An Official Website of the Commonwealth of Kentucky
The Kentucky Afield Podcast allows you to explore Kentucky’s wildlife and learn new fishing or hunting techniques or outdoor opportunities from the convenience of your mobile device or computer. Join host Chase Wininger and co-host Lee McClellan as they sit down with a variety of guests to discuss a wide array of topics that relate to outdoors enthusiasts across the Bluegrass state. Tune in, subscribe, and stay in the loop when it comes to everything Kentucky outdoors!
Chase is an executive producer for the Emmy Award-winning TV show Kentucky Afield and is an avid outdoorsman himself. He enjoys hunting everything from small game and turkey to deer, coyotes, and bears. In the warmer months, you can also find him wading or kayaking streams and rivers across the state in pursuit of smallmouth bass, musky, and every species in between.
Lee is the associate editor for Kentucky Afield Magazine with a strong passion for fishing. He is the author of the award-winning Blue Water Trails series of articles profiling fishing and paddling opportunities across Kentucky. He is the author of dozens of stories for Kentucky Afield magazine, ranging from how-to stories on fishing or hunting as well as historical and wildlife-focused pieces.
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 opportunities available to sportsmen and women.
In addition to wildlife management, Dr. Hast shares his personal passion for the Cumberland River—one of his favorite spots to fish during the winter months. Hear about his love for this beautiful stretch of water, its unique ecosystem, and the types of fishing adventures it offers. Whether you're a hunter, angler, or nature enthusiast, this episode provides valuable insights into Kentucky's natural resources and the dedicated work going into preserving them for future generations
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 North America... After speaking with him, we feel like we need to give waterfowl a shot!
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 she does it, what she enjoys about it, and share some helpful tips for deer hunters across the state.
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 the board!
On this episode of the Kentucky Afield Podcast we're joined by Dave Dreves, the Director of the Fisheries Division for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, and the primary topic is bass... We're talking about eating bass, and why doing that could lead to improved fisheries. We'll also hit on a new trophy bass initiative that the department is undertaking, and discuss what's going on in fisheries in general.
On this episode of the Kentucky Afield Podcast we're joined by John Boel, an avid-angler and nightly news anchor with too many accolades to mention individually... John is a Wisconsin native and Kentucky transplant who's mastered walleye, smallmouth, musky, and a number of other species in the state. We're talking about how he fishes, why he fishes, and life in general
On this episode of the Kentucky Afield Podcast we're joined by Rachel Young, who's with The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Foundation! Rachel's organization helps fund conservation, and does some amazing things for the state's youth... She's telling us how they accomplish these goals, and how you can help!
On this episode of the Kentucky Afield Podcast we're joined by Adam Martin, Program coordinator and Sport-Fish Biologist in the western region of the state!