September 16, 2025 • 37 mins
A visit with hunter / archer Bill Epeards, plus Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry.
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Speaker 1 (00:18):
All right, it's time to get yourself situated. As they say,
we got the Indiana Outdoor Show to do. I your host,
Brian Pointer, appreciate each and every opportunity to be with
(00:40):
you over these twenty eight years. Today is no different.
We are going to have a root and tut in time. Yes,
he just said that because I'm twelve. These are the
things that just pop into my head. Sometimes things just
pop into my head and they slip out. But I
am very excited today. Unlike other or Indiana Outdoor Weekends,
(01:02):
I've been trying to track down Bill Eppards for a
while and I know why he wasn't available. Epic trip
for Bill to go to South America, South Africa. The
reason I love talking to Bill. If you've listened any
shows around the boat, Sport and travel show in particularly
(01:24):
where he is a feature almost every single year we
have him on and the accomplishments not only as a hunter,
but as a conservationist and as an evangelist for the
shooting sports in particular archery is what I love to
have this conversation. I know where he's going to go
with this. I'm not going to give it away, but
(01:45):
it was fulfilling a lifelong pursuit for him, and a
lot of folks have these perceptions that you go to
Africa and it's like shooting fish in a barrel. A,
it's not, b it's dangerous. And three, it's vitally important
for the proliferation of the species in Africa, and he
loves to promote and talk about that, and that's why
we give him as much time as he will possibly
(02:09):
need to take. We also are going to have Susie Jordan.
We are upon the start of archery season here in
just a couple of a couple of weeks, which means
people are going to start filling their freezer with venison.
We want to make sure that people are aware through
the farmers and the Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry program, there
is a program that you can donate a field dressed
(02:30):
dear to a participating process or at no charge, and
then that meat stays right in your local communities. We've
talked to Susie and her organization absolutely has been on
a jets jet north with so many great things and expansion.
And Susie was just with us previewing their fundraising banquet
(02:52):
that they had all good and now we're in the
knee deep part of the season, so we're going to
visit with Susie when we come back a little later
in the show. Bill Eppard's I understand, is waiting. I
always like to give him as much time because I
know he's just one of those interesting characters, and we're
going to find out about a trip of a lifetime.
It is the Indiana Outdoor Show, and I am your host,
(03:12):
Brian Pointer.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
And.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
Indiana Outdoor Show continues. I am your host, so great
to visit each and every day, each and every day.
I wish it was every day, each and every week.
It's called the Indiana Outdoor Show. Of course, we couldn't
do it without all our affiliates around this great state
of Indiana. If his station carries it and you like it,
my gosh, let him know because they do have a choice.
And also thank you for giving us some of your time.
(03:48):
If you missed any of our shows, go to any
place you can download podcasts, and this show will be up.
Because of course, we always have great people, as I mentioned,
the legendary Bill Eppards, who has been with me for
a very long time. Bill, we're in your twenty eight
of Indiana Outdoors and I know you've been doing this
(04:09):
one hundred and twenty eight years, so you've been a
part of what we've been doing here at boat sport
and travel shows and your visit st. Indianapolis since this
show has been on, and we can't thank you enough.
But for those that don't know who Bill Leppards is,
I am so thrilled to have a little bit of
time with you because recently saw that you were in Africa.
You're no stranger to Africa, but I want to set
(04:30):
this up and I don't even there's so many accolades
I can't even imagine, and anybody that's in the world
of bow hunting or archery knows your name first and foremost.
Thank you and very graciously giving up a lot of
your time today to talk in amongst your travels, how
have you been? And I hate to even ask you
where you've been, because I know you've been to Africa,
but that doesn't mean that's the only place.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
How you do it, I'll doing well. Thanks you for
having me, Brian. I mean it's always a pleasure, you know,
me speaking with you and the interviews and work in
the Indianapolis Sports Boating travels. So the Renfros are like
a part of a family to me and talk to
them all the time, and they're great people and it's
great to come to that venue.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
It sure is. And you know, the as you've been
coming here, you've seen many many changes in the boat,
sport and travel show format. The nation's largest sports show
of its kind now. But the Renfro family does a
great job. And we just were with them last weekend
kind of talking about their having their fall r V
and boat show this weekend, and we appreciated Mitch giving
(05:33):
us a little perspective and a little peek into what's
next year is going to look like. But you've been
so gracious and you're truly one of the world's most
accomplished bow hunters. And when I say worlds I mean
that in the most literal sense. I think the last
time we spoke, you were getting ready to make another
final charge, another not a final charge, another charge for
(05:54):
a Grand Slam and a World Slam of turkeys. So
how'd you do? Let's start with turkeys. How'd you do
this year?
Speaker 3 (06:00):
You know, I had a phenomenal year. You know, you said,
always said goals, and it just keeps you going. And
I shot my twentieth Grand Slam. That's every specie of
Turkey uh in the United States. And then I shot
my fourth World Slam and that's you know, that was
a heck of accomplishment for me, and I was glad
(06:21):
to get that out of the way.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
So what is the world How is the World Slam
difference in the Grand Slam?
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Well, the Grand Slam, you know, you got the oslo Oli,
the Rio, the Eastern and the Merriams. That's the four subspecies.
To kill the World Slam, you have to go over
to Mexico and in the Yucatan and the jungle and
hunt the oscillated and the gules, and so that's all
the species. And you can hunt the ghules now in
(06:48):
Arizona if you draw a tag, they have us. They
have a huntable population now and that just happened the
last couple of years. But I went to Mexico with
El Halkun Outfitters. I've been with the guy for a
lot of years, and so you know, that was my accomplishment.
Twenty Grand Slams and four World Slams and then on
(07:09):
to Africa.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
So to accomplish that, well, Bill, I got it. Let's
before we get into your epic Africa trip. You how
many times have you been to Africa?
Speaker 3 (07:21):
That was a fifteenth time? Fifteenth time?
Speaker 1 (07:24):
And I am one of those novices that has never been.
But I've known so many folks like you who have said,
once you do this, it's kind of like an addiction
because it's such a different experience over there. It's so
beautiful in so many different ways, all the different variety
of animals. But when people hear you I've been to
Africa fifteen times, I know that evokes emotions because a
(07:46):
lot of people don't have a sense of what that
means and what hunters do for conservation over there. But
your experience, certainly with fifteen trips over there, how do
you and FI what's memorable? I mean, I don't even
know the right way to ask that question, because it's
like you go there once, it's a trip of a lifetime.
(08:07):
After fifteen years, is it's just like going to Kentucky
for a deer hunt. Tell us about what it's, why
it's so special and what makes conservation such a priority
in Africa.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Well, you know, Africa is an unbelievable place. I mean,
to see these to see the critters, to see the wildlife,
to see the people, see the culture of the people.
That's what's amazing to me. And once I take a
lot of people. I took ten people with me this year,
and Adam has never been before. And I take a
(08:43):
lot of the sponsors over. And the only thing I
can say two things about Africa that is down there
is a flight number one, the flight. You know, we
fly from sins Nagel Atlanta, from Atlanta straight on to Johannesburg.
And that's a long flight, but you get past the
(09:05):
flight and then it's five star all the way. And
I mean that. And the second downfall is this, if
you go once, I guarantee you're going to go back
because it is a paradise to where you see everything.
