Lone Star Outdoor Show

Sometimes Mother Nature kicks your ass. She’s harsh and she’s unforgiving. This was the case on my New Mexico public land mule deer hunt. The first 16 hours of the trip were spent trying to stay warm in my Kifaru sleeping bag. The grueling 7.5 mile hike required gear that would keep you warm against these elements, of course that amount of labor meant alot of sweating (even with 100% Merino Wool base layers) and as soon as I made it to base camp at 11,500 ft I began to get extremely cold very quickly. It ended up being the right call to shorten the 5 day hunt down to 2 days and get off the mountain as soon as possible. So, I resigned myself to the fact that this trip was likely a total bust. 11 hour drive each way, 5 hour hike up and no way to really give myself a chance to harvest a mulie buck was a kick in the crotch to say the least. On day 2 I was able to get out for 8 hours and after dropping 1,500 ft in elevation I did find calmer conditions. Even running into some does and a herd of elk which lifted my spirits considerably. So on day three, with 2 miles left in the hike out my buddy and I came into an Aspen clearing that I knew had to be a haven for mule deer. You’ll have to tune in to sehow it played out, but it wasn’t a trip or experience that I will ever forget. Then, we discuss the status of our public lands with Backcountry Hunters and Anglers CEO Land Tawney. We talk alligator hunting and grouse hunting before transitioning to the topic of the day – How has President Trump appointed Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke done thus far at representing the interests of sportsmen and women concerning our public lands? What about the leaked Monument Report that was accidentally released last week? Is there a significant risk that some of our public lands will be sold off to the private sector? Land gives us his thoughts on how Secretary Zinke ( a self described ‘Teddy Roosevelt Guy’) is doing so far. Great stuff with one of my favorite organizations. We wrap up the show by visiting with Secretary Zinke himself! We get to know the Secretary a little bit as far as who he is as an outdoorsman and what he enjoys hunting. I also ask him the tough questions regarding the National Monument Review and whether or not he plans to sell off any of our public land to the private sector. We discuss his views on Backcountry Hunters and Anglers and whether he thinks the organization is giving him a fair shake.

We start off by talking fall bass patterns with Elite Series Pro Brent Ehrler. After an 11th place finish in the Angler of the Year Standings and an incredible showing at the Bassmaster Classic, Brent is poised to build on a great 2017. We pick his brain on his favorite mid fall baits for big largemouths and the areas he keys in on when trying to locate them. Then, it’s Rattlesnake Bites 101 with our longtime hunting buddy and outfitter Greg Pavur of Pavur Outdoors. Greg had the misfortune of getting tagged by a rattler while standing on his porch last month. He gives us the does and dont’s for bite care. We also find out if baby rattlesnakes actually emit more venom when they strike than adult snakes do. Greg talks about his hospital experience and the medical bills he racked up. Antivenom is expensive at $6,000 a vile. Adds up quick when you get 22 of them!!! We are glad Greg is nearly recovered and hope his experience can benefit some of you guys and gals. We round out the broadcast by talking ducks with Hevi Shot Ammo CEO Ralph Nauman. Ralph talks about the new Hevi X Tungsten waterfowl load and how it is going to be a game changer for waterfowler this season.

We start this week’s off when T-Mate creator and owner Art Griepp joins us in the Lone Star Outdoor Show studio. After struggling for years to find a decent way to mount a trail camera in areas void of large trees, Art designed the T-Mate Game Camera Mount. I know I’ve had more photos of grass and cow’s posteriors than I care to remember. Looking forward to using Art’s solution in the field this fall. Then we spend some time diving into today’s social media climate towards hunters and anglers. All too often, our ranks are subjected to pure hatred – even death threats from those who are too ignorant to look at facts or too blinded by hate to accept the truth about conservation and who funds it. GoWildApp Co Founder and CEO Brad Luttrell jumps on to talk about a safe place for those who share the outdoor passion. A place full of information and link minded outdoorsmen and women. Check out the FREE GoWildApp on ITunes and see for yourself. We wrap up the broadcast by checking in with our old friend, author and wild game chef extraordinaire Hank Shaw. Hank takes us along on a recent upland bird trip for the ages. 5 species over 5 days in 2 states made for an epic experience and some tired dogs! Then, I pick Hank’s brain on his favorite way to prepare an elk (or venison) shank. This cut is often just ground into hamburger meat by hunters. Big mistake, we tell you why. (Hank’s Portuguese Elk Shank Recipe plated)

