Restless Native

“His brother on the front of the boat is screaming, and falling back towards him in the boat. The front half of this alligator is flying through the air at them. The other half is on the bank. This head came out of the brush and growled at him.”— Dark Waters(This show originally aired October 2018. This is a re-release) This was the first of a series about Dogman. To hear the second show, see Episode 37 with the North American Dogman Project. Tonight, I bring you something different. This is something pulled from the shadows of the deepest, dankest and darkest parts of the woods. It’s not just tales from the coldest and darkest of waters.We’re talking to the king of nightmares, an orator of real horrors, Dark Waters himself.I suspect Dark Waters is new to many of you. But among those who follow the paranormal will know—Dark Waters is a modern day storytelling legend. Dark Waters is conversationalist. An orator. A collector of tales that he believes to be true.We’ll hear about how he comes about these people, these horrifying experiences, and how he curates them down to the ones that have no room for doubt. These are real experiences.His process has taken thousands of phone calls. Hundreds of hours. And it’s only made possible by the memory of a man who is clearly gifted in the art of storytelling.Tonight may or may not make you a believer. But I promise it’ll sufficiently creep you out.Thinker Thumper YouTube page mentionedDark Waters’ WebsiteDark Waters’ YouTube

"[Conservation advocacy] is just the right thing to do. It's only benefited the brand through and through. Not that people don't disagree with us, but we've become known as a brand with a focus on conservation."— Ford Van Fossan, First Lite Conservation, Content And Digital Merchandising Manager Ford Van Fossan is a Conservation, Content And Digital Merchandising Manager with the technical hunting clothing company, First Lite. You all may recall my conversation with First Lite cofounder Scott Robinson a while back. In that episode we got to hear about the first 5-6 years of First Lite, the challenges and what it’s taken to build the brand. Ford shares that story over the last few years, where the brand has really scaled and has moved into new spaces. We’ll hear about the brand’s expansions, and also Ford’s background as a conservationist. That’s a researcher and technician, working with US Fish & Wildlife Service and universities to study wildlife and habitat. There are a few take aways from this interview. For me, I take away the importance of knowing your customer, and knowing them well. First Lite is a great case study on caring and truly interacting with the people who pay their hard earned money for your product. I don’t know of many brands who do that. Another takeaway is the importance of finding the right way to give back. At the end of this show, Ford talks about some of the initiatives we can expect to see from First Lite over the coming years. If you’re a gear head, this show is for you. If you’re a hard core hunter, this show is for you. And if you’re interested in conservation, how to get involved and how research on wildlife is done, this show is for you.Show LinksInaturalistFirst Lite WebsiteScott Robinson, First Lite Cofounder  interview on Restless NativeCoyote Predation Study Mortality Rates with Young Bucks

“We’re changing the mindset that if I have a honey hole, I’m not going to tell anyone about it. There’s no Jedi mind trick. That’s a scarcity mentality. If someone might take something from me, I keep it to myself. When scarcity isn’t part of the equation, that goes away.”— Buck Robinson, Outdoor AccessHow long was it after the first cars showed up on the muddy roads that buggy whip and carriage manufacturers started to sweat?Probably too long. What killed the buggy whip manufacturer wasn’t cars. It’s that they specialized in buggy whips instead of vehicular propulsion. Great businesses evolve. This is a podcast about evolution. We’re going to talk about acceptance in hunting, and the hunting industry.Today, I chat with a guy who’s become a friend of mine and a mentor of sorts. His company is also a Client Partner of GoWild. I’ve come to appreciate what Buck and his business partner Jamie are doing with Outdoor Access. Buck is a member of the Professional Outdoor Media Association ( POMA ). Links Sportsmen’s AllianceeOutdoor Access

Teaching is at the core of being human. So is hunting. This is who we are. It’s who we have always been, but just because it’s always been there for us, doesn’t mean it always will be. We are entering the most significant fight in the history of hunting. If we don’t take the recruitment challenge seriously, the “mutualists” and city dwellers are going to continue to chip away at our lifestyle. — Brad LuttrellBack in April I read a piece of my writing, a submission to Houston Safari Club Foundation’s magazine, Hunter’s Horn. That was episode 64, and many of you responding asking for more podcasts like that. This is more of a dive into my brain as a writer and maybe as an amateur philosopher. Or maybe, just as a guy who thinks about stuff too much. While this piece is not an advertisement, Houston Safari Club Foundation is a sponsor of GoWild and Restless Native. If you like what you hear and want to subscribe to Hunter’s Horn, you can join Houston Safari Club Foundation at wehuntwegive.org.

