Speak the Language Podcast

There is few feelings worse to a turkey hunter than spooking a turkey. It's the worst possible outcome. In this episode we dive into common problems and reasons we have run into that led to us spooking turkeys and talk about steps that can be taken to keep from doing it. Check it out!

Holy smokes where did April go? While some states are just now seeing their kickoff of the spring season, here at home, we are in the home stretch. It's been a fun one, as they always are, but man has it been odd. This week, we've got a whole new pile of fresh turkey stories to tell, some success and some failure, but hey, that's all part of turkey hunting. check it out!

We're back!! And man, do we have a lot of catching up to do! The latter half of March and the first part of April was jam packed with action from the spring woods! You can hear the good the bad and the ugly of all of it! We have stories of turkeys flying from tree to tree, arguments while turkeys are inside of gun range, misses, and more. Check it out!

This week we are going deep into the STL archives to the first spring turkey episode we ever did. It was an interview with the one and only, Wilbur Primos about an in depth look at the first video Primos Hunting ever made, The Truth 1 About Spring Turkey Hunting. One could argue that this video in many ways, was cornerstone piece of content for the culture of turkey hunting we live and enjoy now. Check it out!

We are a little over a week into the Mississippi turkey season but it feels like we have been hunting for a month. We have been far from short on action so we have a pile of stories to tell. Dave Owens' hunt on the Mississippi River, struggling to find gobbles, turkeys acting like its winter, Jordan's wife's first Mississippi Gobbler, and Lake going round and round with public land gobbler in a pine thicket. This episode has it all. Check it out.

Dave Owens is a turkey hunter, a turkey call maker, owner of the popular brand and Youtube channel, the Pinhoti Project, and also the winner of the 2025 grand national turkey calling contest. To watch Dave's hunting videos click here: https://www.youtube.com/@pinhotiproject

One undeniable fact in the current culture of turkey hunting is the popularity, or lack there of, in hunting on public land. Now, Jordan and I would never dare to claim expertise in this subject, but we have spent an awful lot of time kick around out there in the government woods. In this episode we take a look at some quick and practical tricks we have learned, as well as some very important topics on public land etiquette and how we think they should be handled. As always, this spring episode is capped with a turkey hunting story. Check it out!

Gary Simons has been a dear friend of mine for a long, long time. The first place we met was at the church that I grew up in when I was just a kid. He was my sunday school teacher for a time, and he was also someone that also had a reputation for being a good turkey hunter, and also someone who was alway willing to take a kid hunting. In this conversation, Mr. Gary has a couple of turkey hunting stories lined up for us, and trust me, you'll want to listen to all of them! Check it out!

If you can't find turkeys, you can't hurt turkeys. It's a plain and simple fact. In this episode we dive into different tactics, strategies, and methods we have used to consistently find and locate turkeys in the early parts of the season. Opening day will be here before you know it, so dive into this subject with us and prepare for an awesome spring! Check it out!

Here at the STL Podcast we are fans of spring turkey stories of all kinds, and believe me, we have heard a lot of them. However, today's story told by our friend, Robert Aiken, is without any doubt one of the most bizarre turkey stories we have heard anyone tell. You have probably heard of grizzly bear charges and buffalo charges- but I bet you have never heard of a turkey charge. Check it out!

Spring turkey season can put a strain on any relationship. That is just a fact of life. With turkey season coming soon, we thought it best to get our wives, Jessi and Lacey, to sit down with us and answer a question that has plagued humanity for decades. How do you be a turkey hunter's wife? All jokes aside, we wanted to dive in and figure out what spring turkey season means from our wives' perspectives. What are some things that would be helpful to know if you are taking your wife or girlfriend for the first time, and a whole lot more. and of course, be sure to stick around for the turkey stories at the end. Check it out!

Surprise! From now through spring we will be releasing bonus episodes featuring turkeys stories with real hunt audio. These stories will be told by us and several of our friends. This first one comes from the spring of 2021 in the midst of Montana and Idaho road trip. Check it out!

