Explore every episode of the podcast 6 Ranch Podcast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spearfishing for Marlin in Baja, Mexico | 06 Nov 2025 | 00:30:41 | |
I drove 52 hours and 12 minutes to Baja, Mexico to freedive and spearfishing for Marlin. After day two of the trip I sat down with my guide, Angelo, from La Ventana Dive Center for part 1 of a two part episode. We talk Marlin, how I almost got arrested on the way here, the challenges of guiding spearfishermen, and how Angelo almost got eaten be a tiger shark. | |||
| Expeditions with Polar Explorers | 30 Oct 2025 | 01:02:23 | |
Taylor organizes and guides expeditions to the North and South Pole, across Greenland, over South Georgia Island (following Shakleton’s route) and has some good stories to tell as well as insights into what it takes both mentally and physically to endure these climates. Enjoy the show and check out Polar Explorers if you want to do a trip like this. | |||
| Broadhead Theory with Bryan Broderick | 28 Aug 2025 | 01:13:30 | |
The broadhead is the most important part of any archery system. Every other piece of gear you wear, use or carry is simply a supporting effort for delivery your broadhead to the vitals of an animal. This week I drove to Casper, Wyoming to sit down with the intelligent and experienced Mr Bryan Broderick to talk about arrow systems and broadheads. He politely challenged some of my own long held beliefs from a position of knowledge and authority. In some aspects he convinced me to rethink these beliefs, in other ways I’m still unmoved. Regardless, this episode has value for anyone who intends to launch an arrow at an animal. Enjoy! | |||
| Settlers, Nez Perce, and Hunting with Historian David Weaver, Part 2 | 04 Dec 2023 | 01:11:58 | |
This week on the podcast, we're continuing our conversation with local historian, David Weaver. David is the Board President of the Wallowa History Center, and his knowledge of my home, Wallowa County, is extensive. In part 2 of our conversation, we cover early species migration, hunting strategies of the Nez Perce and early settlers, buffalo trips to Montana, and what life was like in the county around the turn of the 20th century. | |||
| Settlers, Nez Perce, and Hunting with Historian David Weaver, Part 1 | 27 Nov 2023 | 01:05:17 | |
History always starts with a question. For local historian David Weaver, that question takes us back to the mid to late 1800s. David is the Board President of the Wallowa History Center, and his interest lies in learning more about the relationship between the Wallowa Band of the Nez Perce Tribe and the early European settlers who came to Northeast Oregon. In part one of this two-part episode, David and I sat down to discuss the lifestyles, cultures, and conflicts of the people of Wallowa County leading up to and after the Nez Perce War. | |||
| Motorcycles, Ducks and Pick-ups with Alex Mojcher | 20 Nov 2023 | 01:03:31 | |
Many are called to go out west, whether to satisfy a desire for adventure, or live in vast country. Alex Mojcher is one of those folks. Originally from New England, Alex bought a KLR motorcycle and rode it west across the county camping and exploring as much as he could along the way. Now, as the Social Media Manager for DECKED, Alex is living the western dream. He's been practicing with his 1968 Remington 870 Wingmaster shotgun, and we finally got him out on his first ever hunt for ducks. In this episode, Alex and I discuss the highs and lows of riding and what's next in his hunting journey. Decked on Instagram | |||
| Rodeo and Writing with Jim Overstreet | 13 Nov 2023 | 00:58:39 | |
Jim Overstreet was born and raised ranching in Montana by a father who was widely considered to be the best cowboy around. Jim has been raising horses, cowboying, and competing in rodeos for 60 plus years, earning multiple titles in tie down roping. Now in his 70s, he's even roped in the National Senior Pro Rodeo Association and hasn't yet decided when to retire. Jim is also an accomplished writer and the author of A Montana Rivalry, book one in his Rodeo in the Blood series. In this episode, Jim and I swap rodeo stories and discuss his new book all about fathers, sons, love, and rodeo. | |||
| Hunting Lessons Learned, with Kevin Harlander | 06 Nov 2023 | 01:10:45 | |
