Final Approach Podcast

"Mario talks turkey with some seasoned turkey hunters. J.J. Reich from Federal Ammunition and Brad Fenson outdoor communicator go through some key topics to make sure your next turkey hunt is a success. They cover calling, decoys, hunting strategies and how to put some of those things you see in the woods to your advantage. If your a turkey nut, come and gobble this podcast up.................ok that was a bit much. Enjoy. "

Today Mario is joined by Chandler, Patrick, and Josh from Rogers Sporting Goods to talk all things decoys.

Today Mario is joined by Alex Langbell from Gundog Outdoors to talk hunting dogs.

Today Mario is joined by Kyle and Tyler from Weatherby to talk all things shooting.

Today we are talking all things waterfowl ammunition with the guys from Federal.

Mario is joined by 3 of the 4 decoy carvers for Final Approach. In this episode everything comes full circle and everybody jumps into a waterfowl hunting conversation.

Mario is joined by 3 of the 4 decoy carvers for Final Approach. They discuss their techniques for creating first place prize winning carvings. Grab a notepad and a block of wood and get ready to carve like the champs.

Mario is joined by 3 of the 4 decoy carvers for Final Approach. They discuss all things hunting and decoys.

The FA Podcast is graced with a professional athlete in this episode. Mario is joined by a new friend of his who is a waterfowl junkie but lives a totally different lifestyle than most of us. David Bingham is a professional Soccer player for the Portland Timbers and waterfowl nut case. We talk about what his life is like playing a professional sport, then having his off-season during waterfowl season so he gets to chase birds constantly. His love for snow goose hunting started in California and has grown more and more each year. The white addiction has been rough for David as it has gone from having hundreds of snow socks, to thousands of socks and one trailer, then escalating to full body snows filled in one trailer and socks and more in another trailer. The struggle is real for a snow goose guy……………up at 3am, grinding all day with a big spread to put out and pick up, cleaning lots of birds to everything in between. David is also a hardcore dog trainer and that came from an early age with his dad who was in the dog training game a long time ago. He runs a race horse, not a duck dog! Nitro is every bit of what his name is, he is fast, long and lean and built to motor. We discuss how much time training takes up and what the results can be like once you have that fully trained and committed dog. Great fun on this podcast and a different perspective on waterfowl hunting.

On this episode of the FA podcast Mario is joined by Tim Lesser, the Vice President of Product Development and Marketing. Tim started in the outdoor industry as a big game guide in the West and worked his way up the ladder at Leupold, the leading brand in optics in the world. Mario has known Tim for over 15 years and they have always kept in touch and hunted whenever possible. Tim and his wife Riza enjoy waterfowling when they get the chance to go so we try and get them out any time we can. Mario has always used Leupold products as the home office is only 15 minutes away from home in Oregon and he has always had friends working there that liked to duck hunt and get out in the woods. The time was perfect to strike up a partnership and make Leupold one of our Web Series Partners. This year will be the first year that you will see the famous Leupold logo on “THE LAST PASS” Web series on YouTube. We talk about the Leupold brand, the strict quality control it has and what makes it the most successful brand in rifle scopes, binoculars, rangefinders and now protective eyewear. Tim hands off some great insight on what all those numbers mean on your binos or rifle scopes and how you can use those to pick your next pair of glass or make sure you get what you need for the job you are doing. Lots of great information about using optics in waterfowling and a few hunting stories to go with all that info. Hope you enjoy it.

On this Episode of the FA Podcast Mario's guest is Juho from Uittokalusto which is one of FA's biggest distributors. They are located in Finland and we had the chance to head there for an unreal bucket list trip. Mario started his trip in Finland, then to Sweden and last but not least Iceland. This podcast focuses on Finland and Sweden and the species of birds, the seasons and the unbelievable time they had in Europe on this trip. They talk about the incredible dog work and how Finland and Sweden have a rich dog hunting tradition. They have dogs for hunting deer, moose, waterfowl and more. Definitely some species were checked off the bucket list. Get a first hand look into hunting waterfowl in Europe.

