WEBVTT - Ep. 126: High BC Ashley Stuckless 0:00:12.240 --> 0:00:14.840 Welcome back to another episode of Cutting the Distance. Today, 0:00:15.200 --> 0:00:18.319 I'm joined with a relatively new buddy. A guy that 0:00:18.360 --> 0:00:21.000 we meet because of social media, you know, reaches out. 0:00:21.040 --> 0:00:23.680 We strike up a friendship and a conversation and it 0:00:24.000 --> 0:00:27.639 leads to that Ashley Stucklass from High BC up in 0:00:27.680 --> 0:00:31.280 British Columbia reached out. We started working together and then 0:00:31.320 --> 0:00:33.720 I started to watch more of his videos, more of 0:00:33.760 --> 0:00:36.600 what he's putting together, and just a guy that I 0:00:36.640 --> 0:00:38.800 would say chases down the adventures he wants to be 0:00:38.880 --> 0:00:41.280 on and I really love that and respect that just 0:00:41.320 --> 0:00:42.800 wanted to bring him on and talk about some of 0:00:42.840 --> 0:00:43.480 his adventures. 0:00:43.880 --> 0:00:44.800 How's it going, Ashley? 0:00:45.479 --> 0:00:48.599 It's going great, Jason. I thank you so much for 0:00:48.600 --> 0:00:51.520 having me on. This is amazing. 0:00:52.040 --> 0:00:55.120 Yeah, And I'm gonna get this all wrong. Whatever sheep 0:00:55.160 --> 0:00:58.000 show you're at, you're at the BC sheep show, and 0:00:58.000 --> 0:01:00.320 I'm gonna get the acronym wrong, but thank you for 0:01:00.360 --> 0:01:01.200 taking your time out. 0:01:01.360 --> 0:01:04.240 And what is the sheep show you're at? Exactly? I'll 0:01:04.280 --> 0:01:04.840 let you expel. 0:01:05.400 --> 0:01:08.959 Sure. It's a Wild Chief Society of British Columbia. This 0:01:09.160 --> 0:01:13.840 is their salute to conservation and their mountain hunting expo 0:01:14.080 --> 0:01:15.800 so it kind of has two names to it. 0:01:16.160 --> 0:01:19.000 Yeah, so thank you again for taking the time out 0:01:19.040 --> 0:01:22.319 of that. And that's we started talking here about a 0:01:22.319 --> 0:01:24.880 month ago, and I had watched your hunt last year, 0:01:25.880 --> 0:01:30.560 which was heartbreaking, right you, Yeah, you find the ram, 0:01:30.720 --> 0:01:33.200 you know everything, and then it's Chip, right, was you 0:01:33.600 --> 0:01:35.319 kind of NASA name? 0:01:35.400 --> 0:01:37.800 Yeah, we nicknamed him in twenty twenty three. 0:01:38.319 --> 0:01:41.160 Chip, So we watched that you had some cool coloration 0:01:41.280 --> 0:01:42.679 on his nose, so it was obvious. 0:01:42.840 --> 0:01:43.520 You know, we'll get. 0:01:43.360 --> 0:01:46.440 Into that part later, but kind of a heartbreaking story 0:01:46.480 --> 0:01:49.200 for people that, you know, for us, for us down 0:01:49.240 --> 0:01:51.560 in the lower forty eight, like coming up stone sheep hunting, 0:01:51.560 --> 0:01:53.640 it's like a dream hunt, right, one that's almost like 0:01:53.720 --> 0:01:56.920 financially unobtainable at times, but you'll watch you guys get 0:01:56.960 --> 0:01:59.560 to go do it in your backyard as a resident, 0:02:00.080 --> 0:02:02.800 and it was like heartbreaking, right to miss that shot, 0:02:04.480 --> 0:02:09.119 just a bummer. But there there's always little nuggets of 0:02:09.800 --> 0:02:12.320 like the story that was created this year couldn't have 0:02:12.360 --> 0:02:16.800 happened without that, that low or the heartache that certainly. 0:02:16.720 --> 0:02:19.520 Yeah, it'd be half the story that it ends up 0:02:19.560 --> 0:02:25.920 being without that, which is officially and deeply my my 0:02:26.040 --> 0:02:30.240 most hurtful miss So, but yeah. 0:02:30.040 --> 0:02:30.480 I don't want to. 0:02:30.480 --> 0:02:34.880 I don't want to necessarily necessarily like spoil the story. 0:02:34.919 --> 0:02:37.720 But let's just say you and the buddy go back 0:02:37.720 --> 0:02:41.360 into that country and relocate Chip and have a better outcome. 0:02:41.440 --> 0:02:44.280 So it's an awesome two part series. I highly recommend 0:02:44.280 --> 0:02:47.480 you guys go watch the first part before you jump 0:02:47.520 --> 0:02:52.160 in to the success. And it's crazy how you would 0:02:52.160 --> 0:02:54.960 have never probably convinced Ashley at that time that like 0:02:55.120 --> 0:02:57.040 this is all for a good reason, like it's gonna 0:02:57.040 --> 0:02:58.799 make a better story, because you wouldn't have bought it 0:02:58.880 --> 0:02:59.720 until it happened. 0:03:00.080 --> 0:03:03.120 Oh yeah, for sure. Even when it actually happened, I 0:03:03.160 --> 0:03:07.200 was like, like you, you can't imagine this this to 0:03:07.280 --> 0:03:11.000 come together in this way. So it was, you know, 0:03:12.440 --> 0:03:15.560 some amazing luck there from the sheep gods for sure. 0:03:15.680 --> 0:03:16.280 Yep, yep. 0:03:17.320 --> 0:03:19.720 And like I said, I was, I'm you know, I'm 0:03:19.800 --> 0:03:21.760 drawing to guys like you, actually guys that do it. 0:03:21.720 --> 0:03:23.120 Like might you know self? 0:03:23.160 --> 0:03:25.399 Where you know I you tune into the sheep hunt, 0:03:25.440 --> 0:03:28.840 you guys are just bushwhacking through miles and miles of 0:03:28.919 --> 0:03:30.919 bottom land trying to get into the sheep country, and 0:03:30.960 --> 0:03:33.440 it's like these things are hard, even for a resident, 0:03:33.520 --> 0:03:36.480 even for guys that have the opportunity, Like it doesn't 0:03:36.480 --> 0:03:38.360 come easy, Like you guys are still putting in the work, 0:03:38.400 --> 0:03:40.720 putting in in the grind, and you're doing it the 0:03:40.720 --> 0:03:43.680 hard way, the right way. And so I respected the 0:03:43.680 --> 0:03:45.240 heck out of that, and really what kind of drew 0:03:45.280 --> 0:03:47.400 me to your channel? And then you know, started watching 0:03:47.400 --> 0:03:49.440 your meal deer hunts and your other adventures there in 0:03:49.520 --> 0:03:53.480 BC and beyond. It's it's awesome and so just stoked 0:03:53.480 --> 0:03:54.680 to have you on the show. And we're going to 0:03:54.720 --> 0:03:56.840 go through, you know, some of your adventures where you 0:03:56.920 --> 0:03:59.480 came from, your your upbringing and how you got here. 0:04:00.080 --> 0:04:00.280 Yeah. 0:04:00.320 --> 0:04:04.320 Sure, So we're gonna start out like most episodes. I 0:04:04.360 --> 0:04:06.680 got a couple of my own, just kind of softball 0:04:06.760 --> 0:04:10.560 Q and A questions. This segment is sponsored by Pendleton Whiskey, 0:04:10.800 --> 0:04:13.880 so we appreciate them being partners here. So if you've 0:04:13.880 --> 0:04:16.240 got questions for me or my guests, feel free to 0:04:16.320 --> 0:04:20.160 email them to us at CTD at Phelps game Calls 0:04:20.200 --> 0:04:22.320 dot com or just send us a social message on 0:04:22.360 --> 0:04:24.000 any of our platforms and we'll do our best to 0:04:24.040 --> 0:04:26.320 get them in here. So these are from These are 0:04:26.360 --> 0:04:29.279 my questions in addition to the conversation we're gonna have. So, 0:04:30.520 --> 0:04:32.839 you know, not being from BC, not knowing your guys' 0:04:32.880 --> 0:04:37.400 exact system, you know, your public land, how do you 0:04:37.440 --> 0:04:39.600 pick areas that you're gonna hunt? Like do you look 0:04:39.640 --> 0:04:42.080 at the do you do e scouting? Is there just 0:04:42.160 --> 0:04:44.279 like well known areas? Like is it similar to down 0:04:44.320 --> 0:04:45.839 here where you're just like I want to go hunt 0:04:45.839 --> 0:04:49.360 that area? Figure out the logistics, Like how do you 0:04:49.440 --> 0:04:51.960 choose where you're gonna hunt? What what mountains may have 0:04:52.560 --> 0:04:54.479 you know, sheep in them, whatever it may be, Like, 0:04:54.520 --> 0:04:56.080 how do you plan hunts up there in BC? 0:04:56.200 --> 0:04:57.640 And what's open to you? 0:04:59.040 --> 0:05:02.560 So I for planning the hunts and eat scouting for sure. 0:05:02.720 --> 0:05:06.320 I mean we're on on X throughout the season and 0:05:06.560 --> 0:05:10.039 the off season. You know, we're dropping pins, we're doing 0:05:10.440 --> 0:05:14.000 you know, we're doing some scouting hikes and then sort 0:05:14.040 --> 0:05:17.160 of verifying, you know, how the lay of the land is, 0:05:17.240 --> 0:05:20.799 and then you know, getting the feel for the feed 0:05:20.839 --> 0:05:23.440 types that are in the areas and then using on 0:05:23.720 --> 0:05:27.160 X to then go deeper. I mean, we are fortunate 0:05:27.200 --> 0:05:30.240 our population bases is quite a bit lower than a 0:05:30.279 --> 0:05:35.320 lot of the US states, and so we have a 0:05:35.400 --> 0:05:40.039 ton of crown land or public land, as you guys 0:05:40.040 --> 0:05:43.920 say down in the US there I so we're fortunate 0:05:44.000 --> 0:05:47.400 to have a lot of that, but we still in 0:05:47.480 --> 0:05:51.560 the good areas of good mual de deer areas, mountain hunting, 0:05:51.600 --> 0:05:55.880 sheep and goat. If you don't do your research, you know, 0:05:55.960 --> 0:05:59.760 you can really find yourself in foot races, and it 0:05:59.800 --> 0:06:03.480 can We have enough plan that it's it can be 0:06:03.520 --> 0:06:07.120 easily avoided if you're willing to, you know, put on 0:06:07.360 --> 0:06:10.040 and burn some boot leather and get a little deeper 0:06:10.080 --> 0:06:13.480 and use those tools. So we do very detailed planned 0:06:13.520 --> 0:06:15.560 out hunts for backcountry. 