S3-E8: Colorado and Florida Early Season Prep

On this episode of the SG+T podcast, Rick is joined by Josh Raley of Whitetail Partners and the Sportsmen's Empire Podcast network. Josh is a jack of all trades when it comes to the whitetail world and brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. As a Wildlife Habitat Consultant for Whitetail Partners, Josh understands what deer like and why they do what they do. Through his work with Sportsmen's Empire, he hosts multiple podcasts including the How to Hunt Deer, Wisconsin Sportsman and The Southern Way shows and brings perspective not only from his own hunting experiences, but also from the numerous guests he's shared a microphone with. If you listen to hunting podcasts, it's a pretty safe bet that you've heard him along the way.

He and Rick have a similar background, both growing up in Alabama and then moving away, having to adjust their approach to hunting. Josh now lives in Georgia, and while he hunts some close to home, like Rick he takes an annual trip to the midwest during the November rut, and then spends the rest of the year making short trips to Bama. The guys cover a lot on this episode, but focus on the balancing act that comes with a busy hunting schedule, the mental gymnastics that take place after their trips to the midwest, and the perspective that they believe most hunters should share. This one was a lot of fun and Josh brings several tips that could set any southern hunter up for success on an out of state trip...you don't want to miss this one!

As always, a big thanks to all of the listeners for your support. If you like what you hear, make sure to leave a review and share with your friends. You can follow along on Instagram as well or at southerngameandtackle.com.

Hunting. Fishing. Life. The foundation of Southern Game and Tackle and lately the "Life" part has been getting in the way! It's been a hectic season of life, with changes impacting the team's ability to prioritize the show, but the dream never died and it's time to get back to our sharing the passion. On this episode, Rick and Dex are joined by Bama buddy Wiley Dees to play a little catch up and talk about the hunting season to this point. Wiley joined the show in the spring and covered a little bit about his journey back to bowhunting. This time around he talks about what that's looked like so far this hunting season. As he and Rick have been able to hunt together for the first time in years, not only has Wiley been getting after the deer on his own farm, but he has also tackled his first public land hunts, all in his first full year of hunting with traditional archery equipment. The boys talk about those experiences, lessons learned and plans for the rest of the season. 

One thing is for sure...the gang is excited to be back in the studio and with several months left in the southern deer season, there's a lot to look forward to. Thanks for your support and hanging in there with SG+T. 

Make sure to subscribe, share and follow! Drop us a line and give us your feedback!  Available wherever you podcast and at www.southerngameandtackle.com.  

Guess who's back in the studio....the man, the myth and the legend himself, Dex rejoins the fold and what a week to be back! This week's guest is one that the crew has hoped to have on for a long time and it did not disappoint! If you like football or the outdoors, or just have a heartbeat, you're going to enjoy this episode.

Jeff Lageman, a former 1st round draft pick of the NY Jets, long time Jaguars player and current radio personality, joins the boys to talk a little football, and a lot of outdoors. Along with Jeff's current duties as Jaguars Radio color commentator, he is also co-host of The Outdoors Show, a Jacksonville local favorite show that has been on the radio dial every Saturday morning for 27 years. Jeff is a lifelong outdoorsman with tons of experiences across the country, and sharing the studio every Saturday for that long with a couple of the best fishing captains in northeast FL, he has a wealth of knowledge about the water and the woods. Jeff talks about the experiences that led him to the outdoors as a kid, how he balanced playing football at the highest level with his love for hunting and fishing, and about pouring that passion into the care of his own farm now. This was a great conversation, full of great stories, great tips and a lot of laughs. There might even be a Winnie the Pooh reference worth tuning in for!

As die hard Jags fans and long time listeners of The Outdoors Show, Rick and Dex had a blast getting to sit down and record with Jeff. The Outdoors Show has been one of the inspirations behind SG+T, and getting to pick Jeff's brain on the podcast was something they'll remember for a long time. With Rick recently getting to sit in with Jeff and gang on The Outdoors Show, the two crews have a lot in common, so hopefully there's more to come through this partnership.

