For the Fowlers Podcast
Introducing "For the Fowlers," a new waterfowl hunting podcast based in Northern California. Our goal is to dive into every aspect of this sport we're so passionate about.
We aim to create a valuable resource for new hunters, helping them get into the sport, while also engaging experienced fowlers with our stories and those of our guests.
For the Fowlers Podcast
For The Fowlers & The Filthy Spoon Podcast: Two Duck Podcasts, One Conversation
Live from Slough House Social in Colusa CA, For The Fowlers is joined by the Filthy Spoon Podcast. We sit with John and Robert of Filthy Spoon to chart how a local-first Northern California podcast found its voice, its audience, and its staying power without trading honesty for hype. From rice club mishaps to refuge politics to why wind beats rain, the conversation blends fieldcraft, storytelling, and a healthy dose of humor.
We pull back the curtain on building a waterfowl podcast that lasts: why starting in spring created a back catalog by opener, how consistency beat fancy gear, and where authenticity outperformed big-name bookings. You’ll hear the surprising downloaded episode leaders, the moments that proved they were onto something, and the lines they won’t cross—no staged hunts, no pile-pic illusions, just straight talk about access, weather, spreads, and learning through misses.
Hunt talk runs deep too. John breaks down sea duck shoots over layout boats on San Francisco Bay—teamwork, safety, anchors, and the rush of birds skimming a foot off the water. Robert owns the towel-in-the-bag hack for storm days and explains why wigeon in weather is hard to beat. Teal get the love they deserve—fast, delicious, and chaotic fun—while the dream list spans Arkansas timber, Saskatchewan potholes, and eiders and harlequins on cold northern water. Along the way, we revisit the culture that keeps this community strong: helping local kids, posting honest hunts, and giving small businesses and conservation projects a lift.
If you’ve ever wondered how to start a hunting podcast, how to keep momentum when the birds don’t fly, you’ll find practical answers and a lot of laughs here. Subscribe, share with your blind crew, and drop a comment with your dream hunt or your go-to blind bag item—we’ll read the best ones on a future show.
Welcome to For the Fowlers Podcast. I'm Brandon doing this one solo with a couple of good guests. Well, if you know that intro, you probably know who my guests are today. And honestly, I I've been looking forward to this episode even when I was, you know, doing the planning for this podcast months ago, and you know, when I was looking at who I would love to have on, these two were definitely at the top of the list. So, you know, I'll tell you what, and they don't really need an introduction, but you know, if you're into waterfowl hunting here in Northern California, if you're into listening to some great guests, and and honestly, my favorite part, just absolutely tons of laughs. Check out these two. We got John and Robert from the Filthy Spoon podcast on for the Fowlers here. How you doing, boys? Rocking in the free world, bro. I love it. Yeah, doing good. Good, man. I'm I'm I'm pumped, man. It's I know we've you know been going back and forth on Instagram and texting and everything, and you know, I said it before, but I can't thank you both enough for what you guys have done for For the Fowlers, you know, helping promote this, you know, either on your podcast, reposting on Instagram. It definitely means a lot, so really appreciate all that.
SPEAKER_02:Heck yeah, no problem, man. We're a small net community, and you know, the guys that aren't douchebags need to stick together, man.
SPEAKER_03:Absolutely. So uh, but you know, I guess before we get started, uh, how's the season been so far for you guys? I know um hey Robert, we're gonna start with Robert here. Uh Robert and I are kind of in the same boat.
SPEAKER_00:So bit of a sore subject for me, if I'm being if I'm being honest. It's been it's been tough. I mean, today I'm in shorts and a t-shirt hanging out at the slough house. That's right, yeah.
SPEAKER_03:We're coming to you live from the slew house right now.
SPEAKER_02:Oh yeah, we always appreciate them letting us do this at our restaurant. Super nice of them that they're open like this. Great place for duck hunters come.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, great staff here.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, and uh so chow down on some lunch as we as we do this. But yeah, it's been it's been tough. I mean, not just the the hunting, it seems that with the club this year, there's been a series of of mishaps. Yes, yeah, not mallard mishaps, but uh that guy's into the wind, long gone.
SPEAKER_02:Back to hell where he came from. Or probably Chico, if I had to guess, but season of mishaps.
SPEAKER_00:So, you know, but I think the look just looking at the weather forecast, the weather is gonna cool down on us this week and uh some weather coming in rain for the end of the week. So I'm not really a big fan of hunting in the rain. I'll take wind any day, but you know, at least at least when it's slow, it's nice not to be, you know, in the sun getting beaten down and sweating. So, you know, we'll see. We've had, I mean, our club has been shooting birds. I haven't been, but you know, other other members have been, so good for them.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, do you want to I clear the air? I give you a little congratulations in the parking lot for getting on the board this season, but I heard it might have been a little bit of fake news.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, little little little little I think the way I I set the text probably uh probably wasn't as clear as it could have been, but I am I am not on the board. Yeah, unfortunately. I have I've witnessed other people being on the board. I have seen seen ducks with my own two eyes this year.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah. But but I will tell you this, and and to steal from John here, you you're definitely doing the Lord's work out there with your club, you know. Uh you know, basically what you're IT, you're the maintenance guy, you know, you're doing a lot of work out there making sure that the club's off and running.
SPEAKER_00:Well, thanks to Duck Jugger, I'm no longer IT. He's much more qualified to do that than I am.
SPEAKER_02:Yep, and uh Kevin is head of maintenance technically, you're right. Yeah, okay. So yeah, but yeah, he's missed every because I even missed a work day because I was down shooting one hen spoonie with Dalton, taking workers away from him. And yeah, Robert ain't missed one.
SPEAKER_03:So yeah, let's hear about a little bit of how your season's going, John.
SPEAKER_02:You've been uh I've been going all over. Northeast started out pretty good, and then it hasn't been a ball of fire, you know, did okay opening day, not a banger, but got birds opening day with uh Matt GFR Hunter, he was gracious enough for invite. Then we took a weekend off because we had blind work, so we didn't even but we hunted, we worked all weekend, and then last weekend hunted one day, and that was one hand spoon down there at Grizzly and Million Mosquito Vites fighting off West Nile virus as we speak. It's been for me pretty good with the opportunities, and then Wednesday I was out at Butte Creek Ranch with Jim Barton. That was super cool. We got five, but it uh it ain't been a real barn burner, it's been kind of scraping stuff out. Yesterday was an absolute blast out there with California Guide Service, just hammering friggin' scoters.
SPEAKER_03:Um yeah, I wanted to ask about that a little bit because I'm sure you'll talk about it on the spot burn this week. But um, yeah, it sounds like you had a good hunt out there, and I appreciate you giving California Guide Service a shout-out as well.
SPEAKER_02:Melinda's the best. That gal friggin' man, she gets after it. If you want to go see Duck Hunting, and we have a sponsor, Falver Sewer, it's great to go with him too. But I love Melinda just because you know she became a friend over the you know year or so I've known her and Jen, and great, great time with them. And she brought the layout boats. We'll go like it say more in depth on mine into that, but that layout boat. I'm not it's been thousands, but there ain't that many people that can say they laid in the layout boat in the middle of San Francisco Bay shooting ducks.
SPEAKER_03:So yeah, I was gonna say, and like I said, I'm I know you'll talk about it but how real quick, how was it? They look, I mean you're out there in the bay in that thing. Is it is it comfortable? Is it sturdy? You feel comfortable when you pull it to the stuff?
