Ken Witt: I'm Kenneth Witt and welcome to Gun Dog Nation. Gun Dog Nation is much more than a podcast. It's a movement to build a community of people around the world that like to watch a well-trained dog do what it's bred to do. Also, we want to get our youth involved into the sport of gun dogs, whether it be hunting, sport or competition. We want to build a community of people united to preserve our gun dog heritage and be better gun dog owners. Tune into each weekly episode and learn about training, dog health, wellness. and nutrition. will also offer tips for hunting with dogs and for competition ⁓ hunt tests, field trials, and other dog sports that involve gundogs. Please go to our website gundognation.com and subscribe to our email list. We will keep you up for them weekly with podcasts that are coming out. We also will be providing newsletters with training tips and health tips for your dog. You can also go to patreon.com forward slash gundog nation and become a member. There's different levels of membership on there. Just go check that out. Also, we'd like to thank Sean Brock providing the music for this show, the introduction and the outro is Sean Brock. He played everything on there except the banjo by Scott Vestal and the bro by Jerry Douglas. Sean is a neighbor of mine from over in Harlan, Kentucky. I'm just crossing mountain in Highton, Kentucky and he's a super talented guy. But most of all, once you guys to check out the Kreekers. They are also from Highton, Kentucky and this is an up and coming bluegrass and country band and these guys are hot. They're all over TikTok and YouTube. You will hear these guys because in a year or so they will be on the radio. They are very talented. Their videos are going viral on the net. These boys are family. Two of the lead singers. One grew up with my daughters and the other one is my cousin's son. So he's family. Check them out, check out the Kreekers. Also, last but not least, if you want to buy a hat, koozie, t-shirt, or even gundog supplies, go to shopgundognation.com and you can purchase any of those items. Thank you so much for listening. It's a privilege to have people that want to put up with me talking about dogs all the time. I actually enjoy what I do and I'm so glad to have this opportunity and thank you. Hello everybody, Kenneth with the Gundog Nation podcast coming back to you today from the ranch in Fort McCavitt, Texas. I won't be here much longer. Jason, I actually sold the ranch this weekend, Saturday, and I've been here almost six and a half years. So it's kind of a bittersweet, you know, but the good thing is I'll probably use this funds to reinvest in the business venture, which I'm going to announce pretty soon. It's going to be really fun. Before we get started, Jason, I also want to I always want to thank my sponsors because, know, our partners too, we have partners and sponsors because they do, you you can imagine they do so much to help us be on here. And they're so supportive of our sport and what you and I do. First is Migrant Munitions in South Carolina. Those guys took me on, Jason, and I was a nobody. I'm still a nobody. But I mean, I was completely unknown. Like no one even, my podcast hadn't been out three months. And they took a chance on me and I'm just so thankful for that. And I'm hoping that I've paid them back, know, ⁓ just give me a chance and sponsor me. One of my first major sponsors really, the second big sponsor I got was Purina. Again, big sponsorship there. It was so nice and I was so humbled. And I think they also took a chance with me because I was still fairly new at that time too. ⁓ know, heck, my podcast is only 15 months old, but I'll go through Foliicious. who are friends of mine, it's Vietnamese ramen noodles. And my friend, Joseph Trousdale and his wife, Ana, created that in their kitchen right here in Texas. They'd been here at the ranch. I knew them before they ever even had that. It was an idea during Colville when they were born. And they got on a shark tank and got a big deal. And they're such nice people. They got kids, they're hunters. Actually, they just bought a smaller place down here from my ranch. But they were here not long ago and stayed. Anyway, so nice to see young people or younger than me. They're not young to everybody else, but, you know, make their dreams come true and just pursue it. ⁓ Next is a big one. Big sponsor we take on this year's Ducks Unlimited. Great partner. You know, they do so much for conservation of waterfowl all over the US, and that's that's what they concentrate on solely. ⁓ Cable games ⁓ guy down in Louisiana. Another guy who. Took an idea and wanted to make something better. He's got the best tie out systems made right here in the USA. And they are heavy duty. Jason, actually bought them. It was a customer before they ever took, you know, sponsored our show. And, and I believe in them. And if you, if you all know me well enough, think you all know I'm not pretentious. Like if I'm back something, I believe in it and use it or I wouldn't have it. You know, I don't do this for a living. God knows I'd start a death, but you know, I don't want to promote something that I don't believe in. ⁓ Dog and hunt supply, summer rentals down in equipment Arkansas, man. If you've never heard of them and she's got customers all the United States and they drive from several states to go to her store. I've never seen any place so stocked up with anything you can imagine in the hunting world and for dogs, especially she owns and runs hounds her whole life. Her son is a hunting guide up in Alaska and some of the other northern states. think maybe Idaho. And that's all he does, you know. I think her husband just tolerates his two dog people in his house, but they're great people, great family-owned business. It's highly successful because of their customer service. ⁓ The next Turtle Box, that's a new one for us. And ⁓ that's a big one because last year ⁓ when I got to working with them, their budget was over and they've been really nice to me. ⁓ I'm just thankful because I was already a customer of theirs too. Last but not least, is Nassar, the National Shoot to Retrieve Association. ⁓ I've got a podcast coming out with six ladies all in here at one time that are members of that association that are national champion competitors in field trials. So, you know, it's really neat. That's a great organization, great brotherhood. I know it's something you and I are going to talk about, ⁓ not just brotherhood, sisterhood. mean, they, it's a great community and they try to encourage people to come in and feel comfortable and not feel alienated if they're new to the dog world and hunting. Jason, you and I, because of our schedules, and I apologize, I've talked to you for a long time, and we're gonna talk about a book that you authored that I have here in front of me. ⁓ Thanks. And it's exceptional. I still haven't got to read it all. I've got to look at excerpts here and there. I keep it at my table. I honestly keep it at my coffee table, but I just need to sit down and try to read more. I go like a madman. All the time. It's such a privilege to get you on here, man. I've wanted to for so long and I know your work schedules is kind of crazy sometimes and you work different shifts, which we're going to talk about your job of it too. It's pretty neat. But, but foremost, just, just tell everybody who you are, where you live. And then I'm going to talk about your book. All right. Yeah. So it's Jason Williams. I live in New York. I'm about mid state. So I'm two hours north of the city. which is not far enough for me, but I'm kind of an oddball, man. You if you look at me, I'm a duck hunter. I've been hunting since I was 17 and I was an uncle who took me under his wing. My family was not, I wouldn't say against firearms, but we had some firearms mishaps in throughout the generations in our family. So they were very cautious about that. And So really I think if it wasn't for my uncle, I don't think there would have even had been a chance for me to step out in that mortarfowl world. so like I saying, I'm kind of the odd man out here as a duck hunter. I can't grow a beard because of my job. I don't have the classic duck hunter look. I'm in New York, which makes me a Yankee. I'm really not even on the map as far as duck hunting goes. And in New York, I'm a Christian, which was that? And you guys have some great waterfowl hunting in New York. I know that I've not hunted there, but we really do. We're it's underrated. It really is. Yes, it is. I hunted with some guys in Arkansas from Buffalo area and they showed me pictures and they're hardcore duck hunters. But yeah, but I'm sorry. Please continue. Yes, you're a Christian in a close to New York City. That's probably a yeah. mean, I actually passed through a little town called New Paltz, New York on my way to work and they were one of the first ones that I'm aware of that ⁓ even began to allow homosexual marriages and stuff like that. I mean, it's just the type of the area that I live in ⁓ that I grew up in and just was a part of like everyone else. now for 11 years now, my eyes are seeing things differently. My ears are hearing things differently. And I just look around and I'm like, man, I am a fish out of water in so many ways. ⁓ but I am five minutes from a boat launch on one of the biggest rivers that I can get to that it's complete public land. have miles and miles of river to hunt. So I don't see me picking up anytime soon. What river is that? Jason. What river? The Hudson river. head. ⁓ wow. Yeah. So it's crazy. I never thought I'll think I'll think of the Hudson river about the, you know, What's the pilot that landed the plane there in the Hudson in New York? