Best Minnesota Prairie Podcasts (2024)

1
Iowa Pheasants 51:22

8M ago51:22

51:22

Several 2023 pheasant hunts in Iowa. Chaos and Maybe both got limits. Lots of birds! We even shot a few sharptails in Montana.By Randy Shepard

1
Pheasnt & Sharptails South Dakota 2023 47:58

9M ago47:58

47:58

Seven days hunting pheasants and sharptails in South Dakota with Maybe and Chaos. The dogs were too clownish to compliment, but with my expectations, they did just fine. We even took a couple of combo limits of grouse and pheasants. I threw in a short story about a ruffed grouse hunting mishap that I hope won't cause you to question my sanity.…

1
Episode 59: Seasonal Stories 1:20:53

10M ago1:20:53

1:20:53

Prairie Pod listeners, we are delighted to be here with you again during this holiday season and season of reflection, joy and, most importantly, hope. We’re closing out season six with our final episode of the Prairie Pod. We know endings can be hard, and we want you to know how much joy this special project has given us, sharing our love of the p…

1
Mni Sóta Mak̇oċe (The Land of the Dakota) Part 2: Prairie Stewardship 1:06:30

11M ago1:06:30

1:06:30

The prairie and indigenous people have persisted through time, and indigenous people’s role in prairie stewardship is intertwined with the survival of prairie on the landscape. Prairie Pod listeners, we’re honored to debut for you part two of our Dakota connections to the prairie series, featuring staff from the four Dakota communities within the b…

1
Mni Sóta Mak̇oċe (The Land of the Dakota) Part 1: History and Cultural Connections to the Prairie 53:24

11M ago53:24

53:24

The prairie and indigenous people have persisted through time, and indigenous people’s role in prairie stewardship is intertwined with the survival of prairie on the landscape. Prairie Pod listeners, we’re honored to debut two special podcast episodes we’ve been working on with staff from the four Dakota communities within the borders of Minnesota.…

1
Idaho 2023 Huns & Sharp Tails 45:21

11M ago45:21

45:21

Chaos & Maybe Exploring Idaho for next trip from Thanksgiving to Christmas. Took a couple of newbies on sharp tail hunts (lots of birds!) and looked for better partridge hills than I've hunted in the past. Both dogs earned Story Bands for 1st Idaho Sharptail and 1st Daily Bag Limit of Idaho Sharptails. Spent most of this fall in South Dakota for ph…

1
To picture a prairie: Prairie inspires art and expression 1:21:14

1y ago1:21:14

1:21:14

We're talking about how our love of the prairie and its many forms inspires us and sparks our imaginations to energize us into action. Namely, the act of creating art.

1
Learning to love the prairie: Engaging youth in prairie conservation 1:06:08

1y ago1:06:08

1:06:08

We also know that we've lost much of our connected native prairie as well as our large grazing mammals like bison. And while there are some places where we're working hard to reintroduce bison to their prairie home, what about the places where we can't reintroduce bison? We're talking about research on haying prairies as a management tool to limit …

1
Making hay while the prairie sun still shines (Restoration series: Haying prairie as a management tool) 1:04:08

1y ago1:04:08

1:04:08

We know that we've lost much of our connected native prairie as well as our large grazing mammals like bison. And while there are some places where we're working hard to reintroduce bison to their prairie home, what about the places where we can't reintroduce bison? We're talking about research on haying prairies as a management tool to limit invas…

1
Bur Oak Folk (Restoration series: Savanna restoration) 1:08:15

1y ago1:08:15

1:08:15

We're talking about savannas - the unsung hero of the prairie landscape. A special class of habitat that includes both prairie vegetation in the understory and mature towering oaks or even jack pine in the overstory. These transitional communities play an important role connecting Minnesota's prairies and enhancing biodiversity.…

1
Monarch migration and their grand trek from Minnesota to Mexico 1:40:18

1y ago1:40:18

1:40:18

Monarchs are often one of the first species we recognize and learn about in school. Can you remember having a Monarch in your classroom? Watching it pupate, form a chrysalis, and emerge? This can be a foundational introduction to nature where the complexity and beauty of it captivates us.

