In this episode, Paul is joined by Missouri turkey hunter and state trooper Sam Hallam for a conversation that wanders through the Ozarks, the Deep South, and the heart of what keeps turkey hunters coming back every spring.
Sam shares how he grew up learning the craft from a quiet, deadly turkey hunter—his dad—and how that foundation eventually turned into a full-blown obsession that now includes traveling across the country to hunt public land. The two talk honestly about getting humbled in Alabama, the allure of big timber, and how some of the most meaningful hunts don’t always end with a punched tag.
The conversation dives into hunting pressured public ground, the realities of killing jakes, and why judgment has no place in the spring woods. Paul and Sam reflect on why turkey hunters can be so fiercely protective of the tradition, how social media has changed the culture for better and worse, and why slams and checklists should never overshadow the reason we hunt in the first place.
Along the way, they swap stories of turkey camps, managed hunts in historic strongholds like Caney Mountain, unexpected friendships formed over shared ground, and those quiet moments in the woods that remind you this isn’t just about killing a bird—it’s about being there when the woods come back to life.
If you care about heritage, public land, spring mornings, and hunting turkeys for the right reasons, this episode will feel like a long sit around a campfire with someone who gets it.
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