discover the u.p. podcast
The Upper Peninsula's outdoors podcast. Hosted by Kristin Ojaniemi
discover the u.p. podcast
The Upper Peninsula's outdoors podcast. Hosted by Kristin Ojaniemi
The Upper Peninsula's outdoors podcast. Hosted by Kristin Ojaniemi
The Upper Peninsula's outdoors podcast. Hosted by Kristin Ojaniemi
January 9, 2024
Bob Beaudry, one of three Pure Michigan Hunt winners for 2023, was the first Yooper ever drawn for the PMH in the 13 years the program has been going. Pure Michigan Hunt winners receive tags for everything you can hunt in Michigan - elk, bear, spring and fall turkey, antlerless deer, and the first pick at a managed waterf
January 9, 2024
Bob Beaudry, one of three Pure Michigan Hunt winners for 2023, was the first Yooper ever drawn for the PMH in the 13 years the program has been going. Pure Michigan Hunt winners receive tags for everything you can hunt in Michigan - elk, bear, spring and fall turkey, antlerless deer, and the first pick at a managed waterfowl hunt area. Bob filled ALL of his tags last year. You couldn’t ask for a better recipient of the PMH. Bob’s gratitude for winning, his motivation to fill every single tag, his generosity, and he's a veteran.
Jan 15, 2024
The state of Michigan now has an official State Native Grain, one of cultural importance to indigenous people. Manoomin, the Anishnaabe word for Wild Rice, is an ancient species of grain producing grass native to the Great Lakes area. Roger LaBine, Tribal Elder for the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa in the W
Jan 15, 2024
The state of Michigan now has an official State Native Grain, one of cultural importance to indigenous people. Manoomin, the Anishnaabe word for Wild Rice, is an ancient species of grain producing grass native to the Great Lakes area. Roger LaBine, Tribal Elder for the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa in the Western Upper Peninsula, started fighting for the protection of Wild Rice in Michigan in 2003 when his tribe’s restoration efforts on Lac Vieux Desert (lake on the border of MI and WI) was met with opposition by the Wisconsin power company who dammed the lake, and lakefront owners. Roger discusses what it means to have Manoomin become a state symbol, future public harvest regulations, and current restoration efforts.
Jan 23, 2024
24-year-old hunter, Eli Schaefer captured what is probably the most incredible cougar video ever captured on a trail camera, right here in the Upper Peninsula. The video shows a large cougar killing a whitetail deer and dragging it away. I interview Eli about the whole experience. The Michigan DNR confirmed 24 cougar sight
Jan 23, 2024
24-year-old hunter, Eli Schaefer captured what is probably the most incredible cougar video ever captured on a trail camera, right here in the Upper Peninsula. The video shows a large cougar killing a whitetail deer and dragging it away. I interview Eli about the whole experience. The Michigan DNR confirmed 24 cougar sightings in the U.P. in 2023 and Eli's cougar photo and videos will bring that total to 26 for the year. I talked to Brian Roell, Large Carnivore Specialist for the Michigan DNR about the increase in cougar sightings.
January 30, 2024
Before today's interview I talk behind-the-scenes stuff about filming ice fishing on Little Bay de Noc last Friday, ice conditions, last night's "Discovering" show, and this crummy winter weather. Then I interview Ed Eisch of the Michigan DNR Fisheries Division about the DNR's efforts to reestablish a self-sustaining
January 30, 2024
Before today's interview I talk behind-the-scenes stuff about filming ice fishing on Little Bay de Noc last Friday, ice conditions, last night's "Discovering" show, and this crummy winter weather. Then I interview Ed Eisch of the Michigan DNR Fisheries Division about the DNR's efforts to reestablish a self-sustaining Arctic Grayling population back to native Michigan streams. We talk about the Michigan Arctic Grayling Initiative, getting eggs from Alaska, why their populations were decimated, were Arctic Grayling native to the U.P., where you can go and catch some of these iconic species now here in the U.P., and Arctic Grayling Bourbon.
February 6, 2024
I talk to George Lindquist of U.P. Whitetails of Marquette County about our declining deer herd in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The 2023 deer harvest was one of, if not the, lowest deer harvest on record with less than 17,000 deer (12,600) bucks reported harvested. What does that say about our deer herd that has been on
February 6, 2024
I talk to George Lindquist of U.P. Whitetails of Marquette County about our declining deer herd in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The 2023 deer harvest was one of, if not the, lowest deer harvest on record with less than 17,000 deer (12,600) bucks reported harvested. What does that say about our deer herd that has been on the decline for years and what’s causing the decline? George has been a part of multiple sportsman’s groups over the years, advocating for hunters and proper wildlife and habitat management, and is an avid hunter himself. We also get into other topics, like the need for more people to join more sportsman's and conservation groups, moose, wolves and more. This is my first interview about the 2023 U.P. deer harvest and deer population and will have a few more posted over the next couple of weeks.