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. don't think it was a duck, honey. Yeah. I think I hunt like a 30 mile stretch of that thing. So covered quite a bit. What species of duck are you seeing there? Right now? ⁓ We are locked up hard. I mean, this is the most ice and snow I've seen in a decade. So I actually saw a huddle of mallards and black ducks today on my way leaving work. But really there's almost no open water. From what I was hearing just a few days ago, there's a foot of ice on a lot of the parts of the Hudson, which is tidal. So if it wasn't for the ice cutters going up and down it, there wouldn't even be open water right now. That's something else. And of course Canada geese. Okay. Are there any other species of duck that you see during the season when the water's moving and not frozen? Oh yeah, sure. You know, we're, we're right at the top. I mean, everything that comes to you guys comes through here, but we are over over 20 different types of a waterfowl that comes through. So it starts with blue wing teal, ruddy ducks, green wing teal, wood ducks, mallards, black ducks. I mean, I could go down the list. You're pretty much, I can even shoot sea ducks on the Hudson. So every type of scoter, Old Squaw, which I still call them old Squaw. know people with long tail. But yeah, we have old Squaw. We have just about everything. I've even seen red-breasted mergansers out there. know, the common mergansers come through in flocks of a hundred or better. Sometimes the sky goes dark with those. it's, you know, people have said the flyway has shifted and I do believe that's true. But I will say this, if you're an adaptive duck hunter, You can do well. And I think in the past 10 years or so that people have been complaining that there's no ducks. I think I've done better and seen more different kinds of ducks than I've ever seen before. But you have to be willing to move. know, if you're going to sit in a blind and you're completely dependent on the weather systems and you're going to see whatever comes through there and that's it. Now, when you say move, you move and doing layout blinds. What all types of ways do you hunt up there around that? Yeah, I mean, I bounce around depending on where the birds are. So ⁓ I'm very big about taking the hunt to them. And that's a lot about what this book is based around with people too. ⁓ So primarily I'm in my big 18 foot Voyager ⁓ and with a boat line on it. And whether I hunt out of the boat or on land depends on where I need to be. But I'll hunt flooded timber. There's some swamps. Occasionally I'll get in a field which is actually pretty hard to do around here. No one really wants to give you permission to get in the fields either. But ⁓ I try to go wherever they're at. So anything I need to do, I've been in layout blinds, I've been in coffin blinds, I've been in all that stuff. So whatever works for the birds, that's where I want to be. When I first started hunting, my uncle took me to his blind and that was it. That's where you hunt it pretty much. Whatever came through, came through. If you didn't see anything, You're happy to be out there, I guess. I think I went the whole first season, I shot one bird and I was like, whoa. I was excited. I shot this hen hooded merganser, looked like a woodpecker. wasn't even sure it was a duck when I took it. But yeah, mean, it wasn't until I got mobile where I got out on my own, got my own boat where I really, my eyes were opened up to the idea that ducks also prefer specific areas. you know, specific ducks like different areas. And I, so I kind of have it mapped out in my mind where I need to be for, uh, to find Wigeon or to find blue wing or to find, you know, redheads and, you know, in the beginning that wasn't really even on the map for me. I didn't know what I was doing or starting as a teenager. Most of these guys are born and bred with a gun in their hand, you know, I guess I know farm laws are a little strict there, correct? But probably not so much for long guns. ⁓ They're adding things to it yearly and I think there's a whole bunch of new laws coming out soon. ⁓ The biggest ones now is, which I don't understand, is if you're going to leave your firearm in your vehicle, it's got to be in a lock box. ⁓ Which to me, I just think, wow, that's a fancy carry case for somebody. You're actually hiding the firearm. It's easier to get away with it. But hey, what do I know? You know, I'm not a bureaucrat. ⁓ That's pretty fun. ⁓ The crazy thing about it is I feel like in New York, we have a lot more freedom than guys down south. As far as that, uh, that goes with hunting. It sounds like down south, if you're not leasing or owning land, you're not hunting. That as far as Texas, I agree with that. And, know, so Jason, I think you may know this, maybe you don't, but, I'm from Kentucky and I was born and raised in Kentucky and spent 90 % of my life there until we got here. Right. 80%. And, You know, I wasn't used to private land only and you had to have money. know, a deer lease here when I moved here in 2012 was outrageous. I mean, I could buy a small farm in Kentucky on a lease. I never thought of it what you just said about more freedom. You're right. This year is my first year hunting up north in the Dakotas and stuff with all that public land. And it was pretty nice. So yeah, I do. That's a big part of it. I enjoy the freedom. Obviously anybody who gets out in the field, it's all about being away from society and all that and the peace that's out there. And honestly, I can run probably on any given day. I'll run 10 miles a river or more. If I see another boat, that's a surprise. It's generally just me. We're on that. mean, there are times when you will run into people, but it's not common. Not common. You better be careful. end up, people hear about this. You have a bunch of hillbillies up there trying to hunt on the river. ⁓ yeah. I know about those, those, those internet fishermen, those internet hunters, man, don't poke your spot. I usually have a fake background behind my photos. There you go. I'm in Montana. Jason, we got to get into this. I'm just so excited to talk about this, but I held this up while I go and forgetting that unless you're on YouTube, you don't see what I'm holding. But y'all, I'm, I'm holding a book. Jason actually authored this book called Committed to the Call. It's a 365 day waterfowl hunters devotional. ⁓ Jason, what inspired you to write this book? And it's excellent by the way, everything I've read in it, I'm solely impressed. And the purpose of the book is what means most to me, but I want to hear it from you directly. Yeah. I mean, originally I didn't know I was writing a book. ⁓ I, right after I gave my life to Christ, ⁓ I had a man reach out to me that I had known from a, an internet group called, ⁓ Duck Whacker Nation, I think it was. And, ⁓ I had sent him some decoys. It was a young man who really didn't have a lot of money. and he was looking to get stuff, get some stuff under his belt. And I had a bunch of pin tail decoys I knew I wouldn't use. And so I had agreed to just send them down to him and he sent me like this old dirty hat and, ⁓ a little wood duck whistle. I mean, like almost like a novelty item. And honestly, those things became very near and dear to me. You know, at the time I was like, man, that's, that's something else. You know, ⁓ that's what he had. That's what he had available, you know? But, so I had met this guy and after I'd given my life to Christ, I posted a picture online and he saw it and he goes, Hey, I saw that you, ⁓ gave your life to Jesus. He goes, and, I did too recently. And he goes, I really feel like I'm supposed to start this group called Waterfowlers for Christ. And I was wondering if you'd want to do it with me. And I didn't know anything at the time, you know, I'm real wet behind the ears in the Christian world. I said, you know what, if you're asking me and I have to believe that that's what God wants. So then the answer is yes. You know, you know, scrambling to try to entertain a social media group, you know, one of the things that we came up with was that everybody who was involved should write once a week and just try to tell some type of a story about hunting and then add a Bible verse at the end or something like that. So really the whole way that this book started, and this happened over a 10 year span now, was me writing once a week for the audience of the Water Foulers for Christ Facebook group. And as time went on, people really kept encouraging me, you know, really have to put this in a book, you really have to do. You know, don't have to get this out there. And ⁓ so I decided to look into it, you know, and when I had reached out to a publisher, you know, we had talked about the publishers and how much they cost and how they're honestly not really necessary in most cases, but I didn't know. So I'm looking at $3,000 out of pocket to get this book off the ground. So I said to myself, well, if it's going to be, they were saying, ⁓ we're going to charge probably about 15 bucks for a book. Now I'm cheap. I'll be honest with you. I don't like to pay for anything that I don't have to. And I said, it's going to be $15 and I got to make it a 365 day thing, I can't have people, I like to pay about $4 for a book. All said and done. Man, I had over 400 of them laying around at the time and ends up being in this book. They raised the price of $35, which I have no control over. thankfully, I think Amazon came out of pocket and they bought, they must've bought a hundred copies or so right off the bat. And what happened with them, they can set their own price point. So if it's selling really well, they might keep it the same. If they think they can promote it, they'll drop the price and offer discounts. So honestly, I can get that book for cheaper from Amazon than I can from my own publisher. It's crazy. It is. It's, it is something else. I learned a lot since then. I know a lot more now. How many do you think, do you know how many so far? Um, so in the past year, so we just ended up actually, I think it was this month where it got, uh, published. So over a one year span, I think we sold around 500 copies. And in addition to that, I've probably given away 50 or so, know, just around promotional purpose. The beautiful thing. Yeah. You got one, but the, uh, the beautiful thing about it is, people. that read the book in the beginning just really fell in love with it and decided that they wanted to pull in and support it. So I had someone come over to the house and just drop a wad of cash on