Sportsman's Spotlight: Recent Episodes
AG INFORMATION NETWORK OF THE WEST
Sportsman’s Spotlight is a daily (Monday – Friday) program. In these short radio vignettes we take the listener on an audio adventure far away from their current environment, to a place they would rather be… The great outdoors! Content is focused on the many hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation stories of the West. Interviews with experts and local characters alike give the program a unique personality. David Sparks Ph.D., a veteran television personality of programs like the Outdoor channel’s Outfitters Showcase, ESPN’s Ultimate Outdoors, Jeep National Trails
Damon Bungard, along with his highly trained dog track animals that have been shot and somehow lost.
Rancher/conservationist William Simpson articulates a brilliant argument for taking wild horses out of places they are not wanted.
Dylan Davis and his son were deer hunting when they saw a couple of pretty good looking little four points,
Good friend Nick Koontz and his son Andrew took a little trip to go fly fishing way down in Bolivia.
Fish and Game officials received a flurry of calls about a mule deer doe with a trash can lid stuck on her neck.
No matter what their connection is to a river, people are what fisheries management is all about.
BC Guide outfitters is owned by Mark Werner. Hunting has always been in Mark’s blood given that his father was a guide.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) today released its report on 2023 Waterfowl Population Status .
Dog trainer and Griffon breeder Kyle Edmondson has an unusual hobby and I asked him about it.
It's too gamey. Or is it? Outdoorsman and wild game chef Christopher Claunch has a perspective on the use of the term gamey.
Unless you’re chasing after coons, hogs, or coyotes, night hunting is pretty much outlawed across most of the country.
My good friend and fellow hockey coach told me a story about a caribou hunt that his son took with his grandfather.
Fish and game departments across the West try to improve youth shotgun skills via all kinds of clinics.
Randy King, who wrote a cookbook f took his youngest son hunting for the very first time.
Protected birds found dead along power lines in the western U.S. shows that gunshot deaths were three times more common than deaths from other causes.
Randy KING, shared a story about handing down the tradition of being a dad taking a kid along for a hunt.
Good friend Kevin Rasmussen and his son go fishing at a local reservoir and they're casting for bass.
Good friend Kevin Rasmussen is fishing for bass in a local lake. But I learned it was a lot more than just fishing for bass.
You may recall that yesterday Kevin Rasmussen, his son and his nephew had been chasing a deer. Kevin was sure he had hit it with his rifle. The chase was on.
Elk hunters, here’s a question. If you are wanting to get a nice big bull, what do you use, a cow call or a bugle?
After lobbing an arrow up and over some brush that hid away an elk cow, Ted Kuch made the perfect shot.
I talked with Idaho Farm Bureau spokesperson Shawn Ellis about the intersection between farmers and ranchers and wolves.
I asked Mark Hatfield of the National Wild Turkey Federation or NWTF how he kept this wonderful organization funded?
One of my earliest assignments as an endangered species biologist,… young, wet behind the ears was to be the Wolf Recovery Project leader.
Modern low-profile baitcasting reels exhibit an array of features and capabilities that didn’t exist even a decade ago.
I asked National Conservation Service Chief Officer Terry Cosby on a recent visit to Boise if there's an official connection between NRCS and outdoorsman.
Working with state and federal agencies to try and preserve cold water for the bull trout species.
Long time friend and fellow hockey player, Ted Kuch recently retired from the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Today we are visiting with Bill Burnett, an accomplished California outdoorsman who travels all over the West Coast.
As the summer sun begins to increase the water temperatures in lakes and ponds around the state, trout tend to become lethargic.
“They’re like a cult,” one grizzled fisherman uttered at a local boat ramp when dozens of kayak anglers flooded in for a tournament weigh-in.
A visit with one of the big guys at the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Chief Terry Cosby.
A program that can be and it helps farmers decide which variety of winter wheat they may want to plant and it involves ducks.
Yesterday we did a story about the issue where Virginia resident Josh Hylander took up with a local game warden who had stolen his game camera.
I don't know if you have a hankering for exotic protein but it can certainly be found in the form of frogs legs.
