Kentucky Afield

As deer season approaches, there's no better time to learn how your harvest can make a real difference. This week, we're joined by Roger Lapointe and Tom Waters of Kentucky Hunters for the Hungry to discuss one of Kentucky's most impactful conservation and outreach programs. Coming off a record-breaking year, Kentucky Hunters for the Hungry accepted nearly 5,000 donated deer and helped provide rou...

Southeast Kentucky is home to some of the state's most scenic and productive fisheries, and on this week's episode we're joined by Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Fisheries Biologist Marcy Anderson to talk about what anglers and outdoor enthusiasts can expect this summer. Marcy highlights several outstanding destinations for boating, kayaking, fishing, and outdoor recreation across the Southeast Region...

On this episode of the Kentucky Afield Podcast, we’re joined by Courtney Hayes, a Wildlife Biologist with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources who specializes in Kentucky’s non-game species. This episode is a fun dive into some of Kentucky’s most fascinating and overlooked wildlife, as we each share a few of our favorite species and the reasons they stand out to us. From beavers...

On this episode of the Kentucky Afield Podcast, we’re once again joined by Zak Danks, KDFWR Turkey Program Coordinator. This time, we get a mid-season update on the turkey harvest, which is trending toward an all-time high. Zak breaks down why that’s happening and what it could mean for the future. He also shares insights on turkey reproduction and where we are in that process—offering a look at h...

Turkey season is right around the corner in Kentucky, and there’s no better way to get prepared than hearing straight from the source. In this episode of the Kentucky Afield Podcast, we sit down with Zak Danks, the Turkey Program Coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, to break down what hunters can expect this spring. With Youth Season set for April 4–5 and the General State...

This week’s episode takes a storytelling approach to fisheries management with Jay Herrala of the Rivers and Streams Research Branch of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. Jay walks us through the history behind today’s bass populations — starting with the changes that shaped both Kentucky’s lakes and the Ohio River — and how those shifts led to the current conditions anglers s...

On this episode of the Kentucky Afield Podcast, we sit down with KDFWR Commissioner Rich Storm to talk about the path that led him from a passion for the outdoors to leading The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. Rich shares how his early hunting and fishing experiences shaped his interest in conservation, and influenced his career and leadership style. We also discuss some of the...

On this episode of the Kentucky Afield Podcast we're joined by David Baker, KDFWR Central District Fisheries Biologist! We're talking about what's "hot" right now in regards to fishing, and some of the best-eating species that the state has to offer are currently on the menu. We'll discuss how and where to target them for wintertime fishing success! Fisheries crews across the state are also prepar...

On this episode of the Kentucky Afield Podcast, we're joined by Dr. John Hast, Bear and Elk Program Coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, for an in-depth conversation on black bears and bear hunting in the Commonwealth. With Kentucky currently in the middle of its rifle season for bears, we're breaking down why the season is timed the way it is, the long-term goals of Kentu...

Modern Firearms Season kicks off this weekend, and deer hunting doesn’t get much better than this! 🦌 In this episode of the Kentucky Afield Podcast, we’re joined by Deer Program Coordinator Joe McDermott to talk about the latest deer research shaping management decisions across the Commonwealth — including a GPS collar study that’s shedding light on how deer move as the rut approaches. The result...

This week, we’re joined by Rachel Crume, KDFWR’s R3 Program Coordinator, and Megan Bagby from the R3 Branch. We kick things off with early season deer hunting strategies, and Rachel—who’s also an experienced deer tracker—shares valuable post-shot advice every hunter can use this fall. From there, we dive into the work of the R3 Branch (Recruitment, Retention, and Reactivation), highlighting how th...

In this episode, we’re joined by Tommy Apostolopoulos, Wildlife Biologist with the KDFWR Deer Program, to talk all things early season deer hunting in Kentucky. With archery and crossbow seasons just around the corner, Tommy breaks down what hunters can expect this year—from whitetail behavior in the early season to tactics for success when temps are high and patterns are still predictable. We als...