On this episode of the FA Podcast Mario talks with the guys from Weatherby as they launch their new 18i shotgun, 3 inch model. They run through the specs of the gun, using it up in Canada and the trips that the guns were used on. We are also introduced to the new Weatherby Marketing director, Tyler Grethen. He is another bird fanatic as well as a big game chaser so we talk about the Weatherby shotgun line up, what is happening for the company and some things coming in the future. If you are looking for a new shotgun listen to what we have to say about this legendary brand and what they are up to. You might just find yourself a new model to put in the safe.

Oregon, USA – On this FA Podcast we talk to the final carver in the Final Approach carving team. Tom Christie, from Nebraska started carving in 1986. He is a 6 Time World Decoy Carving Champion and his eye for waterfowl and birds is unmatched. Tom not only carves and paints with the best in the world but his sketches before he starts carving are world class as well. We talk about those sketches and how they were so good and thought people would like them that we put them on some of our FA t-shirts this year. Tom has done a lot for FA including our Live Wigeon, Live Pintails, Live Gadwall and coming soon to a store near you, the brand new Live Full Body Honker decoys. They will be in a class all itself when they arrive this fall. We discuss his new book that is out, his website with all the instructional videos as well as how much he likes getting out in the field like all of us and hunting.

Oregon, USA – This week we keep our Final Approach Carver podcasts going with Jamie Welsh. Jamie is a 3 Time World Decoy Carving Champion. He started carving in 1988 and won the Worlds in 2002 for Black Belly Whistling ducks, in 2005 for a Black Brant and in 2014 for Pie Billed Grebes. Jamie is a very accomplished carver and we talk about his influences in carving and who helped him along the way. We talk about all the FA decoys he has done for us that are just incredible. The Northern Shovelers or Spoonies, the Full Body Snows, Blues and Full Body Specklebellies as well as the brand new Live Lesser Canada Geese that are just hitting the market now. Jamie has an eye for detail and is never satisfied but I can tell you all of us are. Hope you enjoy spending some time with South Carolina's own.

Oregon, USA – Today we are joined by Wayne Simkin, two time World Decoy carving champion. Wayne has been a part of the Final Approach carving team since we started bringing the brand back. We talk about what got him into carving and all the details he looks at when carving birds. We enjoy his passion for carving and listening to him talk about his favorite birds to hunt and to carve. Wayne has carved our #1 selling decoy, The Last Pass Canada Goose floaters. He has also done our Last Pass Speck, Snow and Blue Floaters. He has also carved our Greenwing, Bluewing and Cinnamon Teal decoys. We even get into talking about what is new for this year from Wayne. They are the Live Honker Floaters with several different packs and poses to choose from.

Oregon, USA – This episode of the FA Podcast Mario talks to Pat Godin, 17 time World Decoy Carving Champion. Pat grew up in Ontario Canada and carved his first fishing lure when he was 11. Pat has been carving in the professional world since 1976. He won his first  carving championship that year and has added 16 more to his trophy case. We talk to Pat about all the Live Mallards and Black ducks he has carved for us and the brand new Live Wood Ducks coming this fall. Pat is a special person not only in the carving world but also about his degree from university. Pat has a Bachelor's degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology and when he graduated he did some work at the famed Delta Waterfowl station in Manitoba. Pat's knowledge for Waterfowl and Mallards especially goes much farther than just carving.

Oregon, USA – This episode of the FA Podcast we are joined by Thomas Hoke from Hoke Outdoors. He is part of the Flyways collective and is an influencer for FA.   He hails from Virginia which is not on most folks top 10 for waterfowl hunting but Thomas says he gets it done and there are enough birds in the state to enjoy it. We talk about the public opportunities in Virginia and what it is like hunting that state. We also take a look into what Thomas is doing now that he is out of college and in the real world. He wants to pursue a life in the hunting industry just like many folks but it takes hard work to climb the ladder of success. Last on the episode is we talk about what Thomas has planned for this year as he steps up his YouTube channel with more or different kind of content.

