Raised in the Woods

Dive into the wilds of the Midwest as Joel Kleefisch and Ellie Lawton explore the quirky world of outdoor adventures with guests like Captain Frogman and game bird ecologist Taylor Finger. Discover bizarre bird nesting habits atop skyscrapers and learn why goslings aren't great at calculating heights. Get homesteader Sarah Marinus' insights on companion planting to boost your garden game. Chef Law...

Dive into the fascinating world of migratory bird management with Joel Kleefisch and his crew, featuring special insights from Wild Goose Chase and Migratory Bird Management. Learn how Border Collies are used to humanely herd nuisance geese, preventing urban chaos without harm. Explore the challenges and triumphs faced by bird enthusiasts like Taylor Finger, Wisconsin’s chief game bird ecologist,...

Dive into the quirky world of frog gigging with the one and only James Cooper, Wisconsin's sole frog gigging guide. Raised in Louisiana, James shares his unique journey from family traditions in the bayou to becoming the state's 'Captain Frog Boy.' Learn about the art of frog gigging, its conservation significance, and the legal quirks in Wisconsin's rules. James spices up the chat with Cajun reci...

The podcast dives into the rising number of women embracing the outdoors in the Midwest, discussing both triumphs and challenges they face. A panel including Danielle, Dave, and Joe explores how women hunters are transforming the landscape, despite obstacles like social media pressures and skepticism from traditionalists. The episode emphasizes fostering inclusivity and respect in hunting communit...

The podcast dives into the pervasive impact of social media on our lives and the outdoors. Joel Kleefisch and guests like Chad Belding and Brittany Christensen discuss how social media blurs reality, causing generational shifts where kids struggle with interpersonal communication. They explore the contradiction of needing social media for business while yearning for genuine human interaction. Chad...

Joel Kleefisch hosts a riveting episode featuring Chad Belding, national host of The Fowl Life , diving into the profound impact of hunting on personal networks and life experiences. Chad shares how the humble Mallard Duck connected him with fascinating people across diverse fields. The crew discusses the essence of manifestation, debating its role in success and hunting triumphs. Brittany Christe...

Joel Kleefisch hosts a lively episode featuring Eric Loebner from Wisconsin's DNR and former Chief Warden Todd Schaller. They dive into outdoor adventures, wildlife management, and the joys of turkey hunting. Chef Lawton introduces a mouthwatering brunch dish—turkey toast with poached eggs, avocado, and pomegranate seeds. The discussion shifts to turkey camp cuisine, including a delectable turkey...

Get ready for a wild ride through the Midwest's great outdoors with hosts Joel Kleefisch and Chef Ellie Lawton. This episode is a smorgasbord of turkey tales and culinary experiments. Special guests Eric Lobner and Todd Schaller from the Wisconsin DNR share insights on conservation, turkey hunting antics, and the challenges of adapting to political shifts. The culinary highlight? A daring duck ton...

In this heartwarming episode, hosts Joel Kleefisch and Ellie Lawton dive into the unexpected journey of Ashlyn Whitting, a former vegan who found love and hunting through her outdoorsman partner. Ashlyn shares how their relationship, rooted in mutual respect and open dialogue, led her to embrace hunting and culinary exploration. The episode also features Shelby Christensen, who crafts art from roa...

Many hunters share a similar origin story: an older family member or other trusted adult ushers a young child out into the wilderness to teach them the ropes. The kid might be excited by the magic of nature or the thrill of the hunt, or they may not even want to be there at first. However, growing up with a mentor in the family isn't the only way to get involved. This week, our hosts Joel Kleefisc...

Will they or won’t they? How close is Wisconsin to expanding the species available to hunt? Hosts Joel Kleefisch and Ellie Lawton have the foremost expert on Waterfowl hunting Brad Heidel to pick his brain about what animals will make it from the field to your dinner table. Don’t worry they manage to give you reasons to laugh with and at them. Plus, as always wild game recipes from Meat man Mike a...

Get ready for a side splitting romp through the Midwest as spring has sprung. Raised in the Woods hosts Joel Kleefisch and Ellie Lawton lead an all star bunch a turkeys through your keys to a wild outdoor spring in the Midwest. Wild turkey season is in full swing and that means easy awesome turkey recipes for the field or the table! Additional technical support by Morris Original LLC. Born in Wisc...

Today on Raised in the Woods we're recapping the fun we had at  the 98th Annual Tom McNulty Memorial Coon Feed ! How did it go? How record-breaking was the attendance? And most importantly; how did Chef Lawton's raccoon recipe stack up against the pros? Guests Sherri Ritz and Nick Corgiat return to tell us all about the Delafield raccoon festival in the return of the raccoon roasters on Raised in...