the ground. And he was like, listen, I'm making sure I want you to have copies of that book on hand. And I don't want anything back from it. Just make sure you can have them and give them out and do whatever you got to do with it. I want to be a part of it. then recently another man did the same. is like, you know, we We came into some money and I want to make sure you have those books on hand here by another 50, you know, so it's it's been amazing. Like I said, it's a big chunk of money to come out of your pocket to publish. And I will say between just those two guys, I had already recuperated all that back just in them helping me to promote the book. So it was really nice. Hello, this is Kenneth with the Gundog Nation podcast, and we're proud to announce that we are now partnered with Ducks Unlimited. Since 1937, Unlimited has been on a mission protecting the wetlands that waterfowl call home, from the northern breeding grounds to the southern wintering havens. Thanks to the effort of passionate volunteers and supporters, Ducks Unlimited has conserved millions of acres. But the truth is, the work isn't done. Come be part of the next million-acre year. Visit ducks.org forward slash volunteer today and join a team making a real difference. Because when it comes to protecting our continent's waterfowl, That's what Ducks Unlimited does. Hello, this is Kenneth Witt with the Gun Dog Nation podcast. We are so proud to be sponsored by Dog and Hunt Supply and Equipment Arkansas. Many of you know Summer Reynolds and she runs the best dog supply store in United States. I've been there, I buy from her. She has everything you could imagine. Her store and her workers, they are Garmin experts. Matter of fact, Summer herself can work on your Garmin collars. She's also a lifelong hunter, a generational hunter. She owns hunting dogs. She doesn't just sell dog equipment. She backs it up. She's the real deal. And actually, I think she actually might own more dogs than I do. Whether you hunt coon, rabbit, hogs, predators, or your turkey hunter, you name it, they have supplies there for you. She has Sitka, Filson, hay bowl, outdoors, all kinds of clothing, boots, boat boots, deck boots, hunting boots, you name it, they have it. It's dogandhunt.com. Check out Summer Rentals. They're on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. and we are so proud to be sponsored by them. Now, Jason, if you were to tell someone who's a hunter, who just picks up this book, what should they expect when they open it up? I would say, number one, I want to connect with people. You know, I want to be relevant. You know, I'm never going to compromise the Bible in any way, shape or form. But I do. I've been duck hunting for over 30 years, you know, and I love it like you love it. I love it on a level that most people look at you and think you're crazy. A buddy of mine, my first partner, we used to call it waterfowl widow season. And the wives knew once that season kicks off, we'll see you when it's over. So I love it on that level. ⁓ And I'd get mad if people didn't hunt enough alongside of me. ⁓ thank God I've been kind of set free from that now. I don't have to go where before I was compelled to go. And I didn't even know that it was a problem. So what you're going to find in it is you're going to have stories about things that like real life encounters. And then also you're going to encounter like almost like some of them are almost like poetry. ⁓ It's really wherever the Lord led on, like how the style of each one was written. They're only most of them I try to keep them to a page or two pages long because I know, you know, we don't have the biggest attention span, especially in society now. But, know, you're going to You're going to see it's going to it's more it's a nostalgic experience. When I write, I'm trying to take you back to the field. If it's the off season, I want to put you on a creek bank, you know, or I want to put you on a river bank or in a blind somewhere. And so my number one ⁓ purpose when I first start writing is. What did I fall in love with that day, you know, and how can I use that to to connect with someone else who loves the same things I do? So. ⁓ I think it, I don't want to toot my own horn because honestly, you know, most of what was written here, I don't think I would written it the way that I wrote it if it wasn't for my connection with Christ. ⁓ But I read some of these things and I cry, you know, these things move me. like, man, I can't believe that I even wrote that. You know, it's just, I don't know. A lot of times I just think, wow, it was profound. Half the time I can't recall writing it because like I said, it's been over a 10 year span. So you're seeing not only all the experiences I've had, but also how the Lord was crafting me in my walk as we move forward. know, gosh, please don't think I'm a Bible scholar and I don't want to sound like a hypocrite, but I know a lot of the Bible, you know, not probably not near as much as I should. I think in the book of Matthew, is that where it's the great command, you know, where the God says, go out preach the gospel, right? Go out and spread the word. The great commission. Yeah, the great commission. The great commission. Is that Matthew? I'll be honest with you. I am not really good at addresses. know, I've always been a whole Bible guy. I went, I started in the beginning and went through and then I start in Matthew and I'll go through. And so originally I read the whole thing and now I go back and read the New Testament over and over. I Honestly, I'm never one to be able to tell you there's a there's a handful of verses where I can say this is where it is, you know, yes, and I might be wrong. Forgive me Lord, but you know, but The reason I'm asking you that is this your way of ministering to others? Did you feel called as a Christian to minister to others? like you sure, I mean listen I I Didn't go when I went to church or in the church house. I didn't know when I was going, I thought, you know, in my mind, church was God. You you go to a Sunday service even. And I thought if you go to Sunday services, you know, consistently, you found God, you're going to heaven. ⁓ when I, what I actually encountered was something completely different and much deeper than that. And ⁓ I'll tell you, it changed me so drastically that I would look in the mirror and wonder how I got. where I was at. So, I mean, I just, I know what I was forgiven of, you know, I know what I was doing. I knew what my, my decisions were. And I think there was this just really deep understanding of, wow, a lot was done for me. And I just appreciate that so much. What can I do? What can I do to honor you for doing that for me? And also, to other people to see what I have found because most of the people, like, I think they generally believe in God the way that I did. You know, if you go to a Sunday service and that's what you do consistently, you're a good person. You know, you're in there for an hour once a week and then for six days and 23 hours, you're burning it down and you think you're just good to go, you know? And man, it's so much deeper than that. It's really everything that you ever hoped it would be. I remember walking So my mother brought me to church till I was 12. And then when I was old enough to say I didn't want to go, you know, I just didn't go. And I didn't get back until I was in my 30s. And actually there was one time when I was 19, I read the New Testament cover to cover for some reason. And ⁓ I said, I got to go back. And when I went, I was so disappointed by what I had encountered in that service that I didn't want to go back again. honestly, I think a lot of people probably encountered that same situation. like, man, I have such a high expectation on what this is going to be like. And you get there and you're like, wow, this is just stale. And I hate to say that, but there are a lot of places that are just empty. And I was fortunate enough to go to a church service where it was alive. And I didn't know what was going on. I just knew it felt like home. And I was like, man, I just feel really comfortable here. And ⁓ I was riding this roller coaster of emotions. And ⁓ it was wild because I'd be honest with you, I'm a correction officer. I've been there for, this is my 19th year in New York State Corrections. Very hard part at the time. I was about as mean and nasty as I was gonna get in life. And ⁓ I'm going to service, I'm listening to the pastor preach. I can't wait to get through worship. I don't like the music. Just get me to the sermon at the time. I didn't wanna hear all that. Just get me to the point. And I'm there listening to that. And at the same time, I'm going home and I'm making fun of the people. You know, that's, was, was pretty, pretty wild. Like I said, I wasn't expecting to find what I found, you know? And so it really took, for me, God kind of ripped the carpet out from under my feet, you know? And I knew what darkness was. I had a very good meter for that, you know? And I think maybe that had to happen first. in order for me to recognize light when it was there. But I can tell you this, when you truly encounter Jesus for who he really is, it's so much more fun. It's so much more, there's so much more depth to life in general. And I don't know how much longer you want me to go on this line of thought, but I remember my wife had given her life around the same time we both got water baptized, around the same time. And I was walking down my sidewalk one night and I'm looking at the moon and I am just like blown away. And I'm trying to wrap my mind around like, why do I care? I've seen this thing for 36 years. Like it's been the same for 36 years. And now I am so shocked that I can't even like put words to this. And as I'm thinking this, my wife looks at the moon and she goes, wow, it's like it's the first time I've ever seen the moon in my life. And I'm like, that's exactly how I feel. And I know I've seen it. you know, countless times. And really what happens is you do, you know, if the promise of the Bible is that Jesus died to send his spirit back to live in you, right? He's a pure and