Keith Polk has been a registered forester and believer in prescribed fire to benefit wild turkeys, other wildlife, and hunting quality for years now. In this conversation, we dive into understanding the uses of fire and forest management on properties big and small and the practical uses they have for landowners and/or hunters. We learn some basic fire terminology, the importance in fire safety, and a few AWESOME turkey stories with live turkey audio to go with it! Check it out!!

Adam Butler has been a wildlife biologist at the Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks focused on wild turkeys since 2008. He has been the wild turkey program coordinator for the state since 2018. In his duration spent in these roles he spent vast amounts of time in the field, researching and studying wild turkeys. He's seen a lot, he's learned a lot, he's watched research change and update. We will make a bet with you that you can't go through this entire episode without learning at least one fun-fact you were unaware of! He also gives us some very interesting insight to how conservation is funded. Check it out!

It is officially time to think about spring turkeys- as if we ever really stop thinking about them, but you know what we mean. This episode is all about turkey hunting stories that stick in your memory. We have 3 stories this week- 2 from South Florida, and 1 from Mississippi public land. As an extra treat, we have real hunt audio from all of them! Check it out!

We have all but reached the end of the 2024/2025 fall and winter hunting seasons. With the exciting new twist that Mississippi has decided to extend it's deer season into the first two days of February, we discuss all the current events including the season extension, Mississippi residents getting busted for keeping wild alligators in captivity, Riding horseback into a duck hole, and getting ready for prescribed burns. Check it out!

In the spring of 2024, the state of Mississippi tried to introduce a statewide turkey stamp, and unfortunately failed. There are several acclaimed reasons for the stamp not being able to make it through the house and senate- more and that can be found in the links below- but what's more important today, is that the turkey stamp has another chance. House Bill 553, would establish a statewide turkey stamp that would generate funds that would be solely used for wild turkey conservation, research, and restoration projects. In this episode, we dive into more details about the turkey stamp, why & how we all should support it, as well as BIG announcement about our Turkey Season Kick-off event coming up on February 27! To see the newly proposed Turkey stamp bill click here: https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2025/html/HB/0500-0599/HB0553IN.htm To see the Clarion Ledger article about last years turkey stamp debacle click here: https://www.clarionledger.com/story/sports/outdoors/2024/05/07/turkey-stamp-bill-worth-millions-of-dollars-to-ms-dies-heres-why/73554495007/ To see the Daily Leader article about last years turkey stamp debacle click here: https://www.dailyleader.com/2024/05/04/politics-killed-turkey-stamp-bills/

This week we are tackling the important questions. Is there such thing as a hunting spot worth fighting over? With most of Mississippi duck hunters singing the blues, where are all the ducks? Has anyone else seen a decrease in buck antler quality this season? If so, why? There's a lot covered in this episode. Check it out! for more information on Southern Ag click here: https://southernagcredit.com/services/ag-insurance-solutions/ To see the Consumed YouTube channel click here: https://www.youtube.com/@consumedhunting STAY TUNED FOR A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT NEXT WEEK!!

Ducks and Geese are truly one of the most unique natural resources that we as sportsmen and women have to enjoy, and that is because they are truly a shared resource. Migrating throughout the country, in an impressive fashion, and finding a way to live rent free in many of our heads, it's no secret that waterfowl hunting, waterfowl management, and the future of both is something that we care deeply about. Houston Havens has been the waterfowl program coordinator for Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks for over a decade. In this conversation, we lean into his years of experience to better understand season structuring, bag limits, waterfowl food preferences, land management for waterfowl and more. Check it out!

A Mississippi seafood distributor and local restaurant busted for mislabeling fish, Arguments about CWD, whitetail twins having different fathers, this week's conversation has it all! Check it out! To learn more about Open Season Properties click here: https://openseasonproperties.com/ To learn more about Consumed click here: https://www.youtube.com/@consumedhunting To learn more about Southern Ag Credit click here: https://www.southernagcredit.com

Lake and Jordan discuss the latest duck hunting escapades, as well as the allure of calling mallards into the flooded timber. They also talk about the ups and downs of a good duck dog, and rut really starting to ramp up in Mississippi.

On this week's episode, we are reaching back into the archives to one most beloved episodes from the early days of the STL Podcast. In this episode titled "Embarrasment" Jordan and I share some of our favorite stories from our Primos days that happened when the cameras weren't rolling. It's guaranteed to make you laugh. Check it out!