The last time I had Kevin Harlander on this show, we discussed how to prepare for hunting season. Since then, another archery season has come and gone and, today, we're going to look back. I truly believe that self-reflection is critical for improvement. If you don't reflect, you've missed an opportunity to learn from your successes and failures in order to become a better hunter. In this episode Kevin and I discuss our recent elk and white-tail hunts, and Kevin's new (and currently unnamed) business working with innovative brands in the outdoor and hunting industry. | |||
| Welding, Waterfowl, and Elk with Tyson Samples | 30 Oct 2023 | 01:06:08 | |
Tyson Samples has been hunting elk as long as he could legally buy a license, bow hunting being his favorite method. In his day job, he owns his own welding and fabrication business and makes some unique and beautiful custom pieces. In this episode we sample homemade white-tail salami, and discuss my recent goose turned duck hunt, archery and why we love it, advice on calling bulls, and our lessons learned from last season. | |||
| Bears and Mulies with Kevin Plew | 23 Oct 2023 | 01:02:24 | |
You might remember my guest today, Kevin Plew, from a previous episode where he told the story of being charged and attacked by a black bear. Besides surviving bear attacks, Kevin has been busy guiding elk and mule deer hunters and harvesting black-tail and waterfowl. Kevin has a knack for finding big mulies in places with very few deer. In this episode, we discuss mule deer tactics, common hunting mistakes, shooting angles, bird dogs, and the dos and don'ts of hunting spot etiquette. | |||
| Electricity, Explosive Ordinance and Learning to Hunt | 16 Oct 2023 | 01:01:20 | |
Shane Brozowski, an Explosive Ordinance Disposal Technician and Blake Woestman, an electrician, have been friends since grade school. Growing up in Wisconsin, they've hunted their fair share of turkey, coyote and white-tail from tree stands, but were both unfamiliar with western hunting. A couple years ago, I advertised a learn to hunt course, and these two took me up on it. At the 6 Ranch Outfitters Hunting School, Shane and Blake have learned to pack, camp, scout, glass, hunt, shoot, field dress, process meat, and get that meat home. They put in the hard work and were successful on opening day, taking a white-tail buck. My hope for this course was to give people the tools and knowledge to hunt out west without a guide, and Shane and Blake left Oregon with the confidence to do so. | |||
| The True Crime of Claude Dallas and Other Stories | 09 Oct 2023 | 00:56:20 | |
The legend of Claude Dallas; was he an old west outlaw living in modern times, or a coldblooded killer? In 1981, Claude Dallas shot and killed two state game wardens in the remote Owyhees of southwestern Idaho. He eluded capture for over fifteen months, was caught and sentenced, escaped from prison, and was recaptured again. Joining me to tell the story is my friend and frequent guest on the show, Greg Jones. As a member of the Owyhee community, Greg remembers following the story and trial. He didn't know Claude or the victims personally, but he knows several people who did that shared their insight with Greg over the years. The story of Claude Dallas is both tragic and fascinating. Only one person alive today knows what truly happened, and that's Claude himself. | |||
| Mules, Wilderness and Outfitting with Cliff Gray | 02 Oct 2023 | 01:16:09 | |
Very few hunters have as much knowledge and experience as Cliff Gray. For a decade, Cliff owned and operated Flat Tops Wilderness Guides, a massive outfitting operation guiding and packing into the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. At its peak, Cliff’s business ran 250 hunts a year, employed 20 guides, and owned 52 pack horses and mules. Cliff recently sold his guiding business to create educational content via YouTube, newsletter, and courses for anyone wanting to become a better adventurer, fisherman, or hunter. And the best part? Cliff’s advice and expertise is completely free of charge. In this episode, Cliff and I discuss mules, horses, drop camps, and guiding and hunting in extremely remote places. | |||
| Nutrition for hunters (and gardeners) with Valley to Peak Nutrition | 21 Aug 2025 | 01:39:53 | |
Nutrition doesn’t have to be complicated so in this episode we make it simple, tell a few hunting stories, and rate the nutritional quality of everything I planted in my garden this year. Check out their website here. | |||
| Chasing Tornadoes with Ricky Forbes | 25 Sep 2023 | 00:57:44 | |
