The Texas Campfire

Welcome to the very first episode of the Texas Campfire Podcast.

Host Mark Hubbard sits down with longtime friend Ben Schmidke of Silver Horn Ranch near Freer, Texas, for a conversation rooted in South Texas ranching, wildlife management, and the lessons that come from a life spent on the land.

Ben shares how growing up on a pecan farm and ranch in Pearsall shaped his passion for wildlife, hunting, land stewardship, and ranch life. From whitetail deer management and DMP pens to exotic species conservation, water systems, predator control, habitat work, cattle, quail, and raising kids on a ranch, this episode gives listeners a true look into what it takes to manage a modern Texas ranch the right way.

This conversation is about more than hunting or ranching. It’s about legacy, responsibility, conservation, and preserving the knowledge and stories that make Texas so special.

So pull up a chair, gather around the fire, and join us for the first episode of the Texas Campfire Podcast.

Life is always better when there’s dirt under your feet.

Hosted by Mark Hubbard, a South Texas ranch broker with deep roots in the ranching world, this podcast is all about the land, the people, the stories, and the lifestyle that make Texas unlike anywhere else.

Mark grew up with red dirt under his feet in Deep South Texas, surrounded by ranching, wildlife, and the values that come from life on the land. After years of building a career in ranch real estate and traveling across private ranches from the Red River to the Rio Grande, from the Piney Woods to El Paso, he has seen firsthand the beauty, history, and hard work behind Texas ranch life.

On this podcast, Mark will sit down with landowners, ranchers, cowboys, ranch foremen, wildlife managers, hunters, outdoorsmen, and everyday people who carry the stories of Texas on their backs. You’ll hear about family histories, failures, success stories, wild hunting memories, ranching traditions, and the boots-on-the-ground work that keeps this way of life alive.

Some stories will be inspiring. Some will be hilarious. Some might be hard to believe. But every one of them will be rooted in a love for Texas, ranching, wildlife, and the people who make it all possible.

So pull up a chair, gather around, and join us at the Texas Campfire Podcast.

Life is always better when you have dirt under your feet.

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