High Country and Handmade: Stories of the western craft and way of life

Cooney, a professional trapper with nearly 50 seasons under his belt, shares his journey from northeast Nevada to northeast Oklahoma, covering beaver, bobcat, coyote and nuisance trapping across private and public lands.
The episode walks through practical trapping techniques (landlines, pond dams, snares, drags), bait and lure making and sales, working with ranchers and state agencies, gear tips, memorable field stories and managing a trapping business.
Come along for the journey and learn with us and share some laughs, share, like, comment and subscribe. 
 

Join us for a great conversation with Mr. Larry Bennett, a lifelong outdoorsman from Montana. We talk about everything from prepping his traps,the challenges of trapping wolves and coyotes under changing seasons and regulations and everything else we can think of  
He also discusses gear and bait tricks, building a small fur and leather business for retirement, and how wildlife, weather, and land access shape his hunting and trapping life. We laughed a lot and some knowledge was shared. Let us know what you think. As always like, share, subscribe and comment. 
 

A little bit of something for everyone in this episode as Adam Dombrowski of Skki Knives shares his journey from learning bladesmithing as a teen to serving with the 101st, starting a custom knife business out of his parents' basement, and finding sudden social media success. The episode covers knife-making techniques, business decisions like drops vs. custom orders, and practical marketing tips that helped his Instagram grow.
Beyond craft, the conversation explores creativity, the impact of technology and AI, mental focus, hunting dogs and training, and larger cultural questions—an honest, wide-ranging talk for makers, creators, and curious listeners. Thanks to all of our listeners and followers. Please share, like, subscribe and comment where you can. https://www.instagram.com/highcountryandhandmade?stkn=NmZrZjZtOHBzY2h5&utm_source=qr
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Eric (Nordic Tales and American Trails) and Frank (High Country and Handmade) share a cross-posted episode exploring dog hunting across Sweden and the U.S. This is a very special episode to me, I learned a bunch and in my view, gained a new friend.
We cover breeds (Laikas, blue ticks, plot hounds, Karelian), seasons and regulations, training approaches, solo vs. pack hunting, and Frank's leatherworking and breeding perspectives. 
Thank you for your support, please hit all the buttons and share us with your friends. 
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Mr McNasty himself joins us again to discuss predator control: why targeted, preventative work matters for livestock and wildlife, especially during drought and fawn season. The conversation covers the impacts of coyotes, bobcats, wolves and grizzlies on pronghorn and mule deer, and how laws and politics can complicate management.
The episode also dives into practical trapping tactics, equipment, mentorship and ethical debates—explaining the landscape of fear, population dynamics, and why hands-off approaches often fail without science-based management. All in all it was just what I expect a conversation with Mr Chilson to be, fun, intelligent, educational and just an absolutely enjoyable time. Check him out on YouTube under McNastys predation management and on Facebook as well. Thank you for joining us Travis. 
As always, like, follow and share and feedback is always encouraged. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram
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High Country Blood Dogs

Thank you for joining us for a great conversation with Litehounds, we shoot the shit about damn near anything we can think of and end up running out of time. We could have went a couple more hours pretty easy. Check them out and let us know what we can do better. Thank you for following us and joining the shit show. Check out everything they have at Litehounds on instagram, facebook and TikTok. Standing S Leather
High Country Blood Dogs
High Country and Handmade

We have a great visit with Josh Beesley of Snake River Hat Company. We discuss Josh’s journey from leatherwork and knife-making to building custom hats, the craft involved in beaver felt hats, and running a small handmade business while managing ranch life.
The conversation also covers hound hunting, family, wildfire impacts, and balancing passion with work. Check out Snake River Hat Company and follow the journey as they continue to grow. 

Bonnie of Alaska Spirit Crafts shares her life long journey from living off‑grid in Alaska to settling in Alabama, explaining how she got started and where she is now in her career in fur sewing. She discusses her specialties—mostly hats and mittens—how she sources tanned pelts, and why she stopped tanning herself.
The conversation covers life with dogs, trapping and hunting stories, unusual customer requests, and the work behind making fur pieces, including machines and linings. Bonnie also talks about moving through Arizona and Montana, challenges of rural life, and concerns about changing laws and attitudes toward fur and wildlife.
Listeners can find her—Facebook (Bonnie J. Brummett / Alaska Spirit Crafts), TikTok, her website fursewercom, and her fur‑sewing books on Amazon—and hear her perspective on craftsmanship, pricing, and keeping the craft enjoyable rather than a full‑time job.

Jesica Smith joins me again to take a dive into predictive programming, subliminal messaging, and how media may prime public perception—from The Simpsons to conspiracy theories about elites. Their wide-ranging chat touches on AI companionship and manipulation, the effects of social media on mental health, the impact of COVID, and changing cultural norms.
We also discuss prepping, survival skills, and community resilience in an increasingly technological world, closing with personal stories about aging, family, and self-improvement. Enjoy this fun conversation that went off the rails and never did quite cover everything we thought it would but that’s the fun of it. As always like, comment, share and subscribe. 

In this episode of High Country and Handmade the I sit down with Nashville-based singer-songwriter Sean Tobin to talk about his move from New Jersey, the realities of life on the road, and the songwriting process behind tracks like the story-driven “0-9 base line wage” and other songs telling of a life well lived and traveled.
We cover side hustles and creativity — from leatherwork (always end up talking about that) to touring merchandise — plus running, trail life, the challenges of pricing art, political conversation, and how slow, steady growth shapes an artist’s career.
Thanks for following along on our journey to meet and talk with amazing guests every week. Please comment, follow and share.