Kyle Edmondson is a first rate dog trainer that breeds and trains Griffons as a specialty, and I asked him about his affinity to Griffs.
Somebody gave outdoor chef Chris Claunch some steelhead filets and he turned them into something to die for.
RD Trammel's son COREY raises and trains horses to compete in all kinds of equestrian events.
“I had to find something else to take over my OCD when I stopped playing so I ran into a few guys who got me into flyfishing.
They come out after sunset in the summertime, swooping through the backyard hunting for moths, flies, beetles, spiders, crickets, and other insects.
An interesting observation came up while I was talking to veteran outfitter and big game hunting guide Mike Jenkins of Upfront Outfitters.
According to bowhunting.com, If you’re a tech savvy deer hunter, you’ve likely taken notice of the rise in deer recovery options with the use of a drone.
National Wild Turkey Federation spokesman Mark Hatfield. talked to me about some of his personal experiences.
I've been talking and working with Mike Jenkins, who owns Up Front Outfitters for years now and have learned so much from him.
RD Trammell, who lives near Lake Charles, Louisiana, tells me a fishing story involving him and his daughter, Christie.
While it may seem daunting at first, teaching kids or family members how to fly fish can be immensely rewarding.
The P word. Many hunters point to predators as the biggest factor in deer and elk mortality, and in some cases, they’re correct.
Walking through the Boise Outdoorsmen show and ran into Randy Stoppenhagen who is selling the bow mit that he invented.
Dear friend Corey Skoren went turkey hunting. I caught up with him to hear his experience.
Louisianan RD Trammel entered a bass fishing tournament with his friend Jerry. They were on the water with RD catching bass when Jerry casted his spinning rod.
Deep South. Bass fisherman RD Trammel has a great story.Bass Fishing has always been a real big thing around home.
I talked with my friend Mark Roby who went out flyfishing on the Owyhee River and there was just one of those huge mayfly hatches.
One last tidbit to consider in the case of CHAD HOOD and the deer that was hit by a car and ended up in his front yard.
We heard a story from Chad Hood who found a mortally injured deer in his front yard that had been hit by a car and he turned it into very good venison
Dear friend and very capable outdoorsman, Chad Hood found himself in an interesting situation.
F&G reminds folks to leave young animals alone as we approach spring wildlife baby boom
A book written by Jon Wipfli entitled VENISON has more than 50 gourmet recipes for venison.
US Fish and Wildlife biologist Ted Cook told me that baby salmon, due to a loss of body condition, become more buoyant as they are in freshwater streams.
US Fish and Wildlife Wildlife biologist Ted Cook delivers a very unique perspective on dams and salmon.
RD Trammel, who lives near Lake Charles, Louisiana, as is evident by his accent, found himself in Colorado.
Ed Bangs, who for led the effort to reintroduce and recover healthy wolf populations in the northern Rocky Mountains, retired.
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised by this but Washington State Fish and Game seems to be doing a very good job in the area of conservation.
Fish and Game uses different electrofishing methods to collect data on fish populations.
Eddie Sanchez is quite the outdoorsman. Rifle and bow hunter, fisherman and spear fisherman.
I had to find something else to take over my OCD when I stopped playing so I ran into a few guys who got me into fly fishing and I have been hooked ever since.
I haven’t done a ton of turkey hunting in my time but I have been with enough expert turkey hunters to know this… Turkeys have incredibly good vision and.
On a moose hunt, Bill Agler had to establish himself at a very remote outfitters camp down along Forest Service Road.
TED KOCH was on a mountain elk archery hunt at the top of a canyon moving down searching for a cow elk.
Outfitter Brian Oakland took his son on a fishing trip to Mexico looking to catch permit.
Kyle Admonson is a first rate dog trainer that breeds and trains griffons as a specialty.
Magic Valley Energy is seeking authorization to use BLM managed public lands in southern Idaho to construct the Lava Ridge Wind project.
Whale Pass is located in southeast Alaska and the population was 58 at the 2000 census.
