One Hell Of A Life Outdoor Podcast

Finding Peace And Purpose In The Woods | Brittany Manuel

• Tristan Vogel & Tony Vogel • Episode 175

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We welcome Brittany Manuel from Oklahoma to share how adult-onset hunting, faith, and public land grit reshaped her life. From nursing to 40 Wings Waterfowl, we explore mentorship, mental health, and the joy of building community in the outdoors.

• Brittany’s first hunts and why waterfowl hooked her
• women’s mentorship and leading a Women On The Wing chapter
• public land scouting mindset and gratitude for slow days
• faith, mental health, and finding peace in the woods
• nursing as a calling and serving with a servant heart
• launching 40 Wings Waterfowl and brand vision
• learning media craft and earning brand partnerships
• calling out gatekeeping and building a better culture
• turkey season plans and balancing work and hunting

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SPEAKER_04

What's going on guys? Tristan and Tony back with another episode of the One Hove Life Outdoor Podcast. And today we got Britney Manual on, all the way from Oklahoma. Uh Brittany, thank you for taking the time to come on the podcast tonight.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, for sure. I'm really I was really looking forward to it, and I'm so happy that you guys chose me to be a part of the podcast, and I'm really looking forward to it.

SPEAKER_04

Absolutely. Absolutely. We're we're big on just like everybody, there's so many people that have cool stories. And I mean, we're while it's cool to have like, you know, just the rest of Creases and Dr. Ducks and like they're great podcast guests and they're awesome people outside of all that. There's so many people that you know don't even have an Instagram that have great stories too. So we're big about having anybody really that uh would be bit you know interested in joining us on the podcast. We're big about having them on.

SPEAKER_05

So yeah, and as you guys know, if you follow us enough, you know, I'm a you guys heard me talk about my mom and Tristan's grandma, and we are just huge advocates of women getting in the outdoors, dude, because um it's that's awesome, especially for the younger generation and for me.

SPEAKER_01

Like I didn't grow up hunting, I got into hunting about six, seven years ago as an adult. Never thought it was something I was gonna fall in love with, but oh my gosh, well, it I I mean it took one hunt and I'm hooked.

SPEAKER_04

Well, tell us about that. You know, what does that look like for you getting into you know how you got into it and why you love it so much?

SPEAKER_01

So I got into it. Um, I was fortunate enough to have people a part of my life um back then that I was first introduced to waterfowl hunting. And I mean, it took one hunt, I didn't kill a single thing, and I was hooked. Like I can't even begin to explain to you, like it's not something I pictured for my life. And over the last couple years, I mean, really, I would say the last two years, like my goal is to make like some sort of um living out of it. Uh I do a lot of photography and videography, and I've had a lot of amazing opportunities this year. I got to travel to several different states and have my first out-of-state hunts. Um, got real big into turkeys, deer, I upland hunt. I mean, I fell in love with it all. Like, any chance I can hunt, I'm going.

SPEAKER_05

That's awesome.

SPEAKER_04

That's awesome. There's so many like adult uh onset hunters that like struggle, and that's a big motivation behind our podcast. But like it's so hard to get into if you didn't grow up in it. There's so many like hurdles to everything. It could be duck hunting, it could be deer hunting, whatever, you know. There's so many little ins and outs that you don't know. So I mean, I think it's super impressive and just kind of speaks to your determination, like in six or seven years to like fall in love with all these different things and not like worry about the hurdles, you know. Yeah, which I'm sure there has been hurdles, you know, because it's oh absolute, absolutely.

Women In The Outdoors And Mentorship

SPEAKER_01

Like, I mean, I've had women reach out to me and they're like, I want to, you know, go turkey hunt or I want to go duck hunting, but like I don't have, you know, like any, like, I don't know what I'm doing. And I'm like, come on, let's go. Um I'm a huge advocate for women in any sort of hunting sport at all. And it I think it comes from a lot of just you know, my background. Um, my best friend Hannah Hall, she's the same way. She didn't grow up hunting, she started hunting in 2021. And that girl works harder than I have ever met. And I mean, she teaches me stuff and I teach her stuff. And I mean, she she's a phenomenal, not only person, but a hunter. And I can't say enough good things about her. And it's really good to surround yourself with people like that. And, you know, I got involved in a um women on the wing chapter uh for Pheasants Forever and Quill Forever this last year, and became vice president. And it was our first chapter that was all women in northeastern Oklahoma. We just had our banquet, and it's just so cool to see like so many people be like, wow, I would have never thought I would have loved this. And that's how it was for me. And I'm like, don't knock it till you try it. And it's not for everybody, but I will tell you that the day I started hunting, it changed my life forever. And it just, I mean, I could go out, I could go deer hunt, waterfowl hunt, anything. And I may not see a bird, may not see a deer, may not kill anything. And I am just happy sitting out there. Like it just brings me this peace and just, you know, being in God's creation because I feel like it's a privilege to be able to go out there and be able-bodied and be able to harvest these animals. And it's just done something for like my mental health, and I feel closest to God when I'm in the woods. And I don't know, that's just unexplainable. I could never explain what hunting did for my life.

SPEAKER_05

Well, that's so awesome. Now, um what I'm you know, what you're touching on there is so important, and I think that you know it it might be like whether you're out there just you know, you're not seeing a turkey, but a butterfly lands on a branch next to you, or whatever. It sounds like you're embracing all of those things, and that's what it's all about.

Hunting As Peace, Faith, And Mental Health

SPEAKER_01

Yes, I I will tell you this last turkey season last year. I I mean I hit it hard. I went on my very first solo hunt in my life, and it was just like I could just go sit on a tree for hours, hours on end, and it was just like just everything in your mind's quiet, it's peaceful, you're reflecting on all these like things, and at the end of the day, it's just like did I like did I harvest something? No, but what did I gain from it? What did I learn while I was out here? And a lot of people don't ever get to experience that in their lifetime, and I wish they did, but like I said, it's not for everybody. But I think that I will always encourage whether it's men or women that have never hunted, and you're an adult and you say, Oh, well, you know, I didn't grow up hunting. If you if that's something you want to pursue, you can do it. Is it gonna be hard work? Yes, but there are people out there, I mean, including myself, that anybody could reach out to me and ask me for advice, and I'm not gonna make fun of them. And I feel like that's a big thing in the hunting industry right now, is like people kind of belittle people that have genuine c like questions, and especially in Facebook groups, like I know are 100%. And that's what I I would say the bigger I've gotten into this industry and the more opportunities I've got. I've some of the people that I looked up to before I decided to really pursue it as you know, photography and like really building my platform. And these were people I looked up to and I I meet them and I find out that they're not as great of people as I thought they were. And that was very heartbreaking because I was like, I really looked up to you, and I don't want to be that girl that you know thinks that they're better than everybody else because I'm not. I am just a normal human being. I work in nine to five. I I didn't grow up hunting, I'm not an expert, but I can show you what I've learned and what's worked for me, and you're ultimately gonna find out what works best for you. But I'm always willing to offer that advice and just share my experiences from what I've come to know.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah. No, that's that's awesome stuff, and I I think you hit the nail on the head. I mean, it really is kind of unfortunate. Like, I think when we so we've always been like a deer hunting family and got into duck hunting like seven, eight years ago, and that's one of the things we saw a lot was just like you can't ask a question, an innocent question, because you're just gonna get 10 comments, just like people talking shit on on the group chat, but or not the group chat, but comments.