Thrilled to have the co directors of the new documentary “TROPHY” The Film join the show. 3 years ago, Shaul Schwarz and Christina Clusiau set out on a mission to create a documentary to out the practice of sport and trophy hunting. What they uncovered along the way was a truth they never expected. From anti hunters to believers in the fact that hunting is indeed conservation. We discuss the film in detail from poaching to the black market rhino horn trade and the soul searching they had to do to come to terms with the fact that trophy hunting isn’t a bad thing at all. I hope you make it a point to watch this eye opening film. Then we spend a couple segments with lifelong hunter Murray Choate- creator of the Slow Glow Hog Lite system. If there is a more effective way to hunt hogs over a feeder or bait site at night, I have yet to find it. By slowly lighting up the desired area, the hogs feel safe and ultimately aren’t aware that they are feeding under lights at all. We also discuss it’s application for bow hunters and shot placement on hogs with archery equipment. (archery hunter stalks up on hogs feeding under the Slow Glow)

Never in my life have I been more proud to call myself a hunter and angler than last week. The overwhelming response by outdoorsmen who rushed to the Texas coast and Houston areas to rescue those in need was nothing short of spectacular. Duck boats, bass boats, john boats, mud moters and bowfishing rigs are all you see in the photos and that my friends is because hunters and anglers are the salt of this earth. We visit with one of those first responders in our long time friend Beau Saucier of Outlaw Outfitters. Beau talks about what it was like arriving in a disaster area with little to no direction as to where to go and how to help. Mass chaos aside, his boat was able to rescue nearly 80 people and clear 7 neighborhoods on Monday and Tuesday. He describes the sights and sounds of that experience and the sheer panic on the faces of so many flood victims. (Beau pulling up to the front porch of a victim in an affluent Houston neighborhood. Then we check in with Dallas Safari Club incoming Executive Director Corey Mason. He assumes his new post on Sept 6th. The longtime Texas Parks and Wildlife employee talks about this career change and what excites him most about leading the world’s premiere conservation organization going forward. Corey and I have a long history of discussion from his time with TPWD- always great checking in with an old friend. We wrap up the broadcast by spending a couple segments with former U.S. Army Ranger Sniper and New York Times Best Selling Author Ryan Cleckner. We discuss his off season shooting tips to become a better rifle hunter. Shooting off a bench and zeroing your rifle at 100 yards is great, but it’s hardly good practice for real life hunting situations. Ryan walks us through some real life hunting positions and tips that might help you harvest big boy this fall.

The U.S. Fish & Wild Service has released their “2017 Trends in Duck Breeding Populations” survey results (Waterfowl Survey for the layman. Ducks Unlimited Chief Scientist Tom Moorman jumps on to break down the results of the survey. We discuss the biggest winners and losers from a population change standpoint. Some species saw significant decline while others (like Gadwall) continue to increase in numbers seemingly year after year. We also take a look at Woodducks and ringnecks – two species that make up a decent portion of hunters bags but are not included in the annual survey. Next up, we check in with Costa Sunglasses Coastal Community Manager – Todd Barker. We dive into Costa’s long standing support of the shark research organization Ocearch. We discuss why Costa supports Ocearch and how. More importantly though, we discuss the work that Ocearch is doing on behalf of the world’s different shark species. While the U.S. maintains healthy shark populations of it’s coasts, the rest of the world doesn’t seem concerned with the over 100 MILLION sharks that are killed annually to satisfy Asia’s appetite for Shark Fin Soup. Over fishing, illegal gill nets and widespread poaching, and poor regulations are largely responsible. What can be done, if anything at all? Todd gives us his take. Last week, Henry and I had the pleasure of traveling to Pulsar Night Vision/Thermal Imaging headquarters to visit with President James Sellers. We discussed the ground breaking and highly affordable (from a Thermal optic standpoint) new TRAIL, HELION and CORE lineups. James talks about some specific features of each that truly separate them from the competition. If you are looking for a solid thermal optic, you can’t beat the HELION and TRAIL for clarity, function and value. One of my favorite features of the TRAIL thermal rifle scope is the picture in picture function.