The state of Kansas is the latest to join a growing number of states that are cracking down on the use of trail cameras by hunters.
Longtime friend and tennis partner sometimes, tennis opponent other times, Bill AGLER, loves to hunt.
US Fish and wildlife biologist TED KOCH talks about the pros and cons surrounding the whole issue of dams and their impact on salmon migration.
Whether fishing from boat, kayak, beach, bridge, dock, or pier, “kill bags” are a convenient way for storing and transporting the fish you keep
Dog trainer and Griffon breeder Kyle Adamson describes his method of gun training a dog
I ran into Denis Peirce at the Boise Sportsmen’s show. Denis is a lifelong angler who was introduced to fly fishing by his grandfather in the 1960s.
An important reminder that winter is not over for wintering deer and elk, not by a long shot. So keep that in mind before you start shed hunting.
Member of our Sportsman's Spotlight team. Kelly Allen recently purchased a Griffon puppy from dog trainer Kyle Edmondson.
I have for years heard from hunters, primarily those who are looking to take deer or elk, that wolves are the bane of their existence
Dr. Jeff Changdescribed a project where he is trying to potentially thwart the spread of a disease-causing bacterium
On a recent hunting trip to Corpus Christi, I met and chatted with a very talented chef... Chef David Larousse.
Imagine getting all your dogs around you, that’s dogs as in labs, spaniels, short hairs, in other words bird-dogs and taking them out to the field on a beautiful day.
An Illinois bait maker, who talks about his experience making baits and fishing for bass.
According to the Snake River Guide Service, the middle portion of the free flowing Snake River is home water to the White Sturgeon.
Retired US Fish and Wildlife biologist Ted Kuch told me a fascinating story about elk hunting.
Everything in life is relative. My friend Chad Hood tells the fishing story which is kind of every day for him but would be a fantasy for most of us.
Media alert. Something very high quality, other than panda bears, is actually coming out of China. Put
Our properties offer some of the best hunting and fishing in the world, and much of it takes place between October and May.
Here’s how you can get dialed in for ice fishing and find a popular (and safe) destination near you.
Jody Olson is avid about a number of things, but really passionate about dogs and hunting chucker.
Old friend of the show and avid outdoorsman, Chris Claunch is also a gourmet cook when it comes to preparing fish, game or birds in the wild.
Caught up with sportsman Brian Huskey about his latest adventures in the great outdoors.
Outfitter Mike Jenkins from Up Front Outfitters discusses some of the characteristics of Roosevelt Elk.
William Kanitz has a program where you install solar panels in a field and ultimately you grow crops, electricity and sage grouse.
I asked Mark Hatfield of the National Wild Turkey Federation or NWTF how he kept this wonderful organization funded?
Gregg Bafundo lives in Tonasket, WA and believes strongly that we should make every effort to increase the grizzly population.
I learned more about Western predators and predation with retired US Fish and Wildlife biologist Ted Kuch.
Reports of a man-made dam on a creek were forwarded to the Department of Fish and Game.
Established in 1978, Montana Troutfitters claims that they are Bozeman, Montana’s oldest fly fishing shop!
While it may seem like an easy task, correctly identifying your target species can be challenging at times.
While it may seem like an easy task, correctly identifying your target species can be challenging at times.
In a recent article in bowhunting.com the question was asked, "is hunting deer over bait considered cheating”.
Avid Elk Hunter Brian Huskey shares some of his experiences with elk spots, so to speak.
National Wild Turkey Federation spokesperson Mark Hatfield talks about favorite places to hunt turkeys.
If you're looking for a totally unique and brand new hunting experience, you might just want to talk to outfitter Mike Jenkins Up Front Outfitters.
Caught up with Mike Jenkins of Upfront Outfitters while he was on a Roosevelt Elk Hunt in Oregon.
A powerful and alarming message coming from Jacqueline Koch from the National Wildlife Federation.
Josh Mills was in a lodge in Argentina fishing for golden Dorado and then continues his trip.
In a recent Bowhunting.com staff meeting, Justin Zarr brought up a guy by the name of James Jean.