0:06:15.960 --> 0:06:19.279 Yeah, and I wasn't gonna go down this rabbit hole. 0:06:19.400 --> 0:06:21.839 And maybe you do or don't know, like my understanding 0:06:21.920 --> 0:06:25.160 being from down here looking at you know, stone cheap prices. 0:06:25.960 --> 0:06:29.760 Did they cut resident stone sheep opportunity or was it 0:06:29.760 --> 0:06:32.719 more of just a non resident or guide in outfitter concessions, 0:06:32.720 --> 0:06:35.279 because I know a lot of the BC guides and 0:06:35.279 --> 0:06:38.159 outfitters got their allocation cut in half, which then like 0:06:38.240 --> 0:06:40.599 doubled the price instantly for guys like me that would 0:06:40.640 --> 0:06:42.440 want to come up. But did you guys, did they 0:06:42.480 --> 0:06:43.680 mess with the management numbers? 0:06:43.680 --> 0:06:46.120 For you or was it a little a little bit 0:06:46.240 --> 0:06:49.760 in a few areas. For sure, there were some changes, 0:06:49.800 --> 0:06:53.720 and there's likely to be more changes coming. But typically 0:06:53.880 --> 0:06:56.880 in the area where we focus our stone sheep hunting, 0:06:56.960 --> 0:06:59.680 it remains untouched the same way it was when I 0:07:00.040 --> 0:07:04.120 walked in these same hills in the in the early nineties. So, 0:07:04.680 --> 0:07:07.400 you know, sixty bucks. The tag's more expensive now, but 0:07:07.560 --> 0:07:11.360 sixty dollars as a resident hunter and just your fuel 0:07:11.480 --> 0:07:13.840 and the gear and and you're hunting. 0:07:13.880 --> 0:07:16.760 That's a little sixty bucks is a little bit more 0:07:16.760 --> 0:07:18.840 affordable than one hundred thousand right now? 0:07:19.320 --> 0:07:19.520 Yeah? 0:07:19.920 --> 0:07:22.480 Or yeah, for sure makes me want to see if 0:07:22.520 --> 0:07:24.840 I can get my my residency up in BC. 0:07:24.840 --> 0:07:25.480 For a couple of years. 0:07:25.520 --> 0:07:27.760 Come on up, yeah, come on up. Yeah. 0:07:28.400 --> 0:07:31.120 So what's the what's the general health of the critters 0:07:31.200 --> 0:07:33.760 up there in BC? You guys have you know moose, 0:07:34.400 --> 0:07:37.440 you know sheep, go uh, you know meal deer. I'm 0:07:37.480 --> 0:07:40.800 assuming some whities down you know south, like, is the 0:07:40.880 --> 0:07:43.240 general consensus that the critters are doing good there right 0:07:43.240 --> 0:07:47.480 now or sustaining? Are they on a downturn where it seems. 0:07:45.800 --> 0:07:49.920 Like I think we are experiencing some of this stuff. 0:07:49.960 --> 0:07:53.680 You guys are experiencing too. I mean we've got you know, 0:07:54.000 --> 0:07:57.840 our Stone Cheap population remains pretty healthy for sure, but 0:07:58.040 --> 0:08:03.760 definitely our California population and have a movie and you know, 0:08:04.000 --> 0:08:08.320 has really impacted that that herd. I don't know exactly, 0:08:08.360 --> 0:08:10.520 but I think it's about a third of the size 0:08:10.520 --> 0:08:13.560 that it was, you know, ten to fifteen years ago, 0:08:14.600 --> 0:08:18.400 just based on you know, primarily movie and the impact 0:08:18.600 --> 0:08:22.600 from that disease. So and then for our moose, I think, 0:08:22.680 --> 0:08:26.679 you know, we've been going through a long, long sort 0:08:26.680 --> 0:08:31.040 of trajectory of a decline in them, in our moose 0:08:31.120 --> 0:08:35.880 populations due to a lot of road and forestry activity 0:08:35.920 --> 0:08:39.840 and stuff allowing the predators to really excel in their 0:08:40.240 --> 0:08:46.280 in their pursuit of moose specifically, and and on the 0:08:46.360 --> 0:08:50.559 mule deer front, I mean, we really have amazing opportunities 0:08:50.600 --> 0:08:54.520 still for over the counter. You know, we have a 0:08:54.559 --> 0:08:58.840 few small subsets of draw for mule deer, but it's 0:08:58.880 --> 0:09:02.160 the same thing. You know, I paid I think it's 0:09:02.200 --> 0:09:04.760 twenty five dollars for my mule deer tag and can 0:09:04.840 --> 0:09:08.560 hunt them every year. The population I think, you know, 0:09:08.840 --> 0:09:12.320 even in the last ten years when I've really been 0:09:12.400 --> 0:09:17.720 focused on mule deer a lot. I've certainly seen changes 0:09:18.000 --> 0:09:21.280 in the population. I think, you know, a couple of 0:09:21.320 --> 0:09:24.840 years ago we had bad snowpack and that really impacted 0:09:25.640 --> 0:09:29.480 the population that we're still recovering from. But we had 0:09:29.520 --> 0:09:32.920 good snowpack the following year, and this year's sort of 0:09:33.040 --> 0:09:37.400 sort of moderate as well. So I think it's we're 0:09:37.440 --> 0:09:40.080 healthy overall, but there's a lot of work to be done. 0:09:40.320 --> 0:09:40.920 Yep, yep. 0:09:41.000 --> 0:09:44.000 And yeah, do you think you mentioned that they're a 0:09:44.000 --> 0:09:45.440 little bit like predator management? 0:09:45.559 --> 0:09:46.240 Is it still? 0:09:46.679 --> 0:09:49.079 You know our hunters is are the fishing you know, 0:09:49.120 --> 0:09:51.640 you guys' fish and wildlife, like our predators well managed 0:09:51.679 --> 0:09:54.840 up there. Still that that, my opinion, is why we 0:09:54.880 --> 0:09:56.880 were having so much trouble. You know, thirty years ago, 0:09:57.360 --> 0:09:59.840 we could run dogs, you know, we could do all this. 0:10:00.040 --> 0:10:01.839 You could bait bears, you know, we're now it's like 0:10:01.880 --> 0:10:04.760 you're starting to get some of these, you know, these 0:10:05.040 --> 0:10:09.000 bleeding hearts that don't like that method of hunting when 0:10:09.000 --> 0:10:11.880 it's a really great management tool. And so without those 0:10:12.080 --> 0:10:14.199 then you know, if you can't bait well, then also 0:10:14.280 --> 0:10:17.400 you can't use hounds. Now you've got a recipe for 0:10:17.440 --> 0:10:19.240 like what are the chances that you just run across 0:10:19.280 --> 0:10:21.880 the cougar. You know, we all know for you, Yeah, 0:10:21.920 --> 0:10:25.439 it's just like the opportunity, the chance for take is 0:10:25.720 --> 0:10:29.360 becoming slim. And so I've always felt it's our predator 0:10:29.360 --> 0:10:32.120 management number one and then maybe wildlife management number two, 0:10:32.120 --> 0:10:35.200 which go hand in hand. Do you guys feel you know, 0:10:35.240 --> 0:10:37.559 some of these declines maybe predators. Is it hunting pressure, 0:10:37.679 --> 0:10:41.080 is it game management, or just a natural cycle? You 0:10:41.120 --> 0:10:42.240 know you mentioned weather. 0:10:43.160 --> 0:10:47.000 Yeah, I think the weather cycles a little bit of 0:10:47.040 --> 0:10:50.960 the bigger picture, but the predator management piece can't be overlooked. 0:10:51.000 --> 0:10:54.400 I think we're really lucky we have. We can't bait 0:10:54.440 --> 0:11:00.199 bears in British Columbia, but we can use hound for 0:11:01.440 --> 0:11:06.120 cats and and are we're able to go out and 0:11:06.240 --> 0:11:08.520 hunt wolves and coyotes. I was out a couple of 0:11:08.520 --> 0:11:11.840 weeks ago. As a matter of fact, I think what 0:11:11.920 --> 0:11:16.720 it really comes down to is really trying to a 0:11:17.080 --> 0:11:22.320 be mindful of how we're engaging in that activity and 0:11:23.120 --> 0:11:27.200 help people understand the benefits. We're not out there to 0:11:27.520 --> 0:11:30.839 wipe everything out, but when you look specifically at mule 0:11:30.880 --> 0:11:35.280 deer and their winter range, there is there is a 0:11:35.400 --> 0:11:39.360 huge advantage to the predators when the density of these 0:11:39.440 --> 0:11:42.520 mule deer become. You know, they're down in the stage 0:11:42.679 --> 0:11:45.840 and they're packed down. You know, they're down in six 0:11:45.920 --> 0:11:50.199 hundred feet elevation in the river drainages. And the predators cougars, 0:11:50.320 --> 0:11:55.439 at wolves and coyotes, you know, really can have big impact. 0:11:55.679 --> 0:12:01.240 They'll their population will fluctuate with the available of that game. 0:12:01.840 --> 0:12:05.680 But that cycle, if we're not if we don't play 0:12:05.720 --> 0:12:08.880 a part in that, which we always have, if we 0:12:08.920 --> 0:12:12.920 don't continue to play a strong part in that, you know, 0:12:13.040 --> 0:12:16.760 we are always going through these huge swing curves as 0:12:16.760 --> 0:12:20.360 opposed to having something where we're looking at the numbers, 0:12:20.400 --> 0:12:23.440 looking at the amount of predation and then you know, 0:12:23.880 --> 0:12:26.880 playing our part in that, and I think trying to inspire. 