We get our 2017 Dove Season forecast with Texas Parks and Wildlife Biologist and Dove Program Leader Shaun Oldenburger. Texas accounts for nearly 40% of the U.S. annual dove harvest. We discuss how many millions of doves Texas hunters harvest and how many shot shells it takes to reach that number. We also dive into recent precipitations affect on Opening Day. Shaun gives us an inside look at Whitewing dove numbers and that species continued expansion North as well. Then we check in with our old friend Eva Shockey. Her new book “Taking Aim” covers all things hunting, life, cooking and much more is due out at the end of the month. We also talk North Carolina bear hunting, Yukon moose and her favorite wild game recipe. Next, Carl Van Zyl of John X Safaris spends some time with us reflecting on sustainable use hunting on the Dark Continent. What do American hunter dollars really do on the ground in Africa? The longtime PH and 2nd Generation owner of John X gave us his thoughts while we were in South Africa 2 weeks ago. (South Africa’s landscape is littered with beauty beyond imagination- what that still be the case if wildlife ceased to have a value placed on them through hunting?) We wrap things up when Scentblaster creator and Heron Outdoors President Heath Hardwick stops by. For hunters who use scent to attract game, this unit is a game changer. New for the fall of 2017, Heath gives us an overview of how the Scentblaster lures in all kinds of game.

We start things off by discussing scent elimination with Troy Kloever of ScentKapture. Every whitetail hunter obsesses over trying to keep their scent profile at a minimum. Troy explains how Scentkapture uses the latest scientific molecule trapping technology to squash human odor. There are plenty of scent control formulas on the market, but Troy gives us some insight on what works and what doesn’t and why. We also discuss foods to avoid eating entirely before heading into the whitetail woods. Then we do some backcountry scouting for giant, public land mule deer with passionate bow hunter Ryan Alspach of Warrior Fuel Supplements and Warrior Fuel Hunt. We discuss where to find those elusive giants and how to use digital scouting technology to help try and arrow one come archery season. Next, we continue our visit with Ryan by spending a segment on something every guy should be interested in: testosterone. Our bodies make it, and we need it to live a healthy and satisfying life, yet due to today’s world some of us suffer from insufficient testosterone levels. It can make you lethargic, unmotivated and leave you in a zombie like state day in and day out. Ryan and I give our first hand experiences and how it has changed our lives for the better. Go get your levels checked fellas! If it makes you happier and healthier, it will make you a better hunter and angler. We round out the show by discussing the Bowhunter Box Club with Jason Feldt. This monthly box is a great way to get to test out some awesome archery related products each month. I talk about some of my favorite items that have been included in previous month’s boxes. Also, did you know the color of your peep sight has a direct effect on how clearly you see your target? We discuss. (Photo Courtesy of Hunting Product Guru)

We start of this week’s broadcast by heading to Louisiana to talk redfish with longtime Louisiana Captain Kirk Stansel of the legendary Hackberry Rod and Gun Club. Calcasieu Lake is famous for the brackish water that holds redfish by the tens of thousands. We discuss the unique fishery and one of Captain Stansel’s favorite preparations – redfish throats. Don’t throw them out, throw them in hot grease! Then, our good friend and Dallas Safari Club Foundation President Richard Cheatham drops by the studio. We run the gambit on a variety of conservation topics with Richard. Specifically, why do hunters shy away from the term “trophy hunter”? What can we do to reverse the negative connotation associated with that term? Richard gives us his first hand observations of what occurs on the Dark Continent once a Westerner harvests an animal. Richard then discusses the Foundation’s purpose and how it chooses to allocate the conservation dollars that the club raises. I am also really excited to have Richard unveil the “Hunt for Life” initiative that the DSC Foundation will release in September. It will be forward thinking, aggressive, factual, unapologetic and designed to make hunters, anti hunters and those on the fence about hunting THINK about the role hunting truly plays in wildlife conservation. (Because of hunting, South Africa alone has seen it’s wildlife herd increase of 700,000 in the late 90s to over 18 million today.) We then wrap up the broadcast by checking in with PhoneSkope founder and owner Cheston Davis. The passionate Western big game hunter talks about the inception of this incredibly practical product. One that I truly believe belongs in every hunter’s pack. We talk archery elk hunting, his brief foray into our world of Whitetail deer hunting (something most Western guys don’t have much experience with) and much more! BTW- if you choose to order a PhoneSkope, be sure to use the promo code “lonestar” upon checking out online to save 10% off your order.

