1 00:00:02,920 --> 00:00:06,840 Speaker 1: Welcome to Backwoods University, a place where we focus on wildlife, 2 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:10,160 Speaker 1: wild places and the people who dedicate their lives to 3 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:13,280 Speaker 1: conserving both. Big shout out to Onyx Hunt for their 4 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:17,040 Speaker 1: support of this podcast. I'm your host, Lake Pickle, and 5 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:20,239 Speaker 1: we are officially in February now. Now, I don't know 6 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:23,560 Speaker 1: about y'all, but for us here in Mississippi, February was 7 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:25,759 Speaker 1: always this kind of month where you would catch yourself 8 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:28,760 Speaker 1: looking around and wondering what to do. He can't deer hunt, 9 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:32,280 Speaker 1: that's over. He can't duck hunt. That ended in January two. 10 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:35,040 Speaker 1: I suppose you could dream about spring turkey season, but 11 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:37,800 Speaker 1: that doesn't start till March. Well, I'll tell you what 12 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:40,360 Speaker 1: I'm gonna do. Over these past few months, you and 13 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:42,720 Speaker 1: I have had the privilege of listening to some pretty 14 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:47,600 Speaker 1: incredible and fascinating folks. Grizzly bear specialist and marine biologists, 15 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:51,840 Speaker 1: botanist and beekeepers. We have heard from a wide spectrum, 16 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:53,720 Speaker 1: and that's one of the things that I've come to 17 00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:57,600 Speaker 1: love about doing this show. One drawback that I have found, however, 18 00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:00,840 Speaker 1: is that if you haven't noticed, Backwoods University is a 19 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 1: pretty stick to the point kind of show. We don't 20 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:06,560 Speaker 1: really go down any rabbit holes, which I think is 21 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:10,440 Speaker 1: overall good. But sometimes in these interviews I will hear 22 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 1: a real hum dinger of a story, but it's just 23 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 1: slightly off topic and I'm left scratching my head wondering 24 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:19,880 Speaker 1: what to do with this incredible piece of content. Well, 25 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 1: I found the solution. In this episode, We're going to 26 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 1: go through some of the interviews from past BU episodes, 27 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:29,720 Speaker 1: and here's some pretty awesome tales that didn't quite make 28 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:33,240 Speaker 1: the original episode. I am supremely confident that you'll be 29 00:01:33,319 --> 00:01:36,479 Speaker 1: glad we found somewhere to put these. Let's dive in. 30 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:47,840 Speaker 1: Our first story is gonna set the tone for this 31 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 1: whole episode. From the time that I first heard it 32 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:53,800 Speaker 1: sitting across from Tom Parker and his cabin in Western Montana, 33 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 1: I knew I had to find a way to share it. 34 00:01:56,320 --> 00:02:00,880 Speaker 1: It's simply too good. Y'all remember Tom from the Grit episode, 35 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:03,000 Speaker 1: and his story is about getting run up a tree 36 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:06,280 Speaker 1: by an angry grizzly bear. In his decades spent guiding 37 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 1: in the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Mission Mountains. I still 38 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:12,080 Speaker 1: maintain the opinion that Tom is one of the most 39 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:15,359 Speaker 1: interesting humans I've ever had the pleasure of meeting Well. 40 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 1: In the midst of that grizzly conversation, Tom also mentioned 41 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:21,200 Speaker 1: that he once was charged by bull bison while he 42 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:24,480 Speaker 1: was working on a mountain lion research project in Yellowstone. 43 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:28,360 Speaker 1: I told y'all, this guy is interesting. Well anyway, I 44 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 1: was so intrigued that I asked Tom to share the story, 45 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:34,120 Speaker 1: and luckily for me and for y'all, I was still 46 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 1: recording when he did. 47 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:39,720 Speaker 2: Going back to the bison and Yellowstone, most people do 48 00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:46,399 Speaker 2: get to enjoy all those experiences seeing those big animals 49 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:50,240 Speaker 2: on the landscape, But there are some people that have 50 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:54,600 Speaker 2: what I'm gonna call an inappropriate and ill informed perspective 51 00:02:54,639 --> 00:02:57,960 Speaker 2: about you know, there's just kind of act like cow's. 52 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 2: I mean, they must be fairly safe to be around. 53 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 2: I'm here to tell you that the closest calls of 54 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:09,320 Speaker 2: my career have been with bison and in Yellowstone. You know, 55 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:13,240 Speaker 2: I work there on research projects, and I'm here to 56 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:17,520 Speaker 2: tell you that a rogue bull bison surprised at close 57 00:03:17,639 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 2: range they're. 58 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 3: Coming for you. 59 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:21,119 Speaker 1: Would you mind telling those stories? 60 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:26,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, there was. This was in ninety I want to 61 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:30,080 Speaker 2: say ninety nine. I was working on the Lions Study 62 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:37,600 Speaker 2: in Yellowstone, and we were doing what's called a predation sequence, 63 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 2: which is where we follow a known lion, one that's marked. 