Welcome to Wild Game Dynasty, a Michigan-based professional Guide and Outfitting service by Gary Morgan, where passion for the outdoors meets purpose-driven hunting. Join your new WDG Podcast hosts Ryan and Nicole as we dive deep into the stories, strategies, and sustainability practices that define today's hunting community. WDG strives to preserve Michigan’s abundant natural resources through conservation for future generations to come.
This podcast delivers authentic conversations about the hunting lifestyle and our role as stewards of the land.
Subscribe now and join the dynasty.
Michigan's deer management is at a crossroads—and the decisions being made right now will shape the future of whitetail hunting in this state for generations to come.
In one of the most important episodes we've ever recorded on Wild Game Dynasty, host Ryan sits down with Jordan Hoover, Upper Peninsula Deer Advisory Chair and one of the most passionate, outspoken voices for Michigan hunters in the state today. Jordan isn't just talking about the problems—he's in the room where the decisions are being made, and he's fighting like hell to make sure hunters have a seat at the table.
In this episode we pull back the curtain on everything Michigan deer hunters need to know right now. We break down the Natural Resources Commission's May meeting and the new regulation proposals that have the hunting community fired up across the state. We dig deep into the politics driving these decisions, the failures of Michigan's whitetail management in the Upper Peninsula, the crushing reality of predation on deer populations, and the underfunded DNR that is struggling to manage it all effectively.
Jordan doesn't hold back. From the controversy surrounding Michigan's potential move toward a one-buck state, to the ongoing debate over antler point restrictions, to the disconnect between Lansing politicians and the boots-on-the-ground hunters who live and breathe Michigan's deer woods—this conversation goes places that most people in positions like his are afraid to go.
In this episode:
What came out of the NRC's May meeting and what it means for Michigan deer hunters
The politics behind Michigan's most controversial deer regulation proposals
Why the Upper Peninsula deer herd is in crisis and what's driving the decline
The real impact of predation on UP deer numbers and why it's not being honestly addressed
What needs to fundamentally change in Michigan's approach to whitetail management
How hunters can get involved, make their voices heard, and stop being left out of decisions that directly affect them
This is not a comfortable conversation. It was never meant to be. Michigan's hunters deserve honesty, transparency, and leadership—and that's exactly what Jordan Hoover is bringing to the fight.
If you are a Michigan deer hunter, this episode is required listening. Share it, post it, and get it in front of every hunter you know. The future of Michigan whitetail hunting depends on an informed and engaged hunting community—and that starts right here.
Don't stay silent. Don't stay on the sidelines. Get loud.
Wild Game Dynasty Podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow us on social media for updates, behind-the-scenes content, and more.
9 Jun 2026
#152. Tim Riley - River Valley Adventures
Some experiences in the outdoors stay with you forever. A perfect dry fly drift on a cold Michigan river. The thunder of wings exploding from a covey in a frost-covered field. Today's episode is about a man who has built his life around delivering exactly those moments.
On this episode of Wild Game Dynasty, host Ryan sits down with Tim Riley, owner and professional guide of River Valley Adventures, operating on two of the most storied trout rivers in America—the AuSable and the Manistee. Tim is not just a fishing guide. He is a keeper of tradition, floating clients through Michigan's most breathtaking river country aboard the legendary AuSable River boat—a handcrafted wooden vessel with a history as rich as the rivers it glides through.
The AuSable River is more than a fishery. It is hallowed ground for American fly fishing—a river that shaped conservation movements, inspired legendary anglers, and produced a culture of fly fishing that is uniquely Michigan and uniquely special. Tim Riley carries that legacy forward every single time he pushes off the bank, and in this episode he brings all of it to life.
But River Valley Adventures isn't just about trout. Tim also guides upland game bird hunting trips, making him one of the rare outfitters who can put you on wild trout in the morning and have you walking behind a pointing dog through golden Michigan cover in the afternoon. If you love the outdoors in all its forms, Tim Riley is your guide.
In this episode:
The history of the iconic AuSable River boat and why it remains the perfect vessel for floating Michigan's legendary rivers
What a guided float trip on the AuSable and Manistee looks like and what makes it a bucket-list experience
The species, hatches, and seasonal patterns that define fishing on these world-class rivers
The differences between guiding on the AuSable versus the Manistee and how Tim approaches each
Tips and insights for fly anglers of all skill levels looking to fish moving water
Tim's guided upland game bird hunting operation and what Michigan's coverts have to offer
The conservation challenges facing Michigan's premier trout rivers and what's being done to protect them
What it means to carry on the tradition of AuSable River guiding in the modern era
Whether you're a lifelong fly angler who has always dreamed of floating the AuSable the right way, a bird hunter looking for an authentic Michigan upland experience, or someone who simply loves wild places and the people who dedicate their lives to them—this episode is for you.
Tim Riley is the real deal. River Valley Adventures is the real deal. And Michigan's rivers and uplands are waiting for you.
Book a trip. Carry the tradition forward.
Find River Valley Adventures and book your float trip or upland hunt at [River Valley Adventures contact/website]. Wild Game Dynasty Podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen to podcasts.
https://www.rivervalleyadventures.com/copy-of-home-1 (https://www.rivervalleyadventures.com/copy-of-home-1)
Hungry for more Wild Game Dynasty? Check out our blog: https://wildgamedynasty.com/blog/
2 Jun 2026
#151. Kristin Ojaniemi - 'Discovering'
Ryan sits down with Kristin Ojaniemi, host of the UP's favorite outdoor show 'Discovering', to talk about what makes Michigan's Upper Peninsula one of the most wild and untouched landscapes in the Midwest. Kristin shares the stories behind her show — the remote stretches of forest, the characters she's met along the way, and what it means to truly live close to the land up north.
Ryan and Kristin dig into what it's like to document wild places on camera, why the UP holds a special kind of pull for hunters and anglers alike, and how her show captures a lifestyle that's as authentic as it gets.
Whether you've spent years in the UP or you've always dreamed of going, this episode will have you lacing up your boots and heading north.
For more 'Discovering' content, follow along at https://www.discovertheup.com/
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.8 / 5
12 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 48 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
65
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
77
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