SPEAKER_02:Like you say, she only does it on it's a weather, everything gotta be perfect. And if you're looking at the videos and stuff, there was it was just chill, calm as could be. Um, I don't want to say sketchy, but you better pay attention, climb it in because you could fall out, you know. You know, you're in a you got a life jacket on and stuff. But yeah, it's it was nice because I was with Tim Vandenbrock, Sack Valley Falco, you know, seasoned guide, Brian Sage, he's a good guy, and then that uh Johnny. So it was a bunch of guys that knew what they were doing. We'd never done that, but these guys are all seasoned hunters, so like holding the boat steady while somebody's climbing in. It was really a lot of teamwork. Okay, get in, hand him his gun, hand him his shells, and you know the boat's anchored up, and it was a little bit of a process, and then getting them in and out of the big boat because we didn't drag them out there, we're putting them in and out, and the things ain't light. So it's it's a pain in the ass to be honest, but well worth it because you're just sitting there chilling and just I mean they're coming right in, man. They're a foot off the water right in front of you. Pretty cool.
SPEAKER_03:That's cool. I don't I don't know if you know other do they still have some openings this season if folks want to get out or uh I think she's pretty booked up.
SPEAKER_02:Uh foul pursuer. I think he has a few left. If you want to go, I recommend everybody do it at least once. Yeah. You're from California, go hunt sea ducks in the San Francisco Bay.
SPEAKER_03:Absolutely. Absolutely. Yeah. Well, run on. Well, you know, I know a little bit about your guys' story, being a longtime listener of uh Filthy Spoon, but uh, you know, it's funny. I don't know if you guys have touched on it recently, but um I'd love to hear a little bit about your guys' background, you know, how you guys both got into waterfowl hunting, and and honestly, I'm my question is is how did your two paths cross? That's that's what I'm curious about.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, because we're kind of polar opposites with the ying and the yang, yeah.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, you know, and I mean not just, you know, like I know live in different areas, and something maybe grow up in different areas, but also just you know, lines of work, just seems like pretty opposite guys, but you guys obviously get along pretty well. So I'm curious kind of, you know, maybe your hunting background, but then ultimately how you guys, you know, became pals. You want to start, Robert?
SPEAKER_00:Sure, yeah. I was part of a ministry that we'd reach out to uh to the poor and the desperate. Do some evangelizing and that's awesome.
SPEAKER_02:You guys found me down in the drunkard's den in Skid Row. Yeah, homeless outreach. Took me home, adopted me like a puppy, and set me free.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. No, no, I uh no uh I mean as far as as hunting, you know, I I grew up in Northern California, sort of always adjacent to like the hunting and fishing world. You know, did a I had a grandfather that was really into it, everything hunting, but my my parents weren't, but you know, so I got kind of exposed a little bit to the uh like shooting sports and and fishing through through grandparents and and then really wasn't like a huge I I was like not a big outdoorsman in high school. I was a little bit, you know, but not wasn't hardcore, and then uh went in the military right right after high school and and uh that's where I I sort of linked up with some other some other guys that were into hunting and fishing and started uh doing doing more of it in Southern California, which is not a cool place to do it at all, actually. It's uh you know tough. Yeah, it's tough, right? I mean it's cool, like there's there's more public land than you might think, but it's it's a tougher scene out there. So but then when I moved back to uh Northern California after military, just went like went full bore, just I don't know, got got s sort of addicted to waterfowl. And then through that experience, met a guy at at work who was you know, I always thought as of rice clubs of being sort of the the the Taj Mahal of hunting, right? Like, man, if I could get inside a rice field, it would be epic. I just know you know, I drive by, I see him in there, and I'm I'm you know, I was public land hunter. And so a guy at work, he this is maybe like 2012, you know. I see he has a camo jacket in his locker. I hey you duck hunter, you know, yeah. We start talking, and he goes, I just actually just joined this club, Rice Club. And I was like, really? He goes, Yeah, he goes, We got we got an opening if you're interested. And this is 2012, and I said, How much? He said, 500 bucks. Score, yeah. Especially for this cheap guy. Yeah, I was like, sweet, yeah. And I'm like, 500 bucks, and I'm gonna have all the birds I can have. Limits every day. So so I I did that and found out quickly that uh, you know, it's not limits every day, but it's it's also not not bad. It's a lot of fun. Yeah. So did started doing that and uh really started grabbing, you know, once I started hunting the rice, I basically never looked back. I hardly ever hunt public now. Not not a hater, not against it. I do it sometimes. It's just you know, you kind of find the thing you're into. For sure. And for me, rice hunting's been that. So then uh a couple years in that club met up with some other folks and one of St. Mason, yeah, he he was in that club with me, and the the price of course got higher every year, which it should have, because that was a screaming bargain the first the first year I was in it. And then I sort of thought about doing my own doing my own thing. So broke off and started our own little little group. John calls it the co-op. I think it's a good description for what what it is. And then through St. Mason, John was a OG member. Yeah, for sure. So just started hunting with him and found I don't know. I don't know how we started, I guess just started hunting together here and there and connected, and it's fun to find someone that is uh nuts about it like you are.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, yeah, that's it. And I thought he was more of a tech nerd than he is, he's a nerd, but I thought he was more like a computer savvy nerd. But this podcast was in my brain since like what 2020, I've been bugging you, probably.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:And he he was the only one I knew that was ate up with waterfowl as much as I was. I mean, all our buddies are into it, but I knew he was the only one possible to do it because he needed a guy that was a real, not a casual duck hunter to do it with you. So that's how the podcast came to be with Robert, you know. Kind of neat.
SPEAKER_03:And then the name, you should go into the Well that's what I was gonna ask about, because uh, you know, this next section here we'll dive into a little bit the origin of Filthy Spoon podcast. But obviously, love the logo. I think it's hilarious. The two Spoonies, one with the halo and one carrying a beer. I'm trying to figure out which one's which. Well, I'm definitely on the one with the halo, everybody knows that. That's right, yeah. Doing the Lord's work, that's right. Uh but you know, obviously, you know, you were talking a little bit about the podcast, so it sounds like you know, was this your idea? Like you know, something you've been wanted to do for a while, and and and kind of what was that spark? Because, you know, obviously we we all love waterfowl hunting, but what made you want to do a podcast?
SPEAKER_02:Well, I started, you know, I when I found podcast, I think I want to say it was 2016, I went to an Adam Corolla live podcast. Didn't know I've heard the term, didn't have a clue what it was. And they'd been out a long time by 2016, but it was just not in my wheelhouse. Well, I went to a live one, really enjoyed the show, started listening to his podcast, and like, wow, this is kind of cool. I can oh, let me type in duck hunting. Zero in 2016. So less than 10 years ago, there was zero duck hunting podcasts. And then I kept kind of checking and checking, and then boom, all of a sudden we find end of the line. We find Big Honker. This was before Ramsey was doing his own deal. So I got hooked on the end of the line. We found it well after it was recorded and binged it like crazy. We kind of found right when the middle of Jeff Foyle's story was being told. And I remember I turned him on to it because Robert Comutes, too, and we were just both kind of enthralled by the I mean that guy, he killed it. That Rocky LaFleur, he was he's the godfather of waterfowl podcast. His intro was badass, his guests were badass. He he but he did it at a time where there was zero way to monetize it because people were putting money in magazines and shit. He was like, You what are you gonna pay me to put it on your little gay radio show? No, I'm not doing that, you know. So he he just came, he was almost ahead of his time, I want to say, in the waterfowl world with podcasting. But he's got a million great episodes for everybody to hear out there. And I'm thinking, man, and I'm hearing the big honker guys, and them guys are a little bit, you know, on the edge, you know, they'll they'll they'll you know, cuss a bit and stuff, and they they crack it up a bit. And I'm like, man, I think we could do it. Nobody talking about Northern California, and I just kept poking Robert. I mean, it was like three years. I don't know if he finally got sick of me asking, but he he figured it out, found a hosting site, and I mean we didn't even have equipment at the beginning, we just had a phone and we talked into it. Two minutes and I thought it was such stupid timing in April that he did it, but I'm like, well, he's doing it, I guess I better roll with it. But it turned out to be the smartest time ever, because by the time duck season rolled around, and we had you know a little bit of following after duck days, we already had a whole catalogue of episodes to go back for people to listen to. So it was actually a great timing to start it, and and we've just been rolling with it ever since, and it's a labor of love, because it as Robert knows, it's a fair amount of work that just keeps this shit going. My kids are up and grown, so I got a little lot more time than Robert does. So in the offseason, I'm doing most of that. He handles all the back end stuff, the banking and OnlyFans account. Yes, yes. He's selling images of the online and finance all this.