64 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:46,920 Speaker 2: You know, we've caught it, it's got a collar on it, 65 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:50,840 Speaker 2: and we're following that thing through the landscape wherever it 66 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 2: takes us. And what you do is you don't get 67 00:03:55,840 --> 00:04:00,320 Speaker 2: close enough to this animal that you impact or effect 68 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:06,240 Speaker 2: it's behavior. In other words, you gauge your distance, you know, 69 00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 2: out of sight, out of sound, stay far enough back 70 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:14,960 Speaker 2: on the track, but you follow it through three large 71 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:19,640 Speaker 2: prey kills and whatever small prey kills may occur in 72 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:23,839 Speaker 2: that time. And I was following a female that had 73 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:27,240 Speaker 2: been injured by a cow elk and she had two 74 00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:31,920 Speaker 2: offspring and they were forty to fifty pound offspring with it. 75 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:38,559 Speaker 2: And you know, we often spell each other on those 76 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:43,320 Speaker 2: predation sequence work because you know, it's a lot of 77 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:47,720 Speaker 2: long distance and you're on snow in the mountains. And 78 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:53,400 Speaker 2: my field partner Mike had said, you know, the other day, 79 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:57,560 Speaker 2: I was tracking this cat and she went down into 80 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 2: the stage. It looked like she had you know, stalked 81 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:05,520 Speaker 2: close enough to make what we call the rush and 82 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:09,800 Speaker 2: take down on some elk, and actually there weren't many 83 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:11,800 Speaker 2: deer in that country, but there had been a deer there, 84 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:14,920 Speaker 2: and he said she just seemed to like change her 85 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:18,120 Speaker 2: mind and not try to take any prey. And she 86 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:21,720 Speaker 2: hadn't killed prey in quite a while. But he said, 87 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:24,919 Speaker 2: you know, there was the remains of a coyote in 88 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:27,839 Speaker 2: there that she went in and investigated, which I found 89 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:32,240 Speaker 2: very strange. She could have killed that coyote. You never know. 90 00:05:32,400 --> 00:05:36,919 Speaker 2: She's desperate. So I'm following this cat a few days 91 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:39,080 Speaker 2: later and I went way up on a ridge we 92 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:44,600 Speaker 2: called Mom's Ridge, and it's a big, you know, fairly 93 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:49,360 Speaker 2: steep ridge full of big bowlders that are some the 94 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:52,280 Speaker 2: size of this room. Many of them the size of 95 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:55,719 Speaker 2: the truck are smaller the size of a Volkswagen, but 96 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:59,760 Speaker 2: a lot of them roughly bison sized. And this is up, 97 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:03,359 Speaker 2: you know, a steep mountain slope. I hadn't seen a 98 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 2: bison track in a mile, you know, And there was 99 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:11,680 Speaker 2: some bison down in the bottom, and that we'd had 100 00:06:11,720 --> 00:06:15,920 Speaker 2: a storm and the wind had blown off this ridge 101 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:19,360 Speaker 2: for this lion that I was tracking from way up 102 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:21,400 Speaker 2: on top of that mountain where she was hunting the 103 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:25,400 Speaker 2: day before she had started down that ridge, and you know, 104 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:29,680 Speaker 2: you're supposed to stay with that track or at least 105 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 2: try to piece it together where it's blown out so 106 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:35,800 Speaker 2: that you don't miss some prey kill that you're going 107 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:40,120 Speaker 2: to document. And so I was really having trouble in 108 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:43,360 Speaker 2: this one area and all the boulders, you know, there's 109 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:47,960 Speaker 2: quite a few of them with snow. Particularly, I was 110 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:50,800 Speaker 2: on what I'm going to call the leeward side of 111 00:06:50,839 --> 00:06:55,320 Speaker 2: the boulders. So I was on a fairly narrow ledge 112 00:06:55,320 --> 00:07:00,360 Speaker 2: on this ridge contouring trying to pick up where this 113 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:04,919 Speaker 2: cat had crossed so that I could verify, you know, 114 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:10,000 Speaker 2: it's track, and it was headed down right ahead of 115 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:13,680 Speaker 2: me on this ledge. This boulder was a snowed under 116 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:18,640 Speaker 2: rogue bull bison. And this what happens is these bulls 117 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:24,560 Speaker 2: that are injured, old, not breeding anymore, they tend to 118 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:29,240 Speaker 2: go off from the other bison herds and groups and 119 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:31,760 Speaker 2: will go off up fairly high in the mountains to 120 00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:34,920 Speaker 2: kind of die and be by themselves. And these old 121 00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 2: bull elk, I've seen him do the same thing. 122 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:39,960 Speaker 1: I thought about it when you said that it sounds 123 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 1: like an old bull elk. 124 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:42,600 Speaker 3: Yep, they just kind of get off. 125 00:07:42,760 --> 00:07:43,120 Speaker 4: They do. 126 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:46,720 Speaker 2: They don't want to be around the others. And what 127 00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:49,480 Speaker 2: I thought was a boulder on this ledge I'm on 128 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:53,240 Speaker 2: and it's a fairly steep drop off about ten twelve 129 00:07:53,320 --> 00:07:57,800 Speaker 2: feet to the earth below me off this ledge all 130 00:07:57,880 --> 00:08:01,440 Speaker 2: this sudden there's an explosion of no, and it isn't 131 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:04,800 Speaker 2: much further than the corner of the room. 132 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:06,600 Speaker 1: Oh goodness, Oh yeah, this I mean. 133 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:09,440 Speaker 2: And a bison, I mean, they're like a rocket. 134 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:11,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, they're fast, They're relivingly. 135 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:15,400 Speaker 2: Fast, deceivingly fast. And this is a big bull and 136 00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 2: here's this explosion. And I realized, I'm like, this bison's 137 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:22,520 Speaker 2: gonna take me out. I just jumped right off that ledge. 