Peter Panda Podcast

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, we're goin on African Safari with my friend, butchering mentor, and African hunting enthusiast, Mr. Larry Hassell. With deep roots of Texas deer hunting, he ultimately scratched the itch of curiosity as a younger man and began hunting in Africa, of which, Larry is no stranger to many of its different countries and exotic species. This self-made salesman from the 1980's computer era boom provides enticing perspectives of the modern African Safari. So listen up! And get ready for couple of exciting adventures from the Dark Continent with of the nicest guys I know, Larry Hassell. 

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, we're headed to the taxidermist with my friend and mentor, Jerry Andres. Now, back in 2011, I drew a mountain goat tag here in Montana, and after I shot one, this man mounted it for me. It was the first piece of taxidermy I'd ever had done, and it lives in my living room proudly, to this day. Jerry is a bit of a Montana legend, and his stories and perspectives could never be reduced into one podcast. That said, I twisted the beast's arm, and got him to sit down with me, for what I hope is, the first of many recorded conversations together. He's rough around the edges, straight to the point, and his blunt honesty is likely only out shown by his talent. So listen up! We're diving deep into the complexity and artistry of wild game taxidermy with Mr. Jerry Andres. 

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, I'm joined by my TX CullFest Brother, Patrick Mackie. We just wrapped up a wonderful week of elk and deer hunting here in SW MT, and this recap was so much fun to relive with Patrick. It's always special when friends who you've met elsewhere in the world, later come visit you on your home turf, where you can show them everything you've told them about for years! Patrick's elk and muley  were both hard earned, and I hope you enjoy joining us on this adventure. So listen up, it's finally November, and the kills are starting to add up here Montana. 

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, we're pickin' up where we left off, with my big brother Adam, on his quest to kill a Montana moose. Now if you haven't listened to ‘Part One' of this saga, lemme just stop you right here, and turn you back to our previous episode, where Adam shares the start of his journey to the Fall moose rut. This adventure has got it all, from heavy rain that's wetter than water, to chilling reminders of the local grizzly bears, to ultimately a charging bull moose, crosseyed with love. So listen up, for the exciting conclusion to brother Adam's Montana Moose hunt. 

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, I'm catchin' up with my big brother, Adam. Now, for some unexplainable reason, Lady Luck shined her grace upon this man, yet again last summer when he drew a Montana moose tag. For the record, this is Adam's second Shiras tag! The first of which he drew in Colorado in 2020. Easy to feel animosity towards a man who's drawn multiple permits in a few short years that most of us wait a lifetime for, but I will say, he's always owned up to drawing these special permits and given them the attention and time they deserve. So listen up! for what we're calling “Part 1” of Brother Adam's Montana moose adventure, a story still in the making. 

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, we're talking all things waterfowl with my friend, Shane Garner, of SEMO Outfitters. Now, let me just start by admitting that I am no duck hunter. In fact, I can count on both my hands the number of ducks and geese I've ever shot. Talking with Shane about his life's passion was so interesting to me. You'll have to excuse some of my ignorant, or maybe just elementary level questions, but this is all new to me. What I found was the parallels between us as passionate sportsman we're countless. From raising hunting dogs, guiding hunters, respecting a resource, and protecting its future, Shane is as authentic of a duck hunter as I've ever met. So listen up! And pull them waders on. We're goin to the Mississippi Fly way with Mr. Shane Garner. 

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, I sit down with Canadian Outfitter and veteran Hunting Guide, Chad Miller. With roughly 100-ram kills on his resume, Chad is a real-life, living-legend. Chad's experience warrants my highest respect. I recently learned more from Chad on a 10-day sheep hunt than I have from my own painful experiences thru the last decade. Chad ain't got any tattoos, but if he did, it would be a throat tat, dubbed “Been There, Done That”. This guy is so damn cool. So listen up! Canada's finest bout to show out. I give you, Mr. Chad Miller. 

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, we're going Stone Sheep huntin in the Canadian Rockies with my good friend and the yeti co-founder, Ryan Seiders. Settle in and Saddle up as we recap our recent 10-day adventure deep into sheep country. This hunt had all the highs, lows, challenges, and rewards of a proper sheep hunt. So listen up! We're about to head back up the mountain to sheep camp with a man who's currently living with a serious case of sheep fever, Mr. Ryan Seiders. 