We sat down with KDFWR R3 Coordinator Rachel Crume to talk about the importance of recruiting, retaining, and reactivating outdoor enthusiasts—for the future of conservation in Kentucky. From Learn to Hunt and Fish classes to Becoming an Outdoors-Woman workshops and Annie Oakley Range Days, there are more ways than ever to get involved. Plus, we dive into some of our own hunting and fishing experi...

On this episode of the Kentucky Afield Podcast, we’re talking wild pigs and wild water! Biologist Terri Brunjes from KDFWR’s wild pig program joins us to break down the damage feral swine cause in Kentucky—and what’s being done to root them out. We also swap stories about kayaking and whitewater paddling, a shared passion among those on the show. Tune in for a fun and informative ride from the bac...

On this episode of the Kentucky Afield Podcast we're joined by Jay Herrala, a biologist who specializes in moving-water fisheries for the KDFWR. It's the best time of the year to stream fish in Kentucky, so we're definitely talking about opportunities. Additionally, we've had some unique rainfall in the state this year, so we'll pick Jay's brain on the affects of flooding on the fisheries. Then, o...

Ahead of the Kentucky Elk Hunt Drawing we're all excited at the thought of elk hunting in the Commonwealth! So we asked Dr. John Hast, KDFWR Bear and Elk Program Coordinator, to join us for an episode... We discuss elk hunting in the state over the years and what it's like now, what the odds of being drawn are, how the process works, tell a few stories, and much more. The deadline to enter for the...

Jeff Crosby, KDFWR Fisheries Biologist, joins us for this episode of the Kentucky Afield Podcast! We'll dive into some of the most aggressive biting and hard fighting fish that the state has to offer, and explore the hybrid species in-depth. Why do they make hybrids? What's the advantage? Do they truly fight harder? We'll answer those questions and many more on this episode of the podcast!

On this episode of the Kentucky Afield Podcast we're joined by Zak Danks, the Turkey Program Coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources! Zak has some exciting news to share as turkey season is on the horizon, both for this year's hunt, and for the next several years to come... Find out why things might be looking up for the turkey population and turkey hunters of the st...

On this episode of the Kentucky Afield Podcast we're joined by Dave Baker, a fisheries biologist with The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources! Dave is extremely knowledgeable when it comes to both fish and fishing, as he's not only a professional in the field, but also an excellent angler as well... Here we're talking about all the exciting spring fishing opportunities that are on t...

We're joined by Nick Ray, the Assistant Director of KDFWR's EIT division! "EIT" stands for Engineering, Infrastructure and Technology, and the follks who work in this division really make things work for the outdoors men and women of the state... We'll learn about some of the projects they take on, how they increase opportunity as a whole, and hear some stories of the challenges that they can run...

On this episode of the Kentucky Afield Podcast we're joined Dr. John Hast, Kentucky's lead bear and elk biologist, and he's taking us deep into the world of wildlife management and conservation efforts for two of the state's most iconic species: black bears and elk. Dr. Hast discusses the ongoing work to protect and sustain these populations, the challenges they face, and the exciting hunting oppo...

We're joined by Dr. John Brunjes, the Migratory Bird Program Coordinator for KDFWR! John is an avid outdoorsman, and specifically a waterfowl lover. He speaks to all the reasons that waterfowl hunters love what they do, and about what makes it such a unique hunting opportunity. Additionally, Dr. Brunjes also sheds some light on the "behind the scenes" of migratory bird conservation efforts in Nort...

We're joined by Tommy, a biologist with the KDFWR deer program! The whitetail rut is right around the corner, and so is the state's modern firearms season for deer... We'll talk about that, tips and tactics, and also go over some need-to-know information for hunters in Kentucky.

On this episode of the Kentucky Afield Podcast we're joined by Rachel Crume, who's not only the R3 Branch Manager for KDFWR, but also an experienced deer tracker who services the state of KY! Rachel is going to give us the rundown on deer tracking from her perspective, sharing information that she's gathered over the course of hundreds of successful and unsuccessful tracks... She'll tell us why sh...

We're joined by Jimmy Woods, a biologist with The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, and we're talking about small game! Jimmy's giving us the rundown of the mast crops across the state, discussing how this information is useful for outdoors men and women, talking about hunting with dogs, and letting us know about a new website feature that is going to help improve management efforts across...