138 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:25,240 Speaker 4: Oh gosh, Oh I did, and I land you know, 139 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:27,560 Speaker 4: I know how to land, and I landed, and I 140 00:08:27,720 --> 00:08:31,000 Speaker 4: rolled quite away, and I didn't hit any rocks or 141 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:35,920 Speaker 4: trees on the way down. And he couldn't come down 142 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:38,480 Speaker 4: there for me. It was quite the drop off, and 143 00:08:38,520 --> 00:08:43,520 Speaker 4: he ran out on the contour there, and it was 144 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:48,040 Speaker 4: as close to dying as I've ever come, right there. 145 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:51,400 Speaker 1: More so than any grizen counter. Oh yeah, let's think 146 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:54,200 Speaker 1: about that last statement for a bit. Tom has been 147 00:08:54,280 --> 00:08:57,600 Speaker 1: guiding the Bob Marshall Wilderness and the Mission Mountains since 148 00:08:57,640 --> 00:09:00,600 Speaker 1: the nineteen seventies, and he's spent the better part of 149 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:03,880 Speaker 1: his life in Grizzly Bear country. And yet the closest 150 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:06,760 Speaker 1: he ever came to dying was during an encounter with 151 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:12,400 Speaker 1: a rogue bull bison in Yellowstone wild I guess think 152 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:14,320 Speaker 1: twice before you go trying to pet one of those 153 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:24,840 Speaker 1: things I know Tom would advise against. For our next story, 154 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:27,280 Speaker 1: we're gonna have to go way back back to the 155 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:30,480 Speaker 1: very beginning. Y'all may remember the first ever episode of 156 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:33,800 Speaker 1: Backwoods University. We studied the history of bison in the 157 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:37,640 Speaker 1: eastern United States, and in that episode you heard myself 158 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:41,440 Speaker 1: and Jeremy French from the Southeastern Grassland Institute hiked down 159 00:09:41,559 --> 00:09:44,760 Speaker 1: to see a still very visible remnant of a bison 160 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:48,240 Speaker 1: trail that crossed a river. This conversation picks up while 161 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:51,160 Speaker 1: we're still standing at that river in bison trail, and 162 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:54,640 Speaker 1: at that time Jeremy shared with me a fascinating piece 163 00:09:54,679 --> 00:09:58,439 Speaker 1: of American history. This story is short, but it's definitely 164 00:09:58,520 --> 00:09:59,160 Speaker 1: worth sharing. 165 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:03,679 Speaker 5: Actually, a really cool historical story here too. Of this 166 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:09,680 Speaker 5: creek is called Caleb's Creek, and Caleb was the son 167 00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:13,800 Speaker 5: of one of the early settlers in Nashville. And they 168 00:10:13,880 --> 00:10:17,079 Speaker 5: came up these waterways and I can't remember which settler was, 169 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:20,320 Speaker 5: and they found this area and they picked this area 170 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:24,400 Speaker 5: and they were like, hey, Caleb, you know, I don't 171 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:26,680 Speaker 5: know if you're a parent, but I always say I 172 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:29,880 Speaker 5: think about this when I become a parent. We like 173 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:31,560 Speaker 5: this area. We want to settle this, but we need 174 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:35,400 Speaker 5: to go back south to go pick up supplies. Why 175 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:37,640 Speaker 5: don't you live in this cave until it comes back? 176 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:40,840 Speaker 5: And they don't come back for like a year, and 177 00:10:40,920 --> 00:10:43,480 Speaker 5: he this is pre settlement, right, So this is like 178 00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:47,959 Speaker 5: the wilderness. There's tribes here, there's like, you know, probably 179 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:51,320 Speaker 5: still bison extent. And he goes and he lives in 180 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:55,520 Speaker 5: this cave. That's just that way if the water wasn't 181 00:10:55,559 --> 00:10:57,679 Speaker 5: so high. Sometimes it's pretty low and you can just 182 00:10:57,880 --> 00:11:02,040 Speaker 5: hop rock across it. But and he lives in his 183 00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:04,760 Speaker 5: cave for like a year until his group comes back 184 00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:06,800 Speaker 5: and gets him. He's gotta hunt all his own food. 185 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:12,199 Speaker 5: He's gotta avoid getting murdered, like in like sixteen. 186 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:16,839 Speaker 1: Maybe there's not a lot of details to go along 187 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:19,320 Speaker 1: with this story, but what is known other than what 188 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:22,120 Speaker 1: Jeremy shared with us can be found through researching the 189 00:11:22,160 --> 00:11:26,560 Speaker 1: history of the Wessington Plantation. The boy's name was Caleb Winters, 190 00:11:26,679 --> 00:11:29,439 Speaker 1: and he was known as one of Robertson County, Tennessee's 191 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:33,360 Speaker 1: earliest settlers. And to give this some contexts, Robertson County 192 00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:36,880 Speaker 1: is just north of Nashville, and this took place back 193 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:39,720 Speaker 1: in the late seventeen hundreds, back when there was still 194 00:11:39,760 --> 00:11:42,360 Speaker 1: a few bison roaming around and the entire place was 195 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:46,840 Speaker 1: truly wild. As Jeremy stated, Caleb spent about a year's 196 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:49,960 Speaker 1: time living in a small cave. It was said that 197 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:52,800 Speaker 1: he was an outstanding hunter, and he lived the entire 198 00:11:52,920 --> 00:11:56,480 Speaker 1: year off of wild game. After his family returned, they 199 00:11:56,480 --> 00:11:59,040 Speaker 1: built a cabin. It was just across the creek from 200 00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:01,160 Speaker 1: the entrance of the very cave that he'd lived in. 201 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:04,959 Speaker 1: In his honor, they named the creek Caleb's Creek, as 202 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:09,120 Speaker 1: well as the cave Winter's Cave. I don't know about y'all, 203 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:11,480 Speaker 1: but if my parents left me to survive in a 204 00:12:11,520 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 1: cave in the wild for a year, I would be 205 00:12:13,920 --> 00:12:16,040 Speaker 1: telling them that naming a creek in a cave after 206 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:20,160 Speaker 1: me was the least they can do. Just imagine what 207 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:23,560 Speaker 1: all kind of wild stuff that boy saw during the 208 00:12:23,679 --> 