Restless Native

“This year I got a wakeup call. We were going to a fire and there’s fire everywhere. On both sides of the highway. And it felt like I was in the apocalypse.”— Lexi QuinnThe word courage gets tossed around so much it almost loses its meaning. Does it really take courage to tell your boss they’re wrong? Maybe some. But if that is courage, maybe the word courage falls short of today’s guest. Imagine running into the face of danger while everyone else flees to protect property that isn’t yours, a wildland that isn’t your home, and with people you don’t know all that well. That’s what Lexi Quinn does for a living. Lexi is a wildland firefighter and has been fighting fires like those in California right now for years. We’re going to dive deep into what it took to pursue her dream and fascination with flame, where she finds her courage from and she’s going to tell some terrifying tales along the way. Lexi also explains how forest fires impact our vegetation and habitat, which I found really interesting.We chat her job for a while, then it gets deep. Lexi and I talk about mental wellbeing, freedom, being yourself, social media and hunter recruitment. She’s on assignment in Northern California and only has a couple of days off at a time. We're grateful for her time. Restless Native needed its own home. So we built a new website that has all of the shows, merchandise, info about the team, and our contact info. You can check out this slick new website by visiting everrestless.com. Check out those fire shelters Lexi talked about in the show.Lexi's blog (in the works).Learn about becoming a wildland firefighter.Restless Native is Sponsored by Houston Safari Club FoundationIt's time to book your trip to Texas for Houston Safari Club Foundation’s convention. And guess what? If you’re already in Texas, you don’t even have to book it. You’re already there. This convention is a celebration of wildlife, wild places and the hunting lifestyle we all love. It has thousands of visitors and exhibitors coming from all over the globe for a three day exposition. You will see the finest in wildlife art, jewelry, firearms, sporting accouterments and worldwide expeditions. Beyond the expo there are some awesome banquets and luncheons that are complete with live entertainment, auctions and more stuff than you can even imagine. You know what the best part of all of this is? Your tickets and support of this expo help fulfill Houston Safari Club Foundation’s mission of preserving the sport of hunting through education, conservation and the promotion of our hunting heritage.The show is January 25 through the 27th in Houston Texas. I’m trying to get there myself, so I hope to see you and your rowdy bunch there come this winter. Learn more here. And thank you, to Houston Safari Club Foundation for sponsoring Restless Native.

"My marshal turns around and says, 'Hey Buddy." I turn around, and his face is ghost white. He's bent over in pain and says, 'You see that bank over there? We gotta go. Right now.' " — John HunterThis episode's a funny one.We have John Hunter returning. You may recall John if you follow professional fishing. This year he fished the FLW, and he's fished the Bassmaster Elite Series, too. He's also GoWild's Chief Strategy Officer, meaning he heads up all things related to our product strategy when it comes to hunting and fishing. And as if he wasn't busy enough, he started a little company called Graph Glass.We'll catch up on how the season treated John, and quickly dive into questions from users. You'll hear Brad stumble through your very specific fishing questions, admit he uses a godawful fishing reel setup, and then comes some hilarious stories from John. Oh, and Donovan Sears makes an appearance to try and foil GoWild's plans for world domination. Ugh.Sit back. Grab some tissues to wipe those happy tears from your eyes.Restless Native is brought to you by Houston Safari Club FoundationThis episode of Restless Native is brought to you by Houston Safari Club Foundation. GoWild is working with Houston Safari Club Foundation, and you know about some of the conservation efforts this group participates in.This is an amazing organization, that is not only funding conservation efforts, they’re helping kids further their education, learn how to get outdoors and actively tackle R3 efforts.Houston Safari Club Foundation has put $2.1 million into scholarships for hunters. That is, they are paying for scholarships to kids who are proven outdoors enthusiasts with hunting backgrounds. These are future decision makers and educators. They tackle Hunter Recruitment first hand with outdoor programs that have introduced hundreds of students to hunting experiences and career opportunities.Houston Safari Club Foundation has also provided $3.5 million in hunter-funded programs for habitat and wildlife improvements, anti-poaching and outdoor education.Members can connect with individuals from diverse fields, sharing a passion for hunting. Go back and listen to Joe’s interview if you missed it—he talks about all kinds of amazing events they host for these efforts.Members also enjoy an active community, with monthly events and of course, the annual convention where members gather to socialize and share experiences.Learn more: hscfdn.org.

