Mississippi Outdoors Podcast

In this episode, Matt Wyatt sits down with wildlife biologist Luke Pearson of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to explore one of Mississippi's most fascinating and misunderstood creatures: the alligator snapping turtle. Mississippi holds some of the highest populations in the entire world, especially in the Delta region, where food-rich rivers help these reptiles grow to extraordinary sizes — sometimes 150 pounds or more.

Winter doesn’t shut bass fishing down in Mississippi — it just changes the game. In this episode of the Mississippi Outdoors Podcast, Matt Wyatt talks winter bass fishing with longtime fisheries expert and former MDWFP Deputy Director Larry Pugh.Larry explains why water temperature — not air temperature — drives everything, how bass become more predictable in cold water, and why January and February offer some of the best chances of the year to catch a double-digit fish. He breaks down where bass position in winter, how to find baitfish, and why deeper structure like creek channels, ditches, and ledges matter when water temps fall into the 40s.The conversation also covers winter-specific bait choices — including umbrella rigs, suspending jerkbaits, spoons, underspins, finesse rigs, and minnow presentations — along with techniques Larry doesn’t use this time of year. They discuss how modern electronics have changed winter fishing, why more anglers are fishing in cold weather, and how a few warm days can suddenly trigger shallow movement even in the middle of winter.

In this episode of the Mississippi Outdoors Podcast, Matt Wyatt sits down with Mississippi author Brooks Eason to talk about his book The Scoutmaster — the story of his father’s extraordinary 61 years leading Troop 85 in Tupelo. Eason shares memories of monthly campouts dating back to 1947, rope-bridge traditions at Tishomingo State Park, canoe trips on Bear Creek, and the hundreds of boys who grew up under his father’s leadership.Brooks also explains what he learned while researching the book, including long-lost stories from taped interviews, letters, and conversations with Scouts from the 1940s through the 1990s. He talks about his other books, his adoption story, and the camping and hiking adventures that shaped his writing.

In this episode of the Mississippi Outdoors Podcast, host Matt Wyatt sits down with longtime Mississippi Outdoors TV host Amanda Mills — a familiar face to anyone who’s watched the show over the past two decades.Amanda shares how she started with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks back in 2005, the surprising phone call that put her on Mississippi Outdoors TV for the first time, and what it was like to grow up watching Melvin Tingle before eventually working beside him. She talks about her favorite hunts, deep-sea trips, bear den checks, alligator checks, and the people who shaped her journey.The conversation touches on her childhood in Clinton, raising two daughters, juggling multiple jobs, and why she still drops everything for an opportunity to hunt or fish. Amanda also reflects on the legacy of Mississippi Outdoors TV — the longest-running state agency outdoor show in the entire country — and the joy of being recognized by viewers who grew up watching her.Mississippi Outdoors is produced by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks.

In this episode of the Mississippi Outdoors Podcast, host Matt Wyatt catches up with David Ellis, better known as “Yawt Yawt”, the Mississippi trapper and YouTube personality whose mix of humor, wildlife work, and storytelling has made him a fan favorite.David talks about his latest deer season, how filming his own hunts has changed, and what it’s like balancing social media fame with everyday life. He shares stories about being recognized by fans in restaurants and airports, how he keeps his YouTube content authentic, and the realities of running hundreds of trapping jobs across Mississippi.The conversation covers:• Deer hunting, filming challenges, and close calls with game wardens• The reality of being a full-time trapper and YouTube creator• How to stay legal, ethical, and real in outdoor content creation• The state of hog trapping and population control after several years of work• What happens when fans recognize him in public — even in strange places• The pros and cons of social media attention, and the line between real life and online lifeMississippi Outdoors is produced by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks.

In this episode of the Mississippi Outdoors Podcast, host Matt Wyatt sits down with Rick Hamrick, the Small Game Coordinator for MDWFP, to talk about the story of quail in Mississippi — where they were, where they are now, and what it takes to bring them back.Rick explains how land use changes over the last 100+ years reshaped the entire landscape for quail. From the days of mule farming and small patchwork fields to modern mechanized agriculture and dense pine stands, Mississippi’s habitat has shifted — taking quail numbers with it. He also breaks down predator dynamics, the role of prescribed fire, why some regions still hold birds, and how landowners can create small pockets of habitat that truly matter.The conversation covers:• Mississippi’s quail boom of the early 1900s• How habitat changes led to long-term decline• Why quail thrive after disturbances like fire, floods, and clearcuts• Regions of Mississippi where quail still exist today• Public lands with quail opportunities• The role of predators• What landowners can realistically do — from prescribed burning to habitat restoration• The acreage needed for hearing vs hunting vs sustaining a coveyIt’s a clear, science-driven explanation of quail decline that every Mississippi landowner, hunter, or conservationist should hear.Mississippi Outdoors is produced by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks.

In this episode of the Mississippi Outdoors Podcast, host Matt Wyatt sits down with James Starnes, research geologist for the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, to uncover the deep prehistoric story hidden beneath our state.James explains how Mississippi was once covered by tropical seas filled with massive sea creatures, and how today’s hills, creeks, and highways reveal an ancient world of mosasaurs, mammoths, and even whales. From 70-million-year-old oyster shells to a newly discovered mammoth tusk in Madison County, he shows how Mississippi’s geology tells the story of the Earth itself.The conversation covers:• The work of the Mississippi Geological Survey and its history since 1850• Fossils from Starkville’s “sea dragon” mosasaur and Mississippi’s official fossil whale• Why the northeast corner of Mississippi holds the state’s oldest rocks• How public fossil sites like the Franks Town site let kids find real fossils• New discoveries like mammoth teeth on the Gulf Coast• The science behind paleoclimate and how fossils preserve evidence of ancient environments• The Fossil Road Show and how everyday Mississippians help discover the past• It’s an eye-opening look at the ancient world beneath our feet — and why Mississippi may be one of the best fossil-hunting states in the country.Mississippi Outdoors is produced by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks.

In this episode of the Mississippi Outdoors Podcast, host Matt Wyatt sits down with Dan Heasley, a veteran taxidermist from Raymond, Mississippi, who’s been in the business for more than 25 years.Dan shares how he got started — turning a hobby into a full-time career — and offers practical, detailed advice for hunters and anglers on how to properly handle and preserve their trophies for the best results. He also tells stories about the most unusual mounts he’s worked on, from giraffes and brown bears to tiny crawfish.

In this episode of the Mississippi Outdoors Podcast, host Matt Wyatt sits down with lifelong outdoorswoman Allison Crews — founder of the group affectionately known as the Swamp Witches.Allison shares how a nickname from her husband during duck season grew into a community of women who hunt, fish, and enjoy Mississippi’s outdoors together. She talks about learning to hunt as a child, training her own retrievers, and introducing new people — especially women and kids — to hunting without the pressure.The conversation moves from mornings in the Delta duck blinds to Mississippi’s little-known world of fox hunting on horseback, a sport she’s helped keep alive for more than thirty years. Allison also explains her work with the Mississippi Outdoor Stewardship Trust, which funds projects that make outdoor recreation more accessible across the state.