As we move further into the peak hunting time of year for fall and winter hunting seasons in the Southeast, Jordan and Lake give updates to both of their most recent adventures in the woods. Everything from duck hunts in downtown Memphis to buzzards landing on a deer less than an hour after it had been shot. Check it out! To learn more about Southern Ag Credit click here: https://southernagcredit.com/ To learn more about Consumed Hunting click here: https://www.youtube.com/@consumedhunting

For the hunter who resides in the southeastern part of the United State, the best time of year for fall and winter hunting season is upon us! The Rut is going to be kicking off soon, duck season is finally open, and we have some actual cold weather to look forward to. Subjects discussed in this episode include, the follies of getting back into archery whitetail hunting after taking time off, Jordan's Big Black River Buck, Duck season at Francis Bay and Lake's duck camp. Check it out!

Thad Miller is a native Mississippian who has spent his life with land being the center piece. In this episode, we acknowledge that it is the dream of many outdoors men and women to one day own their own piece of hunting ground, and then go into the ins and outs of what that means, what it takes to achieve it, and how the land market has changed significantly over the past years. Check it out! To learn more about Open Season Properties click here: https://openseasonproperties.com/ To learn more about Consumed click here: https://www.youtube.com/@consumedhunting

If you are a whitetail hunter, and especially if you are a whitetail hunter that has ever spent a deer season going after a specific target deer, you owe it to yourself to listen to this episode. Mark Kenyon is a writer, host of the Wired To Hunt podcast, and part of the MeatEater crew, and in this episode we dive into his hunt for a deer that he referred to as the wide 9. It's quite the story. check it out! To see the hunt for the wide 9 video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTNocylu4ZQ for more about Southern Ag Credit: https://southernagcredit.com/services/ag-insurance-solutions/

Jordan recently returned from a two-state deer hunting trip to Missouri and Kansas where he managed to kill two bucks in back-to-back days!! crazy, right!? Believe me, we know he should be buying some lottery tickets. We go into that hunting story in great detail, as well as a habitat segment about waterfowl land management, and an internet argument segment about hunters getting angry when asked to kill more deer. Check it out!

November is officially here. In this episode Jordan and I talk about my most recent trip to South Dakota with Greg from the Hunting Public, and also my wife and her parents. We also talk about Jordan's Midwest deer road trip, as he is rolling out this week to hunt both in Missouri and Kansas. We also introduce a new segment called, Lake Reads Internet Arguments About Wildlife Conservation. It should be a funny one to do from week-to-week. We also discuss that latest Dig Deep episode! Learn More About the PATH program here: https://youtu.be/C1E749v3H8Y?si=CuKTAS4HRrQaKzF7 Find Consumed on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/@consumedhunting Learn More about Southern Ag Credit here: https://southernagcredit.com/

This episode is about the simple act of getting out and voting. It is important, and election day is less than a week away. Baker Leavitt joins us to discuss some shocking statistics about lack of hunter and outdoorsman participation in voting in America. For more information on Vote4America: https://www.vote4america.org/

So, before we dive into this one, lets set the stage. In the aftermath of the chaotic year of 2020, We started to see a lot of residual impacts and new buzz words coming out regenerative farming sustainable agriculture factory farming is bad. orgranic grown is the way to go. What does cage free even mean? we also saw a revived movement in supporting local farms and businesses. Here’s the thing, I know enough to know that these topics are important- land conservation and soil and water quality, not to mention the foods that most of us consume. I know everyone on this podcast are fans of wildgame, myself included, but I also know virtually none of live off of nothing but wild game 24/7, and not to mention that regenerative term is starting get thrown around in wildlife management circles as well So the real question is, is the hype is real?- I’m no farmer, I’ve never raised livestock so in efforts for all of us to get to the bottom of this I’ve called in subject experts- To my surprise, in doing research for this particular podcast episode I learned of two regenerative farms right here in my home state of Mississippi. Home Place Pastures- a grass fed beef and pork opperation in Como, Mississippi and Riley Family Farms a pasture poultry farm in Holly springs,MS and lastly, we'll talk to Kyle Lybarger of the Native Habitat Project Between these 3 guests we’re going to find out once and for all what regenerative farming and native habitats really mean, and why it’s so important for conservation, wildlife, and our every day lives. More on Home Place Pastures: https://homeplacepastures.com/ More on Riley Family Farms: https://www.rileyfamilyfarms.com/ More on Native Habitat Project: https://www.nativehabitatproject.com/