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, I reconnect with my old friend, and Montana ranch owner, Kameron Kelsey. Located just a few miles outside of Yellowstone  National Park, Kameron and his wife own and operate the Nine Quarter Circle Guest Ranch, a world-class, and all-around breathtaking, private withholding deep in the Montana wilderness. Kameron is about as educated and well spoken of young man as you'll find. He shoulders a long family legacy, and manages unique relationships with multiple federal and state agencies that he calls neighbors. ItIt's a complex and fascinating existence in some of Montanas most remote and pristine landscapes. So listen up! And Saddle up! We're riding deep into the world of rural ranching in a modern world with one of the most impressive and capable men I know, Mr. Kameron Kelsey.     https://www.ninequartercircle.com

S2E12 On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, I'm catching up with one of Montana's own, Brandon Purcell. On this hot summer day, we get to go back in time and cool down a bit as Brandon relives and tells the adventure of our mountain lion hunt last winter. Brandon is a great story teller and an even better hunter. Now we've shared more than one campfire together thru all our years of guiding and hunting together in Alaska and Montana, so forgive us for crackin some bad jokes or getting off topic a time or two, but that's just what happens when grungy dudes like us get to reconnect. So listen up! We're about to run the hounds and fling some arrows at a monster Montana ditch panther with one of the best hunters I know, Brandon Purcell.

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, we're climbin back up thru the alders after Alaskan mountain goats with my good friend, Kevin Pearson. Born n raised in Sitka, Alaska, Kevin grew up hunting blacktail deer in the coastal alpine, which quickly evolved into an obsession with hunting the island's resident mountain goats. Few people's huntin resumes are built on double-digit goat kills, but Kevin is a rare-breed and shares with us some really incredible hunting adventures, ranging from the jungles of southeast Alaska, to the wild, unlimited-wilderness sheep units of Montana. Kevin is as humble as he is experienced and the stories you're about to hear are world-class. It's a special person to embrace solo mountain hunting, Those few who dare into the unknown and willingly subject themselves to raw, and sometimes vicious conditions. It's a lonely brotherhood only a small number of us can truly understand. So listen up. You're about hear from a real killer, Kevin Pearson. 

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, I sit down with my east-coast homie, Waller Whittemore. Now, let me just get WAY out ahead of this one and tell you right now that Waller's a recovering drug addict, currently working on his 7th year of sobriety. We're lucky to have Waller, and this tell-all conversation is proof that he prolly shouldn't even be  even alive today. He'd be the first to tell you that his persistent family and his own raw passions for hunting, fishing, and surfing, all helped save his life. I guess the formal verbiage is “Listener Discretion Advised”, so let's just all stop right here for a second. This prolly ain't the best episode to listen to with your young kids. Or your elderly parents. I just don't think that's a good idea. This episode discusses topics of hard-drug use, addiction, relapsing, and ultimately the continuous and complicated road to recovery. At the end of this episode, Waller encourages anyone listening who's struggling with, or knows someone struggles with drug addiction, to personally reach out to him for help. And he genuinely means it! I'll even help hold him to it and make sure all you guys can find links to this kids social. You can find him on IG @wwthittemore71. So listen up. Shits about to get pretty heavy. But fear not, Waller defeated the literal worst of odds and this story has a beautiful ending. 

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, we're spinning wool and talkin all things Merino with, Mike SummerBee of Duckworth, the world's only source-verified, 100% Montana-grown Merino Wool clothing company. Start to finish, Duckworth curates and controls the entire production process of their wool and garments. From their free-ranging herd of Merino sheep in Dillon, MT, to their US textile partners, and ultimately their final branded n tagged merchandise, Duckworth Wool is uniquely living up to their motto, From Sheep to Shelf. So listen up! If you thought wool garments were nothin but old school, itchy sweaters for your Grandpa, you're about to learn how brands like Duckworth continue to develop and improve this renewable, natural  materiel we as humans have been cultivating for over 13,000 years, wool. 

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, we're hunting big, mountain mule deer in the high country of Idaho with one of my best homies, Randall Williams. Now the great state of Idaho is no stranger to Randall as he was fortunate enough to draw a limited entry elk tag a few years ago when he killed a giant public land rifle bull. More on that epic elk season can be found on Season 1 Episode 3 of this here podcast. Fortune may have once favored Randall in Idaho's elk permit lottery, but he's spent the last four years hunting mostly general deer districts. Ultimately, consistancy always kills, and Randall harvested the biggest muley of his life. So listen up! We're goin backpack hunting in the rugged Idaho backcountry with the truck stop hot dawg king himself, Randall Williams. 

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, I have the absolute pleasure of catching up with my dear friend and badass hunter, Becca Harris. Now, if you don't know Becca already, let me stop you right here, and re-direct you to Season 1 Episode 5 of the Peter Panda Podcast for a formal introduction. I promise you'll fall in love with this young lady as quickly as we all did. Fortune favors the best of us, and Becca just recently had the extremely limited opportunity to hunt an Alaskan Bison. Thats right, there are buffalo in AK. And drawing a permit is like basically winning the lottery. So listen up! We're about to snowmobile deep into the Alaska Range to hunt North America's largest mammal with one of the all around greatest humans I know, Miss Becca Harris. 

