Hunting Matters

Heidi Lyn Rao was hired by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) in 1998 and has recruited, trained, and retained volunteers, as the Hunter Education Specialist for Southeast Texas. In 2010 she also assumed the role as statewide Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) Coordinator.During her TPWD career, she developed many partnerships and organized many education & outreach events. She started “Take Me Outdoors Houston” in 2009, when the Texas Wildlife Expo ended, and brings this annual family-friendly, free, hands-on outdoor event to Discovery Green, Downtown Houston. She hosts wildlife workshops ranging from alligators to big game. She promotes hunting and outdoor safety to groups ranging from elementary school aged to flying offshore via helicopter to speak to oil and gas employees in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico on a platform. From teaching firearm safety to Rodeo Clowns during the Houston Rodeo, to hosting Hunter Education classes at the Sam Houston (horse) Raceway, conducting National Archery in the Schools Program and Student Air Rifle certifications, and partnering with many hunting, shooting and conservation organizations across Texas.She has coordinated twenty-seven statewide BOW workshops across Texas, including the first-ever VIRTUAL BOW in 2020. She has reached over 7,000 Ladies who have attended BOW and continued their outdoors skills ultimately becoming hunters, anglers, and archers, especially through mentored BOW hunts. To date, 10 Texas Outdoor Women Network (TOWN) groups have launched across the state because of the statewide BOW.She received IHEA's Professional of the Year; IHEA's Executive Director's Award; TPWD's Terry Erwin Hunter Education LEGACY award, Houston Safari Club Educator of the Year and she is also in the Texas Hunter Education Halls of Fame. She and her (now retired) TPWD Game Warden husband of 25 yrs., John, have 4 boys: Dominic is 21 and works for Laser Shot Simulations in Houston; Matthew is 20 and is a sophomore at the University of Arkansas with a 4.0 and on his way to be a large animal vet; JohnJohn is 17 and is a Junior; and Luke is 14 and is in 8th grade. The Rao's are avid hunters and enjoy camping, trapping, and the shooting sports together.WEBSITE: https://tpwd.texas.gov/education/hunter-educationSOCIAL MEDIA: https://www.facebook.com/tpwdoutdoorwoman

Chris Dorsey has been called the 'brand-father' of outdoor television having helped create and launch almost 60 series in the outdoor genre and an equal number of series in mainstream television, including for such networks as ABC, Discovery Channel, History Channel, HGTV, Travel, DIY, ESPN, WGN America, National Geographic, Nat Geo Wild, Destination America, Oxygen, and all the outdoor networks.Dorsey formerly served as editor in chief of Sports Afield and Ducks Unlimited magazines, is the author of twelve books, and is a regular contributor to Forbes. His work also has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, National Geographic, Newsweek, and The Robb Report. He is among the world's most widely traveled hunters having taken the twenty-nine big game species of North America, the deadly seven species of Africa, the spiral horns of Africa and the wild turkey world slam. He is a member of the Outdoor Legends Hall of Fame and is a recipient of the Ray Scott Trailblazer Award as well as the Curt Gowdy Memorial Award.Dorsey has also served in board and advisory positions of numerous conservation and sporting advocacy organizations. Chris is the producer and host of Sporting Classics with Chris Dorsey television show airing on Outdoor Channel, CarbonTV, Waypoint TV, Outdoor America, and Wild Television Network.

Sarah Hall; Project and Events Manager Sarah focuses on planning and executing our fundraising events. Sarah is a product of the athletes we support, starting her shooting career in 4-H and then becoming a scholar-athlete with the University of Kentucky Rifle Team. Sarah has been with the Foundation for 6 years. Dani Farris; Marketing Manager Dani markets all the programs of MidwayUSA Foundation, from the website to social media, to digital and print advertising. Dani also works closely with Sarah to plan and execute events. Dani has been with the Foundation for 10 years and is passionate about the important life lessons our youth gain when they participate in sports and are part of a team.

Dakotah Richardson is the National Sales Manager for RC Cartridges. Dakotah is a former United States Olympic resident shotgun athlete, competing for Team USA Shooting, and a member of the 2013 World Cup Acapulco Team.

