On this episode I talk to Troy Fowler, also known as the Ranch Fairy.  He has a Youtube channel where he shoots pigs, catches fish, and has a lot of fun.  In that fun there is serious analysis happening.  He works on improving his arrow system to make it more lethal on the tough wild pigs that have taken over much of Texas.  He shoots some huge broadheads and heavy arrows with super light bows.  Crazy setups by current archery standards but he proves them on live animals and examines everything.  Lots of great information presented in a realistic and entertaining way.  In an increasingly fake and misrepresented outdoor industry the Ranch Fairy is as real as it gets.  Showing real hunts, kills, and examinations of how the arrow performed. Check out his channel on Youtube and follow him on Instagram.  

Recently I was able to go back to Alaska to hunt Black Bear on Prince of Wales Island.  This podcast is a solo episode where I recap the hunts and give you my perspective on why we were successful on our trip.  For this hunt a good friend and I each drew nonresident spring Black Bear tags.  This was a return trip for us since we have each done this hunt a few times.  Having previous experience hunting the island and where to hunt helped shorten the learning curve.  In the podcast I cover what areas we were looking for and why some areas will hold bears and some will not.  There is no better way to hunt these spring giants than spot and stalk, and for me that is with a bow in my hand.  Enjoy the podcast.

Sitka Blacktailed Deer are not as well known as some of the other species of deer, but they are just as magnificent.  They are native to the dense rainforests of Southeast Alaska and Northern BC.  I was first introduced to them when I spent time on Prince of Wales Island in Southeast Alaska.  After some research I heard about Jim Baichtal.  Jim has spent a lot of years pursuing these magnificent deer as a hunter but he has also been involved in researching them as a scientist.  Very few people know more about Sitka Blacktailed Deer than Jim.  He shares some of that knowledge with us on this podcast.  

Today we talk to Steven Dahn about his experience chasing big Black Bears in SW Oregon.  Steven lives in an area that has a strong population of bears.  The steep landscape and thick forest makes for a tough hunt, but also very rewarding.  Black Bear are a unique and fun species to hunt.  Keeping their numbers down protects deer/elk numbers as well as provides great hunting opportunity during times of the year where there may not be many other options. Plus they make great bear tacos!

This is Part 2 of my conversation with Dr. Ed Ashby and Garrett Schlief of Grizzly Stik.  Dr. Ashby is a wealth of knowledge on terminal ballistics of arrows and bullets.  We continue talking about his life as he left Africa and moved on to Australia to continue his research.  I do have to say my audio has a hard echo which makes me sound like a robot.  I wasn't going to release this podcast but there is just too much good information and Dr. Ashby's time is too valuable to not publish it.  Hopefully the echo isn't too annoying for you and you are able to get some of the great information he reveals as we talk. 

Dr Ed Ashby has dedicated his life to researching terminal arrow performance. If you have done any research on arrow performance you have likely come across some of his work. His extensive research on the terminal performance of archery equipment has helped define lethal arrow systems.  He breaks downs what factors make an arrow most effective.  Structural integrity, broadhead shape, broadhead bevel, broadhead tip design, arrow shaft profile, arrow mass, and FOC are some of those factors.  His research is extensive, thorough, and by shear volume….impressive.  Dr Ashby also spent 4 years researching the terminal performance of the Barnes X bullet during its' development.  He knows what it takes to make an ethical shot on any animal.

On this episode we talk to David Johnson and Ty Wyatt about our NW fisheries, Salmon and Steelhead primarily. We talk about where our Chinook Salmon go when they leave local rivers and where they are being caught during the years they spend in the ocean.  We talk fisheries management policy and some of the politics involved we well.  Of course we go down a few tangents but all of this podcast has good information.  

Bead fishing....it almost seems too simple.  Yet there are some nuances that can make a big difference in your success rate.  Today we talk to guides David Johnson and Ty Wyatt about how they approach this popular technique.  We cover bead and hook size, rod/reel setup, and color.......kind of. Some secrets are still held close to the vest. 

Alaska is an unforgiving place to hunt.  Sheep hunting is one of the most extreme hunts available in North America.  Combine the two and you have a hunting experience that breaks many men and creates fanatics out of others.  In 2017 Ed drew the coveted Tok Management Area Dall Sheep tag and tackled it head on.  He tells us how he pushed himself to get back into a the most remote part he could access.  Crossing streams and climbing rocky hillsides he pushed himself further than he ever had before.  With months of preparation, miles carrying a heavy pack, thousands of feet of elevation gained and lost, it can all come down to one moment.  Ed tells us what happened when the moment came and his chance at a trophy Dall Sheep presented itself.  

Captain James Nash and I talk about predator hunting and how important it is for him as a cattle rancher/outfitter, but also important for all us who want deer and elk available to hunt. We talk about how the hunting landscape is changing with the reintroduction of wolves.  The magnitude of that change is something most people haven't realized yet. Predator and game management will forever be changed when wolves arrive in your hunting area. Coyotes, Black Bear, and Cougars are all predator species we are very familiar with. With all of that we now have wolves expanding their range and pushing into areas that haven't seen a wolf in over 70 years.  James and I have a frank discussion on predators, hunters, and where that leaves the deer and elk populations.