The Storied Outdoors

One of Bryan’s mentors, Calvin Miller once wrote, “Much of Christmas’ beauty is in its sameness. The same traditions. The same meals. The same songs. The same story. Yet each Christmas is a little different.” Just like your favorite Christmas movies and songs are played and replayed each year, we’re replaying four of our past Christmas story episodes as well as a brand new Christmas story for you this season. Play them while you’re driving to see family and friends, while you’re tying flies, or wrapping those last minute presents.

This story, written by Dr. Bryan Gill and read by Brad Hill, is brand new and entitled “Christmas Jubilee.” It’s a story about a young boy who spends the week of Christmas with his grandparents on Mobile Bay. While he’s there, he casts a net for shrimp, sets traps for crabs, and fishes for speckled trout from his grandparents’ pier. He also finds himself trying to help fix a feud between his Pawpaw and neighbor. He soon finds out that this feud is too big for him to fix by himself and without a Christmas miracle, his Christmas vacation on Mobile Bay as well as his Pawpaw’s friendship with his neighbor might be ruined.

We hope you enjoy this new story and some “sameness” during this Christmas miniseries. And from Brad and Bryan at the Storied Outdoors, Merry Christmas!

Support our effort by preordering a hat ⁠HERE⁠

Visit Redbeardsoutfitter.com and use promo code TSO for 20% of online and in store.

Questions or comments email [email protected] we would love to hear from you. 

Music Written and recorded by Brad Hill

“One Horse Open Sleigh” by Dr. Bryan Gill is inspired by the original lyrics of “Jingle Bells,” that read, “A day or two ago, I thought I'd take a ride And soon, Miss Fanny Bright Was seated by my side…” Bryan wrote this story about two little girls and a mahogany Clydesdale that loved nothing more than pulling a shiny red sleigh in the snow. The horse changes the lives of the little girls, but that’s not the only transformation that takes place. Enjoy this story that takes a peek into the fictional life of the iconic Christmas card image of a horse-drawn sleigh. Visit Redbeardsoutfitter.com and use promo code TSO for a 20% discount online and in store. They have some amazing apparel and gear to outfit you for your next adventure. We would love to hear from you, if you have any questions, comments, poems, and or recommendations for us, email us [email protected] Music written and recorded by Brad Hill.

The Christmas Pageant (A Christmas Story) by Dr. Bryan Gill is the story of a sweet family trying to figure out how to navigate the holidays after a tragic accident that took their mother and left their son disabled. After a resurgence of the town’s Christmas Pageant that reunites a town, this family finds a way to redeem their sadness with new Christmas traditions. We hope you enjoy this Christmas episode written by Dr. Bryan Gill and read by Brad Hill. Intro music is also presented by Brad Hill.Visit Redbeardsoutfitter.com and use promo code TSO for a 20% discount online and in store. They have some amazing apparel and gear to outfit you for your next adventure. We would love to hear from you, if you have any questions, comments, poems, and or recommendations for us, email us [email protected] Music written and recorded by Brad Hill.

The Fox and the Fawn, by Dr. Bryan Gill, is a whimsical story about a little girl and her father’s never-ending love for her. Brad Hill masterfully reads this story and makes the characters come alive. We hope you’ll enjoy this heartwarming Christmas story, The Fox and the Fawn.

Visit Redbeardsoutfitter.com and use promo code TSO for a 20% discount online and in-store. They have some amazing apparel and gear to outfit you for your next adventure.

We would love to hear from you, if you have any questions, comments, poems, and or recommendations for us, email us [email protected] Music written and recorded by Brad Hill.

Season 11 Reflections, Christmas Stories, and Adventures | The Storied Outdoors Podcast

As 2025 draws to a close, it’s hard to believe just how full this year has been. In this special episode, Bryan and Brad settle into the regal lodge at Turkey Creek near Jasper, Alabama, surrounded by towering Alabama whitetail bucks and other unforgettable taxidermy, to look back on the highlights of Season 11 of The Storied Outdoors.

From cooking wild game with Jeremiah Doughty of Field to Plate, to epic bear hunts and conservation conversations with Dr. Jenkins of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, to the deeply inspiring story of Dr. Rachael Hagues and the founding of the Girls School in Tanzania, the guys revisit the moments that made this season unforgettable.

With Christmas just around the corner, Bryan and Brad also preview upcoming Christmas week stories, tease future guests still to come this season, and share powerful reflections from their recent mission trips to Central America and the Dominican Republic. Along the way, Brad recounts a harrowing (and humorous) customs experience—navigating the process with the shrewdness of a snake and the innocence of a dove—and both hosts reflect on the lessons learned through travel, service, and time spent abroad.

If you’re new to The Storied Outdoors Podcast, this episode is a perfect place to jump in. We hope these Christmas-week stories invite you into wonder, reflection, and a Merry Christmas.

Finally, thank you. Your continued support—especially through reviews and ratings—means more to us than you know. These small acts make a big difference in helping the podcast grow, and we are deeply grateful.

