Episode 100: Centennial
For the 100th episode, Caitlin peppers Mike and his brother Mark with questions about the podcast’s first hundred episodes: biggest advancements, worst mistakes, deepest regrets, and dream future guests. It’s a warm, funny look back at two years of family storytelling, plus a preview of what’s coming next, from a New Mexico balloon fiesta to a long-awaited white-tailed deer hunt in Illinois.
Episode 99: This Outdoor Life
Drawing on inspiration from Ira Glass and his “recording with kids is hard” mantra, Mike and Caitlin try something new: playing back a raw, stream-of-consciousness recording Mike made with sons Robert and Emmit about their Labor Day weekend, then pausing along the way to react to it in real time. The result is a warm, funny, occasionally chaotic snapshot of dove hunting, water parks, soccer schedules, a very confused dog birthday, and a chili festival, all narrated by a seven-year-old and his little brother.
Episode 98: Alaska to Africa (Part 2)
Picking up right where last week left off, Mike, Joe Skorupski, and Derrick Miller dive fully into Derrick's two decades of hunting across Africa. From the books that first pulled him in to the real differences between high-fence operations, free-range ranch hunts, and true wilderness safaris, this episode is a deep, practical education in what "hunting Africa" actually means.
Episode 97: Alaska to Africa (Part 1)
Joe Skorupski returns for a third appearance, and this time he brings Derrick Miller, one of the two friends who joined him on the grueling Alaska caribou and moose hunt from episodes 40 and 41. This episode catches up on Joe's recovery a year past his liver transplant and his remarkable, almost impossibly timed Wyoming bighorn sheep tag, then sets the hook for next week, when Derrick takes over to talk about more than a decade of hunting across Africa.
Episode 96: The Little (brother) 4-0
It's Mark's 40th birthday, and Mike sits down with his younger brother for a reflective, unscripted conversation about turning 40, legacy, and how their relationship to the outdoors has changed with age. The episode closes with a surprise: Mike secretly collected birthday messages for Mark from the whole family, including Kate, their mom and dad, Matt, Rachel, and CJ.
Episode 95: Summer Ruhls
Uncle Sim, 94 and a half years old, returns for a third farm-life installment, this time walking through what summers looked like on the family farm in Rexmont, Pennsylvania in the 1930s and '40s. From county fairs and hand-cut hay to threshing wheat, spraying and processing apples, and husking fifteen-plus acres of corn by hand before hunting season could even start, Sim paints a vivid picture of farm childhood work and the small joys that came with it.
Episode 94: Preparation
Mike and Caitlin open with an apology to Julian Cabral for the accidental episode title mishap from the Argentina series, then settle into a wide-ranging catch-up: Mike's upcoming colonoscopy, Caitlin's 40th birthday trip to the Florida Keys and Disney World, the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, a tribute to longtime family friend Catherine Schott, and the decision to sell their decades-old boat to a friend in Louisiana. They close by mapping out a genuinely packed fall of travel and hunting.
Episode 93: Massive Trout of Patagonia (Part 2)
Mike, Caitlin, and GT continue their conversation with Julian Cabral of Massive Trout Fly Fishing, picking up the Argentina trip story as it heads north out of Patagonia into Mendoza wine country, a chaotic dove hunt in Cordoba, and the pursuit of Golden Dorado in the north. Julian also opens up about his own travel and fishing habits, the road trips he takes with his family down Ruta 40, and how people can connect with him to fish Patagonia or the North Platte.
Episode 92: Massive Trout of Patagonia
Mike sits down with Julian Cabral of Massive Trout Fly Fishing on the day of the Argentina-Spain World Cup final, and the conversation turns into a wide-ranging look at Patagonia. Julian shares how he grew up in Bariloche, built his guiding business from the ground up, and why the wild trout fishery on the Rio Limay is unlike anything in the States. Mike, Caitlin, and GT also revisit their own trip to Argentina a decade ago, from the clarity of the water to the unforgettable riverside lunches.
Connect with Julian at www.massivetroutflyfishing.com
Episode 91: Bad Boating Behavior
Boat ramps, trailer troubles, no-wake zones, and unforgettable family stories—this episode has a little bit of everything. Mike, Poppy, and Matt share funny boating mishaps, discuss the etiquette that makes life easier for everyone on the water, and prove that even experienced boaters have plenty of stories to tell.