00:12:26,480 Speaker 1: year spent living in that cave. I would wager he 209 00:12:26,520 --> 00:12:29,320 Speaker 1: saw that bison trail in action. Heck, maybe he even 210 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:32,200 Speaker 1: hunted a bison there. Who knows. What I can tell 211 00:12:32,200 --> 00:12:34,840 Speaker 1: you is it was pretty crazy to hear that story 212 00:12:35,040 --> 00:12:37,760 Speaker 1: as I was standing there looking at the entrance of 213 00:12:37,800 --> 00:12:43,000 Speaker 1: that cave. Wild random fun fact before we move on, 214 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:45,319 Speaker 1: did y'all know that several of the roads that run 215 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:48,200 Speaker 1: through Nashville, as well as other roads in North Tennessee, 216 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:52,160 Speaker 1: were originally bison trails? Crazy? Right, Use that one next 217 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:56,040 Speaker 1: time you need a conversation starter. Moving on for our 218 00:12:56,040 --> 00:12:58,240 Speaker 1: next story, We're going to keep the action level high 219 00:12:58,320 --> 00:13:00,600 Speaker 1: as we turn our attention back to eight big and 220 00:13:00,640 --> 00:13:03,920 Speaker 1: Wild animals. Y'all will probably remember Casey Anderson from the 221 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:07,679 Speaker 1: second Grizzly episode that we did. Casey's a lifelong outdoorsman. 222 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:10,240 Speaker 1: He's a naturalist, a hunter, and he's a person who 223 00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:14,320 Speaker 1: has spent his career explaining nature to the world. We 224 00:13:14,400 --> 00:13:17,480 Speaker 1: heard all kinds of wild tales from Casey in that episode, 225 00:13:17,640 --> 00:13:20,760 Speaker 1: and he told me several more, including this one about 226 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:23,200 Speaker 1: an experience he had on the cat My coast that 227 00:13:23,240 --> 00:13:25,320 Speaker 1: I've not been able to stop thinking about. 228 00:13:25,760 --> 00:13:30,240 Speaker 6: First off, the historic relationship with humans. So the bears 229 00:13:30,240 --> 00:13:32,960 Speaker 6: on the cat My coast almost have never been hunted. 230 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:36,800 Speaker 6: They see very few people, so they haven't learned to 231 00:13:36,840 --> 00:13:39,839 Speaker 6: fear people at all. In fact, it's actually one of 232 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:42,360 Speaker 6: those things like is it that they haven't learned to 233 00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:45,400 Speaker 6: fear people, or isn't that they haven't learned to do 234 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:48,560 Speaker 6: anything with people, Like, you know, they have no feeling 235 00:13:48,559 --> 00:13:51,199 Speaker 6: for people at some level. In fact, it's so bizarre. 236 00:13:51,280 --> 00:13:54,040 Speaker 6: Sometimes I'll be standing there and they'll walk right by 237 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:56,520 Speaker 6: me and they won't even look at you, like you're 238 00:13:56,559 --> 00:13:59,439 Speaker 6: a rock, Like you're just not on the radar. They 239 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:01,320 Speaker 6: just don't care that they treat you the same way 240 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:04,480 Speaker 6: thing with a fox or a raw you know, literally, yeah, 241 00:14:04,559 --> 00:14:04,839 Speaker 6: you know. 242 00:14:05,240 --> 00:14:06,720 Speaker 1: The thing that stuck out to me is in one 243 00:14:06,760 --> 00:14:09,280 Speaker 1: of those videos that kept by, like you're like observing 244 00:14:09,320 --> 00:14:12,959 Speaker 1: this mother and two cubs, and like at home, you're 245 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:15,240 Speaker 1: taught like that's code read that is what you don't 246 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:18,000 Speaker 1: want to see, like mother and cubs, like get away, 247 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:21,040 Speaker 1: that's the one that's gonna charge you. Like how do 248 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:23,360 Speaker 1: you even learn to assess that situation? To know like, 249 00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:26,080 Speaker 1: I can go watch her and as long as I 250 00:14:26,160 --> 00:14:28,040 Speaker 1: keep my distance or whatever it is you do like it, 251 00:14:28,040 --> 00:14:28,720 Speaker 1: we'll be fine. 252 00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:29,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's hard. 253 00:14:29,520 --> 00:14:31,760 Speaker 6: It's hard, and especially when you flip flop between the 254 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:34,080 Speaker 6: two ecosystems. Sure sure, as you are dealing with what 255 00:14:34,160 --> 00:14:38,720 Speaker 6: looks like the same animal but completely different mindset. It happened. 256 00:14:38,840 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 6: It wasn't something that I went and did in an 257 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:43,160 Speaker 6: experiment with It was actually the other way around, and 258 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:46,520 Speaker 6: I put myself in the position of being there and 259 00:14:46,680 --> 00:14:49,440 Speaker 6: had mothers with cubs bringing their cubs over to me. 260 00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:54,040 Speaker 6: This sounds ridiculous again, and I'm gonna I'm gonna just 261 00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:56,000 Speaker 6: add this on here because there's you know, movies like 262 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:59,040 Speaker 6: Grizzly Man and stuff like that. Is one thing you 263 00:14:59,080 --> 00:15:02,840 Speaker 6: can never do is forget that no matter where the 264 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:06,480 Speaker 6: bear is, it's capable of killing you. And those cubs 265 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:08,840 Speaker 6: and mom, you know, the mom with cubs in Alaska 266 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:12,960 Speaker 6: are certainly capable of killing you. But what they'll do 267 00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:15,520 Speaker 6: sometimes is they'll bring those cubs over close to you 268 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:20,480 Speaker 6: on purpose because they've realized that people kind of act 269 00:15:20,520 --> 00:15:23,240 Speaker 6: of kind of like kind of like the safety net. 270 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:26,560 Speaker 6: Because there's other bears, particular males who are a little 271 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:31,120 Speaker 6: less apt to be comfortable around people. So if the 272 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:33,200 Speaker 6: cubs are close to you, then the males less that 273 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:35,840 Speaker 6: have to come near them, and so they start using you. 274 00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:39,480 Speaker 6: And it's so strange and it's very uncomfortable in the beginning. 275 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:42,960 Speaker 1: I would like man trying to put myself in that situation. 