Episode 58: Cackle Clothing Company

Episode 58: Cackle Clothing Company

This week's guests are Brooks Maurer and Skyler Wenninger, two Minnesota educators, coaches, bird hunters, dog owners, and entrepreneurs who have turned a shared passion into a growing outdoor brand. Brooks grew up hunting behind retrievers across central Minnesota and now balances life as a PE teacher, coach, husband, father, and bird hunter in Luverne. Skyler, a former college baseball player and fellow educator, came into hunting from a different path but has become equally passionate about the upland lifestyle. As brothers-in-law married to sisters, the two teamed up to launch Cackle Clothing Company in 2024, blending their love of hunting, dogs, storytelling, and creative design into a unique brand. From raising pheasants and chukars for dog training to filming hunts and building a business together, they're creating a community centered around birds, dogs, and the outdoors. Topics Covered: * Hunting pheasants with Golden Retrievers * The inspiration behind Cackle Clothing Company * The company's first Pheasant Fest experience * Getting youth excited about the outdoors * Raising gamebirds for summer training Shop Cackle Clothing Company [https://www.cackleco.com/] Proud Sponsors: Gundog Central [https://gundogcentral.com/] Ballad of the Bird Dog [https://www.balladofthebirddog.com/]

Episode 57: Decades of Wingshooting Media with Scott Linden

Today’s guest is Scott Linden, one of the most recognizable voices in the world of wingshooting and bird dogs. Scott is the creator and host of Wingshooting USA, an award-winning outdoor television series, longtime outdoor writer, seminar speaker, and author of What the Dogs Taught Me. From teaching fly fishing and directing school bands to producing some of the outdoor industry’s most respected media, Scott has spent a lifetime helping people connect with the outdoors, bird dogs, and the sporting life. Topics Covered: * Scott's later journey into the uplands * How outdoor media has changed in many ways * The wins and challenges of highly accessible outdoor media * Scott's affinity for German Wirehaired Pointers * The connection of music and bird hunting Listen to Scott's Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3P9RqbZDokwazreisUL6Xg [https://open.spotify.com/show/3P9RqbZDokwazreisUL6Xg] Proud Sponsors: Gundog Central [https://gundogcentral.com/] Ballad of the Bird Dog [https://www.balladofthebirddog.com/]

Episode 56: Bird Hunting From Horseback with Matt Fruge

Matt Fruge is a cattle feedlot consulting veterinarian who’s built a life around both livestock and the landscapes they depend on. Raised in southwest Louisiana and now rooted in the West after nearly a decade in Nebraska, Matt balances a busy family life with a deep obsession for upland hunting. Whether it’s chasing prairie grouse on horseback across big country or traveling state to state in pursuit of bobwhites, blue quail, and dusky grouse, he’s all in on the experience. When he’s not working cattle or raising two young kids alongside his veterinarian wife, you’ll likely find him somewhere wide open, bird dog in front, chasing that next flush. Topics Covered: * Matt's Louisiana roots * The moment he realized he was a bird hunter * Following a dog while riding a horse for bird hunting * Prairie chickens and their history * How cattle are the modern-day bison Proud Sponsors: Gundog Central [https://gundogcentral.com/] Ballad of the Bird Dog [https://www.balladofthebirddog.com/]

Episode 55: Wingshooting In The Northeast with Chris Ingram

Chris Ingram is a Vermont-based storyteller and sportsman dedicated to capturing the authentic connections between people, place, and the outdoors. A communicator by trade—working across government, nonprofits, and media—Chris brings a thoughtful, boots-on-the-ground perspective to conservation and community. He’s deeply involved in organizations like the Ruffed Grouse Society and Delta Waterfowl, volunteers as a hunter education instructor, and spends his free time chasing game across New England, picking bluegrass mandolin, and training his young treeing feist. At his core, Chris is all about building bridges—through stories, mentorship, and time in the field. Topics Covered: * Chris' journey into the uplands * Hunting obscure birds like Wilson's Snipe * Vermont's vast outdoor resources * Storytelling with different mediums * The American Field Journal Subscribe to the AFJ https://journal.americanfield.com/subscribe/ [https://journal.americanfield.com/subscribe/] Proud Sponsors: Gundog Central [https://gundogcentral.com/] Ballad of the Bird Dog [https://www.balladofthebirddog.com/]

Episode 54: A Break In The Action with Ryan Doughty

Ryan Doughty is the voice behind A Break in the Action, a podcast dedicated to the world of shotguns and the sporting life. What started in 2019 as a creative outlet alongside a career in commercial banking has grown into a respected platform exploring everything from fine guns to bird hunting, clays, and the people who shape the culture around them. With over 25 years spent chasing birds behind dogs and studying the craft, Ryan brings a thoughtful, curious approach to the conversation—making the nuances of shotgunning accessible whether you’re just starting out or have been at it a lifetime. Recently joining the team at Shooting Sportsman, he continues to highlight not just the gear, but the deeper experiences that define the sporting life. Topics Covered: * Ryan's discovery and love of fine shotguns * Hunting in the US and Europe * Ryan's own wingshooting podcast * His favorite gamebird and why * Ryan's job at Shooting Sportsman Magazine Connect with Ryan: https://www.instagram.com/abreakintheaction/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/abreakintheaction/?hl=en] https://shootingsportsman.com/ [https://shootingsportsman.com/] Proud Sponsors: Gundog Central [https://gundogcentral.com/] Ballad of the Bird Dog [https://www.balladofthebirddog.com/]