Wilderness Attitude

TV Host, master hunter & angler, skull artist, conservationist, outdoor enthusiast; these are just a few ways to describe this week's guest. Her father's daughter, Jana Waller, fell in love with the wilderness at a young age and has since built her world around hunting & the outdoors. Jana talks about her early hunting days, how she got the nickname "Sherman" and one of her biggest passions outside of hunting, skull art. We also discuss some issues that are closest to her heart, including Lyme disease, the future of our veterans & what it means "to be an American". If you haven't seen an episode of Skull Bound TV or if you are hooked already, stick around to find out a little more about the one & only, Jana Waller.

Being an outfitter or a guide is something that many people consider a dream job but, to be successful at it is a whole different story. Growing up as an outfitter's son, Mike Stroff is no stranger to this backbreaking work and has made it his life through his company SOE Hunts and hosting Savage Outdoors TV and the One. Mike shares some tips on what to look for when selecting a guide, what gear can be a game changer, and how important genetics and age are when hunting that perfect animal. We also talk about the changes Mike has seen over the years in the outfitting business and what's coming up for his shows this season. We start this one off with an epic story Mike experienced while hunting in Alaska that involves bucking horses, being charged by a grizzly bear, a rusted gun that would not fire when needed most & having to walk back to camp after being left by his horse.

In honor of National Dog Day this past weekend, we welcome pro dog trainer and owner of Committed Retrievers, Nick Bowser. Nick discovered his passion for training man's best friend over 12 years ago and found that his love for hunting was only intensified after hunting with a great retriever. Nick walks us through everything you would want to know about dogs, from what to look for when finding that perfect pup, to training the ultimate bird dog. Do you know what force fetch, pile work, pressure training or formalized obedience are? Well, we cover it all and hear some amazing stories including one in which Nick's dog Trigger pulled him out of the water after being injured.

Wyoming has been highly publicized over the past couple of months regarding the delisting of the grizzly bear for the 1st time in over 40 years. Some are asking, Aren't they still a threatened species? Why now? And Is this a good thing? Well, we have Bear Wise Coordinator of Wyoming Game & Fish, Dusty Lasseter, here to answer it all including why this decision is so important for the state of Wyoming and the future of the grizzly bear. We cover some misconceptions out there about catching & relocating bears, what the delisting means for hunting in the state of Wyoming and what is best to protect yourself in the wilderness; bear spray, a taser or a gun? Dusty also shares some of the close encounters he has had with these bears over the years and explains why it is so important to be "Bear Aware".

Want to know how to be a true Idahoan? Well we have Commissioner of the Idaho Fish & Game Southwest Region, Idaho small business owner and father of 4 upcoming Idahoans, Blake Fischer here to tell you how. Blake was raised in the outdoors and is making it his mission for everyone to continue enjoying what he fell in love with, the wilderness. He talks about what he’s doing as Commissioner to get people outside, his thoughts on the declining numbers of people hunting across the country and how those numbers can improve. We also talk about his involvement with Big Brothers Big Sisters which led to him being named Big Brother of the Year by BBBS. Blake's Wilderness Attitude is evident in everything he does and he will definitely bring a little more into your life.

If you have read any type of outdoor or hunting magazine, then you are definitely familiar with this week's guest, writer & photographer, Tony J. Peterson. But, you may not have heard one of his craziest hunting stories, where instead of encountering an animal, he encountered a barbed wire fence that left him wondering if he would keep his manhood. It's a story that will make you think twice before crossing fences on your next adventure. Tony also talks about why photography & writing have helped him reflect on himself as a person & a new campaign he is working on called #PROJECTPUBLIC. If you are interested in writing, have a passion for photography or just want to hear some crazy stories, you are going to love this one.

Wild fires can effect everything caught in it's wake, wildlife included. But, it's not all doom & gloom. There is a silver lining to that smokey sky. As strange as it might seem, fires are a natural part of our landscape, in many cases, it's natures way of manipulating habitat and allowing it to thrive for hundreds of years. We are joined by Durango West District Wildlife Manager, Steve McClung & Chris Schultz with the San Juan National Forest Service to discuss wild fires and get a better understanding of how they can be looked at as a good thing for our land & wildlife.

Passing down a knife through generations has been an American staple throughout our history and some may feel it is a family legacy being carried on. Well no one feels that more than Chairman & CEO of Buck Knives, CJ Buck, a 4th generation family member carrying on his families legacy of making knives. CJ shares the amazing story starting with his great-grandfather Hoyt, who made his first knife in 1902, and the series of events that followed, to continue the Buck Knife name over a century later. You or someone in your family have probably owned a Buck knife at some point but, I am sure you do not know the story behind where it all began, the bumps along the way & the innovations they are still doing today to make trustworthy, reliable knives.

The stillness before sunrise, the sound of bobbing decoys on the calm water, anticipating the sight of multi-colored wings, these are just a few ways to describe the obsession that is, duck hunting, and we have the perfect person to explain it all. Owner of Cutter Calls, Colt Turpen, shares exactly what it is that fuels his duck hunting fire, what drove him to pursue making duck calls, and pretty much everything you would want to know about ducks and duck hunting. If you have thought about getting into duck hunting or if you are a duck hunter, this podcast might help scratch the waterfowl itch.

Field to Plate or Field to Fork. We all know what they mean but, do you really know how to harvest & cook wild game to get the best meat & flavor? We welcome Founder of Live Wild Eat Wild Steven Athay, to talk about his passion & pursuit to make healthy delicious wild game. Brandon was a chef for 16 years and knows how to properly prepare meat so he & Steven compare notes on ways they harvest their animals, what tricks & tools they use in the process & what adjustments can be made to any old meat recipe to make wild game taste amazing. Steven also shares the top 5 things he has found that effect flavor, ways to use the off-cuts & shares a few of his favorite recipes. For all you foodies out there or people who just want to know how to get their family to love wild game, join us in our quest to "Live Wild Eat Wild".