Bear Grease

On this episode of the Bear Grease Podcast we'll be introduced to the man that president Theodore Roosevelt said was “the greatest hunter and guide I have ever known.”  Many believe his legacy deserves to be on the American pedestal with the likes of Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett. And some might even suggest he stand with the great African American civil rights pioneers early 20th century, based upon the standing he had in society and the life he lived. However, his life is riddled with mystery and controversy, but if you’re like me, after you’ve been exposed to the energy, audacity and bravery of this life, you’ll never – ever – forget the name Holt Collier.

Holt Collier was born a slave and at age fourteen after he joined the Confederate Army and fought with distinction the entirety of the war. Afterwards he became a market hunter black bear. After the civil war he killed a white man in Mississippi, but no charges were pressed and was later accused of killing another one and was acquitted for the murder. He hob-knobbed with some of the most powerful men in the Delta gaining their loyalty and trust. But what he’s most known for is guiding the then sitting president, Theodore Roosevelt on two bear hunts in the Mississippi Delta and gaining his friendship and respect. Holt Collier lassoed a bear and tied it to a tree for the president, who refused to shoot it, and from this the press coined the term “Teddy Bear” which has become a global term, and it would have never happened if it wasn’t for the creative grit of a black man named, Holt Collier.  Undoubtedly, Holt’s life doesn’t fit into anybody’s mold and I think that’s what qualifies him as a great American. He lived an almost unbelievable life. On this episode we'll interview Minor Ferris Buchannon, Hank Burdine and Jonathan Wilkins to try to understand who Holt was. 

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On this episode of the Bear Grease [Render], Clay and the gang talk about their most recent podcast. They get to know a special guest -- Tavin Dillard -- who shows Clay how to call in a turkey salmon. Later, they meet another special guest, Joel Barry. Finally, they discuss Clay watching Instagram Reels like a dad, why Gary Newcomb had to aggressively fine-tune his Tik Tok preferences, and what that means for the future of society. I really, really doubt you're gonna want to miss this one. 

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On this episode of the Bear Grease Podcast, we’ll be crossing the streams of sports, rural life, and hunting as we learn about the 1960’s championship Bradleyville Eagles basketball dynasty in Missouri. We’ll talk with author, Leon Combs who wrote the book on them and we’ll meet one of the players – Leon Boyd – the teams ball handling point guard and coonhunter extraordinaire who still hunts and loves basketball to this day. In a world of increasing specialization, we’ll explore if the idea of having diversity can make us better at everything we do – like being a coonhunting basketball player… but it’s a toss up. The drama of this sports story will have you on the edge of the bleacher as you hear the actual broadcast of their 1968 state championship game and we’ll go on a hunt with Leon Boyd. I doubt you’re going to want to miss this one…

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On this week’s episode of the Bear Grease Render, Clay is joined by the familiar crew to discuss the public display of taxidermy in gas stations. Brent Reaves tells us about Waylon’s new found ability to tree a raccoon underground. Isaac Neale shares the perils of cowboy boots. Josh Spielmaker embraces his roll as the Bear Grease Bad Boy. Misty Newcomb raises the collective IQ of the room when she elaborates on doctoral research. Clay fills us in on the roller coaster of training a bucking mule. While Gary laments the lack of chairs in modern Gas Stations.  And you’re definitely not going to want to miss the question one shop owner asked Clay and Brent that inspired a minor existential crisis.

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On this episode of the Bear Grease Podcast, Brent Reaves and Clay Newcomb hit the two-lane highways and byways of America in search of taxidermy in gas stations. This type of public display of bucks, bears and ducks is becoming rarer - and we’re in search of why. The public display of taxidermy is something deep in the root system of American identity and symbolic of a way of life. The American gas station at one time acted as the “town square” and relational hub of small communities, but things are changing. We’ll talk with podcaster, JB Shreve about how the oil and gas industry has impacted America since World War 1, and we’ll also talk with an expert on the tangible effects of social capital on communities, but not before the crew makes finds incredible gas-station bucks and people. Get a cold fountain drink and buckle up because we’re about roll down the road – we doubt you’re going to want to miss this one.

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On this episode of the Bear Grease Render, Clay opens the floor up so that Josh can finally spread the good news about Fly Fishing. Misty reminisces about the time Josh's mom saved Clay's life. Isaac tries out cowboy boots. Gary, dressed for golf, pontificates on his friend's streak of hole in ones. And you're not going to want to miss Clay's brand new song featuring Brent on the bear's femur & dutch oven. By the end, you might not know if you're lucky or deserving, but you sure will enjoy the show.

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On this episode of the Bear Grease Podcast we’re talking about two giant, public-land whitetails killed by the same man on the same year, all the while exploring a universal and ancient idea. It’s one that has not escaped any culture - it’s homogenous across time, oceans, and peoples. It’s the idea of a “streak of luck”. All can agree that beneficial things do happen that are far beyond human control, but the catalyst or origin of this favor are where the ideologies diverge. I want to introduce you, posthumously, to an incredible man by the name of Ora Lee Provence, who Clay Newcomb interviewed in 2019, just one month prior to his passing at the age of 91 – Mr. Oree, as he was called, killed two non-typical deer in the fall of 1965 on public land in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas. This was as unlikely as being struck by lightning -  twice. We’ll hear from Mr. Oree himself and meet his son, we’ll also hear from Whitetail wackos Mark Kenyon and Tony Peterson from MeatEater’s Wired To Hunt Podcast, and we’ll talk with one of the best Ozark Mountain deer hunters I know, Moe Shepherd, about streaks of luck. 

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Clay and the crew are joined by Zach Newcomb, mental health professional and real life brother to Clay.  After a rousing version of “I Saw the Light” the gang discusses the finer points of seasoning gravy, larger than life black panther busts and near misses with heavy machinery before jumping into the most recent episode of Bear Grease about Lewis Wetzel. You’ll want to stay tuned til the end to hear Brent Reaves recite a rhymed verse recounting the life and times of one of American History’s most brutal and bloody characters.

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On this episode of the Bear Grease Podcast we’ll be looking into the life a man whose legacy is wrought with conflict. To Americans who lived in the Ohio River Valley he was a folk  hero, but to the Native Americans he hated and murdered in cold-blood, he was known as the Deathwind. Clay Newcomb went to the Ohio Valley to interview outdoor writer and author, Chip Gross, to learn about the life of Lewis Wetzel. This dark-deep-dive comes at the request one of Steve Rinella of MeatEater, who is also a guest on this episode. We’ll talk about Wetzel’s life and the brutality of the American frontier. Lastly, in an effort to understand the mind frame of
Wetzel, Clay will interview mental health professional, Zach Newcomb, to learn if our boy Wetzel was truly a sociopath, a serial killer, or if his actions simply the result of life lived in a war zone. We doubt you’re going to want to miss this one.  We know folks let their young kids listen to Bear Grease (which we love), but we’ll warn you -- in this episode there is lots of talk of graphic violence.

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On this episode of the Bear Grease [Render],  Clay Newcomb and the crew are joined by Lt. Ep Fletcher of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. They discuss wildlife regulations and some of the most memorable moments in his career. Fletcher describes how he evaluates each violation with three specific questions: what was the intent, how does it effect the resource, and how does it impact public safety. Ep ends the podcast with a moving story about a game warden who lost his life in a water evacuation.

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