holy spirit and that you're gonna be born again. And I know people get into like, you know, stereotypes with names like that, but it's not a name, it's not a title, it's what really happens. You become like a newborn baby and you're sensitive now, you're raw, you know. to the environment and everything. And it's like you're experiencing it for the first time. And it's such a beautiful, almost over, it's so overwhelming. A lot of the times I don't have words for it. And the words come out of my eyes, know, end up choked up and tearing up and people are like, are you all right? And I'm like, no, I'm alive inside. I feel things. You know, for 36 years, I didn't realize that I was just kind of animated walking around. And now I I encounter things and I experience things on a level that I can't even explain to you. I've done my best to try in this book. You know, Jason is spooky. Our stories from different parts of the world were so similar. Like my grandmother played organ in Presbyterian church and it was just down the street from our house. And she drug me there until I was probably just like you. I got about 12 or 13. And quit going. And a of those calls. I knew right from wrong and when I wasn't living so right even though I was a young kid or a teenager whatever I quit going kind of out of guilt you know just be honest and I never really went back till I got older and honestly what got me back in church I was playing blood grass music and luckily two of our band members who were brothers were Christian and Not just Christian, I'm from Southeast Kentucky and Appalachia, so we're a little different. They're a Pentecostal. So I grew up in Presbyterian. You can imagine the difference. don't know what Pentecostal is like in New York, but where I'm at, we get down. So we started playing a lot of churches in Leslie County, Clay County, Perry County, Harlan County, Laurel County, all around Kentucky for a while. And I mean, I'm telling this, I'm embarrassed and ashamed, but I sat through altar calls at the end of services and just sat there and sat there and sat there and me knowing, you know, I wasn't right. Right. This went on for 30 years. And then I don't get all into my what happened. You know what? It wasn't. But I just it. My daughter got sick. My oldest daughter was in got sick. It was just some grass. It was like violent bombing. And I was watching my brother play. He played for exile country music band exile in Prestonburg at Mount North City, and she projectile vomited in there and I had to run her the emergency room. And. Next day I called my buddy who was in church and went and got saved, you know, and I had the worst mouth and it just cleaned up. That's what the first thing I noticed is like, man, I get mad. I don't say bad words. ⁓ I didn't just in regular language, but when I was angry, I cussed so bad. Now I probably need to go back and get a washing again. But anyway, you know, I was like you and I had a different and I'm not criticizing the Presbyterian Church. I was probably a fourth generation family member. But when I went back to church, know, I guess playing bluegrass costume, we played fast music. wasn't organ music, Presbyterian music. And I'm not criticizing that. My grandmother was my idol as a child, you know, but that's what she played. And then here I am playing, we're getting down, you know. people's running around in the church. And I was just first time I played, my friends knew that I was raised in a different setting. And they told me, I can't, you've never been in a Pentecostal church. They don't know what's different. Yeah. Yeah. And, uh, man, I mean, you know, it changed me. Like I, the music, the feeling, the that seeing people that's, you know, it was, don't, we won't get into too much detail, but you know, it's, it is, I can understand what you're saying more than you know. ⁓ Have you through your book that's so far, you know, really gotten some notoriety, social media, think probably also helped. Do you have any testimonials from people that's reached out and you said, Hey Jason, because I've read this book, I gave my life to the Lord. Is that it? Yeah. It's almost, it's almost never ending. That is, I know. How does it make you feel? That's what it's all about. I mean, honestly, like, I just want to see people set free. Like I want them to feel alive and have that same connection that I got, man. And just, just really begin enjoying, you know, what what life has to offer, you know? And when I hear that, and I'm the first one, like, I don't know, it's early in this, you know, it's the first year, so I have time to give to people. And I hope that I never run out of time for people. But when I hear someone say that, the first thing I say I wanna do is just pull up right alongside of them. hey, all right, great. let me walk with you through this, you know, I'm a brother, you know, I want to lift you up. I want to point you in the right direction. Maybe I can show you some things that I missed, you know, or that caught me up for a while. And, and, but it's awesome. Cause I understand what it is, you know, I was dead. I was dead. I had that animate life. I was going through the motions, you know, going to daily grind, going to work and man, I hated it. I hate, I don't think I've ever had a job that I truly enjoyed. And You know, like I said, New York State Correction Officer, there is nothing to love about that job. You I remember a lieutenant telling me in the beginning, he said, you remember when you first came to this job? He goes, and you were driving up and you'd get those butterflies in your stomach when you looked at this place. And I said, yeah. He goes, you feel it anymore? I said, no. He goes, it's still there. You just learned how to cope with it. And I was like, man, when he said that, I was like, that is so true. Like it's there. You're hard in your heart. I is a simple word. Absolutely. Yeah. You know, there's, there are things that go on in there. It's not even a job. It's a different life. It's a different world. That's the best way I can say it. There's, there's, there's really not a lot that applies to normal life. You know, you, you are on a different path there. Are you allowed to distribute your book at the prison? ⁓ no, no. so Corrections is evolving in New York. It's a very liberal state, you know, obviously we're kind of always in competition with California for who could be the most liberal. And we're kind of forgetting that when a person commits a crime that ⁓ there has to be a consequence that goes with that in a way. The lines are getting very blurred. And that's the Bible, you it says, you know, as time goes on that lawlessness will abound and people will call good evil and evil good. ⁓ I'm getting to watch that firsthand in there. like ⁓ along the lines of can can they get a hold of the book? The inmates can get a hold of it. You know, if it's available to buy, they can buy it. So ⁓ I will be honest with you. ⁓ Now, I pretty much am out of population. I have 19 years, so for the most part, I'm not really in direct contact. But I have made I mean, you know, I've made a connections with guys where you have a rapport with them, you know, you get to know them. They've been around for a certain amount of years. You kind of know what they're about and you could, you know, you can discuss things back and forth. So there, there are people in there that know what I'm about. And I would say even some of the top ranked gang members that we had come through there, they know for sure what I'm about. And a couple of them had reached out, ⁓ what, even back when I was still in population saying like, I need to get whatever it is that you got. because it was such a drastic change for me that the entire prison saw it. I mean, it was night and day where civilians were calling me because inmates were telling them that they need to speak to me about Jesus. And ⁓ like I said, the higher ranking guys who are usually a little bit better at, they're more like people, you know, persons. They're able to communicate where some of the lower soldiers, you know, they're kind of grunts. They do what they're told, but these guys are... in the position of authority they're in, because they can delegate. Those guys. So there's like a prison hierarchy among the inmates. guess. 100%. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. But everything and even the the people that that run the show are aware of that. And they I think even you can read books on it. They'll show you how the population itself is managed per ethnic group. ⁓ per how many of this gang can be there, who has enemies with this one, and who can be in those situations. Especially at the place I'm at, it's very, I think it's probably more strictly maintained than some of the really big prisons. Hey, it's Kenneth Whip with the Gundog Nation podcast and I'm very proud to have as a new sponsor, Cable Gangs. That's spelled G-A-N-G-Z. Brendan Landry at Cable Gangs has developed, in my opinion, and I'm a customer, the best tie-out systems on the market. They're easy to pack, easy to store, they can coil up just like an extension cord. They use premium galvanized steel cable, coated with durable UV resistant PVC coating. The branding can make custom products, anything you want that's related to a dog tie-out system. or a cable system or a way to safely secure your dog. They've even made a system that works with a bicycle so you can go and exercise your bicycles and have your dog running along with you. It would be impossible for me to describe to you all the different custom applications they have, so just go to their website at cablegames.com and check it out. But also, they make dog tie-outs, a way to safely secure your dog if you're at a field trial, a hunt test, a coonhound competition, whatever that might be. Beagles these guys make the best product on the market check it out for yourself cable gangs calm Hey, it's Kenneth Witt with the Gundog Nation podcast and we are so proud to be partnered with the National Shoot to Retrieve Association, also known as NASTRA. NASTRA has a common love for producing the best bird dogs possible. It's a great