This episode of the Modern Carnivore Podcast was recorded at the 2025 Backcountry Hunters & Anglers North Country Ice Breaker. The event provided an opportunity to capture insights from three experienced outdoorsmen on the topic of fair chase. Specifically, we focused on forward facing sonar technology and how it is changing the fishing experience (and potentially catch rates). Publications like Outdoor News have been reporting on this topic for years. Some state agencies have started to address the topic directly, but many are holding tight and waiting to see where things go. Let us know if you have thoughts on how this technology can be best used, and what restrictions (if any) should be put on it.

Guests on today’s podcast include:

Mike Hehner from Linder Media Productions

Greg Kvale – Board Member of Minnesota Backcountry Hunters & Anglers

David Lien is a co-founder of the Minnesota Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers

https://modcarn.com/conservation-mcp-ep028/

https://modcarn.com/hardwater-hunters-go-darkhouse-spearfishing/

https://modcarn.com/hunting-still-relevant-mcp040/

In this episode of the Modern Carnivore Podcast Mark talks with Tekoa Cochran, Hassanen Mohamed and Chance York about their first grouse hunt. All three are new hunters and they share their experience in being part of a mentored hunting camp in northern Minnesota. The organizations of Modern Carnivore, Minority Outdoor Alliance, Pheasants Forever, Quail Forever, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, Minnesota Land Trust and Camp Olson YMCA came together to put on a comprehensive “learn to hunt camp”. This included online education as pre-work as well as firearms safety certification and 1:1 partnerships with a mentor for each new hunter. Explore your own self-paced online hunting class at Hunting Camp Live by Modern Carnivore.

Fartun prepares to enter the woods on her first ruffed grouse hunt with her mentor.

Hassanen Mohamed takes a break from range practice during the mentored grouse hunt.

New hunters and mentors at the 2023 mentored grouse hunting camp in northern Minnesota.

Chance York takes aim at a clay target with his mentor. (Photo by David Schwartz)

https://modcarn.com/first-turkey-hunt/

https://modcarn.com/rue-mapp-mcp-ep045/

https://modcarn.com/how-to-forage/

In this episode of the Modern Carnivore Podcast Mark visits Jay Leitch at his home in northwest Minnesota. Jay is the author of the only book written on darkhouse spearing through the ice. It’s title “Darkhouse Spearing Across North America” and was last printed in 2001. Jay is the former Dean of the College of Business at North Dakota State University (NDSU). He has a Masters in Natural Resource Management and a PhD in Economics. Jay is a Vietnam War veteran and a passionate darkhouse spearing advocate. Enjoy the conversation on this episode of the podcast!

Jay Leitch with northern pike he speared from a darkhouse.

The book Darkhouse Spearing Across North America was written by Jay Leitch

https://modcarn.com/darkhouse-spearing-with-janis-and-mark/

https://modcarn.com/darkhouse-spearfishing-spears/

https://modcarn.com/hardwater-hunters-go-darkhouse-spearfishing/

https://modcarn.com/darkhouse-spearing-minnesota-mcp036/

https://modcarn.com/darkhouse-spearing-beginners/

In this episode of the Modern Carnivore Podcast Mark talks with Dr. Peter Larsen and Marc Schwabenlander from the startup diagnostics company Priogen. The company is on the cutting edge of diagnostics and testing for prions. Prions are the misshapen proteins that are the foundation of what’s called Chronic Wasting Disease. This disease affects many deer each year and it’s 100% lethal to the deer that gets it. For these reasons and more, the work being done by this organization is very important to the future of hunting.

https://modcarn.com/cwd-field-test-mcp-ep024/

https://modcarn.com/podcast-007-chronic-wasting-disease-in-deer/

https://modcarn.com/darkhouse-spearing-beginners/

This episode of the Modern Carnivore Podcast is brought to you by Drift West. In today’s episode Mark heads to McCall Idaho with two friends who are new hunters. Cecka Parks is the founder of Minneapolis Meat Collective and Lachelle Cunningham is a chef and entrepreneur who wears many hats.

They were invited by Ed Anderson to the No Business Lodge in McCall Idaho for a turkey hunt.

After the hunt they discussed the experience and how Cecka and Lachelle see hunting in a new light.

