I am trying something new here. I am recording this podcast solo and sharing my hunt packing plan and the gear I bring for my upcoming elk hunt. I am very curious how this lands with the EatWild audience.  If this podcast translates for you,  then let me know and I'll share more like this. 

Here is my Adventure Hunt Planning List.  Feel free to follow along on this podcast as I share how I organize, plan, and pack for my hunt.  This is a general list. There is no guarantee this is has everything you need for a hunt, but it's a good starting point. Download and save a copy and add it to it for you. Please let me know if I missed anything too! 

This podcast is about planning a hunting trip, explicitly focusing on the initial concept or plan, choosing hunting partners, coordinating logistics, and organizing gear and food. I share my comprehensive gear list and considerations for food planning, including the trade-offs between freeze-dried meals and cooking real food. I share my theory for a detailed packing list, including food, a day hunting kit, a spike camp kit, a base camp kit, a clothing kit, a meat care kit, a personal kit, a tech kit, and elk hunting gear. 

Dylan’s gear list. 

Join me at the Spike Camp community at 7 pm, on August 27th, 2024. I’ll be conducting an online presentation on early-season elk hunting. 

The iHunter App supports the Eatwild Podcast and other programs. It is an essential tool for making you more comfortable in the woods. The app's mapping layers, navigation tools, and hunting regulations are packed into it to give you the information you need on your next adventure. 

As always, Seek Outside brought this podcast to you. They make unique ultralight tents and packs for your next adventure. Use the discount code EATWILD on your next purchase. Please use this Affiliate link, as it will let them know you heard about Seek Outside from our podcast. https://seekoutside.com?aff=15

You can stop in at Beere Brewing and take advantage of a 10% discount on the purchase. Use the code EATWILD10 on your next purchase.  Beere makes a great selection of bright, crisp beers perfect for the patio or around the campfire.

 

Takeaways

1. Start the hunt planning process with a concept or plan that excites you.
2. Choose hunting partners who are committed, compatible, and have hunting confidence.
3. Coordinate logistics through group chats and online meetings.
4. Use technology like radios and inReach devices for communication and navigation.
5. Create a comprehensive gear list and consider the trade-offs between freeze-dried meals and cooking real food.
6. Prioritize vehicle maintenance and leave a trip plan with someone. Having a well-equipped truck kit is essential for roadside emergencies, including spare tire, tire repair kit, compressor, axe, saw, shovel, and tow strap.
7. Regularly review and organize all gear before the trip to ensure everything is functional and clean.
8. Take care of your boots by greasing them with beeswax or boot grease, and avoid overheating them.
9. Consider using paper maps in addition to digital maps for a better overview of the hunting area.
10. Create a detailed packing list that includes food, day hunting kit, spike camp kit, base camp kit, clothing kit, meat care kit, personal kit, tech kit, and elk hunting gear.
11. Leave a trip plan with a responsible person who can take action if you don't check in.
12. Use the Splitwise app to track expenses and split costs among the hunting group.

•  

Chapters

 

Introduction and Starting Point

02:26

Choosing Hunting Partners

06:13

Coordinating Logistics

08:06

Utilizing Technology

09:29

Organizing Gear and Food

26:25

Vehicle Maintenance and Trip Planning

26:54

Essential Gear for Roadside Emergencies

31:08

Tips for Gear Organization and Maintenance

33:29

The Importance of Boot Care

36:24

The Benefits of Using Paper Maps

39:28

A Comprehensive Packing List for Hunting Trips

51:13

Leaving a Trip Plan and Tracking Expenses

Ashley and Jason gifted us a fly-in hunting adventure as a wedding present. Wow! What a generous gift, and clearly, these amazing friends know us well. In August 2023, after a year of excitement and planning, Miki, Ashley, Jason, and I were loaded up in a float plane and flying deep into the Cassiar wilderness in Northern BC.

Join us on our 2023 Cassiar Mountain hunting adventure. Miki, Ashley, and Jay will guide us through this epic hunting adventure while on the hunt taking refuge from the storm in the tipi tent.  Stick around to the end, and you'll know why we are celebrating Ashley and Jason today. Also, you can bet that there will be another adventure with this crew next year! 

Please note that this hunt happened in 2023 when the Caribou hunt was still managed as a general open season. In 2024, Caribou will be managed under the Limited Entry Hunting Program. 

The iHunter App supports the Eatwild Podcast and other programs. The app is an essential tool to make you more comfortable in the woods. The mapping layers, navigation tools and hunting regulations are all packed into the app to give you the info you need on your next adventure. 

This episode is supported by BC Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BCBHA). The BCBHA is a young conservation organization dedicated to protecting wild places and critters that live in these wild places. Come out to a local event and get to know the BCBHA community. 

As always, Seek Outside brought this podcast to you. They make unique ultralight tents and packs for your next adventure. Use the discount code EATWILD on your next purchase.

We also get support from our friends at West Coast Kitchen Canada. So stock up for the adventure season and use the discount code EATWILD.

You can stop in at Beere Brewing and take advantage of a 10% discount on the purchase. Use the code EATWILD10 on your next purchase.  Beere makes a great selection of bright, crisp beers perfect for the patio or around the campfire.

We are talking about how to hunt mature Mule Deer timber bucks! Jordan Kowalchuk of @bcbackcountry joins me, and he shares his passion and process for hunting mature bucks.  For Jordan, preparing for a successful hunt is a year-round process and can take years to come to fruition. 

We talk about habitat, hunt timing, strategies, processes for finding mature deer and strategies for hunting.  I learned a ton in my conversation with Jordan, and I can't wait to get out on the hunt. 

If you like this type of podcast, let me know, and I will do more "how-to-hunt" topics.  Good luck in the Mule Deer woods this season! 

Please support this podcast by using our partner discount codes. 

If you're interested in learning the foundations of how to hunt elk, you should check out the EatWild Learn to Hunt Elk program - you can find that on our website or on our EatWild Thinkific platform. It's pretty cool and you will learn a ton.

This episode is supported by BC Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BCBHA). The BCBHA is a young conservation organization dedicated to protecting wild places and critters that live in these wild places. Come out to a local event and get to know the BCBHA community. 

The iHunter App supports the Eatwild Podcast and other programs. The app is an essential tool to make you more comfortable in the woods. The mapping layers, navigation tools and hunting regulations are all packed into the app to give you the info you need on your next adventure. 

As always, this podcast is brought to you by Seek Outside. They make unique ultralight tents and packs for your next adventure. Use the discount code EATWILD on your next purchase.   We also get support from our friends at West Coast Kitchen Canada. So stock up for the adventure season and use the discount code EATWILD.   You can stop in at Beere Brewing and take advantage of a 10% discount on the purchase. Use the code EATWILD10 on your next purchase.  Beere makes a great section of bright, crisp beers that are perfect for the patio or around the campfire. 

 

In this episode, we're talking elk. More specifically, we're talking elk calling. I've asked Bill Ayer of Slayer Calls to come join me and talk about innovations in elk calls to help make elk calling a little bit more accessible.

I found Slayer calls because I was looking for an alternative to help me improve my elk callling technique. I have always opted to go with external tube and handheld calls that produce consistent elk sounds, and I rely more on my setup for my success than my calling prowess. I have always struggled to get consistant result from a reed call.

Bill shares the benifits and challenges of using a mouth reed call to get the full range of elk sounds. We discuss the tools that are available for folks like me who are looking for alternatives to a mouth reed, but want the vocabulary you can get from a mouth reed call.

So you'll enjoy this episode if you want to learn about elk hunting and elk calling.

If you're interested in learning the foundations of how to hunt elk, you should check out the EatWild Learn to Hunt Elk program - you can find that on our website or on our EatWild Thinkific platform. It's pretty cool and you will learn a ton.

This episode is supported by BC Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BCBHA). The BCBHA is a young conservation organization dedicated to protecting wild places and critters that live in these wild places. Come out to a local event and get to know the BCBHA community. 

The iHunter App supports the Eatwild Podcast and other programs. The app is an essential tool to make you more comfortable in the woods. The mapping layers, navigation tools and hunting regulations are all packed into the app to give you the info you need on your next adventure. 

