Season 11 Reflections, Christmas Stories, and Adventures | The Storied Outdoors Podcast

As 2025 draws to a close, it’s hard to believe just how full this year has been. In this special episode, Bryan and Brad settle into the regal lodge at Turkey Creek near Jasper, Alabama, surrounded by towering Alabama whitetail bucks and other unforgettable taxidermy, to look back on the highlights of Season 11 of The Storied Outdoors.

From cooking wild game with Jeremiah Doughty of Field to Plate, to epic bear hunts and conservation conversations with Dr. Jenkins of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, to the deeply inspiring story of Dr. Rachael Hagues and the founding of the Girls School in Tanzania, the guys revisit the moments that made this season unforgettable.

With Christmas just around the corner, Bryan and Brad also preview upcoming Christmas week stories, tease future guests still to come this season, and share powerful reflections from their recent mission trips to Central America and the Dominican Republic. Along the way, Brad recounts a harrowing (and humorous) customs experience—navigating the process with the shrewdness of a snake and the innocence of a dove—and both hosts reflect on the lessons learned through travel, service, and time spent abroad.

If you’re new to The Storied Outdoors Podcast, this episode is a perfect place to jump in. We hope these Christmas-week stories invite you into wonder, reflection, and a Merry Christmas.

Finally, thank you. Your continued support—especially through reviews and ratings—means more to us than you know. These small acts make a big difference in helping the podcast grow, and we are deeply grateful.

We’d love to hear from you.
📧 Email us: thestoriedoutdoors@gmail.com

Bryan and Brad gather around the figurative campfire to reignite the warmth and wonder of their recent conversation with Dr. Rachael Hagues—a remarkable scholar, adventurer, and cherished friend of The Storied Outdoors. In this reflective episode, the guys look back with awe at Rachael’s extraordinary work in Tanzania, where she helped launch a transformative girls’ school that continues to shape lives and empower communities. Her vision, perseverance, and faith-driven courage shine through every part of her story.

They also revisit her spontaneous, grit-filled decision to climb Mount Kilimanjaro—a summit she tackled with little preparation but an abundance of heart. Her journey up Africa’s highest peak becomes a backdrop for deeper reflection on resilience, calling, and the unexpected adventures that shape who we become.

So pull up a chair, lean in, and enjoy this fireside-style debrief as Bryan and Brad reflect on the lessons, inspiration, and laughter shared with an extraordinary woman who continues to make a lasting impact.

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Join us as Dr. Rachel Hagues shares the powerful story behind Tumaini Jipya Girls’ School in Tanzania—nearly twenty years of research, partnership, prayer, and perseverance. From community-led vision to opening day, her journey blends faith, justice, and education. Rachel also reflects on her Kilimanjaro climb and how wilderness moments shape the stories God is writing in our lives.

Ep. 160: Stoking Embers: More Than a Hunt: The Heart and Hospitality of FowlCo Outfitters

The guys sit down to stir up and stoke he embers of the conversation with Josh Teff from FowlCo Outfitters. The level of hospitality they employ at Fowlco is inspiring and a big part of our conversation. We discuss the importance of knowing people's names. Reminisce about guide experiences and how a guide who understands hospitality really enhances your experience.

Episode Show Notes — FowlCo Outfitters: World-Class Waterfowl Hunting & Hospitality

Today on The Storied Outdoors, we welcome the team from FowlCo Outfitters—purveyors of world-class outdoor recreation and hospitality. Based in Oklahoma, FowlCo has become one of the most respected names in waterfowl hunting, blending premier guided experiences with unmatched southern hospitality.

Founders Josh Teff and John David Blagg join us to share how FowlCo grew from a shared passion for the outdoors, a commitment to meaningful relationships, and a deep reverence for the Creator’s handiwork. With more than 100 years of combined guiding experience, the FowlCo staff has crafted an environment where guests don’t just hunt—they feel at home, become part of the family, and take stories with them that last a lifetime.

From crisp sunrise hunts and chef-prepared meals to their lodge’s signature Speakeasy and fire-pit gatherings, FowlCo’s blend of excellence and authenticity has shaped countless unforgettable adventures.

How FowlCo’s philosophy emphasizes connection—to God, nature, and people—and how this vision reshaped their entire outfitting experience.
“Here’s the path, all you have to do is walk down it.” —Josh Teff

Returning guests often feel more like family. Josh and John David share stories of genuine friendships formed through years of hunting together.
“Putting emphasis on people is THE most important thing we can do.”

How chef-inspired meals, lodge design, atmosphere, and intentional spaces—like the Speakeasy and fire-pit—help create “moments” that deepen the experience.

The spiritual and emotional dimension of pursuing wild game, and how awe, gratitude, and wonder shape their personal walk with God.
“I go from wanting to go… to I get to go.”