1
Climate change resiliency through grassland restoration 1:16:31

1y ago1:16:31

1:16:31

Prairies are powerhouses of diversity, and that diversity on the landscape is vitally important to clean air, clean water and healthy soils—things we all depend on for survival. While climate change can be a difficult topic, this episode may bring you some hope about how the prairie is already making a difference in helping us to adapt.…

1
How to plant a pocket prairie 1:40:30

1y ago1:40:30

1:40:30

Whether you are contemplating a small container garden, a backyard design, or converting larger acreages, planted prairie restorations can play a key role in helping connect the native prairies we have left. Today, we're going to put our heads together and share our personal stories of our own pocket prairies and how you too can experience the joy …

1
These are a few of our favorite things—about prairie! 1:18:54

1+ y ago1:18:54

1:18:54

When we think about the prairie, there are so many things that catch our eye. Sights, sounds, touch — it's an overwhelming sense of wonder to describe just what it's like to finally discover the prairie. And as in life, we all have a favorite. What better way to celebrate the diversity of experiences and favorites than by having a whole episode ded…

1
Critter's Double Limit of Pheasants, N&S Dakotas 23:24

1+ y ago23:24

23:24

I can't say too much good about "Critter". She hunted the tail end of the southern Minnesota/Iowa ruffed grouse years, the best Kansas and Nebraska pheasant years, and a half dozen Dakota years. This hunt was a seat of my pants exploration into northern South Dakota. I was looking for a new area for pheasants and sharptails, and we found it. The st…

1
Miss Bodet and Pheasants - Iowa, Minnesota & South Dakota 36:59

1+ y ago36:59

36:59

Miss Bodet, took 3-roosters in Iowa & 2 in Minnesota in the same day on public land. Then on another trip I knocked on doors in South Dakota and shot limits of pheasants for 6 days, without paying a fee. Bo was only a couple years old on these hunts.By Randy Shepard

1
RUFFED GROUSE & PHEASANTS - Minnesota Combination Limit 25:14

1+ y ago25:14

25:14

Yeah, I was a whole lot younger back then, and those two pups were pretty special dogs. Critter & Woogs as pups, hunting ruffed grouse in southeast Minnesota and pheasants in southcentral Minnesota. This was the first time that I tried to take this combination limit, instead of just hoping it would happen. There were several days over those years, …

1
"Hell-Hole Roosters" - Kansas & Nebraska Double Limit of Pheasants 31:09

1+ y ago31:09

31:09

I was fortunate to have hunted Kansas and Nebraska when both states had a lot of pheasants. At that time, and for decades to come, I believed this hunt was the epitome of pheasant hunting. I only surpassed this day one time, on a hunt most of you have listened to in an earlier episode. Back in 1981, with two young dogs, Critter, a female, liver & w…

1
Prairie Chicken & Turkey Combo 44:48

1+ y ago44:48

44:48

Follow along on a dogless prairie chicken hunt in Nebraska. This was early in a 5 day prairie chicken hunt in Nebraska and South Dakota. It was my first attempt at a combo of 3 chickens and a fall turkey. The previous "Double Limit of Prairie Chickens" episode, was two days after this hunt. If these two episodes don't convince you to get after prai…

1
Valley Quail in Idaho & Poor Season 2021 32:24

1+ y ago32:24

32:24

Had a solid few days hunting quail in Idaho with Chaos and Maybe. I tell you about my 2021 season and maybe you'll understand why I didn't have much to talk about.By Randy Shepard

1
Idaho/Oregon Bird Hunting 38:51

1+ y ago38:51

38:51

Mostly chukar hunting with Chaos and my new pup Mayhem.By Randy Shepard

1
Prairie: Seasonal Stories Bonus Episode 1:05:58

2y ago1:05:58

1:05:58

We're featuring many special guests and people of the prairie to showcase their stories of connection, diversity, and learning as they pass on their experiences. Thinking of prairie as a tradition is at the heart of our conservation efforts. We all work so hard together because prairie isn't just a thing that's out there on the land living, it is a…

1
Prairie: what have you done for me lately? (Prairie Economics 101) 59:51

2y ago59:51

59:51

One of the hardest things to quantify is how much things like clean air, drinkable water, flood control, and healthy soils are worth. How do you quantify the benefit of these ecosystem services and what is the cost when we lose the land that provides them? Arguably, even harder to quantify are the intangible benefits like mental health and well-bei…

1
Deep thoughts on shallow lakes and prairie 1:01:11

2y ago1:01:11

1:01:11

We're getting our feet wet in Minnesota's shallow lakes. Coming in at depths under 15 feet these permanent and sometimes semi-permanent water bodies are a critical habitat component for Minnesota's wildlife.

