Hound Dog Podcast Network by The Sportsmen's Empire

In this episode Steve covers topics that resonate with hunters that have been involved with the sport for several years as well as those that may be new comers to the sport. After raising the question in last week’s episode, “Who is the best coonhound pup trainer in the world,” Steve reviews several responses posted by members of his online Coon Hunting Conversations group. The segment segues into a discussion of the members of Steve’s local coon club in the 1970’s and recalls the names and the brief bios of 43 of those members! It’s a trip down memory lane for the host and a interesting introduction to a family of coon hunters that some listeners may recall. We would like to thank those who support this podcast. Special thanks to Double U Hunting Supply for sponsoring this episode. www.dusupply.com https://www.youtube.com/@DoubleUHuntingSupply/podcasts Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The season may be over, but the work of becoming a better Houndsman is just beginning. In this episode, we take a hard, honest look at post-season evaluation—what your hounds actually showed you this year versus what you hoped they were doing. Every race, every loss, every cold trail tells a story. The hunters who improve year after year are the ones willing to sit on the tailgate after the season and ask the tough questions. We break down how to evaluate your pack honestly, what traits you should be looking for, and how those observations should guide your off-season training plans. Spring isn’t just the end of hunting—it’s the beginning of building better hounds. IG - heathhyatt147 FB Heath Hyatt Youtube - Heath Hyatt Follow our Sponsors: Inukshuk Darkenergy OnX Double U Hunting Supply Quick-track.com Muddy River Transport Inukshuk: Inukshukpro.com Corey.ca Darkenergy: best-charging banks on market. Discount code is CODE4 darkenergy.com Onx: subscribe to the best mapping app on the market by using promo code - K920 Frontline Optics- Duty sunglasses Polarized No questions asked replacement Charitable Donation with every pair Free shipping Frontline-Optics.com use promo code - CODE4 https://frontline-optics.com?sca_ref=5672409.03I05MEwyy Subscribe to: Full Cry Magazine Bear Hunting Magazine American Bear Foundation For the best lights in the business Check out: Cajunlights.com Get all your hound hunting gear at Double U. Products every hound hunter trusts to keep up with their pack. Double U Hunting Supply.com We would like to thank those who support this podcast. Special thanks to Double U Hunting Supply for sponsoring this episode. www.dusupply.com https://www.youtube.com/@DoubleUHuntingSupply/podcasts Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Steve dons his racing silks and takes the listener to 800-horse two-year old thoroughbred sale in Ocala, Florida for a day of education and inspiration. Rarely does he do anything that doesn’t bring him full circle to his world of working dogs. The world of coon hunting, especially concerning the animals that are central to the sport, has many parallels to the horse-racing game. We extoll the value of breeding and proof of ancestry through pedigrees for dogs and horses, we value reproduction success and keep records of performance of the offspring by listing wins, earnings and titles on registration documents. But, rounding the clubhouse turn and heading home, the ponies stretch out the lead in terms of providing the information and vehicle to move the top-performers into the winner’s circle. With thoroughbred racing, breeders, trainers and owners are privy to a plethora of information in print and online that coonhound enthusiasts can only dream about.. Steve’s visit to a sale of national prominence held in an unrivaled venue allows him to fantasize about the possibilities of the same type of program for coonhounds and ends with the question, “Who is the best coonhound trainer in the world?” We would like to thank those who support this podcast. Special thanks to Double U Hunting Supply for sponsoring this episode. www.dusupply.com https://www.youtube.com/@DoubleUHuntingSupply/podcasts Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Whether you are fighting as an individual or as an organization, what are your expectations? What does it mean and why does it matter? In this episode we break down what each means and how you can help. Getting involved is not an option, it’s a responsibility. IG - heathhyatt147 FB Heath Hyatt Youtube - Heath Hyatt Follow our Sponsors: Inukshuk Darkenergy OnX Double U Hunting Supply Quick-track.com Muddy River Transport Inukshuk: Inukshukpro.com Corey.ca Darkenergy: best-charging banks on market. Discount code is CODE4 darkenergy.com Frontline Optics- Duty sunglasses Polarized No questions asked replacement Charitable Donation with every pair Free shipping Frontline-Optics.com use promo code - CODE4 https://frontline-optics.com?sca_ref=5672409.03I05MEwyy Subscribe to: Full Cry Magazine Bear Hunting Magazine Southern Hound hunting Magazine American Bear Foundation For the best lights in the business Check out: Cajunlights.com Get all your hound hunting gear at Double U. Products every hound hunter trusts to keep up with their pack. Double U Hunting Supply.com We would like to thank those who support this podcast. Special thanks to Double U Hunting Supply for sponsoring this episode. www.dusupply.com https://www.youtube.com/@DoubleUHuntingSupply/podcasts Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode Steve addresses the changes in the way coon hunters acquire information by reviewing two books written in 1948 and 1952 respectively. The American Trail Hound by Fred Streaver and The Coon Hunter’s Handbook by Leon F. Whitney, DVM and Acil B. Underwood were two important works designed to make the training of coonhounds a successful experience 75 years or so ago. Steve finds the more things change the more they stay the same as the methods of three-quarters of a century ago appear similar to the methods coon hunters use in training dogs today. The episode also includes a tribute to a special friend who recently passed to the vast timbers and river bottoms of his eternal home, Hoosier houndsman and tree dog enthusiast George Danielson. We would like to thank those who support this podcast. Special thanks to Double U Hunting Supply for sponsoring this episode. www.dusupply.com https://www.youtube.com/@DoubleUHuntingSupply/podcasts Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Following up on how to take care of a hound in cold weather, we need to evaluate our gear. Can you stay out for long periods of time in cold or wet weather? Let's take a look at what works and what don’t. IG - heathhyatt147 FB Heath Hyatt Youtube - Heath Hyatt Follow our Sponsors: Inukshuk Darkenergy OnX Double U Hunting Supply Quick-track.com Muddy River Transport Inukshuk: Inukshukpro.com Corey.ca Darkenergy: best-charging banks on market. Discount code is CODE4 darkenergy.com Onx: subscribe to the best mapping app on the market by using promo code - K920 Frontline Optics- Duty sunglasses Polarized No questions asked replacement Charitable Donation with every pair Free shipping Frontline-Optics.com use promo code - CODE4 https://frontline-optics.com?sca_ref=5672409.03I05MEwyy Subscribe to: Full Cry Magazine Bear Hunting Magazine Southern Hound hunting Magazine American Bear Foundation For the best lights in the business Check out: Cajunlights.com Get all your hound hunting gear at Double U. Products every hound hunter trusts to keep up with their pack. Double U Hunting Supply.com We would like to thank those who support this podcast. Special thanks to Double U Hunting Supply for sponsoring this episode. www.dusupply.com https://www.youtube.com/@DoubleUHuntingSupply/podcasts Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It’s old home week on the Gone to the Dogs podcast as Steve connects with his longtime friend and former boss, Larry Meeks. Meeks was the owner and served as CEO for Professional Kennel Club for thirteen years following his purchase of the popular coonhound registry in the fall of 1997. Fielder joined the organization in June of 1998 and served as its Senior Vice President through November of 2004. Conversation flows freely as Fielder urges Meeks to recall his meager upbringing in and around the Terre Haute, Indiana area. It’s a Horatio Alger story of a kid raised by a single parent, his dad, that was largely left to his own devices until he discovered his affinity to all things involving trucks. Meeks and his son Jeremy own and operate Gibco Motor Express, one of the nation’s top commodity haulers that haul, in Meeks’ words, everything from coal to bread. Meeks coon hunting background and an early affiliation with PKC led him to purchase the registry and catapult it into a thriving business in his 13-year tenure. He and Fielder relive the days and nights at the Tennis Center at Ken Lake State Park in West Kentucky where the Super Stakes