I mean, it's not just about the killing of the
(09:26):
animals or harvesting of the animals. That's not it. When
you harvest these animals, you're helping everybody. You're helping conservation,
you're helping people. Nothing goes to waste. Nothing goes to
waste in Africa. I mean absolutely nothing. And I got
videos to show it. On this last event, you know,
(09:47):
there was one hundred and fifteen people there getting all
the meat that I fed the villages and the people there,
and they're appreciative and it goes into conservation and it helped,
you know. I mean what I just taken was was
this animal was destroying crops butternut squash, and they had
(10:11):
three permits to where they had available to take these
animals as they were destroying these crops, and so it
helps everybody. Nothing goes away. I'm just not going owhere
to shoot a trophy. That's not it. I'm doing the
whole thing, and to watch the trackers and how they hunt,
(10:35):
and they're hunting dangerous game. Everything over there in Africa
is dangerous. You've always got a professional hunter within And
you say a professional hunter, Well, Bill, you're a professional howner. No,
believe me. I mean yeah, I get paid by sponsors
and I've been very blessed, unbelievably in my hunting career.
I've been with some of these companies for forty eight years.
(10:58):
But over there, professional hunter they have to go to
school for like two months. They learned everything from shooting
to survival to first aid, tracking, ability, tracks, everything, and
it's amazing to have them with in the hunt dangerous game.
It's a law. You have to have a professional hunter accompany.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
You, a pH as we know them. And I've heard
the story from every person that's going over there, so
you just amplify what everybody says. And I have always
had great respect for you, Bill Eppards as our guest,
and you have been over there now fifteen times. But
(11:42):
this last trip was kind of the fulfillment of a
long pursuit. Explain and kind of lead us up to
kind of what brought you back for the fifteenth time.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
Well, you know, everybody wants to shoot the Big five.
You know the line ll something Cape Buffalo. You know,
everybody wants to shoot the Big five. And once I
accomplished that goal, you know, they said, look, you're that close,
why don't you just kill the most dangerous seven. So
(12:14):
I had a real opportunity. And in the past couple
of years, I said, you know, we got a big
croc over here. He's freaking havoc. And the law, by law,
with a bow and arrow, you can't hunt hunt crocodile
or hippo. So and that's not my forte, you know,
(12:34):
with the rifle, because I don't know, I've been a
cop for law enforcement for forty years and so my
my forte is not shooting stuff for the rifle. But
they said, you're so close. You know, we got problem
that well over here, come over. And so I shot
a sixteen foot croc last year and it was an
amazing deal. Yes, it was amazing.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
So I've been I went hunting in Florida and we
had gators and the ten foot gator versus the eight
foot gator in Florida difference, big difference. And then you
talk about a fifteen foot Holy smokes, and you.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
Know, I mean, and I myself like you had shot
big gators with a bow in Florida. Matter of fact,
I have a twelve and a half footer. But when
you come to about fifteen sixteen feet, I mean, it's
like a dinosaur. And it was amazing. So we took
(13:33):
that and then they said, look we got a real
good shot and getting to permit, let's finish it with
this hippo. And you know, hippos are very dangerous. Everything
I've hunted, you know, the line about got me one time.
And then we got it all on video, and so
I said, look, you know we can do this. So
(13:53):
they tried to get it permit with an archery and
that wouldn't happen. And I'm tickled to death that it
didn't because I don't know how. Yeah, could I stick
a hippo with a bone arrow? Absolutely, the broadheads, the
equipment these days, you do it. Here's the trick a hippo.
They can slip underwater for a mile when you're when
(14:16):
you stick this animal, he's not on the ground where
these professional trackers can track it. He's in the water.
I don't know how in the world that I wouldn't
even attempt it. I really wouldn't. I mean, the skin
is three and a half inches stick. This hippo was
three and a half tons. Yeah, I mean it was.
(14:37):
It was unbelievable. It's unbelievable. And we shot and another thing,
Well you shoot a hippo, and well the deal is,
I shot a hippo that was drawing crops. We shot
an old male and that's what we're after. And when
every time we go hunting, you know, we want to
shoot the oldest specie because nothing dies of old age.
(14:59):
And after yeah, on its own, I mean, something kills him, right,
And that's just the way, because it's full of predators.
So you know, we took this old bull out. It
was amazing. It was unbelievable, these guys. Once I shot
this hippo, you know, it was in the river and
it comes off of we was probably about a half
(15:21):
hour from Cruier Park and the landowner was there with us,
the property owner. It was just an amazing memory. I mean,
it wasn't just about the shot. It wasn't just about
the harvest. It was about the whole memory from start
to finish. You know, these hippos are very tricky, they're
(15:44):
very very protective h and they are they're very protective.
Once we shot this hippo, then he went down and
we had a guy and video this. We had a
guy go in the water and dive down and we're
trying to keep the other hippos and the crocodiles off
of him.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
Yeah, that's the truth. I mean, you know, And it
was amazing from start to finish. And then once the
hippo finally we got him up and floated up, and
then we got him a track co hooked onto him.
We videoed the whole thing, got the track CoA to
bring him in. Trackcoat couldn't lift it and we got
him in and another track co come in and lifting
(16:27):
him on the trailer and the village people coming in
six hours. There wasn't enough meat left that you could
put on a hamburger bunt.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
That is the beautiful thing about that's what you do.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
That was the amazing part of it. And people asked
me in seminar to how you the hippo, Hey you
do this, and how you do this? Why? And because
we're saving people's crops, which is these animals destroyed these crops,
that's their living, that's what they do. And then we
fed people. We've fed the people where they didn't have
(17:02):
to buy bee for anything and everything, nothing goes to waste, nothing,
And it was amazing to see how appreciative they were
and how much I learned on this hunt. Well, it
is an amazing deal.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Even after fifteen like I heard you just say, you
always learned something. Bill Eppards is our guest, one of
the world's best archery hunters. Bill, I'd love to visit
with you because I have some other questions. Do you
mind staying for another segment?
Speaker 3 (17:31):
No, that's fine, we can do it.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
Bill Eppards, one of my favorites, and he is sharing
an epic story of his fifteenth trip to the Great
Continent of Africa. I am your host, Brian Pointer. Don't
you think about going anywhere, because we're going to continue
with Bill Eppards when we return right after this. It
(18:06):
is Indiana Outdoor Saturday. I am your host, Brian Pointerwhere
else would you want to be? We appreciate as always
given us some time as we bring you the Great
Indiana Outdoors brought to you by Indiana Donor Network, driven
to SaveLives dot org, and we are making progress. Be
an organ and tissue donor sign up when you buy
your hunting and fishing license. Couldn't be any easier. I
(18:29):
love Bill that you and I have had this friendship,
but I just want to grow up and be like you.
You talk about World Slams, Grand Slams in Turkey, and
you talk about all these trips overseas, and you give
a very compelling case for why Africa is a destination
and the conservation If it would is this safe to say,
(18:49):
if it weren't for hunters and around the world coming
to this great mecca of the continent of Africa, that
we would have chaos in any of those planes areas
over there in many of these animals would be in
serious jeopardy.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
That's exactly right. I mean you have no clue. I mean,
everybody in the United States knows about protein and all
this stuff. And maybe in a law enforcement the fines
are really getting serious now, which I'm tickled to death with.