Oregon, USA – This podcast we are joined by Jack Homa from E.S.P. or Electronic Shooters Protection. Jack spent 23 years in the Telecommunications industry, then he bought E.S.P. in 1996 and has been making hearing protection since. Jack is an end user, a hunter, and avid shooter, so we get firsthand stories and experiences from him on the products. Mario on the other hand has no background in this category except he has bought or used just about every product out there for hearing protection. We talk about all the hearing loss hunters have and the challenges that waterfowlers have with picking the right hearing protection and still being able to call, hear the birds and communicate with all their buddies while hunting. Hearing loss in shooters and hunters is no joke so do yourself a favor and take a good look at products like this and get the info you need to make a decision on what works best for you. There has been huge advancements in the technology to protect our hearing so give this episode a listen while you still have all your hearing intact. Follow FA on Instagram and Facebook Visit the FA website Checkout the FA YouTube channel

Oregon, USA – This week's podcast we are joined by the guys at Whiskey Sloughs Outfitters in Nebraska. These are a bunch of young guys making a huge step to live their dream of being in the waterfowl industry guiding clients on the famous Platte River. They specialize in Mallards, Honkers, and Lessers in the fall and then have a great layout for spring Turkeys on the creek bottoms in the Cornhusker state. We talk about their operation, what is so special about it and how they are going to do everything they can to put you on the birds if you head there. They have tons of drive and enthusiasm for waterfowl and that fits in great for us. Follow FA on Instagram and Facebook Visit the FA website Checkout the FA YouTube channel

Oregon, USA – On this week's FA podcast we are joined by Elliott Snider from Freelance Duck Hunting. He got started on his YouTube channel a long time ago and it was just to save his memories and to log statistics and hunt numbers. We talk about him pushing his hunting to the next level with more specific gear for more opportunities. The more tools you have in your hunting tool box the more you can be prepared for what the season throws at you. Lots of laughs, tips and different topics in this episode. Follow FA on Instagram and Facebook Visit the FA website Checkout the FA YouTube channel

Oregon, USA – This episode of the FA Podcast we are joined by Matt Zvolanek of High Prairie Sportsmen to talk about his YouTube Channel, how he got started and what he focuses on in his videos and content. We talk highlights of last year's trips, what he is looking forward to this fall and what birds he has not checked off his hit list. Lots of tips and tactics for hunting public land as Matt's videos are at least 90% on public land. Follow FA on Instagram and Facebook Visit the FA website Checkout the FA YouTube channel

Oregon, USA – This episode of the FA Podcast we are joined by Titus Headings who is the face of the YouTube Channel, Mid Valley Mercenaries. He also has a podcast called the MVM show. Based out of California, Titus and his crew chase birds and are as addicted as we are about decoying birds in the hole. We talk about his past and how he got started on YouTube and their affiliation with FA. He is serious about waterfowl hunting and is no secret. We talk about dogs, boats and other gear that are very important in the way he hunts and what he does. Follow FA on Instagram and Facebook Visit the FA website Checkout the FA YouTube channel

Oregon, USA – On this episode of the Final Approach Podcast we are joined by JJ Reich Senior Media Relations Manager at Federal  Ammunition. We discuss the 100th anniversary of Federal Ammunition and all the accomplishments and innovations that have come from this incredible company .  We start at the first shotshells made in Anoka MN in 1922 and how some of the original machinery and buildings are still being used.   We take a walk down memory lane going back 100 years of ground breaking products in shotshell, rifle and handgun ammunition as well as a few industry standards that are still in place today.  We also talk conservation and how important Federal has been on keeping all of us in the field chasing our passion.  Federal has also supported our law enforcement and government agencies as well as had a huge hand in helping in the war efforts. Lots of great information if you are wing shooter, gun nut or just love hunting and history. Follow FA on Instagram and Facebook Visit the FA website Checkout the FA YouTube channel