community that builds and bonds everlasting friendships. I've actually got to meet a lot of the NASTRA members and who's taken me hunting and some other grouse hunting and stuff in different places. So I can honestly say I'm a member. and I'm proud to be partnered with them. Nassar hosts national and regional field trials that emphasize the working ability of bird dogs. They have been around for over 50 years. There's a reason that Nassar has been around that long. Please check them out at www.nstra.org and belong and support your local Nassar club. They do have national and regional events and it's a good place to help learn to be a better dog trainer, a better dog owner, and to compete with your bird dog. Thank you. You know, You actually had a story right then to me that's testimonial to when you're saved, you shine a different light. ⁓ Actually, you don't have a light beforehand, right? And you bear fruit, you know, and people see that. And that's what attracts people to God. Seeing this changed person, this new person, and people just have to experience it, right? Sure, it's polarizing, you know, and there's Bible verses that say that. said, to one person were the scent of life that leads to life and to another were the scent of death that leads to death. So in that respect, you're walking through life and it's almost like Moses part in the Red Sea. There are people that will run to you and there are people who will run from you and there people who will run at you. A lot exposed to the dark. It does. It does. And I mean, I enjoy it. I've always been a poke the bear kind of guy. I always want to see what's in there. You know, I guess in corrections, that's how I survived it for the first six years. I'm very sarcastic ⁓ to the point that even my coworkers were like having a hard time handling me. And so like I said, it's such a drastic change that they're like, man, do you remember when when I first met you and you told me your boots had more time on the job than me? And like they're tough. these things and I'm like, man, I'm sorry. And they're like, no, it's good because I knew what you were and it was nasty, you know? And now I see you and I'm like, who is this guy? I'm like, me too, man, me too. And that's great. That's what it needs to be. Otherwise, are you getting daily people? Do people reach out to you daily now? They do. They do. And I just had a guy reach out to me recently. He told me he was starting a website and asked if he could advertise the book for me on it. that he screenshots what I wrote every day and shares it with 40 other men every single day. And I was just like, man, that's so big. You know, I could care less. Honestly, I make next to no money on this book anyway. I think I make like seven dollars and some change if you buy, you know, this book from me. It was never about the money to begin with. So I don't care, man. Screenshot it, photocopy it, whatever you got to do, man. Just get it out there. know, yeah. Yeah, I don't care. That's great. Good for you. You know, if I could buy them all and give them to you for free, I would. Well, I'll tell you something. I should have said this to you a long time ago in my one of here's one of my faults. We all have our faults right even. But I get so wrapped up in what I'm doing that I really need to stop throughout the day and thank you. I don't even want my wife, you know, who's always helping me do stuff. I try to thank her throughout the day. My kids, I try to stay in touch with them as much as I can. ⁓ That being said, before I get off on all that stuff, Jason, anything I can do, what little following I have, if you ever need me to present this book in any form or fashion, I mean, I do stuff like that for anybody with no charges, especially something like this that's life changing, right? This is, you know, ⁓ all the stuff we have in this world. And I sold my ranks this weekend. I get paid for it here in about 20 days. It's not worth a dime if I go to hell. It's worth it. ⁓ people need to this. If you don't do anything else in life, you know, I should be holding the Bible in my hand too. Yeah, well, this is a big heavy book. And I think for a lot of people, that Bible is even heavier. know, most people are not strong enough to turn a page in that book. And that's kind of what this is. This is also for like, hey, It's one Bible verse. It's not even a page of Bible verses. It's story. You you remember the old Field and Stream? I think it was Field and Stream or Outdoor Life. You'd have the black and white cartoon. And that was kind of what I modeled this after as I wrote them in my mind. I'm like, man, I used to love that those stories, you know, that was my favorite part of the book when I was a kid. And ⁓ I said, if I could do that, I just want to catch people's attention, have them enjoy it and then just. give them a Bible verse that that story helped clarify for them. know, because most people can't understand, most people are never going to a church service. You know, let's be honest. And like I said, I'm a mobile hunter. It's funny, I think it's irony. You know, like I still am with this thing. The whole idea is to take it to you, you know. I get a lot of flack. I don't get a lot of flack from my pastor, but I do get a lot of flack from other other people and other denominations, which is fine. I think if you believe something, you should fight for it. But the way I read the Bible, it's pretty clear to me that the church, Jesus said, I will build my church upon this rock. So I'm building my church. That's one church. He's got one bride that he's coming back for. It's not going to be all these different ones. And he tells us that He's the cornerstone and on top of that, I'm going to build my father's house with living stones. That's me and you. So according to the Bible, the church is not a building. It even says God doesn't inhabit structures built by human hands. And it says it's not a building, it's people. For all the people that are out there that are big like Avengers fans, the Asgard, they said it's people. That's the fact of what Jesus came to do. everywhere you go, right? Sunday service is a bonus. That service is for us. It's called church services. But, and those are church buildings because they house the church when the church is in it. And when the church leaves, it's an empty building. And I think people have a real hard time understanding that, you know, and they, and they go, I don't want to go to that place because I don't like this, that, the other. Jesus tore the veil from top to bottom so that there'd be no more middleman. Right? And so I think the people that have the hardest time with that with that biblical concept is people who have been institutionalized by a really well-meaning institution. You know, and I go to church services as often as I possibly can. I'm not talking against them. But the idea is this. It's me, right? It's me that you're looking for, not that, right? If your relationship is horizontal between you and the pastor, you've missed it. It's got to be vertical between you and the Lord, and that's everywhere you walk. And if you truly have, you know, really truly laid it down and receive his spirit. It says that's the down payment and proof of what is to come. So there's no other religion in the world that offers proof. He's telling you, I'm gonna give you this. So when you get this, you're gonna know beyond a shadow of a doubt. There's no waiting, no hoping. That's all over with. It's just, got it. And that's the weight that drops off of our shoulders. I'm sure you felt it. It's like, man, I'm just good. No matter what's going on, the storms don't stop in life. No, they're coming. And honestly, as a duck hunter, we look for the storms anyway, right? The colder it is, you saw my video recently, the colder it is, the happier I am. You know, we're in the rain, we're in the wind, we're out there because we know that the prize is coming when the storms are there. If we could just apply that same thing, you know, to life, we'd be a lot better off. But the storms don't stop. But I don't face them alone. You know, where before I did. Yes. You know, Jason, you said something earlier on that struck me, too, because I know I was guilty of that same thing, but I never realized it. I'm going to talk about adultery, right? You idolize something and you're putting that before God. People don't realize that could be NFL football, which I'm a fan of, or it could be fishing, hunting, right? I've got a really good friend. I don't think he'd mind me using his name. He's a pastor in Manchester, Kentucky. He was a singer in our Bluegrass band, Brad Stevens. And Brad is a phenomenal hunter, one of the best Turk and fisherman. you know, bass fishing stuff, muskie fishing. And he's good. Like he, he actually got where he had a big following on YouTube as a for turkey hunting, calling turkeys and stuff. And he's, he's younger than me, but we've hunted together and he's just a natural. Anyway, he's a pastor, full-time pastor, it's full-time job. And he, you know, was hunting like a madman, you know, and just, that was his whole focus in life. And he finally, him a pastor, got, you know, he, Conviction is when the Lord, know, it's it's I don't preach it because I'm not a preacher by any stretch, but he was convicted, you know, of not not criminally convicted, but by the Holy Spirit, you know that, hey, you're putting this before me and buddy, he quit. mean, and he did it on his own. No one criticized him. No one out was like bashing him saying, what are you doing? You need to be preaching and stuff. And I'll never forget that. It just made me think all the things I'm putting first. And I have to and I constantly battle that. Like I, I feel like if I let myself slip, I can slip into because I'm so gold driven and so ambitious, but I'll focus on something so hard and set focus in on the one that provides for me. so I, you helped me think about that. Just saying it. It's funny how the Lord works. I mean, you're sitting here talking to me and I'm now I'm feeling convicted. But yeah, I it's a I'm just I'm so supportive of what you're doing. And it helps. I