But over in Africa they don't play with poachers. I mean,
I guarantee you it could be the death the son
(19:25):
of them. And so you know, the conservation, it goes
right back. And everybody says, well, you go over and
it's high fence, it's canns. Well, I'm was on an
area of one hundred and forty thousand acres, So if
you tell me that's high fence, that's a lot of fence. Yea.
So it's just it's not true. People who have never
(19:48):
been there have no clue of what it's like. And
just to watch the culture and the people. These trackers
are amazing, Bran, I mean these professional bushmen and that's
what they are. And they can track an ant from
Cincinnati to Indianapolis. They can tell you what side the
(20:08):
animal was wounded on, they can tell you the age,
they can tell you everything about this animal because that's
what they do for a living, and they make a
good living at it. But it's amazing to learn and
just to observe of what these guys know and bring
it back to my experience in the United States.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
Well, you are of legendary status to so many people
and your friend to all who meet you. As you
were growing up, did you ever think that you'd be
doing this at this stage of your life, chasing hippos
in Africa and talking on Indian outdoors about all the
great accomplishments in the archery world.
Speaker 3 (20:45):
No, you know, I mean, you know, I was an
athlete in school growing up, and I just picked up
a bow and arrow setup. But in mine was the
United States Army champion and loll and behold when I
met the right people at the right time, and I
met a guy from from Indiana's named doncast from Newburgh,
Indiana and still a good friend of mine this day.
And he got me in the business and I signed
(21:07):
a contract with well with Precision Shooting Equipment. I've been
with him forty eight years. I've been with Massy Oaks
since day one, and I've got some from the sponsors
that I've been with for many, many, many years, and
it's just my hunting career is. I can't ask for anything.
I'm so blessed. I can't ask for anything. I've got
(21:28):
some great sponsors that I've been with, you know, for
thirty years and longer, the same sponsors.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
And that's no easy feat in today's world, because when
you started this thirty years ago, there wasn't twenty four
hour outdoor television, there wasn't constant access on the internet,
there wasn't Instagram, there wasn't Facebook, and this was this
was a very different field. So to be able to
manipulate your way through that minefield is a testimony even
(21:57):
of itself to your relevancy over those periods, all that
period of time.
Speaker 3 (22:01):
Well, you know this weekend, I just I just recently
got home last night for the IBA World Championships. It
was in KPL in West Virginia at the State Park,
and you know, we had a thousand shooters there from
six different countries, and I had people. All I do,
I've won the World championship, but won the national championship
seven times in archery, and so now all I do
(22:22):
is I sit in the booth talk to people and
share stories and take pictures. And they ask me all
the time, how do you get into business? You're at it.
It's almost impossible now, I mean really it is. And
I hate, I hate to be, you know, a downer
on that. But and when I reckon and when I
(22:45):
tell these young people, I said, look, when you harvest
an animal, take good pictures, take good pictures. Learned to talk,
learn to talk about your experience and the memories. And
that's a big thing.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
You know, it's very wise advice.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
Pictures are a big thing where you know, you just
want to don't want to take a picture of a
very nice deer your harvested in the back of a
pickup truck or we're a fence is showing because it
puts it in perspective of other people. Well he shot
it out of the truck, or he shot it in
the high fence. And you take a picture of a
great picture where you respect the animal and respect yourself.
(23:24):
And that pictures and everything that's what got me in
the business.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
And look at you now. Bill Eppards is our guest,
world famous and very humble as you can hear. And Bill,
I know that you've I'm going to open this up.
Where you headed the rest of the year. I know
you got some time off, which we're grateful to catch
in between, but soon it's going to be the meat
and potatoes. Where are you headed?
Speaker 3 (23:48):
Well, September, I go to Wyoming to hunt meal deer
and white tail, and I'm there for about seven days.
We'll be filming, and then I get to come home
for Lucius three days, and then I'm off to Oregon
the hunt a rocky mountain elk and with XTV, and
we'll be there for probably two and a half weeks.
(24:08):
We'll stay at the end this season, and then I
come home to showtime. Then I get the Indianapolis show,
and then we go to Harrisburg. We go to all
the shows, and then in March, I head back to
New Zealand for the eighth time and we get to
shoot Elk and Stag and whatever is else available over there.
(24:30):
So this is very blissed.
Speaker 1 (24:32):
This is why I love you, Bill, because this is
great radio and you're one of the best. You're the legendary.
Bill Eppards joins us today. As always, you're going to
keep us in great content. We appreciate it. Safe travels,
my friend and congratulations on what I know was something
monumental for you, and those memories and those pictures. You're
certainly going to be able to tell stories, not like
(24:54):
you didn't have the opportunity for many other events. But
thank you for being a part of Indian Outdoors and
sharing well.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
I appreciate you anytime and looking forward to seeing this shoe.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
Indeed, indeed it's almost there. Thanks Bill. One of my
favorite people, Bill Eppards on a great trip to Africa.
We look forward to talking to him on as many
other pursuits as well as so many others coming up.
It is the Indiana Outdoor Show. I am your host,
Brian pointerback right after this and Indian Outdoors continues. I
(25:38):
am grateful to be with you as always, and what
a good show that we have had. I enjoy Bill
Eppards as one of my favorite epic legendary archer and
what a great trip and what a great message for everybody.
We appreciate his extended conversation. But a few weeks back,
(26:01):
we were talking to our friends at Who's Your's Feeding
the Hungry Susie Jordan and Susie. You were telling us
about a big event and a raffle and all kinds
of fundraising opportunity and I'm sure that event went well.
But thanks again for being back with us. How you doing, Hey,
we are.
Speaker 4 (26:18):
Doing really well.
Speaker 5 (26:18):
We had a great event at Kruse Plaza up in
Auburn to support our agency. Being a nonprofit, we all
love fundraisers, I know, and had a lot of impact
from a lot of great people all over the state
at that event.
Speaker 1 (26:32):
Well, we are grateful for what you do and for
those that might not be familiar, we're on the verge
of our twenty twenty five archery season for deer. But
you as Hoosier's feeding the hungry, it's more than just deer.
It's a lot of different things. So the services that
you were raising money for go to raise these moneies
(26:52):
for the processors to donate deer. I don't want to
steal your commercial. Tell everybody what who's your's feeding the
hungry is. And because we're getting ready for a lot
of people to go in to our archery season and
then to the field for our firearms season, deer is
at the front of everybody and I'm sure that those
donations are welcome, so share with us.
Speaker 5 (27:12):
So our mission as a nonprofit with WHOS You're Speeding
Hungary were based into Calp County, but we have a
presence all over the state of Indiana. But our mission
is to accept donations of livestock as well as deer
and then funds to provide process meat to Indiana food banks,
food pantries, and other related organizations. So the event we
(27:34):
hosted in September that we talked about earlier, I believe
that was in August, that was for our Meat for Forks.
That is to fund our livestock program, and that program
runs all year round. We accept livestock through our partner processors,
(27:55):
but we have to secure funds as we go into
hunting season. That's where we get our partnership with the DNR,
law enforcement and the Hunt for Hunger and so that's
where hunters, whether it's archery, muzzle loading, shotgun use, it
doesn't matter.
Speaker 4 (28:15):
People can donate a full white.