As always, this podcast is brought to you by Seek Outside. They make unique ultralight tents and packs for your next adventure. Use the discount code EATWILD on your next purchase.   We also get support from our friends at West Coast Kitchen Canada. So stock up for the adventure season and use the discount code EATWILD.   You can stop in at Beere Brewing and take advantage of a 10% discount on the purchase. Use the code EATWILD10 on your next purchase.  Beere makes a great section of bright, crisp beers that are perfect for the patio or around the campfire. 

 

Bill Jex is a wildlife biologist for the Province of BC, and he is the wild sheep and mountain goat specialist who leads the management of these tremendous mountain species. I have asked Bill to join me on the podcast to share his knowledge on mountain goats and how they are managed in BC. 

I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to talk goats with Bill. Bill is a great storyteller, and he is generous in sharing his knowledge about goats.  In the conversation, he helps us better understand this tough, magnificent animal that lives in some of the most unforgiving wilderness areas. Bill talked about studying goats,  mountain goat behaviour, habitat requirement, hunting regulations, and so much more. 

Miki and I are heading goat hunting in August so we will listen to this on our drive up North. Don't miss this one! 

This episode is supported by BC Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BCBHA). The BCBHA is a young conservation organization dedicated to protecting wild places and critters that live in these wild places. Come out to a local event and get to know the BCBHA community. 

The iHunter App supports the Eatwild Podcast and other programs. The app is an essential tool to make you more comfortable in the woods. The mapping layers, navigation tools and hunting regulations are all packed into the app to give you the info you need on your next adventure. 

As always, this podcast is brought to you by Seek Outside. They make unique ultralight tents and packs for your next adventure. Use the discount code EATWILD on your next purchase.   We also get support from our friends at West Coast Kitchen Canada. So stock up for the adventure season and use the discount code EATWILD.   You can stop in at Beere Brewing and take advantage of a 10% discount on the purchase. Use the code EATWILD10 on your next purchase.  Beere makes a great section of bright, crisp beers that are perfect for the patio or around the campfire. 

Chef Dan Hayes joins me on this episode. He's known as the London Chef. You may have seen him on the Moose Meat and Marmalade Show, where he teams up with Art Napoleon, an indigenous hunter and a cook. Dan is from England and is a classically trained chef, and the show follows them on adventures visiting indigenous communities across Canada. They hunt, cook a little bit, and tell stories along the way, and it's fascinating. 

I wanted to talk to Dan about connecting people to hunting through food. How do we tell better hunting stories through food? How do we connect more folks to hunting?  

As a relative newcomer to Canada, Dan offers a unique perspective on hunting opportunities, cooking wild food, and connecting with indigenous communities. 

This episode is supported by BC Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BCBHA). The BCBHA is a young conservation organization dedicated to protecting wild places like the Muskwa-Kechika Management Area and the critters that live in these wild places. Come out to a local event and get to know the BCBHA community. 

The iHunter App supports the Eatwild Podcast and other programs. The app is an essential tool to make you more comfortable in the woods. The mapping layers, navigation tools and hunting regulations are all packed into the app to give you the info you need on your next adventure. 

As always, this podcast is brought to you by Seek Outside. They make unique ultralight tents and packs for your next adventure. Use the discount code EATWILD on your next purchase.   We also get support from our friends at West Coast Kitchen Canada. So stock up for the adventure season and use the discount code EATWILD.   You can stop in at Beere Brewing and take advantage of a 10% discount on the purchase. Use the code EATWILD10 on your next purchase.  Beere makes a great section of bright, crisp beers that are perfect for the patio or around the campfire. 

How long does it take to ride a horse across  15,000,000 acres of Northern Rocky Mountain wilderness? In this episode, I’m joined by Wayne Sawchuk. Wayne is a conservationist, author, adventurer, cowboy, and wilderness enthusiast. 

Wayne led the initiative to protect a vast wilderness area in the Northern Rockies, now protected under the Muskwa-Kechika Management Area. I’m excited to talk to him about what wilderness means and what it takes to have an authentic wilderness experience. 

The Muskwa-Kechika Management Area is managed and protected under a unique resource management structure. Wayne tells us how the model was developed and how the model can be applied for future landscape protection efforts. 

The Muskwa-Kechika Management Area (M-KMA) is located in northeastern BC and encompasses 6.4 million hectares (16 million acres) of land with varying conservation, preservation and land use practices. Encompassing large areas of the Northern Rockies and Cassiar mountains, it is named after two great rivers that flow through it: the Muskwa and the Kechika. It has more species in greater abundance than anywhere else on the continent, making it of global importance.  

Find In The Land Of Dreamers here: https://gem.cbc.ca/documentaries

Find Wayne’s new book, Crossing the Divide, here:

This episode is supported by BC Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BCBHA). The BCBHA is a young conservation organization dedicated to protecting wild places like the Muskwa-Kechika Management Area and the critters that live in these wild places. Come out to a local event and get to know the BCBHA community. 

The iHunter App supports the Eatwild Podcast and other programs. The app is an essential tool to make you more comfortable in the woods. The mapping layers, navigation tools and hunting regulations are all packed into the app to give you the info you need on your next adventure. 

As always, this podcast is brought to you by Seek Outside. They make unique ultralight tents and packs for your next adventure. Use the discount code EATWILD on your next purchase.   We also get support from our friends at West Coast Kitchen Canada. So stock up for the adventure season and use the discount code EATWILD.

 

Some stories can only be told properly around a campfire in an elk camp. This is one of them. My good friend Stephanie embarked on a two-day horse trip in the mountains in August, and everything went wrong. Stephanie tells the story of coping with tragedy and takes us on a journey to survive. 

I am very fortunate to have heard the story and to share it with the EatWild community.

Thank you, Stephanie. You are an inspiration, and I am happy you sorted things out with Mother Nature. 

As always, this podcast is brought to you by Seek Outside. They make unique ultralight tents and packs for your next adventure. Use the discount code EATWILD on your next purchase.

Is bow hunting for you? I have pondered this question over the years of hunting. If you are new to hunting or well on your hunting journey, you have likely asked this question too.    In this episode, I am joined by Adam Foss. Adam is a professional photographer and is known throughout the community as an exceptional bow hunter. As I have got to know Adam over the past couple of years, I've been inspired to pick up my bow and start my journey as a bow hunter.   I've invited Adam on the podcast to discuss the opportunities and benefits of bow hunting. But we also recognize the challenges and commitment to be a successful bow hunter. So we discuss the necessary steps to take to become a bow hunter.    I'm teaming up with Adam to build a bow-hunting workshop. Over the years, many folks have asked when we will create an EatWild Bow Hunting Workshop. Well, here it is, and we've got one of the best bow hunters, storytellers, and good humans to lead it.    In his podcast, we touch on the motivations for the bow hunter, the benefits, the challenges, expectations for practice and reasonable outcomes.   You can join us for the inaugural EatWild Bow Hunting Workshop. We're hosting it on May 12 and 13th at the Arosa ranch in the Okanogan. You can find out more on our website.   As always, this podcast is brought to you by Seek Outside. They make unique ultralight tents and packs for your next adventure. Use the discount code EATWILD on your next purchase.   We also get support from our friends at West Coast Kitchen Canada. So stock up for the adventure season and use the discount code EATWILD.

I rely on my phone more every year to be precise and advance my hunting process. The smartphone has become an essential tool for navigation, communication, research, documentation, and much more. 

In this episode, I am on a late-season Mule Deer hunting with my friend Adam Pospischil. Adam is one of those hunters that is consistently successful in his hunts. He is a self-thought hunter and his success is built on his pre-hunt research, reliance on data interpretation, use of technology, and lots of committed hard work. Adam shares what tools he uses to make him a better hunter, and some of the lessons learned on his hunting journey. 

We are hunting the grasslands and looking for a mature Mule Deer buck and using the apps and tips discussed on on this episode on the hunt. 

Stick around to the end to find out how the hunt worked out. 

Link to BC 1:20,000 maps link.

