This week on Hard Truths of Conservation, join Dan Cabela as he travels to the Yucatán peninsula of Mexico and examines the impact over-harvesting and exploitation of natural resources have had on the area. From there, he heads to Borneo and gives viewers an in-depth look at how human-wildlife conflict affects locals and the place they call home. Dan interviews a crocodile attack survivor and goes on a conservation mission to place a collar on the endangered pygmy elephant.

Join us for an entire hour of conservation-based programming from around the world. Don’t miss either episode this Saturday, April 19th, at 9:00AM and 9:30AM Eastern, on the Discovery Channel!

View Season 3 Lineup

This week on Hard Truths of Conservation, join Dan Cabela as he travels to Borneo and dives into the world of human-wildlife conflict. From interviewing a crocodile attack survivor, to putting a collar on an endangered pygmy elephant, this episode is one that will have you on the edge of your seat. Then he heads to Tanzania to take a closer look at how anti-poaching and community education around the benefits of hunting is transforming a vital ecosystem.

Don’t miss either episode this Saturday, April 12th, at 9:00AM and 9:30AM Eastern, on the Discovery Channel! Join us for an entire hour of conservation-based programming from around the world.

View Season 3 Lineup

To many, print publications are becoming a "thing of the past." However, in the overly digital age we now find ourselves in, we are resolute in our belief that a quality print publication still has a very important place in the art of storytelling. And that's why we partnered with one of the very best, Modern Huntsman, to be the avenue for which we'd tell a fascinating story of conservation and hope.

Together with our partners are the International Order of T. Roosevelt, we traveled to Sitkalidak Island off the coast of Kodiak, AK last summer, to partake in our first hands-on conservation initiative together. With a storied history, deep ties to Teddy Roosevelt himself, and arguably considered the most iconic animal in North American history, the bison was the perfect entry into our partnership with IOTR.

While Modern Huntsman is subscription based, here's your chance to pre-order a copy of volume 14. Our story is just one of many, but the common themes of incredible stories and photography can be found throughout. We are extremely proud of the cover, and it's even more special because the original painting will be auctioned off to raise money for conservation at IOTR's annual meeting Naples, FL.

Stand in the arena with us and IOTR, as we try to make a meaningful difference on the world through conservation. Raising awareness to the work that's being done around the world by conservation heroes today, is one way we can "own the narrative". Pre-order your copy of today, so you can help tell our story.

Pre-Order Here!

This week on Hard Truths of Conservation, join Dan Cabela as he travels to Tanzania to take a closer look at how anti-poaching and community education around the benefits of hunting is transforming a vital ecosystem. With the local's herds of livestock, he finds it's quite a nuanced issue, but conservation-minded practices are working. From there, he heads to Florida and investigates the conservation model behind the recovery of an ancient American reptile…the alligator.

Don’t miss either episode this Saturday, April 5th, at 9:00AM and 9:30AM Eastern, as HTC premieres on its brand new home, the Discovery Channel!

View Season 3 Lineup

It's finally time to share some news that we have been keeping close to the vest for almost eight months!

Drum roll please...

We have signed a multi-year deal with Warner Bros. Discovery to take "Hard Truths of Conservation" to Discovery Channel and Animal Planet. The History Channel was a great first landing spot and home of HTC over the past three years. However, when the opportunity to put our message in front of a global audience and potentially hundreds of millions of people, the decision was easy. Two networks which are synonymous with producing top-shelf programs around animal education, the environment, and sustainability, will now have a program dedicated to teaching the same message through hunting and conservation.

“When we started shooting the pilot in 2020, I had no idea what this would evolve into one day,” said Dan Cabela, Executive Director of the Cabela Family Foundation. “To have a show highlighting conservation stories from around the world featured on Discovery and Animal Planet is truly humbling.”

Hard Truths of Conservation will begin airing April 5, 2025 at 9:00AM (ET/PT) on Discovery Channel, July 6, 2025 at 8:00AM (ET/PT) on Animal Planet, and internationally on Discovery India April 5, 2025. The series will stream on discovery+ and the Discovery GO APP.

It's time to share some exciting news with our supporters, especially for those you who hunt internationally. 

We are thrilled to announce a new, and very meaningful partnership with Safari Speciality Importers. The name may or may not be familiar to you, but if you've spent any time researching customs brokers, you've no doubt heard of them. Safari Specialty Importers specializes in the import/export of hunting trophies from all over the world. From start to finish, they handle it all for you, as you'll have a dedicated team available to assist with all the logistics and paperwork associated with getting your trophies home. 

They're also incredibly passionate about real conservation and donate funds every year to various conservation projects to ensure future generations have a chance to enjoy the outdoors --- and that's where we come in.

"We want to support those who are making a real difference on the future of wildlife conservation," said Bradley Johnson, Chief Operating Officer of SSI. "And in the outdoor industry, there can be no greater family to do that with than the Cabelas."

