Son of a Blitch

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In this episode, George Blitch sits down with Rob Gearing (aka “Mr. G”), who founded Spartan Precision Equipment in 2013, and claims to be your stereotypical crazy, bald inventor, but with an enduring passion for the extreme outdoors, whether it be in hunting, fishing, mountain climbing or biking. All Spartan products owe a nod to Rob’s extensive and unprecedented background in aviation engines, researching the best materials and the need for providing flawless hunting solutions.

“Spartan Precision Equipment produces rifle and optic support systems that weigh less and achieve more. Hunting is in each member of our team’s DNA, and as such we understand the rigours of our passion wherever they may take us around the world, and bind all of our knowledge and efforts together to ensure our designs never fall short of any requirement for that product’s application."

"Our flagship product – the Javelin Bipod – is a testament to our dedication to providing quality, practical solutions for all rifle shooting disciplines. Like many of our products since, it was invented with a desire to create a new-age adaptation of a traditional solution that could simply attach and detach as and when needed… that wasn’t cumbersome to carry”

“For shooters wanting to push the boundaries, the gear available on the market just didn’t cut it,” admits founder Rob. “In my younger years as a guide, I rapidly fell out of love with having a bipod hanging from my rifle and I used one infrequently. They got in the way and were a pain in my shoulder when carrying my rifle, and my eventual reluctance to carry a one presented me with a few failed hunts.So, applying my background in aviation engines and, in particular, discovery of rare earth magnets when working on the Concord aircraft sculpture, the resulting invention was an ultra-lightweight, stupidly strong bipod that could be on and off the rifle quicker than you could drop the legs on a run-of-the-mill bipod. Exactly what I was after.”

As such, the Javelin Bipod was an instant success among rifle shooters all around the world and formed a foundation from which all Spartan products – from entry level to top-end – are forged. Now, over half a decade into production, our fleet of rifle and optic support systems have generated a loyal and growing following that we are ever grateful for.

We hope you will enjoy this interview! If you do, please subscribe (if you haven’t already) and give it a thumbs up and 5 star review. And feel free to pass it on to a friend or two!

For more information on Spartan Precision Equipment, visit:
www.JavelinBipod.com
IG: SpartanPrecision
IG: Spartan_MrG

For more information on George Blitch, visit:
www.SonofaBlitch.com
IG: thesonofablitch

Please head over to www.youtube.com/@sonofablitch and subscribe to the YT page for video version of this podcast and lots of other related content!

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George Blitch sits down to talk about wrapping up the first year & gives us an in depth preview of some of the guests that are coming up on the second year of the podcast. 

Some of the guest include:

Roger Davidson – 3x World Champion BBQ Master, owner of Horizon Smokers 

John Nores - former CA Game Warden that battled against illegal marijuana grows by the cartel, author of "Hidden War", which just released the 2nd edition & "War in the Woods". He has also been on many TV shows. 

Brent Reaves – You may know Brent from the Bear Grease Podcast with Clay Newcomb, but he is making his own mark now by hosting "This Country Life" podcast

Rob Gearing – Owner of Spartan Precision Equipment, based in the UK. 

Paul Lewis - former L.E.O. who went on to create one of the greatest outdoor products and brand that we all use and love - "FHF Gear", which is now part of MeatEater family.

Tsipi Ben Haim – Writer, Executive and Creative Director of CITYarts, a non profit public are organization. 

Ben Masters – Award winning author and filmmaker, director and founder of "Fin and Fur Films". Produced the film, "Deep In The Heart", narrated by Matthew McConaughey. Other films include "Unbranded", "River and the Wall", "American Ocelot", "Desert Bighorn", and "Lions of West Texas".

Mark Kenyon – Founder and host of the "Wired to Hunt" podcast. Mark Kenyon is also a part of the MeatEater Crew and is author of amazing book, "That Wild Country".