need this. know, heck, I need this this podcast for me, you know, not just for people listening out there, but and you got some other stuff going on. I will talk about too. But I know this is the middle of the podcast. We're going to do it again at the end of the podcast. But right now, if anybody's out there driving, listen. And Jason, they've got this on their heart or they just want to reach out to you. Tell them how to do that. Sure. Yeah, they can reach out to me anytime. mean, you've got four different things running on Facebook. Now you can find me under committed to the call. There's a main page for that. There's committed to the call devotional Q &A where I put it out there so that people can actually discuss the book with me if they want to as they read along and just pick my brain on it. You maybe they see it clearly. Maybe they don't. ⁓ You can get me through Waterfowlers for Christ on Facebook. There's Instagram. ⁓ know, you could, there's just about any way I could. got, ⁓ I was even on X for a while, but I don't think I'm not really on that. It's too political for me. I couldn't really keep up with the stream, but yeah, anything like that, you can reach out to me through any of those sources. I think probably Facebook would be the best way. ⁓ I also have a website, so it's committed to the call ⁓ dot. Oh boy. Info. I did dot info. I think that was the cheapest one because I'm cheap. So you can reach out to me through there. can email me through that. And if we become friends, I have no problem giving you a phone number or text message in or whatever. 100%. Facebook messenger is fine. But I always want to make that connection. I want a real relationship, especially with somebody who becomes a brother. That's family. And as tough as family can be sometimes. I still always looking for new family members. And you know, I'll just say this and I'll get off my soapbox because I'm no place to Hey, go for it. If it's on your heart, let it loose. But like, you know, when you become a new Christian, your soul, in one sense, I know you're not lost anymore, right? You've been found, but you're kind of lost in what do I do now? Right. Right. And I think that's a crucial time period. I learned that for myself in my own shoes. I can test file that, you know. But when you become a new Christian, if you do, if you're out reading Jason's book, if you, from some other reason, you become a new Christian while you're driving down the road, however that may be, reach out to somebody who is a seasoned Christian who you look up to and respect, because there's so much really is, they're mentoring that kind of needs to take place at that time, in my opinion. Yeah, absolutely. mean, look, the Bible's clear about it. It says that, you know, when you receive the Holy Spirit, there's an anointing that's within you that will teach you. He'll guide you. He's going to lead you into all truth and all that. But you can glean things, right, from an older brother, you know, and if you got the right older brother, he's going to try to get he's going to try to do what Jesus did. Right. He was up here and he put himself way down here to be born as a man, to lift you up. And if you got the right brother. you're going to enjoy talking to that person. You're going to want to, you crave that. I even just feel it just through the podcast, I mean, you talking about these things connecting, the more you do it, the more you're going to grow from it, you're going to actually gain, I draw energy from that. I draw strength from that and we should, and we do need that. And I refer people back to this too. Early on in my podcast, I had a pastor named Johnny Morgan in ⁓ Louisiana. who uses a Labrador retriever and demonstrates dog training to convert Christians. And he evangelizes, he has his own church, but he evangelizes all over. I think it's safe to say pretty much all over the United States. And it was so neat to listen to that. And it was really hard to fully explain it on the podcast, because you you're kind of limited, but he tried, it's just so interesting. So there's lots of ways to be led to Christ, right? Yeah, I'll tell you what, you know, your gundog nation and my dog, my first Labrador, my first Labrador, he is, he's awesome. He really is. And he's a hard head, but he, he loves me on a level that I couldn't possibly comprehend. And, and in that way, I think the dog is one of the best possible examples of unconditional love that we have on this planet. And, mean, I could yell at him or discipline him. And the minute I say, come here, he's coming no matter how he felt about what went on, you I wish we could all be more like that. Yeah. You know, I think of that. My brothers were musicians in Nashville and they used to, ⁓ Billy Carrington used to live with him for a short while, short period, they're friends with him and he had a country song. It's not gospel song, but it was called, I want you to love me like my dog did. I get it. So yeah. But yeah, you're right. Those dogs unconditionally love us. And it's all seem like a lab is like that plus, right? It's like love plus lately. Yeah, we had pit bulls my whole life. So I had never seen, I never dealt with another dog ⁓ until we had him. And it's been a learning process because they're a completely different animal. And I don't think you understand it until you have one. Yes. And so I had a pit bull as a teenager and then I had them in my young years as an adult. I actually ⁓ may have a tattoo somewhere on my body of a pit bull. my mom still tries to pay me today to take it off. ⁓ but you know, I I was really into them. So you're right. Total different breed. Like, yeah. Yeah. And my was just old, you know, pits are just chill, you know, bar. Yeah. At the time you throw a ball, they might get it once after that. They just watch it rolling or like, no, you know, they get a bad rap, but they're actually a good dog. They are very loyal. The problem is they're just so powerful. ⁓ that's the thing. That's right. You got, even though I love the breed and I had the breed, I don't think I'd ever left one of my children as an infant alone just because it is an animal. You know, just like you said, it's so strong, know, and maybe it'd been safe, but I would never chance that. Right. Yeah. I don't blame you. Yeah. You, ⁓ So again, you've got me on here now. I feel like I'm drinking confession serum. You had sent me a song. And, you know, I played music for years and I've been around so many talented people in my own family and cousins, like cousins and friends around Eastern Kentucky, know, fellow bluegrass musicians, you know, and so it takes a lot to impress me. I'm a very big skeptic when I hear someone plays music and sings and I love to be pleasantly surprised. That's the best, you know, but I'm also to have that attorney training. I'm an analytic, you know, skeptic and you sent me a song and I didn't think much of it. And I'm always driving like, like a mad man. So I, I don't want to do something until I can pay attention. So I'd waited and I almost forgot, you know, you got all these things you got to do and I get back to the house and I waited. And I played that. I was like, ⁓ gosh, wow, man. I'm serious. I mean, I was highly impressed and I thought, where did that come from? Who are you? know, ⁓ that is Jason. It was amazing. It was very well written. I mean, I was blown away. And matter of fact, I have a experience as a music attorney and I'm licensed in the state of Tennessee and Kentucky. So if you need, you write a record deal, call me up. Tell me about that and tell everybody how like you listed, you talk about it, I'm gonna shut up. Well, I will say this like. I've heard stories and pastors and people talk about it and they said, you know, when you come to know Christ, He is the Word, right? He's not only the Alpha and the Omega, He's every letter in between. And there are these people who are these great writers and when they were right with the Lord, their writing was phenomenal. And then when they fell away, you could see it just dried up. And honestly, that's what I feel like with this. You could go in my bedroom right now. My top drawer is just piles of paper of things that I've written because I just want to write everything down as I learn it, you know, and ⁓ I honestly just feel like I've not only have an appreciation for the word of God, but words in general and how much there's a new depth for me to words that I can see and feel ⁓ almost like you can almost like taste it, you know, like a taste and see, you know, kind of a thing. Like you could savor these words if you, if you if you organize them right, you know? And so ⁓ that kind of, that started as a joke, that song. ⁓ I remember there was an old Christmas song, you know, these are a few of my favorite things. And so I was listening to that and I was like, man, I was like, you know, what are my favorite things? And I know right off the bat, know, Waterfowl is going to be one of my favorite. And I said, what can I do? What can I write that will make other people like, man, just It just every one of those lines is an attempt to put you in the field when you felt that experience, you know, like, know, for a waterfowl hunter, your finger is resting on that. The ridges of that safety. You're gone almost the whole day. You're intimately familiar with that, you know, and in that song, like some of the things that are in there, it's just, you know, you're talking about the squeal of cylinder springs. Like, you know what that is, man. It's go time, right? That's And it's just, it hits home for a duck hunter. So everything in that, they are my favorite things, you know, but not only mine, but everybody else that experiences them, you know? So it's just, I didn't think that's, I even said it when I first did it, I did it to almost like a jazz. And then I did, I'll send it to you if I have it at like more of a country, just a country song, which some people that I know that are older really like that one better. Wow. But and then when I had sent the almost like, what is that? Like almost like a Luke, Brian, Jason, Aldine style song, my buddy was like, that's