This week’s episode was a Check Station, which means no guest. Just a couple of Kyle’s back in the studio with the wood stove and a few hot takes rolling.

In today’s edition:

Let's get into it.
— Kyle & Kyle

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News from near (hither) and far (yonder) that matters to us outdoor enthusiasts.

After a 20+ year lawsuit, Tyson will pay ~$19 million to clean up what decades of poultry runoff did to the Illinois River.

In the early 2000s, Oklahoma sued Arkansas over phosphorus runoff from the poultry industry, arguing the waste was washing across the state line and degrading the river. The question of who's at fault sat in courts for over twenty years. The Illinois River Settlement puts the primary responsibility on Tyson, Cargill, and George's instead of the growers raising the birds, many of whom are multi-generational Ozarks families just trying to make a living on the land.

Better water means better smallmouth, better floating, better habitat. We'll take it.

AGFC is proposing two changes to smallmouth regulations. The first would cut through the current patchwork of zone-based rules and set one standard for all flowing water statewide: 2 fish, 12-inch minimum. The Blue Ribbon designation would push specific rivers to 1 fish, 15-inch minimum.

We both voted yes, for two reasons.

First. It's simple. I show up to a creek or a river, those are my rules. I show up to a lake, those are my rules. No more guessing zones or looking up which water body you're standing in.

Second. It's sneaky in the best way. Neosho bass rarely exceed 14 inches, so the 15-inch floor on Blue Ribbon streams naturally protects native genetics without anyone having to ID subspecies in the water.

A carpenter outside Kansas City named Noah Ayers sent in the best email we've ever received.

He's watched every episode, caught his first smallmouth, picked up a fly rod, and built a personal map with 800+ cave locations — all since finding the show. He's planning to move to the Ozarks.

His closer said it all: "I thought I wanted to be a hillbilly, then I listened to y'all and now I yearn for it. I may not be an Ozarker by blood and may not be one by name just yet, but my kin will be, so help me god.”

Hey Noah, if you're reading this, of all the people moving to the Ozarks, if we could pick 'em, it'd be guys like you.

Our reaction to your reactions across our social media feeds.

Turns out the Cultural Ozarks Map is controversial…

Our recent guest Curtis Copeland’s map of what counts as the cultural Ozarks really got people talking. A reel we shared got over 156,000 views, and people shared it like crazy across Instagram and Facebook.

The comment section lit up over one question:

Who counts as an Ozarker?

One popular comment said: "Southern Illinois in here. Would never call it the Ozarks in front of a Missourian, but secretly in my heart—makes sense."

Plunkett ran into a guy at the Black Bear Bonanza who was pumped his little sliver of Oklahoma got included. He said, “I feel it in my bones. It's who I am, but nobody believes me."

Having strong opinions may be part of what makes you an Ozarker, so feel free to disagree. But that map gave some people permission to claim something they already felt, and we’re for it.

Not too late to weigh in. Tell us what ya think HERE.

This is the last Check Station hitting our public feed. We're moving this monthly episode format to The Holler—our membership-based community on Patreon.

The Check Station is our monthly no-guest episode. Just field stories, Ozarks news, hot takes, and reactions from the community. It’s a fun time, and now it lives in The Holler.

Holler Members also get:

Keep an eye out for upcoming episode with Roy Pilgrim. If that name doesn’t ring a bell yet, it will.

Till then, get outside.

— Kyle Veit & Kyle Plunkett