Jesse Griffiths – 2x James Beard Award Winning chef, author of two of the best cookbooks out there - "Afield: A Chef's Guide to Preparing and Cooking Wild Game and Fish" and "The Hog Book: A Chef's Guide to Hunting, Butchering and Cooking Wild Pigs". Jesse also runs the restaurant, "Dai Due" in Austin, TX, and the cooking school, "New School of Traditional Cookery". 

Romey Swanson – Wildlife Biologist and Ecologist – currents serves as the Executive Director for the Devils RIVER CONSERVANCY, and was the previous  director of conservation strategy with the Texas Audubon Society, and was also a Conservation Project Manager with the Hill Country Conservancy

Michael Sabbeth – author of "The Good, The Bad and The Difference: How to Talk with Children about Values" and "The Honorable Hunter Instructor Training Manual: How to Persuasively Defend and Promote Hunting." Michael is also a lawyer and currently lives in CO. 

Steve Hall – Texas Parks and Wildlife Hunter Education Coordinator. 

Jim Shockey – Canadian Outdoor writer, professional hunter who has produced and hosted some of the most well know hunting shows in the world, "Jim Shockeys Hunting Adventures" and "Jim Shockeys Uncharted". He also opened the Hand of Man Museum, and is the author of "Ultimate Big Game Adventures". We will be discussing his new book that is coming out in the fall, a thrilling book titled “Call Me Hunter”.

Matty Nelson – Director of Business Development at Seekins Precision and Instructor at Hat Creek Training – an advanced ballistics and high-angle long range training facility in Riggins, Idaho.

Gary Roberson – Host of the television show "Carnivore", and owner of "Burnham Brother Game Calls". He is also the author of "Eyes Front".

Joel Van Der Loon – grew up in South Africa, living off the grid in Tanzania and now lives in Oregon where he runs the BushcraftSurvivalTraining.com   - folks also probably know him from his time on season 7 of the tv show ALONE. 

Kent Boucher – Prairie Farmer, works with Hoksey Native Seeds in Iowa, is an Outdoor Writer, Host of the "First Gen Hunter Podcast" and "The Prairie Farm Podcast", and works with Doug Duren’s "Sharing The Land" initiative.

For more information on George Blitch, visit:
www.SonofaBlitch.com
www.MapMyRanch.com
FB: "GeorgeBlitch"
IG: "thesonofablitch"

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In this episode, George Blitch sits down with Mason Huffman, who is the Executive Chef at Jester King. Mason is also a Guide, Instructor and Mentor at the “New School of Traditional Cookery”. He has a degree in Wildlife Biology, worked as a ZooKeeper, and is an avid outdoorsman who loves to share his passions and knowledge with everyone. George and Mason discuss hunting, cooking, and making the world a better place. Tune in to this podcast to learn more about Mason Huffman and all the exciting things he is involved in!

To learn more about Mason, you can follow him on Instagram:

@amasonoutdoors

To learn more about Jester King, visit:

www.JesterKingBrewery.com

To learn more about George Blitch, visit:

www.SonofaBlitch.com

www.MapMyRanch.com

IG: @thesonofablitch

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Eric Morris is the creator and host of N.onT.ypical Outdoorsman TV, which airs on the Pursuit Channel and is known as the “most diverse outdoor show on the planet”. Eric retired as a Major in the US Army, and then followed his passion, creating a hunting show that focuses on Diversity Inclusion and Preserving our Hunting Heritage. 

In this Episode, George Blitch sat down with Eric Morris to discuss his career as an outdoorsman, how he got his start working as a guide, and eventually launching his show, which is now in its 4th season. This episode features a Hog Hunt that took place at the Why Not? Ranch in Rockdale, TX, with Jim Curcuruto from Outdoor Stewards of Conservation Foundation, members of Texas Parks & Wildlife, Map My Ranch, and Jesse Griffiths (Dai Due, New School of Traditional Cookery, and author of The Hog Book & Afield). George was also a Mentor, and he and his wife, Meg, both filmed for the episode as well!