and World Hunt were held back-to-back in a ten-day coon hunting marathon. Stories, some that include an inside look at the workings of a major coon hunting organization, abound in this entertaining episode. Enjoy. We would like to thank those who support this podcast. Special thanks to Double U Hunting Supply for sponsoring this episode. www.dusupply.com https://www.youtube.com/@DoubleUHuntingSupply/podcasts Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When the temperature drops, real houndsman don’t stop. We just have to adjust. In this episode we’re breaking down why winter care matters more than most handlers realize. From how frozen ground steals body heat to why elevation and dry bedding can make or break your kennel setup, we’re covering the fundamentals that keep your pack healthy, strong, and ready to hunt. Cold doesn’t harm dogs, poor preparation does. IG - heathhyatt147 FB Heath Hyatt Youtube - Heath Hyatt Follow our Sponsors: Inukshuk Darkenergy OnX Double U Hunting Supply Quick-track.com Muddy River Transport Inukshuk: Inukshukpro.com Corey.ca Darkenergy: best-charging banks on market. Discount code is CODE4 darkenergy.com Onx: subscribe to the best mapping app on the market by using promo code - K920 Frontline Optics- Duty sunglasses Polarized No questions asked replacement Charitable Donation with every pair Free shipping Frontline-Optics.com use promo code - CODE4 https://frontline-optics.com?sca_ref=5672409.03I05MEwyy Subscribe to: Full Cry Magazine Bear Hunting Magazine Southern Hound hunting Magazine American Bear Foundation For the best lights in the business Check out: Cajunlights.com Get all your hound hunting gear at Double U. Products every hound hunter trusts to keep up with their pack. Double U Hunting Supply.com We would like to thank those who support this podcast. Special thanks to Double U Hunting Supply for sponsoring this episode. www.dusupply.com https://www.youtube.com/@DoubleUHuntingSupply/podcasts Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode concludes the coverage of the UKC Winter Classic in Batesville, Mississippi. Complete event coverage may be found on social media on the UKC Coonhound pages. Steve and Nubbin spent five days on the enjoyable annual trip including great rustic lodging and phenomenal food. The Winter Classic is a coonhound event Steve founded in 1988 when he was with United Kennel Club, and attracts coon hunters and their families from across the nation to Batesville each February. We would like to thank those who support this podcast. Special thanks to Double U Hunting Supply for sponsoring this episode. www.dusupply.com https://www.youtube.com/@DoubleUHuntingSupply/podcasts Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In part two we give some insight to breaking our dogs from running coyotes, if you don't want them too. We talk about some common mistakes that hinder our progress. If you get frustrated but your dogs running them, this episode is for you. IG - heathhyatt147FB Heath HyattYoutube - Heath Hyatt Follow our Sponsors:Inukshuk DarkenergyOnX Double U Hunting SupplyQuick-track.comMuddy River Transport Inukshuk:Inukshukpro.comCorey.ca Darkenergy: best-charging banks on market. Discount code is CODE4darkenergy.com Onx: subscribe to the best mapping app on the market by using promo code - K920 Frontline Optics- Duty sunglassesPolarizedNo questions asked replacementCharitable Donation with every pairFree shippingFrontline-Optics.com use promo code - CODE4https://frontline-optics.com?sca_ref=5672409.03I05MEwyy Subscribe to: Full Cry MagazineBear Hunting MagazineSouthern Hound hunting Magazine American Bear Foundation For the best lights in the businessCheck out: Cajunlights.com Get all your hound hunting gear at Double U. Products every hound hunter trusts to keep up with their pack. Double U Hunting Supply.comWe would like to thank those who support this podcast. Special thanks to Double U Hunting Supply for sponsoring this episode. www.dusupply.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@DoubleUHuntingSupply/podcasts Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode we join Steve along a Florida highway on his road trip to the Winter Classic in Batesville, Mississippi. It’s day one of the trip and Steve records from the truck on US Highway 19 along the Gulf of America.The solo conversation is part history, part geography as Steve recalls the origins of the Winter Classic and plays tour guide along one of Florida’s least used highways along the famed Nature Coast.Here’s a chance to ride along with Steve on one of his many road trips to attend major coon hunting events across the nation. We would like to thank those who support this podcast. Special thanks to Double U Hunting Supply for sponsoring this episode. www.dusupply.