Hunting outfitter and guide Mike Jenkins of Upfront Outfitters, located in Oregon, has a special connection with the Roosevelt Elk.
I had an interesting chat with Nick Webster a southern Illinois bait maker, who talks about his experience making baits and fishing for bass.
Retired US Fish and Wildlife biologist Ted Kuch told me a fascinating story about elk hunting.
According to a blog from a very good outfitting operation, the middle portion of the free flowing Snake River is home water to the White Sturgeon.
They say everyone to his own but I have a story about a guy who not only wants to be to his own, but very much alone as well.
William Kanitz has a program where you install solar panels in a field and ultimately you grow crops, electricity and sage grouse.
I asked Mark Hatfield of the National Wild Turkey Federation or NWTF how he kept this wonderful organization funded?
Reports of a man-made dam on a creek were forwarded to the Department of Fish and Game.
A first-of-its-kind study by the USGS and partners provides an initial analysis of when commercial chicken and turkey facilities in the U.S. are at greatest risk.
The National Wild Turkey Federation, not unlike Ducks Unlimited and other conservation organizations, cherishes their work.
I don’t care how exciting your hunting or fishing venture happens to be, if you are cold and wet, it will turn to a miserable experience.
A conservationist plea from Josh Mills concerning a pit mine near Alaska's Bristol Bay.
Christian Quested had a bull elk lined up in his site, took a shot and the bull suddenly disappeared.
The state of Oklahoma recently broadened the opportunities for deer hunters across the state with the addition of the airbow for hunting.
Patrick Kissel is an avid outdoorsman and fishing guide who definitely goes with the flow as he tells the story of meeting his girlfriend.
Crappie are abundant, fun to catch, great to eat and available in many lakes and reservoirs.
National Wild Turkey Federation or NWTF, informative conversation with their National Director of Conservation Services, with Mark Hatfield.
According to bowhunting.com, tensions have been on the rise for years over the issue of bear hunting with hounds in Vermont.
The old cliche that you can't judge a book by its cover also applies to Chinook salmon.
It’s the same story after another in the Pacific Northwest with the same conclusion: remove the dams.
Don’t overlook that high-mountain stream or creek next time you’re looking for a backcountry fishing adventure
In the context of my job, I get all kinds of press releases about the avian influenza affecting domestic and wild birds.
A flotilla of kayaks, canoes, fishing boats and rafts will launch from the shores of the Willamette River to celebrate the gift of wild salmon.
A new report released today details the potentially disastrous threats mines in British Columbia pose to Washington.
A new report released today details the potentially disastrous threats mines in British Columbia pose to Washington and other states in the Northwest.
F&G biologists work to protect a popular Yellowstone cutthroat fishery from pelican predation.
Friend and extremely avid outdoorsman James Roberts took a guided archery hunt in paradise which didn’t last very long.
A Stand in the Valley An archery hunt in the riverbottoms of West Tennessee’s Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge.
We heard BRIAN OAKLAND’s story about how he ran into a guy quite by happenstance and they started chatting.
Friend James Roberts is fishing a terrific late salmon run on the south fork of the Salmon River toward the end of June.
Whether you are hunting for bear, elk, mulies, birds or rabbits, it really doesn’t matter.
Every once in a while, we love to give you some information on hunting and fishing gear.
If you are a nature nut, you have probably seen video of Eagles sweeping down to the surface of a lake and grabbing a fish and swooping off with it.
A miss and a long walk in the middle of the night can certainly test the medal of any hunter.
Dave Maroon runs an outfitting service out of Gresham, Oregon that he describes as a full-time year-round fishing adventure.
Boise resident Chad Hood fishes a lot for salmon in Alaska and talks about getting his catch home.
Good friend James Roberts loves the outdoors and his daughter, not necessarily in that order.
Friend and extremely avid outdoorsman James Roberts took a guided archery hunt in paradise which didn’t last very long.
All of the elk you could ever want to eat, and it isn't necessary to set 1 foot in the wilderness.
Reading an issue of Outdoor Guide Magazine, there was a letter from a reader holding a pretty good size king salmon.
