Final Approach Podcast

Mario talks with a true goose killer, Missouri's own Byron Hahn about late season goose tactics. He specializes in shooting tons of honkers over water, whether it is frozen or open. They keep the generator and ice ripper companies in business with several going on different properties. Somehow all the talk about late season geese sends Mario and Byron down the rabbit hole of the whole flooded corn controversy and end up spiraling out of control. Hope you enjoy it.

You are going to learn absolutely nothing on this podcast so tune in for the fun. LOL This FA Podcast features Steve Hawkinson, owner of Cupped Custom Duck Straps, and professional baseball player Nick Mears. Steve discusses his custom leather duck straps business, including their recent switch to higher grade materials and a lot more innovation into that market. The conversation covers waterfowl hunting strategies, with Steve and Nick sharing experiences about hunting in California's rice fields and dealing with stale birds. Mario puts his two cents in on stale birds in your area no matter if your hunting public or private so you might learn something that helps you when the birds get stale. The discussion also touched on Nick's recent trade to the Kansas City Royals and his hunting schedule around baseball season. Steve and Mario also ask some wild questions about being in the Show and standing on the mound pitching in the major leagues.

All choke tubes are the same aren’t they? Hell no they are not! This episode we dig deep in the science of shot and talk Patternmaster tubes, not choke tubes as that is different. Tune it to find out why. If you have questions like; What is a wad stripper and what does it do?, what is your shot string?, what is constriction?, what do you mean all choke tubes are not the same. What you are going to learn on this podcast is some science and technology about your gun and ammo. We talk to Jason Copestick who is the new owner of Patternmaster. Jason worked in sales for them for years and had the opportunity recently to buy the company. Mario on the other hand has been shooting a Patternmaster tube for way too long and knows the ins and outs of the tubes as he also sold them when he worked for a different company years ago. We will walk you through it all. To put it in plain english… If you want less cripples and have more clean kills then this is the podcast for you.

What you are going to get out of this podcast is where the coolest birds are to chase in the world. Is it Sweden and the Baltic sea for Eurasian Wigeon, Greenland for King Eiders or New Zealand for Paradise Shell Ducks. Mario is joined by “THE VIKING” Kjartan Lorange from Iceland and Juho Ristikankare from Finland. Mario has hunted with both of them all over the world and between them they have hunted about 20 different countries. We talk about travel destinations and waterfowl bucket list trips. Juho shared his love for chasing anything in the Arctic regions of the world while Kjartantalked about Alaska, and Mario shared stories about hunting in Canada, Iceland and Sweden. Kjartan voted for Eisenberg Lagoon in Alaska as his number one location to go and hunt while Juho Talked about King Eiders in Alaska or Greenland. Mario was torn on a few like New Zealand, or theBaltic Sea. The Viking’s bucket list bird is Sandhill cranes in Canada and the unique challenges of hunting these prehistoric birds. Juho is fixated on getting a mature mountable Pintail Drake, while Mario wants a Barnacle Goose or a Paradise Duck pair to put on his wall.https://linktr.ee/finalapproachhttps://fabrand.com/#finalapproach #fabrand #duckhunting #goosehunting #hunting #waterfowlhunting #turkeyhunting #outdoors #outdoorsman

Mario is joined by Tanner Whitley and Jeb Hartnell from the Blind Chatter Podcast. We dive right into waterfowl season but are quickly turned back to Big Game season for Jeb as he tells us how many deer and elk his camps have harvested this year. Incredible start with big animals, then we move intowaterfowl hunting and what makes the Pacific Northwest such a different place to hunt. We even break down how much we envy the guys in the East and Midwest for what they can do for gear, calls and how they are able to drive into every field unlike us. Lots to take in on this journey through our little waterfowl world out West.https://linktr.ee/finalapproachhttps://fabrand.com/#finalapproach #fabrand #duckhunting #goosehunting #hunting #waterfowlhunting #turkeyhunting #outdoors #outdoorsman

Mario is joined by Adam DeMarchi from Archer Film Co. out of Minnesota. Adam has been filming with Mario and the FA crew going on 6 years. Adam shoots and edits all the Last Pass YouTube series webisodes for FA as well as short content and a ton of still pictures. Adam has some great tips about starting out, taking your photo or video game to the next level and if you want to have a job in the outdoor industry this is what you need to focus on. There are a lot of jobs in the outdoor industry behind the camera and there is a shortage of folks doing it. If you want a shot at it, take a listen. Hope you enjoy it.https://linktr.ee/finalapproachhttps://fabrand.com/#finalapproach #fabrand #duckhunting #goosehunting #hunting #waterfowlhunting #turkeyhunting #outdoors #outdoorsman

Mario is joined by previous guests Pete Fischer from Dogtra and David Bingham an MLS Soccer goalie who Mario trains dogs with to talk about how to properly use your E-Collar. You are going to learn a ton of tips from dog trainers with a ton of experience on how to use your collar, when to use your collar and what will get the most out of your dog by using your collar. This is a direct focus on this tool that can help your dog improve his knowledge, obedience and for safety. There are no bad dogs, just bad trainers so you owe it to your hunting partner to get the best out of him by being the best yourself. Hope you enjoy it.https://linktr.ee/finalapproachhttps://fabrand.com/#finalapproach #fabrand #duckhunting #goosehunting #hunting #waterfowlhunting #turkeyhunting #outdoors #outdoorsman

