Western Hunter

Ryan Holm is the new Director of Marketing for Leica’s Sport Optics division. While Ryan is new to the high-performance optics industry, he is no stranger to the hunting market. I first met Ryan when he was in a similar position with the pack company, Mystery Ranch. I still give him major credit for building that brand into the category leader.    Revitalizing an optics company in the hunting, birding and outdoor recreation industries simultaneously is tricky business, they all have their own biases, and he has to be sensitive to all of them.  Ryan and I talk about how 20 years of experience will help him to accomplish just that. It was great catching up with him, but I more excited to see what he can do with a legacy brand like Leica.  

In this episode, I sit down with Exo Mtn Gear owner and founder Steve Speck. My son Mark Denham and I had just completed a tour of their innovative manufacturing facility, which was remarkable. Steve and I explore the fundamentals of not just making a pack but also building a business and customer base that will sustain a company.    In my opinion, Exo Mtn Gear has one of the best podcasts for western hunters called “Hunt Backcountry.” In our conversation I referenced a few episodes in which they discuss the efficacy of small caliber rifles for big game hunting. Those are episodes 479 and 498. These are fascinating conversations and confirmed many of my personal thoughts on the topic.  

Chris and Kevin were recently invited to tour the Leupold factory and visit the Leupold Optics Academy in Oregon for some long-range and NRL training. During a break, they sat down with CEO Bruce Pettet and Shooting Sports Marketing Manager Nic Kytlica to talk legacy, optics, rifles, and Leupold's bright future in American manufacturing.

Western Hunter Magazine introduced a western bird hunting section starting with the September 2024 issue. Kevin Guillen and Chris Denham explain many of the reasons the editorial staff decided to offer this new content.  

On the March/April cover of Western Hunter Magazine we have a spectacular image of Casey Richmond with his Idaho bull. When I first saw the picture, I knew there had to be a crazy story behind it. Casey works for Eberlestock so while we were at the Wild Sheep Foundation show we took the time to record this podcast. Greg Williams also with Eberlestock joined the conversation. Of course, we talked about the hunt, but we also discussed the history of Eberlestock and the future of this dynamic company.     Casey’s hunt was filmed by Limitless Outdoors and is available on YouTube, Click HERE to watch. 

The Western Hunter crew just returned from a blacktail deer hunt on Kodiak Island, Alaska.  This was a boat-based hunt meaning we lived, ate, and slept on the boat. Each morning one of the two boat captains would run us to shore in a zodiac type small boat to hunt and pick us up each night. The captains do this every single day from early October until the middle of December. The life they lead is a crazy one, so I decided to sit down with boat captain and owner Ross Hodek and talk a little about the year in the life of a Alaskan boat captain.  By the way, if you are interested in booking a Kodiak Island blacktail hunt on The Spirit you need to reserve your spot soon! It is the dollar-for-dollar value for Alaskan hunting adventure. You can book through Alaska Coastal Adventures 907-262-4359. Tell them Western Hunter sent you.

I have hunted blacktail deer on Kodiak Island in Alaska and believe the experience offers the most adventure for the dollar in all North America.  This year our crew included three guys who had never hunted in Alaska; Mark Denham, Levi Sopeland, and Kevin Guillen (who had never been to Alaska prior). We sat down to capture their emotions and thoughts, there enthusiasm and awe reminded me of my first trips to the state.  After you listen to this show, you will want to book your own adventure.  If the boat-based trip interests you call Alaska Coastal Marine at 907-262-4359

OnX Maps pioneered the hunting GPS industry and has become the gold standard for western hunters. In this episode I sit down with Dylan Dowson from OnX to discuss the past, present and future of this technology.  onxmaps.com

2021 was a heck of a year for The Western Hunter.  Nate Simmons and I sit down and talk about the lessons learned and what we will do differently heading into the 2022 hunting season.

My guest today is Jordan Jonas the winner of the hit TV show Alone season 6.  Jordan is a hunter and his hunting skills contributed directly to his ability to survive in the Arctic for 77 days.  We talked about behind-the-scenes stuff, dreams, family, hunting and mental preparation.  He is a character, if you have watched the show then you know what I mean.  It is obvious that the guy you saw on TV is the same guy I am talking to…fame hasn’t changed him at all.  Jordan offers survival schools in the Montana backcountry which I just might have to attend.  You can learn more about Jonas from his website jordanjonas.com.

Remi Warren doesn’t need an introduction to this audience. Like most of you, I think Remi is one of the most interesting people in the world as well as one of the top ambassadors for the hunting community. While attending the Pope and Young convention we found some time to sit down and talk again. I didn’t have any specific agenda; with Remi I didn’t need one. We just talked about life, parenthood, and anything else that was on our minds.