"I'm at a low point. I'm in a significant amount of pain with two torn knees, I had just spent six or eight months solely dedicated to this endeavor that effectively ended in abject misery."— Sam AyresYou may know today's guest better by his social handle or his podcast name, "Living Country in the City." That was how I got to know him. Today, those of you who know Sam will be surprised to get to know him a much deeper level and to hear that his journey has been more than learning to hunt. He's dealt with life changes, online harassment and bullying, and more. Yet, he's persisted.Today he talks through going from Living Country in the City to his new show, The Wild Initiative. He'll walk us through his move, what it's like quitting your job with no income, and how he's making it work with podcasting and by applying another skill. Sam is a Professional Outdoor Media Assocation (POMA) member. Learn more about The Wild Initiative.

“When something really matters in my life, I’ve come to the realization that you either have to be willing to do nothing about it, and ignore it, and let it fester. Or, you have to be willing to be wrong about it and take actions that may fail. It may result in unintended consequences. It’s be wrong, or do nothing. If you’re willing to try something and be wrong, that’s always better than doing nothing.”— Charles Merritt, Buddy InsuranceToday, we talk bed bugs, crossbow accidents, mountain bike crashes, comic books, DIY bedrooms, veganism, deforestation and the Appalachian Trail. Do I have your attention? Yeah, I thought that was probably better than saying I was interviewing an insurance guy. But seriously! We discuss all of that with an insurance guy. But it’s not just regular insurance, this is insurance for outdoorsmen and women. Buddy is on-demand accident insurance for people who live outdoor lives. Charles is going to outline his outdoor background, how he came to founding his company Buddy, and he’s going to give some advice for those who are chasing their dream. Charles is a really thoughtful, well spoken guy. He takes his time, pausing to compose thoughts, and he seems like he rarely misplaces words. I admire that. I think you’ll be inspired by his drive. And who knows, you might be his newest customer by the end of this. Learn More About Buddy

This is an interview with your host, Bad Luttrell, on the Lone Star Outdoor Show. First Lite's Ross Copperman joins, as well as the guide from the sweepstakes, Jordan Budd. We'll outline what's up for grabs, what we're all chasing this hunting season and Brad and Ross share how First Lite and GoWild started working together. Enjoy! WIN A WESTERN HUNT WITH TEAM FIRST LITESponsored by First Lite and GoWildGoWild has partnered with First Lite to offer a sweepstakes for a premium western whitetail or mule deer hunt and a First Lite kit, valued at more than $4,500.One randomly selected winner will join First Lite Pro Staff members Cable Smith and Jordan Budd for a western hunting trip in 2020. The winner will also receive a head-to-toe First Lite setup for the hunt. This includes base layers, mid-layers, outerwear and accessories.Both Jordan and Cable are lifelong, skilled hunters. Jordan will guide the winner on this hunt located on her family ranch in Nebraska and will be accompanied by Cable, who is the host of the well-known podcast and syndicated radio show, the Lone Star Outdoor Show out of Dallas, Texas.“First Lite is more than an apparel brand; it’s a community of like-minded hunters who want to be challenged,” said Ross Copperman, Vice President of Marketing and Sales for First Lite. “We saw this as a chance to give back to our customers while partnering with another great community, GoWild.” Entering is free via GoWild, the activity tracking social media app for outdoor enthusiasts. The sweepstakes will be open July 21st, 2019 until September 1st.DETAILS & HOW TO ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WINAll-expenses paid whitetail or mule deer hunt with Jordan Budd & Cable Smith (for a 2020 hunt)Ranch fees, hunting license, and ammunition provided. Bowhunting is optional. You can bring your own rifle or use one of the ranch’s own muzzleloadersFree head-to-toe First Lite kit for your tripMeat care and shipping is provided—just bring your own coolerExpenses will be paid for lodging and mealsTo enter, download the GoWild app and create your account. Tap the compass, then tap Giveaways. You'll quickly find the post about the sweepstakes there and more information on how to enter.

