This week, Jeff Smith and Carson Odegard sit down with California outdoors legend Yancey Forest‑Knowles—a waterfowling and conservation icon with over 70 years in the field. Dubbed the “embodiment of the authentic outdoorsman,” Yancey’s journey began duck hunting at age 10 in the Bay near Palo Alto and evolved into a life filled with adventure, leadership, and preservation (cohof.org).

A former elementary-school principal from Santa Rosa, Yancey’s passion for wildlife runs deep. He’s leased marshland for duck clubs, guided white-water rafting trips for over a decade, and even raced yachts across the Pacific and Atlantic. A champion sporting-clays shooter, he’s traveled the world hunting and fly fishing, and he co-authore ...