It’s bear season, it's always fishing season somewhere and so you might be thinking about getting a great knife.
Four 19-year-old punks plead guilty to killing or wounding more than a dozen deer, protected birds and other wildlife.
Meet the bushy tailed, cat-like member of the weasel family scurrying around a forest near you.
Ranchers bringing cattle back from summer grazing have long noticed changes in their cattle, and not good ones.
We manufacture the next generation of ultralight dodgers and matching lures for all of your Kokanee, trout, and landlocked salmon trolling needs.
Ducks Unlimited Agronomist Steven Dvorak, the primary developer of a tool that assigns relative ratings from 0-4 .
Longtime friend of the show and retired Fish and Game administrator Ed Bangs and I were on the phone reminiscing about a wild turkey hunt.
Ken Botley’s a seasoned back country, big game hunter. He has been hunting for years, Is getting ready to hunt again this year.
Judges across the country have upheld the use of ASAs and other such tools as legitimate methods of apprehending violators.
North Idaho man's close call with a bull moose is a reminder of the dangers of wild animals.
Sam Williamson lives about 40 miles from Boulder Colorado and runs an online business called repyourwater.com.
Mike Jenkins of “Up Front Outfitters” told me that Washington State’s Roosevelt elk are bigger bodied than Rocky Mountain elk but have smaller racks.
Ted Kuch was on a moose hunt and ran into a cow, a calf, a young spike bull and a monster bull.
Ted Cook was moose hunting in the trees where a spike and a big bull were hanging together.
Ted Koch was hunting for moose and spotted a cow, a calf, a spike bull and a massive full grown bull traveling together in thick trees and brush.
When it comes to hog hunting, most hunters are familiar with how to utilize tree stands or blinds and baiting/feeding to hunt and attract wild swine.
Let’s assume someone in your family says to you, let’s all do an outdoor adventure...like go fishing or something.
We are so thankful for your support for Cross Trail Outfitters of Washington over the last 3 1/2 years.
Apparently the folks at a recent Idaho gun show don't listen to my Sportsman’s Spotlight segment.
According to bowhunting.com, archery hunting for turkeys is certainly more challenging.
According to bowhunting.com, the longtime wolf controversy across the U.S. comes full circle with a recent decision to re-list Gray Wolves.
Andrew McKean shared with me a fascinating perspective on the history of white tailed deer in our country.
Meet the bushy tailed, cat-like member of the weasel family scurrying around a forest near you.
An article in the Idaho statesman had as its headline, side planers improve the odds for sure anglers.
One of the thing hunters will tell you that they enjoy the most about their sport is that there is a lot of camaraderie.
Andrew McKean from Outdoor Life. He shared with me a fascinating perspective on the history of white tailed deer in our country.
Christian Quested and his hunting buddy Nathan had a gorgeous bull elk lined up, Christians got him in the sights of his gun, pulls the trigger.
Do not use drones to photograph or record video footage of birds, especially at their nests.
Christian Quested has had a bull right in his sights. Now listen to all it takes to calculate your shot.
Fishing in Cabo. I have several buddies who have been talking for months about going to Mexico’s Cabo San Lucas with their wives.
I believe two of the worst outdoor experiences I have ever had occurred while I was hosting outdoor shows for ESPN.
Damon Bungard uses his dog Jaeger to track all kinds of game that hunters may have shot but were not able to recover.
Campfire conversation with Christian Quested about growing up and learning to hunt amidst the urbanization of a small country town .
This month’s Wildlife Express shines a light on these nocturnal, winter-spawning freshwater cod that call the Kootenai River home.
I don't know if you remember but sometime ago, outfitter Hill Burnett was telling me a story about an elk hunt.
Three guys on an elk hunt had taken off on horseback to go up a draw a little bit further down the drainage to look for a bull they’d seen.
Executive chef and avid hunter RANDY KING along with a hunting buddy, we're going after a black bear in mountainous territory in Idaho.
I had a conversation with someone from an organization for which I have the most profound respect and that is Ducks Unlimited.