James Lofton has spent the last 25 years as an ambassador for the hunting and shooting sports. In addition to being a member of HSCF, he is a Benefactor Member of the NRA, a Life Member of the North American Hunting Club as well as a member of the Congressional Sportsman Foundation and Gun Owners of America, among others. He has a passion for introducing new hunters to our sport and preserving our hunting and gun rights. James is eager to put his skills and passion to work for the HSCF.James has a history of volunteering and leading charity events and groups. He was the founder and chairman of the DFW Oilman's Tactical Shoot from 2009-2017, which donated proceeds to support military and veteran's groups such as Combat Marine Outdoors. CMO takes purple heart recipients on hunting and fishing trips as part of their recovery process. Sharing a camp with these hero's is one of the highlights of James' hunting experiences. James also was the Chairman of the Shoot from the Heart Brazos Valley Sporting Clays Tournament from 2004-2007.After graduating from Texas A&M, James spent the last 28 years in the oil and gas industry. He is a managing partner of JAN Resources, LLC, an oilfield service company that specializes in water treating and completion chemicals. He was a member of the FW SPE Board of Directors for 5 years, serving as President and Scholarship Chairman during that time. James and his wife Kathryn (HSCF Member also) were fortunate to win the bid on several of the hunts and items sold at the HSCF Annual Convention dinners and Gazelle's Luncheon auctions, including 2 safaris in Namibia which they completed in the summer of 2019. He was also able to share this hunt with his father, who was instrumental in starting James' passion for hunting. James learned from his father that the woods, prairies, mountains, lakes and rivers we all enjoy are a great place to teach others about life lessons and gain an appreciation for the outdoors.

Michael Sabbeth is a lawyer, lecturer, consultant and author. He lectures nationally and internationally on hunting and shooting ethics, rhetoric and the art of persuasion. Mr. Sabbeth consistently presents at International Hunter Education Association conferences, Texas Hunter Education Instructors Association and at major hunting and shooting conventions including Safari Club International, the Dallas Safari Club and the Namibia Professional Hunters Association.He writes for about one dozen national and international print and on-line hunting and shooting magazines. He volunteers with organizations that support hunting and shooting opportunities for disabled people including veterans. He has written two books related to ethics and promoting hunting: “The Good, The Bad & The Difference: How to Talk with Children About Values” and “The Honorable Hunter: How to Honorably & Persuasively Defend & Promote Hunting”. Mr. Sabbeth lives in Denver, Colorado. His website is www.thehonorablehunter.com

Dr. Ed Ashby, a legend in the archery hunting community for dedicating more than 27 years to the study of arrow performance and broadhead lethality on six continents. Thanks to Dr. Ashby and his crew, his Natal Study helped legalize archery hunting in South Africa. Many sub-Saharan countries followed suit. The Natal Study was the definitive document used to successfully lobby for bowhunting legalization.Dr. Ashby is also the co-founder of the Ashby Bowhunting Foundation, the leading global authority on arrow and broadhead lethality.

Alfredo (Rick) Franco is the Co-Founder of Four Branches Spirits Company. Rick is a U.S. Marine (Ret.) with 20-plus years of leadership, organizational management, and entrepreneurial experience. Rick's career has been extremely diverse, from being a graduate of the prestigious Virginia Military Institute and later a Marine Infantry Officer, to one of the first Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection contractors with Booz Allen, to a covert protective agent for the U.S. intelligence community with more than 30 deployments to hostile areas.Rick's leadership experience as a Marine Infantry Officer enabled him to quickly become a lead contractor for one of the government's most extensive covert protective contracts. During his tenure as a contractor, his leadership ability, drive and critical thinking resulted in his being awarded the Agency Seal medal for hostile actions encountered.After stepping away from contracting, Rick went on to become the Chief Operating Officer for Heroes and Horses, a non-profit for combat veterans with PTSD based in Montana. Aside from being a decorated Marine and government contractor, Rick is also a co-founder and partner of a successful hunting decoy manufacturing company. Currently, Rick is the Director of Safety and Security for the Troubadour Club, a Discovery Land Company development in Tennessee.

Corey Meyer and his co-founder and long-time friend Charlie Pehrson started Steelhead Outdoors when they had children and wanted to store their firearms securely. They weren't satisfied with what they found on the market and decided to make their own safes. Meyer combines his natural ability and passion to create modular gun safes that firearms owners can take with them when they change residences. The durable safes can be passed down to the next generation. Corey draws upon his mechanical engineering background and hands-on experience in the automotive industry to design innovative products using premium components. All products are Made in the USA in Minnesota. Gun safes, pistol lock boxes, gun cabinets and accessories are available at steelheadoutdoors.com.

