Wildlife, Wonder & Brave Wilderness: A Conversation with Ray Tiller

Nov 3

🎧 Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music

Ray Tiller is a wildlife filmmaker, Brave Wilderness host, and the creative force behind the YouTube channel Fintastic Films.

In this episode, Ray shares how childhood wonder, media, and Midwest bike rides led him to a dream job working alongside his idol-turned-mentor, Coyote Peterson.

We chat about how parents can foster curiosity for nature, use media as a tool for learning (not just zoning out), and help kids fall in love with “scary” animals like snakes and sharks. Plus, Ray shares wild stories from the field—including a shark encounter that’ll have your jaw on the floor.

From Jurassic Park to Brave Wilderness

Ray shares how a childhood love for dinosaurs and nature shows inspired his journey into wildlife filmmaking—and how a dream opportunity to work with Coyote Peterson became a reality.

Media as a Gateway to Nature

We talk about the power of educational media to help kids love (and not fear) wildlife. Ray offers smart ways to balance tech and outdoor exploration, encouraging parents to think of cameras and content creation as creative tools, not just distractions.

Respecting “Scary” Animals

Snakes, spiders, and sharks aren’t as terrifying as we think. Ray explains why these creatures matter, how to teach kids to respect them, and what to do when you’re actually face-to-face with one in the wild.

Behind the Scenes with Brave Wilderness

Ray pulls back the curtain on what it’s like to work with Coyote Peterson, film educational content, and get up-close with some jaw-dropping creatures (hello, hammerheads!).

Helping Kids Love the Outdoors

Ray shares practical advice for parents: Start small, stay consistent, and foster curiosity. His own childhood was shaped by freedom to explore—and now he’s encouraging a new generation to do the same.

Where to find Ray Tiller:

Julianne Nienberg (00:00)
Today's guest is someone your kids might already know, or if they don't, they're about to have a new favorite YouTuber. Ray Tiller is a wildlife filmmaker, digital creator, and host on the wildly popular Brave Wilderness channel, where he works alongside childhood idol turned mentor, Coyote Peterson. He also runs his own channel, Fintastic Films, creating family-friendly wildlife content that's both thrilling and deeply educational. Ray fell in love with animals and filmmaking as a kid after watching Jurassic Park,

Ray (00:00)
Today's guest is someone your kids might already know, or if they don't, they're about to have a new favorite YouTuber. Ray Tiller is a wildlife filmmaker, digital creator, and host of the wildly popular Brave Wilderness channel, where he works alongside childhood idol turned mentor, Coyote Peterson. He also runs his own channel, Fantastic Films, creating family-friendly wildlife content that's both thrilling and deeply educational. Ray fell in love with animals and filmmaking as a kid after watching Jurassic Park.

Julianne Nienberg (00:29)
and discovering nature shows on YouTube. And instead of growing out of that wonder, he built his entire life around it. Now he's on a mission to make misunderstood creatures like sharks, snakes, and spiders less scary and to help the next generation fall in love with the natural world. Whether you're a parent raising a budding explorer or just want to get your kids outside more, Ray's got the spark, the stories, and the science to make it happen. Ray, welcome to the podcast.

Ray (00:29)
and discovering nature shows on YouTube. Instead of growing out of that wonder, he built his entire life around it. Now he's on a mission to make misunderstood creatures like sharks, snakes, and spiders less scary and to help the next generation fall in love with the natural world. Whether you're a parent raising a budding explorer or just want to get your kids outside more, Ray's got the spark, the stories, and the science to make it happen. Ray, welcome to the podcast.

Hi, thank you so much for having me on. It's an honor to be sitting here with you today.

Julianne Nienberg (00:58)
it's a treat for me. And I have to tell you, I'm getting cool points with my kids for having you on because they have watched your episodes. They think you're a cool guy. And I love that so much of the episodes that they've seen have been kind of created here and around the Midwest. And there's been some other travels and adventures that I want to get into. But I wanted to rewind your childhood for a minute. You know, I see a Jurassic Park poster hanging up on your wall. tell us how a movie like Jurassic Park.

Ray (00:58)
it's a treat for me. And I have to tell you, I'm getting cool points with my kids for having you on because they have watched your episodes. They think you're a cool guy. And I love that so much of the episodes that they've seen have been kind of created here and around the Midwest. And there's been some other travels and adventures that I want to get into. But I wanted to rewind your childhood for a minute. You know, I see a Jurassic Park poster hanging up on your wall. That's Tell us how a movie like Jurassic Park.

Julianne Nienberg (01:26)
and other YouTube shows inspired your love of nature as a kid and how it ultimately led to filmmaking.

Ray (01:26)
and other YouTube shows inspired your love of nature as a kid and how it ultimately led to filmmaking.

Yeah, well, I can vividly remember my first experience with the movie Jurassic Park. I was around the age of six years old and I remember walking into the living room and my dad had it on the TV and I happened to walk in at the ending scene where the T-Rex like takes care of the Raptors, has the big roar, the banners falling down and everything. And as a six year old kid, you can imagine

just being mind blown seeing that for the first time. was like, my God, I have to watch this movie. And then I think it was the next day or so my dad sat down with me and we watched the full movie and I just fell so much in love with dinosaurs, with wildlife, with the natural world. And that kind of stuck with me since I was six years old. And then, know, fast forward a couple of years after the fact around the age of nine or 10.

Julianne Nienberg (02:13)
And then, you know, fast forward a couple of years after the fact, around the age of nine

or 10, kind of simultaneously I discovered two YouTube shows. One being Jonathan Bird with Jonathan Bird's Blue World, and the other being Coyote Peterson with Brave Oldenness. And that really cemented my love and fascination for the natural world and my dream of doing that same thing, being a wildlife content creator, wildlife filmmaker.

Ray (02:17)
Kind of simultaneously, I discovered two YouTube shows, one being Jonathan Bird with Jonathan Bird's Blue World and the other being Coyote Peterson with Brave Wilderness. And that really cemented my love and fascination for the natural world. And my dream of doing that same thing, being a wildlife content creator, wildlife filmmaker, was

born in that moment. And ever since I was 10 years old, I never even thought about doing something else.

with my life. since that point in time, it's basically just trying to learn the filmmaking process as much as I can, getting out in nature, going on adventures as much as possible. And yeah, trying to turn that into a full-time career. I love how you shared some of the mentors and inspiration that you had growing up. My kids have also been huge Coyote Peterson I had children during the time of COVID and it was an episode on octopus.

Julianne Nienberg (02:59)
I love how you shared some mentors and inspiration that you had growing up. My kids have also been huge Coyote Peterson fans. I had children during the time of COVID.