it. Don't write any other ones. That's the one, you know, and I actually rejected it at first. I was like, I don't know, man. I like the country version, you know, better. And when I started putting it around, people were like, you got to put this on iTunes. Like I want to buy this and have it on my playlist. And I'm like, I'll throw it on YouTube and all these other things and you guys can just listen to it, you know? So I've catch myself listening to it from time to time. ⁓ listen, it's I'm on. Yeah, I think you need to promote it more and tell everybody they can find that song. I highly suggest you all check this out. Yeah. So you can find on YouTube under my favorite things and, you know, right. Either Jason Williams in your search with that or committed to the call should come up. ⁓ It's also. Now if you do a Facebook reel, you can find it. got it on there. ⁓ It's on iTunes. Yeah. iTunes. I can share it. What's Facebook share that with me on Facebook so I can share it. Sure. Sure. I will. I think I did when I first listened to it, but if I, if I didn't, I want to. Okay. Yeah. That's I pretty much so, ⁓ I, a friend of mine that actually recently water baptized, ⁓ as a videographer and he was in the hip hop industry for a long time. So he's got connections with everything. He's very internet savvy, every text, very tech savvy. And he pointed me to an app called DistroKid. And basically what it does is it will distribute your music to all the major things that it needs to get to. So Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music, all in one shot. It'll just go to everything. then within, some of them populate within 24 hours and some of them are within a week. And you'll get notifications in your email, hey, you're live on this forum, you're live on So it's pretty much on everything. ⁓ And the way to find it would be just my favorite things and either pair that with Jason Williams or write Committed to the Column. You'll find that and a couple other songs that I'm playing around with. Okay. I'll have to check that out too. No, really, man, it was great. I've written some songs and stuff and copyrighted some things and you made me feel very inferior. That's amazing to hear that. mean, honestly, it was good. It was very well written, very creative and a duck hunter would love that. mean, that's great. I it takes off. I see there's a couple hundred people watched it already. Now we've talked about everything. Are you a dog trainer? Purina Pro Plan. Here at Gun Dog Nation, we use Purina Pro Plan for our dogs. We actually use the sport performance edition, which is 30 % protein and 20 % fat, the beef and bison. It contains Glucosamine, Omega-3s for their joints. It also contains amino acids for muscles and antioxidants. It also has probiotics. It's guaranteed to have live probiotics in each serving. There's no artificial colors or flavors. We see the difference in our dogs. We see the difference in their coke, their performance, their endurance, and also in recovery. Be sure to use Purina ProPlan dog food. The reputation speaks for itself. There's a reason that Purina has been around for such a long time. We suggest that you use it and we are so proud to be sponsored by Purina Dog Food. When you're getting ready to go on your next hunting trip, make sure you pack the most efficient and reliable ammunition on the market. Migra ammunition brings you the most diverse loads on the market. Migra's patented stacked load technology is the epitome of efficiency. Two shot sizes stacked together to create the most diverse and efficient line of shot shells in the industry. It doesn't matter what flyaway, what state. or what the weather. The standard remains the same. At Migra, reliable loads that perform in any condition every single time. We're proud to have Migra ammunition as a sponsor for Gun Dog Nation. Hello, this is Kenneth Witt with Gun Dog Nation and I've got to tell you guys about something that I've gotten hooked on lately. It's Fauxlicious. These are gourmet instant faux and ramen bowls that actually taste like the real deal. When I'm out in the field all day and the last thing I want is to settle for bland camp food, Fauxlicious is what I go to. It's authentic, the flavor, it's real ingredients, it's ready in just minutes, it's perfect for hunters, fishermen, or anyone on the go. and can get them over 1900 Walmarts nationwide, your local HEB here in Texas, or you can just go online at folicious.com. Trust me, once you try it, you'll keep a few stocked in, in your bag, in your pack pack, or for your next adventure. I just want to say this, I'm going to add this to this commercial, because I know the owners of this company, they've hunted on my ranch, ⁓ Joseph, He and I actually met in Colorado on a hunting trip that was a real adventure. They are true hunters. They've hunted at the ranch, know, and I've hunted with them. And Ana, she is just amazing. She is the one that came up with this idea. They were both on Shark Tank. They are amazing people. So I love seeing people like this have a business. And I just had to say that in addition to the commercial because I really believe in the product and I believe in the people that made the product. Be sure and go to Fauxlicious.com or go to Walmart or HEB and try their product. I promise you, you will like it. I am somewhat, you know, ⁓ honestly, whatever I've learned has been with my dog Hudson now. And I've done some things right and I've done some things wrong. You know, I think if we get another dog in the future, I'll know what not to do. ⁓ One of the stories I wrote in the book is actually called Many Masters. And, you know, it's tough when you have a dog that doesn't just listen to you, he listens to the wife, he listens to your children. There's a lot of different training going on there. Sometimes I'm like, ⁓ man, he's training this way. Please don't deviate from that. But I always joke with him. I tell him he's half hunting dog, half house dog. and he's in the field. Sometimes that shows that especially the first retrieve that's usually some rough edges. That's my fault. Not spending the appropriate amount of time with them. It's like anything else, man, like Christianity, duck hunting, Labrador training. It's time spent. you have to invest and what you put in is what you're gonna get out. It's my biggest drawback too. I don't get to work my dogs enough. And so a lot of times, I'll do as much as I can. And then I realize I'm consumed with everything I got going on that I'll send them off to one of my pro training buddies. I always hate to mess a dog up that's got so much potential. Yeah, he's got the drive, that's for sure. retrieve until he collapses. But I would say the one thing I messed up on, I didn't realize I was doing it, is my backyard is only about 25 yards long. So all the retrieves that he's done are at that range. And when you drop a duck and he falls at 75, he's straight lining it until he hits about 25. And then he's like looking around like, should I go further? What am I going to do? You know, so I learned that in the future, we're doing much longer retrieves. And you probably know this already, especially puppies, if you can train them in as many different terrains and places that you possibly can, it just helps them so much. Yeah. And I got to give it to Hudson. mean, I'm hard on him. I really am. I got to be better. But he handles some rough terrain. there's almost never a time that we're hunting a flooded field where he can run across, you know, two foot of water or a foot of water. He's always over his head. It's always a boulder, like boulder covered, muck covered, boulder shoreline, and he's coming in and out of holes. Anything could break a leg at any time. He's got it bad, you know, and he thrives. I have to give him credit. He really does. He comes out with it, you know, even under those situations. Where did you get him from? ⁓ So we ended up going to a place called Marathon, New York. There was a breeder up there. So it was about a three hour round trip. He was a wow present for my daughter. She was three at the time and actually brought him home for Christmas. I slept on the floor in my parents basement with him the night before because we wanted her to wake up and have him under the tree. So we got a good bond the first night sleeping together over there. ⁓ yeah, he's a charcoal man which they were not recognized, AKC. They're not even recognized as a a purebred lab in a lot of cases, they actually cull them because it's like they call it a dilute gene. They're not sure if there's like some Weimerheimer in there with it. But so for me, like I saw him and I was like, man, he's the color of everywhere I hunt. You know, I don't I don't know nothing about AKC. I don't care about any of that stuff. I just want a dog that blends in and he's going to do what I tell him. he's so he's he's unique. And when people see him, they're like, wow, I never saw Labrador that color before. said, yeah, because they kill them. in order to get him out of the bloodline. So we were fortunate to get him, you know, so I do, I do enjoy him. Like I said, he's a hard head, but he is, he really, he goes out of his way to try to please his master and everything he does. And you know, I don't know if you're like me, but you can talk about me, but don't talk about my kids. ⁓ like no bad mouth, but yeah. Yeah, you gotta be a real close friend of mine to tell me, you know, something about the dog. Yeah, I don't know if you can talk about my dog now. Yeah, might. Yeah. My kids are probably think I'd stand up more for my dog than them, but you know, yeah, it's it's a. So. What's what's next, Jason? Well, so ⁓ honestly. I'm always just, just kind of have feelers out to see where I think the Lord wants things to go. ⁓ you know, how can I, how can I really let people know the truth about what's going on? ⁓ you know, get them away from being offended, you know, and, just make it comfortable, make it, make them realize that this is real and this is, there's a life available to you, you know, that you have not, you have no idea. Like I had two friends come up from Georgia recently