1
Sheep, solar, and satisfied pollinators 59:50

2y ago59:50

59:50

Prairie landscapes are renewable energy rich with all the wind and sun our prairies experience, and renewable energy development can have a big footprint in these landscapes. Today we discuss an emerging trend to develop pollinator-friendly solar energy facilities that also support local agriculture through sheep grazing.…

1
Let's go explore: Prairie tour of Minnesota's state parks 1:20:21

2y ago1:20:21

1:20:21

Featuring places near and dear to our hearts: Minnesota State Parks and Trails! We are joined by park managers and naturalists to share the special prairie places in the parks they love. Hear insider tips from the people who know the parks best.

1
There's a fungus among us: arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and their role in prairie reconstruction success 56:00

2y ago56:00

56:00

We often talk about diversity above-ground in prairie ecosystems, but this week we'll be going underground to uncover the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the success of prairie reconstructions.

1
Sow what? Seed scarcity and how to make prairie reconstruction more diverse 1:01:12

2+ y ago1:01:12

1:01:12

With the tallgrass prairie landscape reduced to just under 2% of its historic range in Minnesota and less than 1% of its range in North America, it is the most endangered ecosystem on this continent. Luckily, practitioners, scientists, and landowners are putting their heads together to come up with solutions to help keep our prairies genetically fi…

1
Whats for lunch? Prairie predators 1:03:21

2+ y ago1:03:21

1:03:21

Predators sometimes get a bad rap because they, well, eat the critters we admire. But it's important to understand that they play pivotal roles in the prairie ecosystem. Predators are a key ingredient of prairies.

1
Holiday Bonus Episode! 1:14:28

3y ago1:14:28

1:14:28

On today's podcast, we're featuring people of the prairie to showcase their real life work in the fight to save a landscape that hangs on with just under 2% left in the state. Their special connections show us the joy and power of prairie.

1
Live from the Minnesota State Fair 44:13

3y ago44:13

44:13

Hosts Megan and Mike take the prairie pod on the road and come to you live from the Minnesota State Fair. They share the importance of prairie, what they love about it, and four special places you can discover the prairie after the Fair!

1
Seeds of Wisdom from the Prairie: how listening to stories from a diversity of cultures perfects our prairie understanding 59:38

3y ago59:38

59:38

We've been reminded this season that there's wisdom in the land itself. What it's telling us if we're willing to listen. The lesson of diversity there is ever-present and we talk a lot on this show about how plant diversity makes a prairie stronger and more resilient. We can use basically the same logic to show how human diversity can make prairie …

1
Climate Change Consequences: how the weather will determine how your prairie weathers 1:14:49

3y ago1:14:49

1:14:49

On today's podcast, we're talking Climate Change Consequences: how the weather will determine how your prairie weathers. Climate change is a bigger topic than ever today—we're seeing evidence of it around us all of the time—6” rain anyone? No longer can we talk about climate change strictly as a future phenomenon: it's happening now.…

1
Beyond the walls of grass: the importance of structure in a prairie (Restoration Series) 58:46

3y ago58:46

58:46

Today's podcast is talking about the importance of prairie structure with our very special guest, The Nature Conservancy's Director of Science and Prairie Ecologist, Chris Helzer. Diversity, restoration planning and design, and management choices, all play a role in how we achieve different prairie structures to benefit a wide variety of wildlife s…

1
Coyote Calling III 57:31

3y ago57:31

57:31

This episode has the best coyote calling advice anyone could give. The two most important factors for setting up your best opportunity for a successful shot. Stopping a coyote exactly where you want him and how to select the best stand location. These two practices will greatly increase your odds of killing the coyotes that respond to your calls. A…

1
The legacy of restoration in Minnesota (Restoration series: common mistakes and lessons learned) 55:43

3y ago55:43

55:43

Today's podcast is talking about the legacy of restoration in Minnesota. We have two very special guests, Dr. Gina Quiram (DNR Restoration Evaluation Specialist) and Dr. Sue Galatowitsch (Professor, Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology at the University of Minnesota) who have been actively working to evaluate reconstructions. We know they'v…

1
Invasive species support group Part 2: how to cope with Kentucky bluegrass and smooth brome 1:00:05

3y ago1:00:05

1:00:05

Today's podcast is part 2 of our invasive species support group. If you missed last week's episode go check it out so you can be caught up on how to manage the struggle with smooth brome and Kentucky bluegrass.

1
Invasive species support group Part 1: how to cope with Kentucky bluegrass and smooth brome 49:51

3y ago49:51

49:51

Today's podcast is continuing our mental health theme and featuring an invasive species support group. Have you ever struggled with smooth brome or Kentucky bluegrass in your prairies or reconstructions? Well, help is on the way!