IHunter App link 

Gaia Map Link

As always this podcast is brought to you by our friends at West Coast Kitchen Canada. They offer a 10% discount code on all of their nourishing backcountry food. Use the discount code EATWILD.

And our friends at Seek Outside sponsor this podcast. We’ve been using their tents all season to stay warm and dry on our adventures. Use EATWILD on your order for a deal. 

This episode is all about blacktail deer and blacktail hunting. Since moving back to the sunshine coast, I’ve had time to focus on the elusive Blacktail deer. After 10 seasons of poking around these woods, I finally learned enough blacktail hunting lessons that a hunt came together for me. 

In this episode, I got a chance to catch up with my friend Travis Kayes. Travis is a relatively new hunter that came through the EatWild program.  He is dedicated and passionate about chasing Blacktail deer near his home. He has been the most consistently successful blacktail hunter in my community.

  I know how hard blacktail hunting is, so I was curious to talk with Travis about his journey to becoming a successful Blacktail hunter. This is podcast is a ton of fun as Travis and I trade notes on what we learned about Blacktail hunting.

I would argue that the Blacktail deer is the most challenging of the deer species to harvest here in BC. They typically maintain low-density populations throughout their habitat, they don't leave a lot of sign, so they are hard to find.  They live in thick, noisy habitats so it's almost impossible to keep from bumping them.  

I hope you enjoy this podcast. And good luck finding your Blacktail secret spot!

As always this podcast is brought to you by our friends at West Coast Kitchen Canada. They offer a 10% discount code on all of their nourishing backcountry food. Use the discount code EATWILD.   And our friends at Seek Outside sponsor this podcast. We’ve been using their tents all season to stay warm and dry on our adventures. Use EATWILD on your order for a deal. 

 

If you’re a hunter, you probably dream of a horse-hunting adventure. I know I do!  Horse hunting brings the promise of accessing remote wilderness areas with the comfort of horses doing the work to pack the harvest back to the trailhead. 

Before you saddle up on adventures like this, there’s lots to learn. Horses are a lot of work and it’s a huge commitment. But what a special way to travel and hunt! So it’s worth a listen to find out what horse hunting is all about. 

I’ve been invited by my friend and colleague, Steve Hodgson, on a horse-hunting adventure into a remote wilderness area in British Columbia. Steve is a keen hunter and an experienced horseman with a ton of knowledge. I’m stoked to get the invite and have the opportunity to learn about what it takes to hang out with these amazing animals on the trail and in the mountains. 

Horses are a commitment! In this podcast, we talk about what it takes to own and care for horses throughout the year, logistics of planning and executing a hunt with horses in the field.

All along, we’re looking for mule deer and enjoying some spectacular October weather in one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever had the chance to hang out in. Also, with some great company from the horses and my old pal Steve.

As always this podcast is brought to you by our friends at West Coast Kitchen Canada. They offer a 10% discount code on all of their nourishing backcountry food. Use the discount code EATWILD.   And our friends at Seek Outside sponsor this podcast. We’ve been using their tents all season to stay warm and dry on our adventures. Use EATWILD on your order for a deal. 

In this conversation, Rydell and Dylan discuss the art of spotting game in the wilderness. They share tips and strategies for effective glassing, including the importance of patience, calibrating your eyes to size at a distance, and looking for outlines, curves, and unnatural shapes. They also discuss the benefits of using binocular mounts and tripods for stability and comfort. Rydell shares his experience of developing the Bino Clamp, a lightweight and low-profile binocular mount.

 They talk about the benefits of stability and how it can enhance the hunting experience. They also discuss the different factors to consider when choosing binoculars, such as magnification, field of view, and light-gathering capabilities. They also provide tips for spotting game, including finding a good vantage point, moving around to different positions, and having a positive mindset. Overall, the conversation emphasizes the importance of preparation, patience, and observation in successful hunting.

Check out Aziak Equipement here: https://www.aziakequipment.com/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background 02:37 Enhancing the Hunting Experience with Binoculars on a Tripod 07:14 Choosing the Right Binoculars for Hunting 14:10 The Adventure and Process of Mountain Hunting 25:23 The Importance of Patience, Preparation, and Observation in Hunting 33:35 Mastering the Art of Spotting Game 50:10 The Invention of the Bino Clamp 56:05 Memorable Meals in the Wilderness 01:02:07 Dream Hunts in British Columbia  

The iHunter App supports the Eatwild Podcast and other programs. The app is an essential tool to make you more comfortable in the woods. The mapping layers, navigation tools and hunting regulations are all packed into the app to give you the info you need on your next adventure. 

This episode is supported by BC Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BCBHA). The BCBHA is a young conservation organization dedicated to protecting wild places and critters that live in these wild places. Come out to a local event and get to know the BCBHA community. 

As always, Seek Outside brought this podcast to you. They make unique ultralight tents and packs for your next adventure. Use the discount code EATWILD on your next purchase.

We also get support from our friends at West Coast Kitchen Canada. So stock up for the adventure season and use the discount code EATWILD.

You can stop in at Beere Brewing and take advantage of a 10% discount on the purchase. Use the code EATWILD10 on your next purchase.  Beere makes a great selection of bright, crisp beers perfect for the patio or around the campfire.

   

I love elk hunting. I also love exploring.  I managed to talk my friends Spencer Greening and Adam Foss into joining me on the quest to find Elk Heaven. I had an idea about a river that might be bountiful with elk without any hunting pressure. The packrafts were the ideal mode of transportation to set out on an expedition to find Elk Heaven.    Spencer Greening is an academic studying indigenous approaches to wildlife management, and Adam Foss is a professional photographer that works in the hunting and conservation world. This was Spencer's first Elk hunt and Adams's first packraft expedition so we share their learnings throughout the podcast.    Throughout our days on the river, we have some insightful conversations and reflect on our motivations and passion for hunting.   We struggled to put a successful hunt together as we explored this new area. Hot weather and a full moon made it difficult to find Elk out and about during the day. By far the best way to be a successful hunter is to go back to an area where you’ve had success before. However, if you have a passion for exploring new places, then it’s hard to go back to the same place to hunt. We struggle with this question and talk about it in depth in this podcast. Exploration versus going with what you know.   I opted to roll this podcast out in one longer story, so I hope you enjoy it.    As always this podcast is brought to you by our friends at West Coast Kitchen Canada. They offer a 10% discount code on all of their nourishing backcountry food. Use the discount code EATWILD.   And our friends at Seek Outside sponsor this podcast. We’ve been using their tents all season to stay warm and dry on our adventures. Use EATWILD on your order for a deal. 

In this episode, I am joined by Mike Defeo of Huto Lifestyle. He started making game bags a few years ago with the goal of creating a lightweight quality product for backcountry hunters like me. I found Mike because I was on a quest to find an alternative to packing around bulky heavy cotton game bags. So I have a bunch of questions for Mike about moving to synthetic game bags.    We get into a great discussion on meat care techniques while on the hunt and in the backcountry. We provide some suggestions on the realistic number of pack loads for each of the big game species and reasonable pack weights over distances.    We talk about making ethical decisions about when hot temperatures can limit when and where you can harvest an animal.     This is a great episode to be listening to as we get into the peak of the deer season.   In the introduction, I included some info about chronic wasting disease (CWD). The BC Chronic Wasting Disease Program is asking hunters to submit samples of harvested deer to reduce the potential spread of the disease here in BC. To find out more about CWD go here.   Also, Mike has generously offered a 10% discount on Huto Lifestyle Game Bags. I have a couple of sets and I sure appreciate how compact and light they are. Use the discount code EATWILD10 at the Huto Store. Valid until the end of October.    As always this podcast is brought to you by our friends at West Coast Kitchen Canada. They offer a 10% discount code on all of their nourishing backcountry food. Use the discount code EATWILD.   And our friends at Seek Outside sponsor this podcast. We’ve been using their tents all season to stay warm and dry on our adventures. Use EATWILD on your order for a deal. 

