Hound Dog Podcast Network by The Sportsmen's Empire

In this episode Chris and Steve explore coon hunting video production with guest Nick Gilliland, a pioneer in the field. A coon hunter from western North Carolina with a penchant for all things technical, Gilliland operates a hound supply business but is better known for his efforts to help young and new-to-the-sport houndsmen through weekly question and answer sessions on his YouTube channel.

Chris and Steve explore Gilliland’s background with hounds, individuals that mentored him as a young hunter and his motives for starting his Nite Life Kennel channel. Gilliland reveals what he hopes viewers will glean from his efforts as well as his future plans for the channel.

Gilliland believes he may be one of the last of a generation that grew up completely in the outdoors devoid of the technical devices hunters depend upon today. Gilliland’s efforts to master the technical aspects of the sport, while embracing the traditional ways, places him in a unique position to bridge the gap between the old and new in both the devices he reviews and in the philosophies of those he attempts to reach.

Readers of hound hunting books like Life of the Greatest Guide, Slash Ranch Hounds or Meet Mr. Grizzly, by McCurdy, Evans or Stevens respectively have, no doubt, yearned to experience the thrill of hunting mountain lions and bears on horseback in the old West. Our guest in this episode, Chris Todd of Kingman, Arizona doesn’t have to live the lifestyle of the western lion hunter vicariously through the printed page. He literally lives it every day.

Todd, who once hunted lions for ninety days out of ninety-two operates a guide service in which hunters experience a seven-day horse-mounted, hound-enhanced, classic mountain lion hunt just like those taken by Dale Lee, Dub Evans or Montague Stevens. In this episode, Chris and Steve interview Todd on several aspects of lion hunting in Arizona. The discussions range from profiling the successful lion hound to breeding, training, and conditioning the hound for rigorous terrain. The hosts drill down into the origins of the guest’s successful pack and uncover some popular names in hound breeding.

Todd knows lions and lion hounds and the hosts pick his brain on many aspects of the sport of hunting the most elusive of quarry in this interesting episode. Chris Todd is the authentic article and his warm personality and storehouse of knowledge about dry ground lion hunting will entertain and inspire listeners to head out west to hunt lions with hounds in the company of a master lion hunter. This episode will rank high on the reader's enjoyability scale.

This episode takes a look the professional level of coonhound competition embodied in the events of the Professional Kennel Club (PKC) thorough an interview with Jerry Moll of Batesville, Indiana, Director of Field Operations.

Jerry Moll is a noted breeder of winning Treeing Walker Coonhounds and has sustained a successful breeding program for twelve generations or more. Chris and Steve explore Moll’s successes and drill down into decisions that have produced many winners. Moll’s hounds have attracted handsome offers and supplied generous rewards to Moll for his efforts as a breeder, trainer and competitor.

This is an episode for the savvy coon hunter that is looking to pick the brain of one that has many success stories to his credit or for the novice aspiring to ascend to the highest levels of the competitive coonhound sport.

In this episode of Houndsmen XP, Steve and Chris sit down for a visit with Cleave and Becky Dwire of northern Nevada for a great conversation about their experiences as professional outfitters, specializing in dry ground lion hunts.

Becky talks about her experience being a professional trainer and working with the most elite canine trackers in the world at Angola Prison in Louisiana and bird dog training legends of the south west. Growing up around hunting dogs and the greatest trainers in the country led her on a path to become an Xtreme houndsman and marry not only the love of her life but also an adventurous lifestyle.

Cleave, soft spoken, as is common among tough hombres of the west, dives into topics about scent, dog’s noses and mules. He openly shares his knowledge about dry ground lion hunting and his successes as a professional lion hunter, muleskinner and Xtreme houndsman.

Together, Cleave and Becky make a dynamic hound duo, sharing a story book hound hunting life in some of the toughest conditions for trail hounds in the U.S. This is an episode you don’t want to miss.

Taking an interesting twist to the normal podcast format, guest Eddie McMillan, a novice hound hunter from Oregon, plays host to the show, interviewing Chris and Steve on several subjects of interest to houndsmen of all stripes.

Originally from Texas, McMillan comes from a beagling background and became interested in big game hunting with hounds after moving west. Reading several of McMillan’s questions and comments posted on social media, Chris conceived the idea of a having a guest host the show. The contact with McMillan revealed an interesting and entertaining host-in-the-making. McMillan accepted the invitation and the result is a podcast that listeners, especially those new to the sport, will enjoy.

McMillan seeks answers to questions on several topics including how the co-hosts got started, who were their influential mentors, and what were the pitfalls they encountered along the way? Addressing the stages of hunter development, how to encourage new hunters to be involved and how to bridge the communication gap between older and newer hunters, are subjects that make this an informative and entertaining episode with an unusual twist.

In this episode, Chris and Steve interview professional Maine guide, world class award-winning taxidermist, wildlife biologist and successful Plott houndsman Mark Dufresne. Mark has won awards at the state, national and world levels for his taxidermy skills.