276 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:45,200 Speaker 1: Like if I saw it, if I saw a mother 277 00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:47,160 Speaker 1: and two cubs approaching, I'd be like, I need to 278 00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:48,280 Speaker 1: go right now, and. 279 00:15:48,240 --> 00:15:50,400 Speaker 6: Most people would, I mean, and I think that's that'd 280 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:53,960 Speaker 6: be the right feeling to have your instincts. But the 281 00:15:54,040 --> 00:15:55,680 Speaker 6: other good thing is that I've spent so much time 282 00:15:55,720 --> 00:15:58,680 Speaker 6: around bears and understand their body language. Is that you 283 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:01,320 Speaker 6: know when there's ill intent on a bear's face basically, 284 00:16:01,400 --> 00:16:04,680 Speaker 6: I mean, it is a billboard telling you like, I'm uncomfortable, 285 00:16:04,680 --> 00:16:07,160 Speaker 6: and if not, it's vocalizing, it's chomping its jaws, it's 286 00:16:07,160 --> 00:16:09,880 Speaker 6: hoofing at you, it's doing something true. And when they 287 00:16:09,920 --> 00:16:12,200 Speaker 6: come over and their ears are just flat, relaxed, and 288 00:16:12,240 --> 00:16:14,080 Speaker 6: their body language is a really tense and you just 289 00:16:14,120 --> 00:16:17,320 Speaker 6: see this like that, they are actually more getting more 290 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:19,560 Speaker 6: comfortable as they get closer to do It's so strange, 291 00:16:20,160 --> 00:16:22,640 Speaker 6: but it's true. Yeah, and so at the same time, 292 00:16:22,640 --> 00:16:24,960 Speaker 6: you just realize it's a unique opportunity and it is 293 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:27,920 Speaker 6: a little intoxicating when you're there next to these animals 294 00:16:27,920 --> 00:16:31,440 Speaker 6: that are a thousand pounds and you can just go 295 00:16:31,640 --> 00:16:35,360 Speaker 6: sit there amongst them and they they just don't care 296 00:16:35,920 --> 00:16:37,280 Speaker 6: if you're doing the right thing. I mean, I think 297 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:40,080 Speaker 6: it's a two way street too. I mean, if you 298 00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:41,840 Speaker 6: go in there with bad energy and you're all uptight, 299 00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:44,480 Speaker 6: you're a billboard too. You know, you're showing your intention. 300 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:46,360 Speaker 6: But if you can go in there and just kind 301 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:49,800 Speaker 6: of relax yourself and realize that they're at a safe 302 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:52,280 Speaker 6: distance in some level and doing the right thing, and 303 00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 6: it's just so cool to be part of that true world. 304 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:55,760 Speaker 6: I can't explain it, man. 305 00:16:55,920 --> 00:17:00,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean it sounds so crazy, it does. 306 00:17:00,160 --> 00:17:02,000 Speaker 6: And it's why, you know, there's so many times I'm like, 307 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:04,400 Speaker 6: I just gotta I wish I could take people there 308 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:06,400 Speaker 6: and have them experiences. But at the same time, it's 309 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:07,320 Speaker 6: like that's the right. 310 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 3: Thing to do too. 311 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:10,359 Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, the thing is, it's like you're able to 312 00:17:10,440 --> 00:17:14,400 Speaker 1: do that because you've spent so many hours around these 313 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:18,679 Speaker 1: animals that you it's like some of the best archery hunters. 314 00:17:18,720 --> 00:17:21,080 Speaker 1: I know, they spent so much time because like bohunt 315 00:17:21,080 --> 00:17:22,920 Speaker 1: and you gotta be close, right, Yeah, So they spent 316 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:24,959 Speaker 1: a lot of time being close to that animal and 317 00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:28,800 Speaker 1: they can just read that animal's body language so well, 318 00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:31,119 Speaker 1: Like they know when they come in and relax, they 319 00:17:31,160 --> 00:17:32,880 Speaker 1: know when they're tense. They know, like I can draw 320 00:17:32,920 --> 00:17:35,560 Speaker 1: back now like this this animal is about spook. This 321 00:17:35,640 --> 00:17:38,120 Speaker 1: animals chilled out, Like they just spend so much time 322 00:17:38,119 --> 00:17:40,360 Speaker 1: close to them, they can pick up on that. And 323 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:44,160 Speaker 1: you've spent so much time around these bears that you're 324 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:47,000 Speaker 1: just able to read that. So well, what's going on? 325 00:17:47,359 --> 00:17:47,560 Speaker 3: You know? 326 00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:52,119 Speaker 6: No, I mean definitely, there's no doubt about it. And 327 00:17:52,560 --> 00:17:55,159 Speaker 6: you know, and I've had so many close encounters, and 328 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:58,880 Speaker 6: I've had some that are obviously not been positive. You 329 00:17:58,960 --> 00:18:03,400 Speaker 6: can see it coming right how so just the way 330 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:06,120 Speaker 6: that they start reacting, their body language starts to change. 331 00:18:06,680 --> 00:18:09,040 Speaker 6: You're always paying attention to the wind, You're always I mean, 332 00:18:09,040 --> 00:18:11,840 Speaker 6: it's just like anything, just like I said, whitetail buck. 333 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:13,800 Speaker 6: If you know whit tail bucks, you've been around all 334 00:18:13,840 --> 00:18:16,160 Speaker 6: the time, you get honed into these little tiny things. 335 00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:18,399 Speaker 6: Sometimes you don't even know why you're doing what you're doing, 336 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:21,120 Speaker 6: but there are these little subtle hints that they're giving 337 00:18:21,119 --> 00:18:23,000 Speaker 6: you and you and you don't even know. It's almost instinctual, 338 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:25,520 Speaker 6: and you just start doing these same same things to 339 00:18:25,560 --> 00:18:29,560 Speaker 6: counter the moment. And with bears, man, it's it's the same. 340 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:30,600 Speaker 3: I mean, you just you get. 341 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:32,920 Speaker 6: I've been in such tense situations where a bear is 342 00:18:32,960 --> 00:18:35,199 Speaker 6: looking at me and I know that I need to 343 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:38,360 Speaker 6: back off slowly and pull my eyes away from it 344 00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:40,399 Speaker 6: and then and that'll be the right thing to do. 345 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:42,239 Speaker 6: But I've I've also had time for bears are being 346 00:18:42,240 --> 00:18:44,440 Speaker 6: aggressive towards me. And I looked at that bear. I 347 00:18:44,480 --> 00:18:46,399 Speaker 6: don't even know why, and I've locked eyes with it 348 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:49,719 Speaker 6: and I've charged at it and ran it away and 349 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:52,760 Speaker 6: it's and I don't even know why, but I know 350 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:55,000 Speaker 6: that I see something in that bear. It's insecure and 351 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:57,320 Speaker 6: maybe it's it's thinking about it. And I just want 352 00:18:57,480 --> 00:18:59,480 Speaker 6: you know what, No, I'm the boss today and I'm 353 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:02,960 Speaker 6: going to show you that I am. Sounds ridiculous, but 354 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:06,080 Speaker 6: it is this subtle game of body language poker that 355 00:19:06,119 --> 00:19:10,639 Speaker 6: you're playing out