Brant MacDuff | SpeakerHub

Personal Details

Bio

Author of The Shotgun Conservationist, Brant specializes in taxidermy & conservation history, and wildlife economics. He's available for speaking engagements, seminars, and intro to taxidermy classes at schools, businesses, private events, outdoor retreats. He also gives tours of natural history museum dioramas.

I'm hoping a love of animals, history, and the outdoors can motivate more people into become involved in our natural world, by realizing they're actually a part of it.

Current position (2)

Taxidermist and Conservation Historian

Immortal Animals

History Guide

American Museum of Natural History

Degrees (1)

Biology and Communications

Lake Forest College

2003 to 2007

Presentations

Presentations (6)

Anything Natural History Related!

I'm a pro at creating presentations tailored to your event. My last weird one was connecting the history of the British Royal Family to invasive lamprey in the midwest's Great Lakes.

The History of Taxidermy

My biggest crowd pleaser! This talk has it all: adventure, heroes, villains, testicles! Learn a little about the history of the world, the U.S, conservation, and some of the most important historical figures responsible for the conservation movement in America. There's a crazy story for every slide.

The Conservation Economics of Hunting in America

My most prescient lecture. Most of my talks are about history with a touch of “where does that leave us now?” at the end. The topic of hunting however is most topical. New adult hunters are desperately needed in America to replace the aging population of current hunters and all the money they spend on what is the most successful economic system of conservation in the world. Luckily, some young chefs and outdoor enthusiasts are becoming involved, with a focus on food and a desire to connect more with the natural world. I have been suspicious of hunting my entire life, until I finally did some research on it. The environment is in an ‘all hands on deck’ moment and believe it or not, hunters are some of Mother Nature’s biggest allies.

The Economics of Hunting in Africa

Like my Hunting in America talk, this lecture delves into how money is spent on hunting, where it goes, and the ripple effects it has. But all with the ever changing and controversial eye on Africa. The systems in place there are different than what we've had since the 1930s in the US. In this talk we'll cover the vicious black market running amok throughout the continent, government corruption, local communities, trophy hunters and trophy dollars, rhino farming and Pay to Stay economics. Fun right?

The History of Conservation in America

Conservation had a rocky start in this country (what with us decimating the bison population and driving the passenger pigeon to extinction ‘n all.) But in a lot of ways we’ve redeemed ourselves, the work isn’t over though. Learn the who, how and why of the conservation movement in America and where we are now.

The History and Pop Culture of Human Taxidermy

People always ask me to taxidermy them. Sometimes they just want to know if it's possible, sometimes they're kinda serious. In this (very popular during the month of October) lecture, I'll give you the history of human taxidermy as well as delve into the difference between an animal at a museum and a person who's been preserved for funeral viewing, science, or plastination. I also touch on some pop culture references I'm often asked about. Book way ahead if you want to hear this kooky talk in October.