241. California... The Greatest State For Hunting

In this week's episode I am joined by Stuart Oller. For Stuart, hounds have been a part of life for more than seven decades. He started hunting with hounds at just four years old, following a family tradition that included his uncle, father, brothers and cousin. Growing up in Northern California, Stuart has spent a lifetime learning what good hounds can do and chasing a wide variety of game across some rugged country. Over the years, Stuart has hunted just about everything that can be legally pursued with a hound, including coon, fox, bobcat, mountain lion and bear. While fox hunting is what he primarily does today, bear hunting has always held a special place in his heart. Stuart also has a long history with a particular type of hound. Since his teenage years, he has maintained his own line of Trigg and Treeing Walker crosses, developing dogs that have proven themselves over generations of hunting. We talk about what went into building that line, the qualities Stuart has selected for over the years and why maintaining a family of proven dogs has been so important to him. We also get into one of the biggest frustrations facing Stuart and many ranchers in Northern California today—the introduction and expansion of wolves in the area. Stuart shares his perspective on how wolves have affected the country he hunts and the challenges they have created for local ranchers. This is a conversation with a true old-school houndsman who has spent almost 70 years behind a dog. From following his family into the woods as a young boy to hunting multiple species across Northern California, Stuart Oller has seen tremendous changes in the hound world—and he has plenty of stories and experience to share along the way.   Sponsors: https://conkeysoutdoors.com  Promo Code TREETALKINTIME5 https://www.facebook.com/groups/1420083161566245  https://www.facebook.com/p/Animal-Housing-Solutions-Inc  https://fullcrymag.com Merch: https://treetalkin.com/collections  Social Media: https://www.youtube.com/@TreeTalkinMedia  https://www.patreon.com/treetalkintime https://www.instagram.com/treetalkinmedia https://www.facebook.com/treetalkinmedia