To learn more about Eric and N.onT.ypical Outdoorsman TV, visit:

www.NTOTV.com

To learn more about George Blitch, visit:

www.SonofaBlitch.com

www.MapMyRanch.com

Hello Eric - how are you doing today?

Before we dive into discussing your television show, N.onT.ypical Outdoorsman TV, I’d like for you to talk to me about your history and love of hunting and fishing. Can you tell me a bit about where you grew up in Alabama and how and when you were first introduced to life in the outdoors?

You served in the military for quite some time. First I’d like to say Thank you for your service, Eric! Secondly, Could you tell us a bit about your timeline of service and where all that took you? What made you decide on signing up - do you have a history of service in your family?

Somewhere along the line, you decided to follow your passions, and you began guiding fishing trips, and later focused on upland birds, with a unique companion in that field. Can you walk us through your history as a guide and how that came about? 

You are now the Host and Producer of N.onT.ypical Outdoorsman TV.  When did you first decide you were going to produce a television show and what were some of your goals when you first started out? 

Why is the show spelled N.onT.ypical - was that just to emphasize the Non typical nature of your show?

When did the show first air and what platform did it first begin on - was it Pursuit Channel from the beginning or YouTube based? 

Tell us about how you connected with your sponsor, Thorogood Boots.

You are more than just a television personality and guide – you also are an outdoor diversity consultant, you are on the board of the Outdoor Stewards of Conservation Foundation, a public speaker and have your own non profit. Can you talk about some of those roles and where you want to take your journey with your show and the non profit?

How did you first connect with Jim Curcuruto and the Outdoor Stewards of Conservation Foundation?

This podcast will be live on Monday, April 24th, which coincides with your latest episode that is airing on the Pursuit Channel. We got to meet each other last month when the episode was filmed in Rockdale, TX, at the Why Not? Ranch - where I was asked to be a Mentor, make some maps from my company, Map My Ranch. My wife, Meg, and I, also had the privilege of filming some of the hunts. 

Would you like to tell everyone about how this particular Hog Hunting episode came about, working with Outdoor Stewards of Conservation Foundation, and Texas Parks and Wildlife, and what your goals were for thi

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In this episode, George Blitch sits down with Chet Garner, who is the creator, host, writer and executive producer for the award winning TV show, “The Daytripper”, which highlights the rich culture, outdoors and delicious foods, all throughout Texas.

The show is a family friendly travel show, that has racked up 13 Lone Star Emmys in their 13 seasons. They are about to start filming their 14th season this week, and I have inside information that this one will be absolutely amazing!

The show runs on PBS, nationwide, but recently Chet decided to launch a large amount of the shows on the YouTube page.

You can also join the Team Daytripper for exclusive content and get some really cool gear, as well.  Chet also hosts “The Daytripper Podcast - Talkin’ Texas”, which is a great listen, with new episodes coming out each month. 

You can also visit The Daytripper World Headquarters in Georgetown, TX, where lives and also runs the production company, Hogaboom Road, Inc.

Chet has truly left his mark on Texas as much as it has left its mark on him. I highly suggest everyone take a trip on over to TheDaytripper.com to follow Chet and his incredible journeys throughout Texas.

To learn more about George Blitch, visit:
www.SonofaBlitch.com
www.MapMyRanch.com
IG: @thesonofablitch

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In this episode of the "Son of a Blitch" Podcast, George Blitch sits down with Michael Chabala, a former professional soccer player who played for three different teams during his ten year career in Major League Soccer. Mike was drafted in 2006 by the Houston Dynamo, during their inaugural season here, where he was part of the back to back MLS Cup Championship team in 06 and 07. We talk about his career on the field, and life off the pitch, where he was become greatly successful in the launch and operations of his soccer inspired fitness program, known as "sphere". 

To learn more about "sphere" visit the website:
www.sphere.club and go visit one of the facilities or events in a city near you!

To learn more about Michael Chabala, visit:
www.MichaelChabala.com

To learn more about George Blitch, visit:
www.SonofaBlitch.com

Please like, subscribe and share this podcast with your friends!