I wanted to let you know that the bipartisan Recovering America’s Wildlife Act — is set for markup and vote in the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee.
Here is a story from Colorado outfitter, David Holbrook who was on a caribou hunt up in northern Québec.
Puyallup, Washington gun enthusiast and firearm expert, Al Strupp, gives us a little muzzle loader history.
Florida Sportsman magazine publisher Blair Wickstrom succinctly sums up the conservation message his magazine and readers are espousing.
Mike Jenkins from Up Front Outfitters in Washington state is a character with a lot of great stories.
Idaho Fish and Game Commission on Dec. 16 approved an updated “Memorandum of Agreement” between Idaho, Wyoming and Montana.
Bill Agler spells out some of the joys and challenges that go along with belonging to a duck club.
If you want to capture your hunting or fishing trip in perpetuity, then you might want to think about the Solvid system.
Seasoned fly fisherman and brand-new archery hunter Sam Williamson goes after his first bull elk in Colorado.
Brian Huskey is the consummate outdoorsman and now has a podcast describing events during his elk hunt this year.
If you want to capture your hunting or fishing trip in perpetuity, then you might want to think about the Solvid system.
Good friend Chad Hood went on a September fishing trip in Alaska, but a September fishing trip in Alaska has some interesting aspects.
The American version of skeet uses clay discs measuring 4 and 5/16 inches in diameter and 1 and ⅛ inches thick.
I asked Florida sportsman magazine publisher Blair Wickstrom if he was seeing more shark encounters along the coast of Florida.
Elk hunters, here’s a question. If you are wanting to get a nice big bull, what do you use, a cow call or a bugle?
Waterfowl hunting has a reputation for being expensive, but hunters don’t need to shell out tons of money on a boat or a truckload of waterfowl gear.
A very important member of our Sportsmans spotlight team, TOMMY ALLEN, emailed me a poster that looked for all the world like a wanted poster.
BC Guide outfitters is owned by Mark Werner. Hunting has always been in Mark’s blood given that his father was a guide.
The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act – “the most important piece of wildlife legislation in the past half-century” – has momentum.
Florida Sportsman magazine publisher Blair Wickstrom succinctly sums up the conservation message his magazine and readers are espousing.
Chad Hood often fishes for salmon in Alaska, and I asked him how he prepared for his trips.
My good friend and longtime hunting partner WAYNE PEARSON told me not long ago that he had designed a terrific rifle.
I had a question for good friend, sportsman, spotlight team member and highly experienced hunter Tommy Allen, he was elk hunting.
Deer hunting can be exhilarating, especially when a young hunter has their first deer in the crosshairs
Chad Hood was halibut fishing in Alaska, caught a 60 pounder but a bull sea lion came up and ate it all.
Long time friend CHAD HOOD told me he was going to Alaska, in an effort to bring home some fresh caught salmon.
I asked outfitter Bill Burnett to give me his thoughts about the difference between an archery hunt and a rifle hunt.
Had a great chat with good friend, and excellent sportsman, Brian King, about some recent adventures that he's had and some of his thoughts on guides.
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on the Fish and Wildlife Service.
Greg Judy of Green Pastures Farm tells would-be farmers how to get into farming without requiring huge amounts of money.
Idaho Department of Fish and Game are frequently asked by the public about the purpose of the odd, floating, and spinning aluminum contraptions in rivers.
It has been said that all fishermen are liars and I pretty much believe that because I can spin a tale as a fisherman.
The Biden Administration’s Department of State announced that it will soon prohibit the importation of Russian ammunition into the United States.
Biologists snorkel headwaters streams to seek and count young salmon and steelhead Chinook salmon and steelhead trout populations.
The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act – “the most important piece of wildlife legislation in the past half-century” – has momentum.
One of the most common fish and game violations conservation officers investigate doesn’t occur in the field, but at the license vendor.
One of my favorite people to talk to is Mike Jenkins out Up Front Outfitters up in Washington state.
Elk hunters, here’s a question. If you are wanting to get a nice big bull, what do you use, a cow call or a bugle?