0:12:27.040 --> 0:12:30.640 We have the opportunity, but you know, I don't run 0:12:30.640 --> 0:12:35.040 into other guys out there, you know, with their backpacks on, 0:12:35.800 --> 0:12:39.960 you know, hunt hunting coyotes or wolves. It's it's no mansion, 0:12:40.040 --> 0:12:43.200 but everyone's out there when them when the mule they're 0:12:43.240 --> 0:12:47.120 hunting seasons on, you know, and we're wondering why, you know, hey, 0:12:47.360 --> 0:12:49.600 numbers are down this year. So we had bad snow 0:12:49.960 --> 0:12:52.439 and then the predators were at the at a high peak, 0:12:52.600 --> 0:12:55.600 so they do a big hammer at that point. So 0:12:55.679 --> 0:12:58.480 it takes about five years to to recover. If you 0:12:58.559 --> 0:13:02.440 get that perfect storm of predators at the peak. Mule 0:13:02.480 --> 0:13:05.719 deer's had a bad winter, wow, you know, so. 0:13:06.240 --> 0:13:08.160 Yeah, and then we've had that too where we get 0:13:08.160 --> 0:13:09.880 like a couple of bad winterers around. Then you're just missing, 0:13:10.080 --> 0:13:12.120 missing like your age class a deer. So you know, 0:13:12.520 --> 0:13:14.520 like five or six years from now when those bucks 0:13:14.520 --> 0:13:16.600 should be, you know, where you want them. You might 0:13:16.679 --> 0:13:18.280 not have very many bucks because not very many of 0:13:18.280 --> 0:13:20.560 those fawns made it through those couple of bad winters, 0:13:20.640 --> 0:13:22.520 or they got ate up by a cat or a wolf, 0:13:22.840 --> 0:13:24.960 you know, because it's easier pickings. And so we'll notice 0:13:25.000 --> 0:13:28.560 like big age bands missing where it's like all really. 0:13:28.360 --> 0:13:30.240 Old deer and then like real young deer. 0:13:30.040 --> 0:13:31.360 And then you you know, you have to wait for 0:13:31.400 --> 0:13:32.960 that to get through, and you so you miss these 0:13:33.000 --> 0:13:36.480 big chunks of age class, you know, depending on on 0:13:36.600 --> 0:13:39.880 bad weather. And we could talk about predators forever, like 0:13:40.080 --> 0:13:43.079 I wish, I wish the furs were still worth enough 0:13:43.679 --> 0:13:46.200 or there was an incentive enough to like it made sense. 0:13:46.240 --> 0:13:48.080 You know, now guys aren't willing to go fill you 0:13:48.080 --> 0:13:49.800 know I'm also a turkey hunter, which I'm not going 0:13:49.840 --> 0:13:52.320 to get into. But right, it's not worth guys to 0:13:52.320 --> 0:13:54.880 go out and chase raccoons around anymore because their hidees 0:13:54.880 --> 0:13:57.360 aren't worth enough. So why would I spend one hundred 0:13:57.400 --> 0:13:59.720 dollars in fuel to go chase raccoons around when you 0:13:59.720 --> 0:14:02.400 can't make that up or even break even. Same thing 0:14:02.480 --> 0:14:05.199 with coyotes, Like it's not worth putting the fur up anymore. 0:14:06.200 --> 0:14:08.080 You know, you don't got the right methods for cougar 0:14:08.120 --> 0:14:10.160 and wolves. You can't even hunt wolves where I'm at. 0:14:10.280 --> 0:14:12.960 You know, some some states you can. So I wish 0:14:12.960 --> 0:14:16.920 there was some incentive where it made sense or it 0:14:16.960 --> 0:14:19.840 wasn't like a financial decision on whether you're gonna go 0:14:19.920 --> 0:14:22.400 hunt versus, like I know what's best for the ungulates 0:14:22.440 --> 0:14:24.560 that we want to or I know what's best for 0:14:24.640 --> 0:14:27.480 the balance, Like let's go, you know, go out and 0:14:27.520 --> 0:14:28.760 predator hunter spend a weekend. 0:14:28.840 --> 0:14:29.840 You know, it's cool. 0:14:29.600 --> 0:14:32.680 For everybody to lace up their boots a on a fall, 0:14:32.880 --> 0:14:35.360 you know, deer hunt or a sheep hunt. But and 0:14:35.400 --> 0:14:37.840 I'm a hypocrite too because I don't do enough predator hunting. 0:14:37.840 --> 0:14:39.440 But like we need to you know, lace up our 0:14:39.440 --> 0:14:41.120 boots during the winter as well and go take care 0:14:41.120 --> 0:14:41.920 of some predators. 0:14:43.200 --> 0:14:46.600 Yeah, I've been trying to inspire myself to do that 0:14:46.720 --> 0:14:49.760 more to to you know, the opportunities there. And I 0:14:49.880 --> 0:14:52.840 fall in the same same bucket, you know, And there's 0:14:52.880 --> 0:14:55.640 only so many holidays that you can take away from 0:14:55.680 --> 0:14:58.280 your work. There's only so much, so many tanks of 0:14:58.320 --> 0:15:02.480 fuel you can burning the year, and it ain't getting cheaper. 0:15:03.000 --> 0:15:07.320 But but yeah, like from a big picture perspective, I 0:15:07.440 --> 0:15:11.320 just I just want to be fully engaged and understand it. 0:15:11.360 --> 0:15:14.479 And I think, you know, it's not often well understood 0:15:14.520 --> 0:15:18.560 by others that think about outside of hunting, that think 0:15:18.560 --> 0:15:22.040 about hunters. The point you're just making of being able 0:15:22.080 --> 0:15:26.359 to analyze you know, we hunt the same or adjacent 0:15:26.480 --> 0:15:32.400 areas every year, and our our knowledge specifically of the 0:15:32.440 --> 0:15:35.640 health of those herds are you know, on par with 0:15:35.960 --> 0:15:39.520 some deep, deep studies done by biologists, you know what 0:15:39.600 --> 0:15:42.280 I mean. We were able to say, hey, three years ago, 0:15:43.000 --> 0:15:46.000 you know, there there was that winter, and then you 0:15:46.080 --> 0:15:48.720 can really see it showing up that that age class 0:15:48.800 --> 0:15:52.760 is sort of punched out of the herd. And I love, 0:15:53.440 --> 0:15:56.040 I love deep diving into thinking about that stuff. 0:15:56.160 --> 0:16:08.680 Yep, I overthink and probably you know, overanalyze everything, but 0:16:09.080 --> 0:16:10.960 I think it's important, Like you need to be you know, 0:16:11.000 --> 0:16:12.680 you need to be involved, You need to be plugged 0:16:12.680 --> 0:16:14.400 in and thinking about all of these things. 0:16:15.200 --> 0:16:18.360 You know how how that affects you know, the. 0:16:17.840 --> 0:16:21.640 The longevity and and you know, ultimate population and and 0:16:21.720 --> 0:16:25.080 all of that. And it's it's pretty evident that that 0:16:25.120 --> 0:16:28.280 predators are having a big toll right now. But you know, 0:16:28.280 --> 0:16:31.280 we're playing within some pretty pretty tight confines down here. 0:16:31.400 --> 0:16:33.320 It sounds like you guys can't bait but still have 0:16:33.360 --> 0:16:35.160 the ability to run dogs, and I think that's an 0:16:35.160 --> 0:16:38.760 important management tool. And uh yeah, yeah, so I I 0:16:38.880 --> 0:16:40.920 I took advantage there and asked you a few more 0:16:40.960 --> 0:16:43.720 questions in the two I was gonna ask, so appreciate that. 0:16:43.840 --> 0:16:46.040 And uh yeah, once again, you have questions for me 0:16:46.120 --> 0:16:50.280 or my guess ct D at Phelps Game Calls dot 0:16:50.320 --> 0:16:52.280 com or send us a social message and we'll we'll 0:16:52.280 --> 0:16:54.920 do our best to to get those on here for it. 0:16:54.960 --> 0:16:56.640 So now, actually I'm gonna kind of jump into just 0:16:56.840 --> 0:17:00.400 your introduction, So, like what was your background, you know, 0:17:00.400 --> 0:17:02.240 did you grow up in BC? You know, come from 0:17:02.240 --> 0:17:05.560 a hunting family, like, give us a five minute rundown 0:17:05.640 --> 0:17:08.159 of you growing up as a hunter and how you 0:17:08.200 --> 0:17:08.600 got here. 0:17:09.359 --> 0:17:12.440 Sure I was. I was actually born on the East Coast. 0:17:12.440 --> 0:17:15.560 I was born in Newfoundland. I've been in British Columbia 0:17:15.600 --> 0:17:19.480 for thirty years now, so you know, my adult life 0:17:19.520 --> 0:17:23.360 has been spent here in British Columbia. I was hunting 0:17:23.440 --> 0:17:26.159 before I was holding a gun in my hand. You know, 0:17:26.280 --> 0:17:29.399 I followed my grandfather's around. I followed my grandfather on 0:17:29.440 --> 0:17:32.439 this trap line. You know, I look back now, I 0:17:32.480 --> 0:17:36.159 was thinking about this, like I thought, oh, I was 0:17:36.200 --> 0:17:39.400 being because I was super eager to be helpful and 0:17:39.800 --> 0:17:42.560 you know, wanted to work hard. And you know, but 0:17:42.840 --> 0:17:47.879 when I really realize now, like my grandfather was sacrificing 0:17:47.920 --> 0:17:52.480 his efficiency greatly to tope me along. I thought I 0:17:52.560 --> 0:17:57.120 was helping, but really he was helping me along. And then, 0:17:57.320 --> 0:18:00.560 you know, my dad was always my main hunting mentor 0:18:00.760 --> 0:18:04.760 so he told us. Around me and my two brothers, 0:18:05.359 --> 0:18:08.320 you know, from very early ages five six years old, 0:18:08.320 --> 0:18:11.120 we're chasing him around. You know, when we get to ten, 0:18:11.720 --> 0:18:15.080 he's given us opportunities to shoot a duck, you know, 0:18:15.440 --> 0:18:19.720 and to sort of graduate into learning hunting so it 0:18:19.840 --> 0:18:25.760 came through our family traditions. My hunting, I think sort of. 0:18:26.040 --> 0:18:30.879 You know, we were heavily, heavily moose hunter family because 0:18:31.040 --> 0:18:33.560 it's it was all about the yield, yep. So it's like, 0:18:34.520 --> 0:18:40.080 you know, my dad worked in mining management and only 0:18:40.080 --> 0:18:42.920 had so much time away from work. He's great blue 0:18:42.920 --> 0:18:48.919 collar guy, but he really treasured the time he put in, 0:18:49.240 --> 0:18:51.560 but he would focus it on where he could get 0:18:51.600 --> 0:18:55.119 the best yield. So you know, he wasn't a bear hunter. 