Hunts On Outfitting Podcast
Stories! As hunters and outdoors people that seems to be a common thing we all have lots of. Join your amateur guide and host on this channel Ken as he gets tales from guys and gals. Chasing that trophy buck for years to an entertaining morning on the duck pond, comedian ones, to interesting that's what you are going to hear. Also along with some general hunting discussions from time to time but making sure to leave political talks out of it. Don't take this too serious as we sure don't! If you enjoy this at all or find it fun to listen to, we really appreciate if you would subscribe and leave a review. Thanks for. checking us out! We are also on fb as Hunts on outfitting, and instagram. We are on YouTube as Hunts on outfitting podcast.
Hunts On Outfitting Podcast
Female Footprints in the Hunting World
Kelsey, our remarkable first female guest, takes us on an inspiring journey into the world of hunting, recounting her early days spent outdoors with her father and great uncle. Her story is a testament to the impact of nurturing a love for nature from a young age, and how those experiences can blossom into lifelong passions. As Kelsey shares her path from setting rabbit snares to trapping in Alberta, listeners gain insight into the often-overlooked presence of women in the hunting community and the rich opportunities that the outdoors can offer.
The adventure doesn't stop there. Our conversation ventures into the exhilarating world of hunting with German Wirehaired Pointers, exploring how these versatile canines enhance the hunting experience. Kelsey provides valuable insights into training challenges, breed selection, and the profound bond between hunters and their dogs. As we touch on the societal perceptions of hunting, particularly the underrepresentation of women, we invite listeners to question the traditional norms and envision a more inclusive future for the hunting community.
In the final chapter, we delve into the complexities of conservation and the evolving perspectives on hunting. Kelsey bravely addresses online criticism and the misconceptions bred by media portrayals, revealing her unwavering commitment to conservation education and respectful hunting practices. Her experiences shine a light on the essential role hunters play in ecological balance and the broader impact of gender inclusivity in traditionally male-dominated fields. Through Kelsey's compelling narrative, we uncover the vibrant and supportive community that awaits women ready to embrace hunting and the trades.
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this is hunts on a fitting podcast. I'm your host and rookie guide, ken meyer. I love everything hunting the outdoors and all things associated with it, from stories to how to's. You'll find it here. Welcome the podcast. All righty, welcome to hunts and offending podcast, the only podcast brought to you by marsha's mediocre scent control products. The bucks will know you're there, but you don't care because you bought marsha's. Uh, all right, thanks. Uh, if it's your first time listening to the podcast, welcome, if not, welcome back to help the grow. Share us out with who you know. That's all the rhyming I'm doing tonight and that's all I ask of you. That's it, that's all.
Speaker 1:So, a huntress what is that? Well, it's apparently the term used for a female hunter, which brings me to women in hunting. Is this a subject that's not talked about enough or too much? Maybe there isn't anything that needs to be said at all. If you do talk about it, maybe it could be said you're dividing or making something out of nothing. But anyways, this podcast we're going to talk about that. Women hunting is something that I don't notice a lot of, and it's great that women should feel included to hunt if they wish to do so.
Speaker 1:And this week on the podcast we have our first female guest, uh, besides a couple of the guys that have acted like ones before. No offense, uh, no, I'm just kidding uh. So, kelsey, we're really happy to have her on here and uh, we've been. I just don't know a lot of women that hunt and uh, hopefully that'll change and we're going to be talking with her. So here we go, kelsey, welcome to the podcast. You were the first uh woman to come on here. It's been hard to find. I don't know many women that hunt, but I know that you definitely do. That's what I'm going to talk about today. But I was going to say how we met would be, um, the cat coon club in our area. They were trying to get new members and stuff, which is great, and then you were there and you were looking.
Speaker 1:You have for dogs, you have your german wire haired pointers, german wire haired pointers right and uh, you were looking at getting into hounds yeah, and asking about it that you'd like to try it some first, and I was saying like, well, we usually go, you know, twice a week, so if you want to come out, come on out. So you did, and, uh, that was fun yeah, I had a blast and then we just got back from you, came out on the rabbit hunt this morning we got our first snowshoe. You got your first snowshoe here with beagles yeah, that was quite the experience it's cool too, yes, the way the beagles run and go, um.
Speaker 1:so, yeah, the reason why I brought you on is, uh, because we're going to have a first woman on here and also not just cause that, cause you're into hunting and stuff, and that's what we're going to be talking about. So, if you don't mind, kelsey, if you'd tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into hunting much exposure to hunting exactly.