And it was an episode on octopus

that my daughter fell in love with. She was three years old. She could barely say it, but Coyote was off somewhere searching for a different octopus in, I think, South America. And ever since that moment, just like how Jurassic Park was cemented in your brain, this animal, this creature was cemented in my daughter's brain. And she had an octopus stuffy. She had octopus blankets. She had an octopus.

Ray (03:14)
that my daughter fell in love with. was three years old. She could barely say it, but Coyote was off somewhere searching for a different octopus in, I think, South America. And ever since that moment, just like how Jurassic Park was cemented in your brain, this animal, this creature was cemented in my daughter's brain. And she had an octopus stuffy. She had octopus blankets. She had an octopus

Christmas ornament hanging on the tree that year. That was the year that she discovered nature and wildlife specifically.

Julianne Nienberg (03:35)
Christmas ornament hanging on the tree that year. That was the year that she discovered nature and wildlife specifically. And

Ray (03:43)
And I love that for you, a movie and media cemented this idea and this love of nature and wildlife at such a young age. It sounds like there's never been a doubt in your mind about this path. And I think that's so beautiful and also really rare. What do you think kept that fighter alive for

Julianne Nienberg (03:43)
I love that for you, a movie and media cemented this idea and this love of nature and wildlife at such a young age. It sounds like there's never been a doubt in your mind about this path. And I think that's so beautiful and also really rare. What do you think kept that fire alive for you?

Ray (03:59)
you? I

it's a mixture of the media that I was exposed to also coming up in kind of the golden age of the digital space and YouTube, where it became

really popular when I was going through the end of elementary school into middle school and especially throughout the course of my high school tenure, but also the way that I was brought up with my parents. My parents are definitely on the older side, especially my dad, so it's kind of that old school parenting style of less technology, more go out into the yard, go on bike rides with your friends, stuff like that. And those two things kind of cemented my love.

since a very, very young age. And yeah, it's definitely stuck with me to this day.

know here at My Outdoors Mom, a lot of my audience feels the same way. They are just drawn to return to what almost feels like a nostalgic childhood for their kids and getting them outside, getting them on bike rides and giving them a little bit of independence. What's a really vivid memory of childhood for you that involves the outdoors?

Julianne Nienberg (04:40)
know here at My Outdoorsy Mom a lot of my audience feels the same way. They are just feeling drawn to return to what almost feels like a nostalgic childhood for their kids and getting them outside, getting them on bike rides and giving them little bit of independence. What's a really vivid memory of childhood for you that involves the outdoors?

Ray (04:58)
pretty much my summer and my weekends growing up through elementary and middle school. And the way that my parents operated, again, going back to that kind of old school parenting style, was like, okay, kind of stay within these boundaries, be back by this time, go out and have fun. that was a huge part of my childhood, going out with friends, riding bikes, exploring local creeks, local ponds, everything like that. And,

I didn't have my first cell phone until the end of seventh grade going into eighth grade. So that was pretty much like my only route of having real adventure and a lot of fun at a very, very young age. that's kind of like my core childhood right there, just going out during the summer every weekend, every opportunity I had and whether it's bike riding, hiking, trudging through the muddy creeks, that was my childhood.

Julianne Nienberg (05:46)
That sounds perfect. And I know a lot of parents are leaning into creating space in their kids' days for a childhood like that. And I hear you talk about media. And I think how a lot of parents in this space are desiring to go low screen or low tech. But a point that you make that I really want to spend time talking about is how powerful educational media can be. So in our family,

Ray (05:46)
That sounds perfect. And I know a lot of parents are leaning into creating space in their kids days for a childhood like that. And I hear you talk about media. And I think how a lot of parents in this space are desiring to go low screen or low tech. But a point that you make I really want to spend time talking about is how powerful education media can be. So in our family,

Julianne Nienberg (06:13)
we save screen time for Friday nights and it's Friday night movie night. And sometimes it's an old school Disney film. Recently it's been a lot of baseball movies because my son is really into baseball. But sometimes it's a slow moving nature nat-geo type of film or documentary that's not only cinematically beautiful, but really easy for parents to enjoy too because the cinematography.

Ray (06:13)
we save screen time for Friday nights and it's Friday night movie night. And sometimes it's an old school Disney film. Recently it's been a lot of baseball movies because it's really into baseball. But sometimes it's a slow moving nature nat geo type of film or documentary that's not only cinematically beautiful, but really easy for parents to enjoy too because the cinematography

Julianne Nienberg (06:38)
is beautiful, but it's also educational.

Ray (06:38)
is beautiful, but it's also educational.

Julianne Nienberg (06:40)
And I think a lot of parents overlook how powerful educational media can be. Why do you believe that media can be a gateway to helping kids fall in love with wildlife?

Ray (06:40)
And I think a lot of parents overlook how powerful educational media can be. Why do you believe that media can be a gateway to helping kids fall in love with wildlife?

Well, I'm a firm believer that media is the greatest way to captivate the general public and to get people invested in a certain cause. And, you know, I'm a firsthand example of that because

my entire career, all of my beliefs when it comes to adventure, the natural world, conservation, all stem from my exposure to media at a young age. Because, you know, especially growing up here in the Midwest, maybe not the most biodiverse place on planet Earth. You know, watching programs like Brave Wilderness, watching BBC documentaries, whatever it may be, that exposes you and kind of makes you realize how

big the planet is and how much it needs our protection. not everyone is able to go out and see the natural world for themselves like you see in these documentaries. So getting that exposure through media is, in my opinion, the greatest way to get people invested and want to get them outdoors. One of the things that Mike and I were laughing so hard at was the video.

Julianne Nienberg (07:47)
One of the things that my kids and I were laughing so hard at was the videos

of you strapping a GoPro onto the snapping turtles and having that point of view from the snapping turtle and that

Ray (07:53)
strapping a GoPro onto the snapping turtle having that point of view from the snapping turtle. And that

Julianne Nienberg (07:59)
resonated with my kids because as you mentioned, we live in the Midwest. Michigan is a beautiful state for my kids to grow up in. But in terms of biodiversity, we have our local, flora and fauna right here in our backyard. We have a pond and the wildlife that we get in our, in just our backyard

Ray (07:59)
resonated with my kids because as you mentioned, we live in the Midwest. Michigan is a beautiful state for my kids to grow up in. But in terms of we have our flora and fauna right here in our backyard. We have a pond and the wildlife that we get in our, in just our backyard.

Julianne Nienberg (08:16)
is incredible. We've had a snapping turtle lay 40 eggs in our backyard and talk about a science lesson right there. We spent the entire morning following

Ray (08:17)
is incredible. We had a sna 40 eggs in our backyard. science lesson right th morning following

the sna was scouting out of place. for days scouting out of eggs.