As always, thank you for tuning in! We love bringing this show every week, and your continued support is appreciated more than you know.

Make sure to subscribe, share and follow! Drop us a line and give us your feedback!  Available wherever you podcast and at www.southerngameandtackle.com.

Welcome to another episode of the Southern Game and Tackle Podcast. This week Rick recaps an amazing couple of weekends that were all things outdoors. Most recently, the Project Savior Outdoor crew Mike, Justin and Rick took a trip to Wisconsin, thanks to an invite from Chris Hamm, President of HHA Sports. Chris also has a passion for giving back to the veteran community, and his organization HHA USA was hosting an event for almost 200 veterans and supporters, with multiple shooting events, a concert and fundraiser. Chris put on an amazing weekend and welcomed PSO with open arms, forging friendships for years to come. 

While in Wisconsin, Rick and Mike also got a chance to check out the Beastmode Archery Endurance Challenge that was taking place alongside the HHA events. This was a tough course with lots of elevation and physical challenges, really pushing the boys from the flatwoods of Florida! The Beastmode events are set up to replicate real life scenarios in the backcountry and the toughness it demands sparked Rick to bring the topic to the studio. 

If you know Rick, he's definitely got some meathead in him, with working out and hunting being his two biggest passions. He's also trying to become a runner, and with his first half marathon right around the corner, the idea of how being physically fit can help you become a better outdoorsman, not just physically but mentally as well, has never been more at the forefront for him. With turkey season here in the south behind us, thoughts will soon be shifting back to preparation for the fall hunting seasons, and there's no better way to start that prep than by making sure you're in the best shape possible. While you don't have to be Mr. Olympia to be a good hunter, taking care of yourself physically can help you get more out of each hunt and potentially put you in better position to be successful. Rick talks about the correlation of hunting and fitness, how it's helped him, and ways to push yourself as you prepare for the fall. 

As always, thank you for tuning in! We love bringing this show every week, and your continued support is appreciated more than you know.

Make sure to subscribe, share and follow! Drop us a line and give us your feedback!  Available wherever you podcast and at www.southerngameandtackle.com.

There's a lot of amazing things going on in the world of SG+T and Rick takes to the studio solo this week to bring our listeners up to speed. It's a short episode, so don't let Rick being solo turn you away!

If you've listened to the show for any amount of time, you know that Rick has been chasing a lifelong dream of having a role in the outdoor industry. It's a dream he hasn't given up on, and as he's found clarity in how his passions are really designed to help others, some incredible doors have started to open. From getting to be a guest host on his favorite local radio show The Outdoors Show, being a guest speaker at a Mountain Archery Fest event in Rome, GA, to a Project Savior Outdoors trip to Madison, WI that will help achieve the long term mission of PSO, the momentum has started to steamroll. Rick shares the details of all these happenings and what it means to him to see these things come to fruition.

One of the re-occurring themes of SG+T, community and experiences built in the outdoors, is a major component of this solo conversation. While at the MAF event, those aspects were hammered home as he made what are sure to be lifelong friendships with the MAF team, its founder, Brandon Waddell and the team at Hunt Lift Eat. Both groups welcomed Rick and his wife Nicole with open arms and treated them like family right from the jump. Both of these organizations share the SG+T vision of community and as these relationships are forged, big things are sure to come. If you haven't checked out Mountain Archery Fest or Hunt Lift Eat, check out their websites and social media for some awesome content, gear and events.

Rick wraps this episode with episode plans for the next several months, outlining a series that will include some top tier guests as they look to simplify some of the hot topics in the whitetail hunting world. This series is going to be a lot of fun, with tons of good info to help hunters of any experience level this coming season.

As always, thank you for tuning in! We love bringing this show every week, and your continued support is appreciated more than you know.

Make sure to subscribe, share and follow! Drop us a line and give us your feedback!  Available wherever you podcast and at www.southerngameandtackle.com. 