SPEAKER_01

It is very cutthroat.

SPEAKER_04

It is, and you know, yeah, I would say no, you're okay.

SPEAKER_01

I cut you off. Go ahead.

SPEAKER_04

No, you're good. There's just a delay because it's like a zoom call, you know. But um, no, I was gonna ask, so like, you know, you see or you hear a lot in like the people that find peace in the outdoors, you know, a lot of times it's like first responders, but I know just from the brief times we've kind of connected about this podcast, you're a nurse. I mean, is I don't know what you do as far as what you know unit you're in or whatever, nurse-wise, but like is that OBGYN.

SPEAKER_05

Oh, okay. All right. My wife did uh 15 years, his mom did uh 15 years in uh Irish school at Iris.

SPEAKER_01

So wow, yeah.

SPEAKER_04

And the reason I was asking that, because I was I mean, I don't know the dynamics of all of that, obviously, but I know like a lot of first responders, a lot of people that are in, you know, very a stressful environment, like and you were mentioned your piece. I mean, is that part of that piece is just kind of that having that work life back balance? Because I know like being a nurse is like probably regardless of what you're doing, could be hard, right?

SPEAKER_05

Yeah, it's stressful.

SPEAKER_01

Right. Yeah, I wouldn't say that like if I'm being completely honest with you and just very vulnerable, I would say it has nothing to do with my work. Um I'm very open, uh like I'm very open about mental health. Um I've had some some things happen in my life. I lost my father at a very young age and then kind of went through some trauma and different things. Oh, it's it's okay. I miss him every day, but I know one day I'll get to reunite with him and I cherish the 10 years I got with him because a lot of people don't get that. But I'm very big on mental health, and as someone that has struggled with mental health, that aspect is like where I find my peace, where I feel like I can turn my mind off and just talk to Jesus, talk to God, like yeah, and it's just everything in my mind is right, and I don't know. And so, like when you go like after turkey season, I'm just like waiting. And so I'll go out and I'll fish, I'll crappie fish, or go spoon bill snagging, and it's like any opportunity I get, I'm outside.

Nursing, Service, And Finding Balance

SPEAKER_05

Yeah, that's awesome. Yeah, and and and if I can just say this from a self-relation standpoint, you know, and and and and taking our father into this, you know, and stuff is at least for me, because my brain is always just going at a thousand miles an hour when you get in that environment. You know, I always feel like I'm always like, God, I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_04

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SPEAKER_05

But isn't that the best part? Is that at least that you put yourself in that environment where I yeah, I do. I I totally relate to what you're talking about, Brittany, you know, and and just for me, like I said, my brain is always going like call me ADD, whatever you want to call it. But um for some reason many times that's whenever I I think more about God, you know, as it things slow down.

SPEAKER_01

Right. And I and I think it's because it's just so quiet, and you know, in this world right now, it's a lot of chaos. Workspaces can be chaotic, home life. You just never know what people are going through behind closed doors. And my biggest thing has always been be kind to everybody because you don't know what goes on behind closed doors. They be maybe rude to you, and you're like, what did I do to deserve that? And it's truly just like you don't know what people carry. And I like like for me, right? And it's like I know I'm a very bubbly person, and like at work, I I'm in the field I'm in truly because I have a servant's heart. I don't make a whole lot of money. Um, I feel like that's where God called me to be, and it fills my cup up to serve other people. And I also think there's a lot of people in the medical industry that are in it for the money and the wrong reasons. And if I can lead one person a day closer to Christ, I've done my duty. And I have patients touch my heart all the time. And it's it's that's why I do it. And then, you know, I've had a lot of things go on this last year and had some family struggles and different things, and you know, I like I some at some times I feel isolated, and I love that I can just go out and just shut my brain off and just have those intimate conversations with the Lord.

SPEAKER_04

You know, I I I was just talking about the other day, I posted a TikTok about it actually. But there's this lady that, and it could be as simple as this, but there's this lady that um me and my wife got orange theory, and she got me into orange theory. And I know all the guys listening to this are like, oh my god, he does orange theory, whatever. But I I really do like it. But um the one of our coaches, um, I'll give her a shout-out, Amelia. She is just like, she every day, and I know she can't be like mentally there every day, but the energy she brings every day is like she's called to do that. Like she makes like it's so much more enjoyable, enjoyable like working out with her. And you can just tell she's called to do that. So like hearing you say that, that's been something I've been thinking about recently. Like, you run into these people throughout your life where like you can just tell like they are in their calling, yeah. And I think that's like what so many of us like strive to figure out. Like, I don't know if I could confidently say I've figured that out in my own life, but like that's I it's so great to run into people that are in that space, I guess, is my point with their life, you know?

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Calling, Purpose, And Daily Faith

SPEAKER_01

Right. And I definitely will say, like, there I I've taken breaks from the medical field. I had went to school to be a cosmetologist when I was like 22. Ultimately, my heart has always gone back to the medical field. And I truly believe it's because I just that's what God called me to do. Now I feel like I've had a lot of amazing opportunities in the hunting industry, which would be a dream to, you know, make a lifestyle or a living out of that. I actually just um launched my brand called 40 Wings Waterfowl. It's a faith-based hunting apparel um store. We're not completely live with our website, but I the number 40 in the Bible is super significant. I mean, Jesus was in the wilderness for 40 days. The Israelites wondered for 40 years. Moses took law. I mean, there's so many different things. Jesus spent 40 days after his resurrection before he ascended to heaven, and it talks about, you know, I'm preparing you for better while you're going through these trials. And I wanted something to incorporate my passion with my faith base and like the grittiness and all of that. And so I actually just launched that today. We don't have our website up yet because it's still kind of fixing a few things. Yeah, it's definitely been a journey and I'm still trying to figure it out. But um, you know, that's a that's been a new step for me. Um I really like big into film, big into photography. And I mean, I don't know, I'm just in love with all of it. And so I, you know, pray I'm like, God, if this is your will, you'll open the doors. And I feel like he's opened a lot of doors for me this last year, and I just keep going at it, and you'll face defeat, and you just gotta kick pick pick up and keep going.

SPEAKER_04

Is is that kind of where you see uh going with the company, or is it kind of gonna be like do media merch? Like, what's kind of the vision for the company? Or are you still kind of flexible on that?

SPEAKER_01

Um, I mean, definitely merch and media, and just I really just want it to be something that most people don't see. I mean, you see a lot of you know, merch or brands and different things that claim to be faith-based, and it's polar opposite. And I don't mean that to be negative, but like, you know, as a woman in this industry, it's there's great men out there that are like, yes, like we love women and like you guys, I mean, for support and all that. Sorry if this is just not on music, and so to have like I want it to be a community not only for women, but for men that have that relentless pursuit and they are very faith-driven. And so I would like to incorporate, you know, my media into my brand. Like my one of my sweatshirts um on my website has a picture that I took of a duck that's become like an in it, like a graphic. And then I have my verse, Psalm 91.4, on it. And then like I have a quail sweatshirt that says hunt honest, bring home memories. Like, I have so many things in the works. I just um with my post today, it was one of my sweatshirts. It says walk by faith and not by sight, and it's got ducks on it. And so I just am kind of leaving it in God's hands, and when I feel like I'm called, like I'll move forward, and this is all new to me. So we're just kind of taking it day by day, but I'm very excited because I've had this in the works for probably the last year.