Julianne Nienberg (08:26)
the snapping turtle as it was scouting out a place. They were at our house for days scouting out a place to lay her eggs. And

when we did, we were watching from a safe distance, but my kids got to see this almost archaic creature digging our dirt with its claws. And then she buried all the eggs and she poured sand over all the eggs. And then she just kind of sauntered off. And I thought, this is so cool. You know, we live in Michigan. We live in the suburbs of Metro Detroit, yet

Ray (08:41)
digging our dirt with its claws and then she buried all the eggs and she poured sand over all the eggs and then she just kind of sauntered off and I thought this is so cool you know we live in Michigan we live in the suburbs of Metro Detroit yet

wildlife your local wildlife can be found you know not far from your house and sometimes the biggest adventures for kids can be following the turtle or just bird hunting or things like love that

Julianne Nienberg (08:55)
Wildlife, your local wildlife can be found, you know, not far from your house. And sometimes the biggest adventures for kids can be following a turtle or just bird hunting or things like that. I love that you

Ray (09:09)
You use media to help you fall in love with the natural world. And to your point, families can use media to help them ⁓ to help get their kids involved in the conservation of nature and wildlife.

Julianne Nienberg (09:09)
used media to help you fall in love with the natural world. And to your point, families can use media to help them to help get their kids involved in the conservation of nature and wildlife.

Tell us about your journey with wildlife conservation. At what point did it go from loving dinosaurs in Jurassic Park to realizing, ⁓ I have a part in protecting what I care about?

Ray (09:23)
Tell us about your journey with wildlife conservation. At what point did it go from loving dinosaurs in Jurassic Park to realizing, ⁓ I have a part in protecting what I care about? I think it was around that

10 year age mark where I discovered Jonathan Bird and Coyote Peterson and that's where you know at the surface you may see like a coyote bite and sting episode you're like okay that's cool that's engaging but it's much deeper than that and the messages that they put out they were striving so much for conservation trying to reach as broad of an audience as possible to get people invested in wanting to protect

the natural world. So it was around that age, which may seem pretty young, but especially falling in love with the more misunderstood creatures, especially sharks. then learning about, industrial fishing, learning about poaching, deforestation, all of these different things that can be detrimental to different ecosystems and animals. At a young age, that was devastating, especially when you think of certain species and you're like, I'm 10 years old.

Julianne Nienberg (10:14)
Hmm.

I'm 10 years

Ray (10:27)
when I'm

Julianne Nienberg (10:28)
old.

Ray (10:28)
in my 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s, these species may not exist anymore. And that was just unfathomable to me at such a young age. And that's where I was like, okay, I want to spread the message for conservation for the world. that's just kind of continued over the course of my childhood and now into my adult life. What's something you wish more families knew about scary animals, like you mentioned, like sharks?

Julianne Nienberg (10:38)
and that's where I was like, okay, I want to spread the message for...

And yeah, that's just kind of continued over the course of my childhood and now into my adult life. What's something you wish more families knew about scary animals like you mentioned, like sharks,

snakes, spiders?

Ray (10:54)
snake spires?

I want everyone to understand that as scary, as creepy as an animal might be, every species on planet Earth serves an important role in their ecosystem. Whether it's a great white shark swimming in the wide open ocean or something as small as a black widow spider, which so many people are afraid of, especially here in the United States, it's serving an incredibly important role and should be respected. It doesn't mean you have to fall in love with these kind of

creepy and almost scary animals, but just respect them and realize that they're serving an important role. If you see one in the wild, you shouldn't want to kill it. You shouldn't want to get rid of it. And just overall having that deep respect for every species. That's how I feel about bats. Especially at the summertime, we're hanging out in our backyard and the bats start coming up. My kid knows they start laughing at me because I'm running into the house. I know the bats are never going to get anywhere near me, but that's a reminder that bats

Julianne Nienberg (11:36)
That's how I feel about bats. know, when it's especially at the summertime, we're hanging out in our backyard and the bats start coming out. My kids know they start laughing at me because I'm running into the house. I know the bats aren't ever going to get anywhere near me, but that's a reminder that bats,

just like every creature, serve a purpose. They're great at getting mosquitoes. They're also pollinators, which I just recently learned. And so, you know, we've talked about bees being pollinators with our children, but just recently we just learned that bats are also great pollinators. So to your point, I think there's such

Ray (11:50)
just like every creature serve a purpose. They're great at getting mosquitoes. They're also pollinators, which I just recently learned. And so, you know, we've talked about bees being pollinators with our children, but just recently we just learned that bats are also great pollinators. So to your point, I think there's such,

there's such a great lesson for children to know that every single creature has a purpose and it can help open the doors to fostering a curiosity for them, but also

Julianne Nienberg (12:06)
There's such a great lesson for children to know that every single creature has a purpose and it can help open the doors to fostering a curiosity for them, but also

a spirit of conservation, right?

Ray (12:19)
a spirit of conservation, right?

Yeah, for sure. Here's a question for you, Ray. How can parents help their kids appreciate types of scary animals instead of fear them? Like, I fear the bat. Well, you know,

Julianne Nienberg (12:23)
a question for you, Ray. How can parents help their kids appreciate these types of scary animals instead of fear them? Like I fear the bats.

Ray (12:31)
Going back to the whole media thing, showing them the right types of media with these feared and misunderstood creatures. especially with sharks, instead of having them sit down and watch the movie Jaws or something like that, show them a more natural documentary on the ocean or sharks in general. But also,

Like just getting them out in nature and seeing these animals in person. I think that's the biggest thing, especially with sharks, snakes, and spiders. The three S's, the three animals groups that people are most afraid of in the world. Once you see them in their natural environment, you're like, it's not really threatening. It's just kind of sitting there, or it's just kind of swimming along. It's almost majestic, if you want to say so. So seeing them out in the wild, giving them that physical exposure in person,

Julianne Nienberg (13:08)
it's just kind of sitting there or it's just kind of swimming along. It's almost majestic if you want to say so. So seeing them out in

Ray (13:19)
is a fantastic way for children especially to see that, okay, this animal's creepy looking, it's potentially dangerous, but it wants nothing to do with me, it's serving an important role, and it just wants to be left alone. Speaking of scary creatures, and you talked about the three S's, tell us about a time that you a scary experience with a creature, kids and I have watched your videos, and there are times...

Julianne Nienberg (13:31)
Speaking of scary creatures and you talked about the three S's Tell us about a time that you had a scary experience with a creature because my kids and I have watched your videos and there are times

There

Ray (13:42)
there was a spider in particular. And I love that you heeded caution you turned to the camera and said, I am not going try to get near this. This is what I'm not going to mess with. And it was a great lesson for my kids to be respectful, to heed caution, but also that we can admire these creatures. So what's something that's potentially a little scary that happens to one of these adventures?

