We sit down with Eric “Sleazy” Warlick of The Pinhoti Project to trace his path from a young turkey hunter in North Carolina to a 49-state Super Slam, built on old-school mentors, truck camping, and a working man’s calendar. Along the way we talk family hunts, small travel hacks, and the kind of luck you earn in the turkey woods.

• origin of the “Sleazy” nickname
• first turkey seasons in North Carolina and early mentors
• the moment those hooks set on a young Sleazy
• learning without internet, tapes and magazines
• completing the 49-state Super Slam without rigid plans
• balancing a full-time upholstery job with travel
• truck-camping setups, cold-night tricks, simple meals
• superstitions, lucky camo, and minimalist gear
• favorite hunts, first birds, and family milestones
• safety on the road and in the woods

Be sure to like, follow, and subscribe to the podcast! There's plenty in store for spring turkey season 2026!

LINK: Save 10% on your next North Mountain Gear Leafy Jacket with code LEGION26 at northmountaingear.com

LINK: SAVE 10% on the new 2026 Line of Turkey Hunting Gear at springlegion.com with code POD10

Follow us on Instagram:
@springlegion
@hunter.farrior
@chasefarrior

We'd like to thank the following sponsors for making this podcast possible:

• North Mountain Gear
• Mossy Oak
• Apex Ammunition
• Vortex Optics

Today, Chase sits down with Roy "Curl" Holdford to unpack all that he's learned in his lengthy turkey hunting travels, and how a leap of faith reshaped his seasons, his budget, and his career—from a THP internship to a full-time role at Outdoor Life.

We get into the nuts and bolts of a roaming spring: why a two-wheel-drive Transit can be enough, how 33 mpg changes what states you can afford to hunt, and the evolution from plastic drawers and a sleeping pad to a solar-powered build with water, AC, and an inverter. 

Curl explains where he sleeps—legally at gates when possible—and how a simple “turkey hunting, be right back” note has saved him from tow trucks and worried sheriffs. If you’ve wondered how to balance comfort, cost, and speed, this is a blueprint.

Food fuels the miles. Curl shares the mix that keeps him steady: calorie-dense bars and yogurt for fast mornings, fruit that won’t mash, and batch-cooked rice and veggies tossed on a Blackstone after dark. We talk pre–April 15 routing through Florida, Mississippi, Texas, and beyond, then pivot to why short camps with friends multiply scouting, sharpen reads on terrain, and lead to more gobbles. 

We also tackle permission etiquette—only knocking when patterns are clear, treating ground with respect, and avoiding the mistakes that close gates for everyone.

Curl’s media path threads through it all: grinding a slow deer year with THP, stacking reps in the field, freelancing for brands, and packing into backcountry hunts to film elk and even moose. The takeaway is a mindset: either tag a bird or learn something that gets you closer tomorrow. If you’re planning a long road trip or multi-day swing this turkey season, you’ll leave with practical steps and a lighter pack.

Enjoy the conversation, then subscribe, share with a hunting buddy, and leave a quick review so more folks find the show. Where will the road take you this spring?

LINK: Save 10% on your next North Mountain Gear Leafy Jacket with code LEGION26 at northmountaingear.com

LINK: SAVE 10% on the new 2026 Line of Turkey Hunting Gear at springlegion.com with code POD10

Follow us on Instagram:
@springlegion
@hunter.farrior
@chasefarrior

We'd like to thank the following sponsors for making this podcast possible:

• North Mountain Gear
• Mossy Oak
• Apex Ammunition
• Vortex Optics

We sit down with Toby Dean Smith and Taylor Boland from Mississippi's 21 South crew at this week's NWTF Convention and Sports Show to talk filming turkeys with discipline, long road trips, and building a vest that fits the most active of turkey hunters. We trade hard-won lessons on gear, scouting, food on the road, and why community beats competition.