Speaker 5 (28:19):
Tail deer legally harvested in the state of Indiana, feel
dressed height on to one of our partner processors. And
it's not just WOS you'res Feeding the Hungry for that program,
that is a program that the DNR works with three organizations.
Speaker 4 (28:36):
So it's who's you're feeding the hungry.
Speaker 5 (28:39):
It's the du Boys County Sportsman's Club, and then also
farmers and hunters feeding the hungers.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
I love it all right, this is such a great
organization and for years it's been evolving, it's been growing,
it's been getting momentum. I'm trying to come up with
other analogies. The bottom line is you're doing great work.
The simple fact is if you're out in your hunting
and you fill your freezer, most hunters, like I know
(29:06):
they're going to take a deer and they're going to
enjoy that meat for their family for the year. Some
may have more capacity and more licenses and more opportunity
and they choose to do that. However, if you filled
your freezer but you still want to hunt, know that
you're doing good work because this provides an avenue free
of charge for you to take it to a volunteer,
to a processor. And how does this work tell people? Okay,
(29:30):
you need to kind of think ahead. If I take
a deer today, am I keeping it or not? Field
dress that deer? What happens next? And what do you
want people to know when they go into.
Speaker 4 (29:38):
The woods, when they go into the woods. First, we
want them to be safe.
Speaker 5 (29:43):
No matter who you're hunting for, if you're hunting for
this program or yourself, please stay safe. The other thing
is you need to know who a partner processor is,
and our friends at the DNR will put up on
the DNR's websit site through the Hunt for Hunger, a
website that will lift all the processors who are partners
(30:06):
in this program because they have to be a partner
for us, no matter which of the organizations that.
Speaker 4 (30:13):
Are part of it.
Speaker 5 (30:15):
That is how when the deer comes in and you
can as a hunter, you can say, this is the
one I want to process, but this is the one
that we'd like to donate to the Hunt for Hunger
through DNR, and they will take care of it, they
will process it, and then that invoice will go to
one of the three organizations for payment.
Speaker 4 (30:38):
Through the generosity and the partnership.
Speaker 5 (30:41):
That we have with our grant through the Hunt for Hunger,
all three of us have those grants those funds available.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
So at the end of the day we will yeah
keep going.
Speaker 5 (30:51):
It will then that meat is always processed into ground
meat and it's one to two pound freezer pas our
organization really strongly requests one pound packages, which our processors
will know, and then when that deer is ready for pickup,
we will arrange for it to go.
Speaker 4 (31:11):
To local food banks, food pantries.
Speaker 5 (31:13):
And hunger relief agencies, and we know who those.
Speaker 4 (31:16):
Are in most of the counties.
Speaker 5 (31:18):
Sometimes there's hunters who wish for a specific organization, it
still has to be a nonprofit agency no matter which
of the three organizations.
Speaker 4 (31:27):
That this goes through. That's just the statue through the
state of Indiana.
Speaker 1 (31:32):
I love the update because I know how this works.
You go to deer camp, maybe you're expecting, maybe you're not.
Maybe you're successful, maybe you're not, but you find yourself
with a deer and either you're going to keep that.
And I know several hunters that I hunt with that
don't choose to keep their meat, but they have it,
they donate it, and that's perfect. But it's one of
(31:54):
those things that you kind of need to know, Okay,
I'm going to be hunting in this part of the state.
Maybe you put a couple of these processes. Is there
a link so you can figure out where to take it?
And the good news is is you have dozens of
these around the states, you're not traveling too far, and
that food stays in that local community. And what is
an average dough for an average sized deer when it's processed?
(32:15):
How many meals do you get out of that?
Speaker 5 (32:18):
And they vary. Last year we had some smaller deer.
It just kind of matters. We had some donated through
youth and the numbers that I have in front of
me don't tell me that. But I think the hunters
that you have listening to your show, they know about
the average that they can get, how many pounds they
(32:40):
can process out of there. Ground sometimes gets more, sometimes
gets less. The really cool thing that we learned at
the Deer Turkey Expo last year was or excuse me, no.
Speaker 4 (32:53):
The way I believe it was.
Speaker 5 (32:54):
At one of the bow events we went to through
NAP there was a young man. It was his first
season out. He was a youth and he got a
very nice book and he donated the whole thing wow,
which they last.
Speaker 4 (33:08):
Year was the first year for that, but he didn't
take that home.
Speaker 5 (33:12):
He donated it and it was really cool to meet him,
but also meet his dad because you learn firsthand where
that came from. You could see it and it was
really he was very proud of it and we were
very excited to meet this young man.
Speaker 4 (33:28):
So he knows who he is.
Speaker 5 (33:31):
Yeah, but you know, our impact last year through hunting
season was over thirty eight thousand pounds of ground venison
going to over sixty three agencies and we were in
forty counties.
Speaker 1 (33:46):
There you go, doing the Lord's work.
Speaker 4 (33:48):
There's impact, I know.
Speaker 1 (33:49):
And we love it. Thank you so much as always,
Susie for your great work. Congratulations on a great event.
We'll be back in touch with you here a little
later as we get into the fall and to the
the firearm season. But thanks for all you do and
appreciate you being a part of Indian Outdoors. Great organization.
Who's yours feeding the hungry Susie Jordan check him out.
Thanks for being a part of it. Thank you, my pleasure,
(34:12):
so much more to come. Don't you think about going anywhere.
We've had a great one. Why not keep it going.
It's the Indian Outdoor Show and I'll be back right
after this.
Speaker 3 (34:27):
And it is.
Speaker 1 (34:38):
Indiana Outdoors Saturday. I am your host, Brian Pointer. High
energy is all I can tell you. When I came
to the studio to do the show was very, very
excited because I finally had Bill Eppards in my cross Harris.
He was going to get to spend as much time
as possible, and you heard him talk about he completed
(34:59):
another World's of turkeys, another Grand Slam of turkeys. We
I mean dozens of these and that is a legacy
that will probably likely never be toppled. But as I
predicted the conversation with Bill, I could have gone on
for a very long time talking about the importance of
(35:20):
the hunting community in Africa and the proliferation of these species.
This hippo was the classic story about why hunters from
around the world going to Africa have allowed these species
to flourish. And if you think about it, it only
makes sense. Poaching is an absolute terrible scourge in Africa.
(35:44):
The hunting community, through the guide fees and others that
they pay, help the conservation efforts and the targeting, the strategy.
The resourcefulness of that hippopotamus that he took, which ended
a pursuit that has taken years and years, was absolutely
(36:07):
perfect about conservation and the importance. Not one ounce of
anything went to waste. It was important because they were
causing damage to crops for these farmers over there, and
when he starts talking, I let him go and I
can't thank him enough. We're going to be visiting with
him when he comes back, probably for the Boat Sport
and Travel show here in just a few months. Hard
(36:28):
to believe. But also thank you to Susie Jordan. We
are close to the start of archery season. If you
have a deer that you've already put enough in your freezer,
donate that to one of the participating processors. And I
recommend going to the Hunting and Fishing Guide where those
are listed, go to their website and do some great
(36:50):
work and it stays in your local community. It is
the Indian Outdoor Show. You know that, each and every
week we are thrilled to be with you. Thank the
stations at carr Us and has always remembered turn in
a Poacher one eight hundred, Tip I d n r
B safe se outside. Everybody
All right, it's time to get yourself situated. As they say,
we got the Indiana Outdoor Show to do. I your host,
Brian Pointer, appreciate each and every opportunity to be with
(00:40):
you over these twenty eight years. Today is no different.
