The First Gen Hunter Podcast

By Kent BoucherSports Science Education Self-Improvement Wilderness Nature

The First Gen Hunter Podcast episodes

August 16, 2025 Ep. 364 Tree Saddles Part 2 with Alex Gruin
Alex joined me back on the show for a part 2 discussion on using tree saddles for mobile hunting going into the 2025 deer season. We also discussed some of Alex's upcoming plans out west. It was great catching up with him and we enjoyed some great laughs as we talked about this new method of mobile hunting.

Check out the First Gen Hunter Website
Follow First Gen Hunter
Instagram: @first.gen.hunter
Facebook: @first.gen.hunter
Follow Alex: @east2westhunts_alex
Follow East2West Hunts: @east2westhunts
Follow Caleb: @calebleedrake
Follow Noel: @noelgandy
Follow Ryan: @theuplandsocial

Support First Gen Hunter by shopping at the following partners:

East2West Hunts Use promo code: firstgen10 = 10% off any purchase
Old Barn Taxidermy Tell Them The First Gen Hunter Podcast Sent You!
My Medic use discount code firstgen15 at checkout to save 15%
TideWe Use discount code: firstgen15 at checkout to save 15%
Optics Planet Use discount code: fgh5 at checkout to save 5%
360 Sportsmen Use discount code: FIRSTGEN15
Camofire
Black Ovis
AlienGear Holsters
FORLOH
Fox River Socks
Gunskins
Tipton Gun Cleaning Accessories
Outdoor Edge
1 hr 2 min
August 14, 2025Ep. 363 Valley To Peak Nutrition With Kyle Kamp
In December 2008, 21-year-old Kyle Kamp weighed 270 pounds and experienced chest pains while opening Christmas presents. That moment sparked a major life change. Over the next year, he lost more than 140 pounds and became deeply invested in understanding nutrition and exercise.
Frustrated by conflicting information online, Kyle pursued a degree in Dietetics, completed his residency, and became a Registered Dietitian in Idaho. There, he discovered how proper nutrition fuels outdoor performance, especially in the mountains he grew to love.
Kyle founded V2P to cut through nutrition fads and misinformation. His goal is to deliver science-based guidance that helps people reach their physical and performance goals—especially in demanding outdoor pursuits.

Topics covered include:
Kyle's transformative weight loss that led to a passion for outdoor pursuits
Well-rounded nutritional science
How extreme, overly exhausting training isn't as helpful as we think
Proper fuel during demanding hunts
Training that prepares us for the rigors of hunting

Connect with Kyle:
⁠https://www.v2pnutrition.com/⁠
⁠https://www.instagram.com/v2pnutrition/?hl=en

Check out the First Gen Hunter Website
Follow First Gen Hunter
Instagram: @first.gen.hunter
Facebook: @first.gen.hunter
Follow Alex: @east2westhunts_alex
Follow East2West Hunts: @east2westhunts
Follow Caleb: @calebleedrake
Follow Noel: @noelgandy
Follow Ryan: @theuplandsocial

Support First Gen Hunter by shopping at the following partners:

East2West Hunts Use promo code: firstgen10 = 10% off any purchase
Old Barn Taxidermy Tell Them The First Gen Hunter Podcast Sent You!
My Medic use discount code firstgen15 at checkout to save 15%
TideWe Use discount code: firstgen15 at checkout to save 15%
Optics Planet Use discount code: fgh5 at checkout to save 5%
360 Sportsmen Use discount code: FIRSTGEN15
Camofire
Black Ovis
AlienGear Holsters
FORLOH
Fox River Socks
Gunskins
Tipton Gun Cleaning Accessories
Outdoor Edge
1 hr 28 min
August 08, 2025 Ep. 362 The Pros and Cons of Saddle Hunting (Replay)
This is a replay of a podcast Caleb and I recoreded on the pros and cons of using a tree saddle for deer hunting. Hopefully it will help you decide on your set up for this fall.

