Texas Fish and Game Unfiltered with Kevin Burke

It spreads underground through fused root systems, hitches rides on beetles drawn to fresh wounds, and moves long distances in firewood. Oak wilt is one of North America's most destructive tree diseases — and it's expanding. Here's what it is, how it works, and how to stop it. Subscribe to Texas Fish and Game Unfiltered on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Instagram: https://www.instagram.co...

Tyler Jones of The Element sits down with me this week, and we get into all of it. Where Texas actually ranks as a deer hunting state. The feeder debate and when they work and when they don't. The reality check every first-time public land hunter needs before they walk into the woods. And what the future of hunting recruitment looks like from inside one of the biggest platforms in the industry...

Every hunting brand in America wants you to believe that if your camo pattern doesn't match your exact terrain, the deer will bust you. They're lying — and the peer-reviewed science has been saying so for decades. In this episode I break down what white-tailed deer actually see, pulled straight from research out of the University of Georgia, the USDA National Wildlife Research Center, and...

That coyote howl at 3am — it means something different to every Texas land manager. In this episode, we dig into the actual science behind coyote predation and whitetail deer in Texas, pulling from Caesar Kleberg research, King Ranch studies, and TPWD data to answer the question every deer manager is asking: should I be killing every coyote I see? The answer is more complicated than you think — an...

Everybody's got an opinion on baiting deer — but most of those conversations are less about science and more about ego. In this episode, I puts my cards on the table and then dig into all of it: the real pros, the honest cons, the food plot vs. feeder debate, and the one angle that should matter most to every Texas deer hunter right now — CWD. Is baiting ethical? Is it hunting? Is there actual...

Two Texas Parks & Wildlife Biologists Tell You Everything You Need to Know About Managing Whitetail in the Hill Country If you lease or own land in Central Texas, this episode is required listening. I sitdown with Kory Perlichek and Evan McCoy— Texas Parks and Wildlife biologists covering Mason and McCulloch Counties — for one of the most information-packed whitetail conversations we've ev...

Cable Smith has been one of the loudest voices in the Texas outdoor world for over 15 years. As the founder and host of the Lone Star Outdoor Show, he's built a platform around one simple idea — the hunting and fishing lifestyle is worth fighting for. Cable doesn't hold back on the biggest threats facing Texas hunting culture, the high fence debate, trophy hunting, public land access, and...

If you're serious about managing a healthy whitetail herd, doe harvest isn't optional-it's essential. Whether you're managing 100 acres or 10,000, this is the conversation your herd needs you to hear. -Why doe harvest is the foundation of any serious deer management plan -What happens to your herd when you don't manage doe populations -Why neighbors matter more than you think I...

Texas Pond Fixes with Shan O'Gorman. Fisheries biologist Shan O'Gorman (@aquatic_biologist), reveals why most Texas ponds are mismanaged—and how to fix yours. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevinburke_tfgn Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TexasFishGameUnfiltered/ Get Outdoors and Find Your Peace

The fall flounder run is one of the most iconic traditions in Texas coastal fishing. But most anglers chasing flounder through the passes don't know what's actually happening to this fishery — or why it matters. Southern flounder populations have been declining for more than 30 years. And buried in the research is a piece of science that almost nobody in the Texas fishing community is talk...

Every fall, mature bull redfish stack up on Texas Gulf beaches and near the passes to spawn. Most anglers know the run exists. Almost nobody knows the full story behind it. In this episode we cover the complete life cycle of the red drum — from larvae drifting into Texas bays on tidal currents, to juvenile slot fish on the grass flats, to mature bulls that leave the bays permanently and only retur...

In this episode we break down the Texas speckled trout spawn; much longer than most realize. Website: https://www.texasfishandgamenetwork.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/texasfishgamenetwork Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TexasFishGameNetwork/ Get Outdoors and Find Your Peace

Texas Pond Fixes with Shan O'Gorman: Crappie Traps & Bass Health Fisheries biologist Shan O'Gorman (@aquatic_biologist), reveals why most Texas ponds are mismanaged—and how to fix yours. From his 13+ years electrofishing hundreds of private lakes, Shan breaks down: Bass relative weight: Weigh your catch vs. standard charts (e.g., 24" bass at 8.1 lbs = 100%; under 95% signals forag...

160 miles. That's how close the New World screwworm fly is to the Texas border right now. A pest we thought we defeated 60 years ago is back — and fawning season is happening right now. This short alert episode covers what it is, how it came back, and exactly what Texas hunters and landowners need to do today. Full story:  https://deerassociation.com/the-screwworm-fly-is-back-and-approaching-t...

The bass spawn is the best fishing opportunity of the year in Texas freshwater. In this episode I break down the full picture. The biology of what a largemouth bass is actually doing during the spawn, why the Texas fishery looks the way it does today, how lakes spawn in stages, and how wind and geography can put you on fish or keep you completely off them. We also get into the three phases — pre-s...

Before you spend any more time listening to me talk, you probably ought to know who's talking. In this episode I tell the story behind Texas Fish and Game Unfiltered and the Texas Fish and Game Network — where I came from, why I built it, and what I got tired of in the outdoor media space that finally pushed me to do something about it. No sponsors. No agenda. Just a guy who's obsessed wit...

Every deer camp has that argument — shoot the spikes or let them walk. But what if it doesn't matter as much as everyone thinks? In this episode we dig into the actual research from TPWD's Kerr WMA and the Caesar Kleberg Institute to look at what the data really shows about spike harvest and herd genetics. The answer might surprise both sides of the debate. If you're managing Texas whi...

Duck numbers are down, migration patterns are shifting, and hunters across the flyway are noticing. In this episode, we dig into what's actually driving the decline - drought on the prairies to flooded corn controversies in wintering states. If you love waterfowl hunting and want to understand what's really going on, this one's for you. Website: https://www.texasfishandgamenetwork.com...

Texas has more wild turkeys than any other state- 500,000 birds. The Rio Grande turkey is a genuine conservation win. But nationally, populations are down since 2019. I break down the state of the bird in Texas, what's driving the national decline, and an honest calling and gear guide. The warning signs are real. Texas hunters need to pay attention. Website: https://www.texasfishandgamenetwork...

High fence or low fence - it's the most divisive argument in Texas deer hunting. At what point does a hunt stop being a hunt and start being a transaction? This one's got opinions. Website: https://www.texasfishandgamenetwork.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/texasfishgamenetwork Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TexasFishGameNetwork Get Outdoors and Find Your Peace

Why forward-facing sonar is changing the sport forever. Website: https://www.texasfishandgamenetwork.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/texasfishgamenetwork Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TexasFishGameNetwork Get Outdoors and Find Your Peace

Everyone is protein feeding, but does it actually work? I dove into the research from the Caeser Kleberg Wildlife Institute to find out what science says. Spoiler alert: it's complicated. Website: https://www.texasfishandgamenetwork.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/texasfishgamenetwork Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TexasFishGameNetwork Get Outdoors and Find Your Peace