Today on Raised in the Woods we're traveling to the wilds of Wisconsin to investigate a fascinating local tradition. The 98th Annual Tom McNulty Memorial Coon Feed held by the American Legion Post 196 is a charitable fundraiser seeking to raise money for local youth and veteran's programs. How do they do it? You might have guessed it from the name; THEY COOK UP RACCOONS! How do they taste? Chef El...

Today on Raised in the Woods, Joel Kleefisch is joined by his trusty co-hosts Mike Kretschmer and Sarah Marenes to talk about the fun to be had when visiting Canada. Joel recently popped in to the All-Canada Show in Milwaukee and brought back two FANTASTIC interviews with some of the presenters. The team is also joined by technical advisor Noah Morris' lovely lady Lynn to talk about her work coach...

Today on Raised in the Woods hosts Joel Kleefisch and Ellie Lawton are back and ready to talk about all things woods! Former Chief Warden Todd Schaller drops by to talk about how hunters and conservation officers can get along and provides tips on how to have a safe and enjoyable time in the outdoors. New visitor Sarah Marenes joins the show to share fun stories and make Joel howl with laughter. W...

Welcome back to Raised in Wiscoooooooo- wait, no, that's the old show. We're super excited today because we're introducing Raised in the Woods for the first time! With Civic Media growing across the Mid West, our show is spreading its reach as well! Are we forgetting about Wisconsin? Are we too big for our home state? Heck no! We're taking the love of the outdoors that Wisconsin taught us and shar...

It's a bittersweet episode of Raised in Wisco today as the shootin-est, huntin-est, fishin-est, kayakin-est, mountain-climbin-est, campin-est co-host Danielle Fairman says farewell to Wisco. Danielle and Joel go together like peas and carrots, and they've been broadcasting together for a long, long time, but all things must come to an end. The Wisco crew is happy to say that Danielle is moving on...

Many of us are facing the tough decision of what to give our friends and loved ones as gifts during this holiday season. Lucky for us, Raised in Wisco is here to give tips on how to pick great outdoors-related gifts! Whether you're shopping for a seasoned outdoorsman or trying to help a friend take their first steps into Wisconsin's bountiful outdoors, Raised in Wisco has you covered! With the hel...

The Deer Dorks are back and better than ever! When you spot a deer in your favorite wood, who you gonna call? The Deer Dorks! Todd "No Filter" Filter, "Iron" Mike Theiler, and "Mean" Dean Sabel are here to talk all things deer with the Raised in Wisco crew. Hunting is a lot of fun, no doubt, but what about eating? Will there be eating on this episode? You bet your bottom dollar there will! Chef El...

On a very special edition of Raised in Wisco we welcome on the Deer Dorks, Dean Sabel and Todd Filter, to talk hunting deer in this coooooold season in Wisconsin. Later, Raised in Wisco co-host and awesome lady Danielle Fairman makes a HUGE announcement. We wrap things up with delicious recipes from Danielle and Ellie that you aren't going to want to miss on Raised in Wiscoooo! Additional technica...

Today on Raised in Wisco it's time for the great debate of our times; are drones okay in hunting and if so how much? Should it stop at finding dead deer, or should it be okay to use drones to find wounded deer so hunters can finish the kill? When do drones cross from being an annoyance into taking part in hunter harassment? These are big questions and they're only getting bigger as drones become m...

Today on Raised in Wisco Joel, Danielle, and Ellie are joined by drone expert, duck-caller, and deer hunter Nick Scaffidi. Nick tells a deer hunting story for the ages, risking life and love for the sake of bagging a buck listeners won't soon forget. Later, Nick breaks down how he uses his remote controlled drone to help hunters track down the deer they've hit in order to prevent waste. Finally we...

Today on Raised in Wisco we welcome back Chef Ellie from her nationwide food adventure, Danielle is packing heat, and special guest Paul Hausz brings his deer hunting expertise! Paul knows his deer, and Joel is eager to learn how he can finally start bagging 'em. Will Joel kill a deer? Will Ellie shake off the rust and deliver a great new recipe in her first show back? And will Megan's Lover get t...

Today we've got a good old fashioned cook-off as guest Chef Jerry Garcia and understudy in-house-chef Megan "Salad Bar" Salazar bring competing recipes to the show! Jerry and Megan are cooking, Danielle is preparing her Weekly Wisco, and Joel? Joel's in heaven as he gets to drool over twice as many recipes as usual on Raised in Wiscoooooo! Additional technical support by Morris Original LLC. Born...