The Texas Campfire

Mark Hubbard
  • 5.0 (14)
  • Society & Culture

This podcast shares the stories of Texas ranchers, landowners, cowboys, hunters, wildlife managers, and the people who live and work on the land. From ranching traditions and family history to wild hunting stories and life lessons from the dirt, every episode is rooted in a love for Texas and the ranching lifestyle. Pull up a chair, subscribe, and join us around the campfire. Life is always better when you have dirt under your feet.

  1. Sep 28

    The Big Boy Toys of South Texas | Performance Top Drives

    In this episode of The Texas Campfire Podcast, Mark Hubbard heads to Three Rivers, Texas to visit Rodney and Jarrett Geisler at Performance Top Drives and step inside the wild world of custom hunting and ranch trucks. What started decades ago with homemade racks, ropes, levers, and questionable engineering has turned into something completely different. Today, these rigs can have hydraulic steering, luxury seating, massive stereo systems, Starlink internet, thermal cameras, televisions, refrigerators, liquor cabinets, margarita machines, shooting benches, elevators, custom paint, and just about anything else a ranch owner can dream up. Rodney shares how he went from working as a mechanic to building his first top drive almost by accident, and how one customer led to another until Performance Top Drives became a business building custom rigs for ranchers, hunters, celebrities, international clients, and people all over the world. Mark, Rodney, and Jarrett also get into some of the craziest builds they have ever done, including rigs built for famous athletes, international royalty, massive party trucks, quail rigs, luxury touring vehicles, and custom builds costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. And then there are the stories. Burned-up trucks, low bridges, blown tires, late-night deliveries, hunting rigs catching fire, six-hour delivery parties, Marfa lights, ranch roads, and plenty of moments where things almost went completely sideways. This episode is about more than hunting trucks. It is about South Texas ingenuity, ranch culture, custom craftsmanship, family business, and building something that lets people enjoy the outdoors with their friends and family in a completely different way. If you like ranches, hunting, trucks, fabrication, big boy toys, or just hearing stories about crazy ideas that somehow became reality, you’re going to enjoy this one. Pull up a chair and join us at Performance Top Drives in Three Rivers, Texas. Life is always better when there’s dirt under your feet.

  2. Sep 21

    Lightning Strikes Twice

    This week on The Texas Campfire Podcast, we’re doing something a little different. Instead of a traditional sit-down podcast, Mark Hubbard takes you on the road for a more visual, show-style episode as he heads to Animal Artistry of Texas to visit his longtime friend and taxidermist, Gerald Lieck. Mark is picking up two deer mounts from last season, and both come with a story. One is a South Texas whitetail that ended a 38-year stretch without him pulling the trigger on a trophy whitetail. The other is a massive Sonora mule deer he almost passed on because he thought the buck was too thin-horned. What starts as a taxidermy pickup turns into a deeper conversation about hunting, patience, memories, and the emotion behind the animals we choose to harvest. Mark talks about why he went so long without shooting a trophy whitetail, the moment this deer finally changed his mind, and what it felt like to walk up on an animal that meant that much after all those years. Gerald also shares the heart behind his work as a taxidermist, the responsibility of preserving someone’s memory, and why every mount is more than just antlers on a wall. You’ll also meet Emily, the young taxidermist Gerald is mentoring as he prepares to pass the business and craft on to the next generation. This episode is part road trip, part hunting story, part taxidermy shop visit, and part reflection on why certain animals stay with us forever. Because this episode is very visual, you’ll get the full experience by watching it on YouTube. Watch the full episode here: youtube.com/@thetexascampfire Life is always better when there’s dirt under your feet.

  3. Sep 14

    The Secret Behind One of Texas’ Most Famous Cattle Brands | Jim Williams

    In this episode of The Texas Campfire Podcast, Mark Hubbard sits down with Jim Williams of V8 Ranch for a conversation about Brahman cattle, South Texas ranching, family legacy, cattle judging, hunting stories, and what it really means to ride for the brand. Jim may call himself “just a sharecropper from South Texas,” but in the cattle world, V8 Brahman cattle are known far beyond Texas. From Hungerford and Wharton County to Houston, Mexico, Latin America, Pakistan, and beyond, the V8 brand has become part of the worldwide Brahman cattle story. Mark and Jim talk about the history of V8 Ranch, the origin of the V8 name, the cattlemen who shaped the breed, the importance of good females, why Brahman influence matters in hot country, and how generations of ranchers have built their lives around cattle, family, and hard-earned reputation. They also get into old South Texas hunting stories, George Light, Joe Finley, the Callahan Ranch, old deer camps, cattle show memories, judging with integrity, 4-H and FFA, raising kids around livestock, and why agriculture is not just a job, but a lifestyle you never really clock out of. This episode is about more than cattle. It is about family, legacy, character, South Texas brush country, and the people who still understand what it means to take care of the land, the livestock, the customer, and the name on the brand. Pull up a chair and join us for a conversation with Jim Williams of V8 Ranch. Life is always better when there’s dirt under your feet.

