Restless Native

“If you count my equipment, I got hit by 81 ball bearings. In my body, I had 50-something holes. It’s like getting shot with a giant shotgun. I woke up face down. My bell was rung. I felt like I was under water. I got myself propped up onto my right elbow. I could tell something was wrong with my hand but couldn’t move it.”— Braxton McCoy What do suicide bombers, hyenas, horse training and Maxim magazines falling from the sky have in common? They’re all a part of Braxton McCoy's journey. This podcast is kind of insane. I’m honored to share this story, really. Braxton McCoy brought an incredible story, more so than I even thought possible. This podcast is about forced perspective. It will ground you in reality. And one of those realities, is that suffering is part of life. I was admittedly caught off guard at one point in this podcast. The gravity of Braxton’s situation back in 2006 honestly made me feel guilty. Which, in his wisdom, Braxton flied to show me why my guilt should really be gratitude. Show NotesInstagramLink to bookCode: Native

"People have a preconceived notion about things. I prefer Foraging to 'Scavenging' but for some people that conjures an image of eating dirty things like road kill. You say you're a hunter, and it evokes an image of the 'manly man.' You're looking for a prize, or a trophy. That's what I'm doing. Hunting mushrooms is exciting."— Alan Bergo, Foraging ChefIn some ways, I might have called today’s guest a mad scientist. But he’s been very clear, he’s not at all a scientist. But I will stand by the fact that he’s odd. I have discussed cooking venison dozens of times on my show, but never have we talked about cooking venison breast—seriously. And never have we discussed the ins and outs of eating goat or leaching liver or whole carcass quite like this. And it’s truly marvelous, in its fantastical oddity. While we do cover all of that, we dive very deep into the surprising world of mushrooms. I have never talked to anyone about eating mushrooms and other wild findings in the same way Alan and I do. The guy is absolutely obsessed with not only finding them, but finding them at the absolute peak time of year. Show Note LinksAlan’s Website, Forger ChefMushroom Identifier Instagram Untamed Mushrooms100 Edible Mushrooms Mushroomexpert.comNeck roast recipe YouTube

"The black bear population in New Jersey is exploding. Years and years of not hunting them contributed to the fact they established a foothold in northwestern New Jersey that has become the thickest in North America. 80% survive to adulthood. It's a unique habitat for these bears. And people think suburbia is not a great habitat for bears, but they need food, water and shelter. Dumpsters provide all of those things for black bears in New Jersey."— Cody McLaughlinNew Jersey's black bear population is the densest in North America. But in 2017, the last year public lands were open and one of the highest harvest years on record, more than twice as many bear cubs were born as were killed in the hunt that year. More than 80% of New Jersey's black bear cubs survive to adulthood. And the breeding rate for black bears in NJ is more than twice that of other areas, with litters averaging 4-5 cubs. Cody McLaughlin is with the New Jersey Outdoor Alliance, which is taking a lawsuit against the current governor. It's an interesting topic for sure and I think it'll be some of y'all's favorite as of late. Website TwitterInstagram

"Shoshone Rose is an off the rails, fictional murder ballad. It's a tale I totally invented. It's a character I invented. A woman of Shoshone decent. She's lighter skinned. Set in the late 1800s. And she goes around in these camps of American forces. She dresses in a way that you can't tell who she is. She speaks English and passes as white or mixed. And she kills the guard, and goes and murders the general in this camp."— Emily Scott Robinson, describing her powerful ballad Shoshone Rose Emily Scott Robinson is a singer songwriter who travels the country in her RV. She crafts some incredible music and narratives, including Shoshone Rose, which she describes above. Typically my show features people from the hunting and fishing industry, but for this one, I found someone in the music industry, living an outdoors lifestyle. I love Emily’s music. She is such a great songwriter. And when I found out she lived in a freaking RV and rambled the country, I really wanted to have her join my show and talk about that.She’s a total breath of fresh air. No, not just because today we literally are wondering if each breath of air will be the one that infects us. Emily is just special. I think her interview highlights that well, but if you check out her songs, you’ll see what I’m talking about. I wish Emily well in these strange times. I keep thinking of what’s going on, and the only thing that’s really resonated with me is Joe Rogan’s description of modern times. “We live in a movie.”Emily Scott Robinson Website TwitterInstagramSpotify