We are going to have a root and tut in time. Yes,
he just said that because I'm twelve. These are the
things that just pop into my head. Sometimes things just
pop into my head and they slip out. But I
am very excited today. Unlike other or Indiana Outdoor Weekends,
(01:02):
I've been trying to track down Bill Eppards for a
while and I know why he wasn't available. Epic trip
for Bill to go to South America, South Africa. The
reason I love talking to Bill. If you've listened any
shows around the boat, Sport and travel show in particularly
(01:24):
where he is a feature almost every single year we
have him on and the accomplishments not only as a hunter,
but as a conservationist and as an evangelist for the
shooting sports in particular archery is what I love to
have this conversation. I know where he's going to go
with this. I'm not going to give it away, but
(01:45):
it was fulfilling a lifelong pursuit for him, and a
lot of folks have these perceptions that you go to
Africa and it's like shooting fish in a barrel. A,
it's not, b it's dangerous. And three, it's vitally important
for the proliferation of the species in Africa, and he
loves to promote and talk about that, and that's why
we give him as much time as he will possibly
(02:09):
need to take. We also are going to have Susie Jordan.
We are upon the start of archery season here in
just a couple of a couple of weeks, which means
people are going to start filling their freezer with venison.
We want to make sure that people are aware through
the farmers and the Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry program, there
is a program that you can donate a field dressed
(02:30):
dear to a participating process or at no charge, and
then that meat stays right in your local communities. We've
talked to Susie and her organization absolutely has been on
a jets jet north with so many great things and expansion.
And Susie was just with us previewing their fundraising banquet
(02:52):
that they had all good and now we're in the
knee deep part of the season, so we're going to
visit with Susie when we come back a little later
in the show. Bill Eppard's I understand, is waiting. I
always like to give him as much time because I
know he's just one of those interesting characters, and we're
going to find out about a trip of a lifetime.
It is the Indiana Outdoor Show, and I am your host,
(03:12):
Brian Pointer.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
And.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
Indiana Outdoor Show continues. I am your host, so great
to visit each and every day, each and every day.
I wish it was every day, each and every week.
It's called the Indiana Outdoor Show. Of course, we couldn't
do it without all our affiliates around this great state
of Indiana. If his station carries it and you like it,
my gosh, let him know because they do have a choice.
And also thank you for giving us some of your time.
(03:48):
If you missed any of our shows, go to any
place you can download podcasts, and this show will be up.
Because of course, we always have great people, as I mentioned,
the legendary Bill Eppards, who has been with me for
a very long time. Bill, we're in your twenty eight
of Indiana Outdoors and I know you've been doing this
(04:09):
one hundred and twenty eight years, so you've been a
part of what we've been doing here at boat sport
and travel shows and your visit st. Indianapolis since this
show has been on, and we can't thank you enough.
But for those that don't know who Bill Leppards is,
I am so thrilled to have a little bit of
time with you because recently saw that you were in Africa.
You're no stranger to Africa, but I want to set
(04:30):
this up and I don't even there's so many accolades
I can't even imagine, and anybody that's in the world
of bow hunting or archery knows your name first and foremost.
Thank you and very graciously giving up a lot of
your time today to talk in amongst your travels, how
have you been? And I hate to even ask you
where you've been, because I know you've been to Africa,
but that doesn't mean that's the only place.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
How you do it, I'll doing well. Thanks you for
having me, Brian. I mean it's always a pleasure, you know,
me speaking with you and the interviews and work in
the Indianapolis Sports Boating travels. So the Renfros are like
a part of a family to me and talk to
them all the time, and they're great people and it's
great to come to that venue.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
It sure is. And you know, the as you've been
coming here, you've seen many many changes in the boat,
sport and travel show format. The nation's largest sports show
of its kind now. But the Renfro family does a
great job. And we just were with them last weekend
kind of talking about their having their fall r V
and boat show this weekend, and we appreciated Mitch giving
(05:33):
us a little perspective and a little peek into what's
next year is going to look like. But you've been
so gracious and you're truly one of the world's most
accomplished bow hunters. And when I say worlds I mean
that in the most literal sense. I think the last
time we spoke, you were getting ready to make another
final charge, another not a final charge, another charge for
(05:54):
a Grand Slam and a World Slam of turkeys. So
how'd you do? Let's start with turkeys. How'd you do
this year?
Speaker 3 (06:00):
You know, I had a phenomenal year. You know, you said,
always said goals, and it just keeps you going. And
I shot my twentieth Grand Slam. That's every specie of
Turkey uh in the United States. And then I shot
my fourth World Slam and that's you know, that was
a heck of accomplishment for me, and I was glad
(06:21):
to get that out of the way.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
So what is the world How is the World Slam
difference in the Grand Slam?
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Well, the Grand Slam, you know, you got the oslo Oli,
the Rio, the Eastern and the Merriams. That's the four subspecies.
To kill the World Slam, you have to go over
to Mexico and in the Yucatan and the jungle and
hunt the oscillated and the gules, and so that's all
the species. And you can hunt the ghules now in
(06:48):
Arizona if you draw a tag, they have us. They
have a huntable population now and that just happened the
last couple of years. But I went to Mexico with
El Halkun Outfitters. I've been with the guy for a
lot of years, and so you know, that was my accomplishment.
Twenty Grand Slams and four World Slams and then on
(07:09):
to Africa.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
So to accomplish that, well, Bill, I got it. Let's
before we get into your epic Africa trip. You how
many times have you been to Africa?
Speaker 3 (07:21):
That was a fifteenth time? Fifteenth time?
Speaker 1 (07:24):
And I am one of those novices that has never been.
But I've known so many folks like you who have said,
once you do this, it's kind of like an addiction
because it's such a different experience over there. It's so
beautiful in so many different ways, all the different variety
of animals. But when people hear you I've been to
Africa fifteen times, I know that evokes emotions because a
(07:46):
lot of people don't have a sense of what that
means and what hunters do for conservation over there. But
your experience, certainly with fifteen trips over there, how do
you and FI what's memorable? I mean, I don't even
know the right way to ask that question, because it's
like you go there once, it's a trip of a lifetime.
(08:07):
After fifteen years, is it's just like going to Kentucky
for a deer hunt. Tell us about what it's, why
it's so special and what makes conservation such a priority
in Africa.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Well, you know, Africa is an unbelievable place. I mean,
to see these to see the critters, to see the wildlife,
to see the people, see the culture of the people.
That's what's amazing to me. And once I take a
lot of people. I took ten people with me this year,
and Adam has never been before. And I take a
(08:43):
lot of the sponsors over. And the only thing I
can say two things about Africa that is down there
is a flight number one, the flight. You know, we
fly from sins Nagel Atlanta, from Atlanta straight on to Johannesburg.
And that's a long flight, but you get past the
(09:05):
flight and then it's five star all the way. And
I mean that. And the second downfall is this, if
you go once, I guarantee you're going to go back
because it is a paradise to where you see everything.