As the old Lone Star saying goes, real-life cowboy and cattle rancher Anthony Thomas wasn't born in Texas, but he got here as soon as he could. As a kid, he dreamed of being a rodeo cowboy in Texas, raising cattle and owning a ranch. Now that he's here, the ‘Aussie-Texan' is working on getting his fellow Texans to eat better beef. In 2020, Thomas found his award-winning professional rodeo career sidelined by the COVID-19 epidemic. The pro rodeo circuit was dormant while the pandemic surged worldwide and Thomas began reassessing the road ahead with a young family to think of.After meeting his wife and settling in the Bayou City, Thomas established the Thomas Cattle Co. and began ranching west of the city, extolling the virtues of locally grown, chemical-free, ethically produced Angus beef. Thomas conveys the importance of buying directly from a ranch in Texas, cutting out the corporate middleman, and knowing where your beef is coming from. Thomas' history as a teenage Australian ranch hand, butcher and later a bull rider touring the United States informed his current incarnation as a bespoke cattle baron. He has discovered that his decades of ranching, rustling and riding horses and bulls could give him an edge when it came to running his own cattle business.

Bill Stransky is the Executive Director of The Texas Rice Industry Coalition for the Environment (R.I.C.E.). The Texas Rice Industry Coalition for the Environment (R.I.C.E.) was formed in February 1995. Their mission is to build a coalition of interests to foster and strengthen relationships between the rice industry and the natural resources of our rice-producing area in Texas.R.I.C.E. has created, enhanced, and/or restored an estimated 15,000 acres of wetland habitat and an additional 20,000 acres of native prairie. This includes work on all of the national wildlife refuges located on the upper and middle Texas coast as well as the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Wildlife Management Areas (WMA). R.I.C.E. has also worked extensively on private lands including establishing perpetual conservation easements on 4 ranches.

Derek Ham is an accomplished businessman with a passion for the outdoors, hunting and conservation. He is especially passionate about getting kids and others involved in hunting and guiding them to understand the link and truth between hunting and conservation. He began his first career in Los Angeles working in the music industry. He later moved back to Texas in support of his family and pursued a career in Commercial Construction. Ultimately, his passion for the outdoors led him to Farm and Ranch Real Estate where he currently represents Ruple Ranch & Land.Derek's passion for the outdoors was fostered as a young boy by his father who grew up on the famed LX Cattle Ranch in the Texas panhandle. His father set the groundwork for his love of hunting and fishing. Derek has been an avid hunter and conservationist for the majority of his life traveling around the world hunting both unique and more traditional game alike. His most notable hunting accomplishment was being dropped by float plane in Alaska for a week for a self-guided hunt where he harvested the Number 11 all-time Pope & Young Moose with his recurve bow. Among other countries, he has also been a successful hunter in New Zealand, Spain, Greenland and Newfoundland. But, of course, he has and does most prominently hunt in our great state of Texas. Derek is a Lifetime member of Houston Safari Club Foundation, a member of the HSCF Board of Directors, and previously chaired the HSCF Annual Sporting Clays Tournament for two years. Prior to his time at HSCF, he chaired the Adventures program for Sky High for Kids where he organized and executed hunts for pediatric cancer patients for over five years. Derek is also a member of TDA, RMEF, NWTF, TTHA, NRA, Sportsman's Alliance, and Quail Coalition. Derek shares his passion for hunting with his wife Jeni and daughter Sydney. Both of whom have traveled with him on his hunting adventures. He takes care to demonstrate his concern for a healthy wildlife population and ensure that the hunt is more than the harvesting of game but, more importantly, it's about the experience.

This week Joe and Ramon sit down to start it all over with hunting 101. Ramon asks Joe all the questions from a novice hunter. Joe gets upset with Ramon and fires him. (That last part was a joke) But they do cover a lot of ground floor issues regarding hunting. If you're new to hunting or need a refresher course, this is the show for you.

Black Bears in Texas with Amanda M. Veals Dutt, PhD Amanda M. Veals Dutt, PhD, Carnivore Specialist and Research Scientist, Borderlands Research Institute, Sul Ross State University. Dr. Dutt is the Carnivore Specialist and post-doctoral Research Scientist at Borderlands Research Institute. Her research focuses on the spatial ecology and interspecific interactions between mammalian predators, such as black bears and mountain lions, and their prey. Her research in the Trans-Pecos aims to inform management decisions and habitat conservation. Before coming to BRI, Amanda graduated in 2014 with a BS in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from University of Arizona. During her undergraduate career, Amanda assisted on several carnivore research projects and worked in Namibia on caracals (African lynx), where her passion for carnivore conservation and management began. She earned her MS degree from the University of Arizona in Wildlife Conservation and Management in 2018, studying gray fox spatial ecology. Her thesis research informed disease management through an understanding of interspecific interactions among mesocarnivores. Amanda completed her PhD in Wildlife Sciences from Texas A&M University-Kingsville with the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute in 2021. Her dissertation focused on the endangered ocelot in an effort to reduce road mortalities. Amanda focused on ocelot spatial ecology and landscape connectivity using four decades of data. Amanda's research program at BRI seeks to link ecology with applied conservation and management strategies. She has strong interests in spatial and landscape ecology, interspecific interactions, and predator-prey dynamics.