Save your deer legs! In this episode we're joined by Andy Moeckel - he’s The Flip Flop Guy. He’s pioneered the flip flop cooking method for deer legs over coal.   I am co-hosting this conversation with my good friend and wild chef Jody Peck. Jody is the head chef for our all-wild food wedding and we have 6 deer legs on the menu.  Andy shares his technique for cooking whole deer legs over the charcoal barbecue, and Jody is taking notes!    The flip flop method is truly magic for serving deer legs and hosting an interactive food-focused party.   In addition to being a wild chef, Andy is a passionate hunter and conservationist.  We get to know Andy throughout this episode and hear about some of his adventures, his podcast and film projects.   Andy has built a truly unique business by bringing communities together around the fire and cooking deer legs.    You can find Andy @TheFlipFlopGuy   You need to try this so be sure to keep one of your deer legs whole this fall and order some of The Flip Flop Sauce for your party! www.flipflopguy.co  

This podcast was brought to you with the support of Seek Outside. @Seekoutside specializes in building ultralight reliable gear for adventures. Use the discount code to EATWILD at seekoutside.com

 

For nourishing food on your next adventure be sure to check out West Coast Kitchen. Use the EATWILD discount code on your next order. 

You will need to take notes for this one! Tons of good info, just in time for the hunting season. 

Hunting is a high-risk activity that takes place in remote wilderness settings.  How can we reduce the risk and be prepared to respond in a first aid emergency? 

In this episode, I am talking to Cam Fenton about the most common injuries and life-threatening medical emergencies that hunters can encounter. He provides detailed information on how to treat them, what you should add to your kit to ensure you’re prepared, and what you may already carry in your pack that could be used in these situations.

We talk about diagnosing and treating hypothermia, breaks and sprains, and cuts and bleeds. 

We discuss the importance of having a satellite emergency communication device  (like an inReach device) and being prepared to activate it and seek help if the situation requires it. We break down the question of "when should I call for help?"

Based in Squamish, BC, Cam Fenton is a guide, BC paramedic, first aid instructor and educator. Whether by ski, foot, bike or boat, he loves to explore deep into wild places all across BC and beyond. What he likes most is connecting with his guests and students while sharing his passion for safety and emergency preparedness.

This podcast was brought to you with the support of Seek Outside. @Seekoutside specializes in building ultralight reliable gear for adventures. Use the discount code to EATWILD at seekoutside.com

For nourishing food on your next adventure be sure to check out West Coast Kitchen.

Use the EATWILD discount code on your next order. 

Some fun storytelling in this episode.  Both Miki and Ashley have set out to become hunters over the past few years. They share their respective journey's to their first buck harvest. I hope you enjoy it!

 

This podcast was brought to you with the support of Seek Outside. @Seekoutside specializes in building ultralight reliable gear for adventures. Use the discount code to EATWILD at seekoutside.com

 

For nourishing food on your next adventure be sure to check out West Coast Kitchen.

Use the EATWILD discount code on your next order. 

In this episode, I’m hanging out with Jeff Senger, co-host of the web series From The Wild. He’s a lifelong hunter, and self-proclaimed "slaughterer" - he owns and operates an abattoir in Alberta. This guy knows a lot about harvesting and processing animals!

We talk about perspectives on taking the life of an animal and focusing on doing it humanely and ethically. Our thoughts meander to the topic of wild cocktails and our passion for all things wild. 

This is a great chat with a really engaging conversationalist. Hope you enjoy it! 

Be sure to catch Jeff and his partner-in-wilderness Kevin Kossovan in Season 8 of From the Wild here.

Today I am sitting with Spencer Greening La’goot, Indigenous scholar and Jesse Zeman, executive director of the BCWF to discuss a tough topic.

The news of restrictions for resident hunters as a result of the BC Government losing the Yahey vs. British Columbia court case has the potential to cause polarizing views. Pitting resident hunters against Indigenous Nations in a perceived competition for “the right to hunt and conducting one’s way of life” is not only dangerous in its potential for hindering reconciliation efforts, but it effectively takes the focus off the main issue: habitat loss.

My guests provide the context of this court decision, share important insight into how it was interpreted by the BC Government when implementing the measures that were just announced, and together we explore alternative strategies to support reconciliation.

The proposal from the BC Government is open for feedback until March 23 at midnight.

Find out more:

BC Government’s plan to address the Yahey vs. British Columbia court ruling

BC Government proposal

The Inconvenient Indian – if you needed ONE book to help you understand the context and the need for reconciliation

For more context on Indigenous wildlife stewardship with La'goot, check out Episodes 27 and 28 of the EatWild Podcast.

This podcast was brought to you with the support of Seek Outside. @Seekoutside specializes in building ultralight reliable gear for adventures. Use the discount code to EATWILD at seekoutside.com  

In this episode, I am joined by Adam Foss. Adam is a filmmaker, photographer, conservationist and adventure hunter. Adam has dedicated time in the mountains filming wildlife and mountain adventures in addition to his remarkable personal hunting adventures. His passion is sheep hunting and he has a ton of knowledge and experience to share with us.    We talk about how to plan for big adventures, critical gear that he relies on, where we can save weight and where we can add a few ounces to build a bigger safety net. Adam tells us who he likes to hunt with and the importance of supporting new hunters on their journey to success.    As I listened to the podcast I really enjoyed hearing Adam's philosophy of hunting, about really seeing the stars and calming the mind.  This is one of the best conversations I’ve had since doing this podcast. I hope you enjoy it!   Adam's recent project, Community for the Wild, is available for Telus subscribers on Optik TV and will be available more broadly as it makes the rounds on the film festival circuit over the next year.    Be sure to follow Adam @fossman8 and check out the Foss Media teamwork at foss.media   Find Adam's article on tents here!   This podcast was brought to you with the support of Seek Outside. @Seekoutside specializes in building ultralight reliable gear for adventures. Use the discount code to EATWILD at seekoutside.com   Poster photo by Francesca Pirolo   

In this episode, I’m chatting with Joe Eppele. Joe is a passionate hunter, star of The EDGE hunting show, and Grey Cup champion.

This is the perfect episode if you're starting to think about brighter days ahead and what your hunting season is going to look like. Joe recaps his past year of hunting adventures - and what a year he had! As he tells stories about his last hunting season, Joe reveals what were his most challenging, and memorable hunts.

In this conversation, I learned that Joe is an excellent hunter, and got to find out about his techniques and decision-making processes that have to lead to success.

After this uplifting conversation, I am now super pumped about bow hunting and planning to practice this skill in 2022. 

You find Joe here @joe_eppele  or on the EDGE TV show @theedgetvshow

Hope you enjoy this one! 

 

Find our EatWild webinars and classes here www.eatwild.ca

 

This podcast is brought to you by West Coast Kitchen. Use the EATWILD discount code on your next order. 

Join us on our annual elk hunting adventure! Tom, Tome and I have invited young Jay to join us for his first Northern BC elk hunting expedition.  We are packing rafts into a remote wilderness area with a plan to find a few unhunted bull elk. We have packed our Seek Outside camp and two Alpacka Forager rafts a day's walk up the valley. If all goes well we will get into some elk and use the rafts to float back to the trucks. 

This was an extra special hunt and fun adventure. I hope you enjoy the episode. Be sure to share this podcast and leave a review. 

Find our EatWild webinars and classes here www.eatwild.ca

This podcast is brought to you by West Coast Kitchen. Use the EATWILD discount code on your next order. 