Check out the First Gen Hunter Website
Follow First Gen Hunter
Instagram: @first.gen.hunter
Facebook: @first.gen.hunter
Follow Alex: @east2westhunts_alex
Follow East2West Hunts: @east2westhunts
Follow Caleb: @calebleedrake
Follow Noel: @noelgandy
Follow Ryan: @theuplandsocial

Support First Gen Hunter by shopping at the following partners:

East2West Hunts Use promo code: firstgen10 = 10% off any purchase
Old Barn Taxidermy Tell Them The First Gen Hunter Podcast Sent You!
My Medic use discount code firstgen15 at checkout to save 15%
TideWe Use discount code: firstgen15 at checkout to save 15%
Optics Planet Use discount code: fgh5 at checkout to save 5%
360 Sportsmen Use discount code: FIRSTGEN15
Camofire
Black Ovis
AlienGear Holsters
FORLOH
Fox River Socks
Gunskins
Tipton Gun Cleaning Accessories
Outdoor Edge

1 hr 11 min
August 07, 2025Ep. 361 Upland Social: Hunt Redi with Heath Seiner
Heath Seiner is a self-proclaimed average dude in constant need to escape to wide open spaces. Driven by the hunt, he is ever nudged to explore new landscapes and continuously tinkers with gear to further enable those pursuits. And now with the founding of Hunt Redi upland vests, he equips others to explore those landscapes as well.
Topics covered:
The fun of variances within dog breeds
His great-grandma's influence in a love for the outdoors
The moment Heath became a "bird hunter"
The origin story and heart behind Hunt Redi upland vests
Heath's "Pave the Way" program to get youth involved in hunting

⁠https://www.huntredi.com/⁠
⁠https://www.instagram.com/hunt.redi/?hl=en

Check out the First Gen Hunter Website
Follow First Gen Hunter
Instagram: @first.gen.hunter
Facebook: @first.gen.hunter
Follow Alex: @east2westhunts_alex
Follow East2West Hunts: @east2westhunts
Follow Caleb: @calebleedrake
Follow Noel: @noelgandy
Follow Ryan: @theuplandsocial

Support First Gen Hunter by shopping at the following partners:

East2West Hunts Use promo code: firstgen10 = 10% off any purchase
Old Barn Taxidermy Tell Them The First Gen Hunter Podcast Sent You!
My Medic use discount code firstgen15 at checkout to save 15%
TideWe Use discount code: firstgen15 at checkout to save 15%
Optics Planet Use discount code: fgh5 at checkout to save 5%
360 Sportsmen Use discount code: FIRSTGEN15
Camofire
Black Ovis
AlienGear Holsters
FORLOH
Fox River Socks
Gunskins
Tipton Gun Cleaning Accessories
Outdoor Edge
1 hr 25 min
August 01, 2025 Ep. 360 The Podcast Business and Hunting Antelope and Whitetails with Brian Krebs
Brian is one of my go to friends when it comes to discussing business. The guy has a mind that is constantly turning out new ideas and strategies that he pairs with a willingness to try new and challenging things. On this episode we discuss the inside view of running a hunting podcast, and business, as well as Brian's 2024 western hunting trip and his new podcast: Drawn West

Follow Brian: bak40brian
Enter To Win A Brand New Matthews Lift X Bow
Check out the First Gen Hunter Website
Follow First Gen Hunter
Instagram: @first.gen.hunter
Facebook: @first.gen.hunter
Follow Alex: @east2westhunts_alex
Follow East2West Hunts: @east2westhunts
Follow Caleb: @calebleedrake
Follow Noel: @noelgandy
Follow Ryan: @theuplandsocial

Support First Gen Hunter by shopping at the following partners:

East2West Hunts Use promo code: firstgen10 = 10% off any purchase
Old Barn Taxidermy Tell Them The First Gen Hunter Podcast Sent You!
My Medic use discount code firstgen15 at checkout to save 15%
TideWe Use discount code: firstgen15 at checkout to save 15%
Optics Planet Use discount code: fgh5 at checkout to save 5%
360 Sportsmen Use discount code: FIRSTGEN15
Camofire
Black Ovis
AlienGear Holsters
FORLOH
Fox River Socks
Gunskins
Tipton Gun Cleaning Accessories
Outdoor Edge

1 hr 1 min
July 25, 2025 Ep. 359 Tackling Hunting Life Goals In Alaska, Iowa and Arizona with Steve Hanson
Steve is one of the best people you can meet. He's the definition of a doer. If he has a goal he goes after it with all he has. There's a ton to be learned from people like Steve. I had the privilege to sit down with him at his hunting lodge in Iowa and chat about his life story and some of his advice for all of us.

Topics include:
-Hunting the Chicago Suburbs in the 80s
-Gen X has experienced the most change in hunting gear and methodolgy
-Being a fishing guide in Northern Minnesota
-Being a brown bear and dall sheep guide in Alaska
-Buying hunting ground and shooting giant bucks in Iowa
-Hunting Elk in Arizona
-The time to buy preference points and land is now!

Follow Steve: @stevehansoniii
Check out the First Gen Hunter Website
Follow First Gen Hunter
Instagram: @first.gen.hunter
Facebook: @first.gen.hunter
Follow Alex: @east2westhunts_alex
Follow East2West Hunts: @east2westhunts
Follow Caleb: @calebleedrake
Follow Noel: @noelgandy
Follow Ryan: @theuplandsocial

Support First Gen Hunter by shopping at the following partners:

East2West Hunts Use promo code: firstgen10 = 10% off any purchase
Old Barn Taxidermy Tell Them The First Gen Hunter Podcast Sent You!
My Medic use discount code firstgen15 at checkout to save 15%
TideWe Use discount code: firstgen15 at checkout to save 15%
Optics Planet Use discount code: fgh5 at checkout to save 5%
360 Sportsmen Use discount code: FIRSTGEN15
Camofire
Black Ovis
AlienGear Holsters
FORLOH
Fox River Socks
Gunskins
Tipton Gun Cleaning Accessories
Outdoor Edge

1 hr 20 min
July 23, 2025Ep. 358 Upland Social: Amaazen Outdoors with Brian Maze
Brian Maze has spent over a decade guiding clients through memorable outdoor adventures, beginning with turkey hunting, and later diving into fly fishing. But his true passion emerged with the arrival of Miss Rebel, a German Shorthaired Pointer whose first point ignited his love for bird dogs and upland hunting.
With the addition of a second dog, Miss Luna, his obsession with Ruffed Grouse hunting took root, shaping the vision behind Amaazen Outdoors. At its core, Amaazen Outdoors is about the simple joy of running bird dogs and sharing the woods with others who cherish the same experience.
Brian is also a dedicated advocate for public land conservation, working with organizations like the Ruffed Grouse Society, American Woodcock Society, and Pheasants Forever to protect the wild places that fuel his passion.
For Brian, it’s all about the dogs, the birds, and the land—and creating space for others to experience that same deep connection.

Topics covered include:
Leaving the corporate world to have a more dog-centric life
The hidden language we can have with our dogs
Brian's transformation from a "partridge hunter" to a "grouse hunter"
Wisconsin ruffed grouse drumming survey results
The fulfillment Brian has in making memorable moments for people

⁠https://amaazen.com/⁠
⁠https://www.instagram.com/amaazen_outdoors/#

Check out the First Gen Hunter Website
Follow First Gen Hunter
Instagram: @first.gen.hunter
Facebook: @first.gen.hunter
Follow Alex: @east2westhunts_alex
Follow East2West Hunts: @east2westhunts
Follow Caleb: @calebleedrake
Follow Noel: @noelgandy
Follow Ryan: @theuplandsocial

Support First Gen Hunter by shopping at the following partners:

