Jay Benjamin is the co-founder of Big Sky Rentals, a company focused on renting out fishing, hunting, and camping gear. The cost of technical outdoor equipment can be limiting, especially for those new to a sport. Additionally, traveling with gear is often a hassle. Rental gear addresses both of these problems, and Jay’s goal is to provide high-quality, low-cost, low-stress rental options. We get into what he offers, where he wants to take the business, when to rent vs. buy, and how to maintain your own gear.

Website: bigskyrent.com

Instagram: @bigskyrentals

This is the final episode of Fish Untamed on this feed. For new episodes moving forward, please visit fishuntamed.com/podcast.

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Fisher Neal of Learn to Hunt NYC and Yale Drama School joins Sam on The Wild Initiative to talk about his passion for teaching others to hunt. In this episode, they discuss wanting to pursue a career in acting without sacrificing hunting and fishing, the opportunities available to hunters in New York and New Jersey, the logistics of managing whitetails on Staten Island, city-dwellers' fascination with the ethical harvest of organic meat, starting Learn to Hunt NYC and the importance of mentorship.

Learn more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/142.

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Mark Kenyon of Wired to Hunt and MeatEater joins Sam on The Wild Initiative to discuss his new book, That Wild Country. In this episode, they discuss advice for someone building a career in the outdoor industry, the romantic mythology of “heading west” and his personal journey, advice for first-time mountain hunters, physical fitness, setting expectations, how public lands became foundational to his life and his ideal public lands tour for the newbie.

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Jen Ripple is the Editor-in-Chief of DUN Magazine, a fly fishing magazine written by women and for women. After writing a women’s column for another magazine, Jen realized there wasn’t yet a women-focused publication in the fly fishing world and decided to start one of her own. While DUN is by no means meant to exclude men (and Jen mentions how many of her readers actually are men), it does offer a different perspective of the fly fishing experience. With both digital and print material (which comes in the form of a high-quality, book-like magazine), DUN is a great escape for readers looking to try something a little different from the typical fly fishing magazine selection. In this episode, we talk about Jen’s background, her experience starting DUN, and the effects, both positive and negative, that social media has had on the industry.

See more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/19.

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Isaac Aleman, formerly of Easton, joins Sam on the Wild Initiative at Hunt Expo in Salt Lake City to discuss, among other things, why FOC stands for "f**king overcomplicated." In this episode, they cover Easton's history and roots in California, Rambo First Blood Pt 2, the value of hunting the same area year after year, introducing your kids to hunting, getting into the hunting industry, the "Goose, Maverick and Iceman" levels of pro-staff, discovering your bad habits and starting simply as you're learning to shoot.

NOTE: Since recording this episode, Isaac has moved on from Easton and is currently pursuing other opportunities.

Learn more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/140.

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Marc Smith and Jeremy Dugger sit down with Sam on The Wild Initiative at Hunt Expo in Salt Lake City to talk hunting big muleys. In this episode they cover, locating big mule deer and learning to kill them where they are, important terrain features to look for, tracking deer, road hunting, laying down in deer beds pushing deer and pretty much everything you need to know to hunt big muleys.

Learn more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/139,

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Jake Roy is a fly fishing guide with Wilderness Place Lodge in Alaska. Although many people will want to book a guided trip if they head north, Alaska is also very doable as a DIY “exotic” destination for those of us from the lower 48. In this episode, Jake walks me through what to expect when planning a trip, including when to go, what you can catch, how to bring fish home, and how to hire a plane to get off the beaten path. If you’ve ever thought of fishing Alaska but don’t want to break the bank, this is the episode for you!

See more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/18.

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Justin Spring, Director of Records for Boone & Crockett Club joins Sam on today's Conservation Coffee Break

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Jordan Romney of Drift on the Fly joins Sam on The Wild Initiative at the Sacramento International Sportsman's Expo. In this episode, they discuss guiding fly fishing in California, how Steelhead runs can interfere with college courses, starter gear and how fly fishing is becoming more affordable for beginners, power versus style, the physics behind casting a fly, the step-by-step process of casting, "last cast syndrome" and simple tips and tricks you can practice to improve your fly casting.

Learn more on the show notes page at thewildinitiative.com/138.

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President and CEO, Patrick Berry and Conservation Chair, Dave Peterson of Fly Fishers International, join Sam on today's Conservation Coffee Break.

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