UKC Hunting Ops Podcast

This week on the UKC Hunting Ops Podcast… Dave sits down with longtime coon hunter Mark Baer to talk all things Bluetick and coon hunting. Mark shares his history with the breed, reflects on how the sport and Bluetick community have evolved over the years, and recounts memorable stories and experiences from decades spent hunting and working with these dogs, as well as what keeps him turning hounds...

This week on the UKC Hunting Ops Podcast… We're revisiting a great conversation in this rerun episode as Allen and UKC Vice President Todd Kellam sit down with Todd Adkins, Vice President of Government Affairs with Sportsmen's Alliance. The discussion covers a variety of topics important to UKC dog owners and hunters, including advocacy efforts, ways to get involved, and much more. Whether you're...

This week on the UKC Hunting Ops Podcast…  Allen is joined by UKC field representative Jamie Estep to answer a variety of real-world night hunt “mailbag” scenarios submitted by hunters and handlers. The discussion covers common and often misunderstood UKC rules, including whether dogs move up in tree position when another dog leaves, how dogs are scored when they come into a tree after the judge a...

This week on the UKC hunting Ops Podcast… Allen talks with Kentucky hunter Adam Wilson about his Feist dog, Double Up on the Dingo, which earned Outstanding Feist Dog of the Year honors. Wilson shares how he got started in squirrel dog hunting around 2016, his background as a firefighter, and how Dingo developed into a highly competitive dog with multiple cast wins and strong performances at UKC e...

This week on the UKC Hunting Ops Podcast… Dave travels to the 2026 Black & Tan Days in Flora, Illinois, where he talks with competitors Amy McDonald, Charlie McHearson, Jeff Nelson, Kenneth Laroux, and Scott Rossen about the event, the history behind it, and what keeps people coming back year after year. They also share stories from past hunts and competitions while reflecting on the tradition...

This week on the UKC Hunting Ops Podcast… We’re revisiting the very first episode in the UNDISPUTED series, where Allen sits down with Steve Burkholder to count down his top 3 hounds and talk about the dogs that helped to establish him as a big name in the coon hunting world. You might also recognize Steve from the Tournament of Champions, where he’s played an integral role in the past few years a...

This week on the UKC Hunting Ops Podcast… Dave checks in from the 2026 UKC Hunting Beagle Nationals in Zanesville, Ohio, where he’s joined by Hunting Beagle veterans Roy Swafford, winner of the very first Hunting Beagle Nationals in 1992, and Angie Vandergrift, Beagle Show Champion and founding member of the NHBA. They walk through the history the event and how it’s evolved over the years into wha...

This week on the UKC Hunting Ops Podcast… We’re bringing you coverage from the 2026 UKC Tournament of Champions! Dave is on the grounds in Sturgis, Michigan, getting exclusive interviews from throughout the event. Dave sits down with Trevor Wade, former UKC Coonhound Program Manager and one of the founders of the Tournament of Champions, and Matt Lingo of Houndsman Advantage. Plus, hear directly f...

This week on the UKC Hunting Ops Podcast… Allen and Dave are on location in Tell City, Indiana, covering the 2026 UKC Cur & Feist Squirrel Dog World Championship. While at the event, they sit down with two longtime members of the Perry County Coon Club in Tell City, PeeWee and Dave, to talk about some of the club’s history and share hunt stories. They also recap the results of the 2026 Squirre...

On this week’s episode of the UKC Hunting Ops Podcast… Allen and Dave sit down to share the details of the brand new UKC Dual Champion Pro Slam! This unique event gives coonhounds that have earned the prestigious Dual Champion status an opportunity to earn an additional title. Competitors will put their skills to the test first in the show ring, and then in the woods. So if your hound has earned a...

On this week’s episode of the UKC Hunting Ops Podcast… We wrap up the Coonhound Running Rules rerun series with the final installment, Part 4 of 4. This episode covers six key sections of the UKC Coonhound Rulebook: Section 7 (timeouts), Section 8 (handler responsibilities), Section 9 (judging), Section 10 (spectators), Section 12 (scorecards), and Section 13 (tie-breakers). Tune in to catch the c...

This week on the UKC Hunting Ops Podcast… We continue the Coonhound Running Rules reruns with the third installment of this four-part series. This episode takes a closer look at Sections 5 and 11 of the UKC Coonhound Rulebook, starting with circled and deleted points and wrapping up with the scoring of dogs. Be sure to tune in, you won’t want to miss this one!   Follow Us on Social! www.facebook.c...

