Beavers are an animal that notoriously get a lot of press. However, more often than not, it's negative press. Their damming everything up, they're causing floods, they're a nuisance, and so on- that's what we normally hear when beavers show up in conversation. Well in today's episode of Backwoods university, we're going to look at beavers in a very different light by learning about two stories. One took places back in the 1940s, one is still playing out in present time, and both of them involve beavers being the hero of the story.

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This week's episode discusses a two-hundred-year-old fable about coon hunting in Arkansas and a seemingly impossible task. The lessons are flying around like the monkeys in The Wizard of Oz. Get comfortable and check out what's happening on MeatEater's "This Country Life" podcast.

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In this episode of the Bear Grease Podcast, host Clay Newcomb sits down with Teddy Villines, father to Cody Villines and uncle to Caylon Villines featured in the last episode.  He is a lifelong Ozark logger shaped by generations of hard work, handshake deals, and respect for the land. Teddy shares stories from a life spent in the woods, including close calls, brutal injuries, and a terrifying runaway log-truck wreck that forced him to confront who is truly in control.

More than a logging story, this episode is about character, faith, and legacy. What it means to provide for your family, keep your word, and face life’s dangers with humility.

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For the past several weeks, Brent's been hitting the road from Tennessee to Pennsylvania as a goodwill ambassador, and meeting people from all over the eastern half of the country. We get the hunt and sports show stops, but guest lecturing at the University of Tennessee? What were they thinking? Pull up a chair and find out for yourself. It's time for MeatEater's "This Country Life" podcast. 

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On this episode of the Bear Grease podcast, host Clay Newcomb along with Bear Newcomb and Josh “Landbridge” Spielmaker are joined by Bear Grease featured cousins Caylon and Cody Villines, as well as Waylon Villines. The Villines family has been logging Newton County, Arkansas, for generations, and they’ve got the stories to prove it. Join us as we talk about Ozark heritage, the transition from old-school timbering to the modern era, and the grit it takes to remain a woodsman in the 21st century.

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Back in the late 1960s a ground breaking initiative started in the wildlife conservation space that would lead to one of the greatest wildlife wins we have in the entire country. The restoration of the wild Turkey can be attributed to the hard work and dedication of many people across wildlife agencies and conservation organizations this week. We have the privilege of talking to Mr. Benny Herring he was among the first in the state of Mississippi to start the successful Turkey restoration program.

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For many of us getting our children and the younger members of our family outdoors is a priority. How we get them outside and what we do once they're there can set the stage for how they view that experience for years to come. Brent's sharing a listener's story along that theme. Brent's also offering his own thoughts how he handled getting his own children outside; what he did right and maybe what he could've done better.

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In this episode of the Bear Grease podcast, host Clay Newcomb visits Newton County, Arkansas, to talk to Cody and Caylon Villines. They're woodsmen, hunters, and the most recent line of generations of loggers cutting hardwood in the Ozarks. They talk about the craft of selective logging, the evolution from horses to heavy equipment, and the quiet code of contentment passed down from their fathers. They also talk about the danger. From freak accidents to lost friends to a moment witnessing a miracle in the woods, this is an honest, deeply personal look at life in one of the country’s deadliest professions.

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From a listener's story about passing down the appreciation for wild things to Brent's first solo squirrel hunt, this week's This Country Life is sure to be one of your favorites. As a bonus, the recipe of how Brent's mama fried all the squirrels she nor his dad would eat is in here along with the reason why neither one would partake. Get the grease hot! We've got squirrels to fry.

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On this episode of the Bear Grease Render, host Clay Newcomb is joined by Dr. Misty Newcomb, Josh "Landbridge" Spielmaker, along with Backwoods University Podcast's Lake Pickle in the Tecovas Hot Seat.  Fresh off the release of the CBS Sunday Morning feature with legendary journalist Ted Koppel at Arkansas bear camp, the crew gives context and details of what happened behind-the-scenes. It was an unscripted weekend of uncertain expectations, tough hunting, and a turn-the-table conversation around the campfire leading to a tense moment where a missed shot at a black bear puts the spotlight squarely one particular hunter. The crew shares what the cameras didn’t show and their thoughts and impressions of their time with iconic news man Ted Koppel. Plus, Clay reflects on the black bear that helped inspire his upcoming book American Bear and the deeper history of bear reverence across cultures.

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It's officially February. During this month I know a lot of outdoors folks that find themselves wondering what to do. We're here to help! In this episode of Backwoods University, we're going back through some of the fascinating guests we've met along the way so far! From Grizzly specialists to marine biologist- from botanists to beekeepers, we've met a wide spectrum! On this episode we'll here about a bison charging a man, a man charging a grizzly, an age old debate about what kinds of ducks are edible, and here a great conversation story that will set us up for the next episode!

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