SPEAKER_03:But Robert handles all that kind of John wearing nothing but a sitka jacket, right? Yes.
SPEAKER_02:So that's how it kind of came to be. And I say it works pretty good for us because we both have a different set of skill sets. Bring it to the table. Everybody loves his dry humor when he is on there.
SPEAKER_03:I've told you, and sorry to interrupt, I've told you when we met at Duck Days that my favorite episodes or when it's just the two of you guys, you know, the Robert Returns episodes. I think they're hilarious, and and those early ones starting on just the banter back and forth, you know. I I I think it's hilarious because it's most I think it's what we as duck hunters can relate to with our group, like you're sitting in the pickup with your buddy, or you know, you're sitting in a duck line just shooting the shit, you know, going back and forth. That's what it was with you guys, you know, and that's what it is still, but you know, obviously with guests and stuff, and you know, just life getting busy, but um, those are some of my most favorite episodes. Yeah. Thank you. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:So the two men in a truck days with you sitting on the side of the road with the fogged up windows. All that nefarious activity going on, yeah. Well, I always thought before the podcast, you know, those are the guys that stopped you.
SPEAKER_03:They are, exactly. That's why they side-eyed us, Robert.
SPEAKER_02:That's right. Yeah, we got to do that. You know, I understand you say you're doing this, but why aren't your pants on so yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, leaky waiters, it was a crazy day. But uh now before the podcast, I always thought, because it's no secret, I mean, John's a bit of a character, right? He's a different type of guy. You know, uh funny and and sometimes a little boisterous. And I was like, man, this dude, if there's a reality TV show, like if you could just have a camera follow this guy around, I guarantee it would have it would have viewers, right? And now these days, like reality TV, it's still a thing, but like I mean, everything's evolved, right? And like podcasting, I think, for John in particular, like giving him a microphone, he has a gift of gab, it's just it's perfect. It's a great outlet.
SPEAKER_03:No, I think it's great because you know, we texted uh right before season when uh he did his little solo episode, you know, John's uh rants or whatever. So it's like he did he can talk to himself too, you know what I mean?
SPEAKER_02:So that was kind of a challenge, man, because podcasting by yourself is super hard, man.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, it's like you were talking to Laverne or something.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. Well, I I I wrote down more notes than I ever did, and it I'll tell you, that's a personal challenge. I would like to make a full hour of just blabbing. I'm sure everybody would love to hear that. I listened to that the operator podcast with the dude that killed bin Laden. Yeah, and he does them solo all the time for like an hour, and I'm like, how in the heck does this dude do this? You know, I know there's lots of pauses, and he I don't know, but it's like a personal challenge, right? Like, yeah, can you keep it rolling by yourself?
SPEAKER_00:But it it was weird too in the early days of the podcast. I say early days, it's not that long ago. It feels like yesterday, but you know, it was almost 200 episodes ago.
SPEAKER_03:You guys are coming up on three years in April, a week or two, a couple weeks. I don't want to put a timeline on it, but it's pretty soon, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:But it's it's it's weird, right? Because you just record something and you put it out in the universe, and you're like, I don't know if anyone's gonna I don't I don't know. And then all of a sudden you're like getting messages, getting some likes on stuff, and it's like, whoa. Yeah, because you're dealing with that right now.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, for sure. And you know, like you said, you're putting something out there. Uh you know, I enjoy talking about it. Obviously, my co-hosts, my buddies, all that stuff, they're into it. But is anyone else gonna want to listen to what I have to say? I'm just some Joe Schmo duck hunter from Northern California who happened to you know buy a recording piece and a headset, you know. But no, it's it's been a lot of fun, you know, the last you know month or so. And uh and I look forward to you know what the future holds with this for sure.
SPEAKER_02:So you keep doing it, you start it for the right causes. That's kind of like us. We talk about it all the time. We don't make any money off this you know, for say it's it's now profitable in the sense of everything's not coming out of our pocket, right? Right, you know, but I mean I'll tell you this, we're not like I did a little funny fake reel here about buying the round of the place with the filthy spoon card. That type of shit ain't going on. But we're no longer everything out of pocket, and it's it's been nice, and the people that we've partnered with is isn't so much about the money as the cool people, the gear, the people that we we represent, we truly believe in, you know. And it's like I say, I sound like a hippie all the time, but I just love the vibe we get from the people. And of course we got our detractors, people think we're fucking idiots, but for the most part, we get a really good reception and we try to promote other people's stuff, right? Like we're you know, we'll bring on businesses or you know, guys, get whatever you got, get it out, get it out, and it's kind of we've kind of become the go-to place. People want, like, I get messaged all the time. Hey, I'm trying to get rid of this dog, I'm trying to get rid of this. Hey, can you put it on your Instagram? You know, and I I mean I kind of like helping people like that, you know?
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, yeah. So maybe it's not necessarily the you know, maybe it wasn't the first sponsor or whatnot, but maybe it was a particular episode or just one moment. Like, was there a particular moment when um you guys realized that you guys were on to something with Filthy Spoon? Like, hey, this is not just two guys in a truck, you know, recording on a cell phone.
SPEAKER_02:Like, we we got something here, people are listening, or you know, you know, there's one instance that, and this was before we and we remember like we're still idiots, but it was when Brad Jones first met just that was super early on. And I mean, if I think about there's some other bigger moments, like when I got some of the big names in the industry to come on, like I cannot believe Ramsey Russell is gonna come on our shitty show, you know. Like the dude is, you know, I don't want to say he's my hero, but I mean he's I really look up to the dude. He's a huge name, he's the Nash Buckingham of our time. And the fact is like, yeah, yeah, I'd be proud to come on your show, John. It's like, whoa, you know, Mr. Terry Denman, those were some real remarkable moments. But we were, what were we in, Robert? Three, four, five episodes, something like that when Brad Jones reached out to us.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, yeah, Willow Creek Customs Balls. Brad was like your first guest, I think. I think he was our first guest.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, he was. Definitely our first industry guest. Yeah, for sure. And yeah, I mean he it's pretty funny. He basically, when we met him, he goes, you know, I heard you guys and I thought these guys are idiots. And then I kept listening, and you know, they're kind of funny. Yeah, no, and then and then he goes, Yeah, you know, this is kind of interesting. Yeah, and then he reached out to us, and it's been, I mean, Brad's a I'd consider him a friend. I know obviously I know you would, and he's a good dude.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, I I've met Brad a couple times, whether it was at Duck Days or I met him at a CWA banquet once that I was volunteering at. Um, good dude, really nice guy. But yeah, it's funny going back to what you guys were talking about with you know start when you started your podcast, was it was nice for me to be able to kind of see your guys' as you as you evolved because I heard about you guys, I want to say, like fairly early into that duck season, that first year that you guys, you know, went off the line. And so what was cool about it was when my buddy told me about, hey, you gotta check out these filthy spoon guys, I started listening, and then I was able to just kind of binge listen, right? Yeah, you know, go through, you know, the like you said, the two guys in a truck, or you know, then the guests started coming, and and it was great getting some of the local guys on, or you had a couple kids that hunted the refuge, and at that time you guys hadn't been in the refuge for a while, and just kind of picking their brain, hey, how does the Resi process still work or the sweat line process still work? And then, like you mentioned, a couple of your guests, Ramsey Russell or Mr. Terry, or you know, it's just congratulations to you guys as you guys are coming up on 200, and it's it's really cool to have been following along the journey the last few years.