“When I want something, I’m going to do it. It keeps me up at night. I try, and if it fails, I’ll try again.” — Brad SmithIt’s hard to pinpoint when change is happening. It feels like it’s always happening and never happening. But in the age of storytelling and media, it’s happening right now.This interview is going to dig into that. What happens when an entity that is nearly synonymous with the Internet and freedom of speech decides to censor content? Hate speech is one thing, but what about when it's just something the entity doesn't like but it's totally legal? That's hunting. It will be interesting to see how digital censorship plays out.Now this episode isn’t all conspiracy theory discussion. That’s actually just a small part of it. But it was a part that's unique and extremely relevant to some things happening in the industry right now.Today’s guest is Brad Smith. Many of you will know Brad from his work with Wide Open Spaces, as well as for being the Founder of Walton Rods. We’ll hear Brad’s journey into both of these ventures today.Get ready. This one is like a stream. Long, deep and a fun journey.Restless Native is brought to you by Houston Safari Club FoundationThis episode of Restless Native is brought to you by Houston Safari Club Foundation. GoWild is working with Houston Safari Club Foundation, and you know about some of the conservation efforts this group participates in.This is an amazing organization, that is not only funding conservation efforts, they’re helping kids further their education, learn how to get outdoors and actively tackle R3 efforts.Houston Safari Club Foundation has put $2.1 million into scholarships for hunters. That is, they are paying for scholarships to kids who are proven outdoors enthusiasts with hunting backgrounds. These are future decision makers and educators. They tackle Hunter Recruitment first hand with outdoor programs that have introduced hundreds of students to hunting experiences and career opportunities.Houston Safari Club Foundation has also provided $3.5 million in hunter-funded programs for habitat and wildlife improvements, anti-poaching and outdoor education.Members can connect with individuals from diverse fields, sharing a passion for hunting. Go back and listen to Joe’s interview if you missed it—he talks about all kinds of amazing events they host for these efforts.Members also enjoy an active community, with monthly events and of course, the annual convention where members gather to socialize and share experiences.Learn more: hscfdn.org.

Eric Clark is back! But this time, he's driving the boat. This is Brad's show with Eric about five months ago. Take a listen to see what was going on and how things have changed.**Restless Native is brought to you by Houston Safari Club Foundation**This episode of Restless Native is brought to you by Houston Safari Club Foundation. GoWild is working with Houston Safari Club Foundation, and you know about some of the conservation efforts this group participates in.This is an amazing organization, that is not only funding conservation efforts, they’re helping kids further their education, learn how to get outdoors and actively tackle R3 efforts.Houston Safari Club Foundation has put $2.1 million into scholarships for hunters. That is, they are paying for scholarships to kids who are proven outdoors enthusiasts with hunting backgrounds. These are future decision makers and educators. They tackle Hunter Recruitment first hand with outdoor programs that have introduced hundreds of students to hunting experiences and career opportunities.Houston Safari Club Foundation has also provided $3.5 million in hunter-funded programs for habitat and wildlife improvements, anti-poaching and outdoor education.Members can connect with individuals from diverse fields, sharing a passion for hunting. Go back and listen to Joe’s interview if you missed it—he talks about all kinds of amazing events they host for these efforts.Members also enjoy an active community, with monthly events and of course, the annual convention where members gather to socialize and share experiences.Learn moreDon't miss National Conservation Week

"Life is a film reel, not a snapshot."— Eric ClarkEric Clark is the founder of Where to Hunt. He's built the app as a side hustle, and today, we're talking about how he's pursuing making it his full-time job.The American Dream is synonymous with this mental picture of rainbows and pots of gold. But in reality, the American Dream is like the weather: Rainbows don’t come until the storm passes.Chasing that dream is hard. It’s more challenging than I ever thought. It weighs on me more than I tell people. Having the responsibilities of being the catalyst for a company—the make it happen person, the ideator, the chief of sales and head honcho of finance? All of that comes with a lot of stress in hopes of a reward. Those rewards vary—some do it to get rich, while some do it just in hopes of supporting their family while doing what they love. The stress is ubiquitous either way.I’ve talked about those challenges a lot on this show from my perspective with GoWild. Today I am pumped to bring on a tech entrepreneur in the outdoors space who is going to give us his perspective. Welcome to Restless Native, Eric Clark.Download Where to Hunt for iPhone or Android.Restless Native is brought to you by Houston Safari Club FoundationThis episode of Restless Native is brought to you by Houston Safari Club Foundation. GoWild is working with Houston Safari Club Foundation, and you know about some of the conservation efforts this group participates in.This is an amazing organization, that is not only funding conservation efforts, they’re helping kids further their education, learn how to get outdoors and actively tackle R3 efforts.Houston Safari Club Foundation has put $2.1 million into scholarships for hunters. That is, they are paying for scholarships to kids who are proven outdoors enthusiasts with hunting backgrounds. These are future decision makers and educators. They tackle Hunter Recruitment first hand with outdoor programs that have introduced hundreds of students to hunting experiences and career opportunities.Houston Safari Club Foundation has also provided $3.5 million in hunter-funded programs for habitat and wildlife improvements, anti-poaching and outdoor education.Members can connect with individuals from diverse fields, sharing a passion for hunting. Go back and listen to Joe’s interview if you missed it—he talks about all kinds of amazing events they host for these efforts.Members also enjoy an active community, with monthly events and of course, the annual convention where members gather to socialize and share experiences.Learn more.Don't miss National Conservation Week