Mountain Archery Fest - www.mountainarcheryfest.com
Hunt Lift Eat - www.huntlifteat.com
The Outdoors Show - www.outdoorsshow.com

On this episode of the Southern Game and Tackle Podcast, Rick is joined by lifelong friend, Wiley Dees. Wiley grew up in the same small Bama town as Rick, and the two cut their teeth together in the woods, really jumping into serious bowhunting at the same time. Wiley's outdoor experience is generational, and has taken him to different parts of the world and into several different areas of the outdoor industry.

This is a great campfire conversation, with the Rick and Wiley catching up after quite a while of life having them headed in different directions. They share old stories and cover new plans they have in the coming hunting seasons. As the boys chat, Wiley talks about how he was introduced to the outdoors and how the early days led to guiding hunts, running a local archery shop, shooting 3D tournaments and now introducing his young kids to the same passion that's been engrained in his family's history. It's been a journey for both Rick and Wiley, with injuries playing a big role in their stories. As Wiley bounces back from his own injury, he's also stepped into a new challenge; the world of traditional archery. He talks about the perspective of losing something he loved, then falling back into it and creating opportunities to learn even more about archery and hunting in general. 

As southern spring turkey seasons are coming into the latter stages, Wiley also shares an awesome story of a recent family hunt, that reinforces the power and excitement that can only be found in the outdoors. As Rick and Wiley catch up, they cover a lot of topics, but the re-occurring theme in this episode, as has been the case in many, is how relationships are forged thanks to God's great outdoors. 

As always, thank you for tuning in! We love bringing this show every week, and your continued support is appreciated more than you know.

Make sure to subscribe, share and follow! Drop us a line and give us your feedback!  Available wherever you podcast and at www.southerngameandtackle.com.

This week, Rick is joined by Jaryd Hurst to talk turkey hunting in Texas. Jaryd has been on the SG+T show a couple of times previously, but in this episode he gets to share his story of what was truly a hunt that dreams are made of. Thanks to fundraising efforts by Turkeys For Tomorrow, Jaryd won a raffle to hunt with outdoor icon David Blanton from Realtree Outdoors on the historic and famed King Ranch in south Texas. If you've been a hunter for any amount of time, those are names that need no introduction. As Rick and Jaryd discuss, they both grew up watching David Blanton on shows like Monster Bucks, and the King Ranch has long been known as one of the premier hunting destinations in the world. To say that Jaryd was living out his dream through this experience is an understatement!

Jaryd shares his experience hunting alongside David as well as the unbelievable amount of trophy animals that the King Ranch has to offer. Within just a few minutes of arriving, Jaryd was chasing predators and pigs, and once the turkey hunting began, it didn't take long for him and David to both connect. While the weather didn't fully cooperate, that didn't stop them from having an incredible hunt and laying down some amazing footage. The stories of the historic ranch alone are worth the listen, but the stories of the hunting and encounters are almost impossible to beat. 

This is a great episode, with some of the biggest names in the hunting world playing a major role in the story. Jaryd's passion for hunting and conservation are on full display as he covers not only the hunt, but how Turkeys For Tomorrow leverages these experiences to fund research on the wild turkey, ensuring that there are in fact turkeys around for generations to come. You don't want to miss this one.

As always, thank you for tuning in! We love bringing this show every week, and your continued support is appreciated more than you know.

Make sure to subscribe, share and follow! Drop us a line and give us your feedback!  Available wherever you podcast and at www.southerngameandtackle.com. 

On this week's episode, Rick is joined by Phillip Culpepper of Hunt Club TV and Realtree Outdoors. Rick has been a fan of Phillip's for a long time and the two met each other a couple of years ago during a men's retreat through church (of course it was a hunting retreat!) After a few conversations, it was just a matter of time before schedules could line up for Phillip to join the show! 

Phillip talks about his journey through the outdoor industry, and how chasing his passion of hunting led him from Realtree warehouse worker, to video producer, and now host of his own show, Hunt Club TV. It's a great story, proving that hard work, never quitting, and being willing to sacrifice always pays off. While "hunting for a living" is an amazing gig and true blessing, Phillip talks about the behind the scenes blood, sweat and tears that goes into making that dream a reality, and shares some great stories of him and other outdoor personalities like David Blanton and Michael Waddell, that helped shape what is Hunt Club TV today. 