• filming tips for clean turkey hunts
• mirrorless vs handycam trade-offs in the field
• building an athletic, run and gun style turkey vest
• big-lens stories and first filming mistakes
• long-haul travel, truck sleep, and cheap hotels
• fast food vs local diners on the road
• 2026 spring plans across multiple states
• adapting scouting when maps and acorns lie
• deer and turkey behavior in a heavy acorn year
• community over competition across brands

New: Spring Legion YouTube Turkey Hunts every Tuesday at 6:00 PM CST

LINK: Save 10% on your next North Mountain Gear Leafy Jacket with code LEGION26 at northmountaingear.com

LINK: SAVE 10% on the new 2026 Line of Turkey Hunting Gear at springlegion.com with code POD10

Follow us on Instagram:
@springlegion
@hunter.farrior
@chasefarrior

We'd like to thank the following sponsors for making this podcast possible:

• North Mountain Gear
• Mossy Oak
• Apex Ammunition
• Vortex Optics

We stack booth 607 with spring bundles, then shift into pure story mode with Seals: a youth hunt that ends in laughter, all-day chess with a Kansas gobbler, a heavy Missouri bird, and quiet lessons from boss hens and foggy Florida mornings. The thread is simple—stay patient, hunt the bird in front of you, and let the woods set the pace.

• NWTF week setup at the Gaylord and booth 607
• $250 spring bundles and surprise giveaways for Spring Legion gear
• Youth hunt chaos and a strutter at the pines
• Kansas grind with a 4:01 a.m. sit and payoff
• Illinois hardwoods, Missouri double, and travel timing
• Shotcams, misses, and carrying the memory
• Ant-bed crawl and the discipline to stay silent
• Florida fog, drumming, and waiting 40 minutes post-shot
• One soft-spoken boss hen pulling a gobbler from the limb
• Counting down to March and planning new hunts

Come by the Spring Legion booth 607, talk turkey, and grab your $250 bundle while supplies last

LINK: Save 10% on your next North Mountain Gear Leafy Jacket with code LEGION26 at northmountaingear.com

LINK: SAVE 10% on the new 2026 Line of Turkey Hunting Gear at springlegion.com with code POD10

Follow us on Instagram:
@springlegion
@hunter.farrior
@chasefarrior

We'd like to thank the following sponsors for making this podcast possible:

• North Mountain Gear
• Mossy Oak
• Apex Ammunition
• Vortex Optics

We load for Nashville, share where to find us at NWTF, and dig into why call variety matters more than pride when birds get tight-lipped. From terrain-based call swaps to landmark setups, we explain the small shifts that turn silence into gobbles.

• core call kit and when to expand it
• terrain, range and weather shaping call choice
• comfort versus novelty in calling
• letting a buddy call to trigger a response
• hunting landmarks to make movement intuitive
• timing progressions and saving calls for roost work
• gear updates, vest fit notes and checkout flow
• feedback that guides future products

• booth location, crew roll call, freebies and show specials
• unannounced online deals during show days
• live Q&A plans across socials

“Come see us at booth 607 this week in Nashville, and wear your Spring Legion gear to the convention for free perks and discounts”

LINK: Save 10% on your next North Mountain Gear Leafy Jacket with code LEGION26 at northmountaingear.com

LINK: SAVE 10% on the new 2026 Line of Turkey Hunting Gear at springlegion.com with code POD10

Follow us on Instagram:
@springlegion
@hunter.farrior
@chasefarrior

We'd like to thank the following sponsors for making this podcast possible:

• North Mountain Gear
• Mossy Oak
• Apex Ammunition
• Vortex Optics

The first gobble of the year flips a switch. We dive into the craft of listening for turkeys—how we build efficient morning routes from the road, pick vantage points near water and open ground, and use sound to sketch a map long before we ever touch a call. If February is the month of anticipation, this is how we turn that energy into practical intel that pays off on opening day.