and hung with me actually stuffed two birds for them to black ducks. which I guess is like kind of a unicorn bird for them down in Georgia and At the end of our hunt their brothers in Christ, know And so everybody that was hunting there was four of us were all in Christ and at the end of it I remember the one looking at me. goes man He goes if people only knew he was like we get to do this, you know, it's that good I was like man. That is so true. I wish they could understand like there's no connection. There's no bond like that There's no experience like that level and that's what I always want for people like this is God is not what you think he is, you know, and he's so much more, so much better. so going along the lines of that man who said he's been screenshotting the book and and sharing with 40 people, he said he had witnessed in a duck blind or in a boat, you know, out in the field with people. And he said, I had success, you know, that people were like blown away by this, you know, and are intimidated by, you know, the system. And I said, well, I'll tell you what I said, this is a big bulky book, man. It's hard to carry. And I said, let me write a new one. I'll make it a handbook, something you can put in your pocket. And I know now through, if you publish direct through Amazon, I can control the price point. I can make it as cheap, you know, $5 or less. said, let me pick 10 stories that hit hard in the field and that you, you can buy enough of them. You can just give them away, you know, so it's instead of sharing from the book and telling them, you should buy the book here, take this home with you, you know, and, so that I think the next thing is going to be, uh, and and I reach out to you on this too. Um, I, I reached out to a bunch of people that I trust, you know, and I said, let's pick something from the big book, you know, that really hit you hard, you know, so I want the best of the best out of what we've written. Uh, and then I've also written some new ones already, real time things. instead of remembering or future stuff like now. When you're reading it, it's stop and look around and let me explain to you what you're seeing kind of things. so I think honestly, that's where I'm headed next. The music stuff is still a toy for me. I have a good time playing with it. I really do. And I have a lot of people encouraging me. I have artists like Steve Conover, who has written some things, who I was very close with, I think was baptized by Jace Robertson. and wrote some, actually have a video of him playing the guitar with Phil. So Steve is very encouraging to me. There's another man named Sean O'Shields. did a song called Guitarist Guns and God. I love that song. And so he's also encouraging with that. So there are voices in my ear that are like, hey, you know, you should do this. And so I'm not going to withhold from that. If that's where we're going, if the doors open, like I'm learning also now, like there are times when doors are shut and when they're shut, don't kick through them. It's just pain, you know, but there are times when it's like every door blows open and those are the ones I want to run through. So I kind of wait around for that and I feel it out and I'm like, all right, if this is an open door, I'm running through it. You know, I'm to run through it as fast as I can. So I do believe that the pocket, the handbook is going to be next. Oh, I would have that idea, but duck blind handbook. Yeah. Something you can put in a blind bag, right? know, Last question I want to ask you. because I don't know the answer, like, does the waterfowl is for Christ? Do y'all do group hunts? So, no, we're, well, yes and no, let me put it that way. I've been expanding the administrators of that group this year because we get so many people saying like, where's your chapter? Where can I get involved? It's tough though, because it's one thing to be a waterfowl hunter. You that's easy. You you love that, you do that. It's something you love, but a lot of people think they're Christian and they're just really not into it. You know, they're not. I hate to say that. I don't even like to be the guy to judge that, but you can tell when someone loves the Lord. Like if you love fishing, you're going to talk about fishing. You know, if you love hunting, you're going to, can't help but talk about hunting and you love the Lord. It's no different. You know, so I'm going to see your Facebook page. I'm going to see what you're about. And honestly, most of the time, if I'm going to add you as someone that I trust with that, I'm most likely already have a relationship with you now. You know, I want, I want to make sure you're the real deal and you're not going to leave people astray, you know? So, but we are, ⁓ I guess the two gentlemen who came up and haunted with me from Georgia, ⁓ they are now also administrators for the group. So we did do a group hunt in that respect. I have flown to, ⁓ yeah, I think y'all should. Yeah. I mean, you know, I had these ladies on the sisterhood of the hunt, you know, they're all over social media. They've had as many as 22 ladies from all ages go on a hunt. That's amazing. Yeah. So I think, you know, Christian men and women going on a hunt would also be a great thing. ⁓ yeah. I mean, we've done it on a small scale. I'd love to do it. It's growing. I don't know if you're familiar with Clay Garrett of rugged and committed out tours. ⁓ Man, just a solid, solid guy. He's going to actually be I'm sending a bunch of books to him. He's going to Palmetto sportsman show. He's going to be giving them away down there. and ⁓ he's going to join us next year. So as we started this like small group hunt, it is now beginning to grow bigger. So I definitely see stuff like that happening in the future. You a family man too, man. It's hard for me to leave my family. Now, if I can take you hunting here and I'll guide you, I don't have to shoot a bird. Again, that's God working with me. There was a time where if I'm taking you out, man, you can hit a bird good for you. If not, I'm going to take that bird. But I've been set free from that. was my addiction. It was one of my addictions. ⁓ so now even just bringing my friends out recently, I don't think I pulled. I don't know if I pulled the trigger. I did on a cripple, but most of the time it's all about everyone else, you know, and I can do that and I have just as much fun doing that now. Well, you know, I've taken my dog on some, especially some crane and geese hunts and stuff. And after I've shot a few, I pretty much set my gun off the side to start running my dog. I saw that crane. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I'm just as happy doing that, you know. Sure. Hey, I want to come up sometimes because I love hunting in places I've never hunted, you know, and that would be a whole different experience to me. You're welcome to it. Yeah. And pin me in and we'll make that work this season. All right. Well, Jason, know you you probably got to get up early in the morning, don't you? You're not. You are actually I have a day off tomorrow. I'm getting ready to head to me and the wife said to Nashville to the national the NWTF. I said that the National Wild Turkey Federation Expo down in at Opryland Hotel and they say I've never been believe it or not. I've been to local NWTF stuff back in the day in my hometown but I've never been they said this is the biggest hunting convention of all. That's awesome. So I don't have a booth, couldn't get a booth there, cause it's like we're on the wait list, 300 back or something. So I'm just going to walk around and meet people and you know, just hopefully meet new people. That's what I love about this. I wouldn't know you had I not been on this podcast, you know, and the people I've met from hunting and from this is just, it's a blessing. Yeah. It's been, I'll tell you what, God keeps illuminating people. you know, for me to connect with and they've been great. And I won't drop any names, but there's been some pretty good recognizable people in the waterfowl industry. One of them's another micro sponsored guy and his life has shifted drastically. I mean, it is a pleasure to watch, but, I mean, love connecting with people like that. Well, I think what you're doing is going to, is going to be even more contagious as you go forward. And, ⁓ I foresee, Definitely not psychic, but or anything like that. I just common sense tells me you're just, you're just getting started. I sure hope so. I hope so. Yeah. Well, Jason, it's a pleasure. I'm so glad that we finally got a time that worked out as I know him the world's worth. Kelly Carey, I've been trying to get him on his pocket as fair as an AKC judge over Southeast Texas. And, I'll shoot him a text like, Hey, can you build a not it drives him insane, but he wants a week. And he wants to know topics. You know, I don't have enough organizational skills to do that, but I'm gonna get on here because he's so knowledgeable about dogs and he's a big Christian, super nice guy. Just he's a wealth of knowledge. One of the smartest guys I've met, truly. And he's a big supporter. anyway, I've got to just counter him in for like two weeks down the road or something. Yeah. We found that the door's open, right? Run through them. You'll know. That's right. Well, hey, I appreciate your patience on my scheduling. I'm the same. Better late than never. That's right. That's right. All right. Jason, thank you so much. And tell everybody again where they can find your song, where they can find your book. ⁓ yeah, sure. So come into the call.info on the Internet. If you want to go straight to it for the book, the songs are on everything. So ⁓ my favorite things ⁓ and just write Jason Williams after it or Commitment to the Call after it. You'll find it on just about every platform. So, Waterfowlers for Christ on Facebook, Commitment to the Call on Facebook, Commitment to the Call on Instagram, Jason Williams on Instagram, know, anything connected with my name or the book name, you'll find me. I love it. Jason, it's been a pleasure. I hope I get to hunt with you soon. Yes, sir. I'm looking forward to it. Thank you so much.