Julianne Nienberg (13:43)
was a spider in particular, and I love that you heeded caution and you turned to the camera and said, I am not going to, try to get near the spider. This is one I'm not going to mess with. And it was a great lesson for my kids to be respectful, to heed caution, but also that we can admire these creatures. So what's something that's potentially a little scary that happened to you on one of these adventures?

Ray (14:03)
I think one of the first things that pops into my mind was last

Spring I was in the Florida Keys and the target was to swim with a school of scallop tamerhead sharks Which has always been on the top of my bucket list But we pull up to the spot and immediately there is a smaller shark known as a silky shark Which was about four or five feet in length which might not seem that big but still about a four or five foot fish is a pretty good sized fish and I was like, okay, I want to hop in the water. I've never filmed this species before

and right off the bat, this shark was showing aggressive behavior. And since it is on the smaller side, I believed it was probably stopping. It had probably gone a few weeks without a meal, which made it more aggressive. And basically, the shark was circling me. Its pectoral fins were pointed down, which is a sign of aggression. thankfully, I had a huge camera rig in front of me, which the shark kept ramming with the front of its snout. And if I did not have that camera there,

that shark would have been coming straight into the midsection of my body and I probably would have taken a bite. And that was one of those moments when you're with a potentially dangerous animal and I was sitting there and mentally preparing to possibly take a bite. Like what am I gonna do if I take a bite from the shark? What's the boat ride back gonna look like? What am I gonna do if the shark approaches my blind side? Things like that, so.

Julianne Nienberg (15:14)
⁓ What am I going to do if I take a bite from the shark?

I have

lot of like that.

Ray (15:23)
That's a little bit of a kind of freaky experience. Definitely the closest I've ever been to being chomped by a shark. But, you know, if you think that's spooky, I have a lot of like that, especially in the Florida Everglades.

It seems like every time I'm in Florida, there's some kind of close call with an alligator. But venomous snakes, of course, I've had a lot of close run-ins with animals. But if you go out there with them and you have the right knowledge and the right respect for them,

the chances of you actually getting injured are very, very low. Okay, good to know. Maybe not planning a to the Everglades anytime soon. No, I've heard that it's such a beautiful, biodiverse place to go to. We've many family and friends tell us, especially recently, that they've gone to the Everglades. And so it is high up on our So one of the ways that we discovered you is through your work,

Julianne Nienberg (15:53)
Okay, good to know. Maybe not planning a trip to the Everglades anytime soon. No, I'm just kidding. I've heard that it's such a beautiful, biodiverse place to go to. We've had many family and friends tell us, especially recently, that they've gone to the Everglades. And so it is high up on our list. So one of the ways that we discovered you is through your work

with Coyote Peterson and the Brave Wilderness team. Tell us what has that

Ray (16:13)
with Coyote Peterson and the Brave Wilderness team. Tell us what has that

Julianne Nienberg (16:17)
been like to go from an admirer and someone who has watched and grown up with Coyote to be working alongside Coyote.

Ray (16:17)
been like to go from an admirer and someone who has watched and grown up with Coyote to be working alongside Coyote? It's nothing short of a dream come true. like Brave Wilderness is about to turn 11 years old and I discovered them pretty much right during their launch with their first episode.

when I was about 10 years old. And so it was my entire childhood of watching every Brave Wilderness episode, being obsessed with Coyote, wanting to do what he does for a living when I reached an older age. And I graduated high school and still there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to be a wildlife filmmaker, a wildlife content creator. And a couple of years went by, I was constantly grinding on my own personal channel, but you know,

Julianne Nienberg (16:59)
Hmm.

Ray (17:05)
wasn't really seeing the amount of success that I dreamed of as a child. But my silver lining came through in October of 2023 when I got an email from the Brave Wilderness office saying that Coyote Peterson wants to set up a Zoom call with you to talk about a potential collab. And I still remember receiving that email. My hand was like this, holding my phone, just so nervous, so mind blown. And, you know, a couple of Zoom calls later, we really clicked.

Julianne Nienberg (17:20)
a Zoom call with you to talk about a potential collab.

this ⁓

Ray (17:35)
We settled on going and shooting a snapping turtle bite test for the Brave Wilderness channel. And

ever since that moment, it's just kind of been exponential growth of what's the next project? What are we gonna be filming next? And yeah, like I said, it's been nothing short of a dream come true. ⁓ You know, the famous saying is to never meet your heroes in real life because they'll disappoint you.

Julianne Nienberg (17:41)
Ever since that moment, it's just kind of been exponential growth of what's the next project? What are we going to be filming next? And yeah, like I said, it's been nothing short of a dream come true. You know, the famous saying is to never meet your heroes in real life.

Ray (17:58)
Coyote has not been disappointing at all. He has actually exceeded all of my expectations. He's an incredible guy, the most quick thinking person I've ever met in my life. And I'm proud to say now he's not only a mentor, but also kind of like a coworker slash boss at this point. That's incredible. I know Coyote has done so much to bring wildlife to children. You you mentioned your timeline in watching

Julianne Nienberg (18:00)
not been disappointing at all. He has actually exceeded all of my expectations. He's an incredible guy, the and quick-sitting person I've ever met in my life. And I'm to say now, he's not only a mentor, but also kind

That's incredible. know Coyote has done so much to bring wildlife to children. You you mentioned your timeline in watching the

Ray (18:27)
the Brave Wilderness channel, my daughter started watching back in 2020 and we still wear our Brave Wilderness hats around the house. We still have Brave Wilderness merch everywhere and we there you go, have one of his books.

Julianne Nienberg (18:27)
Brave Wilderness channel. My daughter started watching back in 2020 and we still wear our Brave Wilderness hats around the house. We still have Brave Wilderness merch everywhere. And we have, there you go, we have one of his books.

And it's one of actually it's one of my kids favorite books is to sit down and read through just learning about wildlife and nature and they will listen to that all day. We love listening to his,

Ray (18:43)
And it's one of, actually it's one of my kids' favorite books is to sit down and read through just learning about wildlife and nature. And they will listen to that all day. We love listening to his

Julianne Nienberg (18:55)
his audio books as well. So what an incredible opportunity that you get to work alongside like your hero and he's now become a mentor and you have been woven into the Brave Wilderness brand. Congratulations. mean, that is just, that is really awesome to hear. Now,

Ray (18:55)
on his audio books as well. So what an incredible opportunity that you get to work alongside like your hero and you can now become a mentor and you have been woven into the Brave Wilderness brand. Congratulations. That is really awesome to hear. Now,

Julianne Nienberg (19:12)
Apart from nature or apart from wildlife and conservation, what are some other things that you enjoy doing in nature now and what else did you enjoy as a kid growing up?

Ray (19:12)
apart from nature or apart from wildlife and conservation, what are some other things that you enjoy doing in nature now and what else did you enjoy as a kid growing up?

