In the Ozarks, people have always lived in rhythm with the natural world. Hunting, fishing, and living off the land, aren't just things we do, it's who we are. And though our lives are inextricably linked to the land we live on, we've never been more disconnected from it. So join us, as we travel across the region to bring you the voices of the Ozarks to deepen your connection with the land, sharpen your skills in the outdoors, and help you learn what it means to be an Ozarker.
Our guests and the information they share are especially relevant to men and women in northern Arkansas, southern Missouri, eastern Oklahoma, and southeast Kansas.
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The Ozark Podcast, a podcast by Kyle Veit & Kyle Plunkett - Stats, Episodes and Rankings - My Podcast Data
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Ep. 243 - Joe Massey - Black Bear Stories, Part 2: The Side of Hunting Nobody Talks About
Wednesday, October 7, 2026 • Duration 35:42
Hunting is emotional.
→ Join other Ozarkers in our Patreon - The Holler
→ Receive monthly stories from our Newsletter
After 30 days of baiting, $1,000+ in food, and a week off work — Joe Massey drew back on a shooter bear at 17 yards and made a bad shot.
This episode doesn't end with a grip and grin. It ends with something rarer in outdoor media: honesty. Joe walks through the shot, the search, the rain that washed away the blood trail, and the emotional weight of wounding an animal you've spent months pursuing and genuinely love.
It's a conversation about the heartbreak side of hunting that most people never show. This is the episode you share with someone who doesn't understand why hunters feel what they feel.
Together with...
Vortex Optics - Industry leader in scopes, rangefinders, and binoculars
Ember Shoals Outdoor Resort - Just steps from World-Class Trout Waters
0:00 – A Shooter Bear Appears
4:00 – No Blood, No Arrow, and Rain All Night
10:00 – The Honest Conversation
16:00 – The Weight of Taking a Life
20:00 – The Paradox: Why Hunters Love the Animals They Pursue
29:00 – Wendell Berry's "For the Hog Killing"
What is The Ozark Podcast?
In the Ozarks, people have always lived in rhythm with the natural world. Hunting, fishing, and living off the land, aren't just things we do, it's who we are. And though our lives are inextricably linked to the land we live on, we've never been more disconnected from it. So join us, as we travel across the region to bring you the voices of the Ozarks to deepen your connection with the land, sharpen your skills in the outdoors, and help you learn what it means to be an Ozarker.
Our hosts are Kyle Veit and Kyle Plunkett, and our producer is Daniel Matthews
Theme music: 'American Millionaire' by JD Clayton
Catch up with us on Instagram and Facebook @theozarkpodcast
PLEASE reach out to us with any recommendations or inquiries: theozarkpodcast@gmail.com
Ep. 242 - The Old Ozarks - Willie French Goes a-Hunting (S2:E6)
Friday, October 2, 2026 • Duration 20:56
Welcome to the Old Ozarks with Dr. Brooks Blevins...
This week, we're a-huntin' and a-fishin' through the diary of a Shannon County farm boy who came of age just as the Ozarks' wildlife paradise was slipping away.
We'll start with "a-prefixing," that old Ozark and Appalachian habit of putting an "a" on the front of a verb — straight out of 18th-century English nursery rhymes like "A-Hunting We Will Go" and "The Twelve Days of Christmas," and still alive in hollers today.
Then it's on to the long sweetenin', the teenage hunting diary of Willie French, who logged every possum, muskrat, and rabbit he and his brothers brought home around 1907.
We'll trace the boom-and-bust story of Ozark wildlife from Daniel Boone's sons hauling out a thousand beaver pelts, to Zebulon Pike's men dropping 32 deer in a week, to the lean, small-game-only woods Willie actually grew up hunting — a hunter's paradise that had already vanished a century before he ever picked up a .22.
It's a story of market hunters, deer hunting fever, and a long road back to the restocked elk and turkey of today's region.
Let's dive into this episode of The Old Ozarks...
What is The Old Ozarks?
The Old Ozarks is your gateway to the forgotten history of the Ozarks. Hosted by renowned historian Dr. Brooks Blevins (the leading authority on the region’s history), this podcast explores the lives, legends, and landscapes that have shaped this unique region.
Whether you’re a native Ozarker, a new resident, or a curious listener, join us as we share the stories that make the Ozarks special and connect us to our past.