 

I am joined by Tanis Barkman, a mountain hunting guide and enthusiast for all things adventures. In addition to sharing the most epic story of a shattered foot on a hunt, Tanis shares her passion for guiding in the mountains and the expectations and challenges of achieving success as a guide. Tanis shares their personal journey of becoming a hunter. Tanis discusses the pressure of once-in-a-lifetime hunts and the types of hunting clients. The conversation touches on the drive for bigger and better animals, filling the freezer, and transitioning from hunting to guiding.  The iHunter App supports the Eatwild Podcast and other programs. The app is an essential tool to make you more comfortable in the woods. The mapping layers, navigation tools and hunting regulations are all packed into the app to give you the info you need on your next adventure.  This episode is supported by BC Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BCBHA). The BCBHA is a young conservation organization dedicated to protecting wild places and critters that live in these wild places. Come out to a local event and get to know the BCBHA community.  As always, Seek Outside brought this podcast to you. They make unique ultralight tents and packs for your next adventure. Use the discount code EATWILD on your next purchase. We also get support from our friends at West Coast Kitchen Canada. So stock up for the adventure season and use the discount code EATWILD. You can stop in at Beere Brewing and take advantage of a 10% discount on the purchase. Use the code EATWILD10 on your next purchase.  Beere makes a great selection of bright, crisp beers perfect for the patio or around the campfire. Podcast Takeaways: • Guides have off-season activities and participate in other hunts during the year. • Desert sheep hunts in Baja offer a unique and exciting experience. • Tanis desires to guide in new locations and is open to any kind of adventure. • The accident during the hunt for the mega ram was a traumatic experience for Tanis. • Seek Outside's Courthouse tent is a game-changing gear for backcountry hunting. • Sheep ribs are Tanis' most memorable backcountry meal. The rib roll is a unique method of preparing rib meat that involves cutting the rib roll into small squares and boiling them in soup broth for several hours. • Celebratory beers are a common tradition among hunters to mark accomplishments and enjoy the moment. • Coastal goat hunting in the BC West Coast offers a dream hunt experience with untouched wilderness and challenging terrain. • The drive to hunt and pursue animals is a powerful force that motivates hunters to endure challenging conditions and push their limits. Podcast Chapters: 00:00 The Bro Mentality and Hunting in Small Towns
03:23 The Vulnerability of Humans in the Wilderness
06:10 Discovering a Passion for Hunting
09:59 The Emotions of Hunting and Guiding
14:23 Different Types of Hunting Clients
17:34 Guiding Clients with Different Goals
19:17 The Pressure of Once-in-a-Lifetime Hunts
22:08 The Drive for Bigger and Better Animals
25:00 Hunting for Experience and Selectivity
28:20 The Importance of Filling the Freezer
33:31 Transitioning from Hunting to Guiding
34:00 The Year of a Hunting Guide
34:57 Off-season activities and other hunts
37:16 Desert sheep hunts in Baja
38:29 Desire to guide in new locations
38:45 The accident and the hunt for the mega ram
46:45 The accident and its aftermath
54:25 The game-changing gear: Seek Outside's Courthouse tent
01:05:46 Most memorable backcountry meal: Sheep ribs
01:06:44 Rib Roll and Asados
01:08:05 Celebratory Beers
01:09:17 Dream Hunt: Coastal Goats
01:12:04 Challenging Hunts and the Hunter's Drive    

In this episode, I’m joined by my friend Chris Pryn and we are talking about Blacktail hunting. Chris is part of the Fargone Media production team, telling hunting adventure stories in BC. He is also the host of the Behind the Glass Hunting Podcast. Chris has been instrumental in driving membership and engagement with our local chapter of the BC Backcountry Hunters and Anglers. And occasionally I can talk him into helping me out as an EatWild mentor to share his knowledge and passion with new hunters.   Chris is a relatively new hunter but has dedicated more time and effort than most to figure out how to hunt here in BC. He has lots of hard-learned lessons and great hunting stories to share. Chris is a dedicated Blacktail hunter so I am working him for a few secrets to add to my newfound passion for chasing these coastal ghosts.    I hope you enjoy!    This podcast is supported by West Coast Kitchen Canada. Use the EATWILD discount code to get 10% off your next order. 

This is the third and final episode of the​ Ram​tastic adventure​ Sheep Hunting podcast series. In this podcast, I’m catching up with our crew after having re-entered our post-adventure lives​ and we debrief about the challenges that we​ faced as the trip progressed. 

  After a hugely successful opening day, we had two rams on top of the mountain and we faced the perils of getting ourselves,​ and the meat off the mountain ​and down the river ​safely. We were confronted with lots of barriers in getting the meat to butcher without spoiling in the hot temperatures. ​​The hot weather persisted, the bugs were brutal, the river was scary, and our resiliency was waning.​ We break down our systems for what worked well and what we would do differently next time. We also share our experience with getting both rams through the compulsory inspection process. This turned out to be such an awesome opportunity to learn from sheep experts about ageing wild sheep. And lastly, we get to start planning the next adventure. I hope you enjoyed this episode. ​Please leave a review and share this podcast.     ​This adventure was made possible by our good friends at West Coast Kitchen for nourishing us all on the way, ​our Friends at ​S​eek ​Outside for gearing us up with ultra-lightweight backpacks, and our friends at ​Alpac​k​a ​Rafts for the bomber lightweight rafts for the voyage.   ​Try out West Coast Kitchen on your next adventure and use the EATWILD discount code for 10% discount. ​

Joined by great friends Jenny P, La'goot, and Scott, we set out on a fly-in, hike-up, paddle-out sheep hunt. In part 2 of the Ramtastic Adventure, we share our opening day sheep hunting adventures. We split up into two hunting parties for opening day with a plan to take a closer look at what we hoped were legal rams.  Join us as we recap our respective hunts and what will no doubt be the hunt of a lifetime for all of us. 

This adventure was fuelled by West Coast Kitchen gourmet freeze-dried meals, and heavy loads were supported by the Seek Outside ultralight rugged packs. 

This adventure was, without a doubt, the hardest and most rewarding thing I have ever done. 

 

Joined by great friends Jenny P, La'goot, and Scott, we set out on a fly-in, hike-up, paddle-out sheep hunt. In part 1 of the Ramtastic Adventure you get to meet the team, hear about our hunt plan, and then join us on the hunt as we navigate our way into sheep country, try to survive the elements, and experience the hunt of a lifetime. 

 

This adventure was fuelled by West Coast Kitchen gourmet freeze-dried meals, and heavy loads were supported by the Seek Outside ultralight rugged packs. 

Some troubling news in the sheep hunting community. At least 12 illegal rams have been seized by the Conservation Officer Service this year. These rams did not meet the legal requirements and yet hunters still pulled the trigger. Thinhorn rams must reach either eight years of age or full curl in order to be legal for harvesting in BC. In an average year, 3 to 5 rams typically fail inspection as legal rams. 

So why are we making mistakes? I’m joined by Adam Janke of the Journal of Mountain Hunting and Kyle Stelter of the Wild Sheep Society of British Columbia to look at the reasons that could be fueling this problem.

We talk about the growing interest in sheep hunting, and how tools and technology are making sheep hunting more accessible. Being exposed to an abundance of information gives a false impression of knowledge accumulation, however, this does not and cannot replace experience and true skill building in the field – sheep hunters will relate to our discussion about the challenges of ageing sheep in the field.

Is sheep hunting attracting more inexperienced hunters? Are the motivations changing for this type of hunt? Why are we making the wrong call on these sheep? And most importantly, what are the implications to sheep conservation and our privilege to continue hunting sheep in BC?

Lots to be discussed here. This is a challenging conversation, but one we need to have in the hunting community. I hope you enjoy it.

Thanks to Adam Janke and Kyle Stelter for making the time for this important discussion. 

Photo credit: Fort Nelson Conservation Officer Service

Thanks to West Coast Kitchen for their support! 

The discount code is EATWILD

 

I am pleased to welcome Mike Bridger back on the podcast as part of our wildlife biologist series where we are talking about wildlife management of the big game species in BC. In this episode, we are talking elk just in time for elk hunting season.  Whether you are a seasoned elk hunter or planning your first elk hunt, this episode is for you! 

  In our conversation, we get to learn about the rewarding work that Mike Bridger does as a wildlife biologist in the North East of BC.  Mike describes elk habitat, population distribution, and population dynamics. We discussed the habitat change drivers that affect the population such as wildfire, and the wildlife management tools that are used to manage the population.    We break down elk hunting regulations and the wildlife management strategies behind them. Mike provides insight into why we have a six-point regulation and a cow season. We chat tips for counting points.    Lastly, Mike shares his sheep hunting premonitions for my upcoming sheep hunting adventure...    You can find Mike Bridger here @bc_bridger   Please help us find more listeners by sharing this podcast and leaving a review.     Find West Coast Kitchen Here - Discount code is EATWILD  

We are kicking off a series of podcasts with a focus on learning more about big game species in BC and how they are managed to ensure sustainable wildlife populations and hunting opportunities.

