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For the past 22 years, Rachel Ahtila has been working in hunting camps and guiding for pretty much every major game species in the Pacific Northwest. As a fellow guide, I know how important it is to go hunting yourself, and I also know that it can be difficult to take the time to do so. This year, Rachel is doing just that, with an upcoming stone sheep hunt, and hopes of later harvesting a Canadian moose, mountain goat, caribou, and elk. In this episode we discuss what it means to be a good hunting guide, from both the client and professional's perspective.  Pro tip: you can't control the wildlife, but you can keep your clients warm and fed. 
 

Rachel on Instagram 

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Chad Dotson has devoted A LOT of time to observing game animals, in Africa and right here in Northeast Oregon. He's spent a couple of stints in Namibia trading work on a large game ranch for room and board. There, he had the opportunity to harvest an incredible kudu, amongst other species. Since 2013, he has guided for elk on the Zumwalt Prairie, an enormous grassland here in Wallowa County. During that time, Chad has recorded information on every animal harvested to understand how a bull's age relates to its Boone and Crockett score.  Chad has gained some interesting insight on elk and their behavior through this work. In this episode, we get into what we have learned about the animals we watch, hunt, and love by telling some of our most memorable hunting stories.

Chad on Instagram

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There's no one in this world that I respect more than Jack Ramson. He currently serves as a USMC First Sergeant with the NWSS Unit for the Air Wing. I first met Jack at tank school in Fort Knox, Kentucky where he was one of my instructors. After deploying in Afghanistan as a Tank Platoon Commander, Jack eventually joined my platoon serving his last combat deployment as my wingman. Words cannot describe what this man means to me, or how grateful I am to have served with him. In this episode, Jack and I discuss the ins and outs of the M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank, the history of tanks, our thoughts on the Marine Corps getting rid of their tank battalions, all while applying some lesson we learned as tankers to hunting. 

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Laura Zerra is the real deal. She's a primitive survivalist, hunter, and nomad who has competed 5 separate times on the Discovery Channel show “Naked and Afraid", living a total of 156 days in full survival mode. As a former vegan turned hunter, Laura's relationship to hunting is both fascinating and relatable. Through hunting, Laura has connected with animals and the land in a deeper way than ever before. Laura has the mental toughness, skill set, and knowledge to push through difficult, and often dangerous, situations. Her tips for survival can and should be practiced both out in the woods and through everyday hardships. 

Laura's website

Laura on Instagram

Laura's book: A Modern Guide to Knife Making 

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Buckle in folks, because this episode is packed with information. Pat Valkenburg is a retired wildlife biologist who spent most of his career studying moose and caribou for Alaska Department of Fish and Game. He now owns a flying business where he specializes in wildlife surveys. With my upcoming moose hunt this fall, I wanted to sit down with an expert, and learn everything I can about this animal; their biology, behavior, evolution, and physiology.  We also get into bears, caribou, wolves, and some insane stories about studying wildlife in Alaska. If you're curious about moose and want to learn more about this fascinating animal, this is the episode for you. 

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Tom Bonamici is a craftsman. With a background in product design and architecture, he has produced bags and clothing for several companies including his own. He's a custom wood worker specializing in furniture and timber framing construction with all wood joinery. Tom also happens to be the best person to have on a hunting trip if you forget your titanium spork. In this episode, Tom gives us some really solid advice on how to whittle useful items in the backcountry. What tools to bring, what wood species to use, and some great tips for making spoons, tent stakes, and gambrel hooks. We also cover gear repair and modification so that you can customize your favorite equipment to perfectly fit your needs. 

Tom's Tool Recommendations

Saw - Silky KatanaBoy
Hatchet - Robin Wood Carving Axe
Knife - Morakniv Woodcarving 120

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We just wrapped up the first ever SIG Sauer Hunter Games at the Queen Mountain Guest Ranch in Evanston, Wyoming. This competition was meant to challenge each hunter's shooting, glassing, and physical abilities with realistic hunting scenarios. At the Hunter Games, Dustin Parent served as the range safety officer for Team Wolverine and is the perfect person to go over this competition with. Dustin has served as a law enforcement officer for the past 19 years and is the commander of a 26 man SWAT team. He is also the co-founder of Northern New England Outfitters and guides for trophy moose, bear, deer and turkey. In this episode, we break down a successful competition and talk hunting and guiding strategies as I prepare for my own moose hunt this fall.

Dustin Parent
Northern New England Outfitters on Facebook
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SIG Sauer Hunter Games
Results and Competitors
SIG Sauer Hunting

Team Wolverine
Elite Guide: Mike Kimmel (Python Cowboy)
Competitor: Most wins in UFC history, Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone
Competitor: UFC Trainer Bo Sandoval

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What do you get when you ask two people with no hunting experience listener submitted hunting questions? Turns out, some surprisingly good advice. This week, I'm at the Queen Mountain Ranch in Evanston, Wyoming getting ready for the SIG Sauer Hunter Games, where celebrity and SIG elite guide hunters will compete for the crown. But before the competition starts, I had the chance to sit down with Aisling Meehan & Caitlin Ferdyn, event planners at SIG Sauer. I get their take on learning to archery hunt, tag strategies, e-scouting, and hunting new areas. Our biggest takeaway: you might have to do some walking if you want to be successful. 

SIG Hunting on Instagram

Learn more about the Hunter Games

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The best word I can use to describe Kirk Skovlin is tenacious. He's the hardest worker I've ever met, and is something of a local legend here in Northeast Oregon, known for his grit and determination in everything he does. Kirk is an excellent bow hunter and artist. He's been packing horses and mules into the wilderness for decades and has some crazy backcountry stories to tell. I learn a lot about hunting every time I talk to Kirk, and our conversation in this episode is no different. Join us as Kirk tells some of his best hunting stories about cougars, elk, and mountain goats from a full life lived in the wilderness. 

Kirk Skovlin's Art

Kirk on Instagram

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Jim Akenson has led a full and adventurous life. He and his wife, Holly, spent over two decades living in the extremely remote Frank Church Wilderness where they served as caretakers for University of Idaho's Taylor Research Station. While  at Taylor, Jim and Holly studied bighorn sheep, cougars, bobcats, wolves, and made countless contributions to our understanding of wildlife biology. For the past 5 years, Jim was the Conservation Director for Oregon Hunters Association, and recently became their Northeast Director of the Board. As a hunter and naturalist, Jim is the perfect advocate for western hunters and is probably the best person to explain all the proposed changes that will likely impact archery hunting in Oregon.

Buy Jim's book -  7003 Days: 21 Years in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness

From Caxton Press

From Amazon