Make sure to hit the notification button to stay up to date on all content from @sonofablitch

#soccer #business #workout #workoutmotivation #futbol #houstondynamo #portlandtimbers #dcunited #mls #mlssoccer #fitness #workouts 

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In this episode, George Blitch sits down with Kevin Estela, who is a best selling author and the Lead Survival Instructor for Fieldcraft Survival. A lifelong outdoorsman with over 2 decades of teaching in the great outdoors, Kevin is well versed in bushcraft and survival skills. Kevin is the former Lead Survival Instructor of the Wilderness Learning Center under the late Marty Simon. Kevin is the author of "101 Skills You Need to Survive in the Woods" and over 150 published magazine titles. He regularly hones his capabilities in different environments around the globe including arctic, desert, and jungle with the most emphasis in the northern forest. He joined Fieldcraft after 14 years of teaching public high school history. Rounding out Kevin’s background is extensive training in Filipino Martial Arts, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and completion of numerous pistol, shotgun, carbine, and precision scoped rifle courses. A student for life, Kevin is constantly pursuing more knowledge and experience to impart on his students. 

To learn more about Kevin, visit:
www.linktr.ee/kevinestela
www.FieldCraftSurvival.com
or follow him on Instagram  @EstelaWildEd

To learn more about George Blitch, visit:
www.SonofaBlitch.com
www.MapMyRanch.com

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In this episode, George Blitch interviews Sean Sherman, Oglala Lakota, who was born in Pine Ridge, SD, and has since been cooking across the World for the last 30 years.  Sean has been the recipient of three James Beard Awards, one for Leadership, one for his book, "The Sioux Chef's Indigenous Kitchen", and most recently for the Best New Restaurant, "Owamni",  in 2022.

His main culinary focus has been on the revitalization and awareness of Indigenous foods systems in a modern culinary context. 

Sean has studied on his own extensively to determine the foundations of these food systems which include the knowledge of Native American farming techniques, wild food usage and harvesting, land stewardship, salt and sugar making, hunting and fishing, food preservation, Native American migrational histories, elemental cooking techniques, and Native culture and history in general - to gain a full understanding of bringing back a sense of Native American cuisine to today’s world.

In 2014, he opened the business titled The Sioux Chef as a caterer and food educator to the Minneapolis/Saint Paul area.  

In 2015 in partnership with the Little Earth Community of United Tribes in Minneapolis, he also helped to design and open the Tatanka Truck food truck, which featured pre-contact foods of the Dakota and Minnesota territories.  

Chef Sean and his vision of modern indigenous foods have been featured in numerous articles and radio shows, along with dinners at the James Beard House in Manhattan and Milan, along with teaching and sharing his knowledge to gatherings and crowds at Yale, the Culinary Institute of America, the United Nations, and many more.

Sean has been the recipient of a 2015 First Peoples Fund Fellowship, 2018 Bush Foundation Fellowship, National Center’s 2018 First American Entrepreneurship Award, and he is a three-time James Beard Award winner with the 2018 James Beard Award for Best American Cookbook  - The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen, a 2019 James Beard Leadership Award, and most recently, the 2022 James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant, for his restaurant, Owmani, based in Minneapolis.
The Sioux Chef team works to make indigenous foods more accessible to as many communities as possible. 

To open opportunities for more people to learn about Native cuisine and develop food enterprises in their tribal communities, he founded the nonprofit North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NATIFS).

NĀTIFS has opened the Indigenous Food Lab in the Midtown Global Market on historic Lake Street in Minneapolis. The Indigenous Food Lab is a professional Indigenous kitchen and training center covering all aspects of food service; research and development; Indigenous food identification, gathering, cultivation, and preparation; and all components of starting and running a successful culinary business based around Native traditions and Indigenous foods.

Owamni is a modern Indigenous full-service restaurant also located in Minneapolis, which sources supplies from Indigenous food producers. They remove colonial ingredients such as wheat flour, cane sugar and dairy, presenting a truly decolonized dining experience.

