When Hunting Becomes Medicine - Rob Herbert

About this episode

Matty interviews Rob Herbert about the therapeutic aspects of hunting and knife making, along with the current challenges facing the hunting community in Australia.

In this episode, Matty sits down with Rob Herbert from R&N Blades for a conversation that goes well beyond knives. Rob shares his background growing up on a farm where hunting and using tools was simply part of everyday life — from trapping rabbits to learning how to keep a knife sharp from his grandfather. That early exposure eventually led him into knife making, but also into careers in the military, Victoria Police, and later the Game Management Authority. As the conversation unfolds, Rob opens up about the impact of trauma from his time in policing, and how making knives, along with time spent hunting, became a way to manage that mental load. There’s a strong theme throughout the episode around hunting as more than just a pursuit… For many people it becomes a form of reset, a place to think clearly, and a way to reconnect with something real. The discussion also moves into the current state of hunting in Australia, including challenges around legislation, representation, and the need for a more unified voice across the broader outdoor community. Rob shares a grounded perspective on how hunters are perceived, the importance of presenting the right image, and why education…

People in this episode

Host: Matty

Guest: Rob Herbert

Topics covered

• hunting
• mental health
• knife making
• trauma
• outdoor community
• legislation
• hunting tools

Keywords

• hunting
• mental health
• knife making
• trauma
• Australia
• outdoor community
• legislation
• R&N Blades
• Victoria Police
• Game Management Authority

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: R&N Blades, Victoria Police, Game Management Authority

Places: Australia

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