An amazing update from our partners at Zambeze Delta Conservation and Anti-Poaching...we've got new cheetah cubs!

The "Waterberg Female" as she's known, was found this past weekend with a brand-new liter of cubs. Under normal circumstances, the team would not check on them when they're this young, but they must have been born the night prior. Cheetah mothers will usually show signs of a denning pattern when they're about to give birth, so this was a complete surprise. Once we determine how many new youngsters there are, we will report back!

These new cubs mark a significant moment in our 12 Cheetahs initiative. Births have been sporadic at best over the years, and cub mortality has been higher than we'd like. But with each new birth, there's hope, and a chance they'll make it to adulthood. With less than 6,500 left in the wild, cheetahs are among the most-endangered species of big cats --- and why something as special as this is worth celebrating.

The work is ongoing and we can always use your help. If you'd like to donate to either the 12 Cheetahs or 24 Lions initiatives, click here. We thank you in advance for your support!

Update from our partners at Zambezi Delta Conservation and Anti-Poaching regarding some pangolins --- the most trafficked animal in the world. 

  "Yesterday, two pangolins were confiscated from poachers from two locations further north and west of the Delta. We arranged for a helicopter pick up outside of a town with the Mozambique Wildlife Alliance team, but bad weather and light conditions caught us. We rescheduled with them for this morning and we now have them in camp.

It looks like a male and female and both seem very strong. We are taking them out or their first walk this evening and if they are strong enough, we will release them tomorrow. Fortunately, we have two tracking tags left in camp, which we can deploy on them to monitor after release." - Willem Daniel Briers-Louw

Another conservation success story coming out of Coutada 11 that has us feeling proud of the work being done there and hopeful for the future!

Breaking news from the Delta: Just 48 hours ago, we received an update from the Zambeze Delta Conservation and Anti-Poaching team regarding a male lion caught in a gin trap. 

The team tried to track and locate the lion by foot, however, it was too thick and the helicopter was brought in. Upon locating the lion, the team got a dart in, and were able to successfully free it. Upon looking at the foot, the veterinarian determined it was not broken and expect a full recovery. 

Stories like this do nothing but reiterate the reality of what conservation takes today. Without the team and quick actions taken, this lion certainly would’ve had a very different fate. Tools like the helicopter continue to revolutionize what’s possible and create solutions to very real problems facing conservation today. In fact, upon heading back to camp, the team found and freed a young sable bull that was caught in a snare. Quite an eventful yet very fulfilling morning with a good outcome.

As 2024 comes to a close, we wanted to take a second to say "thank you" to all of our supporters. In today's day and age, support comes in a lot of different ways. Maybe you purchased one of our hats, shared one of our posts on social media, or donated to the foundation...just know, it all matters.

When my parents started the Cabela Family Foundation 24 years ago, it was rooted in three principles --- promote outdoor recreation, conservation and charity toward others. I'd like to think we are doing right by them, and following the guiding principles they laid out for us. Our Hard Truths of Conservation series is reaching heights we never imagined possible and it continues to spread the outdoor recreation and conservation message that is so near and dear to our hearts. Providing charity toward others continues to be a focus, as our grant program saw steady growth and demand in 2024. 

We have a lot to be thankful for as we look back on the last year. At the center of it all is our supporters who believe in the foundations mission and the work we do, day in and day out. Whether you are a "legacy Cabela's" customer, industry partner, or new-found supporter of HTC and the foundation...thank you. This next year promises to be our biggest yet, and we can't wait to share some very exciting news with you all. 

I sincerely hope 2025 is your best yet. Happy New Year!
Dan Cabela, CFF Executive Director

We have provided you with lots of updates over the years in regards to our 24 Lions and 12 Cheetahs initiatives. But there's other wildlife in the area which have rebounded incredibly well alongside the cats, and our partners are Zambezi Delta Conservation and Anit-Poaching play a tremendous role in their success. If there ever was a prime example of how conservation and habitat restoration efforts can impact wildlife populations, the sable of Coutada 11 are it. From almost being completely annihilated, to now flourishing across the flood plain, they stand as testament to how real conservation works.

Once severely impacted by decades of human conflict and habitat loss, the population is now stronger than ever. Dedicated conservation efforts have brought hope back to the region, in an area where all hope for wildlife was pretty much lost. Being mindful about habitat, anti-poaching efforts, and community engagement, have all lead to the success of this iconic antelope species. Perhaps best of all, when the species and habitat win, the entire ecosystem benefits. And getting this ecosystem back to what it once was has always been our goal. 

We applaud the efforts of the entire ZDS team, the community at large, and all the hunters who have visited the areas over the years, contributing to the model of conservation this area practices.

