The Appalachian Way

I grew up hunting the foothills of Appalachia. Since I've moved away I realize how formative those early years of hunting were for me. One game species that always eluded me was turkey. Today, I am talking to Mark from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to hopefully figure out what mistakes I was making when chasing these goofy and majestic birds.

ohiodnr.gov - For more information on hunting/fishing in the Buckeye State.

Turkey fascinate me. They are both wily and stupid at the same time. I've never been able to figure them out. That is doubly true now that I am trying to hunt a completely different bird here in the Rocky Mountains. So I reached out to Brian from Colorado Parks and Wildlife for a little help. We talk species characteristics, tactics and getting people involved in hunting.

cpw.state.co.us for more information on hunting/fishing here in Colorado

When you think of majestic American birds, I would imagine a turkey comes pretty low on that list. However, the NWTF (National Wild Turkey Federation) thinks this bird is important for a number of reasons and has dedicated it's existence to educating people about this bird. Pete sat down to discuss a wide range of topics including conservation, mentorship and breaking down the misconceptions about hunters.

nwtf.org
https://www.facebook.com/THENWTF
https://www.instagram.com/official_nwtf/

Part of our mission here at 12 Hike is to educate people about the opportunities this great country has to get outside and explore nature. So we are going to attempt to work our way across the country highlighting state and national parks from the east to the west. Our first stop is in southern Florida at Everglades National Park. Antonia was kind enough to talk to us about what makes the Everglades unique and some of the special problems associated with preserving a pristine wetland.

https://www.nps.gov/ever/index.htm

Urban angling isn't something a lot of people do. Personally, the last thing I think about when I'm at the park with my kids is "Man, I bet there are huge carp in there.". But that is exactly what Patrick thinks. He grew tired of the long commutes to reach cherished trout streams and began targeting species and waters much closer to his home. This has led to a respect and passion for a fish that is often overlooked.

http://urbananglersusa.com/
https://www.instagram.com/urbananglersusa/

I read an article in In-Fisherman that was discussing the decline of panfish numbers in Minnesota. Particularly, the decline of larger sized panfish. A contributor to the article was Dave Weitzel of the Minnesota DNR. He has been conducting research into why the decline is happening and how best to remedy the situation.

https://www.in-fisherman.com/editorial/managing-for-big-bluegills/382986
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fisheries/index.html

Brad has spent his whole life fishing. From his early days learning from the In Fisherman gang to honing his craft via a degree from CSU, Brad has built the kind of fishing resume any angler would be envious of. We talk about all of that plus catching fish here in Colorado.

FB: Brad Petersen Outdoors
Website: www.bradpetersen.me

Dan is a pro Crappie angler and TTI/Blakemore sponsored angler. He has years of experience chasing one of the tastiest game fish in the water. He is also the publisher of "Crappie Now", an online (and free) crappie publication with tips from all the leading crappie anglers in the country.

https://crappienow.com/magazine/
http://www.ddoutdoor.com/?fbclid=IwAR1_qB8mv9ieOH-pe_wimi8xN86iF5fhNlOIxqfhNmVM8raCRikFrRaiwSE
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/dan.dannenmueller.92
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/crappie.dan/
YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/user/DDOutdoor

https://www.instagram.com/newagealchemist/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnY46P4oAuc2emXCm8AJLZA

Al created a podcast called "Mindful Endeavors". He focuses on mental health topics and how nature can play into improving mental health.

Have you ever thought to yourself "Boy, I'd like to walk around this scary underground mine and see what's in there."? I know I haven't, but Frank here has and he has turned it into a YouTube Channel called "Exploring Abandoned Mines". Listen to us talk about why he does it, how he got started and what his plans for the future are!

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtFNKt_IKBpalOWXuIreW7Q
FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1925046341068974
IG: mineexplorer1