About this episode

Ron Schara is an outdoor writer, television producer, and the creator of Minnesota Bound. A former Minneapolis Tribune and Star Tribune outdoors columnist, he launched the show in 1995 with his black Lab, Raven, and later hosted ESPN’s Backroads with Ron and Raven. Before any of that, he was a music student who wanted to be the next Andy Williams.

In this conversation, Ron shares how a writing professor changed his direction, why he left a newspaper career for television, and how a red bandana helped turn Raven into the star.

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Show links

Guest links

Chapters

  • 00:00 Minnesota Favorites and Rapid Fire
  • 02:55 Duck Hunting with Bud Grant
  • 07:26 Growing Up Outdoors in Iowa
  • 09:31 Music School, Journalism, and Andy Williams
  • 15:47 Why Minnesota Bound Started With People
  • 20:40 Raven’s Red Bandana and the Leap to Television
  • 26:08 Leaving the Newspaper and Reaching ESPN
  • 29:09 Peacock Bass, Tarpon, and Piranhas
  • 34:01 Africa, Hunting, and Habitat
  • 36:44 Monarchs and Purple Martins
  • 40:47 Finding the Next Story
  • 42:54 The Fishing Story He Never Forgot