We kick things off by talking with shark angler Tim McClellan of League City, Texas. Tim recently caught a new state record hammerhead shark that measured 14.5 inches and weighed 1033 lbs! The shark also took home first place honors at the legendary Tackle Time 50th Anniversary Tournament. We get the firsthand recount of this once in a lifetime catch that took 3 hours to reel in even while chasing the fish down in a 30 foot off shore boat! Then we take a look at some concerning news coming out of Northern California and the conservation impact that it might have. Last week, the 2nd ever wolf pack was discovered in Northern California, the implications for deer and other cervid species could be huge as wolves continue their Southwestern expansion. It’s no secret that California has a sorry history of dealing with science based wildlife management – especially when it comes to predators. I give my take on the issue, plus read some of your replies you posted on Instagram when I asked if you prefer to have wolves residing in your home state or not. Next we are joined by Dr. Nancy Rabalais of Louisiana State University. We’ll discuss the Dead Zone in the Gulf where life ceases to exist due to a lack of oxygen in the water. The area, void of sealife is the size of the state of Vermont this year, the largest Dead Zone on record. Dr Rabalais tells us what causes it and how humans can help prevent it going forward. You might be surprised to know that Midwestern Agricultural practices have a lot to do with the situation. We wrap up the broadcast with some summertime blues with Greg Pavur of Pavur Outdoors. Greg is on the blue catfish bite as usual and he tells us where to find ’em and how to catch them. We also get him to give us a fresh, summertime catfish recipe.

We talk about the ever increasingly popular sport of long range shooting with Horizon Firearms CEO Derrick Ratliff. Derrick recently shot in a North American Long Range Shooting Association event and advanced to the 2nd round shooting out to 700 yards. We talk about the new long range circuit which is run by the same folks who head up the Professional Bull Riding Circuit (PBR). Derrick discusses how to judge the wind at extreme distances and which calibers were the most prevalent at the shoot. We then dive into our upcoming Africa Safaris and which calibers each of us are taking and some of the game we’ll be pursuing with each. Is the 6.5 Creedmoor enough gun to take down a giraffe? Derrick plans on finding out. We discuss shot placement and bullet selection as well. Then we spend a couple segments with Gulf Coast German Pointer Shorthair Club President Gene Moseley. A lifelong bird dog trainer and upland hunter, Gene talks about the advantages of the GSP over other bird dog breeds in the field. We also look back at the history of this breed dating back to it’s roots in Germany where it was used for much more than upland birds. Then we discuss the upcoming snake breaker clinic- a great idea for any hunting dog owner to enroll their dog in. If you hunt in the southern United States, it’s not a matter of if your dog will come into contact with a venomous snake – it’s a matter of when. Arming them with the knowledge to associate snakes with danger is the least we can do for our loyal hunting partners.