Ricky Forbes is one of the lucky few who found his passion in life and through hard work, managed to turn it into a career. The only catch, his passion is chasing dangerous tornadoes. Ricky is a a professional storm chaser, documenting the wildest storms on the planet through stunning photography and videography. For the past 11 years, he's witnessed some of nature's most terrifying displays, including getting caught in the largest tornado ever recorded. In this episode, Ricky and I discuss the ins and outs of tornadoes, storm chasing, and finding your path. | |||
| The Why of Fishing, with Capt. Lael Johnson, Jameson Redding, and Capt. Lacey Kelly | 18 Sep 2023 | 01:04:59 | |
This week, I’m joined by not one, but three fly fishing experts from across the U.S. Captain Lael Johnson moved from Topeka, Kansas to Seattle to become a fishing guide. He also founded the F•Y•S•H Foundation, an organization that promotes mental health by providing free fishing trips to trauma survivors, underprivileged, and at-risk people. My next guest, Jameson Redding, shares his passion for the outdoors by traveling the country fishing and hosting the show The Road Trip Angler. And finally, Captain Lacey Kelly, is a spearfisherman, hunter, and fishing guide out of Florida, mainly guiding for tarpon. What my guests have in common is the passion and drive to chase some of the most difficult fish out there, from finicky permit to powerful steelhead in freezing rivers. Capt. Lael Johnson | |||
| 6 Ranch State of the Union Address, with Adele Schott | 11 Sep 2023 | 01:11:03 | |
Today, I'm joined by my little sister, Adele Schott, boss at the 6 Ranch, to share some updates on our business. Along with raising cattle, Adele has been running the business side of the 6 Ranch for a year now and is happy to announce that our Grassroots Beef Club is back. If you want to join the club and receive high quality, lean grass-fed Corriente beef on a regular basis, check out the link below. We also discuss our feelings on leaving gates open, cow dogs, quality food, the maddest we've ever been at a cow, and the happiest. | |||
| Whitewater Guiding, Sturgeon, and Desert Racing with Cole Hauter | 04 Sep 2023 | 01:03:47 | |
You could easily claim that Cole Hauter is an adrenaline junkie, though that’s not how he would necessarily describe himself. Cole learned to ride a motorcycle at the age of 5 and started desert racing when he was 11. He’s also been a white-water rafting guide for the past 7 years, often rowing a giant gear boat through Hells Canyon. In this episode, we discuss what it’s like to break both femurs, rowing and jet boating rapids, and getting our asses kicked by massive sturgeon. | |||
| Becoming American, with Josh Whi | 28 Aug 2023 | 01:15:25 | |
Josh Whi was born in South Korea and moved to Chicago at the age of 9. Now a U.S. citizen and first generation American, Josh has found his passion working in the firearms industry, both for Alpha Foxtrot and Paladin 33, and is doing some incredibly innovative things. In this episode, Josh shares his life story, from his childhood in two cultures, raised by traditional Korean parents, to his world travels and love of languages, and ultimately though his experience in manufacturing guns and firearms equipment. Currently, Josh and the team at Paladin are working to cross the gun case gap between outdoor tactical vs every day carry. Their products are inventive, practical, and exactly what you need if you're going to travel anywhere with a firearm. | |||
| Bucking Bulls, Bull Elk and Buck Deer with Kainoa Delatori | 21 Aug 2023 | 01:18:17 | |
Kainoa Delatori loves everything about archery season and is happy to share his knowledge with anyone who will listen. Raised in Wallowa County, he grew up hunting and steelhead fishing, with a turn at bull riding as a young man. Now, Kainoa's passion lies in archery hunting elk and mule deer. In this episode, Kainoa and I swap stories of our high school and college rodeo days, his favorite mule deer hunt, and how he's introducing his young sons to the outdoors. | |||
| The Beaver Episode, with Ian Wilson | 14 Aug 2023 | 01:07:07 | |
I'll be the first to admit, I don't always like beavers. Of course, I recognize that beavers and fur trapping played a huge role in shaping the western United States. But I also don't like them cutting down trees on my property. That being said, I promised my guest this week, Ian Wilson, that I would keep an open mind. Ian is a huge proponent of beavers and their natural role on the landscape. He works in habitat restoration for the Grand Ronde Model Watershed, our local non-profit watershed council. In this episode, Ian and I discuss the pros and cons of beaver activity, and how beavers can shape a river, ultimately benefiting fish, wildlife, and people along the way. | |||