In the first episode, I am pleased to welcome wildlife biologist Conrad Thiessen.  Conrad has a very cool job in the Northwest corner of BC (Region 6). This is an area of relatively low road density and high wilderness and wildlife values, so he spends his workdays flying around in a helicopter, in spectacular wilderness areas, counting wildlife. 

Conrad's work is focused on caribou management, so we dive into the topic of caribou, discuss ecotypes, their range, habitat, migration patterns, population status in BC, and methods to assess herd health and numbers. Conrad describes survey and calculation methods, as well as the opportunity to work with First Nations on research projects.

 

He introduces and explains concepts like “calf recruitment”, the ideal calf/cow ratio, and shares details about the delicate and exciting process of “netting caribou” for the purpose of fitting them with research collars.

 

Of course, we get to talk about caribou behaviour, hunting experiences and the ideal time to hunt caribou for optimal taste. 

 

We reflect on the impacts of human activity, climate change and predation on caribou population dynamics and Conrad reveals an unlikely, yet successful caribou predator, besides wolves and bears.

 

Give this episode a listen if you are interested in caribou biology, conservation or hunting and you will find a few other exciting details about the life of caribou and wildlife biologists in Region 6.

 

To keep an eye on Conrad and his adventures in an “unbelievably, indescribably” beautiful place, follow him on Instagram @conrad_thiessen.

Poster photo credit: Clint Walker 

 

This episode is dedicated to Dr. Valerius Geist, wildlife biologist, conservationist, great storyteller, and kind human. You will be missed by the conservation community.  

 

This episode is brought to you by West Coast Kitchen. Check out their stuff and use the EATWILD discount code for 10% off 

 

Show note: 

At some point in the podcast I mention that Jody, the hunting camp cook, will not use cook with caribou meat that is harvested in late September.  The intention was to suggest that the meat may have a gamey taste, and may not be as pleasant as the other meat options.  In Jody's case, she may choose to use the moose or sheep meat that would also be available in a hunting camp to make dinner. The caribou hunters are required to take all edible portions of the meat home and it will be consumed, just with a bit more spice if it happens to be gamey. 

Sheep hunting season is a few weeks away. I’ll be hauling heavy packs into the mountains and relying on my body to hold up to the rigours of the terrain and to have an injury-free adventure.

With over a year of Covid living, my body is feeling the effects. I need to get in shape... FAST. Fortunately, my hunting partner Jenny P has been working with Emilie Whittemore to get her body ready for the sheep mountains. Emilie is a physiotherapist and strength and conditioning specialist, who believes in an integrated practice that is focused on injury prevention by building strength and conditioning the body to ready for the adventures ahead. 

I am a little late to the party, but it’s time to get on it. We’ve invited Emilie on the podcast to talk about what it is going to take for us to get our bodies ready for the long hard days and strain of the sheep hunting season.

If you’re coming off some idle time and want to get back in shape and doing the things you love to do in the mountains, then you’ll love this podcast.

Thanks for doing this Emilie! 

Emilie on LinkedIn

Emilie @ Evolve Physiotherapy - emilie@evolvept.ca

This episode is supported by West Coast Kitchen backpack food.  Fuel your passion on your next adventure with West Coast Kitchen food.  Enter EATWILD into the promo code for a 10% discount! 

 

The adventure hunting season is around the corner! I am getting excited, and that means the podcast is shifting focus to conversations on preparing and planning for the season.  In this episode, I am having a beer with Kevin Timm, co-founder of Seek Outside, and we are talking ultra-lite tents and the ideal backpack for packraft hunting.    Seek Outside (SO) is known for the single-pole tent with an ultra-lite packable wood stove system. The huge advantage of this system is that you can backpack a roomy tent with a stove into the backcountry. This can make late hunting in the mountains way more comfortable and safe. I've had several adventures in my Seek Outside 8-person tent and I am considering investing in a 2-person super lite tent for the sheep hunting season.  I am also looking to replace my backpack with a waterproof system. But before I can give up my MSR Hubba and my pack, I have a bunch of questions for Kevin?    How safe is it to have a wood stove in a tent made of technical fabric?   What's the best way to manage bugs in the early season?   Can I use my down sleep bag inside of a single-wall tent?    What's the best option in the SO pack designs for my next packrafting sheep hunting adventure?    What are the pros and cons of an integrated pack frame vs the breakaway carry system?    Along the way, we get insight into how a cybersecurity researcher finds his way into the high-performance gear manufacturing industry, and what motivates him to develop the best products on the market?  Kevin breaks down his philosophy and process of making his tents and backpacks and ensuring they stand the test of the elements.   This conversion was lots of fun.  I hope you enjoy it and start to get excited about the adventure season ahead.    If you have any questions about my experience with SO tents you can reach out to me on Instagram @eatwild. Drop your question in the comments of this post or you can email me direct dylan@eatwild.ca   You can see all the SO gear at seekoutside.com and be sure to follow Kevin and his team @seekoutside.     Thanks for the time Kevin!     

The face of hunting in North America is prominently white. Is there a place for people of colour in the hunting community?  Can we make the hunting space more inclusive? I think so, but we have some work ahead to make the hunting community more welcoming and inclusive.    In this episode, I am joined by Jimmy Flatt the co-founder of Hunters of Color. Hunters of Color was founded by Jimmy Flatt, Lydia Parker, and Thomas Tyner in August of 2020 with a mission to share a love for the outdoors with everyone.  94% of the hunting community is white. HOC believes that the "Outdoors are for Everyone," and is forging a road ahead to welcome a diverse community of new hunters.   Jimmy shares his personal journey of being a passionate hunter in a community dominated by people who don't look like him. We chat about implicit racial bias and how we can build awareness through education, with the goal of breaking stigmas and stereotypes concerning hunting.   Here is the link to the MeatEater Rebuttal by HOC.    Find HOC here!   Thanks for listening. 

In this episode of the EatWild Podcast, we are joined David Moskowitz, author of "Wildlife of the Pacific Northwest, Tracking and Identifying Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians and Invertebrates." David, a biologist, photographer, and outdoor educator, shares his expertise on wildlife tracking and the importance of understanding animal behavior to connect better with nature. He discusses his tracking workshops, including upcoming ones in BC and the Pacific Northwest, offering insights into his process and storytelling through photography.

Podcast photo by Anna Machowicz. 

Takeaways

• Becoming a good wildlife tracker requires knowledge, experience, and a deep understanding of animal behavior.
• Tracking involves observing and interpreting tracks, signs, and patterns in the landscape to understand the story of animals.
• Characteristics such as track size, shape, and depth can provide valuable information about the animal being tracked.
• Having a process for tracking and recovering shot animals is crucial for ethical hunting and efficient recovery.
• Camera traps are a valuable tool for capturing wildlife behavior and telling powerful stories through photos.
• Citizen science programs play a vital role in wildlife management and conservation.
• Quality gear, including footwear, can greatly enhance the tracking experience and ensure safety in the outdoors.
• Memorable meals in the wilderness can enhance the overall adventure and provide nourishment during outdoor pursuits.
• Building community around conservation and hunting is essential for fostering a deeper connection with nature and promoting sustainable practices.
• British Columbia offers a wide range of dream adventures for wildlife tracking and hunting enthusiasts.

Chapters   00:28 Becoming a Professional Wildlife Tracker 03:59 Understanding the Story of Animals through Tracking 05:18 The Tenets of Tracking 10:41 Characteristics of Big Buck Tracks 14:19 Understanding Animal Movement in the Snow 20:28 Tracking and Recovering Shot Animals 26:07 The Importance of Having a Process for Tracking 28:04 Capturing and Sorting Patterns in the Landscape 30:31 Using Camera Traps as a Tracking Tool 33:50 The Power of Storytelling through Camera Trap Photos 36:10 The Value of Citizen Science in Wildlife Management 40:17 The Role of Gear in Wildlife Tracking 42:43 Memorable Meals in the Wilderness 45:15 The Importance of Quality Footwear in the Outdoors 47:11 Building Community around Conservation and Hunting 48:26 Dream Adventure in British Columbia 49:55 Where to Find David Moskowitz  

The iHunter App supports the Eatwild Podcast and other programs. The app is an essential tool to make you more comfortable in the woods. The mapping layers, navigation tools and hunting regulations are all packed into the app to give you the info you need on your next adventure. 