HOW TO EASILY TURN YOUR WATERFOWL DISH INTO A 5 STAR MEAL?Mario is joined by Brad Fenson from Alberta Canada. Brad is a world known outdoor writer and culinary master chef. Brad hosts the Harvest Your Own podcast and also posts tons of content there about hunting gear, tips and of course recipes. He can take any animal or bird and turn it into something you cannot believe, and guess what you can do the same. We talk about what is happening with his hunting season so far, bird numbers up in Canada and of course how to make the best meal you possibly can with the game you harvest. Brad give us some great tips and how you can easily make the most of your game while not taking all day to do it. Follow along on some of these tips and the next time you make one of these recipes I can guarantee that folks will not believe it is a wild game animal or bird. Hope you enjoy it.https://linktr.ee/finalapproachhttps://fabrand.com/#finalapproach #fabrand #duckhunting #goosehunting #hunting #waterfowlhunting #turkeyhunting #outdoors #outdoorsman

Mario is joined by Josh Vickers from Federal Ammunition. Josh is the Shotshell Product Line Manager for Federal Ammunition so he handles everything from Speek Shok, Black Cloud, UltraSteel, he has control of it all. We talk picking the right shell for you and what you are chasing. We also go down the rabbit hole about chokes, loads, and guns and finding that right combo. Cheat code is to practice, pattern your gun and get lots of reps in. Repetition and rhythm are the name of the game for being a good shot. We also dive into when you are in a shooting slump, how to get out and what got you there in the first place. Lots of good info about ammo and dialing you in for the season. Hope you enjoy it.https://linktr.ee/finalapproachhttps://fabrand.com/#finalapproach #fabrand #duckhunting #goosehunting #hunting #waterfowlhunting #turkeyhunting #outdoors #outdoorsman

Mario is joined by Chris Ingram the Publication Manager for the Untied Kennel Club. Chris handles all the publications that the UKC owns which includes the Hunting Retriever and American Field Sportsman’s Journal and more. We talk dogs of course and what the UKC is up to as an organziation and how the times have changed since the organization was founded in 1898............yes 1898. They are all about the relationship with owner-handler-breeder and their dogs and it shows. We talk dogs of course, our special bonds and if your looking for a new dog we talk about some resources to help you pick the right one. We also talk about all the different types of events or traditions you can enjoy with whatever breed of do you have. Even if you have a Feist type of dog. Don’t know what that is, tune in and find out.https://linktr.ee/finalapproachhttps://fabrand.com/#finalapproach #fabrand #duckhunting #goosehunting #hunting #waterfowlhunting #turkeyhunting #outdoors #outdoorsman

Mario is joined by long time friend Paul Wait, the Senior Communications Manager at Delta Waterfowl. This is one of the best breakdowns of the duck numbers in all my time of seeing them every year. Paul talks about how technology has made counting ducks more efficient and more accurate. We talk about going to a 3 Pintail limit this year and how we are in a good place for this. Lots of myths and incorrect information is put aside with this podcast. Lots to learn on this one, worth the listen.https://linktr.ee/finalapproachhttps://fabrand.com/#finalapproach #fabrand #duckhunting #goosehunting #hunting #waterfowlhunting #turkeyhunting #outdoors #outdoorsman

Mario is joined by Pete Fischer from Dogtra and David Bingham who Mario trains dogs with to talk about getting your duck dog ready for the season. We talk simple things to keep your dog in shape, keep them safe and ready for the upcoming season. Pete Fischer has over 30 years of experience training hunting dogs. His knowledge is very wide and has a lot to offer on this podcast. He has done it all from training simple duck dogs, to the highest level of retriever hunt tests. David Bingham has always had a high level retriever from just hunting all the way to the Master national retriever series. Lots of great dog info, hope you learn something and enjoy it.https://linktr.ee/finalapproachhttps://fabrand.com/#finalapproach #fabrand #duckhunting #goosehunting #hunting #waterfowlhunting #turkeyhunting #outdoors #outdoorsman

In the third and final episode of this podcast we discuss Pat making the Field and Stream List of 25 most influential waterfowlers of all time. We discuss the list and what Pat has done in his life to be a part of this list. Pat goes into details about what he did in his past that was wrong and how he changed his ways and what he has done to put more back into our sport than to take from it. Pat talks about some southern hunters that should have been on the list as well that have influenced duck hunting in such a way that it would not be what it is today without them.https://linktr.ee/finalapproachhttps://fabrand.com/#finalapproach #fabrand #duckhunting #goosehunting #hunting #waterfowlhunting #turkeyhunting #outdoors #outdoorsman