Episode 90: Unscheduled Landings (Revisited)
Poppy, Matt, Mark, and Mike share some of their favorite stories of unexpected flights, abrupt landings, and outdoor adventures that didn't quite go as planned. Equal parts funny and cautionary, this encore episode is the perfect lead-in to next week's conversation about bad boating behavior, boat ramp etiquette, and the memorable things we've all witnessed on the water.
Episode 89: One Fish, Two Fish, Redfish, Cobia
The Outdoor Ruhls wrap up another unforgettable week on the Chesapeake Bay, reflecting on family adventures, memorable catches, and the inevitable mishaps that become the best stories. From chasing cobia and redfish to laughing about everything that didn't go according to plan, this episode is a celebration of fishing, family, and making memories that last long after the trip is over.
Episode 88: Outdoor Dads
Mike and Mark are joined by Meateater's Seth Morris for a Father's Day conversation about raising kids, outdoor traditions, and the experiences that shape families. From Montana life and a memorable New Mexico oryx hunt to woodsmanship, community, and fatherhood, the discussion explores why the outdoors is often about much more than hunting.
Episode 87: More Than Inches
Mike, Caitlin, and GT sit down with official Boone & Crockett measurer Nicole Tatman to explore the history, purpose, and conservation legacy of Boone & Crockett and Pope & Young. The conversation goes beyond antler measurements to discuss fair chase ethics, wildlife conservation, and the role record books play in documenting North America's greatest game animals.
Along the way, Nicole measures Caitlin's public-land archery elk, explains how the official measuring process works, and helps put the bull's impressive final score into historical perspective.
Episode 86: Mountain Hollow Review
Mike sits down with Jeremy Cressley of Mountain Hollow Game Calls to recap the highs, lows, and lessons of the 2026 turkey season. From Osceola turkeys in Florida and New Mexico gobblers that wouldn't cooperate to discussions about TSS loads, public-land pressure, and calling strategy, the conversation is a candid look at why turkey hunting keeps us coming back year after year.
Episode 85: Have You Learned Anything?
On the morning after his 46th birthday, Caitlin turns the tables and interviews Mike about the lessons he's learned through family, fatherhood, conservation work, hunting, fishing, and life in general. Through stories from Yellowstone, Montana, deer camp, youth sports, and raising Robert and Emmit, Mike reflects on gratitude, humility, getting older, and the people who have shaped him along the way.
Episode 84: Ole Bull Memories
In Episode 84 of the Outdoor Ruhls Podcast, Mike, Mark, and Caitlin share stories from Ole Bull State Park, Deer Camp, and the trout streams of north-central Pennsylvania while reflecting on the family traditions that shaped them. Along the way, they dive into the history of Ole Bull, swap fishing stories, laugh about unforgettable childhood memories, and look ahead to upcoming adventures in Cape Charles.
episode 83: Tackling Matt’s Addiction
Mike and Matt record their first-ever two-person episode and dive headfirst into the rabbit hole of fishing tackle addiction. From Pennsylvania bass fishing and six-pound largemouths to braided line, fluorocarbon leaders, and thousand-dollar rod-and-reel setups, the brothers break down the gear they actually use and why serious anglers are always chasing the next perfect setup.
Episode 82: A Mother’s Love!
In this Mother’s Day episode, Mike and Caitlin reflect on family, motherhood, and a weekend adventure in Glenwood, New Mexico before Mike, Poppy, and Aunt Beth remember Grandma June Gettle Ruhl. Through stories of her art, kindness, family love, and lasting influence, the episode becomes a tribute to mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and the women who shape us across generations.
Episode 81: A Mother’s Love?
In this special Mother’s Day episode of the Outdoor Ruhls Podcast, Mike, Karen, Caitlin, and Poppy share stories and memories about Mike’s grandmother, Elizabeth “Nutt” Hartlieb, a complicated woman whose difficult upbringing shaped much of her life and relationships. Funny, uncomfortable, and heartfelt moments lead to a deeper conversation about family, resilience, gratitude, and the importance of choosing love and positivity even after hard experiences.