Corporal Bradley Starling is an MDWFP (Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries & Parks) officer and is part of their K-9 unit. Back in July, He and his K-9, Charlie were able to successfully track and safely recover three young children that had gone missing in Monroe county, Mississippi. Both of them were later awarded a medal of valor for their efforts.

Last week we made the commitment to try a new style of deer hunting before the next episode came out, and we kept our promise. This week's episode was recorded right after we returned from the whitetail woods and learned exactly what not do in terms of calling in a doe. We also discuss a new project for Jordan in the habitat segment, a 200-inch deer killed in Mississippi in an unorthodox and comical manor, a 101-year-old man killing a buck, and the continuing controversy surrounding the upcoming vote on mountain lion hunting in Colorado. Check it out. To find the Consumed YouTube Channel go here: https://youtube.com/@consumedhunting?si=1grBx_uo4oJoYUiY To learn more about Southern Ag Credit go here: https://southernagcredit.com/ To learn more about Open Season Properties go here: https://openseasonproperties.com/

We are one week into October. The weather has been warm, the rain has been scarce, and the deer reports have been few. However, we have been making the most of our time between finishing up food plot projects, staying sharp on archery, making plans for an unorthodox deer hunt, and more. We also check in with Jordan for the weekly habitat segment, as well as the upcoming Consumed videos. We round it out with a wild wolf story from Wisconsin, and new segment about wild game cooking. For more about Consumed Hunting videos: https://youtube.com/@consumedhunting?si=EE3_5EQzmZmi4-Ry To Find out more about the Land we talked about in this episode: https://openseasonproperties.com/property_category/land/

Holy smokes it's October! Deer season is officially here and we couldn't be more excited about it. In the first part of this episode, you'll be treated to a recording of us doing a little "in-the-field experimentation" as we shoot a an arrow at an elk scapula to see what kind of penetration we get with an very popular expandable broad head. The results may surprise you. We also discuss the most recent elk trip, Jordan's update from the Arkansas waterfowl project, plans for the deer season, this past weekend's public field day at Leaf River WMA, and the positive responses to the Dig Deep Episodes.

Mississippi is presently known for being an extremely high deer density state. In fact, it has one of the highest deer densities in the entire United States. However, have you ever stopped to think if it has always been that way? You might be surprised to know that not too long ago, whitetail deer were almost completely wiped out of the state, and the sole reason they succeed today is because of very intentional conservation efforts. In this episode, we talk with MS deer program coordinator William McKinley about the history of deer here in Mississippi. #DigDeep Request a DMAP site visit here: https://www.mdwfp.com/dmap

We recently returned from an early season elk hunt in Colorado. We tell you all about it- the good, the bad, and the ugly. We also touch on the proposed mountain lion hunting ban in the state of Colorado that will be voted on this upcoming November. Lastly, we discuss the NEW Consumed_osp YouTube channel, which is something we have been working on for while and are pumped for yall to see. Check it out! Consumed YouTube Channel here: https://youtube.com/@consumedhunting?si=_JCxSq_NgKB-7it-

Food plot are consistently one of the hottest topics in the whitetail hunting world. What do I plant? When do I plant? How do I plant? These are just a few of the hundreds of questions that come along with the subject. This week, we take the subject and dissect it from one end to the other, in attempts to leave no stone unturned. Have questions? email us here! the [email protected]

There is only one time of year where the stars align in such a way that we are able to have a big social gathering, go on a hunt, watch college football, and celebrate the kick-off of fall hunting seasons. The opening day of dove season in the southeast is arguably most popular and most participated in hunt across the whole region. In this conversation we dive into telling some of our most interesting stories from the dove field- some are good, all are entertaining, and some are just a good reminder to be safe while hunting.