I've always been an incredibly avid hiker. Any chance I have to just kind of walk through the wilderness, whether it's on a paved trail or going off the trail and wandering on my own, which may not be the greatest advice for young children out there to do. anything like that, I've always loved hiking. I love kayaking. I've become a huge paddleboarder over the past couple of years too. Love to do that. I love diving. I love snorkeling.

There's really not anything outdoor related that I don't love. like you name it and I'm definitely always game to go out and do it. Now you mentioned earlier, your parents are really kind of old school and letting you have some independence. Did they always have this openness to letting you try outdoor sports or outdoor activity from a young age? They always did. And that's something I'm very grateful.

Julianne Nienberg (19:55)
Now, you mentioned earlier, your parents were really kind of old school and letting you have some independence. Did they always have this openness to letting you try outdoor sports or outdoor activities from a young age?

Ray (20:12)
to this day that they allowed me to do that. Whether it was, you know, I wanted to go out and hike, I wanted to learn how to paddleboard, I wanted to become a certified scuba diver. They always were fully supportive behind all those ideas because at the end of the day, they looked at me getting out into nature, into the wild, and they were like, yeah, it could be a lot worse than that. So their full support is something that I'm still grateful for to this day.

Yeah, they were always really supportive with everything I wanted to do.

awesome. I hear you talking a lot about your love for hiking and being I see a lot of that in my own young kids. have little boys who are six and four, six year old. He's the kid that loves paddle have access to a lake nearby. When he gets into a kayak, watch out because not only is it fun for him, but as a parent,

Julianne Nienberg (20:43)
That's awesome. hear you talking a lot about your love for hiking and being outside. I see a lot of that in my own young kids. have little boys who are six and four and my six year old, he's the kid that loves paddle boarding. we have access to a lake nearby. And when he gets into a kayak, watch out because not only is it fun for him, but as a parent,

there's something about nature and especially water that helps to calm and regulate and to soothe. And I feel like water can solve just about any toddler or child conflict or tantrum. And when I see him go out into the water, there's the physicality of him moving through the water in the kayak. And I know how beneficial it is, not just for his body to build strength, but also for his brain. So I love to hear that even for you, started as a young age.

Ray (21:05)
There's something about nature and especially water that helps to calm and regulate and to soothe. And I feel like water can solve just about any toddler or child conflict or tantrum. And when I see him go out into the water, there's the physicality of him moving through the water in the kayak. And I know how beneficial it is, not just for his body to build strength, but also for his brain. So I love to hear that even for you, it started as a young age,

hiking or even

Julianne Nienberg (21:32)
things like hiking or even,

I don't know if you ever did rock climbing, my son is super into, he does mostly indoor rock climbing, but developing that hand grip strength at such a young age is not only vital for longevity of life, but also just those brain body connections. Is that something that you've ever done?

Ray (21:34)
I don't know if you ever did rock climbing. son is super into, he does mostly indoor rock climbing, but developing that hand grip strength at such a age is not only vital for longevity of life, but also just, know, brain body connections. Is that something that you've ever done?

Yeah. So, you know, specifically rock climbing, that is something I have kind of dipped my toe in water, if you want to say, but it's definitely something I want to get more into.

I will say the times that I've done it, the next few days my body is so sore. Rock climbing is such a physically exertive activity. like I'm a very physically active person and my favorite way to be active is outside. Whether it's going on a run, whether it's hiking, kayaking, paddle boarding, anything like that, there's something so peaceful and so connective with nature when.

You leave the headphones away, you're just kind of listening to the sounds, the wind, the birds, the insects, everything like that. It's definitely my favorite way to be active. And I think it's definitely a very overlooked way to be active, especially for children, because I love the point that you brought up on how it doesn't matter if your kids are having a bad day, if they're arguing with each other, as soon as you get them outside, they start to get a little activity and kind of forget and leave behind everything that was going on beforehand.

I mean, that's a perfect example of how getting out into nature can be very therapeutic. Now I saw on your Instagram feed, you recently took a trip to Arkansas and it looks like it was one of those trips where you were unplugging. Tell us about all that you did during that trip. Yeah, it was definitely a leave the phone behind and just kind of go out and do adventure type of trip. And it was definitely much needed because 2025 has been

Julianne Nienberg (22:56)
Absolutely. Now I saw on your Instagram feed, you recently took a trip to Arkansas and it looks like it was one of those trips where you were unplugging. Tell us about all that you did during that trip.

Ray (23:17)
moving a million miles an hour for both me and my girlfriend, Selena. And we have a really big move coming up out of state. And this was kind of the perfect opportunity to hit the pause button, leave all the phones and technology behind, and just kind of get into nature. We did a lot of paddle boarding, a lot of kayaking. We did some really, really tough hikes, and it felt amazing. Just kind of the mental state that I was in over the course of this past weekend.

was incredible. It's something that I haven't achieved in a while now. And like I said, it was so needed. Now for parents who are listening, who have little kids and they want to get out there and like for me, I used to, I've gone out west of hikes, glacier, my husband and I, we used to do really incredible epic hikes. And then when I became a parent, I felt like some of that kind of got pushed to the side and it was almost like starting at zero again and instilling this love for nature, getting my kids out there.

Julianne Nienberg (23:50)
Now for parents who are listening, who have little kids and they want to get out there and hike like for me, used to, I've gone out West, I've hiked Glacier, my husband and I, used to do really incredible epic hikes. And then when I became a parent, felt like some of that kind of got pushed to the side and it was almost like starting at zero again and instilling this love for nature and getting my kids out there

on a trail. What is some encouragement that you would give parents who perhaps want to get their kids started in hiking, but they just don't know

Ray (24:11)
What is some encouragement that you would give parents who perhaps want to get their kids started in hiking, but they just don't know

Julianne Nienberg (24:19)
what to do or what next step they should take.

Ray (24:19)
what to do or what next step they should take? I would say the best way to get your kids invested in something like hiking, those outdoor adventures, is to start small. Don't take your kids who aren't very outdoorsy and expect them to go on a three-hour hike right off the bat like that. Start off small. You know, it can be something as simple as

a picnic at a park, get them outside, give them more exposure, and over time you can start to lead up to those longer hikes, to all day kayaking adventures or camping adventures, whatever it may be. I think starting slow, getting them invested into nature on their own without feeling forced is the best way to kind of guide them to wanting to spend more time in nature and kind of do those more physically challenging things outside and just

Julianne Nienberg (24:56)
you

Ray (25:06)
altogether want to spend more time outdoors. That's such a great point too. When you talk leading them to something that's more physically challenging. I know for my kids, sometimes I look at a trail and I think, okay, this will be easy. It's an out and back. We'll go see if people can play. But then for them, they're like, this is boring. know, rock scramble. They want to climb, you know, they want to climb whatever hills and things like that. And I have to remind myself that they can

Julianne Nienberg (25:08)
That's such a great point too. And when you talk about leading them to something that's more physically challenging. I know for my kids, sometimes I look at a trail and I think, okay, this will be easy. It's an out and back. We'll go see a beautiful lake. But then for them, they're like, this is boring. know, they want to go rock scramble. They want to climb, you know, they want to climb whatever hills and things like that. And I have to remind myself that they can,

you know, our kids are resilient.