We start off by taking an inside look at a half a billion dollar a year industry in the form of exotic hunting. Longtime outfitter Clay Pope of Pope Brother Guide Service has been hunting exotics for over 2 decades and has seen how the market has changed as well as the number of species that are currently found on the Texas landscape, both behind fences and free ranging. What exotic species are the roughest on feeders and fences? Which ones rut the hardest and are most likely to kill each other during the breeding season? From Bongo to Transcaspian Urial, to axis, blackbuck and aoudad…Clay talks about each one in detail plus a whole lot more. Then we check in with our old friend and longtime striper guide Jacob Orr of Limitless Outdoor Adventures. Jacob tells us where he is finding schools of big fish on one of North America’s most iconic striper fisheries. We also discuss his set up as far as rod/reel/line/hooks. Most importantly though, he tells us how to catch bait and how to keep them alive during the hot summer months. (Myself and Max Stalling after a recent trip with Jacob) I recently read an article recounting one young hunter’s struggle. Luke Zoesch is gay. He gave up bowhunting the Wisconsin whitetail woods he grew up in as he struggled to find his identity. Would he be ostracized by his friends and family if they knew the truth? Would the gay community ostracize him because he loves flinging broadheads at big bucks or chasing ruffed grouse with a trusty 12 gauge? I’m not here to tell you whether homosexuality is right or wrong. I am going to shed some light on the topic though because I don’t feel like anyone should ever have to quit hunting or fishing due to social stereotypes. Thrilled to have Luke come on the show and share his story this week. Every ethical hunter is welcome around my campfire. We are at a pivotal point in our existence as hunters in this country. We need all hands on deck to join our ranks and help fight the good fight. (Luke at home in the whitetail woods with a bow in hand)

I honestly thought Outdoor Channel would decline comment on the suspension of Wild Game Nation after host Bill Busbice was convicted of elk poaching in Wyoming. Not only did Outdoor Channel get in front of this issue, they accepted the opportunity to discuss it on this weeks show in the form of President/CEO Jim Liberatore. I ask him the tough questions and he gives a very candid and honest interview. I think the message is clear from Outdoor Channel that poaching and gross wildlife violations will not be tolerated. (Jim Liberatore- CEO Outdoor Sportsman Group Networks) Then we visit with Randy Richard- owner of Glacier Wear and North America’s largest fur buyer/trader. The lifelong trapper, furrier and outdoorsman joins the show this week to discuss the history of the fur trade in North America. We start with the Romantic Era of the mid 1800s and how the beaver trade drove Western expansion across the U.S. We also talk about the peak of the 1970s-80s to bottoming out completely to where we are today. Can a trapper make a living full time in today’s world? What furs does he buy most frequently and from what regions are they preferred? Fascinating stuff regarding one of our most time honored traditions in North America. Arizona Congressman Paul Gosar jumps on to discuss the Grand Canyon Bison Management Act. This science based conservation measure would stop the government hire (taxpayer dollars) of sharp shooters to remove up to 400 bison from the park and instead allow hunters to help in the manage the overpopulated herd. I think this option sounds much more appealing than 400 dead and rotting bison carcasses scattered across the plateaus of one of America’s most iconic sites.

We talk about the role health and fitness play in the outdoor lifestyle with Warrior Fuel creator and CEO Ryan Alspach. The lifelong bowhunter is built like a Greek God and offers up 25 years of fitness knowledge on everything from diet, to weight training/cardio, gut health and supplements. The lifelong bowhunter and Utah native also divulges the truth about Whey Protein products…you might be shocked to hear what some of us have been putting into our bodies in the name of “fitness”. Then, a special in studio treat in the form of singer/songwriter Jason Eady. We take a listen to some new tunes off his new self titled record, his 6th studio production to date. Also, we take a look back at the way we grew up vs the way our kids are growing up. Was it a better time and place when you left the house in the morning with a fishing pole and baseball glove with instructions from the parents to just be back by dark? It’s an interesting conundrum for a couple guys who make part of their livings using social media/technology to promote themselves on a daily basis. We wrap things up by talking spring bear hunting with Mossberg Firearm’s Linda Powell. Our resident bear expert discusses her favorite calibers and bullet selection for black bear. Then we get into our June Photo Of The Month Contest which Mossberg is offering up a pair of Patriot Rifles in the caliber of a parent and their child’s choices. That’s right, two rifles up for grabs this month! Be sure to submit your best hunting/fishing/outdoor photo to enter! (Patriot lineup ranges from 22-250 to .375 Ruger and is available in Walnut, Laminate and Synthetic stocks (pictured below).

Quail Recovery with Quail Coalition, Chasing the ‘Silver Kings’ With Dan Oko and Scott Alford & YUDU Outdoors CEO Brian Senn