Welcome to the Dig Deep episodes, where we take a single subject and really try to dig in and see what we can learn and gain insight from. In this first episode, we decided to focus in on the incredible life of Fannye Cook. Fannye was a Mississippi native born in the late 1800s and dedicated her entire life to the natural resources of Mississippi. She is truly one of the most impactful conservationists this state has ever seen. If you have ever hunted, fished, camped, hiked, or enjoyed the natural resources of the Magnolia state, you owe this woman a debt of gratitude. "Fannye Cook: Mississippi's Pioneering Conservationist" the book: https://www.upress.state.ms.us/Books/F/Fannye-Cook More history of Fannye Cook: https://www.mshistorynow.mdah.ms.gov/issue/fannye-cook-pioneer-conservationist

Archery season is virtually here, and it's past time to start getting ready. I think all of us that bow hunt can agree that getting out and shooting your bow is one of the most fun and necessary things to do to get prepared. that is, unless you have target panic. This summer, I had the worst flair up of target panic that I have ever had in my life. It got so bad that I even had thoughts of canceling some upcoming hunts. Thankfully, I was able to find the resources necessary to conquer it. Shot IQ with Joel Turner is the real deal, trust me on that one. We also dive into some practice tips and routines, general bow setups, and situations you can run into while elk or deer hunting. click here to learn more about Shot IQ: https://www.shotiq.com/home

The STL podcast might have gone away for a little while, but the hunting never stopped. After introducing the brand new Habitat Segment in the first part of the conversation, Jordan and I share a few of our favorite hunting stories that happened between the time of the podcast going dormant and now! It involves finding ourselves somehow in the middle of an entire herd of elk, and drawback on a whitetail buck that has more droptines and kickers than Jordan had arrows in his quiver. We also left a few hints about what to expect about the new Digging Deep episodes! The first will release at the end of this month!

Welcome to the official relaunch party episode for the Speak The Language Podcast. We are back, and back for good! Jordan and I have some big plans for this show going forward, but to start out we want to give a full explanation of what happened in the first place. There have been so many questions about the state of show and what happened to us, and we are here to answer them! Be sure to like, commment, and subscribe! We will back with weekly episodes, including the new "Dig Deep" episodes at the end of every month! As always, thank you for listening to the speak the language podcast!

we are on the final piece of this quail in the southeast series. this is it. the last piece of the puzzle. the crossing of the finish line. the light at the end of the bobwhite tunnel. and I sincerely hope that you’ve enjoyed this as much as I have- quite frankly this is the most time and energy I’ve ever put into one topic and it’s been completely worth it. So let’s end strong, shall we? Last week we focused heavily on learning why or the many why’s I should probably say that caused us to lose our quail populations. We heard from subject experts Dr. Mark Mcconnel and Quail forever biologist john mark Curtis. they taught us more about quail habitat needs and the changes in our current landscape that gave us a better understanding as to why quail simply cannot exist here like they did in the past. This week is all about the present and the future. I think both are important to think about. This week we’ll hear from more subject experts to explain those to us and let us know how much, if any real hope there is for us to ever have a healthy population of quail again. and maybe, just maybe will hear just a little bit more from our dear friend, Jimmy Bryan. Kicking us off is Dr. James Martin- Dr. Martin is a wildlife professor at UGA- and was described to me by many as “The guy” when it comes to quail and quail research- I believe the most common sentiment was- if you’re gonna talk about quail then you have to talk to James Martin- so obviously I obliged-We start the conversation with personal story from Dr. Martin, as to how he became to be so interested and invested in quail.