I mean, it's not just about the killing of the
(09:26):
animals or harvesting of the animals. That's not it. When
you harvest these animals, you're helping everybody. You're helping conservation,
you're helping people. Nothing goes to waste. Nothing goes to
waste in Africa. I mean absolutely nothing. And I got
videos to show it. On this last event, you know,
(09:47):
there was one hundred and fifteen people there getting all
the meat that I fed the villages and the people there,
and they're appreciative and it goes into conservation and it helped,
you know. I mean what I just taken was was
this animal was destroying crops butternut squash, and they had
(10:11):
three permits to where they had available to take these
animals as they were destroying these crops, and so it
helps everybody. Nothing goes away. I'm just not going owhere
to shoot a trophy. That's not it. I'm doing the
whole thing, and to watch the trackers and how they hunt,
(10:35):
and they're hunting dangerous game. Everything over there in Africa
is dangerous. You've always got a professional hunter within And
you say a professional hunter, Well, Bill, you're a professional howner. No,
believe me. I mean yeah, I get paid by sponsors
and I've been very blessed, unbelievably in my hunting career.
I've been with some of these companies for forty eight years.
(10:58):
But over there, professional hunter they have to go to
school for like two months. They learned everything from shooting
to survival to first aid, tracking, ability, tracks, everything, and
it's amazing to have them with in the hunt dangerous game.
It's a law. You have to have a professional hunter accompany.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
You, a pH as we know them. And I've heard
the story from every person that's going over there, so
you just amplify what everybody says. And I have always
had great respect for you, Bill Eppards as our guest,
and you have been over there now fifteen times. But
(11:42):
this last trip was kind of the fulfillment of a
long pursuit. Explain and kind of lead us up to
kind of what brought you back for the fifteenth time.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
Well, you know, everybody wants to shoot the Big five.
You know the line ll something Cape Buffalo. You know,
everybody wants to shoot the Big five. And once I
accomplished that goal, you know, they said, look, you're that close,
why don't you just kill the most dangerous seven. So
(12:14):
I had a real opportunity. And in the past couple
of years, I said, you know, we got a big
croc over here. He's freaking havoc. And the law, by law,
with a bow and arrow, you can't hunt hunt crocodile
or hippo. So and that's not my forte, you know,
(12:34):
with the rifle, because I don't know, I've been a
cop for law enforcement for forty years and so my
my forte is not shooting stuff for the rifle. But
they said, you're so close. You know, we got problem
that well over here, come over. And so I shot
a sixteen foot croc last year and it was an
amazing deal. Yes, it was amazing.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
So I've been I went hunting in Florida and we
had gators and the ten foot gator versus the eight
foot gator in Florida difference, big difference. And then you
talk about a fifteen foot Holy smokes, and you.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
Know, I mean, and I myself like you had shot
big gators with a bow in Florida. Matter of fact,
I have a twelve and a half footer. But when
you come to about fifteen sixteen feet, I mean, it's
like a dinosaur. And it was amazing. So we took
(13:33):
that and then they said, look we got a real
good shot and getting to permit, let's finish it with
this hippo. And you know, hippos are very dangerous. Everything
I've hunted, you know, the line about got me one time.
And then we got it all on video, and so
I said, look, you know we can do this. So
(13:53):
they tried to get it permit with an archery and
that wouldn't happen. And I'm tickled to death that it
didn't because I don't know how. Yeah, could I stick
a hippo with a bone arrow? Absolutely, the broadheads, the
equipment these days, you do it. Here's the trick a hippo.
They can slip underwater for a mile when you're when
(14:16):
you stick this animal, he's not on the ground where
these professional trackers can track it. He's in the water.
I don't know how in the world that I wouldn't
even attempt it. I really wouldn't. I mean, the skin
is three and a half inches stick. This hippo was
three and a half tons. Yeah, I mean it was.
(14:37):
It was unbelievable. It's unbelievable. And we shot and another thing,
Well you shoot a hippo, and well the deal is,
I shot a hippo that was drawing crops. We shot
an old male and that's what we're after. And when
every time we go hunting, you know, we want to
shoot the oldest specie because nothing dies of old age.
(14:59):
And after yeah, on its own, I mean, something kills him, right,
And that's just the way, because it's full of predators.
So you know, we took this old bull out. It
was amazing. It was unbelievable, these guys. Once I shot
this hippo, you know, it was in the river and
it comes off of we was probably about a half
(15:21):
hour from Cruier Park and the landowner was there with us,
the property owner. It was just an amazing memory. I mean,
it wasn't just about the shot. It wasn't just about
the harvest. It was about the whole memory from start
to finish. You know, these hippos are very tricky, they're
(15:44):
very very protective h and they are they're very protective.
Once we shot this hippo, then he went down and
we had a guy and video this. We had a
guy go in the water and dive down and we're
trying to keep the other hippos and the crocodiles off
of him.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
Yeah, that's the truth. I mean, you know, And it
was amazing from start to finish. And then once the
hippo finally we got him up and floated up, and
then we got him a track co hooked onto him.
We videoed the whole thing, got the track CoA to
bring him in. Trackcoat couldn't lift it and we got
him in and another track co come in and lifting
(16:27):
him on the trailer and the village people coming in
six hours. There wasn't enough meat left that you could
put on a hamburger bunt.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
That is the beautiful thing about that's what you do.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
That was the amazing part of it. And people asked
me in seminar to how you the hippo, Hey you
do this, and how you do this? Why? And because
we're saving people's crops, which is these animals destroyed these crops,
that's their living, that's what they do. And then we
fed people. We've fed the people where they didn't have
(17:02):
to buy bee for anything and everything, nothing goes to waste, nothing,
And it was amazing to see how appreciative they were
and how much I learned on this hunt. Well, it
is an amazing deal.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Even after fifteen like I heard you just say, you
always learned something. Bill Eppards is our guest, one of
the world's best archery hunters. Bill, I'd love to visit
with you because I have some other questions. Do you
mind staying for another segment?
Speaker 3 (17:31):
No, that's fine, we can do it.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
Bill Eppards, one of my favorites, and he is sharing
an epic story of his fifteenth trip to the Great
Continent of Africa. I am your host, Brian Pointer. Don't
you think about going anywhere, because we're going to continue
with Bill Eppards when we return right after this. It
(18:06):
is Indiana Outdoor Saturday. I am your host, Brian Pointerwhere
else would you want to be? We appreciate as always
given us some time as we bring you the Great
Indiana Outdoors brought to you by Indiana Donor Network, driven
to SaveLives dot org, and we are making progress. Be
an organ and tissue donor sign up when you buy
your hunting and fishing license. Couldn't be any easier. I
(18:29):
love Bill that you and I have had this friendship,
but I just want to grow up and be like you.
You talk about World Slams, Grand Slams in Turkey, and
you talk about all these trips overseas, and you give
a very compelling case for why Africa is a destination
and the conservation If it would is this safe to say,
(18:49):
if it weren't for hunters and around the world coming
to this great mecca of the continent of Africa, that
we would have chaos in any of those planes areas
over there in many of these animals would be in
serious jeopardy.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
That's exactly right. I mean you have no clue. I mean,
everybody in the United States knows about protein and all
this stuff. And maybe in a law enforcement the fines
are really getting serious now, which I'm tickled to death with.