East2West Hunts Use promo code: firstgen10 = 10% off any purchase
Old Barn Taxidermy Tell Them The First Gen Hunter Podcast Sent You!
My Medic use discount code firstgen15 at checkout to save 15%
TideWe Use discount code: firstgen15 at checkout to save 15%
Optics Planet Use discount code: fgh5 at checkout to save 5%
360 Sportsmen Use discount code: FIRSTGEN15
Camofire
Black Ovis
AlienGear Holsters
FORLOH
Fox River Socks
Gunskins
Tipton Gun Cleaning Accessories
Outdoor Edge
1 hr 10 min
July 18, 2025 Ep. 357 Waterfowl Hunting Lake Erie with Rev. Ken Lewis
I was joined by Captain and Reverend Ken Lewis from Ohio to talk about his experience with hunting waterfowl both on public waters and at his waterfowl hunting club.
Check out Ken's Website
Check out the First Gen Hunter Website
Follow First Gen Hunter
Instagram: @first.gen.hunter
Facebook: @first.gen.hunter
Follow Alex: @east2westhunts_alex
Follow East2West Hunts: @east2westhunts
Follow Caleb: @calebleedrake
Follow Noel: @noelgandy
Follow Ryan: @theuplandsocial

Support First Gen Hunter by shopping at the following partners:

East2West Hunts Use promo code: firstgen10 = 10% off any purchase
Old Barn Taxidermy Tell Them The First Gen Hunter Podcast Sent You!
My Medic use discount code firstgen15 at checkout to save 15%
TideWe Use discount code: firstgen15 at checkout to save 15%
Optics Planet Use discount code: fgh5 at checkout to save 5%
360 Sportsmen Use discount code: FIRSTGEN15
Camofire
Black Ovis
AlienGear Holsters
FORLOH
Fox River Socks
Gunskins
Tipton Gun Cleaning Accessories
Outdoor Edge
42 min
July 13, 2025 Ep. 356 Strut Revival: The Grand Finale
The long anticipated finale of the Spring mini series “The Strut Revival” is finally here. Join Noel as he recaps a great turkey season and as he looks ahead to what the future holds for he and Lance with The Hunting Heritage Podcast!

Instagram:
Noel- @noelgandy
Lance- @no_insta_lance
YouTube:
The Hunting Heritage Podcast
@huntingheritagepodcast
Facebook:
Noel- facebook.com/gandyoutdoors
Lance- facebook.com/lance.cornelius.3
The Hunting Heritage Podcast- facebook.com/thehuntingheritagepodcast

Check out the First Gen Hunter Website
Follow First Gen Hunter
Instagram: @first.gen.hunter
Facebook: @first.gen.hunter
Follow Alex: @east2westhunts_alex
Follow East2West Hunts: @east2westhunts
Follow Caleb: @calebleedrake
Follow Noel: @noelgandy
Follow Ryan: @theuplandsocial

Support First Gen Hunter by shopping at the following partners:

East2West Hunts Use promo code: firstgen10 = 10% off any purchase
Old Barn Taxidermy Tell Them The First Gen Hunter Podcast Sent You!
My Medic use discount code firstgen15 at checkout to save 15%
TideWe Use discount code: firstgen15 at checkout to save 15%
Optics Planet Use discount code: fgh5 at checkout to save 5%
360 Sportsmen Use discount code: FIRSTGEN15
Camofire
Black Ovis
AlienGear Holsters
FORLOH
Fox River Socks
Gunskins
Tipton Gun Cleaning Accessories
Outdoor Edge

24 min
July 11, 2025 Ep. 355 In Memory of My Mentor Carroll Hoksbergen ( From The Prairie Farm Podcast)
Please listen to this important story originally shared on The Prairie Farm Podcast about my boss and mentor, the great conservationist Carroll Hoksbergen.

1 hr 45 min

About The First Gen Hunter Podcast

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The First Gen Hunter Podcast is an audio resource dedicated to providing compelling content to help build knowledge and community for hunters of all levels of experience. Visit www.firstgenhunter.com…