Ep. 15: Tom Opre – Award-Winning Filmmaker & Director of The Real Yellowstone

Tom Opre is an award-winning filmmaker, conservation advocate, and founder of the Shepherds of Wildlife Society, a nonprofit dedicated to bridging the gap between rural communities and modern conservation efforts. With a background in commercial production and outdoor television, most notably as producer and host of NBC Sports’ Eye of the Hunter, Tom has spent over 25 years telling stories that highlight the human side of environmental challenges. His feature documentaries, including Killing the Shepherd, The Last Keeper, and The Real Yellowstone, have earned international acclaim for their raw, unfiltered look at issues like sustainable hunting, land use, indigenous rights, and wildlife management. Filmed in locations ranging from Zambia to Scotland to Montana, Tom’s work challenges conventional narratives and invites honest dialogue around conservation, culture, and coexistence. He lives with his wife and children in Montana’s Flathead Valley, where he continues to create films that don’t just inform — but ignite.