Ep. 241 - Joe Massey - Black Bear Stories, Part 1: 30-Day Bait Pile and Passing On a Third Bear
Wednesday, September 30, 2026 • Duration 44:39
500 pounds of bait, 30 days of sweat equity, one week off work, and a shooter bear at full draw...
→ Join other Ozarkers in our Patreon - The Holler
→ Get show notes and stories in our NEWSLETTER
Our good buddy Joe Massey is here to pull the curtain back on his 30-day Ozark black bear bait hunt. Joe breaks down every dollar spent, every Friday afternoon in the summer heat filling barrels, and every bear that showed up on camera.
If you've ever thought about hunting Ozark black bears, this is the episode that tells you everything you actually need to know before you spend a pretty penny.
Together with...
Vortex Optics - Industry leader in scopes, rangefinders, and binoculars
Poncho Outdoors - Outfitting the modern outdoorsman (claim $10 off)
Ember Shoals Outdoor Resort - Just steps from World-Class Trout Waters
0:00 – Welcome back Joe Massey
6:30 – The Real Cost of Bear Baiting: Food, Fuel, & Time Breakdown
20:00 – Seeing Bears on Camera
25:00 – Opening Day
32:00 – Face to face with a Black Bear
37:00 – Day 2
40:00 – To Be Continued...
What is The Ozark Podcast?
In the Ozarks, people have always lived in rhythm with the natural world. Hunting, fishing, and living off the land, aren't just things we do, it's who we are. And though our lives are inextricably linked to the land we live on, we've never been more disconnected from it. So join us, as we travel across the region to bring you the voices of the Ozarks to deepen your connection with the land, sharpen your skills in the outdoors, and help you learn what it means to be an Ozarker.
Our hosts are Kyle Veit and Kyle Plunkett, and our producer is Daniel Matthews
Theme music: 'American Millionaire' by JD Clayton
Catch up with us on Instagram and Facebook @theozarkpodcast
PLEASE reach out to us with any recommendations or inquiries: theozarkpodcast@gmail.com
Ep. 240 - Logan Huff & Morgan Guss - The Ozarks' Best Kept Secret is On the White River EVERY Fall
Wednesday, September 23, 2026 • Duration 59:19
Fall on the White River is the BEST time to catch a certain TROPHY fish.
→ Join other Ozarkers in our Patreon - The Holler
→ Get show notes and stories in our NEWSLETTER
Morgan Guss and Logan Huff of Diamond State Fly Co. join the Kyles live from Cotter, Arkansas for a full breakdown of what fall fly fishing on the White River actually looks like — lower flows, more user-friendly tactics, gorgeous foliage, and rainbows that are noticeably bigger thanks to the new regulations.
Whether you've never held a fly rod or you're ready to level up your streamer game, Morgan and Logan lay out exactly what to throw, where to find fish, and how to read the river when the water changes from 700 to 20,000 CFS in a single afternoon.
This one doubles as a trip-planning episode: covering Ember Shoals Resort, the F3T Film Tour in October, and the Streamer Love Fest Fly Battle in January.
Together with...
Vortex Optics - Industry leader in scopes, rangefinders, and binoculars
Poncho Outdoors - Outfitting the modern outdoorsman (claim $10 off)
Ember Shoals Outdoor Resort - Just steps from World-Class Trout Waters
0:00 – Welcome from Ember Shoals in Cotter, Arkansas
4:00 – Diamond State Fly Co.: How They're Breaking the Fly Shop Stigma
13:00 – Fall Fly Fishing on the White River
17:00 – Nymphing, Hopper Dropper & Fall Streamer Tactics
22:00 – How to Read High Water on the White Like a Guide
34:00 – Flies That Actually Work
42:00 – Are the New White River Regs Working?
47:00 – Upcoming Events:
What is The Ozark Podcast?
In the Ozarks, people have always lived in rhythm with the natural world. Hunting, fishing, and living off the land, aren't just things we do, it's who we are. And though our lives are inextricably linked to the land we live on, we've never been more disconnected from it. So join us, as we travel across the region to bring you the voices of the Ozarks to deepen your connection with the land, sharpen your skills in the outdoors, and help you learn what it means to be an Ozarker.