SPEAKER_05

That's great. Um, well, I was just gonna say, you know, you you were speaking from a servant's heart, you know, and and I relate deeply to that because my wife, um, you know, she's been in nursing all our all of our lives. Uh I she's in my high school sweeter. I've been with her. We're coming up on 30 years. 30 years. Somebody asked me the other day, they said, what do you have to get for 30 years? I go, I don't know, something that costs too much. But but my point is that I understand what you mean by a servant's heart because I've lived with my wife for 30 years, you know what I mean? And I just there's been so many times where maybe the company did her wrong or something like that. And I see all these notes and letters from cut from from I say customers, yeah, from patients, you know, going all the way back when she did high-risk labor and delivery in St. Louis, you know, that you know, she would be when you have a service heart like you guys do, it's something that is definitely instilled by God.

SPEAKER_04

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SPEAKER_05

It's like Tris and I are more of a sales, like I've been in business ownership and management and and and sales, and Tristan more on the sales side.

Launching 40 Wings Waterfowl

SPEAKER_04

So when you're trying to find your spot, it's kind of like, all right, well, that's a yeah, I would definitely say God didn't put sales on my heart, but but got God put paying bills on my heart.

SPEAKER_05

So when it comes to you guys, and I'm talking about nurses, doctors, uh, police officers, firefighters, paramedics, all these folks. It's their military. Military, exactly. It's it's a servant's heart. No doubt 100%. Not everybody has it. And there's something about there's definitely something deep within God putting you in that kind of position. I mean, especially like for someone somebody like yourself, British, you're you're part of the first time people. People ever see a child, you know, coming coming from a womb, and what better place can you impact um a servant's role than that? I mean, I I would find it hard to to beat that. I mean, honestly, Tristan's got a baby on the way right now, so um they're first, you know.

SPEAKER_01

Congratulations.

SPEAKER_04

Thank you. Yeah, it's gonna be interesting. Yeah, I don't I still like people are like, oh, like how do you feel? And I'm like, I don't know, I'm not a dad yet. I'll I'll figure out in like four months.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, no, you it it'll be so much fun. You you'll figure it out real quick, I promise.

SPEAKER_04

I bet, and you know it's funny, like people are not to get super sidetracked, I'll keep it short. Like, people are like, Well, like, are you still gonna you people that don't hunt, you know, that I'm friends with, they're like, Oh, are you still gonna like do what you do? I'm like, oh, we'll figure out a way to incorporate it. And when he's old enough, he'll be coming.

SPEAKER_01

Right. I actually talked to a patient about that today. Her husband hunts, and she showed me a picture of her little boy, and they're about to have a little girl, and she was like, he keeps asking me, When can I take him? When can I take him? And I'm like, uh, I love it.

Vision For A Faith-Driven Outdoor Brand

SPEAKER_05

Yeah, that's awesome. Well, well, you know, and and I'll say this on the right of women here, you know, we thought we were at first we were kind of thinking, you know, because you know how like all you labor in delivering nurses is knowledge, like, oh, what's the heart rate at this many weeks? You know, I can tell you know, all those things. And my wife's like, oh, that that heart rate seems like a girl at first. We all yeah, we were convinced it was a girl. Yeah, they thought it was gonna be a girl, and and I was like some of it is just like it's sometimes they're you know, the just I don't know what's accurate and what's true sometimes, but I have like I have always heard the conspiracy that um boys make you super sick during your pregnancy and then girls don't, but then I've heard the polar opposite, and it's just like you know, old old wives' tales, like to be honest, but it's a special time, and I just when you said something about a servant's heart, and I thought, you know, and then just listening to you talk about, you know, um your pursuit with happiness and your pursuit with the Lord and everything else. Like I thought, you know what? She is exactly where God wanted her to be. I mean, that's that's cool, and I just relate to it deeply just because of my wife uh doing that as well. And and serving.

SPEAKER_01

Well, thank you very much. And y'all are special. That means a lot.

SPEAKER_05

You all are special, and I know why you all want to punch doctors in the face.

SPEAKER_01

There are we have our days, I promise you.

SPEAKER_05

No disrespect to any doctors.

SPEAKER_01

I promise.

SPEAKER_04

Now, you know, I I know like from uh outside looking in, like the nursing schedule is kind of clutch for hunting, though, right? Because you can like work like what, like four days on, three days on, and then kind of use that schedule to work in.

SPEAKER_01

So right now, currently, I'm in a client that eats five Monday through Friday.

SPEAKER_04

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_01

So not much of a flex Yeah, not super flexible. Um but I mean, like we we get PTO and like vacation time, and like I'm getting ready to put in my request offer uh turkey season. Ours opens April 16th and runs through May 16th, and um I'm like ready to hit it hard.

SPEAKER_04

That's awesome. What do you got planned this year? I mean, just hunting there in Oklahoma, or you got any uh trips out of state?

SPEAKER_01

So there has been a lot of talk between me and my best friend Anna Hall. She lives in Kentucky. She's coming to Oklahoma, she's gonna tag out. I want to tag out in Oklahoma. We talked to if she wants me to come to Kentucky where she lives and tag out. It just gets kind of all be dependent on my work school, but you know, what's affordable, like being smart with the finances, but ultimately like I just ready. Like I'll start in Oklahoma, opening day on the hunt, whether I hunt solo or go with buddies. Like, I don't care. I'm gonna go.

Schedules, Turkey Season Plans, Travel

SPEAKER_04

Heck yeah. Hey, we're gonna we're getting some kind of weird like uh audio breakup, and I don't know what's good. Are you getting it too on your end? All right, guys, we're back. Um, so we were talking about you know Brittany's brand uh brand, what she does as a nurse, and kind of just the servant aspect of that. Um, but you know, I think uh we'd love to hear more about kind of the brand and um just kind of your experience. Personally, I'd like to know like the experience you've had um that's led up to wanting to start this in terms of like you obviously the media is a big part of what you like to do and your content's really good. I mean, what um kind of started that passion and you know what has been that journey? Because for me, like we do a lot of video stuff too, and it's constant like learning. I mean, from you you go out there and you don't have the right, you know, lens thing on or the right uh UV lens on, it makes your shots all blurry, whatever it might be.

SPEAKER_01

It has definitely been trial and error, like experiencing that too as well. I can't tell you how many hunts hind size always 2020. There's been times where I was filming a mule deer stalk and I was asked if I wanted a tripod. I said, no, I got it. Just there's just so many things we like you and other people reflect back on, and you're like, we could have done this a lot differently. As far as my brand, you know, I I toyed with the idea for a long time and it took me a while, but the last couple of months I've been kind of working on it, and I was like, you know what? Like I really wanted something that people hunters that have that same passion and they also are really strong in their faith to to have that. And I I think a lot of my inspiration too has just come from like um different brands I've seen that are actually very face-based. And then my mom actually owns a clothing boutique and she has owned that since I was 14. And watching her pursue those dreams. I just was like, you know, you never have to limit yourself. If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. But I don't want to spend my life living regrets of oh, I wish I would have done that. Because trying it and failing is a lot better than having a regret of why didn't I ever do that?