"I gave myself three years. If this show wasn't profitable in three years, then I probably didn't belong on television. I kept it real. I was honest. And it's working out pretty well."- Gus Congemi, Host of Live the Wild LifeNetworking and relationships can take you a long ways.Today we’re talking to a guy who will time and time again echo this statement. Make sure you don’t just have talent, you better build some relationships along the way.I wasn’t too familiar with Gus Congemi, the host of the show Live the Wild Life, until I started working with Arcus for GoWild. And really, I hadn’t had a chance to really dive into his content until recently when I started preparing for this chat.What I found was I really liked Gus’ content and Gus. As a hunter, he’s very different than a lot of the personalities out there. And his show has a lot to like about it. Somewhere in watching four or five episodes for prep, I kind of forgot I was prepping and just found myself along for the ride.If you aren’t familiar with his show, I’m willing to bet some of you have seen a famous shot of Gus staring down a 10 foot tall brown bear with his bow in hand. It’s an epic photograph and even better story. Gus is going to tell that tale and quite a few more. Enjoy it.Check out Gus' show, Live the Wild Life:http://livethewildlifetv.com/Brown bear hunt:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAKB6-6neBI&t=177sLearn more about the Obsession Bows Giveaway:https://timetogowild.com/blogs/news/bow-giveaway-obsession-turmoil-rz-complete-package***Restless Native is Brought to you by Houston Safari Club Foundation***This episode of Restless Native is brought to you by Houston Safari Club Foundation. GoWild is working with Houston Safari Club Foundation, and you know about some of the conservation efforts this group participates in.This is an amazing organization, that is not only funding conservation efforts, they’re helping kids further their education, learn how to get outdoors and actively tackle R3 efforts.Houston Safari Club Foundation has put $2.1 million into scholarships for hunters. That is, they are paying for scholarships to kids who are proven outdoors enthusiasts with hunting backgrounds. These are future decision makers and educators. They tackle Hunter Recruitment first hand with outdoor programs that have introduced hundreds of students to hunting experiences and career opportunities.Houston Safari Club Foundation has also provided $3.5 million in hunter-funded programs for habitat and wildlife improvements, anti-poaching and outdoor education.Members can connect with individuals from diverse fields, sharing a passion for hunting. Go back and listen to Joe’s interview if you missed it—he talks about all kinds of amazing events they host for these efforts.Members also enjoy an active community, with monthly events and of course, the annual convention where members gather to socialize and share experiences.Learn more: http://hscfdn.org.Don't miss National Conservation Week:https://timetogowild.com/blogs/news/houston-safari-club-foundation-gowild-announce-national-conservation-week