Oregon, USA – This episode of the FA Podcast Mario is joined by one of our long-time friends of the FA family. Brad Fenson is a freelance outdoor writer who has chased every critter on this planet. He loves waterfowl hunting and is very knowledgeable especially with Snow geese. He is a master at talking about and setting decoy spreads for the white devils and is a master chef at cooking them once we pile them up. It is great to catch up with him as the snows are just arriving in his home province of Alberta Canada. Hope you join us for some great tips and talk about spring snows and chasing them. Follow FA on Instagram and Facebook Visit the FA website Checkout the FA YouTube channel

Oregon, USA – We talk to John Vaca who worked closely with Jeff Foiles and the Bushnell team to grow the FA Brand and keep it a relevant waterfowl brand through the good and bad. John saw this iconic brand get picked apart and come to a slow death in the grips of the corporate world. This was a major step in the final chapter of the old FA Brand as we know it. Follow FA on Instagram and Facebook Visit the FA website Checkout the FA YouTube channel

Oregon, USA – In an attempt to appeal to all waterfowlers FA makes a move to put Flyway icons in the spotlight. Bill Saunders of Bill Saunders calls and Big Guns Waterfowl is our guest as we talk the early years of FA as Bill was there through the thick and thin of fit. He saw the sale of the company 4 times and saw the ups and downs of the brand and stuck with it. He grew his name and his business and helped FA grow in Western waterfowl market. Follow FA on Instagram and Facebook Visit the FA website Checkout the FA YouTube channel

Oregon, USA – In this episode we talk about Jeff's first split with FA, his very brief stint at Avery and why he came back to Final Approach. We dive into the retail war that was going on at this time between waterfowl companies, call makers, big names and more. This is one podcast not to miss. Follow FA on Instagram and Facebook Visit the FA website Checkout the FA YouTube channel

Oregon, USA – We talk to Jeff Foiles who's rise in the waterfowl world was a grind and turned into Rock Stardom once he hit. He was the face of the brand for years and had his own signature series blinds and gear. He was an integral part of the evolution of FA. We talk about his early years working as an iron worker and doing waterfowl on the side and how getting involved in the waterfowl business changed his life. Follow FA on Instagram and Facebook Visit the FA website Checkout the FA YouTube channel

Oregon, USA – We talk to Lee Kjos, one of the hunting industry's master photographers. Lee is a marketing genius and was instrumental in the next step of the Final Approach branding with logos, videos, print advertisements and more. This is also the time that Kolpin and Final Approach are sold to Bushnell outdoors and it begins a new era for FA as they get into the decoy market and start building other items. There are a ton of changes at the brand and Lee is involved in a lot of them including having Jeff Foiles become the face of the FA Brand. Follow FA on Instagram and Facebook Visit the FA website Checkout the FA YouTube channel

Oregon, USA – In this episode we talk to Duke Levan who helped Ron with the original frame design and he built the first Eliminator frames for Ron on the samples and the first run of production blinds. Duke was a very close friend of Tim Grounds and they hunted and filmed with each other for years and created a special bond. You will hear some great stories about Tim and the crew and a lot of insight into the beginning of the FA brand and how the waterfowl industry grew after the creation on the layout blind. Follow FA on Instagram and Facebook Visit the FA website Checkout the FA YouTube channel

Oregon, USA – We talk to Dave about the timing of Final Approach's launch and how that helped push Dave and the DSD decoy line into a national brand. This all happens at a time when innovation in the waterfowl category is at an all-time high and other brands emerge and that makes the waterfowl category's growth tremendous. We talk about our original FA Eliminator blinds and how incredible they were and how ours are still in working condition after 25 plus years. Lots of great stories and info in this podcast. Follow FA on Instagram and Facebook Visit the FA website Checkout the FA YouTube channel