If you follow Phillip, you know that turkey hunting is his passion. While it's still somewhat early in the 2023 turkey season, he's been a busy man, already covering several states and has several more trips in the plans. He shares the details of his season so far and some of the tactics that have helped him be successful along the way. The guys cover decoys, calling techniques, TSS turkey loads and some conservation topics, and with Phillips knowledge of the game, there is a lot of good info here. If you like turkey hunting, or the outdoors in general, this is an episode you do not want to miss. Rick has been looking forward to this one for a long time and it does not disappoint. Big thanks to Phillip for joining and looking forward to him coming back again in the future.

As always, thank you for tuning in! We love bringing this show every week, and your continued support is appreciated more than you know.

Make sure to subscribe, share and follow! Drop us a line and give us your feedback!  Available wherever you podcast and at www.southerngameandtackle.com. 

After a stretch of great guests, a last minute schedule change has Rick in the studio solo. Given the past week of chasing Osceola turkeys, the microphone therapy might be just what he needs!

In this episode, Rick gives an update on all that is going on in the SG+T community. Big things are happening with Project Savior Outdoors and he shares  a few updates about the mission's successes so far. There's also a couple of events in the near future with the Clash of the Beards 2023 Turkey Rodeo hosted by LA Strutter and Gobbler's Lodge Florida Outdoors Day in back to back weekends. Both of those will be loads of fun, and Rick talks details and his plans for each. 

Last week's show, Turkey Tactics with Big Country, left him super excited for his Special Opportunity Hunt, hoping to get his first Osceola gobbler and he recaps the a$$ whooping he's been on the receiving end of, thanks to weather and some new regulations limiting his plans for accessing the WMA by water. After putting in over 20 miles of walking in just 4 hunts, Rick has coined the new phrase "Camo Hiking" and uses it to describe his trip instead of "turkey hunting" as was the plan. Needless to say the scoreboard currently shows Turkeys - 1, Rick - 0. 

Even though he's solo, Rick covers a lot in this episode, including a hidden discount code for Wood Hunting Saddles. Listen in for 10% off your next order!

As always, thank you for tuning in! We love bringing this show every week, and your continued support is appreciated more than you know.

Make sure to subscribe, share and follow! Drop us a line and give us your feedback!  Available wherever you podcast and at www.southerngameandtackle.com. 

No stranger to the Southern Game and Tackle podcast, Rick is joined by William "Big Country Rozier. Big Country is well known through hunting circles in the southeast and his reach stretches even farther than that. He's been a staple in SG+T tradition, being the reason that the February Eglin trip is on the annual schedule. Rick and Dex were fortunate enough to meet Country on the first trip to the panhandle, and the boys have been friends since. He's been on the show before, talking deer and gators, but in this episode he finally gets his chance to talk turkey! 

In this episode, William gives us a recap on his groups' Eglin trip. They definitely have that place figured out and this past season was no different with him and several others from his group connecting on solid Florida whitetails with their muzzleloaders - Rick, leave the bow at home next year! As Rick prepares for his first true hunt for an Osceola turkey, Country shares some of the differences he can expect from the Eastern birds Rick grew up hunting. They cover several tactics and traits of the wild turkey, and share plans for the upcoming opener in central Florida, both hunting new places. 

It's also been a big week for Big Country. Not only is he hunting new ground, but he also will be taking along a new prototype box call from well known call maker Tim Fralick. It doesn't stop there though...he also scored on one of the hottest, limited edition items in the turkey hunting world as well, a Fox Haas Turkey Vest from Mossy Oak. 

You don't want to miss this one. It's always a good time when William joins and this one is no exception!

Thanks for listening and make sure to subscribe, share and follow! Drop us a line and give us your feedback!  Available wherever you podcast.