Unforgettable stories, hard-earned wisdom, and memorable mishaps—including a fully sunk tractor and an icy sprint to flag down a passing boat.

What moments and memories always resurface when the guides sit down together after a long season.

FowlCo is a premier waterfowl outfitter located in Oklahoma, offering guided duck and goose hunts with a focus on hospitality, faith, and unforgettable experiences. From culinary excellence to curated lodge environments, FowlCo has become a destination where guests return year after year—not just to hunt, but to belong.

In This Episode We Discuss: Hunting as Connection, Not Just Bag Limits• Why Relationships Are the Heart of FowlCo• Hospitality as Storytelling• Experiencing the Creator Through the Outdoors• Lessons From a Century of Guiding• The Stories the Crew Tells Around the Fire About FowlCo Outfitters

Stoking Embers | Reflections on Our Conversation with Dr. Chris Jenkins

In this Stoking Embers episode, we look back on our conversation with Dr. Chris Jenkins—conservationist, biologist, hunter, and CEO of The Orianne Society. Our time with Chris lingered long after recording, stirring reflections on the connection between wild landscapes, the creatures that inhabit them, and the stories that shape us.

We talk about the significance of tending to the wild places that form our identity, the beauty in paying attention to the overlooked things of creation, and how spending time outdoors shapes the soul. And yes—we revisit a few of Chris’s epicbear hunting stories from the Appalachian Mountains and the backcountry of Idaho, and what those moments taught us about courage, humility, and wonder.

• The Orianne Society — Conservation of reptiles & amphibians:
  https://www.oriannesociety.org

• Backcountry Hunters & Anglers — Public lands & waters conservation:
  https://www.backcountryhunters.org

• Snake Talk with Dr. Chris Jenkins (Podcast):
  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/snake-talk/id1501749931

Stoking Embers is our space to slow down, reflect, and revisit the conversations that continue to shape us—long after the microphones are off.

Learn more about Chris and the work mentioned in this reflection:

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Chris Jenkins—conservationist, biologist, storyteller of the wild, and CEO of The Orianne Society, a nonprofit working to conserve reptiles and amphibians across the Southeast. Chris also serves on the Board of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, where he advocates for protecting wild places and public lands for future generations.

From tracking Eastern Indigo Snakes through longleaf pine forests to bear hunts in the Appalachian backcountry and the rugged mountains of Idaho, Chris shares the stories, landscapes, and defining experiences that have shaped his life’s work.

What We Discuss

* Chris’s childhood influences and the call toward conservation

* The **Nantahala Mountains** and their lasting effect on his identity

* Why reptiles and amphibians matter—and what they tell us about ecosystem health

* Life in the field 150+ days a year and the clarity that comes with immersion

* Reconciling science and wonder, data and awe

* How hunting and biology can coexist in harmony

* Memorable bear hunts, close calls, and lessons learned in the wild

* The responsibility and joy of stewarding wild places

About Our Guest

Dr. Chris Jenkins is the CEO of The Orianne Society and a board member of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. His work focuses on habitat restoration, species conservation, and thoughtful connection to the landscapes that shape our stories.

Learn more about The Orianne Society:

(https://www.oriannesociety.org)

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers:

(https://www.backcountryhunters.org)

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Show Notes — Stoking Embers with Jeremiah Doughty

In this episode, we introduce a new format on The Storied Outdoors that we’re calling “Stoking Embers.” The name, sparked during a brainstorm with our friend Hank Hershey, captures what we’ve always aimed to do—find clarity in the stories we tell and the adventures that shape us. These episodes are our chance to slow down, sit with what we heard in the previous conversation, and let the embers of those stories warm us just a little longer.

This week, Bryan and Brad sit down after a rich and mouthwatering conversation with Jeremiah Doughty of From Field to Plate. Jeremiah is a wild game chef, hunter, and storyteller who shared not only his passion for ethical and intentional hunting, but also a long list of recipes that had us hungry before the episode wrapped.

In this Stoking Embers reflection, we talk about:

• The recipes and cooking methods Jeremiah shared during the interview

• How wild game preparation has shaped our own tables and memories

• The connection between food, story, and gratitude

• Why taking time to reflect after a good conversation helps the story settle deeper

We also share a few of our own favorite wild game dishes—and would love to hear yours.

We want these Stoking Embers episodes to be conversations with you, not just for you.
What resonated?
What challenged you?
What sparked something deeper?

Send us a message and let us know.

We’re always looking to connect with people whose lives reflect wonder, courage, curiosity, and love for the outdoors.
If someone came to mind, introduce us.

Thanks for listening, and for tending the fire with us.
Keep your eyes open.
Your stories are shaping you.
Let’s pay attention together.

What Stood Out to You? Know Someone With a Story Worth Sharing?