Restoring A Native Species- The Black Bear Program

we are on the final piece of this quail in the southeast series. this is it. the last piece of the puzzle. the crossing of the finish line. the light at the end of the bobwhite tunnel. and I sincerely hope that you’ve enjoyed this as much as I have- quite frankly this is the most time and energy I’ve ever put into one topic and it’s been completely worth it. So let’s end strong, shall we? Last week we focused heavily on learning why or the many why’s I should probably say that caused us to lose our quail populations. We heard from subject experts Dr. Mark Mcconnel and Quail forever biologist john mark Curtis. they taught us more about quail habitat needs and the changes in our current landscape that gave us a better understanding as to why quail simply cannot exist here like they did in the past. This week is all about the present and the future. I think both are important to think about. This week we’ll hear from more subject experts to explain those to us and let us know how much, if any real hope there is for us to ever have a healthy population of quail again. and maybe, just maybe will hear just a little bit more from our dear friend, Jimmy Bryan. Kicking us off is Dr. James Martin- Dr. Martin is a wildlife professor at UGA- and was described to me by many as “The guy” when it comes to quail and quail research- I believe the most common sentiment was- if you’re gonna talk about quail then you have to talk to James Martin- so obviously I obliged-We start the conversation with personal story from Dr. Martin, as to how he became to be so interested and invested in quail.   

Last week we took our first in depth look into the story of Quail here in the southeast. We heard from a man who has lived and  hunted quail in Mississippi long enough to recall a time when you woudn’t catch an odd look for pulling up to a Mississippi gas station with an english pointer in your truck. We also heard from a man who was born in raised in Tennessee, and grew an interest in quail mainly from the stories from his dad on how things used to be.  Last week’s episode was meant to pull on your heart strings a tad, to possibly get you thinking about a type of hunting that maybe you haven’t tried yet. and maybe you haven’t tried it because it’s not readilly available to you like deer, squirrel, or turkey hunting is. Unfortunately, if you live in Mississippi or most other places in the southeast, it’s not readily available to you. But it used to be.  This week we are going to dig hard into the question of why? why did we lose our quail and what caused it   But first, before we dive in, I’m going to pose few questions to make you think and also get mind rolling in the right direction for what you’re going to hear in this episode.   If you were to hop in your vehicle and take a drive around your neighborhood, down the local highway or interstate, down and old country road maybe- if you looked out the window- what would you see? Buildings? ag fields? pasture? blocks of timber?  Whatever you see around where you live. Have you ever stopped to think if it’s always been that way?  I’ve come to learn that what we grow up with we tend to assume that that’s just simply the way things have always been. The Mississippi that I’ve pretty much known my entire life has been dominated by vast stretches of pine plantation- but when I stop and think about it- it can’t have been like that always. that doesn’t occur naturally. so what was there before? What was there before? and if it hasn’t always been that way, what effects did it have when we made it that way? 

For the next few weeks we are going to be discussing a single subject in a more in depth manner than we have ever done in the history of this podcast.but First, let me pose a few questions that may make you think. Right now, while your listening to this podcast, whether you’re in driving down the road, sitting at your desk, got your headphones on at the gym- wherever you are- take a second to think about your favorite game species- this could be your favorite animal to hunt, your favorite animal to encounter in the woods, whatever. think about that animal and then think about why that animal is your favorite.  Maybe you had a really memorable bow hunt for a whitetail buck that just has always stuck with you. Maybe it was duck hunt on picture perfect day with good buddies, and number of ducks that came in matched the amount of laughs and stories that were shared in the blind that day. Maybe It was your first turkey hunt with your dad.  Whatever that reason may be, I think we could all agree, as outdoors men and women that the animals we pursue mean something to us. something that transcends a single hunt for that animal. They mean so much to us that we form conservation organizations around them to ensure they’re preservation. We hang pictures of them in our house. We talk about them nonstop with our friends. and historically, hunter’s and anglers go above and beyond to protect these animals and the places they live by prettty much whatever means neccessary.  That’s why, I was hit with a strong dillemma back in 2016. A good friend of mine introduced to me to upland bird hunting. I’ll never forget the first time I saw a pointing dog lock up on covey quail, followed up a flush of what was at least a dozen birds that were all but under my feet. After the shotgun blasts and the retrieval of the birds, I stood there in awe and completely hooked by this new type of hunting.  Imagine the dissapointment when I realized that at one point, we had a huge population of quail at home in southeast. It was right around that time my wheels started to spin.  where did all of them go? How many quail were there actually? Can we get them back? That’s where we pick up today.

We talk with Anthony Ballard, the Black Bear Program Coordinator in the state of Mississippi about the status of black bears in the state. We learn about the history of black bears in the state, their general life cycle and ecology, and also what types of research has been done along with what is currently ongoing. In this episode we try to tackle everything that's associated with black bears- the good, the bad, and the ugly. The hope is that if you listen to this episode from start to finish, you will be left with a better understanding and appreciation of the animal, as well as an understanding to why it's so important that we continue to work hard to restore them. 

We are into November, A cold front is moving in, and we finally have enough rain in the forecast to justify planting food plots. This episode is all about plotting, planning, strategizing, and taking what was learned in the first year of hunting a new place and adjusting for this deer season that is upon us now. 

Welcome back for the first episode of the 2023-2024 hunting season! If you have followed along with this show for a while, then you know we are a sucker for a good hunting story! This one involves a recent trip to the mountains of New Mexico for the enchanted month of September, when the air is crisp and the elk are bugling. Garrett Grey, Primos product manager, had the opportunity to have his first chance at an archery bull, and we were lucky enough to be there with from start to finish! Enjoy! 

In this episode I sit down with my older brother, Brett Pickle, to talk about his very recent, first successful, turkey hunt. Even though the hunt itself happened quick, this has been well over three years in the making. Check it out! 

Any turkey hunter will tell you that every turkey they get is special but none captures the heart quite like the first. In this episode I get to share in telling the very special story of my wife's first turkey hunt. As every turkey hunting story should, it's full of unexpected twists and turns. 

This week Jordan and I discuss the craziness that has unfolded in the early part of our home state's turkey season so far. Everyone loves a good turkey story! Check it out! 

Let's catch up on the action of spring turkey season so far. We've had hens charging at a coyote, very cooperative osceola gobblers, a bonafide sneak hunt, participating in turkey research projects, and more!