Fun show this week! From Michigan’s 48-minute Black Lake sturgeon season to a dramatic duck hunters rescue on a Maryland frozen River, to how real-world outdoor challenges rival the Winter Olympics, and what events we think could be added. Join radio hosts Rebecca Wanner aka ‘BEC’ and Jeff ‘Tigger’ Erhardt (Tigger & BEC) with the latest in Outdoors & Western Lifestyle News!
Season 6, Episode 276
Winter Olympics vs Real-World Outdoor Extremes, Michigan’s 48-Minute Fishing Season & Maryland Duck Hunter Ice Rescue
Winter Olympics vs Real-World Outdoor Activities
Do you know how many events there are in the Winter Olympics? The answer, 16!
Alpine Skiing
Biathlon – 5 Shots from 50 meters away
Bobsleigh – 93 miles per hours
Cross Country Skiing
Curling
Figure Skating – Oldest winter Olympic sport
Freestyle Skiing
Ice Hockey
Luge – 80 to 90 mph
Nordic Combined
Short Track Speed Skating
Skeleton – forces up to 5 G’s. 1G is the force you feel sitting still. At 5 G’s, a 150 pound person feels like they weigh 750 pounds
Ski Jumping
Ski Mountaineering – New Event for 2026, assent and descend, Skis, hike, ski down remove skins
Snowboard
Speed Skating
Most Popular by viewership: Figure Skating, Snowboarding, Bobsled, Luge
Least Popular: Alpine Skiing, Speed Skating, Ski Jumping
Real-World Events to ADD to the Winter Olympics
Skijoring: Horse, rider, skier. Popular in “Cowboy States” that have winter a Cowboy gallops pulling another cowboy strapped with skies!
Farmer/Rancher Olympics
Speed Skating: wearing muck boots, Cow calves in a muddy slop, fling calf over shoulders run like hell.
Replace Curling with… Chopping ice for livestock.
Ice Hockey: when you pick up a bale from the hay stack and mice run. Everywhere.
Bobsleighing: pull behind a truck on a scoop shovel… Way harder than it sounds!
Alpine Skiing: Hang onto truck while wearing cowboy boots.
Biathlon: Shooting coyotes… aka Predator Control!
Michigan’s Shortest Fishing Season Ends in Just 48 Minutes
Michigan’s 2026 Black Lake sturgeon fishing season came and went fast — really fast. The season opened at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 7, and wrapped up just 48 minutes later when the six-fish quota was reached in Cheboygan and Presque Isle counties.
According to the Department of Natural Resources, anglers landed fish starting at 8:07 a.m., with the final sturgeon harvested right at 8:48. In total, 679 anglers were registered, all competing in what’s known as the shortest fishing season in the state.
The largest catch was a 67-inch female sturgeon weighing just over 79 pounds. The other five fish ranged from about 53 to 64 inches long, weighing between 40 and 78 pounds. Each angler was allowed to keep just one fish and had to report it immediately. The season automatically closed once the sixth fish was taken, with anglers alerted by text and by DNR staff on the ice.
Black Lake’s sturgeon season is famous for its speed. Last year it lasted only 17 minutes, while in 2023 it stretched to just over an hour. In 2024, the season was canceled entirely because of unsafe ice.
Lake sturgeon are among the oldest fish species in the Great Lakes, and their numbers dropped sharply in the past due to overfishing and habitat loss. Strict regulations and decades of restoration work have helped rebuild the population, allowing Michigan to continue this tightly controlled, blink-and-you-miss-it fishing tradition.
Reference: https://www.woodtv.com/news/michigan/2026-lake-sturgeon-season-takes-48-minutes-to-hit-limit/
Duck Hunters Rescued After Becoming Trapped in Frozen Maryland River
A dramatic helicopter rescue occurred January 31 when six duck hunters became stranded in the frozen Nanticoke River in Maryland on the final day of duck season.
Natural Resources Police and Wildlife and Heritage Service crews were called out around 6:30 p.m. after the hunters’ boat became inoperable in icy conditions. Temperatures were in the teens and low 20s, with strong winds, and thick ice prevented local fire crews from reaching them by water or boat ramp.
Officials believe the hunters had completed their hunt and were heading back when they ran into trouble — either mechanical issues or ice that moved in after the shoot. A helicopter crew was already nearby but decided it was too dangerous to hoist the hunters due to high winds.
Instead, rescuers launched an airboat from a nearby campground. The river is about a half-mile wide at that location, a well-known but risky late-season duck hunting area.
All six hunters were safely brought back in two trips, checked by EMS, and returned to their vehicles. While it’s unclear what happened to their boat — or whether they harvested any ducks — officials say it’s a last-day hunt the group won’t forget, and one they were fortunate to survive.
Reference: https://www.outdoorlife.com/hunting/duck-hunters-rescued-nanticote-river/
OUTDOORS FIELD REPORTS & COMMENTS
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WESTERN LIFESTYLE & THE OUTDOORS
Jeff ‘Tigger’ Erhardt & Rebecca ‘BEC’ Wanner are passionate news broadcasters who represent the working ranch world, rodeo, and the Western way of life. They are also staunch advocates for the outdoors and wildlife conservation. As outdoorsmen themselves, Tigger and BEC provide valuable insight and education to hunters, adventurers, ranchers, and anyone interested in agriculture and conservation.
With a shared love for the outdoors, Tigger & BEC are committed to bringing high-quality beef and wild game from the field to your table. They understand the importance of sharing meals with family, cooking the fruits of your labor, and making memories in the great outdoors. Through their work, they aim to educate and inspire those who appreciate God’s Country and life on the land.
United by a common mission, Tigger & BEC offer a glimpse into the life beyond the beaten path and down dirt roads. They’re here to share knowledge, answer your questions, and join you in your own success story. Adventure awaits around the bend. With The Outdoors, the Western Heritage, Rural America, and Wildlife Conservation at the forefront, Tigger and BEC live this lifestyle every day.
To learn more about Tigger & BEC’s journey and their passion for the outdoors, visit TiggerandBEC.com.
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