Ray (25:30)
You know, our kids are resilient

Julianne Nienberg (25:32)
And they, I think they love a little challenge. You sometimes as a parent, you gotta come with the snacks and be prepared for all that kind of stuff. But I think our kids love to be challenged a little bit. I know mine do too. there's a little element that can be a little bit more challenging for kids, it makes it more fun for them and allows them to get more engaged.

Ray (25:32)
and they, I think they love a little challenge. You sometimes as a parent, you got to come with a snack and be prepared for all that kind of stuff. But I think our kids love to be challenged a little bit. I know mine do if there's a little element that can be a little bit more challenging for it makes it more fun for them and allows them to get more

Julianne Nienberg (25:48)
So you talked about this being a really big year for you. What's next in terms of your own content creation, in terms of fantastic films and your work with Brave Wilderness?

Ray (25:49)
So you talked about this being a really big year for you. What's next in terms of your own content creation, in terms of fantastic films and your work with Brave

So me and my girlfriend are both about to move out of state, kind of like I previously mentioned, to Columbus, Ohio. We're currently based in Kansas City, Missouri.

And Columbus, Ohio is where Brave Wilderness is located. you know, over the past about year and a half, my working relationship with them, like I said, it's just kind of exponentially grown. And now it's to the point where, yeah, I'm starting an employment opportunity with Brave Wilderness. I'm going to be hosting content on the Coyote Peterson channel and Brave Wilderness channel. The goal is to get to a weekly point here in 2025 and build up towards kind of a more serious role in 2026. So.

Julianne Nienberg (26:29)
⁓ The goal is to get to a weekly point here in 20...

in 2026

so yeah it's it's incredibly exciting and kind of like i touched on when it comes to just working with coyote nothing short of a dream comes true kind of that big opportunity that i've been working towards since i fell in love with this career path at the age of 10 and you know i uploaded my first youtube video

Ray (26:37)
Yeah, it's incredibly exciting and kind of like I touched on when it comes to just working with Coyote, nothing short of a dream come true. And kind of that big opportunity that I've been working towards since I fell in love with this career path at the age of 10. And you know, I uploaded my first YouTube video at the age

of 13. And ever since that exact moment in time, building towards something big like working with Brave Olderness has always been the goal. And now that

you know, it's kind of stamped and we're moving in that direction. It's incredibly exciting and I'm thrilled to see what the next year or so brings. That's incredible. Congratulations. And it just goes to show what ⁓ all you can even starting from a young age, I know sometimes there are parents who wonder, what will my kids become when they're older? And then there are some parents who are like, my kid has a laser focus on what they want to do. You have a kid who

Julianne Nienberg (27:16)
That's incredible. Congratulations. And it just goes to show you, what all you can achieve, even starting from a young age. I know sometimes there are parents who wonder, well, what will my kids become when they're older? And then there are some parents who are like, my kid has a laser focus on what they want to do. You have a kid who

just discovers their passion early on. And that sounds like that's kind of what childhood was like for you. it must be so rewarding for your parents to see something that you're so passionate about evolve into a career and a life and exciting times ahead for you in Columbus, Ohio. Now, apart from filming some of your episodes with Coyote in Columbus, have you had a chance to spend any more time in Columbus, Ohio?

Ray (27:33)
just discovers their passion early on. And that sounds like that's kind of what childhood looks like for you. And it's so, it must be so rewarding for your parents to see something that you're so passionate about evolve into a career and a life and exciting times ahead for you in Columbus, Ohio. Now, apart from filming some of your episodes with Coyote in Columbus, have you had a chance to any more time in Columbus, Ohio?

I have. I think I've collectively at this point spent about a month.

in Columbus over the past year and a half. And a lot of that has been out there working and filming with Coyote and the Brave crew. But there's also been some fun times like this past December just going to the Brave Wilderness Holiday Party and just kind of a more chill and relaxed environment. And over the past couple of months, me and my girlfriend have gone out there to look at places to live, to explore the city, to go to Blue Jackets, hockey games, stuff like that.

Over the past couple of months, we've made a lot of friends out there. We've explored a lot of the city, hung out with the brave crew outside of the working environment. it's it's been great so far in Columbus. That's awesome. I spent almost two years living in Columbus. My first job out of college. And one of my favorite things to do was to run along the Oman Tangi along campus. Yeah. And I actually prepared for I think it was my first half marathon and first marathon.

Julianne Nienberg (28:35)
That's awesome. I spent almost two years living in Columbus with my first job out of college. And one of my favorite things to do was to run along the Olin Tangi along campus. And I actually prepared for, I think it was my first half marathon and first marathon

living in Columbus. And just, would spend my weekends, this was before kids, but I would spend my weekends running along the Olin Tangi from campus to however many miles north.

Ray (28:53)
living in Columbus and just I would spend my weekend, this was before kids, but I would spend my weekend running along the Olmantangy from campus to however many miles north

and it was I had never lived anywhere other than Michigan at that point in my life and to experience another very cool Midwest city, I think you're gonna have a lot of fun there. Well, I'm happy to hear your praise for the city. I did not know that you there either. That's pretty cool. Yeah, yeah. My first

Julianne Nienberg (29:03)
And it was beautiful. I had never lived anywhere other than Michigan at that point in my life. And to experience another very cool Midwest city, I think you're gonna have a lot of fun there.

Yeah, yeah, my first

two years out of college and then from there I moved to Chicago. So I've always been Midwest based, but I loved my time in Columbus. I think you guys are gonna have a lot of fun. Now, one thing I wanted to circle back with, will you continue to work on Fantastic Films content as you move forward with your role with the Brave Wilderness team?

Ray (29:20)
Two years out of college and then from there I moved to Chicago. So I've always been Midwest based, but I love my time in Columbus. I think you guys are gonna have a lot of fun. Now one thing I wanted to circle back will you continue to work on Fantastic Films content as move forward with your role?

with the Brave Wilderness team?

It's tricky, but for the rest of 2025, looks like whenever I have time for it, I will continue to work on my own personal channel just because it's another platform for me to put out my content, So.

I would love to continue to pursue fantastic films as the future goes on, but as my time with Brave Wilderness becomes more more serious, it's definitely going to be hard to keep up with that. Now, knowing that you've grown up in this digital age, my kids are growing up in this digital age, and while they don't have cell phones just yet, they have smartwatches that they can take video, take photos, and my oldest will sometimes just document her adventures outside.