Today is a bonus show from an interview with me (ah hem, that's Brad) on Dan Johnson’s podcast. You all may recall Dan Johnson from joining me on Restless Native. I was also on his show a while back, and that’s what you’ll hear today.Before we dive into that, I wanted to tell you about a couple of things. First, we have a deal with Houston Safari Club Foundation going on where you can get a digital membership. Remember, Houston Safari Club Foundation is not a Texas organization, it’s a conservation organization based in Texas. If you heard episode 64, a Wild Journey, that reading was from one of my article submissions to their magazine, Hunter’s Horn. Many of you messaged me asking for more articles like that, so here is your chance. For just $35, you can get access to some great member benefits including the magazine. Tap here for that deal. The second thing I wanted to mention was this is the last week for our First Lite sweepstakes. Soon, I’ll be calling someone to tell them they just won a trip worth at least $4500. The First Lite sweepstakes ends on September 1, so make sure you enter if you haven’t. This is a rare chance to hunt whitetail in Nebraska. The hunt is also for whitetail. You’ll be working with world-class guide, Jordan Budd, on her family’s property. Cable Smith with Lone Star Outdoor Show will also be joining you for the hunt. And, as if that wasn’t enough, you’re getting a butt load of First Lite gear, which First Lite now says might be worth three times what they originally committed to. You can enter by downloading GoWIld, and searching for “sweepstakes.” Entering from there is easy and the whole thing takes less than a minute. Alright, let’s get back to Dan Johnson. Dan was one of the earliest of guys to get into podcasting in the hunting space. You may know that name from Mark Kenyon’s show, Wired to Hunt, where Dan got his start. Or, you may know him from his show and networks, Nine Finger Chronicles and Sportsmen’s Nation. This interview is mostly about what we’re doing at GoWild. I think I shamefully pre-announce a product that has since been put on hold. Oh well, that’s startup life and part of being a big-mouth founder who gets a little too excited sometimes. I will say, what we ended up going with for this year is launching in just a few weeks and I think you’re really going to love the first version of that. To keep myself safe I’m not teasing that, but I will say it’s the first of two huge initiatives for the rest of 2019. That’s right, we’re not done innovating just yet.Houston Safari Club Foundation digital membership infoFirst Lite Sweepstakes DetailsMy last show with Dan

"I was going to be the one to change my destiny. No one was going to do it for me."— Andy Tran, Muddy Shutter Media Today is a story about transformation. And punching people in the face.Career changes take a great amount of effort. Today’s guest has had many transformations in his life. I am excited to hear what you all thought of this story.  It’s really such a fascinating journey to me, I decided I needed to let him tell it. So that’s it for the teaser.This is the final in my series from the Professional Outdoor Media Association's Conference. Thanks again to POMA for the help. Learn more about Muddy Shutter Media.Restless Native is brought to you by Houston Safari Club Foundation. Conservation can and should go beyond buying a hunting or fishing license. And one of the best ways we can all help is with our time.Houston Safari Club Foundation and GoWild have once again teamed up to promote an entire week dedicated to educating hunters and anglers on how to get involved and make an impact beyond their dollars.Houston Safari Club Foundation’s mission is to preserve the sport of hunting through education, conservation and the promotion of hunting heritage. While the group is based in Texas, its reach and impact extends far beyond the Lone Star State. They believe National Conservation Week poses a chance for hunters and anglers nationwide to band together and make an impact.What does it mean to be a conservationist? It means something a little different to each person I talk to, but one thing is clear to me: We should all be pushing beyond our license dollars to earn that title. It's our hope that this week encourages people to think through how they can make an impact.You can get involved with National Conservation Week, August 18-24th. Your effort could be clearing trails, stream cleanups, planting trees, assisting with animal counts, habitat improvements, or fish sampling. And there are dozens more ways.Volunteers are encouraged to check their state’s fish and wildlife agency’s website for local opportunities. Many states have sections outlining areas where they need help.Learn more about Houston Safari Club Foundation at wehuntwegive.org.

"It's the biggest pitch of my life."— Brad LuttrellSurprise! It's a bonus episode of Restless Native. We have a behind the scenes look at what's happening at GoWild. Restless Native is Sponsored by Houston Safari Club FoundationRestless Native is brought to you by Houston Safari Club Foundation. This organization is a great supporter of hunters and conservation, and I am proud to partner with them.Hunting and conservation, what’s not to like, right? If you agree, great. Then I want you to come on to Houston, Texas with me to attend the Houston Safari Club Foundation’s Convention and Hunting Expo.This is a great chance for a family trip or a break away with the buddies. The convention is a celebration of wildlife, wild places and the hunting lifestyle we all love. It has thousands of visitors and exhibitors coming from all over the globe for a three day exposition. Beyond the convention, you can experience some amazing entertainment, with performances from folks like Corey Morrow, Rickey Davis and Billboard chart-frequent flyer, Kevin Fowler.There are banquets and luncheons, auctions and more stuff than I possibly have time to tell you about right now. And as Joe said in his most recent interview, Houston is a great place to spend a weekend and grub.You know what the best part of all of this is? Your tickets and support of this expo help fulfill Houston Safari Club Foundation’s mission of preserving the sport of hunting through education, conservation and the promotion of our hunting heritage.The show is January 25 through the 27th in Houston Texas. I will be wandering the floor on January 26. Please send me a direct message on GoWild if you’re going to be there and we’ll meetup.Learn more at hscfdn.org/convention. Thank you to Houston Safari Club Foundation for all you do, and for sponsoring Restless Native.