But over in Africa they don't play with poachers. I mean,
I guarantee you it could be the death the son
(19:25):
of them. And so you know, the conservation, it goes
right back. And everybody says, well, you go over and
it's high fence, it's canns. Well, I'm was on an
area of one hundred and forty thousand acres, So if
you tell me that's high fence, that's a lot of fence. Yea.
So it's just it's not true. People who have never
(19:48):
been there have no clue of what it's like. And
just to watch the culture and the people. These trackers
are amazing, Bran, I mean these professional bushmen and that's
what they are. And they can track an ant from
Cincinnati to Indianapolis. They can tell you what side the
(20:08):
animal was wounded on, they can tell you the age,
they can tell you everything about this animal because that's
what they do for a living, and they make a
good living at it. But it's amazing to learn and
just to observe of what these guys know and bring
it back to my experience in the United States.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
Well, you are of legendary status to so many people
and your friend to all who meet you. As you
were growing up, did you ever think that you'd be
doing this at this stage of your life, chasing hippos
in Africa and talking on Indian outdoors about all the
great accomplishments in the archery world.
Speaker 3 (20:45):
No, you know, I mean, you know, I was an
athlete in school growing up, and I just picked up
a bow and arrow setup. But in mine was the
United States Army champion and loll and behold when I
met the right people at the right time, and I
met a guy from from Indiana's named doncast from Newburgh,
Indiana and still a good friend of mine this day.
And he got me in the business and I signed
(21:07):
a contract with well with Precision Shooting Equipment. I've been
with him forty eight years. I've been with Massy Oaks
since day one, and I've got some from the sponsors
that I've been with for many, many, many years, and
it's just my hunting career is. I can't ask for anything.
I'm so blessed. I can't ask for anything. I've got
(21:28):
some great sponsors that I've been with, you know, for
thirty years and longer, the same sponsors.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
And that's no easy feat in today's world, because when
you started this thirty years ago, there wasn't twenty four
hour outdoor television, there wasn't constant access on the internet,
there wasn't Instagram, there wasn't Facebook, and this was this
was a very different field. So to be able to
manipulate your way through that minefield is a testimony even
(21:57):
of itself to your relevancy over those periods, all that
period of time.
Speaker 3 (22:01):
Well, you know this weekend, I just I just recently
got home last night for the IBA World Championships. It
was in KPL in West Virginia at the State Park,
and you know, we had a thousand shooters there from
six different countries, and I had people. All I do,
I've won the World championship, but won the national championship
seven times in archery, and so now all I do
(22:22):
is I sit in the booth talk to people and
share stories and take pictures. And they ask me all
the time, how do you get into business? You're at it.
It's almost impossible now, I mean really it is. And
I hate, I hate to be, you know, a downer
on that. But and when I reckon and when I
(22:45):
tell these young people, I said, look, when you harvest
an animal, take good pictures, take good pictures. Learned to talk,
learn to talk about your experience and the memories. And
that's a big thing.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
You know, it's very wise advice.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
Pictures are a big thing where you know, you just
want to don't want to take a picture of a
very nice deer your harvested in the back of a
pickup truck or we're a fence is showing because it
puts it in perspective of other people. Well he shot
it out of the truck, or he shot it in
the high fence. And you take a picture of a
great picture where you respect the animal and respect yourself.
(23:24):
And that pictures and everything that's what got me in
the business.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
And look at you now. Bill Eppards is our guest,
world famous and very humble as you can hear. And Bill,
I know that you've I'm going to open this up.
Where you headed the rest of the year. I know
you got some time off, which we're grateful to catch
in between, but soon it's going to be the meat
and potatoes. Where are you headed?
Speaker 3 (23:48):
Well, September, I go to Wyoming to hunt meal deer
and white tail, and I'm there for about seven days.
We'll be filming, and then I get to come home
for Lucius three days, and then I'm off to Oregon
the hunt a rocky mountain elk and with XTV, and
we'll be there for probably two and a half weeks.
(24:08):
We'll stay at the end this season, and then I
come home to showtime. Then I get the Indianapolis show,
and then we go to Harrisburg. We go to all
the shows, and then in March, I head back to
New Zealand for the eighth time and we get to
shoot Elk and Stag and whatever is else available over there.
(24:30):
So this is very blissed.
Speaker 1 (24:32):
This is why I love you, Bill, because this is
great radio and you're one of the best. You're the legendary.
Bill Eppards joins us today. As always, you're going to
keep us in great content. We appreciate it. Safe travels,
my friend and congratulations on what I know was something
monumental for you, and those memories and those pictures. You're
certainly going to be able to tell stories, not like
(24:54):
you didn't have the opportunity for many other events. But
thank you for being a part of Indian Outdoors and
sharing well.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
I appreciate you anytime and looking forward to seeing this shoe.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
Indeed, indeed it's almost there. Thanks Bill. One of my
favorite people, Bill Eppards on a great trip to Africa.
We look forward to talking to him on as many
other pursuits as well as so many others coming up.
It is the Indiana Outdoor Show. I am your host,
Brian pointerback right after this and Indian Outdoors continues. I
(25:38):
am grateful to be with you as always, and what
a good show that we have had. I enjoy Bill
Eppards as one of my favorite epic legendary archer and
what a great trip and what a great message for everybody.
We appreciate his extended conversation. But a few weeks back,
(26:01):
we were talking to our friends at Who's Your's Feeding
the Hungry Susie Jordan and Susie. You were telling us
about a big event and a raffle and all kinds
of fundraising opportunity and I'm sure that event went well.
But thanks again for being back with us. How you doing, Hey,
we are.
Speaker 4 (26:18):
Doing really well.
Speaker 5 (26:18):
We had a great event at Kruse Plaza up in
Auburn to support our agency. Being a nonprofit, we all
love fundraisers, I know, and had a lot of impact
from a lot of great people all over the state
at that event.
Speaker 1 (26:32):
Well, we are grateful for what you do and for
those that might not be familiar, we're on the verge
of our twenty twenty five archery season for deer. But
you as Hoosier's feeding the hungry, it's more than just deer.
It's a lot of different things. So the services that
you were raising money for go to raise these moneies
(26:52):
for the processors to donate deer. I don't want to
steal your commercial. Tell everybody what who's your's feeding the
hungry is. And because we're getting ready for a lot
of people to go in to our archery season and
then to the field for our firearms season, deer is
at the front of everybody and I'm sure that those
donations are welcome, so share with us.
Speaker 5 (27:12):
So our mission as a nonprofit with WHOS You're Speeding
Hungary were based into Calp County, but we have a
presence all over the state of Indiana. But our mission
is to accept donations of livestock as well as deer
and then funds to provide process meat to Indiana food banks,
food pantries, and other related organizations. So the event we
(27:34):
hosted in September that we talked about earlier, I believe
that was in August, that was for our Meat for Forks.
That is to fund our livestock program, and that program
runs all year round. We accept livestock through our partner processors,
(27:55):
but we have to secure funds as we go into
hunting season. That's where we get our partnership with the DNR,
law enforcement and the Hunt for Hunger and so that's
where hunters, whether it's archery, muzzle loading, shotgun use, it
doesn't matter.
Speaker 4 (28:15):
People can donate a full white.
