The Joe Rogan ExperienceJoe Rogan Experience #2248 - Michael Waddell
CHAPTERS
- 0:00 – 2:18
Bigfoot skepticism, trail cams, and why hunters rarely see cryptids
Joe and Michael riff on Bigfoot, joking about "non-vegan" Sasquatch while making a serious point: hunters spend huge time in the woods and still don’t produce credible Bigfoot evidence. Trail cameras, rare-cat tracking, and the difficulty of even spotting mountain lions become the practical reality check.
- •Bigfoot shirt joke turns into a realism argument
- •Hunters’ field time vs. lack of Bigfoot sightings
- •Trail cameras as the strongest counter-evidence
- •Even real predators (mountain lions, wolves) are rarely seen
- 2:18 – 3:19
Graham Hancock, ancient cataclysms, and the mystery of lost civilizations
The conversation pivots to Hancock’s ideas: asteroid debris impacts around 11,800 years ago and the possibility that advanced societies existed earlier than commonly assumed. Joe frames modern civilization as potentially a "rebuild" after a global disruption.
- •Physical evidence and debate around the Younger Dryas impact period
- •How a catastrophe could reset or disrupt civilizations
- •Hancock’s approach as investigative/journalistic rather than purely academic
- •The allure of alternative timelines for human technological history
- 3:19 – 7:18
Ark of the Covenant rabbit hole: Ethiopia rumors, Vatican intrigue, and a Trump replica
Joe explains Hancock’s early motivation: researching the Ark of the Covenant, including Ethiopian claims, guarded access, and stories of radiation-like effects on guards. They pull up images of a replica reportedly displayed at Mar-a-Lago and debate what the Ark might have been physically.
- •Ethiopian church legend and restricted access claims
- •Stories resembling radiation sickness/cataracts among guards
- •Speculation about the Vatican’s hidden archives and relics
- •Replica sightings and how Biblical descriptions drive recreations
- 7:18 – 12:28
Arrowheads and artifact obsession: from Comanche territory to modern forgeries
They bond over the thrill of finding arrowheads—touching literal, handmade history—and how regional materials (quartz vs. flint) affect artifacts. Joe and Michael also note the modern problem: skilled knappers producing forgeries that muddy authenticity.
- •Emotional impact of holding ancient tools in your hand
- •Regional differences in materials and styles of points
- •Comanche territory ranch finds and “artifact hunting” culture
- •Modern knappers/forgeries and how they complicate provenance
- 12:28 – 16:06
Buffalo drops and Indigenous hunting strategy: engineering mass harvests
Michael shares a vivid Montana story about a buffalo drop site on private land, where small points and bone remains still surfaced. They discuss how groups could herd bison over cliffs, the social division of labor, and even tales of rotting piles combusting into fires.
- •How buffalo drops worked as coordinated hunting systems
- •Tiny “bird point” style heads found near kill sites
- •Social organization: herding, butchering, camp structures (stone rings)
- •Stories of decay/fermentation creating combustion at massive kill sites
- 16:06 – 17:07
Navajo Nation hunts, youth mentorship, and preserving outdoor culture
Michael describes hunting relationships with the Navajo Nation and efforts to take Navajo youth hunting to keep traditions alive. He contrasts the vast landscape resources with modern distractions and highlights the cultural knowledge at risk of fading.
- •Annual youth hunts with Navajo Game & Fish and mentors
- •Cultural erosion and the pull of modern convenience/entertainment
- •Hunting as identity, continuity, and education for young people
- •Respectful cross-cultural relationships formed through shared time outdoors
- 17:07 – 28:53
Ishi, Pope & Young, and the lineage of modern bowhunting
Michael traces bowhunting heritage through Ishi’s influence on Saxton Pope and Arthur Young, then to modern record-keeping and archery culture. They discuss what Pope & Young represents, how it parallels Boone & Crockett, and why archery feels uniquely meaningful.
- •Ishi as a key bridge from Indigenous technique to modern archery revival
- •Pope & Young’s origin and what record books represent
- •Archery as a discipline with deep heritage rather than just “sport”
- •How early bowhunters helped keep bowhunting alive post-rifle dominance
- 28:53 – 36:00
Early bowhunting media and the pioneers’ “wild” ethics by today’s standards
Old footage and stories (including 1920s bowhunting) spark a discussion about how early hunters documented experiments that would be heavily criticized today. They emphasize historical context: long travel by ship, uncertain gear performance, and learning through trial and error.
