Ep. 19 - The Science Behind Catch-and-Release Fishing
Host Connor Jay Liess (Public Information Specialist) sits down with Joe Kozfkay (State Fisheries Manager) and Kevin Meyer (Principal Fisheries Research Manager) to discuss how catch-and-release fishing is used to manager fish populations, what safe fishing handling looks like, and ”hoot owl” restrictions (and why Idaho doesn’t enforce them).
24 Jun 2026
Ep. 18 - Remembering Carl Wilson & the Osburn Wildlife Overpass
Host Connor Jay Liess (Public Information Specialist) sits down with Ben Bieri (IDFG Digital Content Specialist), TJ Ross (IDFG Regional Communications Manager), Laura Wolf (IDFG Regional Wildlife Biologist), Wayne Brood (Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation), and Kirsten Voorhees (Wildlife Corridor Civil Engineer) to discuss how one 50-year-old abandoned bridge crossing Idaho’s Interstate 90 was retrofitted thanks to countless collaboraters and now welcomes a different type of traffic: Idaho’s ungulates.
20 May 2026
Ep. 17 - Trout Slams & Record Fish with Martin Koenig
Host Connor Jay Liess (Public Information Specialist) and Ben Bieri (Digital Content Specialist) sit down with Martin Koenig (Sportfish Coordinator) to talk about Idaho’s record fish program and managing sportfish fisheries and angler opportunities.
22 Apr 2026
Ep. 16 - These Boots Were Made for Walkin' with Sierra Robatcek
Host Connor Jay Liess (Public Information Specialist) and Ben Bieri (Digital Content Specialist) sit down with Sierra Robatcek (Big Game Habitat Staff Biologist) to discuss how Fish and Game tracks migratory species—deer, elk, and pronghorn—and why that information is so invaluable.
20 Mar 2026
Ep. 15 - Hound Dogs and Mountain Cats with Carson Watkins
Host Connor Jay Liess (Public Information Specialist) travels to Coeur d’Alene to talk with T.J. Ross (Panhandle Region Communications Manager) and expert houndsman, Carson Watkins (Panhandle Regional Supervisor).
20 Feb 2026
Ep. 14 - The Tall Tails of a Clearwater Trapper with Bill Seybold
Hosts Connor Jay Liess (Public Information Specialist) and Ben Bieri (Digital Content Specialist) visit Lewiston and talk with Jen Bruns (Regional Communications Manager) and Bill Seybold (Clearwater Region Trapper Education Coordinator).
24 Dec 2025
Ep. 13 - Good Neighbors and Elk Landscaping with Tara Ball and Deborah Monzingo
Hosts Connor Jay Liess (Public Information Specialist) and Ben Bieri (Digital Content Specialist) visit Lewiston during the November Commission meeting and talk with Jen Bruns (Regional Communications Manager), Tara Ball (Regional Wildlife Biologist), and Deborah Monzingo (Regional Wildlife Habitat Biologist).
10 Dec 2025
Ep. 12 - Urban Crocs and Mouse Docs with Kris Bragg and Jacob Berl
Hosts Connor Jay Liess (Public Information Specialist) and Ben Bieri (Digital Content Specialist) head to Coeur d’Alene to chat with T.J. Ross (Regional Communications Manager), and Kris Bragg and Jacob Berl (Conservation Officers).
26 Nov 2025
Ep. 11 - The Many Hats of a Mackay Warden with Steve Roberts
Hosts Connor Jay Liess (Public Information Specialist) and Tom Talley (Staff Engineer) head up to Mackay to talk with Christian Brown (Mackay Fish Hatchery Manager) and Steve Roberts (Conservation Officer in the Mackay Valley).
12 Nov 2025
Ep. 10 - The Bear of Bear Lake County
Host Connor Jay Liess (Public Information Specialist) sits down with Ben Bieri (Digital Content Specialist), Kolby White (Conservation Officer - Southeast Region), and his right-hand man, Bear — an energetic black Lab and certified K9 Officer with Idaho Fish and Game. Bear and Kolby have been working together, wearing the Fish and Game badge, for just over a year.
29 Oct 2025
Ep. 9 - Idaho's First Nonresident Tag Drawing
Hosts Connor Jay Liess (Public Information Specialist) and Ben Bieri (Digital Content Specialist) sit down with Roger Phillips (Public Information Supervisor), Tara Reichert (License Operations Manager), and Alex Erickson (Customer and Vendor Relations Manager) to discuss why Idaho is moving to a draw system for nonresident deer and elk tags and what sportsmen and sportswomen can expect when December rolls around.
15 Oct 2025
Ep. 8 - From Back East to the Backcountry with Matt O'Connell
Host Connor Jay Liess (Public Information Specialist) sits down with Ben Bieri (Digital Content Specialist) and Matt O’Connell (Regional Conservation Officer, now retired) and discuss how one Wisconsite wound up enforcing wildlife crime in Idaho for close to 31 years.
1 Oct 2025
Ep. 7 - Life at the Mackay Fish Hatchery
Host Connor Jay Liess (Public Information Specialist) heads to Mackay with Tom Talley (Staff Engineer) to chat with the current and former Mackay Fish Hatchery crew — Christian Brown (Mackay Fish Hatchery Manager), Kelsey Lear (Mackay Fish Hatchery Assistant Manager), and Mick Hoover (Former Assistant Mackay Hatchery Manager).
17 Sept 2025
Ep. 6 - Deep Diving Panhandle Fisheries with Rob Ryan and Mike Thomas
Host Connor Jay Liess (Public Information Specialist) sits down with Ben Bieri (Digital Content Specialist), TJ Ross (Regional Communications Manager), Mike Thomas (Regional Fisheries Biologist), and Rob Ryan (Regional Fisheries Manager) up in the Panhandle Region.
3 Sept 2025
Ep. 5 - Urban Warden: Patrolling the Treasure Valley with Brian Marek
Host Connor Jay Liess (Public Information Specialist) sits down with Ben Bieri (Digital Content Specialist) and long-time conservation officer Brian Marek, who recounts some of his most memorable moments patrolling the Treasure Valley and beyond for 26 years.
20 Aug 2025
Ep. 4 - Restoring Potlatch Wild Steelhead With Robert Hand and Brian Knoth
Host Jen Bruns (Clearwater Regional Communications Manager) shoots the bull with Robert Hand (Regional Fisheries Biologist) and Brian Knoth (Regional Fisheries Biologist in Lewiston, Idaho. Robert and Brian talk about the work they do with habitat restoration and monitoring projects on the Potlatch River in North Central Idaho.
6 Aug 2025
Ep. 3 - Hunt Like a Wildlife Biologist With David Bernasconi
Host Connor Jay Liess (Public Information Specialist) sits down with Tom Talley (Staff Engineer) and David Bernasconi (Regional Wildlife Biologist – Southwest Region) to learn about patterns and behaviors of big game animals and how to hunt them from the perspective of someone who studies them for a living.
9 Jul 2025
Ep. 2 - Commissioners Ron Davies and Don Ebert
Hosts Connor Jay Liess and Ben Bieri interview Idaho Fish and Game Commissioners Ron Davies and Don Ebert about regional wildlife management strategies.
26 Jun 2025
Ep. 1 - Welcome to Shootin' the Bull
Idaho Fish and Game introduces "Shootin' the Bull," a podcast featuring conversations with the diverse individuals working within the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
5,858,938
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
10 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 31 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
6
Social presence
97
YouTube
93
Engagement
0
Host of Shootin’ the Bull?
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