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@DoubleUHuntingSupply/podcasts Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After a trip to Richmond, it was discovered that the legal process of the legislative branch is more confusing than not. In this episode Heath is going to walk us through the sets of bill making and get us up to speed on where all three bills are at this stage and what's next. If hound hunting is your hobby, passion or way of life there is no time to waste, it’s all in now or never. IG - heathhyatt147FB Heath HyattYoutube - Heath Hyatt Follow our Sponsors:Inukshuk DarkenergyOnX Double U Hunting SupplyQuick-track.comMuddy River Transport Inukshuk:Inukshukpro.comCorey.ca Darkenergy: best-charging banks on market. Discount code is CODE4darkenergy.com Onx: subscribe to the best mapping app on the market by using promo code - K920 Frontline Optics- Duty sunglassesPolarizedNo questions asked replacementCharitable Donation with every pairFree shippingFrontline-Optics.com use promo code - CODE4https://frontline-optics.com?sca_ref=5672409.03I05MEwyy Subscribe to: Full Cry MagazineBear Hunting MagazineSouthern Hound hunting Magazine American Bear Foundation For the best lights in the businessCheck out: Cajunlights.com Get all your hound hunting gear at Double U. Products every hound hunter trusts to keep up with their pack. Double U Hunting Supply.comWe would like to thank those who support this podcast. Special thanks to Double U Hunting Supply for sponsoring this episode. www.dusupply.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@DoubleUHuntingSupply/podcasts Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Most hunters underestimate how critical shot placement and tissue damage are—and how they can make the difference between finding your deer or losing it forever. Ricky Loftis (litehounds on Instagram) a renowned deer tracking dog handler with over a decade of experience, pulls back the curtain on the gritty realities of tracking wounded game, revealing surprising insights you'll want to hear before your next hunt.In this episode, Ricky shares how personal hunting failures sparked his passion for tracking, including his eye-opening stories from the legendary King Ranch and firsthand lessons from gut-shot deer that challenged even his expertise. You'll discover the most reliable shot scenarios for recovery—like how shot location, broadhead choice, and angle dramatically impact your chances—and practical tips on managing blood trails, tracking in tough terrain, and recognizing signs that tell you everything about your deer’s condition.We break down specific tactics for hunting scenarios, including how weather, property size, and coyote interference influence tracking success. Ricky sheds light on common mistakes hunters make with shot angles, broadhead selection, and early race conditions, giving you actionable advice to improve your kill-to-recovery ratio. Whether you're an archery enthusiast, rifle hunter, or want to understand how an experienced tracker handles the toughest cases, this episode will elevate your knowledge and confidence. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Thirty-five degrees in Miami, Florida? Headlines read “Freezing in Florida: Artic chill reaches Sunshine State, breaking records and causing power disruptions.”Steve takes the opportunity to check on friends that are coping with the chilling effects of a Polar Vortex that is causing hunters across the country to stay by the fire. In many cases hunters are bringing in the hounds in order to cope with what has become one of the harshest winters in memory, even for octogenarian hunters like Pennsylvania’s Fred Moran, the Redbone Man who will be 89 when this podcast airs.Steve checks in on Fred and finds him in the throes of a three-week layoff from coon hunting, something he normally does nightly. Fred sounds a little rough but the dog talk begins to flow as the friends talk about the weather, old dogs, old trucks, old friends and stories, old and new, all framed in the hope that better days are coming.This is an episode for those experiencing the effects of cabin fever on steroids the last few days. We’re hoping the stories, the laughs and the optimism will help to cure the fever in your neck of the woods. We would like to thank those who support this podcast. Special thanks to Double U Hunting Supply for sponsoring this episode. www.dusupply.