| Tattoos, Insects, and Acting Tough with Tim Biedron | 07 Aug 2023 | 01:34:25 | |
I love tattoos and have been getting them for over 20 years now. My latest tattoo was done by Tim Biedron, an artist who recently moved to Joseph, Oregon and opened the only tattoo shop in the county. Tim is an extremely talented artist who's been tattooing in Chicago since the mid 90s. His style is unique and difficult to fit into a box. On top of that, he's an interesting guy who enjoys being in nature by identifying insects, catching snakes, and fishing. In this episode, Tim and I talk all things tattoos, from designing custom pieces to the mental fortitude it takes to tattoo for long sessions. And if you're in the market for a tattoo, whether or not you live in Wallowa County, I highly recommend Tim and his studio, Meadowlark | |||
| Philosophy of a Man who Died and Came Back, with Gary Shepard | 31 Jul 2023 | 01:06:33 | |
One year ago, Gary Shepard died for 15 minutes, then was brought back. So of course, I had to ask, what's it like to die? In this episode, Gary shares the story of his life. His childhood growing up hunting, trapping, and fishing in Montana. His time in Special Forces as a Green Beret during the Vietnam era. And his guiding philosophy, that today is enough. All you can do is try your very best each day. According to Gary, death is not a big deal. It's what you do with your time on earth that matters. | |||
| The Gail Hammack Episode | 24 Jul 2023 | 01:04:45 | |
If you ask Gail Hammack, the word "conservation" is often misused. To Gail, conservation means taking care of the land, not preventing us from utilizing natural resources. Gail and her late husband, Doug McDaniel, understood what it meant to care for something you love. With the channelized Wallowa River running through their property, Doug and Gail had a vision of what the river could be. They fought for years to make that dream a reality, for at the time, no one had attempted a re-meandering project of that size. In doing so, Gail and Doug exceeded expectations, completing a massive, award winning river restoration project and paving the way for other landowners who want to better their property. Today, Gail continues her husband's legacy by working the land and completing another phase of restoring the river | |||
| The Good Bad and Ugly of Guiding with Hannah Mabbot | 14 Aug 2025 | 01:04:29 | |
Hannah Mabbot runs Hunt Oregon and guides elk from August 1st through March. Last year she guided 65 hunters with a 90% success rate. I don’t know of anyone who guides more elk hunters than her. We talk about the guide life, hunter expectations, and other goodnesses. | |||
| The Exquisite Art of Taxidermy, with Dan Moncrief | 17 Jul 2023 | 01:33:21 | |
I may not be an expert, but after seeing my fair share of mounts, I can spot good taxidermy when I see it. Dan Moncrief is one of the experts. He's been a taxidermist since 1986 and is an artist in every sense of the word. His attention to detail, realism, and artistry is truly something special, and is undoubtedly what won him a first-place cougar mount in international competition. In this episode, we dive deep into the process and craftsmanship behind his creations while reminiscing on some of our favorite hunts. | |||
| Pirates and Tarpon with Gene Wooster | 10 Jul 2023 | 01:02:20 | |
There's only a handful of fish that people will alter the way they live just to catch. Tarpon are one of those fish. When you picture tarpon fishing, you're probably imagining some guy fly fishing from a flats boat in the Bahamas. But there's another very different type of tarpon fishing in a very different place, Pamlico Sound, North Carolina. Pamlico Sound is the second largest estuary in the U.S. with a fascinating pirate history. The tarpon there are enormous and catching them is a totally unique skill set to other tarpon fisheries. Here to share his fishing knowledge, is my good friend Gene Wooster. Gene has won more tarpon competitions in North Carolina than anyone either of us know, and after hearing from him, you'll be booking a trip to Pamlico. | |||
| Surviving a Shipwreck, with Larz Stewart | 03 Jul 2023 | 01:36:45 | |