SPEAKER_05

That's right, that's right. And you know, a lot of the way the the I will say this from a wisdom standpoint, I'm not gonna say this standpoint, but I'm saying that if you have I'm thinking of the old the old country word gumption, if you have the gumption to recognize where you can be better when you fail, you are some of the strongest people in the world. You really are, you know, and and if you if God has blessed you with that ability to be able to recognize versus letting your emotions get in the way or you know, um blame or anything like that. You know what I mean? You you you tend to be some of the strongest people in the world, I think, whenever you're able to do that.

Media Craft: Filming, Gear, And Lessons

SPEAKER_01

And I mean, I won't even lie to you that like there are times my emotions get to me. I'm a very and I think that comes with having a servant's heart. And I think a lot of like my personality traits and the way I carry myself now are because of losing my father and going through a lot as a child and even as an adult. It just, you know, I'm like, this is what God made me to be, and sometimes it it hurts, and I do let my emotions get the best of me. But then I rem I sit there and I'm like, well, why am I so sensitive? Why do I care so much? And I would honestly rather be known for caring too much and being kind and selfless than any other way. Good word, and that's just how it is, and so I do fall short at times. I like I won't sit here and act high and holy. That like I do struggle, and I think that's normal as humans and even Christians and being faith-based, like we all fall short. It's what you're willing to do after you fall short that makes the difference.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah, no, that's great stuff. Yeah, no, no, and and your determination look like let me ask you this, Christine. And so, like, if if you're sitting there and I might be asking a question that can't be answered, but um you know, like with starting your brand and in this obvious passion that is just like driven you to do what you're doing. Is there one thing that you look at like when you wake up in the morning, you're like, that's the thing. That's one. I mean, is it one thing that's like that driving force? I'm just trying to help people connect. Like sometimes it's it takes us one thing, right? To to really push you. And uh and I know we've already talked about some of the obvious, the love of the outdoors and connecting with God during those times and that kind of thing. Is that it?

SPEAKER_01

Or I just wanted to I mean, a lot of it is that, um, and touching on the mental health again, uh, that's a big thing because I have struggled with mental health pretty severely uh up and down throughout since losing my dad and my childhood, uh, the way it went after that. I would say I wake up and despite how I'm feeling, mind you, I do fall short on days. I wake up and I I'm like, you have lived every single hard day of your life. And I've had to really like embrace that mindset of do we rot in it? No. And my mom, what one thing that really stuck with me is my sorry, my brightness turned on because my batteries are low.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, you're good.

SPEAKER_01

Can you hear me now?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, we gotcha. Yeah.

Public Land Grit And Scouting Stories

SPEAKER_01

Okay. Um my mom said, probably from the age I was 14 and up until now, she said, take your moment, but don't let it take your life. And my mom has been a very big uh inspiration to me because I've watched that woman walk through hell and every single day she gets up, every single day. And to go through hard things or struggle with mental health, to continue to choose to get up and try again. It says a lot about a person's strength.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah, well, it's it it it totally preaches to what she's instilled in you. I mean, that's that's all I can think about right now as a parent myself, you know, and and that is that my gosh, I mean, that woman uh I don't even want to even begin to understand what she's been through, but the fact that she has portrayed that you know that to you, it just makes her an even more incredible woman.

SPEAKER_04

I love um I love the way you said uh I've lived every single hard day of my life. Yeah, like that's a great that is such a great like shirt, Brittany.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah, for real. That's good stuff.

SPEAKER_04

That's such a great way to look at it because I think like I feel like you know, you kind of we forget as humans, like we have like this recency bias of like, you know, oh, this is the worst day of my life. It's like, is it really like is it because you're stuck in Atlanta traffic, right?

SPEAKER_01

Well, and you know, when when I get in those mindsets where I get frustrated in traffic or I'm like, why didn't this work out? I look at it from a different perspective, like especially I mean, especially in traffic, I'm like, this was part of God's plan because what if this prevented me from getting in a accident that would have ultimately killed me? Or you know, when he removes things out of your life, you're like, you question and you're like, like, why would you let me go through this? And there's always a greater purpose. There's always purpose behind pain. Whether you see it now, I mean, I can promise every single person out there there is a purpose behind pain.

SPEAKER_05

Well, and I'll tell you this, you know, my mom, um, and I always tell people that if it wasn't for me, that my mom wouldn't be so close to Jesus as a kid, you know, and that's the truth. You know, I told mom, I said you used to tell people all the time, I said, I'm so close to God because my son told her she says, I never said that. You've always been a kid, and I'd be like, No, I haven't, mom. But here's the thing like when you have that connection with God on things like this, it's it's like, and I'm going through something personally right now, you know, where I can relate to what you're talking about totally, you know. And today was the day that I could have said, you know what? Why me? Woe is me. Why did it happen to me? All these things. And honestly, I had this peace about me if I'm being just totally um vulnerable, I guess. It's that I had this total peace on me because of God, that one door closes, and we all know that. So another one can open. But my mom said to me one time, she said, How can you trust God with your death if you don't trust Him with your life? Yeah, that yeah, right there, yes. And it's always just hit me, you know, going, Golly, you know, it's so easy for us to say that, hey, you know, and I'm not trying to be a preacher right now, I'm just saying it's so easy to go, well, you know, I I believe in Jesus Christ as my savior and that for then forgiveness of sin, and and that means I'm going to heaven because Jesus made it that easy for us, right?

SPEAKER_01

It's not that easy. You gotta pick up that cross every day and carry it.

SPEAKER_05

That's right, that's right. You do.

Respect The Scout: Private Vs Public

SPEAKER_01

And I will be the first to admit that I have fallen so many times. I've struggled being lukewarm, and I mean, it's a it's that's spiritual warfare at its finest. And I mean, the closer you I think a lot of people think, you know, the closer you get to God, more life's easier. No, those attacks are gonna start attacking. Satan does not want you to have an intimate relationship with Christ, so he's gonna do everything, and you know, sometimes people think that Satan's this thing with a pitchfork and horns, he will show up in a shiny package that you've been waiting on and just to distract you and lead you down that road. And sometimes I I I saw a good quote the other day. It's it was talking about people are more fearful of Satan than they are God. And that's that really kind of spoke to me because at the end of the day that's who you have to speak to. And the Lord does have wrath. And I it just I don't know, it's just something that really stood out to me. And I think for me, my biggest struggle is when I go through something, I tend to isolate, and I have to tell myself, I'm like, like I I have all these thoughts. I'm like, well, this is like Jesus can't fix me, like Jesus can't do anything in this, and that's so untrue. It doesn't matter who you are, what you've been through, what you've done, he can. He can do the most impossible things that you would have never thought. And I have to remind myself, I'm like, that's when you up your prayer life. If you don't have a prayer life, get one because that I'm telling you that that's the biggest portion of it. And I had to tell myself, no, like when I don't feel like praying, that's when I should be praying. When I don't feel like reading my Bible, that's when I should be reading my Bible. Because I always feel this tug at my heart, and it's like he doesn't care if you come to him and say, you know what, I'm mad at you, I'm angry, I I don't understand, I'm frustrated. He would rather you go to him than isolate. He wants you to lay that at his feet.