This week on the UKC Hunting Ops Podcast… Features part 2 of the 4-part Coonhound Running Rules Rerun Series, which exclusively examines Section 6 of the UKC Coonhound Rulebook, breaking down “the good, the bad, and the ugly,” of nite hunts – specifically the actions and behaviors that can bring your hunt to an immediate end. Allen and Trevor walk through what handlers need to know, why these rule...

This week on the UKC Hunting Ops Podcast… Get ready to dive back into the world of coonhunting as we re-run the first installment of the Coonhound Running Rules series! Over the next few months, we’ll be revisiting these episodes, giving you all the insight you need to prepare to chase that Triple Crown. In this episode, Allen and Trevor kick off their multi-part deep drive into the UKC Coonhound...

This week on the UKC Hunting Ops Podcast… Allen sits down with Dave McVay, the new Hunting Ops Field Manager at UKC, to explore the legacy of the Triple Crown as we approach the 27th year of the competition. They discuss how it works, how one qualifies, and share the stories of the dogs that made Triple Crown history from 2000 to today. They shine a spotlight on the new Triple Crown partnership wi...

This week on the UKC Hunting Ops Podcast... Allen and Danielle bring you all the highlights from the 2026 Winter Classic coonhound event! Tune in to hear about the thrilling wins, behind-the-scenes stories, and exclusive interviews with Pro-Slam winner Jason Cooper, Top Ten Bench Show winner Beth Jenkins, Overall Bench Show Champion Whitney Killough, and Overall Nite Hunt Champion Justin Herring....

This week on the UKC Hunting Ops Podcast… Allen sits down again with renowned hound breeder Mitch Gould to dive into Part 2 of their conversation about Mitch’s legendary dogs and breeding program. Mitch shares stories about some of his most celebrated dogs, highlighting both their competitive achievements and their remarkable impact on the genetics of future generations of hounds. We also get an i...

This Week on the UKC Hunting Ops Podcast... Allen and Coonhound Bench Show Manager Danielle Champ rundown each and every hound currently in contention for the Top Ten at the 2026 Winter Classic, breaking down performances, consistency, and what makes each dog stand out. The episode is a great way to get ready for the Winter Classic - and the perfect listen for the drive to Mississippi as you count...

This Week on the UKC Hunting Ops Podcast... This episode is one for the memory books. Allen sits down with Mitch Gould, a modern-day elite in the breeding world whose hounds have dominated at the highest levels for decades - highlighted by Mitch’s own World Championship win in 2022. 🏆 Together, they reminisce about the moments, stories, and lessons behind Mitch’s top three dogs - the kind of houn...

This Week on the UKC Hunting Ops Podcast... The conversation continues on UNDISPUTED as Allen sits back down with Todd Morgan, former Manager of UKC’s Beagle Programs from 1996–2008. After helping grow an already established program into one of UKC’s most supported and popular, Todd brings decades of perspective - and plenty of stories - to the table. In this episode, the UNDISPUTED format keeps f...

This Week on the UKC Hunting Ops Podcast...we’re flipping the UNDISPUTED script on its head. For this special edition, we’re joined by Todd Morgan, former manager of UKC’s Beagle Programs from 1996–2008. During his tenure, Todd took over an already established program and helped expand its reach, support, and popularity - leaving a lasting impact that’s still felt today. But instead of ranking his...

This Week on the UKC Hunting Ops Podcast... Allen is joined by John Strickland, a competitor who flat-out dominated the year - winning just about everything, including two of the biggest UKC events, the Tournament of Champions and the UKC Coonhound World Championship. John doesn’t hold back in this conversation. He’s candid, unfiltered, unscripted, and unleashed, sharing his thoughts on winning at...

This week on the UKC Hunting Ops Podcast... Allen continues his conversation with legendary champion beagler Roy Swafford in Part Two of their in-depth sit-down of UNDISPUTED. Roy has been part of the UKC Beagle Program since day one, winning nearly every major UKC event along the way, including the Nationals twice—and making history as the winner of the very first UKC Beagle Nationals. He’s also...

This week on the UKC Hunting Ops Podcast... Over the past few weeks, we’ve been looking back on some of our hosts’ favorite episodes as we slow down for the holidays and reflect on where the UKC Hunting Ops Podcast has been. This week’s episode is Trevor’s favorite of all time - Episode 96: Common Coonhound Misconceptions. It’s an episode that captures Trevor’s passion and commitment for the sport...

This Week on the UKC Hunting Ops Podcast... The holidays are a time for slowing down, spending time with family, and reflecting on where we’ve been. Over the next few weeks, the UKC Hunting Ops Podcast is doing just that by revisiting some favorite episodes from our early days. This week, Allen is sharing one of his personal picks and taking us all the way back to Episode 3 - a reminder of where i...