On April 25th, 2009, the Princess Tiaping, a 54-foot replica of a Ming Dynasty Chinese junk, sank in open ocean. Larz Stewart, along with 10 other crew members, miraculously survived. The Princess Tiaping was built to revive maritime culture, history, and pride to the people of Taiwan and Southeast Asia. Larz joined the crew in Hawaii for the final leg of their global journey, intending to sail the boat to Taiwan. With just 27 nautical miles to go from their final destination, the Princess Tiaping encountered a storm, and was subsequently hit by a huge tanker, cleaving the boat in two. The tanker did not stop to assist, and the crew was left to cling to the wreckage for hours before help arrived. Larz's story is truly incredible, and the fact that he survived is a testament to his captain, crew, and own resilience. | |||
| Polynesian Farming and Veteran Suicide Prevention (This Episode Can Save Lives) | 26 Jun 2023 | 01:15:15 | |
On a cross state motorcycle trip, I stopped by G9 Defense, an innovative ammunition company, to do some ballistic testing with Casey Foster and Kyle Holmes. All the folks I've met from G9 have led fascinating lives, and my guests today are no exception. Before bullets, Casey spent years farming South Pacific Islands such as Fiji, Tahiti, and Samoa, and was at one point the world’s largest supplier of Noni Juice. Kyle has a master’s in forensic psychology and spent his previous life working with minors and adults in suicide prevention. I've been out of the military for 9 years, and at this point, I've lost more troops to suicide than I did from combat. This is such an important episode. Kyle shares why veterans are killing themselves, what those in crisis can do, and how we can save lives and support ourselves and the people we love. | |||
| A Marine, a Green Beret and a SEAL Walk Into a Podcast | 19 Jun 2023 | 01:07:13 | |
This week, I'm in Montana with Thomas Rucker and Payden Armstrong, the special forces veterans and expert bladesmiths behind Rucker Knives. Thomas served in Vietnam, becoming a Green Beret in 1967, only five years after the program's inception. He's been making knives for over 50 years, and together with his wife, has twice won the International Knife of the Year award. Payden served as a Navy SEAL in North Africa and Afghanistan. With firsthand experience in combat and survival situations, he understands the importance of a reliable and functional knife. The expertise and craftsmanship that these men pour into their knives can only come from years of hunting and combat experience. | |||
| No Nonsense Hunting Prep with Kevin Harlander | 12 Jun 2023 | 01:04:54 | |
Most people think of winter as the hunting off season, but really, the months in which you’re doing the least amount of hunting is June through August. So, what should hunters be doing this summer to prepare for the fall season? To answer that question, is my good buddy and frequent contributor to the show, Kevin Harlander. Kevin is an avid outdoorsman and a member of the First Lite Hunting Apparel team. His advice? Spend your summer focusing on mental health and fitness, go through your gear, do some research, and create time for your future self this fall. We really only get to hunt a week or two every year. Why not be as prepared as possible going into the season? Check out my favorite Stanley products in the 6 Ranch Outfitters Collection, and use discount code 6ranch for 25% off | |||
| Hells Canyon Sheep, with Leanna Wentz | 05 Jun 2023 | 01:15:33 | |
Leanna Wentz is no stranger to herding sheep, her family has been running sheep and cattle for over 10 generations. But running sheep in Hells Canyon is a different beast. Sheep are always trying to die, and Hells Canyon is one of the most hostile places I've ever been that wasn't an active war zone. But Leanna's family made it work. From 1992 to 1998, her family had the last sheep permit in the U.S. that was run 12 months of the year on forest service land, until their operation was shut down due to fear of disease transmission to wild bighorns. She's got some wild stories of moving 2,200 head up and down the Snake River and across steep terrain. Wild stories of protecting the herd and of life in the canyon. Her stories are worth preserving and hopefully not the last of their kind. | |||
| Hunting and Memorial Day with Ben Carleton | 29 May 2023 | 01:07:08 | |
This Memorial Day, I'm joined by my buddy and fellow former Marine, Ben Carleton. Ben joined the infantry right out of high school and served with the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines. He saw his fair share of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan and sees this day as a time for quiet reflection, not a day to celebrate or thank those who made it home. Ben also grew up hunting and got into archery when he left the Marines. In this episode, Ben and I share some war stories, and discuss hunting everything from black-tail and elk to bears and cougars. | |||