February 13, 2024
For episode 72 of "Discovering" I sat down with Chad Stewart of the Michigan DNR Wildlife Division (via zoom) to talk about the 2023 Deer Harvest in the Upper Peninsula. We talk about the low numbers, what those numbers say about our deer herd in the U.P., what factors are influencing our declining deer herd, the Deer
February 13, 2024
For episode 72 of "Discovering" I sat down with Chad Stewart of the Michigan DNR Wildlife Division (via zoom) to talk about the 2023 Deer Harvest in the Upper Peninsula. We talk about the low numbers, what those numbers say about our deer herd in the U.P., what factors are influencing our declining deer herd, the Deer Management Initiative that is starting up soon, and more. Here's the full interview.
February 20, 2024
I talk to Gary Gorniak, president of the Straits Area Sportsmen's Club, about the 2023 deer harvest, our low deer population, wildlife habitat, and the impact of wolves on our deer population. Gary also runs the U.P. Wolves Only Facebook group, collecting wolf trail camera photos from across the Upper Peninsula. I had
February 20, 2024
I talk to Gary Gorniak, president of the Straits Area Sportsmen's Club, about the 2023 deer harvest, our low deer population, wildlife habitat, and the impact of wolves on our deer population. Gary also runs the U.P. Wolves Only Facebook group, collecting wolf trail camera photos from across the Upper Peninsula. I had part of his interview on episode 72 of "Discovering" and here is the full interview.
February 28, 2024
A chat with Brian Whitens of the 906 Outdoors television program and Cooking Wild Seasonings. I started working with Brian back in 2019 when he was the producer/host of the “Discovering” program on WLUC-TV6. Brian took over for the show creator Buck LeVasseur back in 2012. With me as co-producer of the show in 2019, Bri
February 28, 2024
A chat with Brian Whitens of the 906 Outdoors television program and Cooking Wild Seasonings. I started working with Brian back in 2019 when he was the producer/host of the “Discovering” program on WLUC-TV6. Brian took over for the show creator Buck LeVasseur back in 2012. With me as co-producer of the show in 2019, Brian had more time to pursue his other projects – 906 Outdoors and Cooking Wild Seasonings – until 2022 when he left “Discovering” and I took over the full-time role of producer/host. We chat about how he wound up producing the “Discovering” program after Buck, how he got into the outdoors television business back in the day, a little behind the scenes on how this outdoor tv biz operates, the evolution of video cameras, his idea for Cooking Wild Seasonings, how the spice business is going, new products in the works and his plans to expand.
March 3, 2024
December 2023 was the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act. The U.P. is an important place for the conservation of species and there are currently 15 species on the federal Endangered Species List that you can find here in the Upper Peninsula, including a venomous snake. I talk to Scott Hicks of the U.S. Fish and W
March 3, 2024
December 2023 was the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act. The U.P. is an important place for the conservation of species and there are currently 15 species on the federal Endangered Species List that you can find here in the Upper Peninsula, including a venomous snake. I talk to Scott Hicks of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service about the Act and its importance in the conservation of plants and animals, how species get on and off the list, as well as some Michigan success stories in the recovery of some species that were once endangered, like the Kirtland’s Warbler.
(Episode Artwork features the endangered Piping Plover which nests along the shores of Lake Superior)
March 12, 2024
I took advantage of the beautiful weather last weekend and went for a hike on a portion of the North Country Trail. I met up with a hiking group and the hike leader, Mark Roberts, V.P. of the Peter Wolfe Chapter of the NCT. While out there I interviewed Mark about the NCT, new unit designation under the National Park Service
March 12, 2024
I took advantage of the beautiful weather last weekend and went for a hike on a portion of the North Country Trail. I met up with a hiking group and the hike leader, Mark Roberts, V.P. of the Peter Wolfe Chapter of the NCT. While out there I interviewed Mark about the NCT, new unit designation under the National Park Service, need for volunteers and what type of volunteer work needs to be done. We talk about the Peter Wolfe Chapter of the trail (which is the part of the trail I hike most), this crazy winter and good places to hike in the Western U.P. right now during our unseasonably warm and dry El Nino winter. This winter was a popular topic on the trail that day and we all agree we're going to get a huge snowstorm yet before May!
(artwork photo credit: Keith Meyers)
March 20, 2024
I sit down with outdoor writer Richard P. Smith to get his thoughts on the 2023 deer harvest, the lowest deer harvest on record, here in the U.P. I interviewed him back in January for my "Discovering" episode about the 2023 deer harvest and only had room for a few of his comments. I wanted to share his full interview like I did with the rest of the sportsmen I interviewed.
March 26, 2024
I'm giving you a peek under the ice and behind the curtain of what it took to produce the last two episodes of "Discovering" about beaver trapping. I've also decided someday I need to do a full-length documentary about the fur trade in the Great Lakes region.
Hi! My name is Kristin Ojaniemi and I am a documentary filmmaker, adventure seeker, and current host & producer of the iconic Upper Peninsula outdoors TV show "Discovering". I love hunting, fishing, camping, ATV'ing, hiking, you name it, I'll probably try it. I'm no expert at any of it, so I enjoy learning from others. My start into the realm of outdoor storytelling began with my Upper Peninsula hunting camp documentary "Up a River". That led to my desire to tell more stories about the U.P.
Copyright © 2024 Discover the U.P. Podcast - All Rights Reserved.
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