The stories and visuals from Hard Truths of Conservation just keep on building steam. Starting in December, you'll now be able to catch HTC on EarthXTV. This network has made a name for itself as being very conservation minded, so it's only fitting that HTC is shown there. They list their mission as "an international environmental nonprofit connecting a global community to create a sustainable world for all life and future generations." Sounds like that's a good fit for the message and reasons behind HTC, right?

HTC's network premier on EarthXTV will begin on December 7th at 10:00AM EST. It will then air every Saturday at the same time up until February 22nd. Catch an entire hour of hard-hitting episodes wherever you can view EarthXTV.

In a time where smart phones and social media seem to be the main avenue for media consumption, we feel this is a worthy reminder. Make sure you are subscribed to our You Tube Channel. Once subscribed, turn on on the notifications - this way you never miss any of the new You Tube shorts or latest episodes of Hard Truths of Conservation. 

And since we are on the topic of You Tube, we think you might find some of these facts about You Tube quite shocking (just like we did)...

- YouTube has over 2.5 billion monthly active users.
- Every day, people watch over a billion hours of video on YouTube.
- The average viewing session on YouTube is 40 minutes.
- Over 70% of YouTube watch time comes from mobile devices.
 - YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world, after Google.

From the North American west to the mountains of Europe and Asia, I've put these boots through it all and they've earned a permanent spot in my gear lineup. With Christmas just a month and a half away, we thought we'd remind you all of a unique opportunity if you want to pick up a new pair of Kenetreks. Whether you're looking at the staple Mountain Extreme, or the new Bridger High (a new personal favorite), you can't go wrong. And make sure that when you check out, use code "DAN" to get yourself a free pair of gaiters (that's a $100 value, completely free!) 

Did you hear? If not, there's some pretty big news out of Florida this week, and we wanted to take a second to say congratulations to a partner of ours who was instrumental in making it happen --- the International Order of T. Roosevelt. Florida voters have officially voted and subsequently passed Amendment 2, which has now protected and enshrined the right to fish and hunt in the state's constitution. Florida becomes the 24th state to constitutionally protect hunting and fishing, and ushers in massive win for the future of conservation in the state.

We are proud to announce the latest partner of the Cabela Family Foundation and Hard Truths of Conservation, Tetra Hearing. It's no secret hearing protection is one of the most-common pieces of gear that's been neglected by hunters and shooting enthusiasts for years. Too big and bulky, limit ability to hear, not comfortable, or just an inconvenience, the list of excuses goes on. But when a company came along that set out to knock down all the barriers, put in state-of-the-art technology, and top it all off with a serious commitment to conservation, they had our interest.

From the helicopter, we could see a herd of sable feeding in one of the open plains dotting the seemingly endless expanse of Mozambique’s delta forests below us. From that moment, we began to see more wildlife—reedbuck, warthog, hartebeest and more. The sudden appearance of so many wild creatures signaled we had crossed over into Coutada 11. The abundance of wildlife in Coutada 11 is a testament to Zambeze Delta Safari’s successful conservation efforts led by Mark Haldane and his anti-poaching efforts.  

    The massive canopy of trees below hid ancient secrets only the duikers, suni, nyala,  leopard and other beasts were normally privy to. However, in 2018, a bold and unprecedented years-long conservation initiative began to unlock some of the delta’s mysteries. When the Cabela Family Foundation agreed to help move twenty-four lions into Mozambique’s Zambeze Delta, we could not foresee the success of the project or the vast amount of scientific data that would greatly enhance our knowledge of lion behavior, specifically in a delta-type environment. 

We are proud announce a new strategic partnership with Zarges USA . Having traveled to over 30 countries and six continents with a firearm, a good case is a must. However, it was Zarge's VRS®️️ (Vacuum Rigidizing Structure) technology that really sold me. It custom molds to any rifle/gear by encapsulating contents, preventing movement during transport. Plus, it absorbs impact or vibration energy, further protecting gear while also reducing weight by 40% and tripling interior volume when compared to foam. Gone are the days of having to cut out foam for each rifle. Now, I just need one!

Just in time for fall, we are re-stocked on all of our CFF Merchandise. We love getting sent photos or tagged on posts on social media, showing our brand off in the wild. We have a tremendous sense of pride in what we do, and seeing supporters who believe in it as well, is what keeps us going. 

From Africa to Mongolia and everywhere in between, please make sure to send or tag us in your photos. We plan to do more social media and emails around supporters representing the CFF brand this year. Rumor has it these hats are in fact "lucky", so make sure you have one on before you head into the field this fall! And as always, thank you for supporting us in our mission toward real conservation. 

We recently welcomed two new male lions from Limpopo National Park to help in further diversifying the genetics of the 24 Lions initiative. As they settled into their new home, the team at Zambezi Delta Conservation and Anti-Poaching noticed some unusual movements across the floodplain. One of the lions had split from his brother, which is very unlike males of this age, and the team knew something had happened.