| Restaurants, Wineries, and Fly Fishing with the Michelles and Elaine | 22 May 2023 | 01:17:58 | |
If you enjoy a good meal with a glass of wine, Walla Walla, Washington has a lot to offer. And three of my friends from Walla Walla happen to know quite a bit about quality ingredients, food, and wine. Michelle and Michelle have owned and operated one of Walla Walla's best restaurants, Bacon and Eggs, for nearly a dozen years. Elaine co-owns and operates SuLei Cellars, where she makes award winning wine. As often happens when drinking with friends, we cover a wide variety of topics in this episode. The wine making process, fly fishing, aged steak, tattoos, the upcoming 6 Ranch Meat Rodeo, and of course, how to cook the perfect poached egg. | |||
| The Genealogy Episode, with Cyndi Ingle | 15 May 2023 | 01:11:54 | |
It's interesting to think about the ancestors that came before us. The wars they fought, the migrations they made, and all their choices, big and small, led to where and who we are today. Most people don't know much about their family history past a couple of generations, and the stories they have are often embellished to the point of myth. I'm fortunate to know quite a bit of my family's story thanks to my relative, and genealogist, Cyndi Ingle. Fascinated by our family's lore, she created Cyndi's List, a free genealogy research portal with 320,000 categorized and cross-referenced links. Her website is a great jumping off point and will make any online search far easier should you choose to investigate your family. In this episode, Cyndi shares with me the Nash family's history, and discusses how you can learn more about your own ancestors. | |||
| Cowboying on 6 Different Continents with JB Zielke | 07 Aug 2025 | 01:33:36 | |
My guest this week travelled all over the world to work as a cowboy. In fact, he worked on all six continents where the job is done. Meet The Lost Cowboy, Mr J.B. Zielke. From surviving cartel gunfights in Mexico to finding nomadic reindeer herders in Mongolia, to mustering wild cattle in Northern Australia with motorcycles and helicopters, he has had some wild experiences. If you enjoy this episode, share it with a friend, and leave us a review wherever you listened to this episode. | |||
| Connecting to the Land with Cory Carman | 08 May 2023 | 01:04:00 | |
Connection to place and community are terms we often throw around, but do we really know what they mean at their core? For me, this land, the 6 Ranch, is the biggest part of who I am. And growing up in this small community shaped me. Cory Carman, a member of my community, is one of those people who understands. Cory grew up on a century old family ranch right here in Wallowa. With a desire to give back to a unique community that's always supported her, she went to Stanford University to study environmental policy. Cory now uses her education and generational knowledge to run the Carman Ranch, a sustainable grass-fed beef operation, in innovative ways. Cory's dedication to caring for her land, soil, and livestock, and her refusal to make small talk, leads us to a rich conversation about agriculture and the story of this place. | |||
| The Truth About Gun Safes, with SecureIt | 01 May 2023 | 01:08:05 | |
When it comes to safely and securely storing firearms, there's a lot of opinions and misinformation out there. Most people have one or two large, and often disorganized, gun safes that are heavy and awful to move. These safes are kept in obvious locations that thieves think to check first. They aren't truly fireproof or fail proof. But there are better options. To shed some light on what I believe is an important topic, is Tom Kubiniec, CEO and founder of SecureIt. Tom's foray into gun safes began with transforming the Department of Defense's cluttered weapon racks into organized, efficient weapon storage systems that would ultimately revolutionize military armories. Twenty two years later, his company, SecureIt, also specializes in home gun storage that will keep your firearms safe, but give you access where and when you need them. | |||
| Bears and Bullets with G9 Defense | 24 Apr 2023 | 01:05:04 | |
As is tradition, we're starting season 4 of the 6 Ranch Podcast on a spring bear hunting trip along the river. In this episode, we're talking ballistics as I'm joined by Joshua Manke and Weston Rogers of G9 Defense, an incredibly innovative ammunition company that is designing bullets with more accuracy and lethality. With a team of just 17 folks, G9 is not a big company, but they're doing big things. Joshua, G9's visionary and founder, and Weston, Director of Business Development, walk me through what they're been inventing, how the technology works, and what I'm most excited about, the 10mm Woodsman. | |||