SPEAKER_02:So, yeah, I know I appreciate the heck out of it, man. And it it is a journey, and I think it's a Willie Nelson quote, but even if you're no good, keep doing it, people will like it eventually. And I mean Yeah, it's just the constantness of it, and I'll and I'll be completely honest, there's been not so much this summer, but like last summer, I was thinking about hanging it up, you know. Like I say, that time of year, Robert's not involved a whole lot, and I'm having to find these guests and keep this shit rolling. And it don't matter if it's Memorial Day weekend, I gotta go find somebody to talk to, right? And I was really thinking about hanging it up, and I actually took a week off. And I'm like, yeah, man, I don't know, man, if we should keep doing this or not. And at the time all the sponsors were paid up, right? And it's like, man, we could we can hang this up tomorrow. We don't owe anybody anything, we're you know. And I started just getting hammered on Instagram. Hey, where's the next episode? Where's the next episode? And it was kind of like, okay, you know, obviously. And then it was I don't know, it made me feel it's like, man, these people want to hear this shit. So it was like, all right, we gotta keep this going. I don't know how long it'll go, and we're not we don't got a timestamp on it or an expiration date, but as long as we're having fun doing it and there's still people enjoying it, we're gonna keep doing it.
SPEAKER_03:I think that's the biggest thing, you know. It's as I am still very early into this, you know, I I do it because I enjoy waterfowl hunting. I enjoy the people that you meet, you know, whether it's at a check station or just walking into kittles or whatever it might be, you know, sitting here at Slough House. You know, I just I I love you know, rubbing elbows with folks in the waterfowl community. And so just being able to talk about it every week is pretty cool. You know, but I'm you know, not look I know I'm not gonna be able to quit my day job on the Joe Rogan to run for his money anytime soon.
SPEAKER_02:I don't think anybody in waterfowl makes a living off of waterfowl podcast, right? It's hard to do number one waterfowl podcast every week is Big Honker, and them guys run a guy business in Texas, right? Usually Ramsey's up there. Ramsey is basically a duck hunting travel agent. You know, the podcast is to promote whatever you do. You know, Chad Bell and now the successful podcast, Fowl Life Deal. He's not a podcaster for a living. So, yes, that's never an opportunity. And one thing you'll deal with eventually as you get grown people say, oh, this guy thinks he's gonna make it big. Well, what the fuck does make it big mean? Yeah, what does that mean? Yeah. I mean, it we're not looking to get patted on the head. We're not we enjoy hanging out with like-minded people and talking about our local community and getting out there a little bit too, right? And it's just a silly thing to me to say, like, oh, you're trying to be fit famous, or you want to do no, dude. I love talking to people. I love keeping duck hunting relevant in my world year round. And if you can talk, this is a pretty good way to do it, right?
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, I mean, I'll tell you what, I mean, because obviously, I mean, make no mistake, I think the last few years, you guys obviously, like when you started and whatever that spring was, no one probably knew who you guys were, but now you you walk into a check station or what you know, people recognize you guys are active on Instagram, all that stuff. But no, I I definitely think it's cool, is no matter how big the show has gotten for Filthy Spoon, you guys are still super authentic. You're who you guys were on episode one, obviously two really nice dudes. You know, we were Robert and I were chatting a little bit outside, and you know, John, you've been nothing but great, you know, even before I started the podcast, you know, just a random one.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, we talked, we talked for what, a couple years now on Instagram, you know.
SPEAKER_03:So no, yeah, really appreciate it. So you kind of talked a little bit about this, but you know, kind of given the success of Filthy Spoon, you know, all your guests, your sponsors, you know, obviously the different opportunities that have come up, whether it's hunts or you guys have gone to a couple expos and whatnot, how's the vision for the podcast changed over the year? I mean, when you were thinking about it back in 2020 and finally you guys are sitting in the truck with your cell phone in between, but to where it is now, and where do you guys see it going? You know, you were just talking about, hey, sometimes I think about hanging it up, but you know, how's the vision changed?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I think in some ways the vision hasn't changed. I mean, one of the our priorities when we started it was we wanted to focus on local. It's it's been modified a little bit because there's some, you know, it gets national, obviously, and even international in some cases. But the that at its core, it's local. And you know, I think Northern California, the valley, especially, the valley gets kind of a bad rap, but I think it's great here. There's a lot of, you know, life is what you make of it. There's a lot of great opportunities in the valley, especially for duck hunters, and I hope that you know we inspire some folks to get out there and and have some fun and enjoy it. I mean, if yeah, be nice to each other out there, man.
SPEAKER_02:You know, I mean that's part of it. That's why we preach it every week, dude. There don't need to be. I was on a listening to a national podcast, big name figure. I'm probably gonna do a burn down eventually and maybe get you know threatened by the big name guys, but he was just like bad mouthing the local kid hunters, and they're ruining it with their Instagram, and they're ruining it with this, and it's like this dude made his living off filming hunts for 20 years and stuff, and it's like, sorry, the 19-year-old kid with a cell phone sending a picture to his 500 friends, is it the same as Mr. TV guy showing up in your backyard and blowing out your spot, you know what I mean?
SPEAKER_03:Oh, for sure. I mean, we've seen some of like those, and you listed a couple of the big name folks, but you see some of those like you know, hunt videos and whatnot, but if you kind of get it behind the scenes, like there's cameras in production everywhere, you know? Yeah. And some of those guys have even openly talked about it. Like, hey, if you want to come do a hunt with me, it's more of a photo or a video shoot than it is a duck hunt, you know.
SPEAKER_02:So that's one thing we've never wanted. I have zero desire to film our hunts.
SPEAKER_03:No.
SPEAKER_02:You're gonna get a shitty video on my Instagram feed, and I mean we got people following along. I mean, when we're on our weekends in Yuma or where we're doing what we're doing, I mean, we're getting, you know, thousand views on our stories of people just following vicariously, what are these idiots up to now? You know, and and it's fun, right? And and we always keep it fun, and everywhere we go, it's just it's all about I was out at Howard Slough last night politicking. You know, there was about five people out there listening to the gospel, but it was pretty slow and dead out there. There, it was it was rough, man. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:I mean, and that's the thing, right? Is there's a lot of really cool people. I mean, we're we're talking to you right now. Yep. I've always been nothing but grateful for the nice folks that we meet out there, the good people. There's, you know, obviously not everyone's perfect, but for the most part, we got a good community here of duck hunters. Heck yeah. And and I think it's nice to be able to promote, promote folks, promote different things, and uh hopefully inspire some, you know, inspire some new hunters out there too.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, and not even the promotion of like, you know, products and different things, but I was telling Robert, I don't know if I told you, John, I think I did. Uh yesterday I was out at one of the refuges and a couple of before the Fowler's listeners came up. Yeah. So it's cool just meeting I'm I'm the average refuge hunter, you know, so it's cool just meeting these guys because before this I would have checked out my birds and kept it moving, you know. But it's cool to I talked to them in the parking lot for about 15 minutes, you know, so that was really cool. Well, right on. You know, can we talk about building the filthy spoon, you know, I guess the podcast. What's been the hardest part about building the podcast, you know, over the last few years? Has it been securing guests? Has it been, you know, maybe the recording, the editing? Because you guys, I mean, like we talked about, this is not your job. Like you guys have lives outside of the podcast. You obviously, you know, you want to go hunt and do all the things that we enjoy doing. You know, what's what what's the hardest part when it comes to you know juggling your time, you know, the hunting, the recording, the editing, just life outside.
SPEAKER_02:Well, my in my opinion, my my mine is the keeping it going and trying to keep it interesting enough. Because every episode's not going to be a home run, right? But sometimes, well, and Ramsey told me that sometimes you just gotta go with it, run, and move on to the next, you know. We haven't had any real, real, like have to take it down shitty ones. But that, and then I have had to fight back. It's gotten a little better over time. People a lot of people are really arm's length with me about the way the way I talk. Thank you. Thank you. So sometimes I have walls to break down, right? Because you know, when you have an episode called the White Trash Tear System and you speak the way that I do and stuff, there's a lot of people that think like I'm a little bit more of a fucking criminal and shit than I really am. And so sometimes some of the bigger names or bigger conservation organizations or beer brands or whoever, it's kind of like, whoa, okay, yeah, no, we're not sure about this dude. He seems like he might be a loose canon. And that to me is kind of frustrating. Like, I don't have any ulterior motive. I want to talk about whatever it is I want to talk about, I want to help promote whatever. That to me has gotten frustrated at times. But I mean, it's you got to live in your own skin, and I've made this image of myself into what it is, you know.