This episode is supported by BC Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BCBHA). The BCBHA is a young conservation organization dedicated to protecting wild places and critters that live in these wild places. Come out to a local event and get to know the BCBHA community. 

As always, Seek Outside brought this podcast to you. They make unique ultralight tents and packs for your next adventure. Use the discount code EATWILD on your next purchase.

We also get support from our friends at West Coast Kitchen Canada. So stock up for the adventure season and use the discount code EATWILD.

You can stop in at Beere Brewing and take advantage of a 10% discount on the purchase. Use the code EATWILD10 on your next purchase.  Beere makes a great selection of bright, crisp beers perfect for the patio or around the campfire.

In this episode, I am sitting with my good friend Jody Peck of Wild Northern Way, happy that the spring foraging season is finally here. 

  We are talking about harvesting wild plants from urban settings and the forest in a sustainable and ethical way, the seemingly daunting duty to process them the importance of finding fun ways to prepare them. We touch upon the ephemeral nature of the foraging seasons with the added engagement that brings and, at the same time, the stable nature of discovering your foraging spots and maintaining them through respectful harvesting practices.   There are many edibles out right now and many more about to start coming out soon through this foraging season. We are getting excited about hosting a foraging workshop series this spring.  We are conspiring to teach our guests to ethically forage wild edibles and how to make delicious and beautiful food and cocktails with the harvest.   Book your spots for the foraging workshops here.   You can find Jody Peck on Instagram @wildnorthernway and through her website wildnorthernway.com. 

If you’re a Vancouver Canucks fan, hunting enthusiast, or a passionate fisherperson you’ll enjoy this episode. I’m joined by Brendan Morrison, 15-year veteran and star of the National Hockey League. Brendan is a local legend from his years centring the West Coast Express line flanked by Todd Bertuzzi and Markus  Näslund that generated some of the most exciting moments in Canuck history. 

  Brendan Morrison has always been a passionate fisherman which has led him to produce and host the Reel West Coast fishing show in his retirement.  Fishing led Brendan to discover hunting after his hockey career.   I invited Brendan on the podcast to talk about the journey to become an adult-onset hunter.  We get into a few great hunting stories and valuable lessons learned.  We chat about the barriers and opportunities for how to get into fishing and hunting.    Brendan shares his passion for scoring goals, catching fish and hunting critters on this episode. This one was lots of fun.    instagram/reelwestcoast

The iHunter App is an essential tool for the new Hunter. Apps like the iHunter tool have changed how I approach hunting entirely. E-scouting, orienteering, checking regulations, and recording where and how I hunted an area have all been improved with the innovations of the app world. The Hunter App brings together multiple essential app tools to make hunters more effective, safe and help hunters stay on the right side of private property boundaries and regulations.   In this episode, I'm joined by Mark Stenroos, iHunter App developer, and my hunting partner Jenny P.  Mark breaks down the functionality of the app and the benefits of the tool.  Jenny and I share how we have adopted the app into how we hunt. Along the way, we chat about getting lost and found and our favourite hunts.   Join us for our next EatWild E-Scouting Webinar.   ihunterapp.com   instagram@ihunterapp   instagram@jennyp403    

Are we losing our social license to hunt? 

  Social license refers to the perceptions of the public that deem an activity as socially acceptable. The concept of an activity requiring a "social license" emerged in the 1990's as the natural resource industry realized they needed to build public and stakeholder support for resource extraction projects to be successful.    A recent article published by Chris Darimont in the Society of Conservation Biology Journal applied the concept of social license to hunting. The study suggests that the public perception of hunting carnivores can pose threats to the social license for carnivore hunters and potentially other hunters.    The article kicked off a storm of discussion and reaction within the hunting community.  There has been a call to action across social media platforms encouraging hunters to take action to "defend" hunting rights.  What are we defending, what's the battle, who are we fighting, who started it, what's at risk.... are we just fighting ourselves?     I have a lot of questions and I am confused, so let's have a discussion.    I have invited Jenny Ly with Chasing Food Club and volunteer with BC Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, and Jesse Zeman, BCWF director for Fish and Wildlife Restoration on to the podcast to try to understand what's happening in our community.  We talk about our interpretation of social licence and how, as a hunting community we can build our social licence   We are living in an era where images and storytelling inform public perception.     What is the impact of the images we share?  Can we do a better job of telling our stories?     Please share this podcast.     Note: In our discussion, I overestimated the number of new hunters. Based on the stats that I have, there has been an increase of 11,000 more hunters purchasing licenses in 2021 than in 2011.    Total BC Hunting Licenses Issued: 2010/11 - 95,000 2020/21 - 106,000

Sandra Riches is the Executive Director of the BC AdventureSmart program and she joins me on the podcast to talk about how search and rescue works in BC, using the AdventureSmart App to leave a trip plan, and the essential gear to make hunting and foraging adventures safer. There's lots of good info in this podcast to stay safe on your next adventure. Everything is "unprecedented" this past year, including the number of search and rescue calls for people on outdoor adventurers. More people than ever are getting out into our wilderness to take refuge from the challenges that have come with the pandemic. AdventureSmart and Sandra Riches are working to reach folks to help them get prepared for their outdoor adventures so their trip doesn’t result in another call to 911. Find out more about AdventureSmart and download the trip planning app here: adventuresmart.ca

We survived 3 days of the storm and then another 5 days of being stuck in the tent waiting for the skies to clear.  So that's about 192 hours with 4 guys sharing 36 square feet of real estate.  We pulled it off and we are all still friends. Catch up with our crew as we debrief the Pole Bender Adventure. We reflect back on the decisions and the gear that kept us safe. Also, we share another near-disaster story as we make the flight out of the mountains.  Lots of good info in this podcast if you are planning an adventure hunt this year. 

Thanks for listening!

Cliffed out, rained out, blown out and snowed out: the pole bender adventure. 

In August 2019, I set out with my hunting crew on a caribou hunting adventure in the mountains of the Tahltan Traditional Territory in Northern British Columbia. Idyllic summer days strolling across the mountain tundra spotting caribou and goats, everything was going according to plan.  But our plan took an unfortunate turn, and an unseasonably harsh arctic storm front blasted our camp with hurricane-force winds and 3 feet of snow. We went from hunting to surviving. Taking shelter in the tipi tent, we took turns keeping the center pole from snapping as we held down the tent praying for the storm to let up. Join us for this three-part series on the Pole Bender Adventure. These are great episodes if you're planning an adventure trip in the wilderness. We talk about the logistics of planning a fly-in trip, trip safety plans, emergency communications, and a little bit about sneaking up on goats. I hope you enjoy this.  

You can find the article by Cleston Lee in the 02/2021 BC Outdoors Magazine. 

 

Cliffed out, rained out, blown out and snowed out: the pole bender adventure. 

In August 2019, I set out with my hunting crew on a caribou hunting adventure in the mountains of the Tahltan Traditional Territory in Northern British Columbia. Idyllic summer days strolling across the mountain tundra spotting caribou and goats, everything was going according to plan.  But our plan took an unfortunate turn, and an unseasonably harsh arctic storm front blasted our camp with hurricane-force winds and 3 feet of snow. We went from hunting to surviving. Taking shelter in the tipi tent, we took turns keeping the center pole from snapping as we held down the tent praying for the storm to let up. Join us for this three-part series on the Pole Bender Adventure. These are great episodes if you're planning an adventure trip in the wilderness. We talk about the logistics of planning a fly-in trip, trip safety plans, emergency communications, and a little bit about sneaking up on goats. I hope you enjoy this.  

