Fourche Creek Podcast

Today's episode features Tommy Nails, the owner of Whiskey Ridge Hunts in Milton, Iowa.

Tommy discusses what to look for when selecting a hunting outfitter.  He discusses things such as the overall expectations, opportunity rate, lodging, how many hunters allowed each season, how many hunters allowed in camp at one time, keeping pressure low on properties, prep work involved, deer hunting specifics, turkey hunting specifics, the importance of wind direction, and generally how to get to know the hunting ethics and character of an outfitter and to do your homework before you commit.  

In this episode, we check in with Jordan Blissett of Open Season Properties.  Jordan has formerly worked with Mossy Oak and Primos Hunting. 

We talk about his Jordan's past turkey season, along with Justin's misses and mishaps.  We discuss Open Season Properties, the land market, his "Speak the Language" Podcast with Lake Pickle, Open Season's new Arkansas duck hunting property, and his upcoming "Consumed" YouTube hunting and land channel.  We also talk about the fall hunting season which includes an elk hunt in Colorado, a pronghorn hunt in Colorado, and whitetails in Kansas.

Justin Rogers and I visit with Kenyon Wright, who has been an avid bowhunter for most of his life.  During the first part of June, Kenyon ventured out of his normal hunting routine of whitetails and went on a black bear hunt in New Brunswick, Canada with some friends he made through his wife McKenna's work.

Kenyon talks about the preparations made for the trip, traveling through customs and the hunt itself, including him taking his first black bear with his Mathews bow.  

Kenyon is an educator by trade and currently serves as a high school principal at his alma mater in Bell City, Missouri.  Previously, Kenyon served as a varsity basketball coach where he won 3 state championships.  

This episode features Chase Roberts; Chase is a high school junior from Cape Girardeau, Missouri.  This past February, he became the 2024 NWTF Grand National Calling Championship Intermediate Champion.  Chase began competing at the National level at 9 years of age.  The very first contest he attended, he simply went to watch with his family after hearing about it earlier in the day.  He ended up competing in it and won first place. He is a fine young man with a bright future and he is definitely one who knows how to take his dreams and aspirations to a much higher level.

Cody Harrison discusses his involvement in Missouri's oldest turkey calling contest that was recently held in Festus, Missouri on March 23rd.  Cody also discusses his first two days of the turkey season in Missouri, along with a turkey report on what he sees in the coming days and weeks.

Ronda and James met at Hillsboro High School in Hillsboro, Missouri during Study Hall class.  On their 2nd date, James brought a briefcase with him to her house and sat down with her Dad and made turkey calls with him for 2 hours.  Somehow, they survived those initial first dates and 32 years later they have 2 sons and a granddaughter.  As "empty nesters", Ronda has started going hunting with James, who is a 16 time National and World Championship caller.

They discuss their start to the Missouri turkey season, as both of them filled a tag on opening morning.  Few people can rival Ronda's turkey hunting footwear, as she took her gobbler while wearing red and black chicken boots.  This is a great episode with 2 of the finest people you could ever meet.

Patrick Hill tells us what he has been experiencing in South Alabama since the start of turkey season and Justin Rogers does the same, as it relates to Central Mississippi.

Justin and Patrick have both hunted approximately 15 days of the season, to date.  Patrick has found success on 12 of those first 15 days, through hunts for himself, his buddies, his kids, and his clients.  Justin, on the other hand, has experienced a slower start to the season.  

This episode features brothers, Jonathan and Joseph Patterson, as they discuss  B & P Family Farms of Florence, Mississippi.

Co-host, Justin Rogers (Bienville Outdoors/Old South Lures) met Jonathan and Joseph through his affiliation with the Mississippi Trapper's Association and as a result, has developed a working relationship with them, as well as utilized their services on his own hunting properties.

B & P Family Farms is a family owned business that provides expertise in conserving and improving our native forests, wildlife, and wildlife habitat. They provide consulting services, timber management, wildlife management, tree planting and food plots, predator trapping, and prescribed fire, to name a few.  They will provide whatever is needed for their respective clients through their planning, implementation, and maintenance of the particular projects.

Alabama's Bob Walker is a name that most people, who hunt, recognize as one of the elite turkey hunters in the country.  Bob is highly respected for his knowledge, experience, skill, woodsmanship, and insight, to name a few. 

Bob guided for the legendary Bent Creek Lodge, in Jachin, Alabama,  for over 32 years and was also a well known face of Mossy Oak, as he was a member of the Mossy Oak Turkey Thugs TV show.  

Bob covers it all from locating, morning access, set ups, when to call/when not to, calls used, reading gobblers, hunting in bad weather, and a much more. 

In today's episode, I visit with James Harrison at his wood shop, near Hillsboro, Missouri, where he makes his "Harrison Custom Calls". James also designs calls for Phelps Game Calls of MeatEater; James is a multiple time World Champion Caller. 

The "Harrison Hooter" is widely known and used each year in the turkey woods all across the United States.  James has also developed the Harrison Owl Screamer, the Harrison Crow Call, and the Phelps Triple Locator. In addition, James developed the "The Harrison Grunter" deer grunt call.  James is a master craftsman and is always working on something new to assist hunters in the field.

James' custom calls can be found on Facebook at "Harrison Custom Calls".