SPEAKER_03:And that goes back to that authenticity, because I didn't even know you were gonna bring that up. But if if we think back to that, that was around the same time where you know the you switched over to farm, you know, farmers, right? And so we obviously, you know, all the stuff that's going on with Bud Light, and then obviously the white trash cheer system, and that was fairly early in the podcast, too. So it could have went either way, right? You know, obviously the first couple episodes are purely about waterfowl, but then we go into this hilarious white trash cheer system, I think shortly followed up by you know beating up your waffle out and you fleeing fleeing Florida from arrest, you know. So, you know, obviously, you know, if you you know follow along on Instagram and you kind of see all the other things like you're it's like this is a great guy, you know what I mean? Just makes no bones about this who he is, and I think it's I think it's absolutely hilarious. So well, I appreciate it.
SPEAKER_02:And like put together guys like you and Robert here seem to understand that, but not everybody uh you know can quit from looking down their nose and realize that hey man, we're all just people, you know.
SPEAKER_03:But uh so Robert, you've obviously known John for a while. Was there a time, like you know, we mentioned a couple of those episodes where you know I can see you probably thinking like, hey, tone it down a little or no?
SPEAKER_00:So, you know I'm obviously more of the square, but Quaker. The Quaker, the Quaker. But I have a a pretty high tolerance for for nonsense and of you know, I'm a little more undercover white trash and than than I might let on.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, but I can also see you thinking long term on this podcast what the possibilities are, and all it takes is one episode where all of a sudden no one's gonna touch you guys, right?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, there was one episode where I think I said it in the episode, I said, like, man, you're making me so nervous right now with with I'm like, I don't know what you're gonna do. Dancing around a weird subject, yeah. I was like, I'm I'm getting, but no, I mean I listen, I think for the most part, knock on wood, like the whole cancel culture thing is is over and we're done with that as a society. We learned that that's a pretty shitty way to live.
SPEAKER_02:For sure. It is, and that was one thing with this. We're never going to like all our sponsors, they know us, they know who we are, they know that at any point anything could come out of my mouth.
SPEAKER_03:You've talked about that, yeah.
SPEAKER_02:And they I mean, and it's and like I say, I would never jeopardize their business or anything. But yeah, I I'll tow it up and we'll we'll you know, we'll we'll say some stuff, but I mean it's never you know, you know, we don't get vulgar, right? We don't you know we don't do that. We cuss, we don't and we we'll joke around and you know we identify that there are different races of people, but it's never racist, you know.
SPEAKER_03:We talk about rich whitey all the time and white trash, and you know So I I I will tease it, but you know, I said I wanted to kind of share some of my favorite, you know, filthy spoon moments, and some of them are around that topic right there, which I think is absolutely hilarious, you know. So we'll we'll talk a little bit at the end there, but yes, some of those get the biggest laugh in my car, you know, around some of those jokes that you guys make.
SPEAKER_02:But uh when we get Ivan on here and we got people counting his F-bombs, you know.
SPEAKER_00:Oh, yeah, Ivan had a suspension at one time.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, Ivan was suspended early on, yes, yes.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, threatened us on the podcast. You know what's funny? And and I haven't I met him real quick at Duck Days, but he he won't remember me. But what was funny about that was I remember Ivan being on the show a couple times, and you know, all the F-bombs and all this stuff. And then I met him at Duck Days this past year, and I think he had his kid with him. So he was like uh totally different you know different dude. Yeah, different dude. So I I definitely picked up on that, but um no, he seems like a really good dude, and hopefully I get to meet him soon. Oh yeah, he'll be up here shortly. I talked to him yesterday. So as Filthy Spoon kind of took off, and and maybe you guys each have one, or maybe there's one collective, like who's been like your your holy shit guest? You know, like you talked a little bit about Ramsey, you talked about you know Mr. Terry from Mojo, but maybe it's someone else, but or maybe like you know, maybe your most memorable conversation. You know, maybe it wasn't like the biggest name, but it's like, yeah, you know, I really enjoy chatting with that that person.
SPEAKER_02:Well, for me, you know, it was when the whole phone thing started, right? Because we didn't do the phone in thing, and then we bought that the equipment to do it. And I guess like it's enough time's past. We'll let the cat out of the bag a little bit. Sure. I did a like a fake media blitz. So Chef Jon he put on his story a couple years ago about wanting to go on podcasts to promote duck camp dinners. And he said, Hey, send me some suggestions. So I suggested all my loyal listeners, hey, why don't you hit him up and say, Why don't you come on the filthy spoon? And dude got completely inundated with messages and like hit me up. Hey, everybody tells us like, oh, really?
SPEAKER_01:Oh wow, I'm gonna gotta so for as authentic as I am, that was a little bit of bait and switch there, but it it got the desired result that I wanted.
SPEAKER_02:And it was a good deal, you know. He's a obviously a cool guy, and that was our first kind of like mainstream guy. And then after that, just kind of started rolling with it, and then I kind of realized like I've always known it, but like they're just like us, you know, there's some of them that are douchey, right? But a lot of these guys are just really cool. Sure, I'll come in and talk to you, you know. And uh so for me, that was kind of like, okay, well, we can do this, we can talk with the baby. This dude's on, you know, he was hooked up with meat eater and shit. This dude's big time, he's sitting down talking to us. So that was kind of for me, like, all right, we can make this roll.
SPEAKER_03:Robert, do you have one that maybe I know you've been on every episode, but maybe where John texts you say, hey, we got so-and-so coming on this week.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, for me, and yeah, I'm not on. I mean, one one cool thing is, you know, John mentioned kind of availability. We started off kind of doing everything together, and then it got to a point where there's an obvious fork in the road. Like, I I don't have time. I got, you know, kids, uh, job responsibilities, and one of the cool things is neither one of us are like trying to make it, whatever that means, right? Or like we're just having fun and and enjoying life, and whatever wherever this goes is where it goes. So there's like, I'm like, hey, you got time, you're really good at interviewing people, you know. Yeah, have have fun, have at it. I love it. So, but for for me personally, when I think about the history of the podcast and some of the best episodes and and just times we've had, I have to say Tully Bell Duck Club. That was a blast, and that was some cool old stories. I was thinking about it. I mean, it was very historic, and I just remember being in, you know, at night in a in a laying laying there, that train's coming by, yeah, loud as crap, shakes the whole freaking building, and I'm like, how random that due to this podcast where you know we're talking, we've met these dudes, they're cool dudes. Yep, still in contact over there. Patio, hey man, you know, we have Matthew at a nice little dinner out there, and you know, got to do a little hunt, spend some time in the blind the next day, but just I don't know, something about that historic club and and being able to uh just spend some time with some listeners and and really have like a I don't know something about that whole experience. I I just really enjoyed it. Yeah, that was a lot of fun.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah. Different experience, but you know, uh I think some folks have if you've listened to the podcast here, uh my Sanborn Slough episode was a lot of fun. You know, just kind of you know, just random hunters that were there on a Tuesday evening, and some folks want to jump on the podcast, but even some that I talked to off-air, it's really cool, just the people that I've been able to connect with uh through this venture. So, yeah, a lot of fun for sure. Yeah, I do want to talk a little more hunting, but I do have just a couple more questions on the podcast here, it's kind of specific to yours. Which episode has been like your most well received or maybe most listened to download?
SPEAKER_02:Is there one that stands out where uh maybe it's we were gonna run like a greatest of one year and we started looking at them, and out of all of them, I could not believe it. It was the one with Gribble. You remember that?
SPEAKER_03:Was it the early one with his buddy or what?