Our hosts are Kyle Veit and Kyle Plunkett, and our producer is Daniel Matthews
Theme music: 'American Millionaire' by JD Clayton
Catch up with us on Instagram and Facebook @theozarkpodcast
PLEASE reach out to us with any recommendations or inquiries: theozarkpodcast@gmail.com
Ep. 239 - The Old Ozarks - The Sweet Sounds of Big Sugar Creek (S2:E5)
Friday, September 18, 2026 • Duration 20:11
Welcome to the Old Ozarks with Dr. Brooks Blevins...
This week, we're boiling down sap and tuning up the shape notes — from the vanishing rituals of Ozark sugar camps to the banks of Big Sugar Creek, birthplace of one of gospel music's biggest names.
We'll start with the sweet, half-forgotten world of sugarin' off time: granny gourds, alder spiles, kittles of boiling sap, and the snow-day treat known as a waxin', plus a tour of the sugar-flavored place names still dotting the map.
Then it's on to the long sweetenin', the life of Albert E. Brumley — sharecropper's son turned shape-note prodigy under mentor Eugene Bartlett, Hartford Music Company songwriter, and eventual owner of Powell, Missouri's own gospel publishing empire.
We'll trace hits like "Turn Your Radio On" and "Jesus Hold My Hand," and dig into the surprising, decades-long journey of his most famous song of all, "I'll Fly Away" — from a cotton field daydream to one of the most recorded songs in American history, claimed by gospel, country, and just about everybody in between.
It's a story of how a little creek in southwestern Missouri became the symbolic heart of Southern gospel music.
Let's dive into this episode of The Old Ozarks...
What is The Old Ozarks?
The Old Ozarks is your gateway to the forgotten history of the Ozarks. Hosted by renowned historian Dr. Brooks Blevins (the leading authority on the region’s history), this podcast explores the lives, legends, and landscapes that have shaped this unique region.
Whether you’re a native Ozarker, a new resident, or a curious listener, join us as we share the stories that make the Ozarks special and connect us to our past.
Ep. 238 - Ryan Walker - 40 Years on the James River: "We're Losing Smallmouth"
Wednesday, September 16, 2026 • Duration 30:53
Data could change how Missouri manages its best smallmouth creeks.
→ Join other Ozarkers in our Patreon - The Holler
→ Get show notes and stories in our NEWSLETTER
Ryan Walker is back for part two, and this time the conversation goes deep on conservation. For five years Ryan has been quietly logging every fish, every location, every date, building a citizen science dataset compelling enough to bring before Missouri's regs committee.
He breaks down why current limits are too loose, why the spawn closure Missouri implemented is brilliant, and what he'd change tomorrow if given the keys to MDC.
Whether you're 22 or 52, if you love these Ozark rivers, you need to understand what's at stake — and what one person with a notebook can actually do about it.
Together with...
Vortex Optics - Industry leader in scopes, rangefinders, and binoculars
Poncho Outdoors - Outfitting the modern outdoorsman (claim $10 off)
Ember Shoals Outdoor Resort - Just steps from World-Class Trout Waters
0:00 – 40 Years on the James River
5:00 – The Role of James River Basin Partnership
7:00 – Are Ozark Smallmouth Populations Actually Declining?
8:30 – What Citizen Science Actually Looks Like
13:00 – Why Ryan Hates Missouri's Current Smallmouth Regulations
16:00 – How to Approach MDC with Data
21:00 – The Keys to MDC Reg Changes
24:00 – Stream bank restoration
What is The Ozark Podcast?
In the Ozarks, people have always lived in rhythm with the natural world. Hunting, fishing, and living off the land, aren't just things we do, it's who we are. And though our lives are inextricably linked to the land we live on, we've never been more disconnected from it. So join us, as we travel across the region to bring you the voices of the Ozarks to deepen your connection with the land, sharpen your skills in the outdoors, and help you learn what it means to be an Ozarker.
Our hosts are Kyle Veit and Kyle Plunkett, and our producer is Daniel Matthews
Theme music: 'American Millionaire' by JD Clayton
Catch up with us on Instagram and Facebook @theozarkpodcast
PLEASE reach out to us with any recommendations or inquiries: theozarkpodcast@gmail.com
Ep. 237 - Ryan Walker - The 10% Rule: How to Find Smallmouth in Late Summer on Any Ozark Stream
Wednesday, September 9, 2026 • Duration 42:37
The best smallmouth guide in the Ozarks (voted on by YOU) just gave away his entire summer playbook (recorded from a raft on the river).