Oregon, USA – We talk to Fred Zink of Zink Calls and Avian-X on the early years with Ron Latschaw and Final Approach, and when he left FA to go to a new company called Avery Outdoors. They would end up being FA's main competitor and this would turn into a retail war. This was the start of the boom of the waterfowl industry with all the icons and big names in the industry that would be in charge of a lot of major companies in the future. Fred also has more Tim Grounds stories than anyone in the industry and once you hear one Grounds story you think that is the funniest you have ever heard, until you hear the next one. LOL. This is a podcast you do not want to miss. Follow FA on Instagram and Facebook Visit the FA website Checkout the FA YouTube channel

Oregon, USA – We talk to Darren Lundy who is one of Ron's closest friends as we look back at the start of the company. They traveled together and hunted together so get an inside look at the start of the company that really was created out of one hunters idea to hide better and be more effective at hunting waterfowl. We will talk about the next evolution with Kolpin, growing a national brand, dealing with shareholders and the corporate side of the business and what he saw Ron and the crew go through. Follow FA on Instagram and Facebook Visit the FA website Checkout the FA YouTube channel

Oregon, USA – We talk about the progression of the FA brand and how things changed after Ron sold the company to Kolpin Outdoors. He was designing more products and had help from a bigger company with marketing, research and all the assets of a big company. There were some tough times as well dealing with corporate America but those were all challenges Ron fought through. We talk about all the marketing of the Videos like Full Moon Fever that were cornerstones of the industry. Tim Grounds of Tim Grounds Calls, Bill Saunders of Bill Saunders Calls, Cory Hamrick and Marcus Flesher of the Original Hardcore decoys in Idaho and more. It was a great time in the industry and the start of things to come. Follow FA on Instagram and Facebook Visit the FA website Checkout the FA YouTube channel

Oregon, USA – We talk to Ron Latschaw the Father of the FIRST Layout Blind. He first created the Slider Blind that turned into the mass produced Eliminator Layout blind and this changed waterfowl hunting for years to come. We will talk about the original slider blind and why he created it and what he was thinking when he did. We also talk about all the other companies that were pushed forward in the waterfowl category with the emergence of FA. Learn about the start of a great company and how it changed the waterfowl world and the whole hunting category. Follow FA on Instagram and Facebook Visit the FA website Checkout the FA YouTube channel

Oregon, USA – This week's FA Podcast join Mario as he talks to Rob Reynolds from Ranchland Outfitters in Alberta Canada about crossing the border this year with Covid and all the protocols. It is not as hard as folks think so we run through all the things you need to know and what you need to prepare for before heading across the border and also returning to the U.S. Follow FA on Instagram and Facebook Visit the FA website Checkout the FA YouTube channel

Oregon, USA – This episode of the FA Podcast is all about getting better with your camera in the field. We are joined by Lefty Ray Chapa, who is an award winning freelance outdoor photographer/writer from San Antonio, TX. His focus is very narrow as he only covers anything to do with a shotgun or a fly rod. Currently he pens the “Lefty’s Blind Bag” column for the American Waterfowler magazine and is the contracted photographer for the Clay Target Nation magazine. We will cover everything from using your cell phone to stepping your game up with a point and shoot camera and then the ultimate photo geek cameras with different lenses and options. This is for the person who wants to start taking photos in the field or someone who wants to get better. Follow FA on Instagram and Facebook Visit the FA website Checkout the FA YouTube channel

Oregon, USA – Join us as we talk to the “CROWMAN” and the Kraw Militia as we talk tips, tactics and smacking crows. Todd Gifford is an avian pest control specialist from everything from pigeons to crows. Todd walks the fine line of hunting and extermination and uses every angle and trick in the book to get the leg up on these birds. Scouting, concealment, calling and even the time of day you are going to hunt plays a huge roll in the outcome of a shoot. Follow FA on Instagram and Facebook Visit the FA website Checkout the FA YouTube channel

