulting.com/

Read The Wildlife Professional - https://wildlife.org/the-wildlife-professional/

About her book, “Grapevine” - https://store.bookbaby.com/book/grapevine?srsltid=AfmBOoqz0mrkuo-3pry83_H7oiX_zslC3wo7FEysjssAHt6skFnYii7X

The Voice of the Earth by Theodore Roszak - https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Voice_of_the_Earth.html?id=RnyxQgAACAAJ

A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold - https://www.aldoleopold.org/products/a-sand-county-almanac

Share your thoughts on the Our Wild Lives Podcast by sending us a text here!

Become a member of The Wildlife Society: https://wildlife.org/membership/

Support Wildlife, Invest in Wildlife Professionals: https://wildlife.org/donate/

Follow us on

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewildlifesociety/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewildlifesociety

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-wildlife-society/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@The_Wildlife_Society