| Whitewater River Expeditions, with Robin Pace | 17 Apr 2023 | 01:01:26 | |
Robin Pace has spent literal years of her life on rivers. She’s been a rafting guide for the past 11 years, rowing some of the biggest whitewater out there. As a former guide myself with the same company, Robin and I had a good talk about all thing’s whitewater. We covered some basics like cooler hacks, gear preferences, and camp cooking, while also getting into it with stories of big water, injuries, and flipped boats. The adrenaline filled sensation of rowing class V rapids is something few people ever experience, but through Robin's stories and expertise, you'll get a taste of what it’s like behind the oars. | |||
| A Brief History of the Deepest Canyon on the Continent, with Mike Baird | 10 Apr 2023 | 01:17:52 | |
Hells Canyon is a special place to me. The rugged terrain and powerful Snake River is beautiful, but harsh. My guest today, Mike Baird, has been guiding folks down the Snake for years and feels the same about it. I consider Mike's knowledge of Hells Canyon to be as encyclopedic as anyone out there. It was Mike who first taught me the history of the canyon on a guide training trip years ago, and I couldn't get enough. In this episode, I had Mike sit down and walk me through the natural and cultural history of this remarkable place. From the forming of the canyon thousands of years ago, to the incredibly tough people who lived there. | |||
| Dad Jokes and Leadership with Paul Pagano and Lyle Witherrite | 03 Apr 2023 | 01:02:03 | |
It's tough to take life too seriously when you're drinking scotch with good friends. In this episode, I'm joined by my buddies Paul Pagano and Lyle Witherrite, to catch up on life and tell some war stories, while sneaking a few dad jokes into the mix. We also discuss leadership principles and share some of the greatest leaders we've had the privilege to work with in the Marines, Navy, and law enforcement. Leaders who shaped us into the men we are today and inspire us to be better people. | |||
| The David Schmidt Episode | 27 Mar 2023 | 01:02:55 | |
The timber industry has always been a part of western life, especially where I grew up in Wallowa County. As a kid, there were 5 sawmills here, running 24/7. But due to harvest regulation changes, there were zero by the time I graduated high school. A lot of hard-working folks lost their jobs overnight and our local economy was in crisis. David Schmidt was the first to open a new mill in the county, but with a very different business model. David found the timber industry at an early age. After seeing bark beetle infested lumber wasted, he decided to go to Oregon State University to study Wood Science and Engineering. David wanted to figure out how to better use wood in forest products, which he did his senior year by making cross laminated timber. Now, with his company, Heartwood biomass, David is focused on restorative logging that maintains forest health, while still providing good paying jobs and quality wood products. | |||
| Square Mile Ranch, with Jeremiah Stent | 20 Mar 2023 | 01:02:59 | |
Jeremiah Stent and his partner Aimee produce the best pork I've ever had in my life. As the owners of Square Mile Ranch here in Northeast Oregon, they operate a direct market meat business. On the hoof meat is a bit different than most folks are used to. When you buy pork or beef from them, you're buying that animal live, and you know it will be well cared for and killed humanly right on the ranch. Jeremiah runs Square Mile in a way that balances the health of the land, soil, and animals, with the ability to produce high quality products for his customers. Having a close connection to your food is an incredible thing, and if you live nearby, I highly recommend all meat products from Square Mile Ranch. | |||
| Snake River Dam Removal, with John Appleton and Kyle Smith | 13 Mar 2023 | 01:05:41 | |