SPEAKER_02

He loves that.

SPEAKER_01

And I think a lot of us become shameful and we don't put our pride aside, and I've definitely dealt with that myself, and we'll fall short, like we'll get in a good rhythm, and then something happens, and it's just all about like really remembering what it's all about and what it's rooted in. And I don't know, it's just I definitely have my ups and downs, but you gotta remain grounded in his word and learn to lean on him and trust him even when things don't make sense, and that that can be hard, it can be really hard. And but if you continue to go, I promise you you will walk in abundance of what he has for your life.

SPEAKER_04

That's so true. I mean better. And if if we're all being real, I mean, we've all kind of had those ups and downs, and I mean it is hard. I mean, you know, you as simple as like one thing I can relate to is like just moving from uh Florida to Georgia when me and my wife moved up here, him too. Right. We had a church that we loved or super plugged into down in Jacksonville, Florida. You may have seen some of his stuff. He's gone he's on all over social media now. Uh Pastor Joe B. Martin down there at Jackson.

SPEAKER_02

Yep.

SPEAKER_04

Yep. So we went to when they only had two locations down there. We me and my wife went to um 1122 down there.

SPEAKER_02

Actually, right?

Community, Negativity, And Leadership

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, we did, yeah. Well, at first like kind of so like long story short, we had a she was we were talking or whatever, and she was like new because she went to school at Florida State and was in Jacksonville, Florida. And um she was looking for a church or whatever, so I told her, hey, this is where I go, it's good. And long story short, she ended up going and liking it and messaging me again, and I was like, oh, we should go together sometime. And then I was like, All right, a first date to church is like kind of awkward. So we like we got coffee one time and then we got like lunch. This winter, elevate your outdoor pursuits with Williamson Outfitters, offering professionally guided experiences along Florida's Forgotten Coast. From coastal duck hunting to inshore fishing, every Williamson Outfitters trip is led by a seasoned captain, delivering world class adventure with true local expertise. From small private groups to large corporate retreats, Williamson Outfitters fleet of well-equipped boats and experienced guys to provide first-class winter outdoor experiences for sportsmen of all ages and skill levels. And for those planning ahead, Williamson Outfitters is already booking spring and summer charters. Secure your fishing, flounder gigging, and family adventure dates now before their calendar fills up. Call or text 850-251-8650 or visit Floridaducks.com to reserve your outdoor experience. Willington Outfitters making the Forgotten Coast unforgettable. But long story short, basically our first date was to church.

SPEAKER_01

Now look at you, you're married and about to have a baby.

SPEAKER_04

That's right. So uh we did something right, but the whole point to it is like, you know, we move up here and it's just I mean, just it just really just kind of I mean, not to make an excuse or whatever, but just haven't been as plugged in. And we haven't found a church we like the same way, but that's just I mean, to your point, those ups and downs, you know. I mean, and that's kind of one thing that's been on our minds, you know, is just kind of like trying to get more, especially with a kid on the way. Like, obviously, we want to raise our kid up that way, you know.

SPEAKER_01

Right, totally understand that.

SPEAKER_05

Brittany, you were talking, and there's just two main things that came to my head, you know, and that I asked.

SPEAKER_02

Sorry.

SPEAKER_05

No, no, it's just that, you know, it's just wisdom that's been shared to me over my life, you know, and or or things that I've been through and stuff. And and I there's I mean, as far as when it comes to our family, probably the guy that we put on the biggest pedestal of having like truly leading a God faith-based life would be my father-in-law. And he's an amazing man. And he he told me one time when I was younger, when I was just, you know, I mean, I was kind of reckless and and everything else. And he told me, he said, you know, I always uh look at it like when you if you're in an eagle's nest and you're a chick, right? And you start to get out to the edge of that nest, you're making yourself vulnerable to predators. But when you're under the wing of God. It's pretty easy. It's a it's a great life. Yeah. It's one hell of a life. No, for real. Right. And he he just said, you know, when I feel like life is giving me that step outside of the I might be just getting outside of that wing right now. That's the time.

The Click: Calls, First Mallard, Progress

SPEAKER_01

Like when you said that I need to get back into scripture or it's gonna feel like a chore, but I promise once you do it, life-changing. It is, it is it's setting a good habit.

SPEAKER_05

I just love that you said that because I can so relate to that.

SPEAKER_01

Do you mind if I grab a charger and my laptop's about to die? Go ahead, yeah. Okay, so sorry.

SPEAKER_04

Not a problem. Alrighty. So, you know, we going back to like your journey into the outdoors and stuff like that. I'm interested because obviously waterfowl is a huge passion of what you do. And um, you know, Oklahoma has become one of those areas that like there's so many people, which I think is a little bit overplayed, but there's so many people that are like, oh, that's where the flyaways move to, and like you know, Arkansas isn't as good as it once was, which I no doubt it's not, but you know, there's a lot of good hunting to be had out there, and people you just literally don't even go to Arkansas, they go to Oklahoma now. So, you know, you're I know and I in your bio too, it talks about public land. It's like it's not easy to get out there and hunt, you know, public land at all, and just going out and doing that, like I mean, for anybody is impressive. I mean, I would love to just kind of talk some duck hunting and how what's it like out there, and just you know, how those first, you know, it it never starts out easy for anybody, you know. So how it how it is out there.

Family Legacies And Women Who Hunt

SPEAKER_01

I would say um out here is hit or miss. Our biggest problem is weather and habitat. Um, last year I had one of the best seasons I've ever had in my life. You'll ask other people and they'll say this was the worst season of my life. Um, I mean, we were having 80-degree weather in December, and it never fails that we get our very first cold snap the week before season ends or when season ends. And I mean, for public land hunting, I have always been a public land hunter. I have hunted private. Um, I got permission on a turkey spot last year that I was fortunate enough to. That was the last weekend of turkey season. I had been grinding, I was driving up and down the road because I had seen turkeys, knocked on five farm farmers' doors, and I said they all said no. Last one said yes. And I'm not afraid to put myself out there. I'm not afraid. Like I mean, public land will always be so special to me because not trying to take away and say that it's not rewarding to harvest animals on private, but for me, for waterfowl, especially, it brings a whole different level of just like I did this. Like I like, I mean, I drive a little Honda Civic Tutor. I take that car down roads that should not go down, and I literally go out in my friend group. I am the one that scouts. And we have this joke that I say, uh, Lil Red makes it anywhere. And then early teal season, I had driven down a road that it had it had flooded, and I was like, Oh, I'll make it. Had this giant tree in front of me, it was a log, and I had kind of gotten stuck. And I usually carry ratchet straps with me. And I was I would literally found a belt in my car, tied this belt, and I'm telling you, this tree, I mean, it was like a big tree. And I took that belt, strapped it on there, and uh, it took me a while, but I moved it out of the way, kept going. Oh, let's go. I mean, you don't understand. I get lectures about it. They're like, why, why? And I'm like, well, someone's gotta be the one to do it. None of y'all are.