“I look for diamonds in the rough, guys who aren’t well known, but have success. Your local heroes, so to speak. The more I’ve done this over the years, a guy who is a really good elk hunter isn’t necessarily a good elk hunter in Oregon even though they kick butt in Idaho. I look for region guys who have a lot of success, because they’re doing something a little different. The more tools you can add to your tool box, you have that much better of a chance at succeeding.” — John Stallone Where do you find the diamonds in the rough? Hint: You have to get your hands dirty.Today we have an interesting outdoor media creator for the show. John Stallone has worked as the host of Days in the Wild TV, he works with Days in the Wild Outfitters, he’s been a media director for the hunting channel, and he’s well known for being the host of Interviews with the Masters podcast. This guy is connected, which is why it’s interesting to me that he focuses on not talking to people who are in that well known network. He’s got some interesting opinions on the evolution of outdoor media. And I enjoy John’s take on the importance of getting kids and new hunters outside. Johnstallone.me

"I want to create something that's introductory to the sport, but also something the seasoned veteran can appreciate. If someone can pick up a magazine about a celebrity, and trip onto a story about fishing or hunting, all of the sudden I may have converted someone to a hunter. This industry has some declining numbers. We're here to talk to different demographics and get people outdoors."— John Radzwilla, Editor-in-Chief Hook & Barrel MagazineJohn is the Editor in Chief of Hook & Barrel Magazine. He and his wife founded the publication in Texas, and focus on hunting, fishing, the outdoors lifestyle and trends, and overall outdoor culture. Their articles are a bit more lighthearted and uplifting, which I think is important important right now. It’s so easy to feel like an outcast in hunting and fishing right now, with social media negativity and mass media criticism of our lifestyle. John is curating a narrative that revolves around food, drink, fitness, music, travel and adventure. It’s fun, easy-to-digest content. And they typically highlight a celebrity’s story in the outdoors, such as Danica Patrick, Willie Robertson, Tito Ortiz, Jeff Foxworthy or Lee Brice. Hook & BarrelInstagram Facebook

Welcome to a bonus episode of Restless Native. We’re in Nashville, talking with folks about the show and turkey hunting.

Welcome to a bonus episode of Restless Native. We’re in Nashville, talking with folks about the show and turkey hunting… And, I’m trying to get people to give me their best turkey call. Enjoy!

Welcome to a bonus episode of Restless Native. We're in Nashville, talking with folks about the show and turkey hunting... And, I'm trying to get people to give me their best turkey call. Enjoy!

“There was a point where I was over it. I was on a hamster wheel. I didn’t have any money. I had a breaking point where I wanted to move back home. But it was also that point that I ended up signing my first publishing deal.”— Jordan DavisToday’s podcast is star status. No, he’s not a rockstar podcaster or five star outfitter. He’s a country music star. Jordan Davis has been recognized by Billboard, Rolling Stone, CMT, Pandora, SiriusXM and many more as one of the up and coming stars in country music. Originally from Louisiana, Jordan pursued a degree in environmental sciences, and is a passionate hunter. Today he lives in Nashville, where he moves years ago to try and make it big as a country songwriter. With hundreds of millions of streams online, Jordan has made quite the splash. He has back-to-back platinum certified hits. And he recently won Best New Country Artist with iHeart Radio’s Music Awards. He was ACM’s New Male Artist of the year, and has a ton more accolades I could read off, but I think we’ve established that he’s crushing country music radio right now. OSearchJordan Davis