I recently had the opportunity to spend some time with Mr. Stanley, talking turkey hunting and running calls at the 50th annual National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) Convention in Nashville last month. If you spend enough time around the turkey hunting community, his name eventually comes up.

On a recent TikTok Live, Equalized Outdoors, George’s Boy Outdoors, and Ronnie "Cuz" Strickland came together for what was billed as an open discussion on turkey hunting. What unfolded instead was a rare, unscripted exchange that exposed a deeper tension—and opportunity—within modern conservation culture: how the resource is talked about, who gets invited into the conversation, and who is trusted to carry it forward.