1
Prairie's importance as a mental health refuge 55:01

3y ago55:01

55:01

On today's podcast we'll be chatting with Verónica Jaralambides, DNR's Marketing Consultant with the Division of Parks and Trails as well as local medical doctor, Ann Vogel where they share with us prairie's importance as a mental health refuge. Need a brain break? This is just the ticket.

1
Coyote Calling II 55:56

3y ago55:56

55:56

More calling how-to and gear suggestions. There's some important information here mixed in with hunt stories. I could have saved a lot of money and shot a lot more coyotes if I knew this stuff 30 years ago! I have two more coyote calling episodes in the works. I'll discuss stand locations, how to read coyote behavior, when to stop calling, how to k…

1
The How not the Cow (Restoration Series: Grazing Grasslands) 58:27

3y ago58:27

58:27

Today's podcast is talking about grazing grasslands. Grasslands rely on disturbance for their survival. The challenge is building disturbance back into a landscape that's deeply fragmented. Luckily we have two smart scientists: Kent Solberg (sustainable farming association) and Amber Knutson (DNR Assistant Area Wildlife Manager) to walk us through …

1
Coyote Calling 48:14

3+ y ago48:14

48:14

I've been calling coyotes for more than 30 years from Arizona to Montana and love coyote calling only second to upland bird hunting. If you've ever thought about calling coyotes or are looking for new information, you'll want to give this a listen! This is the first of a series of coyote calling talks to fill in the dead space before upland bird se…

1
Tohan tataŋkaḣca kiŋ hdipi (When the Bison Came Home) 1:08:14

3+ y ago1:08:14

1:08:14

Today's podcast is talking about a very special occurrence that happened right here in southern Minnesota just outside of the City of Mankato. It's a story of healing, Dakota history, ecology, and restoration of a landscape that has been reduced to just under 2% of its native range in Minnesota.

1
Snake, Rattle, and Roll: Minnesota's bluff prairies in summer to cozy hibernaculum in winter 1:02:00

3+ y ago1:02:00

1:02:00

Today's podcast is talking about ssssnakes! Don't get scared, snakes are a super important part of the prairie. Whether we're talking the fabulous bluff prairies of the east or the majestic expanses of prairie in western Minnesota, snakes are an important piece of what makessss prairies function.

1
Aaron Rydell, Salt Creek Hemp Co and Hemp Home Styles 27:35

3+ y ago27:35

27:35

Today’s interview with Aaron Rydell, is both exciting and eye-opening. I met Aaron at a recent ag expo; I fell in love with their products and instantly asked if they would be interested in sharing their hemp story – of course they said yes! Aaron is an enthusiastic hemp farmer and business owner in Colorado. He has been growing hemp and expanding …

1
Vanessa Snyder, Business Development Director at Eurofins 19:28

3+ y ago19:28

19:28

In today’s interview, I had the pleasure of interviewing Vanessa Snyder. She is the Business Development Director at Eurofins. At Eurofins, their mission is to contribute to a safer and healthier world by providing their customers with innovative and high quality laboratory, research and advisory services whilst creating opportunities for their em…

1
Hunter Buffington, Executive Director at Hemp Feed Coalition 44:43

3+ y ago44:43

44:43

In this episode I interviewed Hunter Buffington, who is the Executive Director of the Hemp Feed Coalition. The Coalition is a diverse set of stakeholders from across the United States and Canada. Their mission is to gain Federal approval for hemp and its byproducts as animal feed to create new markets for farmers, processors and feeders. As the Exe…

1
The Year 2020 in Review and 2021 Projections 3:38

4y ago3:38

3:38

From all of us at Prairie PROducers, we’d like to wish you a Happy New Year and say thank you to all of those that supported us in one way or another in 2020. We are extremely thankful for the connections we made, the opportunities we were given and the growth our future holds. In today’s episode I thought I would give a podcast overview and a reca…

1
Last Chance Pheasants & Grouse 55:19

4y ago55:19

55:19

Unexpected late season pheasant and sharptail "fun" hunt in South Dakota. Me and Chaos hoping to average 2 birds a day on a 4 day mid-December public land hunt. We just hunted a few hours each day and still averaged 3 birds. 10 roosters and 2 grouse.By Randy Shepard

1
Holiday Bonus Episode! (Stories from the Field) 53:39

4y ago53:39

53:39

The Minnesota Prairie is a legacy that connects us through the sounds, sights, smells and memories for all who are lucky enough to stop and take notice. This year, for the holiday #prairiepod we offer you the power of prairie through the voices of people who share our passion. We hope you'll laugh, cry, and lose yourself for a little while in the s…

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