We get specific about timing and terrain: why arriving an hour earlier reveals the true start of the dawn chorus, how to triangulate a gobble without walking into it, and when to trust your ears over the map’s magnetic pull toward a distant creek. We talk public versus private approaches, the false promise of winter flocks, and why restraint—less calling, more reading—often brings a gobbler to 30 yards faster than hammering on a box. We also share lighting and safety habits that keep you quiet and invisible, plus when a restrained owl or crow call earns its keep.

For hunters with limited days, roosting can be the difference between wandering and winning. We explain how to pin an evening bird, set a safe approach, and let terrain do half the talking at fly-down. You’ll hear stories of early-morning shockers, late fly-down puzzles, and the setups that worked because we waited for the bird to make the first mistake. Along the way, we preview our NWTF Convention plans, new Spring Legion gear, and weekly YouTube hunts that show the real process—missteps, adjustments, and the moments where one well-timed call changes everything.

Subscribe, share with a buddy who’s already hooting in the truck, and leave a quick review with your best listening tip. Then tell us: where do you start your first February loop—and what made you pick it?

LINK: Save 10% on your next North Mountain Gear Leafy Jacket with code LEGION26 at northmountaingear.com

LINK: SAVE 10% on the new 2026 Line of Turkey Hunting Gear at springlegion.com with code POD10

Follow us on Instagram:
@springlegion
@hunter.farrior
@chasefarrior

We'd like to thank the following sponsors for making this podcast possible:

• North Mountain Gear
• Mossy Oak
• Apex Ammunition
• Vortex Optics

We return to the original studio and lay out a field-tested guide to turkey setups, from the pretty spots that fail to the ugly positions that kill. We share how to read gobbles, time your moves, and build options with terrain, shade, and smart angles.

• gear updates, NWTF booth location, and a YouTube giveaway
• why open “stage” setups make birds hang up
• the power of backdrops and concealment in shade
• when decoys solve curiosity too soon
• reading hot birds vs courtesy gobbles
• moving on a gobble, wind, and shadow cover
• using barriers, blowdowns, and creek banks
• elevation choices that make a bird step-and-look
• partner safety, communication, and 360-degree options
• ugly, uncomfortable setups that create clean kills
• accepting failure as part of learning

Wear Spring Legion apparel to the NWTF Convention in Nashville and swing by our booth. When you get to checkout, we’ll give you some free gloves, mask, or something of that nature.

LINK: Save 10% on your next North Mountain Gear Leafy Jacket with code LEGION26 at northmountaingear.com

LINK: SAVE 10% on the new 2026 Line of Turkey Hunting Gear at springlegion.com with code POD10

Follow us on Instagram:
@springlegion
@hunter.farrior
@chasefarrior

We'd like to thank the following sponsors for making this podcast possible:

• North Mountain Gear
• Mossy Oak
• Apex Ammunition
• Vortex Optics

From scouting topo maps to a few secret spots for finding fresh turkey tracks, we focus on how to actually find spring turkeys—starting at water-shaped roost sites, moving through midday strut zones, and using sign the right way—while sharing honest lessons from our past wins and dry spells. We also talk Mississippi’s new turkey stamp, our YouTube plans, and listener-requested scouting tactics.

• why water, elevation and comfort drive roost choice
• how to efficiently combine e-scouting with boots on the ground
• benches, strut zones and midday movement patterns
• reading scratching, tracks and dust bowls with freshness in mind
• food and bugs in bottoms, cow pasture advantages
• wind, rain and heat shaping daily locations
• hens nesting vs setting, the agenda and late-season shifts
• shrinking the map at hand by ruling out where turkeys are NOT

Use code Pod 10 for 10% off at springleasure.com

LINK: Save 10% on your next North Mountain Gear Leafy Jacket with code LEGION26 at northmountaingear.com

LINK: SAVE 10% on the new 2026 Line of Turkey Hunting Gear at springlegion.com with code POD10

Follow us on Instagram:
@springlegion
@hunter.farrior
@chasefarrior

We'd like to thank the following sponsors for making this podcast possible:

• North Mountain Gear
• Mossy Oak
• Apex Ammunition
• Vortex Optics

Today, we share a field-first plan for finding and hunting tight-lipped turkeys, from reading low-pressure mornings to using terrain, water edges and smart setups that make a silent gobbler move. We talk patience, locator calls and how to avoid educating birds before the best weather window.