SPEAKER_04

Right.

SPEAKER_01

So I love it. I don't know. I'm just like, I I grind, like it's something I'm passionate about. And I just putting in the time to scout, and I think a lot of people sit here and complain that they're not willing to get off their butts and go scout.

SPEAKER_02

Right.

SPEAKER_01

Scouting is key, like figuring out where they roost, like you know, it's there's just so many different things that play into it. And you know, you could have a great scouting report the night before and you don't shoot a single thing the next day.

SPEAKER_04

Right.

SPEAKER_01

And that's just the gamble of hunting. And I think people expect to limit out on green heads and pentails and all this, and they're not even grateful for the freaking spoonie they shot. And I'm just like I just I'm like, I'm thankful that I even was able to be out here. Yeah, did I want to kill a freaking limit? Absolutely, but at the end of the day, I think I'm happy because I get to do a lot of stuff that other people don't, especially as a woman.

SPEAKER_05

Well, and I'm sure that you relish in those moments, right? Of your scouting, like that's why you're the scouter. I I just I'm trying to envision this and being that person, and yeah, you that they're like, like I've always been the guy that hangs the tree stand. And honestly, as I've gotten older, I just do it if me and Tristan are out there just because I still can. I mean, it's like it's a testament to me, like, okay, I can still do this, right? I know I'm very able to do it, but a lot of times I'm like, give me that damn tree stand. I'm up the tree, you know, I'm I'm hanging it, you know. And but right respect it. There's another t-shirt, respect the scout. Like for real. I mean, that that when you find that that enjoyment and that part of it, I think that's a whole nother piece, right? Than just showing up and having your gun and be ready to shoot.

SPEAKER_04

That's that's like you to your point earlier, talking about like the difference between public and private. Like, we're fortunate and we get to hunt some really awesome private land uh northeast Arkansas. But there's my takeaway from it is I would rather personally go out and shoot like a duck, five ducks, whatever, and know that like whatever I did that day, even if I screwed it up, I would rather know that I did it and learn something from it. Because while hunting public's great, we're always hunting with like to their credit, really good duck hunters. So we kind of take a step back, you know. It's like you guys do your thing, we'll just you know, kind of defer to you on stuff. You guys know what you're doing. But you while you learn by watching, you don't learn as well as like making your own mistakes and seeing things that work out, and that's what I love about hunting public.

Brand Partnerships And Earning The Right

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, for sure. I I would say that's what I mean. I did not hunt private up until this last year, and it was for turkeys. And then I've hunted some private where I've gone out of state and different things and went on my first guided hunt in Colorado, and I was very fortunate. And it's just knowing that like you put in so much work and you have that hunt and you're like, I did this. And especially as like as a girl, like I mean, it's very like liberating to be able to do that because a lot of people don't do that. And like like we were talking about earlier, you know, the Facebook groups, Oklahoma duck hunters, they are ruthless in there. I mean, someone will be genuinely asking a question and they just sit in there and harass and bully them and laugh at them. And I'm like, you guys do realize that y'all started from nothing at some point in your life.

SPEAKER_04

Right. So you'll lose sight of that.

SPEAKER_05

You know, it it is a big push for us. I mean, honestly, it's a giant, it's probably one of the top three things for us, is it's just the the bullying that goes on, and it's it's a it's really you're making yourself look bad. I mean, it's the immaturity uh when it comes down to it. You know, the core group of people that are the doing things the right way, you know. Um we supersede all that. We do. We I mean we we're we're above all that. It's very easy to watch the news and get caught in um I quit watching it, and I'm not gonna go down this whole rabbit hole, but I quit watching the news in 1996. And the reason why I did it is I don't blame you. I I felt it affected I told my wife, I when I just got out of the military, I told her, I said, I felt I don't like I was reading a book uh called How to Win Friends and Influence People, and I also read a book called Master Key to Riches back then. And the guy talked about in the Master Key Riches is you know, there's a lot of a lot of faith-based stuff in there, but one of the things that he talked about was just like what you expose yourself to, right? You're you're a product of your environment. So we all know that humans, you know, that's why there's addiction and things like that right now. Yeah. The human mind just latches on. You don't mean to. I mean, I have a mind that's not here anymore. They got addicted to opiates, and you it was always the the the non-party in person, you know, that kind of thing. So my but my point is that you know um I forgot where I'm going with this whole thing. Uh just that you your your brain will connect to certain things. Doesn't mean it's right. You know what I mean? But on the flip side of that all, it also does the the same thing on good things. So when you feed your body the right things, you know, and and you and you shut off the news and stuff. I just remember doing that, and my life changed immediately after that because I was not I was protecting my brain, yeah, so speak.

Closing Reflections And Contact Info

SPEAKER_01

That's a big thing. It really, it really is. It's like and it's funny you say that. I was having a conversation with a coworker today. I was like, I just refuse to look at all the stuff that's going on in America right now because it's just everything's just so twisted. I was like, this is not good for my mind. And you know, I used to get on there and look at it, and it's like I realized I was like, all this is causing me is worry, and like I get angry, and it's just not good.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

And then same with people like who you surround yourself with, you become one of them.

SPEAKER_05

That's right. And those negative comments that people are putting, also we can continue to do, and it's winning. I I know it's winning. I felt we've been doing this now 176 episodes, and I've been around a minute in the in the hunting world, and I see some things starting to circle back, you know, to things when that I learned and the respect and the things that that we instilled in people that I got instilled in me when I was young. And and it's it's a great tribute to some incredible people out there, you know. In the in the waterfowl world, I will always put Dennis and Dennis uh Loser and and and and Billy Campbell up there at the top. They they when it comes to public land, there's not not a bigger eye. Right. And they have served it well. Served it same team has been their whole thing, you know. Um, we are all on the same team. And to kind of wrap that part of my conversation up is that if we all just continue to push more of the positive out, it outweighs those negatives. And everyone I I can almost guarantee you, as a 53-year-old man speaking right now, that a lot of that is immaturity, is where that comment that some of the comments are coming from. They think they want to be funny, they think that I'll say this and my buddies will think it's cool or whatever it is, but at the end of the day, those people will mature, they will go through their times in their life, whether it's and hopefully they're connected more to God in that pot in that process. But right, I would almost guarantee you that 90% of those people that do that kind of thing, they'll they'll change. And if they don't, guess what? You can I had I had somebody tell me this one time that said, you can Google bad stuff about Jesus Christ. Can you believe that? You know what I mean? I mean, google. Yeah, I mean, you if you want to look up like there's people there's always gonna be people out there that say something bad about Jesus Christ, you know, and going, how could you do that? You know, but right we can't we can't fix it. We stay away from from looking at those comments and reading those negative comments, and also we can do is not fight those people, not go into those battles, but preach the right thing and continue to do the right thing, and those people they'll they'll come around. I'm confident in that. It's just like we Brian said one time, most people are good. It's truth, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

For sure.

SPEAKER_05

Don't believe everything you see on on the negativity side because there's a lot of great people and a lot of great things that continue to happen in this world.

SPEAKER_01

I agree a hundred percent.