there with all animals. And it sounds 356 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:13,119 Speaker 6: probably the most crazy because you're I'm playing it with 357 00:19:13,160 --> 00:19:14,639 Speaker 6: an animal that can kill you. 358 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:19,040 Speaker 1: I feel like this needs to be said. Casey is 359 00:19:19,080 --> 00:19:21,720 Speaker 1: a professional and he's been dealing with bears for a 360 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:24,480 Speaker 1: long long time. So all the stuff that he talked 361 00:19:24,480 --> 00:19:27,560 Speaker 1: about doing, don't try that at home and think what 362 00:19:27,640 --> 00:19:29,840 Speaker 1: you will about me. But I don't imagine I would 363 00:19:29,880 --> 00:19:32,000 Speaker 1: be holding my ground if I saw Mama Griz and 364 00:19:32,040 --> 00:19:35,760 Speaker 1: cubs walking my direction, and I certainly wouldn't charge you one. 365 00:19:36,359 --> 00:19:42,080 Speaker 1: Thanks for the wild tales, Casey. For our next story, 366 00:19:42,119 --> 00:19:45,199 Speaker 1: we're going to a very recent guest, mister Jim Cruise, 367 00:19:45,280 --> 00:19:48,800 Speaker 1: the lifelong duck hunter. In this story, Jim tackles two 368 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:51,080 Speaker 1: very common pieces of duck hunter lore. 369 00:19:51,720 --> 00:19:53,000 Speaker 3: Video is very telling. 370 00:19:53,160 --> 00:19:53,879 Speaker 1: Yeah, I know. 371 00:19:54,320 --> 00:19:58,120 Speaker 7: I was looking at one that my wife did last weekend. 372 00:19:58,280 --> 00:20:00,639 Speaker 7: She was thinking there were four of us shooting, and 373 00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:04,639 Speaker 7: she was standing behind us working the dog, and a 374 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:08,760 Speaker 7: flight of teal came in right to left. I was 375 00:20:08,840 --> 00:20:11,240 Speaker 7: on the left end, my son was on the right end, 376 00:20:11,359 --> 00:20:13,280 Speaker 7: and two guests were in the middle of the line, 377 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:18,000 Speaker 7: and it was like we had choreographed it. Bam bam 378 00:20:18,080 --> 00:20:21,760 Speaker 7: bam bam down the line. This is a teal came across, 379 00:20:22,320 --> 00:20:24,040 Speaker 7: and of course, when you're shooting like that. 380 00:20:24,119 --> 00:20:27,400 Speaker 3: You don't. You don't realize it. But that's exactly how 381 00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:27,840 Speaker 3: it was. 382 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:32,040 Speaker 7: Bam bam, bam bam, one, two, three, four and three 383 00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:35,040 Speaker 7: till fell and then the I guess there were two 384 00:20:35,119 --> 00:20:37,199 Speaker 7: ducks left in the flock when I got on my end. 385 00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:40,720 Speaker 7: One of them was a big white shoveler. I picked 386 00:20:40,760 --> 00:20:43,479 Speaker 7: him out at a heartbeat. I couldn't pass him up, 387 00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:48,000 Speaker 7: so I shot that one. But it just looking back 388 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:51,840 Speaker 7: at the video, wasn't nearly like I remembered it because 389 00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:53,040 Speaker 7: it just happened so quick. 390 00:20:53,119 --> 00:20:56,240 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, yeah. See. Now now I've got to ask 391 00:20:56,280 --> 00:20:58,720 Speaker 1: you another question because you said something there that I 392 00:20:58,760 --> 00:20:59,639 Speaker 1: want to ask you about. 393 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:00,879 Speaker 3: I shouldn't say. 394 00:21:00,920 --> 00:21:02,280 Speaker 1: I know a lot of folks that do it. I 395 00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:05,160 Speaker 1: know a lot of folks that say that they want 396 00:21:05,160 --> 00:21:05,960 Speaker 1: shoot a shoveler. 397 00:21:06,560 --> 00:21:12,320 Speaker 3: I hadn't met any yet. I know a lot who 398 00:21:12,359 --> 00:21:12,960 Speaker 3: say they won't. 399 00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:14,080 Speaker 1: But you you've heard that. 400 00:21:14,760 --> 00:21:16,040 Speaker 3: I don't know my life. 401 00:21:16,119 --> 00:21:18,440 Speaker 1: I don't know so bad. I was wondering about that too. 402 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:20,720 Speaker 1: I was wondering how long that's been going on. I 403 00:21:20,760 --> 00:21:25,280 Speaker 1: think the Northern shoveler might be the most widely maligned duck, 404 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:27,240 Speaker 1: and I've never been to I've never been able to 405 00:21:27,240 --> 00:21:27,840 Speaker 1: figure out. 406 00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:29,840 Speaker 3: Why I let the hens pass. 407 00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:33,520 Speaker 7: Sure, I let those brown shovelers pass, but a big 408 00:21:33,640 --> 00:21:35,480 Speaker 7: drake he doesn't pass. 409 00:21:35,640 --> 00:21:37,359 Speaker 3: They're pretty duck, they're beautiful. 410 00:21:37,760 --> 00:21:40,040 Speaker 1: Why do you think they get such a bad rap? 411 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:47,040 Speaker 7: It's just people having something to talk about, that's all 412 00:21:47,080 --> 00:21:47,800 Speaker 7: I can figure. 413 00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:53,280 Speaker 3: They decoy, Well, they're pretty colored. What's not to like about. 414 00:21:53,400 --> 00:21:54,040 Speaker 1: I don't know. 415 00:21:54,359 --> 00:21:56,280 Speaker 3: I like the variety. I do too. 416 00:21:56,920 --> 00:21:59,280 Speaker 1: If you've been around duck hunting culture for any length 417 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:02,320 Speaker 1: of time, especially down here in the Southeast, then you 418 00:22:02,480 --> 00:22:05,359 Speaker 1: probably know that the northern shoveler getting looked down upon 419 00:22:05,440 --> 00:22:08,320 Speaker 1: as a tale as old as time, and frankly I've 420 00:22:08,359 --> 00:22:12,120 Speaker 1: never understood it, and apparently Jim doesn't either. So that 421 00:22:12,520 --> 00:22:15,240 Speaker 1: is common duck ore number one. In the next part 422 00:22:15,240 --> 00:22:18,440 Speaker 1: of Jim's story, we're going to tackle another commonly heard 423 00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:19,280 Speaker 1: duck hunting myth. 424 00:22:19,800 --> 00:22:25,400 Speaker 7: Probably twenty five years ago, my father invited the then 425 00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:32,320 Speaker 7: CEO of Ducks Unlimited and they're chief biologists, to come 426 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:34,960 Speaker 7: down and duck hunt with us. We were in the 427 00:22:35,040 --> 00:22:39,439 Speaker 7: process that time putting our property under conservation easement, so 428 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:42,840 Speaker 7: we were in contact with du negotiating all that. Anywhere 429 00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:47,719 Speaker 7: invited them to come down and had a real good hunt, 430 00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:52,560 Speaker 7: and we had shot mallards and gadwalls, but also six 431 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:57,719 Speaker 7: or seven ringnecks over course of two days. And I 432 00:22:57,760 --> 00:23:00,320 Speaker 7: think we had held the ducks we shot the first 433 00:23:00,359 --> 00:23:03,960 Speaker 7: day and decide we'll clean them all the second day. Well, 434 00:23:04,560 --> 00:23:08,320 Speaker 7: the deused biologist guy named Bruce bat at the time, 435 00:23:09,160 --> 00:23:11,040 Speaker 7: kind of eased up to me and said, hey, let 436 00:23:11,040 --> 00:23:11,919 Speaker 7: me ask you something. 