0:18:55.359 --> 0:18:58.639 He shot one deer in his life, but you know 0:18:58.800 --> 0:19:03.040 he shot a moose. He shot thirty five moose in 0:19:03.119 --> 0:19:06.640 his life, you know, because that's so I've really cut 0:19:06.680 --> 0:19:10.240 my teeth on some heavy packing and stuff. We didn't 0:19:10.280 --> 0:19:13.000 do a lot of backcountry moose hunts, but we would 0:19:13.080 --> 0:19:15.840 you know, set up our camp and then do small 0:19:15.880 --> 0:19:17.919 hikes in the bugs and then you know, work it 0:19:17.920 --> 0:19:22.120 out that way. And when we first moved to British Columbia, 0:19:22.160 --> 0:19:26.000 we moved to a small town named Cassiar, which is 0:19:26.200 --> 0:19:30.720 way up forty five minutes from the Yukon border. And 0:19:30.840 --> 0:19:34.560 when I seen that, you know, I was seventeen or 0:19:34.600 --> 0:19:40.399 eighteen at the time, and when I seen that, I 0:19:40.480 --> 0:19:44.040 was like like blown away. Right now, I'm in the 0:19:44.080 --> 0:19:48.560 mountains of British Columbia, way up north, and I can't 0:19:48.600 --> 0:19:51.040 believe it. But you know, me and my buddy Chad, 0:19:51.119 --> 0:19:53.240 they just used to let us go on the weekend. 0:19:53.320 --> 0:19:56.080 We'd be walking out with a single shot twenty two, 0:19:56.240 --> 0:19:59.400 weaving through grizzlies looking for sheep and goats all through 0:19:59.440 --> 0:20:02.840 the summer, you know, and and sleeping out there in 0:20:02.840 --> 0:20:05.760 our little tents and you know, a little naive, I 0:20:05.800 --> 0:20:09.760 would say, but but just getting after it. So and 0:20:09.800 --> 0:20:12.040 then the fall would come around, and you know, my 0:20:12.160 --> 0:20:15.119 dad and this couple buddies at the mine were like, well, 0:20:15.160 --> 0:20:17.359 we're up here in the north. We you know, my 0:20:17.440 --> 0:20:19.680 dad's a moose hunter, great moose hunt together there. But 0:20:19.800 --> 0:20:21.720 he's like, I guess I got to go for a 0:20:21.760 --> 0:20:24.320 sheep while I'm up here in a goat. And we 0:20:24.440 --> 0:20:27.360 never did get him a sheep, but we did get 0:20:27.440 --> 0:20:31.639 him a nice belly, and but I ended up getting 0:20:32.200 --> 0:20:35.399 being on four successful sheep hunts up there with the 0:20:35.440 --> 0:20:38.159 guys in the mind we just take him out. 0:20:38.440 --> 0:20:40.720 Yeah, are you still up up in that same general 0:20:40.760 --> 0:20:41.480 area up north? 0:20:42.000 --> 0:20:45.399 No, I'm in Vancouver now, Like you know, my career 0:20:45.440 --> 0:20:48.480 and stuff, you know, has been kind of locked down 0:20:48.480 --> 0:20:51.040 in the city. So, you know, I get to the 0:20:51.080 --> 0:20:54.760 North Country every year. It is something that it's on 0:20:54.800 --> 0:20:57.560 my must do list every year. I have a fantastic 0:20:57.640 --> 0:21:01.119 wife that lets me get away a whole bunch to 0:21:01.400 --> 0:21:04.920 chase the sort of dream that I'm I'm kind of 0:21:05.440 --> 0:21:08.560 have this vision and I'm struggling, but I'm still working 0:21:08.600 --> 0:21:09.040 hard at it. 0:21:09.240 --> 0:21:12.440 So yeah, no, and then uh, a little bit about 0:21:12.480 --> 0:21:15.600 about you there. So then so, how did HIGHBC like 0:21:15.760 --> 0:21:18.399 the the beginnings of that and how long have you 0:21:18.480 --> 0:21:20.720 been doing it? And uh, like I said, I've I've 0:21:20.760 --> 0:21:22.679 started watching your stuff because I really enjoy it and 0:21:22.680 --> 0:21:24.800 your storytelling and the way you kind of go about it. 0:21:24.880 --> 0:21:27.159 So tell us about hih BC, the YouTube channel and 0:21:27.400 --> 0:21:28.399 where you got going there. 0:21:28.960 --> 0:21:32.560 Well, it's funny, you know, you know, I've watched hunting 0:21:32.600 --> 0:21:35.960 shows my entire life, right, That's the the that you're 0:21:35.960 --> 0:21:38.840 a kid, You're looking at these big personalities on TV 0:21:38.960 --> 0:21:41.560 and you're thinking, wow, you know, and it never feels 0:21:41.720 --> 0:21:44.920 like something you could do, and it still doesn't, frankly, 0:21:45.160 --> 0:21:49.639 and and then you know, I just had this epiphany 0:21:49.680 --> 0:21:52.080 that you know, I see other people doing things on 0:21:52.160 --> 0:21:55.080 YouTube and putting their little hunts together and they're just 0:21:55.359 --> 0:21:58.440 normal resident hunters, just like me. And I'm like, well 0:21:58.480 --> 0:22:02.240 I should do that. And you know, again back to 0:22:02.560 --> 0:22:05.760 sort of a naive perspective, I'm kind of a dive 0:22:05.880 --> 0:22:09.719 right in and start figuring it out. Guy. But you know, 0:22:09.800 --> 0:22:13.720 so I just went on Facebook marketplace Boughty use camera. 0:22:14.000 --> 0:22:15.480 So I was like, oh, I at least need to 0:22:15.520 --> 0:22:19.560 have a good camera, which it wasn't a very good camera, 0:22:19.640 --> 0:22:23.080 but still. So this is only four years ago. Basically 0:22:23.240 --> 0:22:25.919 four and a half years ago. I touched the camera 0:22:26.000 --> 0:22:28.159 for the first time, and I was like, this is 0:22:28.200 --> 0:22:30.000 going to be easy. So me and my buddy Kyle 0:22:30.080 --> 0:22:33.280 went out and we're just filming, going to check our 0:22:33.280 --> 0:22:36.320 trail camps. Okay, oh, this is going to be great. 0:22:36.560 --> 0:22:40.520 So I'm out there spraying this camera around, thinking, oh, wow, 0:22:40.680 --> 0:22:42.960 this is going to be like I've seen some of 0:22:43.040 --> 0:22:46.959 the cinematic stuff that's out there, guaranteed, got it nailed 0:22:46.960 --> 0:22:49.880 at these shuts are wonderful. Get back to my computer 0:22:50.480 --> 0:22:54.080 and I'm like, okay, let's put this magic together and 0:22:54.160 --> 0:22:59.399 I just I just remember I distinctly remember sitting looking 0:22:59.480 --> 0:23:03.719 at my of this shaky dad cab style footage like 0:23:03.760 --> 0:23:07.720 a you know, like I'm running around and nothing makes 0:23:07.760 --> 0:23:10.399 sense that there's there is no story to it. It's 0:23:10.440 --> 0:23:13.280 it's just sort of this is an activity we're doing. 0:23:13.480 --> 0:23:20.000 And and then I was frustrated but hooked instantly. I'm like, oh, okay, 0:23:20.080 --> 0:23:21.800 so I got to get better. So then I just 0:23:22.440 --> 0:23:26.760 you know, grind on on researching how to, how to shoot, 0:23:26.840 --> 0:23:29.840 how to you know, figure it out. And you know, 0:23:30.160 --> 0:23:36.280 then through the twenty thirty dollars in gear upgrades and 0:23:36.280 --> 0:23:39.840 and becoming just just like hunting, you become this gear 0:23:39.960 --> 0:23:42.760 nut you kind of like I need this, and it's 0:23:42.800 --> 0:23:44.840 got to be that. Once you got something set, it's 0:23:44.880 --> 0:23:49.200 like lock that in because that's that's a move. That's 0:23:49.240 --> 0:23:52.320 a move that I need. It's there, Okay, rely on it, Okay, 0:23:53.080 --> 0:23:55.240 add something else into the mix, and the same thing. 0:23:55.359 --> 0:24:00.600 So this was always both happening now at the same time, Like, Okay, 0:24:00.640 --> 0:24:03.600 I found out a way to make hunting way more expensive, 0:24:03.680 --> 0:24:09.679 so this is this is awesome. So and but but 0:24:10.040 --> 0:24:15.639 I just basically kept driving for it, keep driving for it. 0:24:15.680 --> 0:24:18.399 I'm still driving for it, like I feel right now, 0:24:18.480 --> 0:24:23.240 if I'm being honest in my journey, I feel like 0:24:23.400 --> 0:24:26.880 halfway there. I feel halfway to what I'm still visioning. 0:24:28.600 --> 0:24:30.439 But I can see glints of it, you know, I 0:24:30.440 --> 0:24:32.840 can see glints. I can see a sequence right now 0:24:32.880 --> 0:24:36.159 that I can edit and put together of shots that 0:24:36.200 --> 0:24:40.000 I took myself, and I'm like, okay, that's that's fairly tight. 