• preseason anticipation, NWTF plans and vest update
• listener questions shaping the season’s topics
• defining silent gobblers vs henned-up birds
• weather, barometric pressure and wildlife activity cues
• elevation, hearing range and picking listening points
• water edges, oxbows and movement funnels
• locator calls used sparingly for a single gobble
• wing beats, scratching and non-vocal turkey sounds
• positioning to remove barriers and force routes
• patience, timing the mid-morning switch, leaving options open

Use code POD10 for 10% off your order at springlegion.com

LINK: Save 10% on your next North Mountain Gear Leafy Jacket with code LEGION26 at northmountaingear.com

LINK: SAVE 10% on the new 2026 Line of Turkey Hunting Gear at springlegion.com with code POD10

Follow us on Instagram:
@springlegion
@hunter.farrior
@chasefarrior

We'd like to thank the following sponsors for making this podcast possible:

• North Mountain Gear
• Mossy Oak
• Apex Ammunition
• Vortex Optics

Introducing the new Spring Legion Turkey Vest for Spring 2026, we reflect on the vests we've worn over the years and a few stories that came with them. 

First signs of spring are back—birds waking up, weeds popping, and that itch to get your vest dialed. We’ve been obsessed with building a turkey vest that actually helps you hunt better, and we finally pulled the curtain back. High and tight so it doesn’t slap your knees. Quiet, durable fabric that molds to your body. MOLLE-compatible layout to add what you need and drop what you don’t. No magnets to fail in a thicket or mess with your compass. A butt pad that rides slim but still gives you that post-shot flop that feels like victory.

We walk through the decisions that took years to refine: a detachable box call holder that doesn’t rattle, striker storage that won’t lose your favorites, slate pockets with a divider for conditioning pads, and a dump pocket for tags, zip ties, batteries, and the random essentials you actually use. Hydration is routed clean through the strap so you can take a sip without shifting a gun off your knee. Fit extensions and an XL option make it accessible without turning it into a bulky mess.

Then we take you to Tennessee. Picture pounding rain, cattle pastures, and a square of yellow flowers. We break down how we moved through livestock, secured permission, managed wind with a box call, and threaded a barrel through a heavy panel fence to set up a clean shot on two strutters. When the tom tried to recover, the ability to move fast without snagging gear made the difference. Along the way we dig into loadout philosophy—Thermacell over DEET, permethrin-treated clothes, two strikers you trust, one slate or glass, and a box call when the timber demands reach.

We finish with tactics that travel anywhere: using a real wing for subtle fly-downs that keep mystery alive, scratching to mark location without overcommitting, and reading silence as movement. If a gobbler shuts up after a wing beat, he might be on the way. Stay just below the crest, pull him to an edge, and let curiosity do the work. Hit play to learn why simple, quiet, and modular beats heavy and complicated—and how to set yourself up for a better spring.

Subscribe, share with a buddy who’s tweaking his vest this week, and leave a quick review to help more turkey hunters find the show.

LINK: Save 10% on your next North Mountain Gear Leafy Jacket with code LEGION26 at northmountaingear.com

LINK: SAVE 10% on the new 2026 Line of Turkey Hunting Gear at springlegion.com with code POD10

Follow us on Instagram:
@springlegion
@hunter.farrior
@chasefarrior

We'd like to thank the following sponsors for making this podcast possible:

• North Mountain Gear
• Mossy Oak
• Apex Ammunition
• Vortex Optics