In this episode I sit down with Dean Capuano from Swarovski.  Dean and I met via phone on his very first day on the job at Swarovski over 20 years ago. Since then, we have hunted together in Austria, Africa, Mexico and many different US states.  We go into detail about what it takes to make the best optics in the world and what the future may hold. 

Connor Gabbott is a professionally trained chef, photographer, videographer and hunter.  In this episodes he shares his secrets for preparing and sharing wild game. But we also dig into his evolution as a hunter, his entry into the camera world, and career changes.  Connor wrote the introduction and shared some of his favorite wild game recipes in The Wild Kitchen Volume 3 from Wilderness Athlete. I have read and re-read his advice in this cookbook multiple times. It is currently on sale for only $18.71 (May 2021).  You can buy it HERE We discuss the importance of a tool called a jicard tenderizer. This is not the exact model that I use but I really like the ability to disassemble this one for easier cleaning.

Rafe Nielsen from Browning is back again! In this episode we talk about life without a SHOT Show in 2021. We dig into new rifle products and how those products are developed and brought to market. We also spent time talking about gun safes, why we should all invest in one and the process of purchasing and installing a safe in your home. One of the coolest new products from Browning this year is the new Recoil Hawg muzzlebrake.  Check out this short video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF-j9C5diRQ  

Roy Grace has been bowhunting his entire life and has hunted every species the west has to offer. Roy is also the records chairman for the Pope and Young club. In this episode we talk about why the record book is important and why we should all consider entering a trophy if it qualifies for the “Book”.  He got me so fired up for this summer’s convention in Reno, that I have already made plans to attend! If you are interested here is the link: https://pope-young.org/convention/default.asp https://pope-young.org

There are dozens of boot companies, each with dozens of different models from which to choose. Making the wrong choice can cost money and ruin a hunt. In this episode I talk again with Kendall Card from Crispi, about how to research websites to narrow down what features to improve your chances of making the best choice. 

Electric assisted (e-bikes) are exploding in popularity worldwide. When it comes to western hunting e-bikes, Bakcou is leading the way. In this episode I sit down with Bakcou founders Bryan and Dave to discuss their company, their bikes, the current status and the future of hunting with e-bikes.  These guys are hunters first and bike enthusiast second. With years of experience their perspective and expertise is unparalleled. Besides that, they are a lot of fun to hang out with. Check out their bikes as you listen to this episode https://www.bakcou.com/

Not long after the turn of the 19th century the Glenn family settled in Southeast Arizona. Warner and Wendy Glenn raised a son Cody and daughter Kelly in the same country.    Cody and I became friends the first day of junior high. His friendship and the Glenn family changed the course of my life. I shot my first deer with Cody and Wendy. I built fences and corrals, branded calves and learned how to work 16 hours a day on the ranch they have owned for more than 100 years.  Wendy has passed away but Warner, Kelly and her daughter Mackenzie still saddle up almost daily. In this episode I sit down with  Kelly to discuss the realities of modern ranching, their family history and “the wall” along the Mexican border.   A family friend Ed Ashurst, authored a book titled “The Life and Times of Warner Glenn” telling the story of the Glenn family along with some amazing adventure stories that had me riveted.  You can purchase this book and “Eyes of Fire, Encounters with a Boderland Jaguar” right here. https://colablancaproductions.com/collections/books

Not long after the turn of the 19th century the Glenn family settled in Southeast Arizona. Warner and Wendy Glenn raised a son Cody and daughter Kelly in the same country.    Cody and I became friends the first day of junior high. His friendship and the Glenn family changed the course of my life. I shot my first deer with Cody and Wendy. I built fences and corrals, branded calves and learned how to work 16 hours a day on the ranch they have owned for more than 100 years.  Wendy has passed away but Warner, Kelly and her daughter Mackenzie still saddle up almost daily.   In this first of two episodes I sit down with Warner first, to discuss the realities of modern ranching, their family history and “the wall” along the Mexican border.  Warner had a farrier coming the next morning so he had to head out and catch his horses and mules so they could be shod. Warner Glenn is a special man, his story is better than Hollywood could ever dream up. Not only is he a rancher, but he has been hunting mountain lions since he was 5 years old, documented the first jaguar in the US, and worked on multiple films.  A family friend Ed Ashurst, authored a book titled “The Life and Times of Warner Glenn” telling the story of the Glenn family along with some amazing adventure stories that had me riveted.  You can purchase this book and “Eyes of Fire, Encounters with a Boderland Jaguar” right here. https://colablancaproductions.com/collections/books

Boots are one of the most important pieces of hunting gear in our kit. I sit down with Kendall Card from Crispi and cover some important topics we all need to consider when purchasing footwear. Kendall is also the co-founder of Camofire and Black Ovis, so I couldn’t resist digging into how they launched both of these industry leading companies.