152: Jake Muise - How This Nutrient-Dense Meat is Responsibly Sourced

In the mountains, they (Axis deer) affect how our islands capture water. As you move downhill, they start to impact soil, food systems, and food production. Share on X

I could not be more excited to have Jake Muise, the CEO and Founder of Maui Nui Venison, on the podcast.

While I’m not paid by them nor are they sponsoring this episode, you’re going to hear me talk about Jake’s company a ton in this episode.

That’s because it’s one of the most ethically sourced, nutritious meat on the planet and their stress-free humane harvesting practices are unheard of.

When you tune in, you’ll learn how that’s even possible, Jake’s amazing upbringing and background, and how he found himself moving from Northern Canada to Hawaii to eventually tackling the overpopulation of Axis deer on the islands.

You’ll also get a sneak peek into Jake’s incredible operation: from getting USDA certified to what his on-the-spot harvesting actually looks like to how they hunt deer at night in the most humane way possible.

Jake also chats about how this overpopulation started, how it spread, why it’s such a problem for the people and environment in Hawaii, and more. He’s really the expert in the space and it’s fascinating to hear what he knows.

There’s now about 60 or 70 thousand deer on Maui and there’s going to be 210 thousand unless we find ways to balance the population. Share on X

Here’s a breakdown of what Jake and I get into

How Jake went from living in Northern Canada for most of his life to living in Hawaii
How Jake’s family lived off of the land
How the deer overpopulation in Hawaii started
How the population is spreading today
Why the overpopulation of these deer is a problem
When it became an issue
How all of this led Jake to do what he does now
Why you can’t just hunt and sell that meat
What Jake’s incredible process looks like
What the ultimate goal is with these deer
More about Jake’s company Maui Nui Venison, which humanely harvests Axis deer out of Hawaii