- •Watching/recalling early bowhunting footage (1920s era)
- •Old writing styles that included shots and outcomes with minimal filtering
- •Africa expeditions: months-long travel, huge gear loads, experimentation
- •How modern ethical expectations differ from early pioneering eras
- 36:00 – 42:37
Global bowhunting adventures: Pedro Ampuero, Mongolia elk, and hunting access worldwide
Joe recommends Pedro Ampuero’s channel as a window into difficult, culture-rich hunts across the globe—especially Mongolia elk hunts and yurt living. They compare hunting legality and access internationally, noting how unique North American hunting opportunities are.
- •Pedro’s storytelling: adventure, culture, and difficulty
- •Mongolia elk and guides’ confusion over bowhunting vs rifles
- •Differences in hunting legality (China, UK bowhunting restrictions)
- •Robin Hood reframed as hunting rights and survival, not “theft”
- 42:37 – 52:01
Turkey hunting, Mayan ruins in the jungle, and LiDAR discoveries
Michael recounts hunting ocellated turkeys near the Yucatán and stumbling upon unexcavated Mayan structures that locals treat as commonplace. Joe ties it to modern LiDAR mapping that’s rapidly revealing hidden cities and pyramids beneath dense vegetation.
- •Ocellated turkey hunts as a gateway to archaeology and wonder
- •Locals’ familiarity with ruins vs outsiders’ “postcard” expectations
- •LiDAR as a revolutionary tool for finding buried structures
- •Tension between discovery/publicity and protecting hunting grounds
- 52:01 – 1:18:14
City vs. country perspectives: why hunting changes people (and why media misrepresents it)
Joe describes how hunting transformed him—food over fire, humility in harsh landscapes, and a deep sense of connection. They critique Hollywood tropes (Bambi effect), the distortion from short hunting shows, and the moral confusion of criticizing hunters while buying industrial meat.
- •First-hand conversion: city upbringing to lifelong hunter mindset
- •Hunting as hard, humbling, and emotionally intense
- •Media tropes portraying hunters as villains; Bambi’s cultural impact
- •Hunting shows compressing time, creating “it’s easy/unfair” misconceptions
- 1:18:14 – 1:34:49
Wildlife management, predators, and “ballot biology”: lions, wolves, coyotes, and politics
They argue that predator-prey balance is complex and that policy should be driven by field reality, not urban voting or activism. Examples include mountain lion density in California, Colorado wolf reintroduction issues, and Michael’s own trapping results showing unseen predator abundance.
- •Mountain lions’ impact and why they’re rarely seen despite high numbers
- •California management vs. on-the-ground outcomes (pets as prey, lion density)
- •Colorado wolves: reintroduction politics and livestock depredation fallout
- •Trapping data on private land showing hidden coyote/predator presence
- 1:34:49 – 2:00:56
Archery tech, ethics, and performance under pressure (pins, Garmin sights, buck fever)
Joe and Michael get technical about archery: angle compensation, multi-pin vs single-pin tradeoffs, and rangefinding built into modern sights. They connect gear choices to real hunting constraints—awkward stances, tight shooting lanes, adrenaline—and the psychology of executing one perfect moment.
- •Angle compensation explained (uphill/downhill true distance)
- •Garmin ranging sights: benefits, reliability issues, and legality debates
- •Multi-pin advantages for judging arrow arc through “windows”
- •Buck fever, execution psychology, and why hunting shots aren’t “free throws”
- 2:00:56 – 2:52:11
Making a living in hunting: turkey calling contests, Realtree mentorship, and family disbelief
Michael outlines his unlikely career path: early turkey calling wins led to guiding, production work, and opportunities at Realtree, eventually becoming paid to do what he loved. He describes the cultural clash of leaving a stable trade job—while most of his family thought it was a reckless fantasy.
- •Turkey calling contests as the entry point to industry connections
- •Mentors Bill Jordan and David Blanton opening doors in media/production
- •Early outdoor TV era (TNN block) and learning on the job
- •Family skepticism vs. pursuing a non-traditional career path