0:24:40.320 --> 0:24:42.879 And then okay, the story wobbles here, and then you 0:24:43.359 --> 0:24:48.159 just the story piece has been it's complicated. Yeah, you 0:24:48.200 --> 0:24:51.560 don't realize how much work goes into that. So yeah, yeah. 0:24:51.400 --> 0:24:53.879 And the nice thing is, you know, I you know, 0:24:53.960 --> 0:24:55.720 kind of watching it from the beginning. Now you see 0:24:55.720 --> 0:24:57.600 you with the big I think it's the big white 0:24:57.600 --> 0:24:59.840 bodied lenses. You know, you got the big expensive lenses 0:24:59.840 --> 0:25:01.720 where it's like, you know, the dedication for somebody to 0:25:01.720 --> 0:25:03.480 pack that long lens around, and. 0:25:03.880 --> 0:25:05.080 So it's like, you know, improving that. 0:25:05.119 --> 0:25:07.160 But then I think the magic and and you may 0:25:07.200 --> 0:25:10.439 agree that the equipment's nice and the fancy equipment, but 0:25:10.480 --> 0:25:12.920 it comes back to that storytelling. And the nice thing 0:25:13.040 --> 0:25:14.920 is is you get going, like it just becomes a 0:25:14.920 --> 0:25:16.960 little more naturally, like, oh, that's the storyline, like I 0:25:16.960 --> 0:25:19.159 already know, you know, and and you just you know, 0:25:19.200 --> 0:25:21.639 and it's not the storyline people are gonna attach to, 0:25:21.840 --> 0:25:24.040 and uh, that's what I love about it, is like 0:25:24.160 --> 0:25:26.159 telling those stories in the way that you know, you 0:25:26.280 --> 0:25:29.879 want to, you know, and and it's fun especially when. 0:25:29.760 --> 0:25:31.400 You then they're not all gonna land. 0:25:31.440 --> 0:25:33.439 It seems like sometimes you produce some duds and then 0:25:33.480 --> 0:25:35.760 it's like, all right, the next one everybody loved and 0:25:35.800 --> 0:25:38.320 that you know, and so it's just yeah, producing something 0:25:38.359 --> 0:25:40.040 that you want to and then hoping that the people 0:25:40.040 --> 0:25:42.440 that watch, you know, like it, and uh, it's a 0:25:42.520 --> 0:25:46.400 it's a lot of fun. So let's let's roll into 0:25:46.520 --> 0:25:49.879 your your three most memorable hunts there in BC. I know, 0:25:50.000 --> 0:25:51.880 the the sheep Hunts got to be one of them, 0:25:51.880 --> 0:25:53.560 and then kind of throw your other two and we 0:25:53.600 --> 0:25:55.080 didn't touch too much on it. If you want to 0:25:55.119 --> 0:25:57.000 go a little bit deeper into the you know, the 0:25:57.040 --> 0:25:59.159 story on Chip and then ultimately what you and your 0:25:59.200 --> 0:26:02.360 buddy were both to do this past year, like give 0:26:02.440 --> 0:26:04.199 us that story and then throwing a couple of your 0:26:04.200 --> 0:26:04.920 other favorites. 0:26:05.400 --> 0:26:09.200 Yeah, well, I you know, when we think about the 0:26:09.680 --> 0:26:13.320 sheep hunt, like, I've never had an experience that was 0:26:13.600 --> 0:26:17.439 that that sort of high that elevated, So you know, 0:26:17.520 --> 0:26:21.399 it's like a huge gift to get that opportunity. So 0:26:22.119 --> 0:26:24.959 you know, we like you say, packing in that lens, 0:26:25.080 --> 0:26:28.400 that's that's part of the part of the sacrifice that takes. Yes, 0:26:28.520 --> 0:26:32.200 could I use my olen and get some good shots? Absolutely? 0:26:33.040 --> 0:26:36.480 What can I can I get? You know, ten bit 0:26:36.600 --> 0:26:40.840 color in four k No, I cannot. And so you know, 0:26:41.200 --> 0:26:44.560 put taking that sixteen pounds of camera gear on a 0:26:45.359 --> 0:26:50.320 eighty eighty kilometers the first year and about a you know, 0:26:50.359 --> 0:26:56.199 one hundred the next year. I get great satisfaction in 0:26:56.240 --> 0:26:58.960 that pain to do it, because not a lot of 0:26:59.000 --> 0:27:03.320 people want to do that. You know, we're cheap one 0:27:03.359 --> 0:27:05.480 oh one. How light can you make your kit? 0:27:05.840 --> 0:27:06.119 Yeah? 0:27:06.119 --> 0:27:09.960 And make it still comfortable? That's like basic science of 0:27:10.760 --> 0:27:14.800 sheep hunting is, hey, how can I get to fifty 0:27:14.840 --> 0:27:17.280 five pounds with ten days of food? How do I 0:27:17.320 --> 0:27:20.200 get to that number? And for me, it's like, okay, 0:27:20.600 --> 0:27:24.359 now I've got to that number. Now let's just add 0:27:24.400 --> 0:27:28.240 sixteen pounds on it or fourteen depending on the kid 0:27:28.320 --> 0:27:32.520 I bring and sort of, but it matters enough to 0:27:32.560 --> 0:27:35.439 do that, and I think, you know, that's making my 0:27:35.600 --> 0:27:41.159 hunts more memorable, that whole process in itself, and of 0:27:41.200 --> 0:27:48.280 course having video of varying quality levels of these hunts 0:27:48.720 --> 0:27:52.040 really deepens the experience because we think we remember everything 0:27:52.080 --> 0:27:54.480 and then you watch something from a couple of years ago. 0:27:54.520 --> 0:27:58.879 But you know, really getting back in there with Jesse 0:27:59.119 --> 0:28:02.680 the same hunter. You know, we we did not think 0:28:02.720 --> 0:28:05.080 we were going to cross up. This is a very 0:28:05.160 --> 0:28:07.879 expensive area we're hunting. We didn't think we cross up 0:28:08.040 --> 0:28:13.840 Chip again. And you know, if you I've re edited it. 0:28:13.880 --> 0:28:16.840 I'm actually showing it at the Sheep Show here into 0:28:16.920 --> 0:28:22.280 one compact like twenty minute episode. It's probably my best 0:28:22.400 --> 0:28:28.080 editing to date on that story. So if people do 0:28:28.119 --> 0:28:30.680 want to see it, it will be there. I think 0:28:30.760 --> 0:28:34.919 it's worth the watch. It's very relatable if you're in 0:28:35.000 --> 0:28:38.840 the mountains. I really like to you know, dive into 0:28:38.880 --> 0:28:42.120 more than more than just the grip and grin that's 0:28:42.400 --> 0:28:46.120 fortunately a part of it in the highs. But but yeah, 0:28:46.160 --> 0:28:48.960 there's it's that that sick grind that you got to 0:28:49.040 --> 0:28:52.680 do and whether you like it or not, you just 0:28:52.760 --> 0:28:55.600 love it, you know, whether it hurts or not. Yeah. 0:28:55.680 --> 0:28:58.960 Yeah, And so by time this airs, that video will 0:28:59.000 --> 0:29:00.400 be live on your YouTube channel. 0:29:00.440 --> 0:29:04.000 Correct, it will, Yeah, after I show after I show 0:29:04.000 --> 0:29:07.040 it tomorrow at one o'clock at the Sheep Show. That'll 0:29:07.080 --> 0:29:10.360 be the first screening of it. It will go live 0:29:10.480 --> 0:29:14.120 by Sunday on the YouTube channel. And I think it's 0:29:14.120 --> 0:29:16.640 a nice way if if you don't want to watch 0:29:16.640 --> 0:29:18.400 it through the two part I think the two parts 0:29:18.480 --> 0:29:22.520 valuable because it goes deeper. Obviously, it's twice the twice 0:29:22.560 --> 0:29:25.440 the length kind of thing, but this is just a 0:29:25.480 --> 0:29:29.400 little more concise, maybe a geared a little more towards 0:29:29.440 --> 0:29:31.720 watchability and engagement kind of thing. 0:29:32.320 --> 0:29:35.440 And I'm curious you said, you know, it was in 0:29:35.480 --> 0:29:39.240 an expansive area. How far was he from the spot 0:29:39.280 --> 0:29:40.560 where you miss him the first year? Was it the 0:29:40.560 --> 0:29:41.600 same mountain or was. 0:29:41.560 --> 0:29:49.120 He apart different mountain, same range? And it was approximately 0:29:50.320 --> 0:29:53.800 you know, five miles or so. Jeez, talking miles because 0:29:53.800 --> 0:29:57.760 a lot of people, but yeah, yeah, five miles ten 0:29:57.880 --> 0:30:01.320 kilometers ish kind of thing. I never quite measured it off, 0:30:01.360 --> 0:30:04.040 but approximately in approximate. 0:30:04.240 --> 0:30:05.920 That's crazy, you know, because like and I don't know 0:30:05.960 --> 0:30:08.080 if your milder are more finicky, like a lot of 0:30:08.080 --> 0:30:10.400 our meal deer go back to the exact same summer range, 0:30:10.440 --> 0:30:12.880 you know, they migrate out, go back, So it's you know, 0:30:12.920 --> 0:30:15.080 I would just assume a sheep's gonna kind of stay 0:30:15.080 --> 0:30:17.120 on the same mountain, but that that seems to be 0:30:17.160 --> 0:30:19.960 a pretty pretty good distance, so it's even more rare. 0:30:20.240 --> 0:30:23.040 You know, it may be normal, but it seems crazy 0:30:23.040 --> 0:30:24.719 that you know, you'd pick him up that far apart. 0:30:25.360 --> 0:30:28.720 Yeah, they they just run the range differently right than 0:30:28.840 --> 0:30:32.040 than meal there because my meal their experience with when 0:30:32.040 --> 0:30:35.000 we talk about, you know, three favorite hunts, I think 0:30:35.080 --> 0:30:40.760 mule dere is ultimately my favorite animal to pursue. But yeah, 0:30:40.800 --> 0:30:44.280 they act very differently than sheep. Sheep are you know, 0:30:44.360 --> 0:30:47.200 they'll they'll have you know, maybe it's grizzly bears pushing 0:30:47.240 --> 0:30:50.480 them around from time to time. Maybe it is other hunters. 0:30:50.520 --> 0:30:53.840 A guide comes through with his horses, you know, they'll 0:30:53.880 --> 0:30:57.360 they'll migrate. Whereas you know meal deer, you can push 0:30:57.440 --> 0:30:59.600 him out for a couple of days usually, but if 0:30:59.600 --> 0:31:02.680 you really stick it out, usually he's gonna he's gonna 0:31:02.680 --> 0:31:05.480 sneak back in there and want to be in whether 0:31:05.560 --> 0:31:08.240 that's his summer range or or where he likes the winter. 0:31:08.600 --> 0:31:11.280 You know, when they're running running, they'll cruise a lot more, 0:31:12.400 --> 0:31:15.040 so you'll get a lot more turnover through the basins. 0:31:15.080 --> 0:31:18.200 That you work, but uh yeah, they're they're a little. 