→ Join other Ozarkers in our Patreon - The Holler
→ Get weekly updates, show notes, and stories in our NEWSLETTER
Ryan Walker joins the guys mid-float on the James River for one of the most practical fishing episodes the show has ever done.
From how to read braided water and find that magic 10% of the river that holds fish in August heat, to the counterintuitive topwater tip that changes everything, Ryan hands you a summer smallmouth framework you can use the very next time you hit the creek.
Whether you're floating with a kid, learning fly fishing for the first time, or a seasoned angler who can't crack the late-summer code, this one's worth bookmarking before your next trip.
Together with...
Vortex Optics - Industry leader in scopes, rangefinders, and binoculars
Poncho Outdoors - Outfitting the modern outdoorsman (claim $10 off)
Ember Shoals Outdoor Resort - Just steps from World-Class Trout Waters
0:00 – The Ozarks' Best Smallmouth Guide
3:00 – What's Changed in the last 2 seasons
7:00 – Summer Water Conditions
10:00 – How to Find the 10%
15:30 – Early Morning Top Water
20:00 – The Afternoon Popper Surprise
23:00 – Top Water Mistakes
32:00 – Braided Water Is Your Best Friend in Summer
36:00 – Book a trip with Ryan
What is The Ozark Podcast?
In the Ozarks, people have always lived in rhythm with the natural world. Hunting, fishing, and living off the land, aren't just things we do, it's who we are. And though our lives are inextricably linked to the land we live on, we've never been more disconnected from it. So join us, as we travel across the region to bring you the voices of the Ozarks to deepen your connection with the land, sharpen your skills in the outdoors, and help you learn what it means to be an Ozarker.
Our hosts are Kyle Veit and Kyle Plunkett, and our producer is Daniel Matthews
Theme music: 'American Millionaire' by JD Clayton
Catch up with us on Instagram and Facebook @theozarkpodcast
PLEASE reach out to us with any recommendations or inquiries: theozarkpodcast@gmail.com
Ep. 236 - The Old Ozarks - The Rurnt Day of Major Wolf (S2:E4)
Friday, September 4, 2026 • Duration 21:41
Welcome to the Old Ozarks with Dr. Brooks Blevins...
This week, we're talking milk gone bad, mythical giants, and one very "rurnt" 72 hours — a Confederate major's real-life brush with a firing squad that came down to a president's telegram and a matter of hours.
We'll start with Blinky Blue John, the Ozarks' own giant of legend, whose curious name traces back to superstitions about witches souring milk, before landing on the region's favorite way to say something's gone completely to pieces: "rurnt."
Then it's on to the long sweetenin', the harrowing true story of Major Enoch Wolf of Ford's Battalion, CSA — captured during Price's Raid, hauled to St. Louis's Gratiot Street Prison, and handed a death sentence to "atone" for a Union officer's murder he had nothing to do with.
We'll trace the Civil War's grim system of official retaliation, the frantic 72-hour scramble by Masons, society ladies, and telegrams to the White House to save him, Abraham Lincoln's own last-minute reprieve, and the mysterious woman who showed up at the prison claiming to be his wife. It's a true Ozarks story stranger, and closer to the wire, than most fiction.
Let's dive into this episode of The Old Ozarks...
What is The Old Ozarks?
The Old Ozarks is your gateway to the forgotten history of the Ozarks. Hosted by renowned historian Dr. Brooks Blevins (the leading authority on the region’s history), this podcast explores the lives, legends, and landscapes that have shaped this unique region.
Whether you’re a native Ozarker, a new resident, or a curious listener, join us as we share the stories that make the Ozarks special and connect us to our past.
Ep. 235 - Spencer Daniels - Is There a Breeding Population of Mountain Lions in the Ozarks? (Plus: Black Panthers)
Wednesday, September 2, 2026 • Duration 48:07
A breeding population of mountain lions just showed up 100 miles from the Arkansas border...that changes everything.
→ Join other Ozarkers in our Patreon - The Holler
→ Get weekly updates, show notes, and stories in our NEWSLETTER
Arkansas' large carnivore coordinator Spencer Daniels drops one of the most jaw-dropping revelations in recent Ozark wildlife history and finally puts the "Game and Fish is hiding mountain lions" myth to rest for good.
You'll hear exactly where these cats are coming from, what 58 confirmed sightings actually mean, and whether there's already a breeding pair hiding somewhere in Arkansas right now.