George and Sean discuss his journey from his early years on the Pine Ridge Reservation, working his way up through various restaurants, his decision to learn about and lead the Indigenous Food Movement, to eventually becoming one of the most respected chefs, around. 

Thanks for tuning in – I hope you enjoy!

To learn more about Sean Sherman, visit these websites:
www.Sioux-Chef.com
www.Owamni.com
www.IndigenousFoodLabs.com
www.Natifs.org
www.BipocFoodways.org

To learn more about George Blitch, visit:
www.SonofaBlitch.com
www.HaveYouThought.com
www.MapMyRanch.com
www.TheBridgeKeepers.com

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In this episode, George Blitch interviewed Jim Heffelfinger, who is a Certified Wildlife Biologist with degrees in Wildlife Management from the University of Wisconsin—Stevens Point and Texas A&M University—Kingsville. 

It is not an exaggeration to say that Jim is most likely, The leading expert on deer in the United States

Jim Heffelfinger is a Full Research Scientist at the University of Arizona's School of Natural Resources and the Environment, a Professional Member of the Boone & Crockett Club, and has worked for the Arizona Game and Fish Department for 31 years, currently as the Wildlife Science Coordinator.

He has worked as a biologist for the federal government, state wildlife agencies, universities, and in the private sector in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. 

For the last 17 years he has been the Chairman of the Western Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies' “Mule Deer Working Group” comprised of a mule deer expert from each of 24 western states, provinces, and territories. 

His book, “Deer of the Southwest” serves as a “Complete Guide to the Natural History, Biology, and Management of the Southwestern Mule Deer and White-Tailed Deer.” 

Jim is also the lead-editor of the forthcoming book, “Ecology and Management of Black-Tailed and Mule Deer of North America”.

 Aside from these two books, Jim has published dozens of scientific papers, produced over 300 magazine articles in National and regional publications and has written TV scripts for award winning outdoor TV shows. He is sought-after for podcasts, radio shows, interviews, news reports, and video appearances.

I highly encourage you to visit his own website - www.deernut.com to learn more about Jim and his incredible contributions in the outdoor and scientific communities. He can be found on Instagram: @Cervidnut

Jim has been honored with many awards for his outstanding work. Most recently, the Dallas Safari Club selected Jim Heffelfinger as the winner of the “2023 Conservation Trailblazer Award”. This award celebrates the monumental contribution of wildlife professionals to the field of game and non-game wildlife conservation, including wildlife and habitat management, applied research and policy.

This award comes on the heels of being named as the National Deer Association’s “Professional Deer Manager of the year” for 2022.

These are just two of the many distinguished honors and awards that Jim has received over his storied career, and certainly not the last.  

To learn more about Jim Heffelfinger, please visit his website:
www.DeerNut.com

To learn more about George Blitch, please visit:
www.SonofaBlitch.com

To view this podcast in video form, visit George's YouTube page:
www.youtube.com/@sonofablitch

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George Blitch and Matthew Mitchell discuss their incredibly eventful trip to George's South Texas family ranch. Starting off the hunt, Matthew knocks down his first quail within the first 10 minutes of being on the ranch. Later that day, George gets a turkey and a very large boar, and then Matthew gets his first rabbit!

Colin Williams (Map My Ranch) joins the duo and now the Texas Trio embark on even more adventures, which include having a hunt interrupted by some folks cutting through the ranch on their way up from Mexico. Border Patrol gets called and they come out, and things take a bit of a weird turn.

The next day brought new fortune as George and Matthew both take their best bucks, ever!

Hear these stories and more on this South Texas podcast!


To learn more about George Blitch, visit:
www.SonofaBlitch.com

To learn more about George and Colin's business, Map My Ranch, visit:
www.MapMyRanch.com

To learn more about Matthew Mitchell's Architecture firm, visit:
www.MatthewMitchellArchitecture.com