437 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:13,040 Speaker 3: I said, what is that? 438 00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:16,520 Speaker 7: Bruce is a Canadian guy, really good guy, very knowledgeable. 439 00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:19,440 Speaker 7: He said, would you mind if I took all these 440 00:23:19,520 --> 00:23:25,040 Speaker 7: ring necks? No, of course, you're welcome to them and whatever. 441 00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:27,480 Speaker 7: I said, I don't think I've ever heard anybody ask 442 00:23:27,560 --> 00:23:32,199 Speaker 7: me that before. And he said, well, in my opinion, 443 00:23:32,880 --> 00:23:37,360 Speaker 7: they had the best flavor of any duck. I said, well, 444 00:23:37,600 --> 00:23:42,320 Speaker 7: help yourself, and I was kind of had been educated 445 00:23:42,359 --> 00:23:46,360 Speaker 7: that they're not your top duck to eat. Oh yeah, 446 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:51,200 Speaker 7: well they really are surprising. My wife folks to cook 447 00:23:51,320 --> 00:23:55,360 Speaker 7: ducks a lot, sure, and she likes to smoke them particularly, 448 00:23:56,200 --> 00:23:58,560 Speaker 7: and her opinion, ring neck is the best one there 449 00:23:58,600 --> 00:23:59,480 Speaker 7: is on the smoker. 450 00:24:00,280 --> 00:24:00,639 Speaker 3: Yeah. 451 00:24:00,960 --> 00:24:04,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, see I think that too. I think I think 452 00:24:04,320 --> 00:24:07,359 Speaker 1: folks hear certain things their whole lives, and they just 453 00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:10,560 Speaker 1: get told that ring necks are bad to eat, shovelers 454 00:24:10,560 --> 00:24:11,400 Speaker 1: are bad to eat. 455 00:24:11,560 --> 00:24:14,960 Speaker 7: But again, don't get me wrong, I still love the 456 00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:17,200 Speaker 7: mallards and the pent tails and the big ducks all 457 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:21,399 Speaker 7: the best. But I think some of those so called 458 00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:24,760 Speaker 7: less desirable species taken undeserved hit. 459 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:26,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, I like them just fine. 460 00:24:27,240 --> 00:24:29,520 Speaker 3: We get into the tailtelling stage now. 461 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:35,600 Speaker 7: I went out on New Year's Eve last week by myself. 462 00:24:35,720 --> 00:24:37,479 Speaker 3: My wife was sick. She didn't want to go. 463 00:24:37,680 --> 00:24:39,800 Speaker 7: I said, well, I'm going to go ahead anyway, if 464 00:24:39,840 --> 00:24:42,760 Speaker 7: you're okay, and she said, oh, yeah, go ahead. So 465 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:46,160 Speaker 7: we had a decent flight that morning is a pretty day, 466 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:50,520 Speaker 7: and I can't remember what order I shot them in, 467 00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:53,080 Speaker 7: but I had a wind up with a wood duck 468 00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:55,959 Speaker 7: and a mallard and a ring neck and a gadwall 469 00:24:56,800 --> 00:25:01,800 Speaker 7: and a wigeon. So that's five all drakes. And I 470 00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:04,120 Speaker 7: looked at that and I said, well, I'm gonna try 471 00:25:04,160 --> 00:25:07,280 Speaker 7: to get six drakes, but I'm gonna try to get 472 00:25:07,640 --> 00:25:10,680 Speaker 7: number six different species. 473 00:25:10,119 --> 00:25:11,280 Speaker 3: From what I already had. 474 00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:15,160 Speaker 7: So I get this pair of pintails to come in, 475 00:25:15,720 --> 00:25:18,080 Speaker 7: and I'm in my mind looking at that big old 476 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:21,000 Speaker 7: drake I can see his feet and that long sprig 477 00:25:21,040 --> 00:25:23,680 Speaker 7: sticking out, and he's at about twenty five yards and 478 00:25:23,720 --> 00:25:24,360 Speaker 7: I missed him. 479 00:25:24,440 --> 00:25:27,760 Speaker 3: Clean in the. 480 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:31,200 Speaker 7: World did I do that? But I went, well, well, 481 00:25:31,359 --> 00:25:34,520 Speaker 7: you know, maybe something else will come along. Fifteen minutes later, 482 00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:38,159 Speaker 7: a drake green wing teal comes by and I didn't 483 00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:42,199 Speaker 7: miss him. My dog brings him in, climbs up the 484 00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:44,720 Speaker 7: ladder onto the boat, and I see that flash you 485 00:25:44,760 --> 00:25:48,080 Speaker 7: don't see very often. It's a banded dream wing teal. 486 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:52,240 Speaker 7: So I'd never shot a banded teal before, so that 487 00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:53,359 Speaker 7: was kind of a big deal. 488 00:25:53,920 --> 00:25:55,040 Speaker 3: But also on a. 489 00:25:55,040 --> 00:25:59,000 Speaker 7: Day when I got a royal flush on ducks, so 490 00:25:59,040 --> 00:26:02,800 Speaker 7: that was a big These ducks you ought to appreciate 491 00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:06,640 Speaker 7: every one of them for some reason, whether it's how 492 00:26:06,640 --> 00:26:08,719 Speaker 7: they look, or how they fly, or how they decoy, 493 00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:12,720 Speaker 7: how they taste, whatever it is, they all have special 494 00:26:13,119 --> 00:26:15,399 Speaker 7: attributes that we need to revere. 495 00:26:16,119 --> 00:26:18,880 Speaker 1: Going back to duck hunting culture, if you've been around it, 496 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:21,960 Speaker 1: you've probably heard people list off certain species of ducks 497 00:26:21,960 --> 00:26:25,080 Speaker 1: as being not fit to eat, and a ring neck 498 00:26:25,320 --> 00:26:29,320 Speaker 1: is commonly on that list. And how ironic and funny 499 00:26:29,400 --> 00:26:32,160 Speaker 1: is it that a duck biologist said that not only 500 00:26:32,200 --> 00:26:34,720 Speaker 1: were they fit to eat? But it was his favorite 501 00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:37,119 Speaker 1: duck to eat. I don't know. It just makes you 502 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:39,320 Speaker 1: wonder if half the folks that make these claims have 503 00:26:39,400 --> 00:26:42,200 Speaker 1: ever actually tried cooking and eating these ducks to begin with. 504 00:26:42,560 --> 00:26:45,160 Speaker 1: And how about Jim killing a royal flush of ducks 505 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:48,080 Speaker 1: for his limit one day and that last one being banded. 506 00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:50,280 Speaker 1: I bet that's the only time he's ever been glad 507 00:26:50,280 --> 00:26:54,520 Speaker 1: he missed a pintail. For our final story of this episode, 508 00:26:54,640 --> 00:26:57,520 Speaker 1: we're returning to my personal favorite topic that we have 509 00:26:57,600 --> 00:27:01,720 Speaker 1: ever covered, the life work of Cook. That was episode 510 00:27:01,800 --> 00:27:03,960 Speaker 1: four of this show, and I would highly encourage you 511 00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:06,359 Speaker 1: to go listen to it if you haven't yet. This 512 00:27:06,440 --> 00:27:09,919 Speaker 1: story comes from an incredible woman named Miss Kathy Shropshire. 513 00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:12,800 Speaker 1: You heard her referenced in that episode a couple of times. 514 00:27:13,080 --> 00:27:15,880 Speaker 1: Pay close attention to this final story because, for one, 515 00:27:16,359 --> 00:27:19,960 Speaker 1: I find it inspiring, and two, it's actually gonna set 516 00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:22,480 Speaker 1: us up for the next episode as we moved towards 517 00:27:22,560 --> 00:27:25,320 Speaker 1: the spring. To my knowledge, you're the only person that's 518 00:27:25,359 --> 00:27:27,200 Speaker 1: played Fanny Cook in a film. 519 00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:30,480 Speaker 8: I think so, Yes, I believe so. 520 00:27:31,560 --> 00:27:32,359 Speaker 1: How did that happen? 