Coldwater Fisheries, Hatcheries, & Stockings in North Carolina with Jake Rash



Segment 2, November 16th, 2024

When we last spoke with our next guest, we had a sneak preview of a proposed restoration project involving NC’s most prolific cold water fish hatchery, the  Bobby N. Setzer Hatchery in Pisgah forest. Of course Helene’s devastation brought unimaginable devastation to property, lives, & communities across parts of WNC.  It also has caused a possible change of plans to recreational fishing in the mountains.
Continue reading Coldwater Fisheries, Hatcheries, & Stockings in North Carolina with Jake Rash


Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) in Rosman, NC



November 16th, 2024

One of my charges here on the Carolina Outdoors is introducing you, the listener, to gems along the way.  Especially those gems that are right here under our noses.

Timothy DeLisle, Director of Software Engineering of the Pisgah Astronomy Research Institute (PARI) joined host Bill Bartee to talk about this “one-of-a-kind” place located in Rosman, NC, whose mission is to make science education & exploration easily accessible. Continue reading Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) in Rosman, NC


Marathons & Open Rocky River Trout Unlimited Meeting



November 16th, 2024
Segment length: 2:30

There are tons of things happening in the Charlotte-area this weekend.

Segment Highlights:

  • Novant Health Charlotte Marathon is taking place.  Check out the map and prepare for your journey on Saturday.
  • Upcoming at the fly shop in Charlotte, Jesse Brown’s.  Brian Hester, author of She Talks to Fish and NC Wildlife Resource Commission biologist Jake Rash, will both be on hand during an open to the public Rocky River Trout Unlimited meeting on Thursday, November 21st, 2024.

Things You’ll Learn by Listening:

Hester and Rash will both be speaking on Thursday, November 21st, 2024, 5 p.m. at the local outdoor outfitter, Jesse Brown’s.

The Carolina Outdoors is powered by the Charlotte hiking store, Jesse Brown’s.  Lace up your comfortable shoes, grab a water bottle, and get outdoors.


Kilimanjaro Continues to be a Challenge with Macon Dunnagan



Who’s been to the top of Africa the most?  In the Charlotte-area it is Macon Dunnagan.  He started climbing the mountain twenty-two years ago & has done it fifty times.  He’s an author, adventurer, & through his climbs he’s been recognized by a North Carolina governor & is currently an ambassador of travel for Tanzania.

Show Highlights:

  • He’s been climbing Kilimanjaro long enough to have retired porters that are younger than him.
  • He’s taken ages twelve to eighty to the top & continues travelling to talks about Africa
  • East Africa is one of the best places to travel in the world.  Easy, safe, & wonderful
  • People travel to Kilimanjaro for the culture, the exercise, & for conquering the goal of the summit.
  • Porters carry most of the items to the top as you hike & have a Porter’s Society
  • Going slowly is part of a successful acclimation

Things You’ll Learn by Listening:

Dunnagan is speaking to interested Kilimanjaro climbers at Jesse Brown’s on Thursday, November 14th, 2024, 6 p.m. at the local outdoor outfitter, Jesse Brown’s.

The Carolina Outdoors is powered by the Charlotte hiking store, Jesse Brown’s.  Lace up your comfortable shoes, grab a water bottle, and train for Kilimanjaro.


Friends of Crowders Mountain with Dewey Matherly



Segment 3, November 9th, 2024

How are so many of the places that we enjoy going to maintained?  Usually it is active advocacy groups that help care, manicure, & keep clean properties that are impactful to our community.  It’s kind of like being a friend.  Dewey Matherly has chaired the Friends of Crowders Mountain group for the past eleven years.  He took a moment to join host Bill Bartee to share more about the purpose & accomplishments of the Friends group.

Show Highlights:

  • Friends of Crowders Mountain is a group that helps support the State Park through donations of time, money, & grant writing
  • It’s made up of volunteers & one of the top attended activiites is trail maintenance
  • One goal is to help visitors have the best overall experience during their time at Crowders Mountain
  • Crowders Mountain State Park is now open & there is an upcoming Trail Maintenance Work Day on November 21st, 2024.
  • Crowders Mountain State Park invites a wide-variety of activities from camping, canoeing, hiking, climbing, bouldering, & more that utilize the property
  • Members are people that appreciate the opportunity to help support a place that they love to visit & care for.  They come from all over the region.

Things You’ll Learn by Listening:

There are sixty-nine state parks and areas throughout North Carolina.  Each has their own “Friends” group that helps manage, support, & create awareness of their respective property.

The Carolina Outdoors is powered by the Charlotte hiking store, Jesse Brown’s.  Lace up your comfortable shoes, grab a water bottle, and head to Crowders Mountain State Park.


TJ heads to western North Carolina to support Tourism



Segment 1, October 26th, 2024

Producer TJ Boggs recently western North Carolina (Hendersonville, NC) to spend some money. Continue reading TJ heads to western North Carolina to support Tourism


Drone Retrieval, Tree Climbing, & the Re-Opening of Pisgah National Forest-Ranger District



Segment 2, October 26th, 2024

Tree Climbing Stories  inspired by seeing the tree canopy from a different perspective.  Producer TJ Boggs & Host Bill Bartee share stories about flying drones and climbing trees.
Continue reading Drone Retrieval, Tree Climbing, & the Re-Opening of Pisgah National Forest-Ranger District


Deer Season -Preparation, Safety, & Success with Ridr Knowlton



Segment 3, October 26th, 2024

We try to prepare for the seasons appropriately on the Carolina Outdoors & one of those seasons is already in affect across both Carolinas.  It’s deer season in the Carolinas.
Continue reading Deer Season -Preparation, Safety, & Success with Ridr Knowlton


Tourist Visits Needed in some western North Carolina towns after the Storm



Review of the towns that are asking for visitors & those that aren’t.  There is a chance of a secondary financial disaster from the after affects of Helene.  Western North Carolina does 1/5 of North Carolina’s Tourism & Hospitality trade each year.  Since the storm & requests that people not visit, many communities that weren’t affected by the storm are not getting tourists.
Continue reading Tourist Visits Needed in some western North Carolina towns after the Storm


NC Livermush Festival in Cleveland County with Emily Epley



The county seat of Cleveland county, Shelby, is hosting the North Carolina LIvermush Festival, & Emily Epley from Visit Cleveland County joins the Carolina Outdoors to talk about it.
Continue reading NC Livermush Festival in Cleveland County with Emily Epley