Growing up in the hill country of Massachusetts, Dufresne graduated high school with a class of six before attending Maine’s Unity College where he graduated at the top of his class in wildlife biology. Dufresne recounts his Alaskan days as a biologist studying the Sheefish, a large and little known species of whitefish. Dufresne relives numerous encounters with Alaska’s grizzlies while performing his work.

Dufresne discusses his early beginnings hunting bear with hounds in Massachusetts with some of the best-known Plott men of the day including WWII hero and renown Plott breeder Leroy Haug. He and Steve have a conversation about Plott bear dogs and the strains from which Dufresne’s professional pack is comprised. Dufresne reveals his opinions of the differences between Plotts and other hound breeds when used to catch bobcats and black bears that may surprise some listeners.

Dufresne is a widely talented and interesting guest that listeners will enjoy.

In this episode Chris and Steve visit with Allen Gingerich, Senior Director of Field Operations for the United Kennel Club (UKC). UKC is the primary registry for hound enthusiasts desiring to hunt with and breed purebred hounds. Many hounds that are in use today as hunters trace their roots to the seven UKC-registered breeds.

Chris and Steve encourage Gingerich to reveal interesting aspects of his job as Field Director in the sometimes topsy-turvy world of competition hunting, as well as the ins and outs of the registry business in general. The guest’s musical interests and an insider look at life on the road attending coonhound and beagle events are moments to be enjoyed.

Gingerich, a popular figure in hound circles, will entertain listeners with his humor and accounts of interesting aspects of the hound sport that listeners may have failed to consider. This extended episode will be a favorite of houndsmen of all persuasions.

Chris and Steve take a time out to do what every hound person loves to do and that’s simply to talk dogs. In this episode they take a look at the progress of the podcast since inception and discuss highlights of previous episodes. The upcoming benefit for injured houndsman and professional guide Leon Brown is discussed along with a recap of the recent visit with Freedom Hunters leaders Anthony Pace and Bud DePlatchett.

Midway the podcast, Chris calls the customer service staff at Double U Hunting Supply to discuss how the company is able to get product into the hands of consumers so quickly and to announce a new tech support feature to the podcast involving Double U support staff.

Chris reaches into the mailbag to field a question on breeding, sparking a conversation with Steve about the importance of really knowing the dogs in the pedigree or background before breeding that dog. The guys discuss inbreeding, the increasing interest in cross-breeding coonhounds and discuss a popular stud dog that may play a part in an increase in the practice. Steve offers his thoughts on family breeding hounds and the boys discuss several prominent players on the hound-hunting stage today.

This is an episode for those wanting a break from the rat race to reflect on a variety of subjects that are important in a houndsman’s life.

In this episode Chris and Steve interview Freedom Hunters Founder and Program Director Anthony Pace along with Board member and East Coast Coordinator Bud DePlatchett. Freedom Hunters is a Military Outreach program dedicated to honoring those who protect our freedoms. Freedom Hunters reflects the outdoor community's appreciation to our troops by taking select active duty and combat veterans, families of fallen heroes, and children of the deployed, as well as those wounded or injured, on outdoor adventures.

Chris and Steve discuss the inner workings of Freedom Hunters including how the organization is formed and supported, how hunt recipients are selected and relive hunting trips taken with military guests on all types of game. Hound hunters will enjoy Bud DePlatchett’s exciting accounts of deer hunts with hounds on Virginia’s eastern shore. Listeners will also enjoy a look at the relationships between the warriors and the hunting dogs as well as those between hound owners and their hounds.

This powerful episode reveals the emotion and extreme dedication of Freedom Hunters as they take active duty, wounded, and Gold Star families of the deployed on hunting and fishing trips to relax and recoup. As Anthony and Bud reveal the vision to recognize, thank and extend appreciation to all members of the military and their families, Chris and Steve share a special announcement concerning Freedom Hunters and the Houndsman XP podcast.

Facebook: Freedom Hunters

Chris and Steve sit down with Native American Calvin Redhouse to discuss his heritage as a member of the Navajo Nation in the southwest United States and his Rez Hounds outfitting business. In this episode, Calvin discusses many topics including life on the “rez,” his military service and his passion as a southwest houndsman.

Redhouse, like so many Americans and especially Navajos who have a long history of military service, was impassioned by the 9-11 attacks and chose to join the Marine Corps. Deployed an amazing five times in ten years, four to Afghanistan and once to Iraq, Calvin was ready to return to his native land.

Upon discharge from the Marine Corps, Redhouse would find solace in the mountains of his homeland where he now hunts mountain lions, bears and bobcats with his pack of “Rez” hounds. Turning his passion into a business, Redhouse operates his guide service under the Rez Hounds banner, enabling clients to experience the beauty, magnitude and ample game populations of the 17.5 million-acre Navajo Nation. Illustrating his passion, Calvin hunts five to seven days each week despite holding down a nighttime security job.

In this episode Redhouse discusses his relationship with Carnivore TV host and producer Gary Roberson whom he now assists as videographer and film maker for the popular outdoor show. Listeners will enjoy this amazing story of Native American life, patriotic service and hound-hunting passion by a man that typifies the extreme houndsman like no other.

FaceBook Contact: Rez Hounds

Instagram: rezhounds16