521 00:27:32,560 --> 00:27:35,040 Speaker 8: Well, Bill, a friend of mine, a Robbie Fisher was 522 00:27:35,440 --> 00:27:37,879 Speaker 8: working on that film. That was a Gulf Islands National 523 00:27:38,160 --> 00:27:41,200 Speaker 8: Seashore film that they were doing in relation to the 524 00:27:41,320 --> 00:27:45,280 Speaker 8: one hundredth anniversary of the National Parks. And because Miss 525 00:27:45,280 --> 00:27:48,720 Speaker 8: Cook had been involved with letter writing and support and 526 00:27:48,800 --> 00:27:52,560 Speaker 8: getting that done, Robbie wanted to have her featured as 527 00:27:52,680 --> 00:27:56,040 Speaker 8: you know somebody who was involved. Well, she asked me, 528 00:27:56,080 --> 00:27:59,239 Speaker 8: if I do it, and people ask me for all 529 00:27:59,240 --> 00:28:01,600 Speaker 8: these things, are you usually say yes before I think 530 00:28:01,640 --> 00:28:02,520 Speaker 8: through it, clearly, But. 531 00:28:04,880 --> 00:28:06,400 Speaker 1: I got you to come to this interview. 532 00:28:06,200 --> 00:28:08,920 Speaker 8: Right right, yeah, right, y'all What am I thinking? But 533 00:28:10,560 --> 00:28:13,119 Speaker 8: it didn't require that I say anything. So we we 534 00:28:13,160 --> 00:28:15,520 Speaker 8: did film that. There's a small segment in there about 535 00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:18,600 Speaker 8: miss Cook and writing the letters and supporting the Cafellen 536 00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:20,800 Speaker 8: se Sure. So yeah, as far as I know, I'm 537 00:28:20,800 --> 00:28:22,000 Speaker 8: the only person. 538 00:28:22,440 --> 00:28:27,320 Speaker 1: On a personal level, obviously, Fanny Cook means something to you. 539 00:28:28,240 --> 00:28:29,600 Speaker 1: Why is she so important to you? 540 00:28:31,280 --> 00:28:34,760 Speaker 8: Well, you know, she didn't tut her own horn. She 541 00:28:35,040 --> 00:28:38,200 Speaker 8: had a mission when she decided she wanted to develop 542 00:28:38,240 --> 00:28:40,520 Speaker 8: the mist Department, wile Offishers and Parks or Game and 543 00:28:40,520 --> 00:28:43,120 Speaker 8: Fish Commission. At the time, it wasn't about her. It 544 00:28:43,240 --> 00:28:46,000 Speaker 8: was about getting that done and then getting a museum 545 00:28:46,160 --> 00:28:48,960 Speaker 8: and providing education, and so she was not one of 546 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:51,440 Speaker 8: those people who was out there waving the flag and 547 00:28:51,480 --> 00:28:52,200 Speaker 8: saying look at me. 548 00:28:53,440 --> 00:28:55,800 Speaker 1: Which is not something that you hear a lot. 549 00:28:55,680 --> 00:28:58,160 Speaker 8: Of this day and age, right right, everybody wants credit 550 00:28:58,160 --> 00:28:58,600 Speaker 8: for everything. 551 00:28:58,680 --> 00:28:59,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's true. 552 00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:03,320 Speaker 8: Well, I just think it's one person can make a difference. 553 00:29:04,320 --> 00:29:07,200 Speaker 8: And you know, maybe that difference isn't that you'll be 554 00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:09,640 Speaker 8: a Fanny Cook, or that you'll be a Rachel Carson, 555 00:29:09,720 --> 00:29:12,600 Speaker 8: or that you'll be something else. But if you, as 556 00:29:12,640 --> 00:29:15,560 Speaker 8: an individual can reach the person who then is the 557 00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:19,840 Speaker 8: Fanny Cook or is the Rachel Carson, just follow your 558 00:29:19,880 --> 00:29:24,800 Speaker 8: passion and be open and do what you can. I 559 00:29:24,840 --> 00:29:28,200 Speaker 8: guess I'm not going to be Jane Goodall. I Am 560 00:29:28,240 --> 00:29:31,360 Speaker 8: not going to be Rachel Carson. But maybe I've exposed 561 00:29:31,840 --> 00:29:36,200 Speaker 8: somebody to those agendas that then will be that person 562 00:29:36,520 --> 00:29:40,680 Speaker 8: who takes that step. I'd like to think that. 563 00:29:40,480 --> 00:29:42,320 Speaker 1: It's a good thought too. I mean, because again you 564 00:29:42,440 --> 00:29:45,280 Speaker 1: pick up, especially in that book, like all these influences 565 00:29:45,320 --> 00:29:47,880 Speaker 1: that Fanny has at a young age, you know, from 566 00:29:48,040 --> 00:29:50,800 Speaker 1: the people at the Smithsonian or father, I mean, it 567 00:29:51,520 --> 00:29:54,880 Speaker 1: lists several of us. To your point, it's you know, 568 00:29:55,720 --> 00:29:58,000 Speaker 1: when her father was telling her by passenger pigeons that 569 00:29:58,080 --> 00:30:00,520 Speaker 1: she was younger. There's no way he could have known 570 00:30:00,600 --> 00:30:03,680 Speaker 1: that she needn't turn out, you know, But it didn't matter. 571 00:30:03,760 --> 00:30:07,240 Speaker 1: You know. He was investing those principles into his daughter. 572 00:30:08,040 --> 00:30:11,680 Speaker 1: And look how important that was down the road. One 573 00:30:11,760 --> 00:30:14,480 Speaker 1: person can make a difference. If there was ever a 574 00:30:14,560 --> 00:30:18,120 Speaker 1: person that was living proof of that, it's Fanny Cook. Heck, 575 00:30:18,240 --> 00:30:20,240 Speaker 1: if it wasn't for her, we might not have any 576 00:30:20,240 --> 00:30:22,840 Speaker 1: game animals to hunt here in Mississippi. And I don't 577 00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:24,600 Speaker 1: know what I would do with myself if we didn't 578 00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:28,360 Speaker 1: have that. I also thought so much about Miss Cathy's 579 00:30:28,360 --> 00:30:31,720 Speaker 1: perspective on her own impacts. Not all of us are 580 00:30:31,720 --> 00:30:34,000 Speaker 1: gonna be the Fanny Cooks or out of loop holes 581 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:36,760 Speaker 1: of the world, and that's okay. Not all of us 582 00:30:36,760 --> 00:30:38,640 Speaker 1: are going to get credit for the work that we do, 583 00:30:38,720 --> 00:30:42,480 Speaker 1: and you know what, that's okay too. What's important is 584 00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:45,560 Speaker 1: that we do what's right, we follow our passions, and 585 00:30:45,680 --> 00:30:49,280 Speaker 1: maybe we'll inspire other people around us. I catch myself 586 00:30:49,320 --> 00:30:51,680 Speaker 1: thinking all the time what my life would look like 587 00:30:51,720 --> 00:30:54,160 Speaker 1: had my dad never taken me deer hunting, or if 588 00:30:54,160 --> 00:30:57,760 Speaker 1: my friend Keith never took me turkey hunting. Your impact matters, 589 00:30:57,920 --> 00:31:01,760 Speaker 1: whether you realize it or not. And speaking of impacts 590 00:31:01,800 --> 00:31:04,560 Speaker 1: that matter, I said that this last story would tear 591 00:31:04,600 --> 00:31:07,320 Speaker 1: us up for the next episode, So this is your 592 00:31:07,360 --> 00:31:11,120 Speaker 1: homework until then. Think about what or who got you 593 00:31:11,240 --> 00:31:14,680 Speaker 1: interested in wildlife and wildlife conservation, because in the next 594 00:31:14,720 --> 00:31:17,560 Speaker 1: episode we're going to be learning about some life altering 595 00:31:17,640 --> 00:31:21,040 Speaker 1: conservation work, how it started, how it was carried out, 596 00:31:21,320 --> 00:31:24,000 Speaker 1: and how it's still benefiting us to this very day. 597 00:31:27,880 --> 00:31:29,560 Speaker 1: I want to thank all of you for listening to 598 00:31:29,600 --> 00:31:33,520 Speaker 1: Backwoods University as well as Bear Grease in This Country Life. 599 00:31:33,640 --> 00:31:36,400 Speaker 1: If you liked this episode, share it with someone this week. 600 00:31:36,480 --> 00:31:38,200 Speaker 1: I don't care if you like them or not, and 601 00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:45,280 Speaker 1: stick around. There's a whole lot more on the way.