6 Ranch Podcast

One year ago, Gary Shepard died for 15 minutes, then was brought back. So of course, I had to ask, what's it like to die? In this episode, Gary shares the story of his life. His childhood growing up hunting, trapping, and fishing in Montana. His time in Special Forces as a Green Beret during the Vietnam era. And his guiding philosophy, that today is enough. All you can do is try your very best each day. According to Gary, death is not a big deal. It's what you do with your time on earth that matters. 

If you ask Gail Hammack, the word "conservation" is often misused. To Gail, conservation means taking care of the land, not preventing us from utilizing natural resources. Gail and her late husband, Doug McDaniel, understood what it meant to care for something you love. With the channelized Wallowa River running through their property, Doug and Gail had a vision of what the river could be. They fought for years to make that dream a reality, for at the time, no one had attempted a re-meandering project of that size. In doing so, Gail and Doug exceeded expectations, completing a massive, award winning river restoration project and paving the way for other landowners who want to better their property. Today, Gail continues her husband's legacy by working the land and completing another phase of restoring the river

I may not be an expert, but after seeing my fair share of mounts, I can spot good taxidermy when I see it. Dan Moncrief is one of the experts. He's been a taxidermist since 1986 and is an artist in every sense of the word. His attention to detail, realism, and artistry is truly something special, and is undoubtedly what won him a first-place cougar mount in international competition. In this episode, we dive deep into the process and craftsmanship behind his creations while reminiscing on some of our favorite hunts.

Moncrief Wildlife Artistry
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There's only a handful of fish that people will alter the way they live just to catch. Tarpon are one of those fish. When you picture tarpon fishing, you're probably imagining some guy fly fishing from a flats boat in the Bahamas. But there's another very different type of tarpon fishing in a very different place, Pamlico Sound, North Carolina. Pamlico Sound is the second largest estuary in the U.S. with a fascinating pirate history. The tarpon there are enormous and catching them is a totally unique skill set to other tarpon fisheries. Here to share his fishing knowledge, is my good friend Gene Wooster. Gene has won more tarpon competitions in North Carolina than anyone either of us know, and after hearing from him, you'll be booking a trip to Pamlico.

Gene's Tarpon Guide Recommendations:
Down East Guide Service 
Four Seasons Guide Service 

On April 25th, 2009, the Princess Tiaping, a 54-foot replica of a Ming Dynasty Chinese junk, sank in open ocean. Larz Stewart, along with 10 other crew members, miraculously survived. The Princess Tiaping was built to revive maritime culture, history, and pride to the people of Taiwan and Southeast Asia. Larz joined the crew in Hawaii for the final leg of their global journey, intending to sail the boat to Taiwan. With just 27 nautical miles to go from their final destination, the Princess Tiaping encountered a storm, and was subsequently hit by a huge tanker, cleaving the boat in two. The tanker did not stop to assist, and the crew was left to cling to the wreckage for hours before help arrived. Larz's story is truly incredible, and the fact that he survived is a testament to his captain, crew, and own resilience. 

On a cross state motorcycle trip, I stopped by G9 Defense, an innovative ammunition company, to do some ballistic testing with Casey Foster and Kyle Holmes. All the folks I've met from G9 have led fascinating lives, and my guests today are no exception. Before bullets, Casey spent years farming South Pacific Islands such as Fiji, Tahiti, and Samoa, and was at one point the world’s largest supplier of Noni Juice. Kyle has a master’s in forensic psychology and spent his previous life working with minors and adults in suicide prevention. I've been out of the military for 9 years, and at this point, I've lost more troops to suicide than I did from combat. This is such an important episode. Kyle shares why veterans are killing themselves, what those in crisis can do, and how we can save lives and support ourselves and the people we love. 
 

Check out G9 Defense
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This week, I'm in Montana with Thomas Rucker and Payden Armstrong, the special forces veterans and expert bladesmiths behind Rucker Knives. Thomas served in Vietnam, becoming a Green Beret in 1967, only five years after the program's inception. He's been making knives for over 50 years, and together with his wife, has twice won the International Knife of the Year award. Payden served as a Navy SEAL in North Africa and Afghanistan. With firsthand experience in combat and survival situations, he understands the importance of a reliable and functional knife. The expertise and craftsmanship that these men pour into their knives can only come from years of hunting and combat experience.  
 

Buy a Rucker Knife

Rucker Knives on Instagram and Facebook 

Most people think of winter as the hunting off season, but really, the months in which you’re doing the least amount of hunting is June through August. So, what should hunters be doing this summer to prepare for the fall season? To answer that question, is my good buddy and frequent contributor to the show, Kevin Harlander. Kevin is an avid outdoorsman and a member of the First Lite Hunting Apparel team. His advice? Spend your summer focusing on mental health and fitness, go through your gear, do some research, and create time for your future self this fall. We really only get to hunt a week or two every year. Why not be as prepared as possible going into the season? 

Kevin on Instagram 

Check out my favorite Stanley products in the 6 Ranch Outfitters Collection, and use discount code 6ranch for 25% off

Leanna Wentz is no stranger to herding sheep, her family has been running sheep and cattle for over 10 generations. But running sheep in Hells Canyon is a different beast. Sheep are always trying to die, and Hells Canyon is one of the most hostile places I've ever been that wasn't an active war zone.  But Leanna's family made it work. From 1992 to 1998, her family had the last sheep permit in the U.S. that was run 12 months of the year on forest service land, until their operation was shut down due to fear of disease transmission to wild bighorns. She's got some wild stories of moving 2,200 head up and down the Snake River and across steep terrain. Wild stories of protecting the herd and of life in the canyon. Her stories are worth preserving and hopefully not the last of their kind. 

Email Leanna: [email protected]

Check out my favorite Stanley products in the 6 Ranch Outfitters Collection, and use discount code 6ranch for 25% off.

This Memorial Day, I'm joined by my buddy and fellow former Marine, Ben Carleton. Ben joined the infantry right out of high school and served with the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines. He saw his fair share of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan and sees this day as a time for quiet reflection, not a day to celebrate or thank those who made it home. Ben also grew up hunting and got into archery when he left the Marines. In this episode, Ben and I share some war stories, and discuss hunting everything from black-tail and elk to bears and cougars.

Ben on Instagram

Check out my favorite Stanley products in the 6 Ranch Outfitters Collection, and use discount code 6ranch for 25% off.