As many of you know, GoWild has partnered with From Field to Plate and SIXSITE to promote hunter recruitment with a sweepstakes valued at over $4,500. The sweepstakes ran for 2 months, and collectively generated nearly 3,000 new hunters and anglers for 2018."I know this is a drop in the bucket in what the industry needs, but we're proud to be working with people and brands who understand that if we all just work together, these small efforts can eventually create bucket loads of new hunters and anglers," said GoWild Co-Founder Brad Luttrell. "For being as young of a company as we are, we're proud to see our little ol' community be this activated and inspired to jump in and solve this R3 issue."Team GoWild sat down on August 1 and called one random winner for the sweepstakes. You can listen to the episode above to see who won and just how that announcement went.The winner will join GoWild Co-Founders Brad Luttrell and Donovan Sears on an all-expense-paid hunting trip to Texas, where wild game chef Jeremiah Doughty will teach his process of hunting, butchering and cooking whitetail. SIXSITE will outfit the winner in their USA-made, high-quality camo."We want to give back to those who are giving," said Doughty. "I want to be a part of the winner's life, because this will be a person who is pledging to help make an impact."Note: There is no video. Sorry.**About SIXSITE**Founded in 2015, SIXSITE is a high-performance hunting and outdoor apparel and gear provider. Its products are Navy SEAL-designed, built in the U.S. and constructed with tactical knowledge about how to make gear work best. SIXSITE operates on three core principles – produce gear designed by and made to satisfy the demands of a veteran U.S. Navy SEAL; build in America – always have, always will; and offer gear that delivers a great value and experience for the outdoors.Users of GoWild and listeners of Restless Native may recall SIXSITE's founder, Stephen Holley, joining GoWild Co-Founder Brad Luttrell for a podcast. The show is highly regarded as one of the best Restless Natives yet by many listeners. Listen to the interview to learn more about the company's founder, his goals and why it was important to him to create a product that was made in the USA.GoWild is proud to partner with a company with such a strong belief system and great products.Learn more about SIXSITE's products:https://sixsitegear.com/**Restless Native is Brought to you by Houston Safari Club Foundation**This episode of Restless Native is brought to you by Houston Safari Club Foundation. GoWild is working with Houston Safari Club Foundation, and you know about some of the conservation efforts this group participates in.This is an amazing organization, that is not only funding conservation efforts, they’re helping kids further their education, learn how to get outdoors and actively tackle R3 efforts.Houston Safari Club Foundation has put $2.1 million into scholarships for hunters. That is, they are paying for scholarships to kids who are proven outdoors enthusiasts with hunting backgrounds. These are future decision makers and educators. They tackle Hunter Recruitment first hand with outdoor programs that have introduced hundreds of students to hunting experiences and career opportunities.Houston Safari Club Foundation has also provided $3.5 million in hunter-funded programs for habitat and wildlife improvements, anti-poaching and outdoor education.Members can connect with individuals from diverse fields, sharing a passion for hunting. Go back and listen to Joe’s interview if you missed it—he talks about all kinds of amazing events they host for these efforts.Members also enjoy an active community, with monthly events and of course, the annual convention where members gather to socialize and share experiences.Learn more.

"No matter where I've been or what I've done, it turns out, the most important aspect of it have been the people. I don't remember the photos as much as the relationships."— Tony BynumSpeaking up in contest when you know it could not only lead to backlash, but cost you clients and therefore your livelihood is not only courageous, it’s typically the makeup of a leader, which is who we have today.Tony Bynum is an outdoor photographer and the president of the Professional Outdoor Media Association by title, but he’s so much more than that. He's an activist as much as a conservationist. Tony is incredibly passionate about wildlife. You’ll find few people who dedicate so much of their life to improving our nation’s public lands and wildlife, as well as telling that story.You may have recently seen Tony’s image of a massive grizzly bear on the cover of Outdoor Life. It was the primary image for a story about the return of the grizzly bear and the science behind the hunt. He creates this kind of beautiful imagery time and time again.Tony tells all kinds of stories. And you'll find out a bit more about Brad today. This is a great one. Enjoy!See Tony's work**This episode is brought to you by Houston Safari Club Foundation**This episode of Restless Native is brought to you by Houston Safari Club Foundation. GoWild is working with Houston Safari Club Foundation, and you know about some of the conservation efforts this group participates in.This is an amazing organization, that is not only funding conservation efforts, they’re helping kids further their education, learn how to get outdoors and actively tackle R3 efforts.Houston Safari Club Foundation has put $2.1 million into scholarships for hunters. That is, they are paying for scholarships to kids who are proven outdoors enthusiasts with hunting backgrounds. These are future decision makers and educators. They tackle Hunter Recruitment first hand with outdoor programs that have introduced hundreds of students to hunting experiences and career opportunities.Houston Safari Club Foundation has also provided $3.5 million in hunter-funded programs for habitat and wildlife improvements, anti-poaching and outdoor education.Members can connect with individuals from diverse fields, sharing a passion for hunting. Go back and listen to Joe’s interview if you missed it—he talks about all kinds of amazing events they host for these efforts.Members also enjoy an active community, with monthly events and of course, the annual convention where members gather to socialize and share experiences.Learn more.Don't miss National Conservation Week

"As an industry, if we keep drinking out of the same watering hole, we're all going to be thirsty."— Joshua Stratton, Against the CurrentI love disruptive people. If you’re building a product, or using products or marketing tactics in an unexpected way, or doing something entirely different, that takes courage.That’s Joshua Stratton.Today’s guest is not afraid to speak his mind. He’s not afraid to talk about the shortcomings of the outdoors industry. And he’s not afraid to talk about his shortcomings.Joshua didn’t come from hunting heritage. So in a lot of ways, he’s the guy we’ve talked so much about recruiting. We need people who might find this way of life interesting for the recreation and the meat acquisitions—not because it’s what their grandfather did.That’s a great tactic to grow the lifestyle we all love.Joshua and I talk about those R3 efforts, that’s recruitment, retainment and re-engagement. But we’re going so much deeper. This guy gets deep. We’re going to discuss religion, humanity, parenthood, consumerism, business and bears. And more.Joshua and I met at POMA, or the Professional Outdoor Media Association.Enter the From Field to Plate Sweepstakes, brought to you by SIXSITEDon't miss National Conservation WeekThis episode is brought to you by Houston Safari Club FoundationThis episode of Restless Native is brought to you by Houston Safari Club Foundation. GoWild is working with Houston Safari Club Foundation, and you know about some of the conservation efforts this group participates in.This is an amazing organization, that is not only funding conservation efforts, they’re helping kids further their education, learn how to get outdoors and actively tackle R3 efforts.Houston Safari Club Foundation has put $2.1 million into scholarships for hunters. That is, they are paying for scholarships to kids who are proven outdoors enthusiasts with hunting backgrounds. These are future decision makers and educators. They tackle Hunter Recruitment first hand with outdoor programs that have introduced hundreds of students to hunting experiences and career opportunities.Houston Safari Club Foundation has also provided $3.5 million in hunter-funded programs for habitat and wildlife improvements, anti-poaching and outdoor education.Members can connect with individuals from diverse fields, sharing a passion for hunting. Go back and listen to Joe’s interview if you missed it—he talks about all kinds of amazing events they host for these efforts.Members also enjoy an active community, with monthly events and of course, the annual convention where members gather to socialize and share experiences.Learn more

“You can’t blame hunters for the creation of humans.”— Lincoln Tapp, Bowhunter & Host of YoungWildLincoln Tapp has become pretty well known within the hunting community. He’s currently chasing a goal that’s almost synonymous with his name. He’s spent a third of his life traveling across North America in an attempt to become the youngest person to harvest 29 of North America’s Big Game Animals.At 12 years old, Lincoln became the youngest known archer to harvest the Stone Sheep. He checked another box at 14 when he became the youngest archer to harvest the Super 10 of North American Big Game, and he also completed his archery Grand Slam with the Four North American Wild Sheep, which means he harvested Dall’s, Stone’s Sheep, Rocky Mountain Bighorn and Desert Bighorn sheep.Lincoln is also the host of “YoungWild” which you can find on the Outdoor Channel.I think about how young he is, and I'm so impressed and optimistic. This isn't your typical celebrity. This is a guy whose peers are thinking of prom dates and their first cars. So if we slow down and realize how far ahead he is from a typical person his age, he feels 20 years ahead of his time.This is a great conversation with a young man I'm now proud to know. I hope you enjoy.Check out Lincoln's TV showDon't miss National Conservation WeekThis episode is brought to you by Houston Safari Club FoundationThis episode of Restless Native is brought to you by Houston Safari Club Foundation. GoWild is working with Houston Safari Club Foundation, and you know about some of the conservation efforts this group participates in.This is an amazing organization, that is not only funding conservation efforts, they’re helping kids further their education, learn how to get outdoors and actively tackle R3 efforts.Houston Safari Club Foundation has put $2.1 million into scholarships for hunters. That is, they are paying for scholarships to kids who are proven outdoors enthusiasts with hunting backgrounds. These are future decision makers and educators. They tackle Hunter Recruitment first hand with outdoor programs that have introduced hundreds of students to hunting experiences and career opportunities.Houston Safari Club Foundation has also provided $3.5 million in hunter-funded programs for habitat and wildlife improvements, anti-poaching and outdoor education.Members can connect with individuals from diverse fields, sharing a passion for hunting. Go back and listen to Joe’s interview if you missed it—he talks about all kinds of amazing events they host for these efforts.Members also enjoy an active community, with monthly events and of course, the annual convention where members gather to socialize and share experiences.Learn more