SPEAKER_04

100%, yep. Uh Brittany, you know, when it came to like your hunt and journey out there on you know, duck hunt and public land, I mean, was there a point like I'm just curious, like throughout you know, the progression of where you are now where you were just like, oh my god, like today it clicked, you know. Like I would love to hear that story, like if there was a definitive moment where you were just like out there like trying to figure it out, and you know, I mean, six, seven years or whatever, eight years, however long it's been, like, that's not a lot, a lot of time. So like the sunrise. Well, today I've figured it out.

SPEAKER_01

I mean, I obviously there was something in my soul that was hooked to that very first hunt, but I would say, and then the very first Mallard Drake I shot, I have his pen curl, I have a little shadow box with the shells I shot him with, and it was just like, I don't know, something that set my soul on fire. And then this last season, um, I don't know, we like me and my two two buddies like just ran it hard on public. And I learned to duck call. It took me a year, and I learned how to feed chuckle. I like I can duck call and I'm confident in it now. And I thought I would never be able to do that. I can turkey call. I can shoot a compound bow. Everyone was like, oh, you're not strong enough. And I did it anyways. And I look at the progression I've made, and I'm gonna let anybody stop me from that. But I mean, I would say it clicked from the beginning. I don't think that there was really a moment where I was like, wow, like it just was like that from the get-go. I didn't even hadn't even killed a bird yet.

SPEAKER_05

Like all in.

SPEAKER_01

All in, which is so weird because if you would have met me back years ago, I was this pretty no, don't get me wrong, I like to look like a girl, but like I was this pretty little princess, is what my mom called me, like to get dolled up and this, that, and the other. And I had asked her the other day, I said, You ever picture your daughter doing this? And she was like, No, but she said, 'I'm so grateful that you have something you're so passionate about.' Yeah, that's awesome.

SPEAKER_05

That is so awesome. That is so awesome. No, and just like we talked about before we even started this podcast, you know, I I'm a big advocate of woman. You know, my friends used to say, you know, you went out home with your dad, no, I went home with my mom, you know, and she's inspired every single thing that I've done leading up to all the way to my son, you know. That's awesome. I'm so grateful for that. I mean, for a woman to come from Germany at 18 years old, not know anything about America, other than it's uh the land of the free and the home of the brave, right? And to come right and learn English, watching the prices right, and next thing you know, she's shooting some of the biggest deer ever shot, you know, and uh, but that was my mom, you know what I mean? That's that's freaking awesome. And Brady, you're a young lady, and I'm so inspired by what you're going to be able to do because I feel like when you haven't I I don't want to say it the wrong way, but I want I don't want to say that women are an outlier of of of sports, but it's always been considered a man's sport, right? Right. My mom, my mom would go golfing, and they're like, Well, the ladies tease her up there, she goes, Well, I'm hitting for the blues, you know. I mean, she's going to hit the big thing. That's so mean. I mean, yeah. So I love it that that you know people need to understand this more about like women's drive for the outdoors, dude. I just think it's badass. I'm sorry, I do, and I will just always just put ladies on the pedestal out there. I love that. I think it's just so cool that I get to always like brag about my mom. Right, that's freaking awesome. You get to brag about your Oma for and your child, yeah, and it's crazy because like and it sounds stand out more than a man, it will, and it sounds like you're this way too, Brittany.

SPEAKER_04

But like, you know, just hearing like the scouting and stuff like that, like how driven you are to be successful. Like, the stories that I hear about like the stuff she did, I'm like, I don't even do that, I don't even have the drive to do that. Like, like 200 plus year or 200 plus hours in a deer stand per season. I'm like, God, I I hunt a 100 hours, and I feel like that's a lot, you know. Oh no, right.

SPEAKER_05

I think one year she put I I think if I'm remembering right, because it was her the year that she put the most in, she did 297 hours in a tree.

SPEAKER_04

Wow. Living in a stand.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah, no, literally, and and and she'll tell you still to this day that she she became part of the woods. She she became part of she goes, I had those that I knew for years that came by. She goes, but I was after the big boy. That's what she said, you know, and it was back in the day before they go, Oh, you need to wait until they're six and a half. What she said back then was that that great prince is different. They're when they get super big like that, they're different. And she uh just identified something that I really believe that set the standard for the hunting industry today. Um, to be on the front page of Bucketmasters as uh as America's best lady bow hunter is uh that is awesome, is a hell of a tribute. And and we are gonna be, you know, God willing, you know, next year we're going up back up to Illinois for a hunt, and Tristan and I plan to hopefully do a lot of video and give her the true um the true credit that she needs because nobody nobody on social media now has the front page of has the front has the 1990 issue of Buckmaster's magazine.

SPEAKER_01

No, not at all.

SPEAKER_05

They don't even know. I mean, I know people in the hunting industry that know her from Chuck Adams to Dan Prez to Ted Nugent to whoever. They all know who she was, Tim, Tim Slockmaster, all of them. They all know who my mom is, you know, but the the this generation doesn't, and I I just really hope that the piece that Tristan and I do, just like anything you do on social media, you just think this is gonna be the one, right? Right. From an unselfish standpoint, there's not a better tribute than you know. I love that.

SPEAKER_01

No, that's awesome.

SPEAKER_04

Well, and just to, I mean, even if it gets 10 views or whatever, it's not even it's more it's not even about that, yeah. What it's to me, it's like to have that like her words and like whatever, just to hear her stories and get like we're basically wanting to do like a little documentary, and just for me to be able to have those things, you know, when she's not around to be able to look back on, that's really what it's about, you know. I mean, and if people want to watch it, cool, you know, but just to have those stories, and that's ultimately why we do anything.

SPEAKER_01

Well, and I mean it could it takes just one person to watch it and you change their life too.

SPEAKER_04

There you go. That's exactly right. A hundred percent. That's exactly right. Well, Brittany, you know, one other thing I wanted to uh touch on, you know, I know that um you just watch like your social media stuff, like you work with brands like Last Flight Waterfowl or Last Flight Calls and Um Blight Boots and companies like that. Ritay, yeah. And I think you know, a lot of folks that work with companies, and I know you just from looking at your page, like you put out really good content and you can tell there is yeah, I wouldn't give you kudos on that.

SPEAKER_05

I was just wanting to look at it and thank you. I think Kristen, her quality is like really, really good.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, and there's intention to what you're doing. And I think like, you know, a lot of folks, and the reason I bring this up is because you run in a lot of people, they're like, oh, how'd you get connected with so-and-so or whatever, you know? And I think one of the most important things, just personally, and I'd love to hear your take on this, is like showing those companies that you're gonna work with that like you are willing to like put in the work to like show off their products and things like that. Which I yeah, like I can tell you do a good job of that.

SPEAKER_01

Well, thank you. I really appreciate that. Um honestly, I I would just, I mean I'd I'd email in, I'd send my socials, talk about a little bit about myself. And you know, I don't get like I I got my retail, I'm a brand ambassador. I was blessed to have that gun for free, but that came with the content. And so like we have those that we have to meet at by the end of the year, and then like Lightboots had sent me some gear and I made sure to get it out there and tag them. And Last Flight has been a real blessing to me too, as well. And you know, part of the reason I've gotten so many great opportunities and experiences, I can't thank Matt and Zach enough, and just they like their company is faith-based, and they're just really genuine people, and I couldn't have anything better to say about those two. And a lot of people they kind of will look down on girls, and then you've got good people like that that take a chance on a girl. And I can't tell you how many how many times I just I would send email after email, I would either not get a response or I would get a response and they're like, hey, yeah, and then ghosted, and then it was just like and I never gave up, and then some stuff got noticed, and it just I don't know from there, but it's just people can read people, and I think that's the biggest thing, it's about how you approach it and uh like reading people, yeah.