Last week we took our first in depth look into the story of Quail here in the southeast. We heard from a man who has lived and hunted quail in Mississippi long enough to recall a time when you woudn’t catch an odd look for pulling up to a Mississippi gas station with an english pointer in your truck. We also heard from a man who was born in raised in Tennessee, and grew an interest in quail mainly from the stories from his dad on how things used to be. Last week’s episode was meant to pull on your heart strings a tad, to possibly get you thinking about a type of hunting that maybe you haven’t tried yet. and maybe you haven’t tried it because it’s not readilly available to you like deer, squirrel, or turkey hunting is. Unfortunately, if you live in Mississippi or most other places in the southeast, it’s not readily available to you. But it used to be. This week we are going to dig hard into the question of why? why did we lose our quail and what caused it But first, before we dive in, I’m going to pose few questions to make you think and also get mind rolling in the right direction for what you’re going to hear in this episode. If you were to hop in your vehicle and take a drive around your neighborhood, down the local highway or interstate, down and old country road maybe- if you looked out the window- what would you see? Buildings? ag fields? pasture? blocks of timber? Whatever you see around where you live. Have you ever stopped to think if it’s always been that way? I’ve come to learn that what we grow up with we tend to assume that that’s just simply the way things have always been. The Mississippi that I’ve pretty much known my entire life has been dominated by vast stretches of pine plantation- but when I stop and think about it- it can’t have been like that always. that doesn’t occur naturally. so what was there before? What was there before? and if it hasn’t always been that way, what effects did it have when we made it that way?

For the next few weeks we are going to be discussing a single subject in a more in depth manner than we have ever done in the history of this podcast.but First, let me pose a few questions that may make you think. Right now, while your listening to this podcast, whether you’re in driving down the road, sitting at your desk, got your headphones on at the gym- wherever you are- take a second to think about your favorite game species- this could be your favorite animal to hunt, your favorite animal to encounter in the woods, whatever. think about that animal and then think about why that animal is your favorite. Maybe you had a really memorable bow hunt for a whitetail buck that just has always stuck with you. Maybe it was duck hunt on picture perfect day with good buddies, and number of ducks that came in matched the amount of laughs and stories that were shared in the blind that day. Maybe It was your first turkey hunt with your dad. Whatever that reason may be, I think we could all agree, as outdoors men and women that the animals we pursue mean something to us. something that transcends a single hunt for that animal. They mean so much to us that we form conservation organizations around them to ensure they’re preservation. We hang pictures of them in our house. We talk about them nonstop with our friends. and historically, hunter’s and anglers go above and beyond to protect these animals and the places they live by prettty much whatever means neccessary. That’s why, I was hit with a strong dillemma back in 2016. A good friend of mine introduced to me to upland bird hunting. I’ll never forget the first time I saw a pointing dog lock up on covey quail, followed up a flush of what was at least a dozen birds that were all but under my feet. After the shotgun blasts and the retrieval of the birds, I stood there in awe and completely hooked by this new type of hunting. Imagine the dissapointment when I realized that at one point, we had a huge population of quail at home in southeast. It was right around that time my wheels started to spin. where did all of them go? How many quail were there actually? Can we get them back? That’s where we pick up today.

We talk with Anthony Ballard, the Black Bear Program Coordinator in the state of Mississippi about the status of black bears in the state. We learn about the history of black bears in the state, their general life cycle and ecology, and also what types of research has been done along with what is currently ongoing. In this episode we try to tackle everything that's associated with black bears- the good, the bad, and the ugly. The hope is that if you listen to this episode from start to finish, you will be left with a better understanding and appreciation of the animal, as well as an understanding to why it's so important that we continue to work hard to restore them.

We are into November, A cold front is moving in, and we finally have enough rain in the forecast to justify planting food plots. This episode is all about plotting, planning, strategizing, and taking what was learned in the first year of hunting a new place and adjusting for this deer season that is upon us now.

Welcome back for the first episode of the 2023-2024 hunting season! If you have followed along with this show for a while, then you know we are a sucker for a good hunting story! This one involves a recent trip to the mountains of New Mexico for the enchanted month of September, when the air is crisp and the elk are bugling. Garrett Grey, Primos product manager, had the opportunity to have his first chance at an archery bull, and we were lucky enough to be there with from start to finish! Enjoy!

In this episode I sit down with my older brother, Brett Pickle, to talk about his very recent, first successful, turkey hunt. Even though the hunt itself happened quick, this has been well over three years in the making. Check it out!

Any turkey hunter will tell you that every turkey they get is special but none captures the heart quite like the first. In this episode I get to share in telling the very special story of my wife's first turkey hunt. As every turkey hunting story should, it's full of unexpected twists and turns.