Get your FREE tickets to see Lachelle and Cecka at the Backcountry In Your Backyard event on September 9th, 2023. Click on this link: https://www.backcountryhunters.org/backyardmn

Cecka and Lachelle relaxing after turkey hunt at the No Business Lodge

https://modcarn.com/diversity-in-hunting-modern-carnivore-podcast-ep014/

https://modcarn.com/david-chang-of-brown-folks-fishing-outdoor-feast-podcast-ep009/

https://modcarn.com/elba-gas-station/

This episode of the Modern Carnivore Podcast, was done jointly with Rob Drieslein who is the Publisher of Outdoor News. Rob and Mark sit down with Land Tawney who is the President and CEO of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers as well as Katie McKalip who is the VP of Communications for the same organization. They caught up at Pheasant Fest 2023 which is an annual gathering put on by Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever. The conversation is about conservation and the current state of issues in our country. Topics include the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (“RAWA”), a public lands Corner Crossing case in Wyoming and the importance of grasslands and the critters (some of them big) that depend on it. If you’re wondering why we have pictures of bison promoting this podcast you’ll need to listen through to the end of the episode to hear why it’s in here.

American Bison, Buffalo, Yellowstone National Park

https://modcarn.com/rue-mapp-mcp-ep045/

https://modcarn.com/foraging-food-mcp041/

https://modcarn.com/ed-arnett-mcp039/

In this episode of the Modern Carnivore Podcast, Mark is joined by Rue Mapp who is the founder of Outdoor Afro. Rue has a forthcoming book titled Nature Swagger. You can find it on Amazon, or anywhere that books are sold. The Outdoor Afro mission states that they “…celebrate(s) and inspire(s) Black connections and leadership in nature”.

Since she was a young girl Rue has loved being in the outdoors. Her father had a ranch north of Oakland, CA where he would hunt, fish and invite others to stay with the family and celebrate life. She continues her own outdoor adventures as an adult with a spirit of hospitality that she learned from her father. Life also has her venturing down new paths and recently she began hunting with outings alongside Holly Heyser from the Center for Humans and Nature as well as our friend Janis Putelis from Meateater.

Since the recording of this episode she has also collaborated with tennis star Venus Williams and announced a new clothing line in partnership with REI. So, to say that Rue is busy these days is an understatement. We hope you enjoy this episode of the Modern Carnivore Podcast, and we’re sure you’ll see a lot more of Rue Mapp in the coming years.

Rue Mapp, Founder of Outdoor Afro

https://modcarn.com/diversity-in-hunting-modern-carnivore-podcast-ep014/

https://modcarn.com/david-chang-of-brown-folks-fishing-outdoor-feast-podcast-ep009/

https://modcarn.com/elba-gas-station/

In this episode of the Modern Carnivore Podcast, Mark Norquist is joined by Rob Drieslein at Game Fair 2022. If you’re not familiar with this annual hunting-centric festival you should check it out. Rob and Mark talk local Minnesota politics, conservation, hunting and more. They’re joined on stage at different times by Mark Holston and Aaron Hebeisen. Holston is the former Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources in Minnesota and now the Executive Director of MN-FISH, and Hebeisen is the regional chapter coordinator for Backcountry Hunters & Anglers.

https://modcarn.com/game-fair-mcp030/

In this episode of the Modern Carnivore Podcast, Mark sits down with author Clint Emerson. Clint is the author of a book titled The Rugged Life. It’s also referred to as “the modern guide to self-reliance”. We often talk about the different reasons that people are drawn to an outdoor lifestyle, and today’s conversation with Clint is all about self-reliance. Clint is a retired Navy Seal. He’s been in tight spots where you can only rely upon yourself and what you have near you. In this book he focuses on building skills that are part of being a farmer, a builder, a butcher, a handyman, a hunter and more.

https://modcarn.com/love-of-rough-fish-mcp-ep42/

https://modcarn.com/the-sober-hunter-mcp038/

https://modcarn.com/rick-marriner-outdoor-feast-podcast-ep028/

https://modcarn.com/aaron-kindle-ofp027/

In this episode of the Modern Carnivore Podcast, Mark talks with Tyler Winter (@buffalo_catcher). Tyler advocates for a more equal footing of rough fish in the system of naming and rules by state agencies. More goes into the designation of “sport fish” than one would think. There is history, cultural bias and more that may have influenced how some fish species get their designation. It’s an informative conversation with a guy who’s passionate about these fish and ensuring they get the proper respect and management they deserve. Enjoy!

https://modcarn.com/foraging-food-mcp041/

https://modcarn.com/hunting-still-relevant-mcp040/

https://modcarn.com/floating-coast-ofp024/

https://modcarn.com/kristen-schmitt-ofp026/