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, we're deep in the western Alaska Range with Registered Hunting Guide, Rob Jones. Rob tells us some riveting stories from his colorful careers starting as a private pilot at a young age, to his adventurous years as an Alaskan smoke jumper, to ultimately becoming a prolific commercial fisherman and hunting guide of over 30-years. Today Rob operates his hunting operation, RnR Hunting, from his Big River Lodge, the same place we recorded this here episode. You're about to hear a diverse string of tales including some from the early years building the lodge, when rob and his crew deconstructed, fly out, and later reassembled, on-site, an actual bulldozer, to his painful story of his worst case of frostbite ever that almost claimed both his feet. And even the haunting  recollection of recovering the victims of a plane wreck out in the wrangles. Rob Jones, Indiana Jones, what's the difference! This man has seen, and survived all of it. So listen up! You're about to hear from one of the most interesting and experienced humans I've ever met, Mr. Rob Jones. 

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, we're headed to the southern tip of the Union to explore the East Foundation's El Sauz ranch with my good friends, the honorable Trey Dier and Dr. Jason Sawyer. The East Foundation is a Texas based non-profit that operates multiple working cattle ranches across the state while hosting a mosaic of science based research projects and public educational initiatives. These guys are literally writing the book on today's progressive land stewardship while promoting research and conservation. From rangeland ecology to wildlife sciences, the East Foundation works on everything from cattle production to endangered ocelot research. So listen up! You're about to hear what's possible when you turn a working cattle ranch into a full blown laboratory fueled by curiosity. 

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, we're headed back up the mountain with decorated houndsman and all around badass, Tyler Johnerson. You may know Tyler from his authentic outdoor Instagram content @huntsoloty, but if you don't already follow this guy, go do yourself a favor, and look him up. Now, Tyler is popularly accepted as one of the most experienced mountain men alive today. Seriously, if this guy had been born 240-years ago, you'da probably found him on the Lewis and Clark Expedition amongst legends like John Coulter. From hunting giant bull elk and mountain sheep, to chasing crafty bobcats and lions with his pack of dogs, Tyler has been forged by his decades of raising hounds and living in the mountains year round. Tyler is a rare breed, and I was honored to sit down with him and soak up some of his stories and wisdom. So listen up, cause today's woodsmen don't get any more legit than this guy, Tyler Johnerson.    

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, we dive deep into the primal connection between man and huntin dog, with my fellow houndsman, Janis Putelis. 3-years ago, Yani and his family adopted a bluetick hound, they dubbed Mingus. Now listen, I've seen my fair share of hound dogs, all the different flavors, and Yani's pound pup here, is a real giant. Weighing in at 80-pounds, Mingus is a stud of bluetick. Janis paints the picture of the hardening process only a special few of us have chosen; to not only coexist, but to make family with these incredible cat hunting K9s. Raising lion hounds is a lifestyle and a commitment very few could ever fully understand, so listen up! We're goin cat hunting with the Latvian Eagle, Janis Putelis.   

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, we have the absolute honor of sharing a few sheep camps with unlimited bighorn hunter, and world-renowned wildlife artist, Tim Shinabarger. I'm fortunate to call Tim a close friend, but maybe more importantly, one of my most respected wilderness hunting mentors. For decades, Tim has thoroughly explored the rugged Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, where he and his family have successfully hunted Montana's famed unlimited bighorns. Whether you're familiar or not with this wicked place and the unique hunting opportunity it is home to, I promise, Tim and his well told stories will absolutely blow you away. Sit back, listen up, and take some notes, you're about to hear from an absolute legend, Tim Shinabarger. 

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, we get to hangout with my fellow hunting guide, Brandon Purcell. Now, you may know Brandon as, Durango Boone, his IG handle, but to me, he is a great friend and one of the most hardworking mountain hunters alive today. Brandon is an accomplished bow hunter, an outdoor gear guru, and probably one of the funniest human beings I have ever met. Brandon is widely known for killing big bears and late season bulls, but his resume of experiences goes much further than that. Kickback with us and enjoy this great conversation with ol Durango Boone.  

Welcome back to Season Two of the Peter Panda Podcast. On this episode, we're headed into sheep country, with my friend, mentor, and hijacked big-bother, Kurt Racicot. Now, if you haven't listened to all of Season One of this hear podcast, let m e stop ya right here. We got nine incredible episodes, ahead of this one, ready for download, right now! Do me a solid and go check them out.  Now, you probably know Kurt Racicot from his wildly successful gear company, Stone Glacier, but that's not what impresses me about this guy. He's a real killer, a mountain warrior, the kinda predator all of us could hope to be half of each time we go afield. You look in the dictionary under ‘real deal' and this dude's photos gonna pop up. Pack your bags, and don't forget your rain gear, we about to go sheep hunting, with a legend, Kurt Racicot. 