Dr. Derr is a Professor of Veterinary Pathobiology and Genetics at Texas A&M University. He is the Director of the DNA Technologies Core Laboratory and served as the Chair of the Faculty of Genetics at Texas A&M University and the President of the Texas Genetics Society. For over 25 years, he has directed worldwide research projects in wildlife and livestock conservation genetics. This body of work has produced more than 75 scientific publications reporting original research on many different species. For example, his research program has produced articles on North American bison, bottlenose dolphins, domestic and wild cats, elk, pronghorn antelope, sheep, quail, white-tailed and mule deer, bowhead whales, domestic livestock and multiple fish species. In addition, Dr. Derr is an impactful educator through his teaching efforts in undergraduate genetics courses to students interested in medicine (human and veterinary) and he has mentored over 100 graduate students in the fields of conservation/population genetics and animal health. One of Dr. Derr's most popular courses is “Wildlife Conservation Medicine”. This course is designed for first- and second-year veterinary students to travel to South Africa and Botswana to learn how to chemically immobilize, treat and transport everything from African plains game to dangerous game. His efforts with these young veterinarians ensure they graduate with specialized knowledge and skills to handle health care and conservation issues with the tremendous number of exotic wildlife species here in the State of Texas on private ranches and preserves.

Gib Surles is principal and founder of The Forrest Group, L.L.C., an estate management firm in Houston, Texas, that specializes in wealth transfer and business succession planning. Utilizing life insurance, his firm works with family-owned businesses and high net worth individuals in addressing problems common to the transfer of assets, lifestyles, and financial security to future generations. Gib graduated from Texas A & M University in 1985 with a B.B.A in Marketing and received his Master of Science in Financial Services (MSFS) from The American College in 2001. He was awarded the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®) in 1996, Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®) in 1997, Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) in 1997, and Accredited Estate Planner (AEP®) in 1999. Gib has been married to his wife, Lauri, for thirty-five years. He has a twenty-nine-year-old son, Forrest, who is a 2016 Graduate of the Mays Business School at Texas A&M University. He is also father to twenty-six-year-old twin daughters, Autumn and Amy, who both graduated from Texas A&M University in 2019. He is an active member of St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Houston, TX, where he serves on the Vestry. He also currently serves as the Chairperson of the Houston Safari Club Foundation's annual Sporting Clays Tournament is a loyal supporter of the Hunters for the Hungry.

Kyle began his career in television as a fitness consultant for a local medical show, quickly rising through the ranks to become the Vice President. While producing many of his own shows, Kyle was nominated for 3 Emmys! Wanting to use his experience to promote his passion for the outdoors, he left the show to produce his own. Of the original creators of the show, Kyle has always been described as “The Passion”. His love for the outdoors developed while learning from his Dad on countless hunting and fishing trips. Gaining this appreciation of the outdoors, Kyle has a wealth of experience in both hunting and fishing, but still enjoys learning new tactics with the audience.

Kyle began his career in television as a fitness consultant for a local medical show, quickly rising through the ranks to become the Vice President. While producing many of his own shows, Kyle was nominated for 3 Emmys! Wanting to use his experience to promote his passion for the outdoors, he left the show to produce his own. Of the original creators of the show, Kyle has always been described as “The Passion”. His love for the outdoors developed while learning from his Dad on countless hunting and fishing trips. Gaining this appreciation of the outdoors, Kyle has a wealth of experience in both hunting and fishing, but still enjoys learning new tactics with the audience.

Kile Jones is the Director of Marketing for Apex Ammunition. Kyle leads the development and management of marketing initiatives for the company and works with the current advertising, communications, and social media teams. A lifelong hunter, Jones has been involved in the hunting and shooting industry for 15 years and was an Apex Ambassador before joining the company. Prior to that, he served as Marketing Specialist for Dive Bomb Industries where he assisted with product development and managed content creation, social media, and customer service. He also worked for Higdon Outdoors/Power Calls as National Sales Manager. Kile is an avid turkey and waterfowl hunter. Jones was the 2008 Junior World Goose Calling Champion and World Goose Calling Champion in 2018 and 2019. He is a mentor with First Hunt Foundation and a volunteer with Ducks Unlimited. Kile, his wife, and two Labrador Retrievers reside in Michigan.