It's tough being a salmon. Very few fish survive to spawn, as they face seemingly insurmountable obstacles on their journey to the ocean and back. Obstacles that are naturally occurring, like predation, but many more that are human caused. From my home on the 6 Ranch, a juvenile salmon has to make it through 8 major dams before reaching the ocean, losing many siblings along the way. These fish are unbelievably tough, but their natural resiliency won't be enough to save them from extinction unless we act now. My guests today, John Appleton, owner of Alpine Archery and Fly, and Kyle Smith, Snake River Director for American Rivers, are part of a cause to remove 4 of the lower Snake River Dams. We discuss the feasibility of this idea, and just what it would take to make it happen. Whether or not you care about Columbia Basin salmon and steelhead, you'll be surprised by just how big of an impact these fish have on a global scale. | |||
| The Road to Citizenship through Hunting, with José Correa | 06 Mar 2023 | 00:58:43 | |
When he was just seventeen, José Correa left his home in Mexico, and everything he'd ever known to come to the United States. He walked for ten straight days through the desert, with no food or water for the last three. I have to wonder, what situation could be so bad to make someone risk death just to come to America? In this episode, José shares the story of why he had to leave home, his love for this country, and how he learned to hunt just 10 years ago. Now a green card holder, he wants to become a U.S. citizen so that he can vote to protect gun and hunting rights. José might not have come to this country legally, but he deserves to be here. He's an incredibly hard worker and a good person who found a love for hunting and a better life here in the United States. | |||
| Podcast Takeover by Greg Jones | 27 Feb 2023 | 01:17:43 | |
This week's episode is a bit different than what you're used to. Instead of me asking all the questions, I'm going to be the one on the spot. My good friend and frequent guest on the show, Greg Jones, interviewed me in his stone house, armed with listener questions. This episode is less about giving advice, and more about just getting to know me. We discuss my love for my home, the 6 Ranch, my service as a Marine, my experiences guiding and hunting, and my current hunting obsession. | |||
| Smokejumping in the 1970s with Ken Poole | 20 Feb 2023 | 01:18:25 | |
I spent my summers during college fighting forest fires on a rappel crew. It was some of the toughest, most physically demanding work I've ever experienced, and I have a tremendous amount of respect for my fellow wildland firefighters. And as a rappeller, I also have a healthy rivalry with smokejumpers. My guest today, Ken Poole, was a smokejumper from 1977 to 1983. Over the course of his career, he made at least 117 fire jumps out of some of the best bases in the country. Fighting fire is a fun job, but it can also be incredibly dangerous. In this episode, Ken and I swap some of our craziest stories of jumping out of planes, landing in trees, carrying 150 pound packs, and fighting fire with the best of them. | |||
| Archery Lethality with Dr. Randy Greenshields | 13 Feb 2023 | 01:11:36 | |
When it comes to archery lethality and shot placement, there are tons of common misconceptions out there. Here to bust some of those myths is the incredibly knowledgeable Dr. Randy Greenshields. Randy has been a practicing veterinarian for the past 29 years and has been bow hunting for just as long. With his extensive knowledge of animal anatomy and personal archery experience, Randy is the perfect person to explain just what an arrow is doing when it hits an animal, and where exactly you should be placing that shot. I also have Randy go through my first aid kit while sharing tips on how to treat horses, mules, and dogs in the backcountry. | |||
| The Spearfishing Episode, with Steph Schuldt and Kiley Umeda | 06 Feb 2023 | 01:57:39 | |
Spearfishing is my favorite thing that I'm bad at. I'm absolutely fascinated by it, and how similar it is to bow hunting. Today, we've got a double header for you, two interviews with two different spearfishing experts, Steph Schuldt and Kiley Umeda. Steph gave up the corporate life, sold all her belongings, bought a sailing catamaran, and now lives in the Bahamas where she's in the water at least 5 days a week. Steph is a freediving and spearfishing instructor, and happens to hold 7 world spearfishing records, including the all-time (for men and women) pole spear wahoo record. Kiley Umeda lives in Hawaii where she's been spearfishing for 23 years, and hunting since she was 10. Kiley is the owner of Aimrite International, a world renowned speargun manufacturing company, and spends much of her time building high quality spearguns. Spearfishing might be a totally foreign sport to some listeners out there, but trust me, you're going to want to try it after hearing from these badass women. | |||