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, we're headed to CullFest in the famed Maverick County of south Texas. We dissect the meticulous world of low-fence, trophy deer management with wildlife biologist, Ben Binnon, and retired Texas Game Warden, Scott Krueger. We dive into habitat management, supplemental feeding programs, culling, and ultimately, how these guys work tirelessly to minimize the stress levels of this highly manicured herd of deer. Ben explains that, within his particular management strategy, culling deer is absolutely necessary, but these tools and practices can differentiate from a habitat's specific carrying capacity, to different management end goals. Time to climb into the Texas deer blind and play a small, but extremely fun and important role, in growing some of the biggest wild whitetail deer on earth. 

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, we're hitting Maryland's eastern shore with wildlife biologist, Steve Kendrot. We're talking all things Chesapeake Bay from their non-native sika deer, to the destructive history of the invasive South American nutria, to the alien-like lifecycles of the famed local blue crab! Steve is an expert on just about everything here and our time spent with him this past October was nothing short of educational. Put on your waders, grab your climber stands, and all the ThermaCells you can carry, and join us, as we head into the marsh, one of the most unique places I've yet to experience. 

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, we're goin dog sledding with my dear friend, Tim Pappas. Tim and his teams of sled dogs have raced in renowned mushing competitions including the ultra-extreme 1000-mile Yukon Quest, as well as the more popularly known, Alaskan Iditarod. From his conservative beginnings on the east coast, Tim's life of adventure has led him to become a professional hunting guide, pilot, and most interestingly, an accomplished dog musher. Dog sledding and the Iditarod are both rich with history and Tim does a great job taking us along on some of his most exciting days afield. Grab some hot-drink and get comfy. It's about to get real cold. 

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast we diving into Alaskan salmon waters  with my great friend and career salmon biologist, Dan Rinella. And yes, that's MeatEater Steve's nicer, and better looking, older brother. For years now, Dan and his wife, Corinna, have welcomed me into their home in Anchorage for hot meals, cold beer, and even a place to crash as I've traveled thru town on different trips and hunts. Dan has a PHD in biology and an absolute wealth of knowledge. His on-going water temperature research in Alaska gives us fascinating insight into the current state of some of the world's most coveted salmon fisheries. If wild salmon don't already completely blow your mind, get comfy, they're about too. 

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, we're goin on the formidable journey of a young lady named, Becca, who became a hunter later in life. Raised in the suburbs of Michigan, Becca wasn't introduced to hunting until meeting her to-be husband, Brody, later in college. Becca's contagious enthusiasm and passion for hunting is so genuine and refreshing. She hunts for all the right reasons and not surprisingly, along the way, has become quite the wild game chef. This gal will try anything! I mean anything. She even recently ate a wolf, just to try it. If you're a gal interested in hunting, no matter your age or level of experience, you're gonna love this one. And to all those husbands, brothers, boyfriends, and fathers out there, listen up. Becca has some valuable insight on how we can get more women into the outdoors. I hope ya'll enjoy this conversation half as much as we did recording it! 

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, we're telling an incredible story of a cooler company called, YETI. I sit down with Ryan Seiders as he dives into the impressive saga of how he and his bother, Roy, set out to build one of the most iconic outdoor brands in history. This story has it all, from their humble beginnings, to a multimillion dollar payday, to ultimately taking their brand public.  

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, we're goin on a couple elk hunts with one of the nicest, funniest, and all around good human, Randall Williams. I love Randall for more reasons than I could list, but his genuine passion for hunting and conservation is unmatched. Bucks, does, bulls, cows, big ones, small ones, Randal loves hunting them all. I mean… all of them! This guy loves that trigger time more than anyone else I know. I believe Randall hunts for all the right reasons and when he drew not one, but two special elk permits last fall, I was so excited for him to have the opportunity to target some trophy bulls. He's one hell of a story teller, so get comfortable and lets go ona elk hunt!   

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, we're gonna cut some lion tracks and dump the dogs with my good friend, mentor, and one of the most experienced houndsman alive today, Vern Smith. Mr. Smith has been one of the most influential men in my life. He's the man who introduced me to lion hunting, hound dogs, and has single-handedly equipped me with most of my own backcountry knowledge and skills. Join us as we dive into a lifetime of lion hunting, outfitting, and raising a family in the mountains of Montana. Really we only scratched the surface on this one. Vern has more experiences and stories than we could possibly fit into one episode so I promise you'll be hearing more from this legend down the road on this podcast. 

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, we're headed to sheep camp with my big brother, Adam Muennich, and MeatEater's own, Yanis Putelis. Join us as we climb high into the Colorado Wilderness in pursuit of alpine bighorns. And when I say alpine, I'm talkin bout 12,000 vertical feet PLUS! These fellas both struck gold when they drew sheep permits, but that was only the beginning of what would become some of the most formidable, rewarding, and at times, even dangerous hunts of their lives.