In the second episode of talking to Pat Pitt (and Tilly) we go into waterfowl mentors, growing the sport and how we all got to where we are now in the waterfowl world. Joining us is Kjartan Lorange (the viking). He is a close friend of all of us at FA and he has been chasing waterfowl for 40 years. This is a look back in the past and who mentored all of us, what they did and why we are all so consumed with chasing waterfowl. There are some pretty cool stories from Pat on this episode so hope you enjoy it.https://linktr.ee/finalapproachhttps://fabrand.com/#finalapproach #fabrand #duckhunting #goosehunting #hunting #waterfowlhunting #turkeyhunting #outdoors #outdoorsman

In this episode we talk Arkansas duck hunting with duck hunting legend Pat Pitt (and Tilly). Pat goes deep into Arkansas duck hunting past and present as well as Claypool’s reservoir. Joining us is Kjartan Lorange (the viking). He is a special friend to FA and our brand and is also our distributor for our products in Iceland. You have seen the famous Claypool Reservoir pictures and videos of about a million Mallard ducks in one place. Well now hear about some of the stories behind the reservoir, the property and what could have stopped ducks from going to that reservoir. https://linktr.ee/finalapproachhttps://fabrand.com/#finalapproach #fabrand #duckhunting #goosehunting #hunting #waterfowlhunting #turkeyhunting #outdoors #outdoorsman

Mario sits down with Jeb Hartnell and Steve Frketich about hunting waterfowl in the Pacific NW and how challenging it is. Rain, flooding, not being able to drive into any field ever for geese, pushing a cart a mile to hunt them and more. The thing that was new to me when I moved her is permission on a hunt. Have you ever hunted a property where there are 3 potential hunting groups all with permission. The landowner gave us permission, then the second group got permission from the farmer who farms the property, and the third group had permission from the family that rents the house on the property. What a mess! This is a totally concentrated podcast about the ins and outs of Oregon waterfowl hunting. This is Mario’s home state, so this is a personal look at managing waterfowl properties for hunting, the issues with land access for all waterfowl hunters here in the NW and a lot more. https://linktr.ee/finalapproachhttps://fabrand.com/#finalapproach #fabrand #duckhunting #goosehunting #hunting #waterfowlhunting #turkeyhunting #outdoors #outdoorsman

Mario sits down with two of the most dialed in turkey managers he has ever come across. Notice we did not say killers, hunters, or any other title. Kyle Powell and Cody Reeves from Washington state are different kinds of turkey hunters. Mario has known Cody since he was 9 years old from the calling contest circuit in the West and met Kyle just a few years ago. These guys are so dialed in with each other and the turkeys on their properties it is insane. The term manager here means they have taken turkey hunting to a new level with their habitat, their monitoring with trail cameras, hunting and trail camera logs of birds coming and going and the times they do it. These guys do everything but shoot them for you and we have never seen anything else like it. Not saying there are not more turkey hunters out there doing this, it just means they are few and far between. If you love turkey hunting and want to take your property, your turkey hunting to the next level this is one to check out for sure. Tons of cool turkey tips. https://linktr.ee/finalapproachhttps://fabrand.com/#finalapproach #fabrand #duckhunting #goosehunting #hunting #waterfowlhunting #turkeyhunting #outdoors #outdoorsman

Mario sits down on a video call with Kyle Killen of Weatherby, Tyler Mann of Saskatchewan Goose Company and David Bingham professional soccer player and waterfowl nut.  We talk about the “GOAT ROPE” which is what we called this past season. The migration or lack of, the lack of birds, the issues of traveling and challenges to film our Last Pass YouTube series. Why the weather affected the migration so much this year, where the birds were hung up and why we got what we got this year. We are not sure if there will be Tariffs on ducks and geese coming from Canada into the U.S and if we are going to put tariffs on them going back up (lol).  We do talk about hunting access for American hunters going up to Canada next fall and what we are hearing as it is going to be interesting.   

This episode Mario sits down with 6 Time World Decoy Carving Champion Tom Christie. We talk about Tom's love for hunting and all of Tom's decoys that he has carved for us at Final Approach. He talks about how he started carving and why he started carving as well as his challenges and what it's like carving a decoy that he has never carved before. We also touch on the tradition of carving and how we can keep that going with younger folks getting involved. Tyler and Kyle from Weatherby also join us as they have a ton of questions for Tom about carving and more. He shares his YouTube channel and how easy it is to start with all the information that is out there. If you are interested at all in carving anything this is a great place to start.

In this epic episode, we sit down with Mike Miller from Colorado, who’s been hunting big water since his childhood on the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania—just like Mario. They learned the tough lessons of big water hunting early, and those skills have stuck with them through the years.But that’s not all! We’re also joined by MLS soccer goalie David Bingham and his trusty dog Nitro, bringing some unexpected fun to the conversation. Plus, Kyle Killen from Weatherby makes a surprise appearance, trying (and failing) to hold a straight face in the middle of the chaos.We dive deep into the challenges of hunting big water Mallard ducks and other species, sharing pro tips on what it takes to score a successful hunt in these demanding conditions. This episode is packed with laughs, expert advice, and tons of insight—you won’t want to miss it!Get ready to learn, laugh, and level up your hunting game!