Julianne Nienberg (30:05)
Now, knowing that you've grown up in this digital age, you my kids are growing up in this digital age and while they don't have cell phones just yet, they have smartwatches that they can take video and take photos. And my oldest will sometimes just document her adventures outside.

We live on a wooded property and they go back and they have little villages in the backyard. One's called Terabithia, one's called Deerpath Village, and she'll document them all on her watch. What advice would you give to parents

Ray (30:22)
We live on a wooded property and they go back and they have little villages in the backyard. One's called Terebitio, one's called Deerpack Village. And she'll document them all on her watch. What advice would you give to parents

Julianne Nienberg (30:34)
or even for kids who are growing up in this digital age, but have a curiosity for nature. How can you help parents balance the two in terms of giving them access to perhaps

Ray (30:34)
or even for kids who are growing up in this digital age but have a curiosity for nature? How can you help parents balance the two in terms of giving them access to perhaps

Julianne Nienberg (30:49)
create movies of their adventures and things like that, while also having respectful boundaries when it comes to tech?

Ray (30:49)
create movies of their adventures and things like that, while also having respectful boundaries when it comes to tech.

You know, it's, I'm really glad that you brought this point up because we're definitely at the age where it's such a fine line to walk on how much freedom do you give your kids when it comes to technology and how much you try to control or take away from them because as much as you don't want your kids to be absorbed in

the digital space, it's hard in this day and age But the great thing about kids, especially the younger they get, there's always that just core fascination with wanting to go outside and wanting to explore and to kind of get out in nature.

also depends on how they're using that technology, right? Because if they're using, if they have a cell phone or like your kids a smart watch and they're going out into nature and creating like those little movies and they wanna create videos like that, I think that's a great outlet and a very good way for them to express themselves creatively. So.

You have to look at your kids and say what are they gonna do with the technology that we've given them? And if you think that they're gonna go out there and create movies in nature or YouTube videos, anything like that, I think that's a very good outlet for them. I think that they should have a lot of freedom to go out there and do that because that's definitely something I had at a young age. Even though I didn't get my first cell phone until almost eighth grade, we live in the age where little cameras just like this, a GoPro or something like that,

Julianne Nienberg (32:18)
Hmm. ⁓

Ray (32:19)
are easily accessible, easily to use, and readily available for anyone at any age. And so going out there and filming and using that creativeness in your mind in nature is a fantastic outlet to kind of combine the technological world that we're in, but also getting your kids out in the natural world. I think that's a great, great my oldest

Julianne Nienberg (32:23)
and readily available for anyone at any age. so going out there and filming, using that creativeness in your mind in nature is a fantastic outlet to kind of combine.

I think that's a great, great breakdown my oldest

has an eye for beautiful imagery. And when she goes out, she takes pictures of photos and her composition and everything is spot on. And I'm really admiring some of these photos that she collects. So we actually got her a camera that is

Ray (32:45)
has an eye for beautiful imagery. And when she goes out, she takes pictures of photos and her composition and everything is spot on. And I'm really admiring some of these photos that she collects. So we actually got her a camera that is,

it's non-digital in the sense that it looks like a point and shoot, but we can connect it to my laptop and upload all the images. It doesn't have a screen for her to see what she's captured, but.

Julianne Nienberg (32:59)
It's non-digital in the sense that it looks like a point and shoot, but we can connect it to my laptop and upload all the images. But it doesn't have a screen for her to see what she's captured. But

there is something to be said about fostering a curiosity for nature and wildlife while allowing them to be exposed to technology in order to have another lens to experience it, right? To have another lens to be outside. And I think you're right.

Ray (33:10)
There is something to be said about fostering a curiosity for nature and wildlife while allowing them to be exposed to technology in order to have another lens to experience it, right? To have another lens to be outside. And I think you're right. think there's

Julianne Nienberg (33:28)
There's definitely a line to balance and as parents, it feels like sometimes we're always like hearing messages of no screen, low screen, know, no tech, low tech,

Ray (33:28)
definitely a line to balance. as parents, it feels like sometimes we're always hearing messages of no screen, low screen, no tech, low tech.

Julianne Nienberg (33:37)
and we have a million options thrown at us. But I think if parents can get down to the root of, well, what are they wanting to capture with this technology? Is it, you know, of them playing out in the backyard and the fort that they just made or is it something else? And I think if it's...

Ray (33:38)
and we have a million options thrown at us, but I think if parents get down to the root of, well, what are they wanting to capture with this technology? Is it, you know, of them playing out in the backyard in the floor that they just made, or is it something else? I think if

Julianne Nienberg (33:52)
If it's the earlier or the former, right? If they're going out and just wanting to capture some really fun things that they're doing outside, then by all means, like that's something that we can continue to foster and support. So I love how you made that distinction.

Ray (33:52)
it's the earlier or the former, right, if they're going out and just wanting to capture some really fun things that they're doing outside, then by all means, like that's something that we can continue to foster and support. So I love how you made that distinction.

I had another question about crazy wildlife encounters. What is something that you've encountered that was like number one on your bucket list of things to experience or creatures to encounter out in the wild?

Julianne Nienberg (34:06)
had another question about crazy wildlife encounters. What is something that you've encountered that was like number one on your bucket list of things to experience or creatures to encounter out in the wild?

Ray (34:22)
I would definitely say a couple of years ago, I took a trip to a small island called Bimini in the Bahamas, which I believe is just about 50 miles off the coast of Florida. And what Bimini is known for is shark diving, specifically the great hammerhead sharks that show up there every winter and early spring. And I was fortunate enough, I believe in January of 2023, to go to Bimini and I spent two straight days diving with great hammerhead sharks. And we even had tiger sharks show up on the second day.

It was kind of like, it was almost like a real life sharknado, just surrounded by these massive sharks, getting so many up close encounters with them. I would say, you know, that was something that was number one on my bucket list since probably like I was eight years old and I first saw what a great hammerhead shark looked like. And getting to accomplish that was just incredible. Now, is there an animal or a creature that has remained elusive and

Julianne Nienberg (35:06)
Ha

Now, is there an animal or a creature that has remained elusive and

you haven't been able to get time with them or screen time or anything? Is there something that's still on your list that you're working towards getting to capture on film?

Ray (35:18)
you haven't been able to get time with them or screen time or anything. Is there something that's still on your list that you're working towards getting to capture on film?