SPEAKER_02:It wasn't was it it might have been the no, I don't think it was with Hayden. It was one Gribble was on, and I remember I think we scrapped the whole episode. We're not giving this guy this kind of classic. But a recent one that it always surprises me, right? Because you get in your head, you bring on a big name, oh man, everybody's gonna love this. You look at Instagram likes or whatever, bring on some local dude, shits through the roof. Because that's what people want, right? It's like, oh wow, who another big name guy, nobody cares. I mean, I like it for the and the and the big name guys we do bring on are good people, so it's not I'm not bringing on because they're because they got good people at good ships today. But a local one that was that was huge for us, and especially for the time of the year it was in the off-season, was Frank with Delta Waterfowl, California. That was a hugely received episode. I mean, it it was like in-season downloads on that one. And you know, Frank's been around, he's a good guy. For whatever reason, that was a really like whoa, where'd this come out at, you know?
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, yeah, and he he's been he follows us on for the Fowlers, and I know he's been a constant guest on this season's of uh The Spot Bird. Yeah. So yeah, it's been really good to kind of hear what's going on down there. Right on. So the last question I kind of have about podcasting is you know, any advice you have for people, and I know you've talked you know to some other folks that have started in podcasting or YouTube or whatever it might be, but any advice that you guys have for people wanting to start a podcast, including myself.
SPEAKER_02:My advice, if you want to do it, commit to it. You gotta, I mean, you gotta have your whatever your schedule is. I mean, I don't recommend doing one less than one a week and stick to it almost like I mean, because it's if it's worth doing, it's worth doing it right, right? So, in my opinion, you have to, even in the off season, because waterfowl is tough to talk about year-round, but that's why we venture in. Say we're a primary waterfowl, but we're a north northern California kind of lifestyle podcast in a way, right?
SPEAKER_03:So striper season, yeah.
SPEAKER_02:We talk striper, we talk turkey, you know, you keep it. Robert loves boats and fishing, yeah, yeah. So if you're gonna do it, be consistent, and you have to be authentic. You don't just copy what somebody's doing or whatever, get your own shtick, whatever it is, however you're gonna roll. And you a lot of times you won't know. Like we we kind of ended up with this, I don't know if we call it a format, because it's pretty fucking all over the board.
SPEAKER_01:Right.
SPEAKER_02:But we kind of do it the way we do it, and whatever you do, don't just like say, well, I'm gonna copy this guy and do exactly that. No, find your own formula, your own way of doing it, and just be authentic because that shit reads through like I mean, people can tell it. I mean, there's a reason why there's so many people love Donald Trump, he's authentic. There's a reason why so many people love Bernie Sanders, he's authentic, right? They're it's polar opposites, but they're the real deal. And you have to be that because people just see right through that shit, you know.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, so and before I ask you the same question, Robert, I will make a comment on that because one of the things that you told me when we met at Farmers on opening opening day, and and honestly, I just being a big fan of Filthy Spoon, you called me out on it, and egg on my face, I I that's I've listened to you was you know, I closed with my three questions, you know, and and you said, Hey man, good for you, love what you're doing, but hey, you got to do your own thing, right? And you're 100% right, and I knew when I was doing that, while I was curious maybe what shotgun people were running, or maybe what we were doing. We are that was not who I am, and then one of the other pieces of feedback that I got, not necessarily from you guys, but from folks that know me, was they've listened to it and they're like, wait, we know you. This isn't normally how you would chat about things or whatnot. And it was really the Sanborn Slough episode where I'm having, you know, my my my partner Caton's on there, he's having some beers, I'm drinking Jack Daniels, and things are kind of getting loose, and we're having fun. You know, there's all this background, that's who we are for the Fowlers, right? Yep. You know, not just you know, sitting in a room at the house with the door closed saying, hey, don't come in here, I'm recording, you know, um wanting everything to be perfect and whatnot. So, you know, I you're 100% right, you know, while I'm thinking about, okay, hey, Filthy Spoon worked or some of the other podcasts, but it's like, hey, what's going to be for the Fowlers identity? You know? Well, we're still figuring it out.
SPEAKER_02:You're four episodes in. I mean, I recommend no one go back and listen to our first four episodes.
SPEAKER_03:Same, same.
SPEAKER_02:I mean, we are and I mean, I thought you were fine. You're their first episode was way better than ours. Ours was horrible. Robert was given like a documentary of an alien came from another galaxy on what duck hunting might be like in California. And I just yeah, so it's it's a natural progression. You get more comfortable as you do it. But I mean, that's my advice to me.
SPEAKER_00:We've even thought about taking them off, but now it's kind of funny. Yeah, now it's like, oh, you look back like Doris.
SPEAKER_03:It's funny. I've thought about doing that where it's like, hey, please start listening to maybe episode two or three, you know. And and it's funny, even to your point. I have an episode, I'll tell the listeners, like, I think it was like week two or three, it's gonna be one of our episodes. I never released it. Really? Because I think it was the same thing, kind of that, you know, hey, if I was gonna tell tell that alien what duck hunting is in northern California, but these guys already know what duck hunting is in Northern California, right? So so we live, we learn, you know, you figure out.
SPEAKER_02:That's just it, and you figure it out. And I mean, you you gotta get your natural groove, and I mean, it it took us a long time to become now, I don't give a shit almost about it. You know what I mean? We've whatever out with Robert and I did one a couple weeks ago. I was like, well, that sucked. But I mean, we had to do something, and we talked, and there was a couple good laughs in there.
SPEAKER_03:We talked about our trials and tribulations, uh rice rat life. But I I said in the first episode that the reason why it inspired me to do the podcast was not only like kind of listening to you guys talking about the opportunities that came from you know, filthy spoon and whatnot, but but really it was just chatting duck hunting with my buddies, right? So we could easily be like how you guys were at the original, where record my phone calls with my buddies that we're talking to on the way home from work or something about hey, what's our plan for this weekend? You know, hey, I know we have this resier, hey, I know we're gonna hunt this rice blind. What should the setup be? Or what's the weather gonna be like? And that's really what got us into thinking about let's just record this, you know. And if people want to listen, they want to listen. If not, no worries, but hey, we enjoy it. So Robert, do you have any uh advice for you know the people that are thinking about jumping into it? Or obviously myself, I'm only a handful of episodes in.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I mean, I think authenticity is is the key. I I'm always surprised when you know it doesn't, I don't feel like it you know happens that much, but occasionally, you know, someone will uh the fuck, lady. I fucking drink 50 of these a day. Fucking glass of water against my will. Are you kidding me? See? Authentically himself. You know, but uh oh fuck, we've got a bit of crisis.
SPEAKER_03:I did ask for one a while ago. Oh, okay. I didn't want to say a while ago because I don't want to the staff here is amazing. Cause a riot here. Oh my god.
SPEAKER_01:I don't drink water, water from plucking. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, be authentic and uh and really be unashamed about whatever your your passion is. You're you're gonna be surprised at how many people out there share it. So for us, it's like who the hell loves the Central Valley of California? We do. We do, we think it's great. Yeah, we think it's great. And you know what? It turns out a lot of people do too. Yep, yeah. You know, who likes and with the hunting wise, right?
SPEAKER_02:Now, if you're every week, you're not shooting shit. Thank you. Sorry I was mad at you for nothing there, lady. Anyway, if you're not shooting nothing week after week, it's probably not gonna work out for you, right? We all get hey, it is slow Vember. I know some guys are doing well. We're not in particular doing great, but it's not all about them at like the pile pay. I mean, people they want to thin it because I mean it it I posted yesterday.
SPEAKER_03:We had a slow day out in Sacramento, right? And got a ton of likes on it. You know, people are like, hey, I'm in the same boat, you know. I don't have access to anywhere that you guys don't, you know. Yeah, you know, so and even some of the good places ain't shooting nothing right now.
