Lone Star Outdoor Show Lone Star Outdoor Show

When I got wind that Texas Parks and Wildlife was considering cancelling the long standing spring snow goose conservation season (you know, the one where you take the plug out of your shotgun and there’s no daily bag limit) I was immediately intrigued. WHY? The conservation order has been in place since the mid 1980s. Is it no longer an effective way to help control snow goose numbers?

Texas Parks and Wildlife Waterfowl Program Lead Kevin Kraai makes his return to the show this week. He answers the tough questions and reflects on the expected blow back from some hunters and outfitters that view this is nothing more than lost hunter opportunity. However, it’s important to note that the conservation season was never intended to be a permanent deal. We discuss it in great detail while hitting on some other interesting topics including:



* Teal season across Texas

* historical tension between representatives from different fly ways

* one state’s defection from the Mississippi Flyway

* coyotes displace the #1 nest predator of ducks

* historical analysis of mid continent snow goose population over the past 50 years and why that lead to Texas becoming the 1st state to cancel the spring conservation season

* why are snow goose numbers on the decline?

* why did the duck season split move a week later in the season ( I know a lot of us were less than thrilled to get that news) ?

* widescale changes in greenhead behavior AND patterns

* other puddlers picking up the slack?

* positive pintail news?

Silencer Central’s Brandon Maddox makes his return this week. We discuss the upcoming November election and what that means for the gun industry. We also get into the latest product launches (like the Speed K pictured in this post) and the expected lifespan of a suppressor. Other highlights from our discussion include:



* how to add new suppressors to an existing trust

* benefits of suppressors for women and youth shooters

* the recent hiccup with the ATF

* A more positive experience more likely to bring a new hunter back

* upcoming hunts including an African safari that leaves Cable a little jealous!





Then we check in with father/son big bass aficionados Brodey and Stetson Davis. Their accomplishments speak for themselves as Brodey holds the Lake O.H. Ivie big bass record with his 2022 lunker that weighed 17.06 lbs. Stetson recently joined his dad in the annals of big bass lore when he skipped school and landed a sharelunker of his own- a 13.31 lb whopper out of Lake J.B. Thomas. Stetson’s fish destroyed the previous junior angler record for the lake btw. We hit on a myriad of big bass topics including:



* Brodey’s favorite month for lunker class bass

* How has Side Scanning technology changed the game for targeting big bass?

* Should it be legal in tournament fishing?

* What bait did they each use to land their lunkers?

* Where is Lake J.B. Thomas and why is it producing big bass?

* Turkey and deer hunting tales

* What happens once you catch a 13 lb class bass (what does Texas Parks and Wildlife do)?

When the Endangered Species Act passed in 1973 it was widely supported by hunters, conservationists and animal lovers alike. However, somewhere along the way it’s mission was abandoned. Animals no longer needing protections stay on the list in perpetuity. When biologists deem a species recovered and recommend removing them, the antis sue to try to get them relisted. Rinse and repeat.

On this episode I’m joined by our old friend and Safari Club International’s Executive VP of Government Affairs Ben Cassidy. We discuss the status of the ESA and how a new bill ( America’s Wildlife Habitat Restoration Act – sponsored by congressman Bruce Westerman – R-AR)  could help ensure states get to work with the feds to try and recover and ultimately delist species within their borders.

We also discuss the importance of SCI’s Hunters Embassy. The only one of it’s kind in Washington D.C. , this is the epicenter of protecting our rights as sportsmen both in North America and internationally. Plus, it just sounds freaking cool to say that we as hunters have our own Embassy!

(Ben live from the Hunters’ Embassy in D.C.)

You might have seen the viral video of the trapper releasing a caught coyote. Why would a trapper release a successful catch? On this week’s show I’m joined by the duo responsible for the seemingly strange action. Tony Van Asten and Dylan Hazen explain the curious action and what they hoped to accomplish by sharing the video of the release. We also discuss a bunch of other interesting stuff with the die hard bow hunters and passionate trappers. Highlights include:



* Proving that leg/footholds aren’t inhumane

* The lost art of trapping

* Specific coyote sets

* Big archery bucks

* CWD in Wisconsin

* Wolves killing Wisconsin whitetail deer tradition and local economies

* The low hanging fruit for the antis

When it comes to wild turkeys, few outdoorsmen know more about the birds than Dr. Mike Chamberlain. “The Wild Turkey Doc” makes his return to the show this week with spring turkey seasons opening up all over the Lower 48. We discuss a myriad of turkey related topics with Dr. Chamberlain. Highlights include:



* Do state wildlife agencies really set the start of spring seasons to begin after the peak of breeding season? And if so, why?

* Is one turkey species really dumber than another, or is it all based on pressure?

* How close is too close to set up on a roost?

* Why do turkeys change their roost tree, is there a method to the madness?

* Roosting close to constant human interaction…is that a real strategy to avoid getting shot?

* What kills birds on the roost?

* A tom is hammering away every time you call, why won’t he come into shotgun range?

* The lifecycle of a male turkey

* What do you look for when you first access a new turkey property?

* The art of calling, how much is too much?

* Decoys

* Thoughts on reaping

* Nesting success rate required to keep a stable population

Brant MacDuff has an interesting story. The Brooklyn, NY native and self described animal lover who’s always wrestled with eating meat. The economic environmentalist/taxidermy historian and now author joins me on this week’s show. We talk about the mental gymnastics of wanting to be a vegetarian but always coming back to eating what humans are supposed to eat – MEAT! So in his process, he became a butcher’s apprentice to better understand the cuts of meat he was feasting on. The next step in that process was to go into the woods and kill his own natural protein.

In his book “The Shotgun Conservationist” Brant beautifully blends his journey into becoming a hunter with the positive economic impact hunting provides for conservation across the globe. We share stories and reflect on the emotions (or lack of) that comes along with taking a life. Every hunter reacts differently but we all feel something in that moment. A hunter residing in a one  bedroom apartment in Brooklyn also seems quite rare, keep in mind his is littered with taxidermy and a wild game chest freezer.

(Brant and I at the SCI show in Nashville)



Next with sit down with Tristan Breijer – Policy Advisor for FACE (European Federation for Hunting and Conservation).  FACE is essential in protecting the rights of our brothers and sisters across Europe. Much like SCI and Sportsmen’s Alliance do for us in North America. Tristan breaks down some of the latest anti hunting legislation that has been proposed in Belgium and France. Keep in mind that alot of bad/anti hunting policy originates in Europe before rearing it’s head in the U.S. and Canada. We also get into a recent study conducted by FACE, SCI and other partners that proves most Europeans are OK with hunting and that there’s a big difference between approval vs acceptance of hunting.



(Tristan and I at the SCI show in Nashville)