I would say there are two that stand out to me. I'll start by staying in the ocean with the whole shark theme, Great White Sharks. I have always wanted to film Great White Sharks. And it's actually a dream of mine to attempt to swim in open water with great whites at some point in my life, which might sound crazy, but

I'm all about spreading the message of, you know, sharks aren't man eaters, they don't want to eat you, and I think being in open water with something like a great white is a great way to prove that. So I've been to areas where great white sharks exist. I have yet to see one in the wild, but I know that moment is coming at some point in the future. But then transitioning it back to land and going back to the Florida Everglades, the invasive Burmese python, which, you know, although invasive is the largest snake species,

here in the United States. They can grow up to 20 feet in length. And I've actually spent probably collectively a week in South Florida specifically looking for the Burmese python. I've never been able to locate one, but I think getting one of these giant snakes up close in front of the cameras would be highly engaging for an audience. And it's a great way to also teach them that this is an invasive species. It's destroying the Florida Everglades. This is why collecting

Julianne Nienberg (36:41)
Hmm.

Ray (36:44)
Participating in the pet trade and poaching is terrible. Why you should never release your pets into the wild. So I think it'd be a really full circle moment. And that's definitely, it's definitely eluded me over the past couple of years. Now you've talked a lot about spending time in Florida on your adventures. Are there other pockets of the United States, areas that you were pleasantly surprised with the amount of wildlife that you saw that you want to share with listeners? Honestly,

Julianne Nienberg (36:47)
Hmm.

So, I think it's a really full circle moment and it's definitely a really beautiful time for a of things. Now, you've talked a lot about spending time in Florida on your adventures. Are there other pockets of the United States or areas that you were pleasantly surprised with the amount of wildlife that you saw that you want to share with the listeners?

Ray (37:11)
I think here in the Midwest, it is very overlooked on the biodiversity that we have. I said earlier that the Midwest isn't the most biodiverse place on planet Earth, and although that is still true, especially compared to Central America or even Florida, we still have a good amount of biodiversity and a lot of animals you can see. And I love that snapping turtle story that you mentioned with your kids, because here in the Midwest,

you can go out into your backyard and experience things just like that. You can go to your local hiking trails, your local ponds and creeks and see snapping turtles. You can see smaller turtles. You can see snakes. You can see crayfish. You can see anything like that. I would say growing up here in the Midwest, the more I get out and I look for, the more I'm pleasantly surprised that, wow, this is really overlooked. There is a good amount of biodiversity here.

Julianne Nienberg (38:02)
Especially when I watch the videos that you and Coyote have created in Ohio and knowing he got his start in his own backyard in Ohio. And we love listening to his book, I think because it resonates so much with my kids. because he talks about his childhood in Ohio and it sounds a lot like the childhood that my kids.

Ray (38:02)
Especially when I watch the videos that you and Coyote have created in Ohio and he got his start in his own backyard in Ohio. And we love listening to his book, I think because it resonates so much with my kids. because he talks about his childhood in Ohio and it sounds a lot like the childhood that my kids

are fortunate enough to have.

Julianne Nienberg (38:18)
are fortunate enough to have

and to have wildlife and abundance of it in their own backyard. On any given day, we have several groundhogs. We just actually had some swans give birth to little babies in our pond. We have geese and goslings all over the place. We've got deer. ⁓ It is quite an oasis.

Ray (38:20)
to have wildlife and abundance of it in their own backyard. On any given day, we have several groundhogs who just actually had some swans give birth to little babies. Wow. We have geese and godlings all over the place. We've got deer. ⁓ It is quite an

fortunate for us to get to look outside our window and experience it. But I think you're right. When it comes to the Midwest, yes, it's not Costa Rica.

Julianne Nienberg (38:39)
fortunate for us, get to look outside our window and experience it. But I think you're right. When it comes to the Midwest, yes, it's not Costa Rica,

it's not South America, Central America, but there's still a lot of beauty to be found right in our own backyard here in the Midwest. So for listeners, know, get out and explore your local, your community and see what wildlife is out there. Now, before we wrap up, something that I do and I ask of every guest, Ray, is to...

Ray (38:46)
It's not South America and Central America, but there's still a lot of beauty to be found right in our own backyard here in the Midwest. So for listeners, know, get out and explore your local, your community and wildlife is out there. Now, before we wrap up, something that I do and I ask of every guest, Ray, is to

Julianne Nienberg (39:03)
Give an outdoorsy challenge. It's just one simple thing that listeners can try this week to feel a little more connected to nature. Ray, what would your challenge be for listeners?

Ray (39:03)
give an outdoorsy challenge. It's just one simple thing that listeners can try this week to feel a little more connected to nature. Ray, what would your challenge be for listeners?

I think a good challenge would be once a week to go out into nature and try to identify five different species of animals. I think that's a very good way to challenge yourself, challenge the people that you're with, maybe turn it into a competition, see who can find five different species first. But I think it's a great way to turn something that could seem like a boring hike into something that's more engageful and also

get you a little more knowledgeable about animals as well. Absolutely. And you know what? If you're a parent that's listening, you could go out and identify five different species and then turn that into a trip to the library. Turn that into finding books on that, a YouTube video, or maybe a nature center where they talk more about those types of animals. So I love that. I think it's such a beautiful way to foster a conversation about it with your kids. And I think you said it in your

Julianne Nienberg (39:41)
Absolutely, and you know what if you're a parent that's listening you could go out and identify five different species and then turn that into a trip to the library turn that into finding books on them or finding a YouTube video or checking out maybe a Nature center where they talk more about those types of animals. So I love that I think it's such a beautiful way to foster a conversation about it with your kids and I think you said it in your in your

Questionnaire, but curiosity is the first step to caring. So I love that

Ray (40:04)
questionnaire about curiosity is the first step to caring. So I love that.

Julianne Nienberg (40:08)
And Ray, thank you so much for joining me today. It is so apparent that your passion for wildlife, you have such a drive to inspire the next generation of nature lovers. is contagious and palpable just hearing you speak. Tell our listeners where they can follow along with you and binge some of your content.

Ray (40:08)
And Ray, thank you so much for joining me today. It is so apparent that your passion for wildlife, you have such a drive to inspire the next generation of nature lovers. is contagious and palpable just hearing you speak. Tell our listeners where they can follow along with you in some of your content. Well, first of all, it was an honor to sit down with you today. Thank you so much for having me on the podcast, but

When it comes to seeing my work, of course, the Brave Wilderness YouTube channel, we've actually got two great episodes coming out just over the course of the next about two months or so. The Coyote Peterson YouTube channel, you can find me there as well. Also my personal YouTube channel called Fintastic Films. Then also on Instagram, Raymond underscore Tiller. I post a lot of great adventures and kind of behind the scenes content there. So that's where you can find my work. Awesome. And for everyone listening, I will make sure to include that in the show notes. Ray, thanks again for being on the podcast.

Julianne Nienberg (40:53)
Awesome. And for everyone listening, will make sure to include that in the show notes. Ray, thanks again for being on the podcast.
Ray (40:59)
Thank you so much for having me.