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@DoubleUHuntingSupply/podcastsShow Contributors Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We’ve all had an off game race or two, but coyotes pose a challenge that requires time and effort to overcome. First we must understand why they are so captivating to our hounds. This episode compares the similarities of both races and what draws the hounds into a full blown dog race that tests the patience of a saint. IG - heathhyatt147FB Heath HyattYoutube - Heath Hyatt Follow our Sponsors:Inukshuk DarkenergyOnX Double U Hunting SupplyQuick-track.comMuddy River Transport Inukshuk:Inukshukpro.comCorey.ca Darkenergy: best-charging banks on market. Discount code is CODE4darkenergy.com Onx: subscribe to the best mapping app on the market by using promo code - K920 Frontline Optics- Duty sunglassesPolarizedNo questions asked replacementCharitable Donation with every pairFree shippingFrontline-Optics.com use promo code - CODE4https://frontline-optics.com?sca_ref=5672409.03I05MEwyy Subscribe to: Full Cry MagazineBear Hunting MagazineSouthern Hound hunting Magazine American Bear Foundation For the best lights in the businessCheck out: Cajunlights.com Get all your hound hunting gear at Double U. Products every hound hunter trusts to keep up with their pack. Double U Hunting Supply.comWe would like to thank those who support this podcast. Special thanks to Double U Hunting Supply for sponsoring this episode. www.dusupply.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@DoubleUHuntingSupply/podcasts Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Gary Knapp says he’s married to the prettiest girl in Big Scary, West Virginia. Steve calls him the Will Rogers of the Appalachians. Bear hunters remember him as an effective president and spokes person for the West Virginia Bear Hunter’s Association. Part woodsman, mountaineer and houndsman, Knapp never fails to entertain with his stories and likewise, never fails to inspire with his dedication to keeping the sport of hound hunting alive for future generations.Knapp believes upcoming changes to West Virginia laws concerning hunting over bait will be detrimental to the bear population. Steve tends to take the middle ground on the issue but the conversation is no less important to anyone that is concerned with the continuance of black bear hunting in the Mountain State as it reveals all sides of the issue.Enjoy talk from two mountain men, one in memory, the other in action, as Gone To The Dogs goes hound doggin’ with West Virginian Gary Knapp.West Virginia Bills for Your AttentionHB 4688 and HB4559We would like to thank those who support this podcast. Special thanks to Double U Hunting Supply for sponsoring this episode. www.dusupply.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@DoubleUHuntingSupply/podcasts Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We go over SB 471, HB1396 and SB770. How it affects us moving forward and some valid talking points. These are badly written and have huge impacts on the future of hound hunting in Va. If hunting is a way of life for you This is a must listen and share episode. IG - heathhyatt147 FB Heath Hyatt Youtube - Heath Hyatt Follow our Sponsors: Inukshuk Darkenergy OnX Double U Hunting Supply Quick-track.com Muddy River Transport Inukshuk: Inukshukpro.com Corey.ca Darkenergy: best-charging banks on market. Discount code is CODE4 darkenergy.com Onx: subscribe to the best mapping app on the market by using promo code - K920 Frontline Optics- Duty sunglasses Polarized No questions asked replacement Charitable Donation with every pair Free shipping Frontline-Optics.com use promo code - CODE4 https://frontline-optics.com?sca_ref=5672409.03I05MEwyy Subscribe to: Full Cry Magazine Bear Hunting Magazine Southern Hound hunting Magazine American Bear Foundation For the best lights in the business Check out: Cajunlights.com Get all your hound hunting gear at Double U. Products every hound hunter trusts to keep up with their pack. Double U Hunting Supply.com We would like to thank those who support this podcast. Special thanks to Double U Hunting Supply for sponsoring this episode. www.dusupply.com https://www.youtube.com/@DoubleUHuntingSupply/podcasts Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.