Speaker 5 (28:19):
Tail deer legally harvested in the state of Indiana, feel
dressed height on to one of our partner processors. And
it's not just WOS you'res Feeding the Hungry for that program,
that is a program that the DNR works with three organizations.
Speaker 4 (28:36):
So it's who's you're feeding the hungry.
Speaker 5 (28:39):
It's the du Boys County Sportsman's Club, and then also
farmers and hunters feeding the hungers.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
I love it all right, this is such a great
organization and for years it's been evolving, it's been growing,
it's been getting momentum. I'm trying to come up with
other analogies. The bottom line is you're doing great work.
The simple fact is if you're out in your hunting
and you fill your freezer, most hunters, like I know
(29:06):
they're going to take a deer and they're going to
enjoy that meat for their family for the year. Some
may have more capacity and more licenses and more opportunity
and they choose to do that. However, if you filled
your freezer but you still want to hunt, know that
you're doing good work because this provides an avenue free
of charge for you to take it to a volunteer,
to a processor. And how does this work tell people? Okay,
(29:30):
you need to kind of think ahead. If I take
a deer today, am I keeping it or not? Field
dress that deer? What happens next? And what do you
want people to know when they go into.
Speaker 4 (29:38):
The woods, when they go into the woods. First, we
want them to be safe.
Speaker 5 (29:43):
No matter who you're hunting for, if you're hunting for
this program or yourself, please stay safe. The other thing
is you need to know who a partner processor is,
and our friends at the DNR will put up on
the DNR's websit site through the Hunt for Hunger, a
website that will lift all the processors who are partners
(30:06):
in this program because they have to be a partner
for us, no matter which of the organizations that.
Speaker 4 (30:13):
Are part of it.
Speaker 5 (30:15):
That is how when the deer comes in and you
can as a hunter, you can say, this is the
one I want to process, but this is the one
that we'd like to donate to the Hunt for Hunger
through DNR, and they will take care of it, they
will process it, and then that invoice will go to
one of the three organizations for payment.
Speaker 4 (30:38):
Through the generosity and the partnership.
Speaker 5 (30:41):
That we have with our grant through the Hunt for Hunger,
all three of us have those grants those funds available.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
So at the end of the day we will yeah
keep going.
Speaker 5 (30:51):
It will then that meat is always processed into ground
meat and it's one to two pound freezer pas our
organization really strongly requests one pound packages, which our processors
will know, and then when that deer is ready for pickup,
we will arrange for it to go.
Speaker 4 (31:11):
To local food banks, food pantries.
Speaker 5 (31:13):
And hunger relief agencies, and we know who those.
Speaker 4 (31:16):
Are in most of the counties.
Speaker 5 (31:18):
Sometimes there's hunters who wish for a specific organization, it
still has to be a nonprofit agency no matter which
of the three organizations.
Speaker 4 (31:27):
That this goes through. That's just the statue through the
state of Indiana.
Speaker 1 (31:32):
I love the update because I know how this works.
You go to deer camp, maybe you're expecting, maybe you're not.
Maybe you're successful, maybe you're not, but you find yourself
with a deer and either you're going to keep that.
And I know several hunters that I hunt with that
don't choose to keep their meat, but they have it,
they donate it, and that's perfect. But it's one of
(31:54):
those things that you kind of need to know, Okay,
I'm going to be hunting in this part of the state.
Maybe you put a couple of these processes. Is there
a link so you can figure out where to take it?
And the good news is is you have dozens of
these around the states, you're not traveling too far, and
that food stays in that local community. And what is
an average dough for an average sized deer when it's processed?
(32:15):
How many meals do you get out of that?
Speaker 5 (32:18):
And they vary. Last year we had some smaller deer.
It just kind of matters. We had some donated through
youth and the numbers that I have in front of
me don't tell me that. But I think the hunters
that you have listening to your show, they know about
the average that they can get, how many pounds they
(32:40):
can process out of there. Ground sometimes gets more, sometimes
gets less. The really cool thing that we learned at
the Deer Turkey Expo last year was or excuse me, no.
Speaker 4 (32:53):
The way I believe it was.
Speaker 5 (32:54):
At one of the bow events we went to through
NAP there was a young man. It was his first
season out. He was a youth and he got a
very nice book and he donated the whole thing wow,
which they last.
Speaker 4 (33:08):
Year was the first year for that, but he didn't
take that home.
Speaker 5 (33:12):
He donated it and it was really cool to meet him,
but also meet his dad because you learn firsthand where
that came from. You could see it and it was
really he was very proud of it and we were
very excited to meet this young man.
Speaker 4 (33:28):
So he knows who he is.
Speaker 5 (33:31):
Yeah, but you know, our impact last year through hunting
season was over thirty eight thousand pounds of ground venison
going to over sixty three agencies and we were in
forty counties.
Speaker 1 (33:46):
There you go, doing the Lord's work.
Speaker 4 (33:48):
There's impact, I know.
Speaker 1 (33:49):
And we love it. Thank you so much as always,
Susie for your great work. Congratulations on a great event.
We'll be back in touch with you here a little
later as we get into the fall and to the
the firearm season. But thanks for all you do and
appreciate you being a part of Indian Outdoors. Great organization.
Who's yours feeding the hungry Susie Jordan check him out.
Thanks for being a part of it. Thank you, my pleasure,
(34:12):
so much more to come. Don't you think about going anywhere.
We've had a great one. Why not keep it going.
It's the Indian Outdoor Show and I'll be back right
after this.
Speaker 3 (34:27):
And it is.
Speaker 1 (34:38):
Indiana Outdoors Saturday. I am your host, Brian Pointer. High
energy is all I can tell you. When I came
to the studio to do the show was very, very
excited because I finally had Bill Eppards in my cross Harris.
He was going to get to spend as much time
as possible, and you heard him talk about he completed
(34:59):
another World's of turkeys, another Grand Slam of turkeys. We
I mean dozens of these and that is a legacy
that will probably likely never be toppled. But as I
predicted the conversation with Bill, I could have gone on
for a very long time talking about the importance of
(35:20):
the hunting community in Africa and the proliferation of these species.
This hippo was the classic story about why hunters from
around the world going to Africa have allowed these species
to flourish. And if you think about it, it only
makes sense. Poaching is an absolute terrible scourge in Africa.
(35:44):
The hunting community, through the guide fees and others that
they pay, help the conservation efforts and the targeting, the strategy.
The resourcefulness of that hippopotamus that he took, which ended
a pursuit that has taken years and years, was absolutely
(36:07):
perfect about conservation and the importance. Not one ounce of
anything went to waste. It was important because they were
causing damage to crops for these farmers over there, and
when he starts talking, I let him go and I
can't thank him enough. We're going to be visiting with
him when he comes back, probably for the Boat Sport
and Travel show here in just a few months. Hard
(36:28):
to believe. But also thank you to Susie Jordan. We
are close to the start of archery season. If you
have a deer that you've already put enough in your freezer,
donate that to one of the participating processors. And I
recommend going to the Hunting and Fishing Guide where those
are listed, go to their website and do some great
(36:50):
work and it stays in your local community. It is
the Indian Outdoor Show. You know that, each and every
week we are thrilled to be with you. Thank the
stations at carr Us and has always remembered turn in
a Poacher one eight hundred, Tip I d n r
B safe se outside. Everybody
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