Jeff Garrett is a Life Member of the Houston Safari Club Foundation. He has been a life-long avid Texas hunter since he was old enough to hold a gun and hit the dove field or sit in a deer stand with his father and grandfather. He has recently acquired mountain fever and has taken and/or scheduled several mountain hunts of late.Jeff is passionate about protecting hunting rights and is also a life member of several other hunting associations, including SCI, Wild Sheep Foundation, GSCO/Ovis, Rocky Mountain Goat Association and Alaska Professional Hunters Association. If Jeff isn't hunting, he is reading, watching and learning about hunting and how to protect the heritage. Jeff has been married to his wife, Debra, for 26 years. They have two children, Rylee who is a senior in accounting at Baylor, and Collin who recently received his bachelor's degree from Baylor and his master's degree from Texas A&M. Collin is also a very avid hunter. Jeff has a bachelor's and master's degree in engineering from Texas A&M and a law degree from South Texas College of Law. He is a registered professional engineer, registered patent attorney and a licensed attorney by the State Bar of Texas since 1992. Jeff is the Assistant General Counsel, Intellectual Property, for Chevron Phillips Chemical Company. Jeff has served on several boards. The most recent was as the 2019-20 Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce, where he has been a member of the board for many years. He has also been on the boards for the Education for Tomorrow Alliance and Woodlands Bar Association. Jeff has also been the Pacesetter Chair for the United Way.

Brandon Maddox, CEO and owner of Silencer Central, is recognized as a national thought leader on Class 3 firearms. What began as Maddox's home-based Federal Firearms License (FFL) evolved into a Class 3 Dealership and has grown into the nationwide brand it is today. Maddox's NFA expertise makes him a popular voice for the industry, and he speaks regularly at National Compliance Conferences. He recently joined the board of directors for Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, working to protect and advocate for the hunting and shooting industry.Before his work with Silencer Central, Maddox practiced pharmacy and served as a marketing executive in the pharmaceutical industry. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and holds a master's in business administration (MBA) from Duke University. Megan, Maddox's wife, is a 5th generation South Dakotan, and together they have two daughters. Maddox is passionate about varmint hunting and has spent more than a decade honing his expertise in the Western Dakota prairies.

Brian Anderson aka “The Tick Terminator” has had a lifelong fascination with the little blood suckers we call the “tick.” His interest peaked about 10 years ago due to his wife's continued fear of them and with several friends suffering from Lyme Disease. This began the intense search for preventative ways to keep the ticks off from us. He has spent countless hours investigating, studying, experimenting, and loves to share his findings with audiences across the country. He is now on a God given mission as a one of a kind “Tick and Lyme Disease Prevention Specialist.” This makes him a consultant, a conference speaker, author, and a provider of unique and cost-effective repellants. His enthusiasm and humor have landed him on several outdoor TV shows, radio shows, and podcasts during the last few years. He has also created a very unique and informative website with tips to help protect outdoor workers, hunters, hikers, backpackers, campers, and anyone else who goes outside at www.thetickterminator.com He lives with his wife in the Iron Mountain, MI area and they have two grown children and four grandchildren.

Dan Schultz is the Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Cuddeback. Prior to being at Cuddeback, Dan worked for WildComm as Vice President of Sales selling sponsorships for some of the larger hunting television shows including Crush with Lee & Tiffany, Whitetail Freaks, Hunt Masters, and others. Dan lives in Wisconsin and loves to hunt and fish.

Mark Olis is the Content Marketing Manager for Moultrie Mobile.Mark grew up in the deep South hunting small game before eventually advancing to chasing deer and turkeys throughout the hills, hollows, and swamps of Alabama. After graduating from Auburn University with a degree in Journalism, he spent the next thirteen years in the outdoor industry working as an editor on numerous outdoor hunting titles (Whitetail Journal, Predator Xtreme, Southern Sporting Journal, Bowhunting World and more).Mark is also a trail-camera enthusiast and has spent the past five years working in the marketing department for Moultrie Mobile. Mark enjoys spending time outdoors with his children hunting, foraging, and cooking all of the wonderful wild food.

Having spent 33 years as a game warden for Texas Parks and Wildlife, Danny has had the opportunity to serve Texans. Conservation of our natural resources has been his focus both professionally and personally. He and his wife Elaine have raised four daughters and one son.Danny had the privilege throughout his career to hold many positions within the Law Enforcement division. He began his career in 1986 as a field game warden in Port Isabel and completed the final leg as Lieutenant Colonel (Director of Field Operations). Along the way he held the positions of lieutenant, captain and major. Danny spent five years as the director of training at the Game Warden Training Center.He has invested the last decade of his career involved in conservation issues at the state and national level. He helped create a National Leadership Academy for conservation law enforcement professionals, held annually in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. The curriculum that was developed challenges students to face the realities of resource management, exploitation of our natural resources and building impactful relationships with all our stakeholders.Danny wants to become a catalyst for engaging Texans to intentionally help game wardens stop those individuals and groups who are stealing our resources. He believes that each and every species is irreplaceable and exists for our spirit and harmony of our world.