Then the episode goes full Ozark folklore — black panthers, the screaming-into-a-hole myth, AI photo fakes, and the family stories every person who grew up in these hills has heard. This one's equal parts science and campfire story.
Together with...
Vortex Optics - Industry leader in scopes, rangefinders, and binoculars
Poncho Outdoors - Outfitting the modern outdoorsman (claim $10 off)
Ember Shoals Outdoor Resort - Just steps from World-Class Trout Waters
0:00 – Mountain Lions in Arkansas: What We Actually Know
3:00 – Where They're Coming From
4:30 – Breeding Population Confirmed 100 Miles from the Arkansas Border
9:00 – Could There Already Be a Breeding Pair in Arkansas?
14:00 – What the Sightings Data Actually Shows
19:00 – The Hot Springs Roadkill
25:00 – Spencer's Mountain Lion Encounter
27:00 – Myth Busting Rapid Fire
30:00 – Do Mountain Lions Actually Scream?
34:00 – Black Panthers in the Ozarks
What is The Ozark Podcast?
In the Ozarks, people have always lived in rhythm with the natural world. Hunting, fishing, and living off the land, aren't just things we do, it's who we are. And though our lives are inextricably linked to the land we live on, we've never been more disconnected from it. So join us, as we travel across the region to bring you the voices of the Ozarks to deepen your connection with the land, sharpen your skills in the outdoors, and help you learn what it means to be an Ozarker.
Our hosts are Kyle Veit and Kyle Plunkett, and our producer is Daniel Matthews
Theme music: 'American Millionaire' by JD Clayton
Catch up with us on Instagram and Facebook @theozarkpodcast
PLEASE reach out to us with any recommendations or inquiries: theozarkpodcast@gmail.com
Ep. 234 - Spencer Daniels - Bear Seasons Reg Changes for 2026 + Last Year's Fatal Bear Attacks Explained
Wednesday, August 26, 2026 • Duration 48:44
Arkansas Game & Fish Bear Program Coordinator Spencer Daniels sits down to address the two fatal black bear attacks that shocked the state last year (the first recorded fatalities in over 100 years) and what we've learned from them.
→ Join other Ozarkers in our Patreon - The Holler
→ Get weekly updates, show notes, and stories in our NEWSLETTER
He walks through both incidents with honesty and care, explains the brain lesion findings from the necropsy, and gives every hunter, hiker, and camper in bear country a clear safety playbook for what to do if things go sideways.
Beyond the attacks, Spencer breaks down the 2026 season changes — including the earlier opener, what to expect from the population, and why bear hunting over bait is actually one of the most ethical conservation tools Arkansas has.
Whether you're a seasoned bear hunter or just love being in the Ozark woods, this one's essential listening before you step into the timber.
Together with...
Vortex Optics - Industry leader in scopes, rangefinders, and binoculars
Poncho Outdoors - Outfitting the modern outdoorsman (claim $10 off)
Ember Shoals Outdoor Resort - Just steps from World-Class Trout Waters
0:00 – WARNING: Why We're Covering the Bear Attacks
2:30 – Arkansas Bear Population Update
6:00 – Why Bear Encounters Are Hard to Quantify (And What That Tells Us)
10:00 – 2025 Season Changes: Earlier Opener & What to Expect This Fall
17:00 – Bait Heavy, Bait Often: How to Get Started Bear Hunting in Arkansas
24:00 – The Conservation Case for Bear Hunting Over Bait
27:30 – The First Fatal Bear Attack
34:00 – The Second Fatal Attack
39:00 – Bear Safety 101: What to Do If a Bear Approaches You
42:00 – Bear Spray, Firearms & the Rule of Thumb for Safe Distance
What is The Ozark Podcast?
In the Ozarks, people have always lived in rhythm with the natural world. Hunting, fishing, and living off the land, aren't just things we do, it's who we are. And though our lives are inextricably linked to the land we live on, we've never been more disconnected from it. So join us, as we travel across the region to bring you the voices of the Ozarks to deepen your connection with the land, sharpen your skills in the outdoors, and help you learn what it means to be an Ozarker.
Our hosts are Kyle Veit and Kyle Plunkett, and our producer is Daniel Matthews
Theme music: 'American Millionaire' by JD Clayton
Catch up with us on Instagram and Facebook @theozarkpodcast
PLEASE reach out to us with any recommendations or inquiries: theozarkpodcast@gmail.com