0:31:17.960 --> 0:31:20.720 Bit different, gotcha, gotcha? And then you you kind of 0:31:20.720 --> 0:31:21.720 that was a good segue. 0:31:21.800 --> 0:31:23.840 So I'm sure a meal deer hunt's got to be, 0:31:24.400 --> 0:31:26.240 you know, on on one of your top three and 0:31:26.240 --> 0:31:28.840 and watching your videos, it seems like you guys got 0:31:28.840 --> 0:31:31.479 like kind of some cliffy plateau country that drops off 0:31:31.520 --> 0:31:33.400 into these cliffs and it looks like just a really 0:31:33.440 --> 0:31:35.560 cool way to get above those deer and kind. 0:31:35.360 --> 0:31:36.640 Of kind of glass down. 0:31:36.680 --> 0:31:38.400 Tell me a little more about your meal deer hunting, 0:31:38.440 --> 0:31:41.240 and it seems like you know a lot of fun 0:31:41.360 --> 0:31:42.040 hunting them that way. 0:31:42.560 --> 0:31:46.040 It's super fun hunting them that way. I mean, you know, 0:31:46.080 --> 0:31:50.080 it creates challenges as well for recovery. Sometimes you've got 0:31:50.120 --> 0:31:54.160 to do very very long hikes to to you know, 0:31:54.360 --> 0:31:57.840 your you shoot him four hundred yards away, then you 0:31:57.960 --> 0:32:01.520 got to hike ten kilometers, not just a kilometer and 0:32:01.520 --> 0:32:05.080 a half like your typical working your way in cutting 0:32:05.120 --> 0:32:07.920 the best little ridge lines to get you to them. 0:32:08.600 --> 0:32:13.200 This is a bigger swing. But I'm just in love 0:32:13.320 --> 0:32:17.760 with that that, you know, end of October right through 0:32:17.800 --> 0:32:22.240 November being in that country, that transition between the fur 0:32:22.400 --> 0:32:26.880 timber that it's fairly dry in there. It's bordering on 0:32:27.040 --> 0:32:30.920 sort of desert type of terrain. And it transitions from 0:32:30.960 --> 0:32:34.720 these stunted fur forests that are quite open, nice walking 0:32:34.880 --> 0:32:38.720 underneath into these cliff systems down into the river drainages 0:32:38.760 --> 0:32:42.920 which are all rolling sage, and you know, just smelling 0:32:42.960 --> 0:32:46.560 the sage and just being right there is you know, 0:32:46.640 --> 0:32:49.680 you gotta do it. Anybody who's getting into the like, 0:32:50.160 --> 0:32:52.520 I don't know how you don't get hooked because it's 0:32:52.640 --> 0:32:55.280 it's very enjoyable. 0:33:04.320 --> 0:33:05.360 No, that's awesome. 0:33:06.720 --> 0:33:08.360 It seems like you're able to take some good bucks 0:33:08.400 --> 0:33:12.360 in there. You's got a pretty healthy population and looks 0:33:12.400 --> 0:33:13.800 like a ton of f What would be your third? 0:33:13.920 --> 0:33:16.400 So you know you got a sheep? Is most memorial? 0:33:16.440 --> 0:33:17.840 That that memorable? 0:33:17.920 --> 0:33:18.280 You got that? 0:33:18.400 --> 0:33:20.640 Mealy, what would be like a third? I know you're 0:33:20.680 --> 0:33:22.880 trying to get after a big horn this year, but like, 0:33:23.240 --> 0:33:24.760 you know, moose, what else? 0:33:24.840 --> 0:33:26.880 What else is your It is moose? 0:33:27.480 --> 0:33:31.400 That And there's a deep connection to moose hunting and 0:33:31.560 --> 0:33:36.880 my relationship with my father, grandfather, uncles. You know, it's 0:33:36.880 --> 0:33:40.600 a traditional on the east in Newfoundland has the highest 0:33:41.080 --> 0:33:44.920 moose population per square kilometer square mile in the world, 0:33:45.560 --> 0:33:48.120 So it's a big food source for a lot of 0:33:48.160 --> 0:33:51.720 small communities out there. So even though I do my 0:33:51.840 --> 0:33:55.920 moose hunting here in British Columbia, I feel heavily connected 0:33:56.000 --> 0:33:59.000 to all of those childhood memories when I'm in the 0:33:59.040 --> 0:34:02.720 bogs chasing moose, you know. So so I think, I 0:34:03.040 --> 0:34:05.320 I that is near and dear to my heart. 0:34:05.880 --> 0:34:07.480 Do you try to still get out every year in 0:34:07.560 --> 0:34:09.839 moose hunt when you can? Or is it is it 0:34:09.880 --> 0:34:11.880 like an every other year thing or how it's. 0:34:11.760 --> 0:34:16.439 More of an every other year thing. Honestly, I think 0:34:16.480 --> 0:34:18.879 I am gonna make a moose hunt happen this year. 0:34:18.920 --> 0:34:22.640 But our moose hunt hunting in the province is ninety 0:34:22.719 --> 0:34:26.440 percent draw so you do have to draw a tag. 0:34:26.880 --> 0:34:29.720 Some of the areas that that I like to hunt, 0:34:29.760 --> 0:34:34.080 the drawds aren't that great. So there's a few little 0:34:34.160 --> 0:34:39.240 pockets left in the province where there's where there's open 0:34:39.480 --> 0:34:46.239 uh open moose hunting. But so you know, if if 0:34:46.719 --> 0:34:49.560 you know, traveling to the Yukon three times a year 0:34:49.640 --> 0:34:52.399 gets a little tough. So I usually try to get 0:34:52.440 --> 0:34:56.799 too up north, not into the Yukon, but uh right 0:34:56.920 --> 0:35:01.319 up on the border and uh it uh yeah, there's 0:35:01.320 --> 0:35:03.880 only so much you can do. There's only so many days. 0:35:04.400 --> 0:35:07.000 But that has to be my my third if I 0:35:07.040 --> 0:35:10.919 put it there, like I'm obsessed with trying to I've 0:35:10.920 --> 0:35:13.960 been bit with the elk bug too, just because I've 0:35:14.000 --> 0:35:16.560 had them pound me in the chest bugling back. And 0:35:17.200 --> 0:35:19.400 you know, we we didn't ol hunt growing up, and 0:35:19.800 --> 0:35:23.040 I didn't do a ton of elk hunting just myself, 0:35:23.160 --> 0:35:26.040 and and these last couple of years, I've been just 0:35:26.200 --> 0:35:29.560 in this hot pursuit to try and try and make 0:35:29.600 --> 0:35:33.120 it happen. I've had some really close calls, but yeah, 0:35:33.320 --> 0:35:34.560 still still working on it. 0:35:34.760 --> 0:35:37.080 Yeah, elk stuff to beat, just from an interaction, Like 0:35:37.239 --> 0:35:39.640 you know, they give you more interaction than almost every 0:35:39.640 --> 0:35:42.520 other critter we get to chase around. So yeah, similar 0:35:42.520 --> 0:35:44.520 to to you, that's probably why they're my number one. 0:35:45.040 --> 0:35:47.319 You know, you get an interact and get them all 0:35:47.360 --> 0:35:51.200 fired up and pissed and yeah, super super fun way 0:35:51.200 --> 0:35:51.480 to hunt. 0:35:51.480 --> 0:35:53.080 I have a question for you back on the moose. 0:35:53.480 --> 0:35:55.840 So you know the shiris down here, you know, we 0:35:55.920 --> 0:35:57.680 got some shiriffs that extended there and then you guys 0:35:57.760 --> 0:36:00.680 there's like the the Band of Canadians and it turns 0:36:00.719 --> 0:36:02.719 into Yukon. You know, once you get to Yukon, but 0:36:02.760 --> 0:36:06.040 do you find that the further north you go, you 0:36:06.040 --> 0:36:09.640 you tend to get bigger, bigger, you know, bigger hornwise moose. 0:36:09.760 --> 0:36:12.120 Is that is that typical through like BC or is 0:36:12.160 --> 0:36:13.200 it HIT or Miss? 0:36:13.520 --> 0:36:16.239 I think it's totally fair when you take it to 0:36:16.280 --> 0:36:19.680 the extremes for sure. I mean we definitely have those 0:36:19.760 --> 0:36:25.560 Alaska Yukon bloodlines all through a northern band like where 0:36:25.560 --> 0:36:29.840 I was hunting this past fall, that was in like 0:36:29.960 --> 0:36:36.120 Alaska Yukon moose territory. But as you go north, I think, 0:36:36.600 --> 0:36:41.120 you know, there's a lot more opportunity for the populations, 0:36:41.160 --> 0:36:45.640 just not that dense so of people, So moose grow bigger, 0:36:46.040 --> 0:36:48.840 they have good food sources that they don't get kicked 0:36:48.880 --> 0:36:53.319 off of as much. There's a lot less resource activities 0:36:53.400 --> 0:36:56.520 up there, meaning the predators are more in a natural 0:36:56.560 --> 0:37:00.600 balance with the moose. So there's a few things that 0:37:00.680 --> 0:37:04.640 but I think there's some magic in the feed once 0:37:04.680 --> 0:37:07.600 you once you get up into that, you know, those 0:37:07.680 --> 0:37:11.759 red willow flats and that once you once you find that, 0:37:12.160 --> 0:37:15.200 then you're into that transition zone where you you could 0:37:15.280 --> 0:37:20.200 find yourself you know, fifty sixty inch powl for sure. 0:37:20.480 --> 0:37:24.879 Nice nice, yeah, no, you know watching like I said, 0:37:24.920 --> 0:37:27.040 going back to your hunts, you know, you do it 0:37:27.040 --> 0:37:29.520 the hard way. Do you have any like advice for 0:37:30.000 --> 0:37:31.799 you know, we give advice all the time, but like 0:37:31.880 --> 0:37:34.680 advice for people whether you're in Canada or whether you're 0:37:34.680 --> 0:37:36.440 in the USA, like just taking this on. 0:37:37.440 --> 0:37:39.040 You know, it was daunting. Growing up. 0:37:39.080 --> 0:37:41.640 I was more of a industrial timberlands hunter, right, So 0:37:41.640 --> 0:37:44.560 we would drive our rig to a landing, you would 0:37:44.560 --> 0:37:46.560 look at a new fresh clear cut and you would 0:37:46.600 --> 0:37:49.160 hunt your deer and your elk out of that. And 0:37:49.200 --> 0:37:51.359 then as I got into it, you start to realize like, oh, 0:37:51.400 --> 0:37:53.640 I've got to park my truck and walk for seven 0:37:53.680 --> 0:37:55.799 or eight miles, you know, and it was daunting. And 0:37:55.840 --> 0:37:57.440 you know, so I've I've went through this and I've 0:37:57.440 --> 0:37:59.200 talked about my way, but like, do you have any 0:37:59.200 --> 0:38:01.799 good advice for for people that may be wanting to 0:38:02.040 --> 0:38:06.080 you know, explore or kind of you know, tease the 0:38:06.120 --> 0:38:09.680 idea of this backcountry hunting like an approach, you know, 0:38:09.760 --> 0:38:12.040 and we don't have to get gear specific by any means, 0:38:12.040 --> 0:38:14.040 but like, no, you know, things you need to think about, 0:38:14.120 --> 0:38:16.320 things that you need to have you know, good boots, backpack, 0:38:16.400 --> 0:38:18.440 those sort of things, you know, at least like your 0:38:18.480 --> 0:38:20.960 main three. You know, we always talk boots, backpack, shelter, 0:38:21.320 --> 0:38:22.080 sleep system. 