Kevin Ormston has been a member and active volunteer of HSC since 2008, and a Life Member in 2012. He has served on the HSC Board from 2011-2015, was 2015 Convention Chairman “Where the Wild Things Are”, he was on the HSC Finance Committee from 2011 to 2016, Membership Chairman from 2011 to 2014, Membership Committee member from 2009 to 2010, HSC Silent Auction Committee member in 2012 and Shoot For The Troops Committee member in 2012 and 2013. Kevin served as President of Houston Safari Club in 2016. After his president year, Kevin has stayed engaged with the club by regularly attending Board meetings and volunteering as the Convention Raffle Chairman for the last 5 years.In addition, Kevin has supported the Club with sponsorships over the years for HSC's Hunting Awards Program, HSC's Sporting Clays Tournament and he has supported the Gazelles Luncheon with most recently a Gold Sponsorship and several Silver Sponsorships since 2013.Kevin's love for hunting and the outdoors started when he was 8 years old and he fully supports HSC's mission in conservation, education, and hunters' rights. He is in the construction industry and owns Rummel Creek Builders and Rummel Creek Pools. He has been happily married to Cheryl for almost 20 years and has two daughters Kayla and Kendall…all HSC members.

This week Joe and Ramon discuss the best movies about hunting and fishing. Also they discuss which movies are on repeat while in camp.

Nick Skally- Vice President of Marketing and E-CommerceFORLOH, a new premium, technical hunting, fishing, and outdoor apparel brand with apparel that is 100% made in the U.S.A. FORLOH, in its 3rd year of business, has two flagship stores in Whitefish, Montana, and Austin, Texas.

Edward J. Hudson has traveled the world since childhood and recently decided to combine his love of nature, hunting, and international travel. During his childhood, Ed remembers stories of how there used to be more deer, more sheep, and more game. He grew tired of these stories and became an avid wildlife conservationist because of stories from the past like these. Since 2017, Ed has hunted the rainforest and savanna of Cameroon, the Pamir Mountains of Tajikistan, the Hindu-Kush and Karakoram Mountains of Pakistan, the Altai and Hangai Mountains of Mongolia, the Zambezi escarpment of Zimbabwe, the Austrian Alps and even the Danube Valley of Hungary.Ed's passion for conservation drove him to educate others in the creation of Wild Strongholds, a film production company geared to entertain and educate the public about conservation efforts around the world. Wild Strongholds offers a unique perspective on the conservation efforts involving local communities, hunting companies, biologists, professional hunters, and governments around the world. The majority of hunters are misinterpreted and portrayed poorly by a very loud, vocal, and small subset of the world's population. People in this world tend to listen to the loudest voices and it's hard to ignore someone that's screaming in your face. Ed's mission is to sway public opinion and portray what beneficial impact hunting has on game around the world. It's his hope that one day, there will be more snow leopards, more brown bears, more lynx, ibex, and sheep so that, one day when his daughter, asks him “Daddy is this how it used to be?” He can reply “No. it's not. It's much better now.”

Jens Krogh is the Vice President of Marketing and Product Development for Walther Arms Inc. in the US. He has been an avid hunter and shooter since his early childhood. Growing up in Georgia, he mostly bird hunted and shot sporting clays. He did not start hunting white-tailed deer and other larger game until he went to college.Jens has now worked in the firearms industry for fifteen years, working for several well-known manufacturers before landing at Walther Arms a little over three years ago. Jens is passionate about Second Amendment rights and hunters' rights as well as passing both along to the next generation.

Curt Melcher is the Director of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Curt is a native Oregonian, who graduated from the University of Oregon with a B.S. degree in Biology. He began his career with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife as a temporary employee in 1985. During his time at the Department, he has represented the State of Oregon in numerous regional management forums, including the Pacific Fishery Management Council, Klamath Fishery Management Council, and Pacific Salmon Commission Southern Panel.Curt served as the Deputy Director for Fish and Wildlife programs from2007 through 2014 and was appointed the Interim Director in September2014. He was hired as permanent Director in February 2015 and is currently the President of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.Curt is passionate about the conservation of Oregon's natural resources and is an avid hunter and angler.

Chase Glenn is the Director of Business Development for SilencerCo and has been with the company for two years. He oversees all of SilencerCo's strategic relationships, brand representation, and development of new Licensing and OEM opportunities.Prior to SilencerCo, Chase spent 15 years in the healthcare industry overseeing program expansion, strategic planning, referral relations, and executive-level mergers and acquisitions. He also oversaw the creation of one of the first nationally recognized and accredited private healthcare facilities to accept VA benefits for Veterans suffering from mental health and substance abuse diagnoses.The SilencerCo Brand. Since our birth in 2008, our dedication to authenticity and innovation has never wavered. Today, we continue to focus on exceptional customer service and industry-leading products; products that are crafted by people with the utmost dedication to our industry. We are hunters, shooters, and gun enthusiasts, just like you. Our mission is to bring you products that will enhance your shooting experience. SilencerCo manufactures suppressors for hunting, home defense, long range and tactical uses.