SPEAKER_00:I mean it's pretty funny if you just post your pile picks and nothing but and some some folks in the media world, that's how they operate, right? It's like I'm posting nothing but straps. If it's a shit day, we're not posting. Like, or you either go quiet or whatever.
SPEAKER_02:That's when you always know. It's like, oh, this dude went quietly, they didn't shoot shit.
SPEAKER_00:But then that makes, you know, like what I would say normal people who have slow days be like, wow, I must just be a total idiot. Yeah. Exactly.
SPEAKER_02:It gives people a f like a false interpretation. Absolutely. Expectations. Expectation of like, oh, we go out there every week. If we're not smoking and we're shitty duck hunters, screw it, I'm giving up. Right. And that's not the case at all. We all have them days.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, it's been interesting because I I actually started a whole new Instagram for this, and I know you guys both have your private Instagrams too, and and it a lot of it was like, so that way I can post you know pictures of my hunt, my hobby, you know, maybe a pile pick here and there, whatever it might be. But you know, it's obviously this kind of separate, you know, because I obviously there's a whole community that likes talking about what we have to what we enjoy doing, but you know, my family, my co-workers, folks that I went to college with, they probably don't want to follow along. So I have a whole separate page here, you know. But yeah, I definitely think the authenticity is great. And then you know, you mentioned a little bit ago, you know, uh you talk about Instagram and whatnot. People love just kind of following along what you guys should do. I didn't even see a pile of doves in in Yuma. Yeah, no, I like hearing about you guys shopping at Sprouts or you know, floating down a canal. Yeah, you know, like that's that's the stuff that I think is most entertaining, right? Because you know, we all know what the result of the hunt might be. It was and we had it.
SPEAKER_02:I mean, we we we should have probably took a plow pit, we never did, but yeah, exactly. And I mean that's how kind of unaware I guess we are.
SPEAKER_00:We had a ton of dove that one day. Which one? Were we shot all them pigeons?
SPEAKER_02:Oh yeah. We shot a bunch of pigeons one day. That monsoon blew in all these pigeons, and like they're all heading to shoot them. I'm just like, we're blasting this thing. Yeah, I freaking weirdo Curtis will eat them.
SPEAKER_03:Oh yeah. That's funny. Well, I I did want to talk a little hunting here, and we talked a little bit about Yuma and whatnot, but you know, for both of you guys, you know, I know John, you've been to Mexico, you guys go to Yuma, you guys hunted the northeast or whatnot. What would be kind of your dream hunting destination? You know, when you take, you know, money's no option, right? Where do you want to go? And it I'm sure it's around waterfowl, but you know, yeah. Is there somewhere you want you guys maybe a bucket list? I think Robert is bass fishing on Clearwood. That's what I was thinking. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01:No, you nailed it. You go first, Robert.
SPEAKER_00:You know, I still can't believe I haven't made it to either of these two places. Because I've done a little bit of out-of-town hunting, not as much as John, but I mean Canada for sure. Yeah, yeah. I mean, I want to hunt Canada, uh Saskatchewan, do that whole prairie, pothole hunting, um, and then Arkansas and the timber.
SPEAKER_03:That'd be cool.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, yeah. No, that's yeah, I uh I say Argentina, and that just sounds cool, but it's more of a numbers deal. It is different species, but I mean I'm a red-blooded American, so home kind of always comes first. And I mean, obviously, real Arkansas flooded timber would be a dream, you know. Not there, they got it other places, right? But I'm talking Arkansas green flooded timber would be awesome. And then whether it be Alaska, Great Lakes, or Northeast, I'd like to do like a sea duck hunt with like eiders and friggin' with Harley Quinn's, and I think that would be super fun.
SPEAKER_03:And there's just beautiful birds, and yeah, you know, when I was thinking about this question, I was like, yeah, what would be mine? And you mentioned Alaska, Alaska would be really cool. I think Arkansas is amazing, that would be fun to experience. Um, I have a buddy that I work with um who's based out in Tennessee and he and he hunts out like that flooded timber out there, and just to hear, like, you know, the way the public land works out there, everyone boat race into their spot and the car value is very interesting. No, no, no, no. But it's just it's it's it's a different way of hunting that we're not used to out here. Yeah. Um, you know, I I've been I'm not chomping at the bit at it. I'm sure if it came up, I would definitely maybe jump on it. But like, you know, you mentioned the Argentina piece. I feel like those are those hunts that get offered at all the different dinners that we go to and banquets that we have. Really good value there. There's good value for sure, but it's just you know about no pun intended but pulling the trigger and actually just doing it, right? Yeah. So Ryan, what what you know it's talking duck species, or it can even be you know geese or whatnot. What what's your favorite, you know, species to pursue? Like what's the one where you guys really enjoy doing? Is it is it pintailing the rice? Is it you know I love teal? I love green rink teal.
SPEAKER_02:I love shooting them. I love eating them, they're the best in my and they're so fun, and when they're around, they're I mean they're coming in a big flock. I just I love teal.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:How about you, Robert?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I mean, talking about teal got me excited, but I think for me, it's you know, I like some widging and storms. It's a lot of fun, yeah.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, yeah. No, I love for me, I I love shooting those pentail, whether it's in the rice, or sometimes, like you mentioned, those stormy days, and you'll see them just especially, you know, they're floating right over your wind whacker or whatever it might be, just hovering there. Like you always one of you guys always says, I think John does it looks like the CWA logo just uh hanging right over you, but yeah, that's good shooting right there. Um it's kind of a a fun one. I'm actually curious, because given your guys' personalities or whatnot, but what is one item that never leaves your blind bag? And I'm not talking about shells, your calls, I'm you know, maybe like a like for me, I don't do it anymore, but back in the day I used to chew Copenhagen all the time, right? And I before I even thought about making sure I had my refuge pass or my license or my shells, I had to make sure I had a can or two of Copenhagen on me, because if not, the hunt was the day was done for me, right? So that was my my thing. You know, do you guys have something out there that people be like, you know, that's interesting, that makes sense.
SPEAKER_02:You blew my thunder, yeah, it's Copenhagen, yeah. Except for this morning, considering I had to wake up at two o'clock because freaking that old Italian Sid thinks that you need to be at the refuge two hours before the refuge staff to get your reservation. Um I meant to grab, like I say, I've brought white folk problems. I got too many trucks I'm driving, right? I got right now I'm circling between three trucks. I'm trying to get my one truck back together smogged, and I gotta reset the emissions before I can go get it smogged. So I'm driving that one around with the trailer blocking the no tags, it's kind of white trash. Then I got my daughter's truck that I'm rolling as my daily, then I got my work truck that I'm just rolling in. So anyway, I I it's it's a problem, it's a good problem to have three friggin' running Chevrolets. Well, I didn't have any chew with me this morning at the refuge. But normally it would be chew. But God bless that five-foot Italian, he started screaming at the refuge stand, I'll pay$50 for a can of Copenhagen. And this old dude hunting the mobility blind came out and said, Well, ain't a full can. I'm like, dude, I got three dips and I'm good, bro. Yeah. And he gave me like a half can of chew.
SPEAKER_03:Nice.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_03:That's exactly how I was back in the day. I can't.
SPEAKER_02:I told Sid, I said, I'm gonna ruin your hunt.
SPEAKER_03:I'm gonna be a whiny bitch the whole time. Yeah, I I would blame my missus on it. I blame, you know, the shitty spread we set up. It's because I was thinking about this, or you know, whatever. That was my go-to.
SPEAKER_00:Good for you for being able to not do it anymore. I I I I seasonally chew. So I remember that's that's your thing.
SPEAKER_03:So is that still uh you're still making it?
SPEAKER_00:I got a can in my pocket right now. Duck season only. Let him cheat, man.
SPEAKER_02:He's just like every other friggin' American office worker. He's a Zen bro.