Oregon, USA – If you are not familiar with crow hunting or the name Bob Aronson I can tell you they go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly. Bob has seen, chased and killed more crows than most men alive. He has wrote books, done videos, chat pages, forums and more to help educate hunters on chasing these intelligent birds. Bob has chased crows for over 40 seasons and has surpassed 150,000 crow kills. A legend is not a strong enough word as this takes dedication, knowledge and a ridiculous amount of passion. If you are looking to have some other kind of wing shooting and decoying success when waterfowl season is over this is for you. Follow FA on Instagram and Facebook Visit the FA website Checkout the FA YouTube channel

Oregon, USA - We will be joined by two of the best snow goose hunters I know in the field. Brad Fenson, freelance outdoor writer and one of the best wild game chefs on our continent from Ardrossan Alberta Canada and Steven Hawkinson from the Sacramento Valley and owner of Kupt Up Custom Duck Straps. We will talk decoy spreads, calling, concealment and more. Scouting is also a key in different parts of the U.S. and Canada as there are a few factors that are important in some areas and not as important in other areas. Pray for wind though,  so we can get them in tight! Follow FA on Instagram and Facebook Visit the FA website Checkout the FA YouTube channel

Oregon, USA – We will be joined by some of the FA influencers around the country to talk late dark goose tactics. If you still have some time to chase some dark geese with a late season, join us as we go over some strategies that might help you put a few more Canada geese in the bag. We will take calls, tips and input from anyone around the globe that has a late dark season to see what they are doing to make these late season hunts memorable. Follow FA on Instagram and Facebook Visit the FA website Checkout the FA YouTube channel

Oregon, USA – This episode we talk about the struggle of waterfowl season and the ups and downs. Joining us is Josh Peck from Outdoor Limits. Josh is a up and coming young gun with a big Youtube following for his waterfowl videos. Follow FA on Instagram and Facebook Visit the FA website Checkout the FA YouTube channel

Oregon, USA – This episode deals with wing shooting and maximizing your firearm for your days in the field. There is one product that I cannot leave the house with and that is my Benelli SBE III with my Patternmaster Decoy Tube in it. There is no substitute for the technology in this product and how it performs. This is a very technical product and if you do not shoot one sit in and listen to what it can do for your waterfowl hunting. Less cripples, more clean kills, less tired dogs. Follow FA on Instagram and Facebook Visit the FA website Checkout the FA YouTube channel

Oregon, USA – Join us as we visit with Josh Miller, owner of Riverstone Kennels in Wisconsin and a Field Specialist for SportDog. We talk about gun dogs both young and old and getting yours ready for the season and how to keep him going during  the season. Lots of tips, tricks and help you with your dog. This is very close to us as we have Jett our 7 month old Black Lab who is going into] his first season. Lots of great info, hope you check it out. Follow FA on Instagram and Facebook Visit the FA website Checkout the FA YouTube channel

Oregon, USA - We talk to Josh Miller of Riverstone Kennels in WI. He also works for SportDOG and has a love of retrievers like we do as waterfowlers. We talk about getting a new pup started and on his way and some common mistakes. This is selfish for me as I get 4 month old Jett up to speed and make sure I am doing all I can as the trainer to make sure we both are learning the right way to do things. We also talk about duck dogs in general and training tips to keep your dog in tune. Follow FA on Instagram and Facebook Visit the FA website Checkout the FA YouTube channel

Oregon, USA –  Michigan DNR biologist Joe Robison is a long time friend and waterfowler with some great insights into waterfowl biology, habitat and behavior. We talk about the duck migration and how it has changed and the factors that go into that change. We talk different food sources and what the birds look for at different times in the season. We also just talk the love and tradition of waterfowl hunting and what the state of Michigan has to offer. Follow FA on Instagram and Facebook Visit the FA website Checkout the FA YouTube channel