Eydin Hansen is an outdoor enthusiast from Texas. He's been shooting air guns since he was five years old and is currently on the pro staff with Umarex Airguns.Eydin has also been cast as a member of American Airgunner TV. He competed in the Pyramyd Air Cup in 2019 and made the finals in the benchrest competition with a Umarex Gauntlet. His greatest achievement as an air gunner is “introducing people to air gunning and using them to hunt wild game ethically”.Eydin retired from the United States Air Force and was awarded the military expert in small-arms marksmanship award with the M-16 rifle, and the Military Service Star, denoting expert proficiency in small-arms marksmanship with military issued handguns.

Wesley Newman is the Coastal Prairie Conservancy's Conservation Director. He is responsible for management and operations of protected lands including overseeing wildlife management and agricultural activities on Coastal Prairie Conservancy holdings, coordinating wetlands mitigation projects, and preparing biological assessments on prospective properties.Mr. Newman received a Master of Science in Rangeland Ecology and Management (1998) and a Bachelor of Science in Range Science (1990), both from Texas A&M University. He is a member of the Society of Range Management and Society of Wetland Scientists. His areas of focus include prairie and wetland ecology, hunting and its relationship to stewardship, range management, wetlands creation and management, conservation strategies.

Mike Swartzentruber is the co-founder of Hunter's Blend Coffee.Mike grew up on a small farm in Iowa and has always loved the outdoors. When Mike was thirteen years old, his brother-in-law Ken came into their family. Ken was an avid outdoorsman and introduced Mike to trapping. Mike never hunted much until about ten years ago when his son took up archery as a middle school student. He took his son for lessons and instantly became enamored with archery. He has been bowhunting ever since.Mike and two brothers in laws founded Hunter's Blend Coffee about 5 years ago. Hunter's Blend Coffee imports the top 6% of the coffee produced in the world. Each batch begins with premium green coffee sourced directly from the farmers who grew it in Central America, East Africa and Southeast Asia.

Brian Murphy is the V.P. of Strategic Partnerships at HuntStand, the largest and most widely used hunting and land management app in North America. Brian has earned several honors including the National Conservation Award from the Australian Deer Association, the E.L. Cheatum Wildlife Excellence Award from The University of Georgia and being named one of Outdoor Life's Top 25 Conservationists in the United States in 2011.Brian also is a prolific speaker and writer. He has conducted over 800 lectures and 150 television, radio, and podcast interviews. He also has published more than 125 popular articles as well as 28 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and training manuals. Brian is a wildlife biologist with a B.S. in Range and Wildlife Management from Texas Tech University and a M.S. in Wildlife Resources from the University of Georgia.Murphy served previously as CEO of the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) for 23 years, during which membership increased from 3,000 to 60,000 and the group became the most respected and influential whitetail organization in North America. He has been married to his high-school sweetheart, Heidi, for more than 30 years and shares his love of the outdoors with his two daughters, Lauren, and Jordan, both of whom are avid hunters and anglers.

Christian Hogg is the Director of Marketing for Fiocchi of America and Baschieri & Pellagri. Christian has been involved with the outdoor industry since 2008, having previously served as the Director of Marketing at Remington Arms Company. Christina will discuss what is new with Fiocchi Ammunition and Baschieri & Pellagri shotshell ammunition.Fiocchi was founded in 1876 in Lecco, Italy, and has been producing high-quality ammunition ever since. The tradition continues at Fiocchi's Ozark, Missouri and Little Rock, Arkansas facilities - right in the heart of America. Hundreds of hardworking Americans producing some of the highest quality shotshell, centerfire, and rimfire ammunition available. American ingenuity fused with our Italian lineage keeps us focused on quality craftsmanship, innovation, and unequaled customer service. Baschieri & Pellagri® is recognized worldwide for its design, production, and distribution of premium shotshell ammunition and components. From its custom powders and plastic wads to its innovative Gordon System cases and loaded ammunition, B&P® has a long, demonstrated history of providing high-quality shotshell products for smooth bore guns to the competition and hunting markets.

