Wilderness Attitude

This week we welcome Trevon Stoltzfus & Tanner Vernon of Outback Outdoors. If you aren't familiar with Outback Outdoors, the show is on it's 10th season on the Sportsman Channel. This podcast is full of important discussions, amazing adventures & a lot of laughs. We talk about the many issues we face as hunters these days within our own community and why it is so important for us to get back to the adventure and why we fell in love with hunting. Trevon talks about his passion for telling stories through his films and the problems he faces with getting permits for their hunts and what needs to change to allow smaller film crews access to public lands without a hefty bill. Trevon & Tanner also talk about the many films they are creating and share some of the extreme adventures they have faced along the way including an Ibex hunt in the Florida Mountain range of New Mexico that will keep you on the edge of your seat. We discuss balancing hunting and family, the amazing crews they get to work with and what they are excited about in 2018.

This week we welcome Elite Obstacle Course Racer and Endurance Athlete, Miguel Medina. Miguel is known for having numerous podium finishes in many OCR events including Spartan Race, World's Toughest Mudder, OCR World Championships and much more. But, Miguel hasn't always been racing towards the finish line. He shares his motivational story of how he put down the video game controller & took control of his life. Miguel talks about being diagnosed with severe Congenital Spinal Stenosis when he was 19 that progressed to the point where he could barely walk. Opting for surgery to relieve the pain, he ended up with a staph infection in his spine, and while in recovery, the only time he felt relief was when he was moving. He shares how he decided to keep moving and begin a new journey in life through endurance racing. Miguel also talks about becoming a medical interpreter and how rewarding it is for him to help families with linguistic barriers. Miguel is a passionate young athlete and a true inspiration for others to live life to the fullest.

This weeks guest is truly inspiring. What he has overcome in his life is more than most people will ever have to face. Sidney Smith, was born with a rare disease called Charcot-Marie-Tooth, a degenerative nerve disease that has effected him since he was a child. After years of surgeries and excruciating pain, Sidney made the life changing decision to amputate both of his legs. Since then, Sidney has relearned to walk, swim, run, bike and much more. He has set some amazing goals including competing in the Iron Man and has overcome every obstacle that has been in his way. Sidney talks about his disease & the amputations, the dark moments along the way and then pulling himself through and living an amazing life with the support of his friends and family. This podcast will inspire everyone to not give up whatever curve balls life throws your way.

For all you entrepreneurs out there, this week's guest is proof that with hard work & dedication, your dreams can become a reality. Avid outdoorsman, Dennis Stokes is here to talk about his new Hunting Pack Company, Initial Ascent. Brandon shares how he met Dennis at the Western Hunt Expo this year & what impressed him most about the packs that make them stand out from the rest. Dennis talks about his background in animal nutrition and how his children helped get him back into the outdoors, which eventually lead to creating Initial Ascent. He talks about the 14 generations of packs they went through before creating the perfect pack, including the Integrous Frame, the suspension system, the IA4K Bag and The Pannier Load Carrier. Dennis also talks about the upcoming expos they will be attending in Colorado, Utah & Wyoming (see show notes for links) and the 10% off code they are offering to past & present military & first responders.

This is a very special podcast for Brandon as these two men have helped shape him into the man he is today. We are honored to have the Founders of Wilderness Athlete, Coach Mark Paulsen & Chris Denham on the show from Sheep Show in Reno, Nevada. Brandon talks about meeting Chris for the first time, being introduced to Wilderness Athlete products and how they have made him feel like family. Mark & Chris share their most memorable moment in the outdoors with bears and how they have learned to appreciate the simple things in life. Chris also talks about what he has on the horizon with his other company, Western Hunter Magazine and TV and Mark talks about how exciting it is to see Wilderness Athlete become what it is today. We also discuss being prepared in the wilderness, the Working Athlete and challenging people through health & fitness.

This week we welcome Phil Mendoza, Owner of Alpha Bowhunting & No Limits Archery. If you aren't familiar with Phil, he is a Colorado native who found a love for archery at an early age and has made it his life. Phil shares his earliest memories of hunting with his dad & uncles as a kid and what it is like now to experience that with his sons. We also talk about Alpha Bowhunting from the challenges that Phil puts on to his seminars & workshops that help people understand the benefits of shooting under pressure and the issues people have with target panic and shot routine. We discuss the all day workshop Phil is conducting on March 24th and how much Phil enjoys teaching people everything there is to know about archery. Make sure you listen until the end because there is an awesome FREE giveaway Phil is offering to Wildness Attitude listeners!

Joining us from Sheep Show is Host and Producer of The Yukon Wild, Greg McHale. Greg is a long-time Yukoner, accomplished adventure racer and has experienced some of the roughest terrain and toughest tests imaginable. We talk about Greg's background, how he got into the outdoors and how sports and hunting intertwine. Greg shares some of his amazing stories of adventure racing and white water rafting all over the world and talks about one of the most memorable hunts he experienced with his father that he will cherish forever. We also talk about facing your fears, being physically and mentally fit to get your best performance and what hunting and the outdoors does for Greg.

Reed Schoedl has spent his life in the wilderness from fishing to hunting and has now created a company that encompasses his passion for the outdoors, Post Pursuit. Reed talks about what inspired him to start Post Pursuit and the many projects he does including wild game cooking and recipes, fly making and showing people that you can use every part of the animal to create everyday items. Reed shares what it was like growing up in Southern California where hunting was not the norm but, still pursuing his passion for hunting and fishing. We also talk about Reed's earliest memories of hunting with his dad, discovering his love for cooking and now passing down his hunting traditions to his sons.

For most, this week's guest does not need an introduction but, for those who have not heard of Jason Matzinger, he is an award winning Film and Television Producer and host of Into High Country on the Sportsman Channel. We have been waiting for the perfect time to air this podcast and today is a great day, because Jason's new film #PROJECTELK, will be played in Denver at the Avalanche vs Wild hockey game.

Jason has spent most of his life in the outdoors telling the story of "the hunter" through his films and videos. Jason shares his journey from growing up in the woods of Bozeman, Montana and having a love for hunting & the outdoors since early on. He talks about how he got into producing films and why he felt the hunting TV shows at that time, were just not getting it right, and wanting to change that. We talk about ethics and how important it is to be an ethical hunter and keep a conservational mindset in everything you do, his recent meeting with the Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke and his upcoming films that he is excited about. Jason is the definition of Wilderness Attitude and we are excited for you to learn more about what makes him tick.

From ATA in Indianapolis we are joined by Sereena & Nate Thompson of Nature's Paint. We catch up with Sereena since the last podcast and hear all about her experience with the 2018 Extreme Huntress competition and coming in 2nd place. We also talk about Nature's Paint, where they are today compared to the early days of making their product in their kitchen and their new packaging. Sereena & Nate share their involvement with different camps and organizations and how amazing it is to be around like minded people who have the same goals in life and in hunting. Nate talks about his passion for black tail hunting, his favorite memories of hunting as a kid and where Sereena and Nate love to go in the wilderness to be together.