You can find the article by Cleston Lee in the 02/2021 BC Outdoors Magazine. 

 

In this episode, I am catching up with my friend La’goot Spencer Greening. La’goot is a Tsimshian leader, storyteller and academic. In addition to being a passionate hunter and forager, La’goot generously shares his perspective around the importance of Indigenous knowledge and stewardship of the land.   I wanted to ask La'goot about his perspective on ceremony around the hunt. This past hunting season I witnessed a range of ceremonies that hunters practiced after taking the life of an animal. At one end of the spectrum, I overheard what sounded like a new years eve celebration as a couple of nearby hunters got lucky on the road, to being part of Miki's first hunt where her ceremony involved calm moments of contemplation as she processed the experience of taking her first animal. We start with a question about holding a ceremony after taking an animal’s life and dive deep into a conversation around rituals, that, in some traditions, start a long time before the hunt takes place. La'goot shares his experience of the role that his community, elders and mentors play in learning rituals and developing the practice of ceremony. We reflect on how having those connections can help new hunters be more present in their actions and have a mindful experience when faced with taking an animal's life. This podcast goes in a few more interesting directions. I am grateful for these insightful conversations with La'goot, and I feel fortunate to be able to share them with our listeners.

Reading recommendations:

1. Tsawalk: A Nuu-chah-nulth Worldview - by Eugene Richard Atleo
2. Spirits of our Whaling Ancestors - Revitalizing Makah and Nuu-chah-nulth Traditions - by Charlotte Coté
3. Ecologies of the Heart: Emotion, Belief, and the Environment Hardcover – by E. N. Anderson (Author)

For more time with La'goot listen to episodes 27 and 28 of the EatWild Podcast. More about La'goot Spencer Greening: Spencer’s Ph.D. research emphasizes the importance of Indigenous knowledge and stewardship of land in the context of colonial management practices and law. Specifically, it explores how the connections among Indigenous pedagogy, language, and the sharing of place-based knowledge are linked to heritage preservation, identity, and more sustainable environmental management. Spencer is analyzing one of the  Cultural Keystone Places  in his home territory, in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest, where his Elders were born and raised in a life of fluent Gitga’at culture, language, and ecological relationships. By working with their ancestral knowledge systems, he is able to highlight local Indigenous knowledge and its vital role in academic scholarship, Canadian law and policy, and the promotion of environmental awareness. His research is also unique as it is led by his community and rooted in Indigenous research methodologies and frameworks. This ensures its contributions to cultural continuity, self-determination, Indigenous research, and decolonization.   You can find La'goot here.   Please review and share this podcast!    Thanks, Dylan 

Setting your sights on your first rifle - tips for buying the right firearm

In this episode, I’m hanging out with Travis Bader from Silvercore. We’re breaking down the things to consider when buying your first firearm for big game. We get into some common misconceptions about firearms. We talk recoil and how to reduce the shock to the body. We discuss pros and cons of calibers for the new hunter who wants a rifle that can do it all.

Travis is an expert in all things firearms. He is a gunsmith and a leader in the firearms training industry. Silvercore provides a range of training opportunities from firearms safety to bear safety and much more. Check them out.

You can find the Silvercore podcast here.

Find Travis and Silvercore on Instagram here.

In this episode, I am joined by hunting guide and conservationist Nolan Osborne. Nolan and I were due for a catch-up as we look ahead to the bear hunting season and the upcoming Wild Sheep Foundation Solute to Conservation and Mountain Huntain Expo.  Over the years, Nolan and I have had deep conversations on the ethics associated with hunting. Last week, a notable Canadian hunting content creator was found guilty of several poaching charges in B.C. and Alberta.  This disappointing news made some big waves in our hunting community and raised questions about the ethics of content creation in the hunting space.  In the episode, we discuss the responsibility and accountability of being legal and ethical hunters and the complexities and pressures of creating content that relies on successful hunts. 

I'll be presenting at the Mountain Hunting Expo at 2 pm on Friday, so stop by and learn about meat care in the mountains. Find out more about the Wild Sheep Society Event. 

Here is a link to our Bear Hunting course.  If you want to learn more about how to hunt me and the EatWild team, join us for a workshop or course. We have recently released a series of online hunting courses for you to deepen your knowledge and hone your strategies for the hunt. 

The iHunter App supports the Eatwild Podcast and other programs. The app is an essential tool to make you more comfortable in the woods. The mapping layers, navigation tools and hunting regulations are all packed into the app to give you the info you need on your next adventure. 

This episode is supported by BC Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BCBHA). The BCBHA is a young conservation organization dedicated to protecting wild places and critters that live in these wild places. Come out to a local event and get to know the BCBHA community. 

As always, this podcast is brought to you by Seek Outside. They make unique ultralight tents and packs for your next adventure. Use the discount code EATWILD on your next purchase.

 

We also get support from our friends at West Coast Kitchen Canada. So stock up for the adventure season and use the discount code EATWILD.

You can stop in at Beere Brewing and take advantage of a 10% discount on the purchase. Use the code EATWILD10 on your next purchase.  Beere makes a great selection of bright, crisp beers perfect for the patio or around the campfire.

 

What species should a new hunter target for success? In this episode, I am joined by Mark Hall of the Hunter Conservationist Podcast. We are talking about a graduated approach to hunting species that builds confidence and skills for success. What are the most accessible hunts which offer the experience that help you progress to more challenging hunts? What can we learn from grouse and bunny hunts and how those lessons apply to your first buck or a 55" bull moose? Are new hunters taking on challenging mountain hunts without a reasonable foundation of experience to stay safe?  This was really fun for us and we hope you enjoy it too! You can hear more of Mark on the Hunter Conservation Podcast and the Round Canada Podcast. I am a big fan of both and I hope you check them out. Mark is on Instagram here.  

In this episode, I’m catching up with Kelly Molnar from the Rookie Hunter Podcast. The Rookie Hunter Podcast has grown to be one of the most popular hunting podcasts, not just in BC, but across Canada and North America. Mike and Kelly have built a following of loyal listeners by openly sharing their rookie hunter experiences and being relatable to new hunters. The podcast has evolved to bring on some of the most notable hunters and conservationists in the broader hunting community.

  In this conversation, I get to ask Kelly how they got started and learn about what it takes to build a successful podcast. We chat about the challenges and opportunities of building community around hunting by connecting people and we dig into the importance of mentorship. Hope you enjoy it.    You can find Kelly on Instagram @ rookie_hunter_podcast    therookiehunter.com

What does guided hunting look like when the border is closed to 98% of commercial hunting clients? I am catching up on the 2020 hunting season with Nolan Osborne.  Nolan is a hunting guide and the managing editor of the Journal of Mountain Hunting.  We’re talking about the impacts of COVID-19 on the guide outfitting community.  

As we get caught up on our respective hunting seasons, we get into sheep hunting and the challenges of ageing legal rams, and we talk about the pressure on a guide to ensure success on a once-in-a-lifetime hunt. It’s always a good time when I get to hang out with Nolan. He’s a super modest and knowledgeable mountain hunter. I hope you enjoy this one.

You can find Nolan at the Journal of Mountain Hunting or on Instagram @nmo.  

Please share and review! 

Thanks for listening, 

  Dylan Eyers www.eatwild.ca      Instagram  I  Podcast  I  YouTube

Are you going deer hunting? Yes? Then this is essential listening! We are hanging out in the wall tent talking mule deer hunting around the fire. I’m joined by my hunting mentor Geoffrey Horsfield, and my pals Jenny P and Scott Donker after a successful hunt in the grassland country in British Columbia. We are quizzing Geoff on his mule deer hunting techniques. We talk about spot and stock, still hunting timber and other tips for successful mule deer hunting. This is one of the more fun episodes that we’ve recorded.  I’ve been holding onto it and since last year to share with you during hunting season. Hopefully, you’ll learn something and have a bit of fun too.    Geoff has over 50 years of experience hunting, adventuring in B.C., has a wealth of knowledge and is a great storyteller.    Dylan Eyers, Owner/Operator www.eatwild.ca      Instagram  I  Podcast  I  YouTube