SPEAKER_03:So I was gonna say I did it, I did it forever, and I think about six or seven years ago, I quit. I still have the can at home, still in my stand, you know, written on there. Really? Good for you. Yeah, but and I have resisted the Zen, you know, all that. You know, I've been offered all and I that's people are like, hey, if you used to chew, don't do this. You'll you'll never quit. Maxie pad warriors. Yeah. But um, so Robert, what's your what's in your blind bag that you know you can't just go on every hunt?
SPEAKER_00:One one thing I started doing, and I you know, I mean, I don't know about every hunt, but definitely, you know, you this time of year and moving forward with the storms is I always keep a towel or a little shop towel.
SPEAKER_01:Oh, Robert's beloved towel.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I keep the towel in my bag. It just, you know, when it's a little trick red.
SPEAKER_01:I'll get tracked. Because it's so true when he's soaked, it's like he's over there like we got the pool, bro. But it's like it would be nice to have a towel right now.
SPEAKER_00:You know, you dry your hands off, you can dry, you know, when it's poor, when it's pouring rain, you just have something to to dry yourself with.
SPEAKER_03:But you shouldn't be that way. I mean, you're you're a sit cook bro like me. Well, the hands. Oh, the hands, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, the hands, and when you're cold, if your hands stay dry, you're warm, you're warm. It's the it's the moisture.
SPEAKER_03:It's not in the bag right now, but it will be. I I carry the little towel too. You know, because yeah, it's that's a good call out for sure.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_03:No, that that's hilarious.
SPEAKER_00:So a little ether for John. Does this rag smell funny? Shut the fuck up.
SPEAKER_01:Here smell this, John. All right, we'll have to peace in choir for 20 minutes.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah. Well, you know, we're we're coming up on an hour here, and and you know, we'll we'll start to think about closing this episode out. Before we do, I I was teasing this kind of before, and you guys don't know the ones I'm gonna be bringing up here. But like I told you, I've been listening to you guys since very early on, and and I just wanted to share kind of a few of my favorite filthy spoon moments, see if they kind of jog your memory a little bit, and you know, maybe give a comment or two on you know, maybe that episode or that you know situation or whatnot. So we'll we'll start here. You know, you you talked about the authenticity from both of you guys, and one thing I will say is that you guys are two of the best storytellers, and I mean stories like lies, but when you guys are telling you know something that happened, you know, in your past, I think it's some of the best stories I've ever heard. You know, you guys do a great job setting the uh you know everything but like the weather, but like whether it's you know hitchhiking, you know, from Gridley or hitchhiking, I think it was up in Grass Valley when that guy was grooming you. So I mean that that was one of some of my favorites. You know, Robert, I I loved your about when I think your truck almost turned into a duck blind for the season. That that was a great one. And you know, it's funny, I've been trying to go back to try to find that episode, so you have to um shoot me a textures. I'm I've been trying to figure out which episode that was, but that's a that's a great one. But uh John, this one's for you. I I I mentioned it, but uh the superior holiday party that one year where you know you guys said the holiday party, but someone you know put the rose petals and the I think you mentioned there might be some KY everything. Oh, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02:You know, all I and Robert was actually bullied me on this fact that little Bradley, I just liked the fact he was a good mechanic, and everybody thought there was something nefarious going on, and I just loved little guy and I loved hunting. And the night the Christmas party is on a Friday night, and it was near the shop, and I'm like, we're sleeping in my oh, we're drinking, right? So we're sleeping in the office, we're hunting the next morning. Well, they thought it would be rather funny, and I I don't know that it could possibly be considered harassment, I don't know, but they made you know what uh much like a honeymoon. They made the rose petal path to my office, and in my office is rose petal. lubrication, all kinds of things that would not be needed in my office. And uh I uh I mean I I sleep the way the Lord intended in my underwear, right? So anyway, somebody thought it would be funny to jump out of the shadows as I strip down and take a photo of me amongst all this you know somewhat home erotic paraphernalia.
SPEAKER_03:And uh yeah yeah yeah that was that was quite a sight yeah so it's funny I was listening back to that episode and I think it might have been the same one or around that same time because it's around the holidays but I will say one of the best one-liners that I and I was like I'm gonna have to use this one this year was you mentioned for Christmas you said all I got were a pair of pant pants and a piece of ass and both were too big. I loved that one I I don't know if I butchered it there but that was a good one.
SPEAKER_02:You did pretty good you're right yep I some old man said that to me years ago and I've used it ever since.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah. So we talked a little bit about some of your trips and one of my favorite filthy spoon memories was um you were talking about when you were coming back from Mexico and the the good old TSA. Oh yeah you know that that was some good ones too if you guys yeah I recommend going back and listening to that episode I forgot about that we had a big tangent going against TSA and that was a good one because I know I think Robert had a couple issues on a couple trips but then you know yours and the best one was and I don't know if you actually told the guy or not but he's like sir I'm gonna have to pat you down but I'll use the back of my hand yeah and you said no no no if you're patting me down full frontal yeah and I meant it every word of it yes don't rip me off I pay good money for this and and and the last one that I had here and this is I think more of a recent one I think it might have even been your last trip down to Yuma but you talked a little bit about like you know hey we're not racist here but we we like to have some good jokes and laughs was when you guys were down at near the border hunting and I started laughing but uh you were talking about how Ivan was dressed like Uncle Sam You know you know and and I could hear the fear in his voice when you said hey I'm gonna go knock on the uh border patrol's window and say hey check this guy out and he was like no no no no don't you know that that was kind of obvious when you know they're being rounded up but that one was hilarious you know so that was wild the way I mean they were just chilling the whole time we're hunting they were cool right free security if you want to Dev hunt there oh for sure no it was definitely yeah we'll have to do this again but I would love to hear more about that Yuma trip. I know we've talked a little bit offline we talked to duck dids about it. I think that's definitely a fun one that's I've talked about with my buddies like hey this would be fun to do so maybe we can kind of coordinate plenty of room for all the people want to do it. Yeah. But we talked about it's not so much the hunt but it's everything that kind of goes on about around it. I'm thinking okay we rent a car and the laughs driving from Phoenix you know or you know the shenanigans at the border and I don't know what the whole context was but I remember on Instagram there was a you I don't know if you locked Ivan behind the border gate or what you said hey Donnie T says no good.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah because when you're walking across the border I mean it's it closes with a clunk.
SPEAKER_00:It's one of them turnstiles that once you go in that you ain't coming back and I'm like Yuma's like I feel about Yuma the way I feel about podcasting all right there's lots of room but it's not as easy as it looks yeah you gotta do some yeah Yuma's great I it's it's easier than Duff Hunt out here. Yeah but like we got kind of lucky there was last time where it wasn't that hot yeah the year before it was 117.
SPEAKER_02:I mean but then we had the monsoon to deal with so our beloved gauntlet was underwater so we had to really ever switch up if God bless Todd because if Todd run wouldn't have found our border wall spot yeah I don't know what we would have done to be honest.
SPEAKER_00:No so we'd have found something but yeah but I encourage everyone to do it just you know be prepared to you're good you know you're gonna you're gonna suffer a little bit in the process.
SPEAKER_03:I mean it's enough to make me drink a significant amount of water yeah that's saying something yeah for sure well well we'll close it up here but I want to make sure I say uh once again thank you guys for everything that you guys have done for for the Fowlers and myself early on you know congratulations to you guys coming up on once again for 200 episodes that's really cool and you know no matter how busy I am with this I'll be listening to Filthy Spoon every week so really appreciate all that. You know if you don't already which I'm sure most of you guys do make sure you follow Filthy Spoon podcast on Instagram. You know obviously you guys are listed on Spotify and Apple and iTunes and wherever the hell else you find Fair to Midland podcast yep absolutely and yeah if you haven't already make sure you follow for the Fowlers on Instagram as well and continue to rate and review us on all your uh podcast locations. And uh once again thank you guys for meeting up with me today. So thanks John Robert and uh obviously everyone here at Sloughhouse too so it's been great. So I really appreciate it.
SPEAKER_00:Thank you.
SPEAKER_03:So thank you. Thanks guys.