0:38:22.160 --> 0:38:24.320 You know what, how how should. 0:38:24.120 --> 0:38:26.879 Somebody approach wanting to get into more of this back 0:38:26.920 --> 0:38:27.840 country hunting? 0:38:27.960 --> 0:38:35.160 And yeah, it's I've been actually doing some backcountry you're 0:38:35.239 --> 0:38:39.399 backpacking one O one sort of PowerPoint presentations to sort 0:38:39.400 --> 0:38:41.600 of help young hunters at some of our local gun 0:38:41.600 --> 0:38:45.239 clubs and stuff. And you know, I really think you 0:38:45.320 --> 0:38:48.279 want you want to bite slow, and you don't want 0:38:48.320 --> 0:38:52.279 to start with the in the hard basket, don't you know? 0:38:52.520 --> 0:38:55.239 If you think your first backcountry hunt's going to be 0:38:55.760 --> 0:39:02.440 mid November, you know fifteen fifteen miles back, you're setting 0:39:02.520 --> 0:39:05.759 yourself up for a challenge you're likely to be bested by. 0:39:05.800 --> 0:39:09.280 I would say so, I think you know, good opportunities 0:39:09.360 --> 0:39:12.840 to cut your teeth on backcountry hunting would be spring 0:39:12.880 --> 0:39:16.760 bear in May, get yourself out there. Yeah, the bugs 0:39:16.760 --> 0:39:20.040 are bad. That's going to build some mental toughness. I 0:39:20.080 --> 0:39:22.560 think you really want to look at before you even 0:39:22.600 --> 0:39:26.520 get into the you know, those are the key gear 0:39:26.600 --> 0:39:28.600 pieces that you're going to be thinking of, you know, 0:39:28.680 --> 0:39:31.719 on top of that you'll want an inReach device. We 0:39:31.800 --> 0:39:34.440 don't have a lot of cell coverage in our back country, 0:39:34.480 --> 0:39:37.440 so you definitely want to be cognstead of that, and 0:39:37.480 --> 0:39:40.680 you want to you want to train like you got 0:39:41.040 --> 0:39:46.120 You gotta want it, like backcountry is sort of and 0:39:46.160 --> 0:39:48.200 you don't have to be a freak, but you gotta 0:39:48.280 --> 0:39:51.200 do something. You can't just come in there cold your 0:39:51.280 --> 0:39:55.600 hip flexors alone, like even a forty pounds pack set 0:39:55.680 --> 0:39:59.280 up on it for a three day weekend hunt. You'll 0:39:59.520 --> 0:40:03.560 you're your hip flexers once you're three four miles into 0:40:03.640 --> 0:40:06.120 that are going to be screaming at you. And with 0:40:06.200 --> 0:40:10.200 a few rocking sessions and some you know, some light 0:40:10.280 --> 0:40:13.880 gym work and stuff, especially at the beginning, until you 0:40:14.000 --> 0:40:15.919 train your body to get used to that. I think 0:40:16.040 --> 0:40:19.840 is essential because if you enjoy the experience, set yourself 0:40:19.920 --> 0:40:23.320 up to make it fairly easy. Earlier mule deer hunts 0:40:23.320 --> 0:40:26.960 in the back country. Not necessarily easy, like you're going 0:40:27.040 --> 0:40:30.279 to come out of there with it here, but easier 0:40:30.840 --> 0:40:33.799 as far as far as it goes. But I think 0:40:33.800 --> 0:40:38.400 you should really try and get towards your line, like 0:40:38.480 --> 0:40:42.839 push yourself, take on some elevation, you know, don't take 0:40:42.840 --> 0:40:46.480 the easy way out and realize that it's not a race. 0:40:46.719 --> 0:40:49.760 You can just pick away. It's amazing how much ground 0:40:49.800 --> 0:40:52.759 you cover. I'm sure you guys you know this when 0:40:52.800 --> 0:40:56.759 you're working your ridges with your Google tubes after Elk 0:40:57.640 --> 0:40:59.719 and then you know you spent the whole day. You 0:40:59.719 --> 0:41:03.239 didn't cut back for a break midday or anything. You 0:41:03.360 --> 0:41:06.040 just wanted to push to a new area. You look 0:41:06.080 --> 0:41:09.240 at your day after that, it's fairly casual. Your body's 0:41:09.320 --> 0:41:13.680 not tore up, and wow, I've covered fifteen ten miles. 0:41:13.719 --> 0:41:18.040 You know that's great, and you know you're gonna sweat, 0:41:18.080 --> 0:41:22.880 You're gonna be uncomfortable. You do, you do need to 0:41:23.040 --> 0:41:26.319 have good boots, Like you can't fake that part. You're 0:41:26.320 --> 0:41:29.440 not gonna make it with you know, going down to 0:41:30.560 --> 0:41:34.000 Target and picking up a pair of plastic boots and 0:41:34.520 --> 0:41:37.080 thinking that's going to do it. It's it's because you're 0:41:37.080 --> 0:41:39.600 carrying the way to the backpack and you need to 0:41:39.600 --> 0:41:41.680 be able to Yeah, you need boots that you can 0:41:41.719 --> 0:41:44.280 cut in and work across slope. 0:41:44.440 --> 0:41:48.360 So yeah, that's a great point you made on You know, 0:41:48.400 --> 0:41:51.560 everybody wants to pick off the top hunt, you know, 0:41:51.640 --> 0:41:53.520 or the most difficult hunt right off the bat and 0:41:53.520 --> 0:41:55.759 it's like, no, I mean, there's nothing wrong. Like my 0:41:55.840 --> 0:41:58.640 first backpack hunting for Meal dere here in Washington State 0:41:58.920 --> 0:41:59.759 was three miles up. 0:42:00.360 --> 0:42:02.600 Just got me a little bit further in. You got 0:42:02.640 --> 0:42:03.560 to test your stuff. 0:42:03.760 --> 0:42:06.000 You know, it was more of a mid October hunt, 0:42:06.040 --> 0:42:08.560 so you know what worst case scenario. I I pack 0:42:08.640 --> 0:42:10.080 up and I go back to my truck. You know, 0:42:10.160 --> 0:42:13.200 nothing hurt. And then it's it's crazy. I fast forward, 0:42:13.280 --> 0:42:14.759 you know, after doing it as long as you have 0:42:14.960 --> 0:42:16.960 or as long as I have, and you're like, now, 0:42:17.000 --> 0:42:18.799 I don't really care if I get snowed on twenty 0:42:18.840 --> 0:42:20.640 four inches, Like it's just part of the game, right. 0:42:20.640 --> 0:42:23.040 You've built yourself to that point where you're like, good, 0:42:23.120 --> 0:42:24.840 now now that you're going to stick out like a 0:42:24.840 --> 0:42:26.440 sore thumb, and I'm gonna be able to track them, 0:42:26.440 --> 0:42:28.360 And you know, all these things are good versus. 0:42:28.239 --> 0:42:30.840 Less people are out here. They've been pushed off, you 0:42:30.920 --> 0:42:33.840 know that. But but I think, yeah, you just slowly 0:42:34.120 --> 0:42:38.640 because that that three mile hike in that's that's pretty moderate, 0:42:39.360 --> 0:42:42.719 is not gonna be enough to fully satisfy you. But 0:42:42.800 --> 0:42:44.920 it's good to start with that and to have that 0:42:45.040 --> 0:42:49.399 lack of full satisfaction. Well, that didn't feel fully backcountry. Okay, good. 0:42:49.840 --> 0:42:52.360 Next time it's five miles and it's a little deeper 0:42:52.880 --> 0:42:55.279 and you can work off that same trail. So then 0:42:55.320 --> 0:42:58.400 it feels like you're building because you know, we we 0:42:58.480 --> 0:43:01.840 don't see the entire area our first time into a 0:43:01.880 --> 0:43:04.880 new area. We go and make some focus chunks of it. 0:43:05.000 --> 0:43:07.680 We picked that apart. Okay, now we know how to 0:43:07.719 --> 0:43:12.160 efficiently make it through that terrain, specifically to that spot. Okay, 0:43:12.239 --> 0:43:14.320 so it's easy for us to plan our next pop 0:43:14.360 --> 0:43:16.960 into the next drainage, and then you just have to 0:43:16.960 --> 0:43:19.919 see the next one and the next one, and then yeah, 0:43:19.920 --> 0:43:20.600 it's pretty soon. 0:43:20.800 --> 0:43:22.120 Yeah, it's crazy. 