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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 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 Kentucky’s bear program, and how season dates help meet those management objectives.
We also dive into the reasoning behind why baiting bears is not allowed in Kentucky, how weather conditions can influence bear movement and hunter success, and how shifting food sources impact bear behavior throughout the season. To wrap things up, Chase shares the story of harvesting his first-ever Kentucky black bear on public land during the October archery season.
Whether you’re a seasoned bear hunter or just curious about Kentucky’s growing bear population, this episode offers valuable insight straight from the biologist helping lead the program.
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 results point to great conditions for hunters hitting the woods this weekend.
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.
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.
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 experiences, and learn a bit about big-game tracking from an expert in the field!
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 backwoods to the backwaters, and remember to report wild pigs or wild pig sign if you see it!
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, of course, it's Derby week... So we'll get Lee's thoughts on the big race in before the podcast ends!
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.
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!