Mike Slinkard is the President of HECS, LLC. He is also a lifelong bowhunter, former professional archery shooter, and full-time entrepreneur who has started several successful businesses in the hunting and outdoor industry. Born in 1965, Mike grew up shooting and hunting. His father had Mike shooting both bows and firearms at a very early age in fact Mike can't even remember being taught how to shoot as he was too young. Mikes Grandfather and Uncle were cattle ranchers and Mike spent much of his youth in close proximity to animals both domestic and wild. Mike began bowhunting big game at age 12 near his Eastern Oregon home of John Day and he was shooting competitive archery at age 17. Mike has been fortunate enough to have hunted all over the world and has taken over 20 species with archery gear including Brown Bear, Cape buffalo and 49 elk to date. Hunting elk with a bow is his true passion. Mike started his first archery Pro shop in John Day Oregon in 1992 and went on to start Winners Choice Custom Bowstrings INC in 2000 which changed the archery industry forever and took the art of bowstring construction to a level never before attained. This set the stage for bow manufacturers to reach new levels of performance that was never possible before due to the limitations of the strings at the time. Mike Founded HECS LLC in 2010. Which focuses on the emerging science of how animals perceive their electromagnetic environment and Mike and his team were issues 5 US patents and multiple foreign patents on the technology which blocks the human bioelectric signature. HECS technology is used widely in hunting, wildlife, conservation and research arenas as well as under water and military applications. Mike currently serves as President/founder of HECS LLC and Closer Outdoors INC. He also heads the subsidiary companies HECS Wildlife LLC, HECS Aquatic LLC, and HECS Tactical LLC. Mike is the host of Hunting with HECS TV which has aired on the Pursuit channel for the past 11 years and is currently the most aired outdoor/hunting television show on the air. Mike has a lovely wife of 32 years (Sharrie) and 2 grown daughters and 1 granddaughter.

Peter Churchbourne is an avid outdoorsman, conservationist, and steadfast advocate for all hunters. His passion is anything to do with the outdoors, but most important to him is hunting waterfowl with his labs, chasing turkeys, bow hunting, and introducing new people to the life outside. Peter is a certified NRA shotgun, pistol, and rifle instructor who enjoys competition shooting in USPSA, 3-Gun, and 2-Gun tournaments. Peter is currently the Director of the NRA Hunters' Leadership Forum where he is engaged in building new NRA hunting programs and fighting for hunters' rights. Before working for the NRA, Peter worked at Ducks Unlimited for 17 years in various leadership positions around the country.In his first few years at the NRA, Peter was responsible for the production of the award-winning online hunter education course and is also responsible for the creation of the newly released “How to Talk About Hunting” book, and associated communication strategies in support of hunting. Peter sits on several boards for various outdoor organizations and enjoys helping create new leaders within the outdoor professional arena.

Mark Huelsing is the Brand Manager of backcountry hunting pack manufacturer, Exo Mtn Gear and also the host of the Hunt Backcountry Podcast. Mark met Exo Mtn Gear co-founder Steve Speck through the hunting industry over 10 years ago. In the early days of Exo, Steve reached out to Mark for help with the technical aspects of getting the online portion of the business up and running. Over the years, Mark became involved with more areas of the business and eventually left his tech job to fully invest his time and energy into Exo. These days, Mark manages marketing, the podcast, partnerships, customer service, and pretty much anything else you see online that comes from Exo.Exo Mtn Gear's mission is to build the best backcountry hunting pack systems available, provide the best service possible, and do it all right here in the USA.

Larry McCoy is the Marketing & Media Director, for The Outdoor Group. Larry had a passion for the outdoors at an early age and cut his teeth in the industry behind the lens of a camera. His passion drove him to want to work even deeper within the outdoor space. He is currently the host of Respect The Game TV on Sportsman Channel. The Outdoor Group specializes in the development and manufacturing of premium quality archery and hunting equipment for the outdoor space.Established in 2012, The Outdoor Group is the parent company of Elite Archery, Scott Releases, Custom Bow Equipment, Duel Game Calls, Winners Choice Bowstrings, Slick Trick Broadheads, Solid Broadheads, Clutch Outdoors and Perfect Form Manufacturing.

Tim Richardson is a Washington, DC-based public affairs, media, and fundraising consultant. Tim has been Government Affairs Director for Wildlife Forever since 1995. Prior to that, he worked for Texas' U.S. Senator Lloyd Bentsen in Washington and was a political journalist in Austin during the 1980s.Tim is rural Michigan native who moved to Texas in 1979. After a decade in Texas journalism and two years on Capitol Hill, Richardson became the nation's only private consultant to work on Exxon Valdez and Deepwater Horizon restoration for grant applicants. Clients in Alaska and Texas have received over $500 million in oil spill funds for projects involving public and private stakeholders, partners, and natural resource agencies. In addition to oil spill restoration Tim has worked on myriad state and federal government affairs issues for over thirty years.