0:43:22.120 --> 0:43:24.600 I'm reflecting back now, like on that three mile hike in, 0:43:24.760 --> 0:43:26.520 like it was real cold. The next day all my 0:43:26.600 --> 0:43:28.960 water froze up right, I couldn't get the water. Well, 0:43:29.000 --> 0:43:30.480 it's like, all right, I'm three miles in. It's not 0:43:30.520 --> 0:43:33.120 an emergency yet, but let's say not to over dramatize 0:43:33.120 --> 0:43:35.960 that you're ten miles in and can't get to any water, 0:43:36.000 --> 0:43:37.839 but your water's froze. So it's like, oh, I've learned 0:43:37.880 --> 0:43:40.120 over time. I'm just gonna sleep with my water inside 0:43:40.120 --> 0:43:42.359 to sleep, but you know, like I'm gonna boil some jet, 0:43:42.440 --> 0:43:44.200 but you know I'm gonna boil water my jet boil, 0:43:44.200 --> 0:43:46.359 I'm gonna have to keep that warm all day long 0:43:46.440 --> 0:43:49.920 so it doesn't And it's just crazy, like, uh, you know, 0:43:50.040 --> 0:43:52.080 hard times build tough you know you've always heard the 0:43:52.080 --> 0:43:53.359 saying hard times build tough men. 0:43:53.400 --> 0:43:56.080 Well, it's like backpack camping. 0:43:56.239 --> 0:43:59.280 It's it's very true, like you've been through something similar, 0:43:59.320 --> 0:44:01.120 so nothing's like end of the world, or you've learned 0:44:01.120 --> 0:44:04.319 to adapt. You've learned what's important on these things, and 0:44:04.360 --> 0:44:07.800 it just by doing it but not necessarily starting it 0:44:08.000 --> 0:44:10.000 the absolute hardest level of the hunt. 0:44:10.280 --> 0:44:11.760 You just learn to adapt. 0:44:11.840 --> 0:44:14.319 And it's it's crazy how you almost like condition your 0:44:14.360 --> 0:44:16.400 mind to like, all right, I can get through this. 0:44:16.440 --> 0:44:18.200 I've been through something worse, or it doesn't matter if 0:44:18.200 --> 0:44:20.439 I'm fifteen miles, I'll eventually be able to hike out, 0:44:20.520 --> 0:44:22.480 or you know, we can do these other things. And 0:44:22.520 --> 0:44:25.200 so no, I just wanted to piggyback on that again 0:44:25.239 --> 0:44:29.319 that yeah, pick something, pick something that is doable, not 0:44:29.760 --> 0:44:32.279 you know, there's not huge ramifications if it doesn't work 0:44:32.280 --> 0:44:34.319 out or you don't bring the right gear, and then 0:44:34.480 --> 0:44:36.319 expand on it, expand on a little bit more, and 0:44:36.640 --> 0:44:39.640 you know, realize that you're your tent's not good enough 0:44:39.640 --> 0:44:41.520 to go through another rainstorm like that if you were 0:44:41.560 --> 0:44:43.640 deeper had to actually stay on the mountain. You know, 0:44:43.880 --> 0:44:47.560 you upgrade materials, you upgrade you know, products, and by 0:44:47.640 --> 0:44:49.640 time you're done, you're like, well, it doesn't bother me 0:44:49.680 --> 0:44:51.680 to live out of this thing for ten days in 0:44:51.680 --> 0:44:53.480 the middle of November, like I'm going to be all right. 0:44:54.800 --> 0:44:57.840 Yeah. And the last thing that I was talking to 0:44:57.960 --> 0:45:01.080 a guy a few weeks ago and he said, well, 0:45:01.120 --> 0:45:04.799 I don't you know my friend who who want to 0:45:04.800 --> 0:45:06.799 do this with me? Neither of us have done it, 0:45:06.920 --> 0:45:10.120 so we're just hoping we can find a friend that's 0:45:10.200 --> 0:45:13.680 done it. I said, there's a lot of a lot 0:45:13.719 --> 0:45:17.360 of resources out there to sort of get yourself prepared. 0:45:17.719 --> 0:45:21.239 And then there's gonna be no greater teacher than going 0:45:21.280 --> 0:45:24.000 out freezing your water bottle up, having to go there. 0:45:24.120 --> 0:45:26.480 See that half day, it's not a life and death 0:45:26.840 --> 0:45:29.719 learning that lesson that. It's you know, it's going in 0:45:29.760 --> 0:45:33.279 your sleeping bag or when you're actively hunting through the day. 0:45:33.400 --> 0:45:36.479 I mean, it gets cold late where your water's gonna 0:45:36.480 --> 0:45:39.319 freeze up if it's not inside your puffy yep, So 0:45:39.400 --> 0:45:41.719 I'll just stuff it in there and and then the 0:45:41.760 --> 0:45:44.640 good news is you're working hard, you got your water there. 0:45:46.200 --> 0:45:49.759 It's little things like that that that's why if you 0:45:49.800 --> 0:45:54.240 go slow, you know, the penalty for making those errors 0:45:54.360 --> 0:45:57.680 isn't too great, but it sure builds you up. Now 0:45:57.920 --> 0:46:00.600 you're not gonna free You're gonna learn how to protect 0:46:00.600 --> 0:46:04.560 your water or you know, any other things set in 0:46:04.560 --> 0:46:07.799 your tent up where it doesn't get managing the snow 0:46:07.800 --> 0:46:10.759 when it falls. Hey, if you're in a tepee tent 0:46:10.800 --> 0:46:13.120 and you're not going to manage your snow, it's snowing 0:46:13.200 --> 0:46:15.480 all day, but you want to keep out grinding hiking, 0:46:15.640 --> 0:46:17.680 well you might pay the price when you get back 0:46:17.719 --> 0:46:22.520 in your poles tour right through and you know it's yeah, 0:46:22.600 --> 0:46:25.360 that's what you want to learn a little closer. You 0:46:25.400 --> 0:46:27.440 want to walk out in the dark that three miles 0:46:27.480 --> 0:46:31.400 because your tent's blown up and just say, well, I 0:46:31.520 --> 0:46:35.160 better manage snow better next time because I want to 0:46:35.160 --> 0:46:35.720 go deeper. 0:46:36.080 --> 0:46:38.840 Yeah, Or and then I always look at everything with like, 0:46:38.880 --> 0:46:41.880 what's my emergency action? If this does fail, my sleeping 0:46:41.880 --> 0:46:44.560 bagels probably still be all right even if my tent collapses, 0:46:44.640 --> 0:46:47.000 and I can always start a fire and like lay 0:46:47.000 --> 0:46:48.960 by it to get through the night if I absolutely 0:46:48.960 --> 0:46:51.239 you know. So you're always like, worst case, what what 0:46:51.320 --> 0:46:52.120 are my skills? 0:46:52.160 --> 0:46:52.880 What can I know? 0:46:52.960 --> 0:46:55.080 I can probably get a fire going, you know, And 0:46:55.320 --> 0:46:57.320 so you're always kind of balancing those as well. 0:46:58.160 --> 0:46:59.759 It takes a lot to drive me out of the 0:46:59.800 --> 0:47:03.480 back country. So I've had stuff go wrong and I'm 0:47:04.840 --> 0:47:07.600 faking it together just fine. I just got to get 0:47:07.680 --> 0:47:11.359 through those nights. I've had long nights. The funny thing 0:47:11.480 --> 0:47:15.160 the night before opener when I shot and missed Chap 0:47:15.400 --> 0:47:19.839 in twenty twenty three, we slept under my sheep tart, 0:47:20.800 --> 0:47:24.200 no pads, nothing, and you know, I remember in the night, 0:47:24.400 --> 0:47:26.680 I was just had my legs hovering and I was 0:47:26.719 --> 0:47:30.080 scissor kicking as fast as I can just generate body heat. 0:47:30.560 --> 0:47:34.680 It's just waking up the whole time. So yeah, yeah, 0:47:34.719 --> 0:47:35.720 we'll do We'll do crazy. 0:47:35.760 --> 0:47:38.120 I'm similar, I'll do crazy stuff to make sure that 0:47:38.160 --> 0:47:41.359 I bring myself the best chance for success. So yeah, yeah, 0:47:41.360 --> 0:47:43.759 you just got to be mentally tough in power through. Well, 0:47:45.040 --> 0:47:46.400 I know you need to probably get back to the 0:47:46.440 --> 0:47:49.080 show where we're coming up here on fifty minutes, So 0:47:49.440 --> 0:47:50.920 I do want to give you a chance to actually 0:47:50.920 --> 0:47:52.719 tell people how they can get a hold of you, 0:47:53.120 --> 0:47:54.360 how they can find your stuff. 0:47:54.440 --> 0:47:56.040 Watching all of that. 0:47:56.840 --> 0:48:01.640 Sure, like I mean the HIGHB Just search high BC 0:48:01.800 --> 0:48:05.240 on YouTube you'll you'll come across our channel. We are. 0:48:05.600 --> 0:48:08.839 We are experiencing a pretty nice growth curve right now. 0:48:08.920 --> 0:48:11.520 So that's been fun to see and the community grow 0:48:12.239 --> 0:48:17.680 also on Instagram at high Underscore BC Underscore Hunting, and 0:48:17.760 --> 0:48:21.440 then we're I signed for a second season on h 0:48:21.800 --> 0:48:26.160 on Wild TV, which is our Canadian hunting network show there, 0:48:26.239 --> 0:48:29.880 so so I'll be on there again this year. It 0:48:29.960 --> 0:48:33.239 all seems like it's the world's spinning pretty fast. Like 0:48:33.560 --> 0:48:37.080 even sitting on this podcast like that, that didn't even 0:48:37.120 --> 0:48:38.120 seem imaginable. 0:48:38.320 --> 0:48:39.440 So I know you're here. 0:48:39.440 --> 0:48:41.920 We go good, Like we talked offline a little bit, 0:48:42.040 --> 0:48:44.040 like you know, we I get asked a lot like 0:48:44.040 --> 0:48:45.640 how do I get an hunting industry? How do I 0:48:45.680 --> 0:48:47.960 get an interview with you? And I'm like I told you, 0:48:48.000 --> 0:48:50.440 I'm like, just go do cool stuff like go go 0:48:50.560 --> 0:48:52.319 chase it down and like we'll note it, you know, 0:48:52.440 --> 0:48:55.160 I'll notice or we'll we'll eventually get put in touch 0:48:55.200 --> 0:48:58.400 and and so yeah, that's that's what we'll close with that. Actually, 0:48:58.520 --> 0:49:01.160 like you mentioned it, just go do cool stuff and 0:49:01.200 --> 0:49:02.640 you had your own little spin on that, and I'll 0:49:02.719 --> 0:49:03.759 let you sign us off here. 0:49:04.520 --> 0:49:09.080 Yeah, okay, Well, thanks everyone for listening, and thanks again 0:49:09.120 --> 0:49:12.920 for this opportunity and look forward to seeing you everyone 0:49:12.920 --> 0:49:14.640 out in the hills. Let's get after it.