  4. Sep 7

    This Is Why Hunters Are Obsessed With West Texas | Morgan Tyler

    In this episode of The Texas Campfire Podcast, Mark Hubbard sits down with Morgan Tyler for a conversation about West Texas ranching, family land, hunting, history, and the kind of country that gets in your blood and never leaves. Morgan’s family has been tied to Presidio County for more than 140 years, going back to the days when cattle were driven west and ranches were carved out of some of the roughest country in Texas. Mark and Morgan talk about the Trans-Pecos, Marfa, Presidio County, old ranch families, the Marfa lights, border stories, aoudad sheep, desert bighorns, elk, mule deer, mountain lions, blue quail, and what it takes to make a living on land that is beautiful, harsh, and unforgiving. They also get into the changing landscape of West Texas hunting, from aoudad and elk hunts to mule deer management, predator pressure, private property rights, and why some of the best hunting stories come from places where you barely have cell service. This episode is about more than hunting. It is about family legacy, rugged country, and the people who still understand what it means to live close to the land. Pull up a chair and join us for a conversation with Morgan Tyler. Life is always better when there’s dirt under your feet.

  5. Aug 31

    The Gun Industry Just Changed Overnight | Austin Benning

    In this episode of The Texas Campfire Podcast, Mark Hubbard sits down with Austin Benning, owner of The Sharp Shooter Gun Shop in Corpus Christi, for a conversation about the gun industry, suppressors, thermal optics, hunting rifles, bird hunting, and how fast the firearms world is changing. Austin grew up around the gun shop his parents bought in 1998, and today he is carrying that family business into a new era. From range renovations and social media growth to new firearms, suppressor technology, and a team that knows how to serve both hunters and gun enthusiasts, Sharp Shooter has become a staple in South Texas. Mark and Austin talk about the major suppressor shakeup, the history of the NFA, Form 4 wait times, $0 tax stamps, 4473 suppressor transfers, Silencer Shop, GOA, and what these changes could mean for gun owners and dealers moving forward. They also get into modern hunting technology, including lightweight suppressed rifles, new ammunition, thermal scopes, laser rangefinders, ballistic calculators, predator hunting, dove season, sub-gauge shotguns, indoor ranges, and why the gun industry can change almost overnight. This episode is for hunters, gun owners, ranchers, and anyone who wants to understand where firearms, suppressors, and hunting technology are headed next. Pull up a chair and join us for a conversation with Austin Benning. Life is always better when there’s dirt under your feet.

  6. Aug 24

    CWD, Screwworms, and the Future of Texas Deer | Dr. Scott Bugai

    In this episode of The Texas Campfire Podcast, Mark Hubbard sits down with Dr. Scott Bugai, known by many as Classic Country Vet, for a conversation about veterinary medicine, Texas ranch life, deer, disease, hunting, and the outdoor world most people never see up close. Dr. Bugai shares how a kid from Seguin became a Texas A&M veterinarian, built a life around animals, and found himself working on everything from dogs and cattle to emus, ostriches, whitetail deer, and some of the biggest wildlife issues facing Texas today. But this episode is not just about being a vet. Mark and Scott talk about the deer breeding industry, high fence hunting, land fragmentation, CWD, EHD, bluetongue, screwworm, medicated feed, private land, public opinion, and why so many conversations around hunting and wildlife are more complicated than people want to admit. There are funny stories, hard opinions, hunting memories, vet clinic realities, and a little Yorkie named Smokey Joe who may steal the whole show. Pull up a chair and join us for a conversation with Dr. Scott Bugai. Life is always better when there’s dirt under your feet.

  7. Aug 17

    The South Texas Ranch History Most People Never Hear | Bill Hellen

    In this episode of The Texas Campfire Podcast, Mark Hubbard sits down with Bill Hellen, a South Texas rancher and ranch historian whose family story reaches deep into Hebbronville, Jim Hogg County, La Mota Ranch, and the old cattle country. Bill shares the kind of South Texas history that rarely gets written down. From one-legged pioneers and old ranch families, to vaquero culture, wild horses, cattle drives, droughts, oil field changes, military stories, and the fight to keep family land together, this conversation is full of the people, places, and memories that shaped ranching in South Texas. But this episode is not just about land. It is about loyalty, family, work ethic, old cowboys, forgotten ranch customs, and why these stories need to be told before they disappear. Pull up a chair and join us for a conversation with Bill Hellen. Life is always better when there’s dirt under your feet.

  8. Aug 10

    The Last Wild Man of Texas | Wyman Meinzer | Part 2

    In Part 2 of our conversation with Wyman Meinzer, Mark Hubbard sits back down in Benjamin, Texas for more stories from a life spent on the ground, in the air, behind a camera, and deep in the wild places of Texas. This episode goes from old-school deer hunting without blinds or feeders, to strange wildlife encounters, close calls in airplanes, brutal mountain hunts, lost history, old ranches, and the kind of moments that only happen when you spend a lifetime outside. Wyman shares stories about predators, photography, flying, the Yukon, West Texas, buffalo hunters, old jails, small-town history, and the disappearing freedom of the old days. Some stories are funny. Some are unbelievable. Some sound like they belong in a book. But with Wyman Meinzer, they all come from a life actually lived. Pull up a chair and join us for Part 2 with Wyman Meinzer. Life is always better when there’s dirt under your feet.

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5
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

This podcast shares the stories of Texas ranchers, landowners, cowboys, hunters, wildlife managers, and the people who live and work on the land. From ranching traditions and family history to wild hunting stories and life lessons from the dirt, every episode is rooted in a love for Texas and the ranching lifestyle. Pull up a chair, subscribe, and join us around the campfire. Life is always better when you have dirt under your feet.

Information

  • Creator
    Mark Hubbard
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Texas Campfire
  • Show Website
    The Texas Campfire

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