SPEAKER_05

Well, I'll tell you this, and this relates more to like I guess uh sales, because I had a really great sales manager tell me this one time, but she just told me that basically, like when when you are working towards something with somebody that you need to earn the right, is what she would tell me. And I didn't understand it as a young person, honestly. She was twice my age, that kind of thing. And I thought, you know, over the years it's just always stuck with me earning the right, earning the right. What does that mean? And so many times, you know, it applies to what we do uh professionally, you know, through sports, or whatever it is, like you said, Brittany, you basically earn the right. And when you earn the right with somebody, they don't usually have a problem with going with you, whether it's signing that contract, uh, you know, for a for a widget deal, or it's you know, and believing in your vision of what you're gonna do as a brand ambassador with their product, you know. And Tristan and I have always been really big about paying it forward. Like, listen, your deliverables are this, but we won't necessarily say something to them. Our goal is always to give them more than that. Yeah, you know, more pay it forward, do because you know we we can go down that whole thing about paying it forward, right? Right. But but uh but at the end of the day, I think it it really comes down to all that.

SPEAKER_01

I agree a hundred percent.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, no doubt. Well, Brittany, you know, we uh definitely appreciate you hopping on the podcast tonight and you know, want to be respectful of your time. Um, and it's getting kind of laid over on our side too.

SPEAKER_01

But I forget you guys are an hour ahead.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, that's right. But would love to um have you on again at some point, you know, maybe this next hunting season or whatever, and just kind of check in, see how things are going with your brand and you know, do anything we can do in our small corner.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, and vice versa. Like, don't feel free to ever reach out. I mean, I'm always available to chit-chat and talk about everything, and I've really enjoyed it. You guys have actually shown me a different perspective of life with just the things that you guys have said, and I think that's cool that we've been able to kind of bounce that back and forth off of each other, and that's the beauty of it. Those are the kind of people that you want to be involved with for sure.

SPEAKER_05

100% of this whole darn industry. I mean, it really is, and man, like gosh, we talk about so many times that I feel bad even saying it again, Tristan. But it's you know, we just you meet you know this brandy, you meet so many people that you you've known them for a year, and you're like, I swear to I'd swear that I've known them all of my life.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, you know, oh I've experienced that.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah, it's just it's an incredible thing that we get to have um as like-minded folks in doing this.

SPEAKER_01

It's I think God's very intentional in who he places in your life. Yeah, yeah, there's a hundred percent.

SPEAKER_05

No doubt, but well, there's no doubt in my mind that you're gonna continue to tear it up, especially on public land. And uh uh I don't I I just uh I think that uh more people need to understand uh the message that you put out tonight. And if I had to nutshell it, I would say this that when you go out in that in that beautiful space that God's got for you, it gives you time to think and reflect on Him number one first. We all fail to do it enough, but you've used that as your driving force and you're affecting people, and it shows. It it truly shows. And uh no, I mean, there's no I'm not I have said this so many times. It's not I'm not surprised.

SPEAKER_01

I'm not well thank you. That means a lot. You I mean, you've really touched my heart with a lot of the things that you've said, and I really do appreciate it. You guys have done a great job yourselves, and like I mean, I knew from the get-go you guys were very genuine people, and I love that. I mean, you can read people like a book, and so you guys have done great, and I think what you're doing is great, and I am more than thankful that you guys chose to have me on, and I look forward to being on again sometime for sure.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, no, thank you.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah, thank you.

SPEAKER_04

Thank you very much. Yeah, I just want to say real quick, like we're live for we we love like that. Well, it's just we love the our whole thing is like to show the reality of honey is kind of like the un um unofficial like slogan of what we do is like just show the reality of the hunt or you know, whatever it may be. And I think these conversations are the opportunity to do that, and that's that's what I think we love about it. So yeah, that we can you're you're exactly the kind of people we love to have on.

SPEAKER_02

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05

That we're blessed with that people allow us to be a part of their life and be vulnerable, yeah. Yeah, the the the things you've shared tonight, and and many people have shared on this podcast, is is the the vulnerability they've given and allowed us with trust to um do things the right way is is you know it's something that we we do not take uh lightly at all. You know, it's it's a big thing for us. And uh um, but I do gotta say though, Brittany, I just came back from a snow goose hunt with women, and I'm gonna tell you what those ladies I heard with three women, and I'm gonna give a big shout out to all three of them. It was Bonnie, uh uh Rachel, and Rachel. Straight killers, these ladies, straight killers, these ladies I love it. Oh, these ladies, we went and legally jump shot some snow geese, and to see them looking like they were in Vietnam War, I mean, I wouldn't have been surprised I turned around and that one of them had that extension tube shotgun. And I mean, just crawling across the ground. I had a great time as out Delta Thunder outfitters, and Cade, he will tell you straight up his favorite clients are the women's groups. He goes, because I love it, they don't come out there with the same, like you get a lot of guys, and it's just stereotypical of a lot of guys that just want to kill, right? You just kill, kick. Right. He said they come out with the best of intentions of just enjoying the experience, be communal in what they're doing. And he goes, it he goes, it just happens more times than not that they are successful because they're just taking that mentality into it, you know what I mean? And these gals, we sat in the blind one afternoon and I had my long bow out there. I go, You guys want to try to to to sling some arrows at some snow geese? And they were like, Yeah, give me that bow, you know, and they're out there. I'm telling you, women are a different breed in this industry. Oh, it was slow. We didn't even pull the guns up that night. But the fact that they were out there launching that arrow of 300 feet in the air, and just I mean, it was it was a good time.

SPEAKER_04

So that's awesome. Well, Brittany, tell everybody where they can get in touch with you and follow your page and your brand and all that.

SPEAKER_01

Um, so my Instagram is Britwith2Ts um dot reese R-E-E-S-E. That's my main page. Um my 40 Wings Waterfile is just at 40 Wings Waterfowl. And then my TikTok, um, I do a lot of content on there. I'd say it's my biggest platform, it's just at Britney Rmanual.

SPEAKER_03

Awesome.

SPEAKER_01

And feel free to reach out in the DMs for questions. Like I said, I'm always willing to answer and help and encourage people, and so that's where you can find me. And I'm just your typical small town girl, and I don't think I'm better than anybody else, and I just truly want to push the sport and have more people involved and follow their passions.

SPEAKER_05

Heck yeah. Awesome stuff. Well, we look forward to having you on again. If you're ever out in this area, hit us up. We're in Atlanta.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, for sure. If you're ever out in Oklahoma, let me know.

SPEAKER_04

Right on, Brittany. Sounds getting creepy. Have a good day.

SPEAKER_01

Thank you so much, you too. Bye, guys.

SPEAKER_00

I've been hell down, I've been hell down, I've been on a bit not drink. Don't do that, nothing off slow down, ending in the poll.