We’d love to hear from you.📧 Email us: [email protected]

Bryan and Brad gather around the figurative campfire to reignite the warmth and wonder of their recent conversation with Dr. Rachael Hagues—a remarkable scholar, adventurer, and cherished friend of The Storied Outdoors. In this reflective episode, the guys look back with awe at Rachael’s extraordinary work in Tanzania, where she helped launch a transformative girls’ school that continues to shape lives and empower communities. Her vision, perseverance, and faith-driven courage shine through every part of her story.

They also revisit her spontaneous, grit-filled decision to climb Mount Kilimanjaro—a summit she tackled with little preparation but an abundance of heart. Her journey up Africa’s highest peak becomes a backdrop for deeper reflection on resilience, calling, and the unexpected adventures that shape who we become.

So pull up a chair, lean in, and enjoy this fireside-style debrief as Bryan and Brad reflect on the lessons, inspiration, and laughter shared with an extraordinary woman who continues to make a lasting impact.

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Join us as Dr. Rachel Hagues shares the powerful story behind Tumaini Jipya Girls’ School in Tanzania—nearly twenty years of research, partnership, prayer, and perseverance. From community-led vision to opening day, her journey blends faith, justice, and education. Rachel also reflects on her Kilimanjaro climb and how wilderness moments shape the stories God is writing in our lives.

Ep. 160: Stoking Embers: More Than a Hunt: The Heart and Hospitality of FowlCo Outfitters

The guys sit down to stir up and stoke he embers of the conversation with Josh Teff from FowlCo Outfitters. The level of hospitality they employ at Fowlco is inspiring and a big part of our conversation. We discuss the importance of knowing people's names. Reminisce about guide experiences and how a guide who understands hospitality really enhances your experience.

Episode Show Notes — FowlCo Outfitters: World-Class Waterfowl Hunting & Hospitality

Today on The Storied Outdoors, we welcome the team from FowlCo Outfitters—purveyors of world-class outdoor recreation and hospitality. Based in Oklahoma, FowlCo has become one of the most respected names in waterfowl hunting, blending premier guided experiences with unmatched southern hospitality.

Founders Josh Teff and John David Blagg join us to share how FowlCo grew from a shared passion for the outdoors, a commitment to meaningful relationships, and a deep reverence for the Creator’s handiwork. With more than 100 years of combined guiding experience, the FowlCo staff has crafted an environment where guests don’t just hunt—they feel at home, become part of the family, and take stories with them that last a lifetime.

From crisp sunrise hunts and chef-prepared meals to their lodge’s signature Speakeasy and fire-pit gatherings, FowlCo’s blend of excellence and authenticity has shaped countless unforgettable adventures.

How FowlCo’s philosophy emphasizes connection—to God, nature, and people—and how this vision reshaped their entire outfitting experience.
“Here’s the path, all you have to do is walk down it.” —Josh Teff

Returning guests often feel more like family. Josh and John David share stories of genuine friendships formed through years of hunting together.
“Putting emphasis on people is THE most important thing we can do.”

How chef-inspired meals, lodge design, atmosphere, and intentional spaces—like the Speakeasy and fire-pit—help create “moments” that deepen the experience.

The spiritual and emotional dimension of pursuing wild game, and how awe, gratitude, and wonder shape their personal walk with God.
“I go from wanting to go… to I get to go.”

Unforgettable stories, hard-earned wisdom, and memorable mishaps—including a fully sunk tractor and an icy sprint to flag down a passing boat.

What moments and memories always resurface when the guides sit down together after a long season.

FowlCo is a premier waterfowl outfitter located in Oklahoma, offering guided duck and goose hunts with a focus on hospitality, faith, and unforgettable experiences. From culinary excellence to curated lodge environments, FowlCo has become a destination where guests return year after year—not just to hunt, but to belong.

In This Episode We Discuss: Hunting as Connection, Not Just Bag Limits• Why Relationships Are the Heart of FowlCo• Hospitality as Storytelling• Experiencing the Creator Through the Outdoors• Lessons From a Century of Guiding• The Stories the Crew Tells Around the Fire About FowlCo Outfitters

Stoking Embers | Reflections on Our Conversation with Dr. Chris Jenkins

In this Stoking Embers episode, we look back on our conversation with Dr. Chris Jenkins—conservationist, biologist, hunter, and CEO of The Orianne Society. Our time with Chris lingered long after recording, stirring reflections on the connection between wild landscapes, the creatures that inhabit them, and the stories that shape us.

We talk about the significance of tending to the wild places that form our identity, the beauty in paying attention to the overlooked things of creation, and how spending time outdoors shapes the soul. And yes—we revisit a few of Chris’s epicbear hunting stories from the Appalachian Mountains and the backcountry of Idaho, and what those moments taught us about courage, humility, and wonder.

• The Orianne Society — Conservation of reptiles & amphibians:
  https://www.oriannesociety.org

• Backcountry Hunters & Anglers — Public lands & waters conservation:
  https://www.backcountryhunters.org

• Snake Talk with Dr. Chris Jenkins (Podcast):
  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/snake-talk/id1501749931

Stoking Embers is our space to slow down, reflect, and revisit the conversations that continue to shape us—long after the microphones are off.

Learn more about Chris and the work mentioned in this reflection: