In this episode, Matt Hartsky steps away from tactics and gear talk and dives into the real reasons hunters keep showing up year after year. Thanksgiving week slows life down just enough for you to look back and realize how much this lifestyle actually gives you. Not the tags. Not the antlers. Not the grip-and-grins. The deeper stuff—the things that shape you long after the season ends.

Matt breaks down why opportunity on public land is something hunters should never take for granted, and why the freedom to chase elk, mule deer, antelope, or bear across millions of acres is a privilege most people in the world will never know. He talks about the encounters that stay with you—the close calls, the bugles in the timber, the deer that materialize out of the brush—moments that remind you what it feels like to be fully present in the wild.

You’ll hear why failure becomes one of the greatest teachers in hunting, how discipline is built through the grind of early mornings and long climbs, and why the mountains have a way of keeping you humble, honest, and grounded. Matt also shares why passing this lifestyle forward to kids and new hunters matters more than ever, and how the lessons learned in the backcountry spill into everyday life—confidence, purpose, focus, and resilience.

If you’re looking for a Thanksgiving-timed message that hits deeper than strategy, this episode delivers. It’s a reminder of why hunting gives far more than it takes—and why gratitude is woven into every ridge, every season, and every step we take into wild country.