Speaker 2:I really only have one, maybe two memories of going out hunting with my dad. Actually it's kind of like a cute story. I remember him taking me and my younger brother out and driving around in his old Sierra and then him slamming on the brakes and you guys wait right here, and then him coming back out with like we heard the gunshot and then he come running back out of the woods with this big, huge smile on his face and holding the body of the grouse in one hand and the head of the grouse in the other. And I just remember that being like one of my fondest memories of my dad. But yeah, other than that I really didn't have any exposure to hunting per se, but I did have a great uncle, my uncle Emile. Um, he was a very avid outdoorsman, um, he wasn't into hunting but he, he loved the outdoors.
Speaker 2:So he had me out doing like bushcraft and, you know, started me dog sledding when I was like four years old, right, yeah you did the dog sledding yeah yeah, so I had like, uh, I always had a deep love of nature and animals and he saw that and he really nurtured that from the time that I was young and like kind of planted that seed in my brain. But it wasn't until I was older, like I would say, you know, like my mid-teens, that I actually kind of started going out with friends hunting here and there, not doing any like serious hunting, mostly, just like you know, hollywood hunting kind of thing.
Speaker 2:But yeah, it wasn't until I got a little bit older that I started to kind of pursue that passion on my own.
Speaker 1:Because you started trapping first, didn't you?
Speaker 2:I did some hunting before I started trapping, but the trapping that that really like it kind of like lit a fire under my ass. I guess you could say like from there it really took off for me, yeah. So yeah, I was living out west in Morley, alberta at the time, doing dog sled tours out there and yeah, like I was telling you earlier, there was like nothing to eat there. There was bologna and canned vegetables. So I started setting rabbit snares uh, just to have something different to eat, I guess yeah, exactly, no, it's great and then I caught my first martin and, uh, I was just immediately hooked did you eat the martin?
Speaker 1:no, okay, I was gonna say that'd be the first person I've heard eating them, but yeah, I don't know if they taste very good, but I didn't try it.
Speaker 2:But yeah, no, I came back to New Brunswick after that and got all my licenses and everything.
Speaker 1:And yeah, the rest is history. Then I mean, how did you get actually with the trapping thing too? I've heard a lot of people say that the best hunters are usually trappers first I could see too.
Speaker 2:I've heard a lot of people say that the best hunters are usually trappers.
Speaker 1:First, because you guys can read. Well, I mean, you think about with the woods? You've got these great big woods. Yeah, like say, if you're trapping coyote or fox or whatever, you're trying to get the animal out of this giant woods to put their foot right in that one spot the size of your fist. Yeah, it's, it's an art for sure.
Speaker 2:You definitely have to, like, you have to kind of try to predict how the animals are traveling and you know what's going to deter them. Like something as simple as you know, when I, when I set a snare, I'll put a little, a little stick in the ground right ahead of where the snare is, so that when the animal is traveling along it's going to, that stick is going to encourage it to pick its head up and actually put its head in the snare, like little, little things like that.
Speaker 1:There's definitely a tension to details is huge with trapping, for sure. Yes, that helps a lot. And then your dogs, your German wire haired. So I mean you started hunting a bit again. Your teens and all that. How did you transition into, you know, the world of hunting dogs?
Speaker 2:Um so, prior to like, I guess in the initial phases of my hunting, like I was mainly targeting big game, like I did a little bit of small game hunting and then I think it would have been three to three years ago, I tried waterfowl hunting for the first time and, like my whole life, dogs have been my greatest passion, but that was the first time that I'd actually hunted my greatest passion, but that was the first time that I'd actually hunted over a dog. So it was like hunting that I'm extremely passionate about and then dogs that I'm extremely passionate about colliding so yeah, I was just immediately hooked.
Speaker 2:So right from there I started researching. You know I knew I wanted to introduce dogs into my hunting and such, and that's. I hunt a little bit of everything.
Speaker 1:So the versatile breed was a natural Right.
Speaker 2:I didn't want a one trick pony, I wanted a dog that could do it all, basically, and that's how I landed on the wire hare. Like there are other versatile hunting breeds, but the wire hare particularly, I like that, their temperament, they have a lot of most common though well, they have a lot of grit, like they're. They're a gritty dog. I wouldn't necessarily say they're the most common, like I feel like you see a lot more short hair, pointers or britneys or but are those versatile?
Speaker 2:they are, yes, they are considered okay the britneys too, yeah I guess we did talk about that so. So yeah, last week's podcast. There's quite a list. I can't tell you exactly how many dogs on the list.
Speaker 1:It was really interesting you telling me. So your dog will point when you're upland bird hunting and then they will be screaming on a rabbit like a hound. That's really interesting to me me. Yeah, it definitely can add a challenge to training because you know, like you don't want to discourage the voice on fur, but you don't want to encourage voice screaming at feather, yeah, so it takes a while, like with a young dog, for them to kind of figure out, you know.
Speaker 1:Okay, this is what we're after today, and I gotta rein myself in a bit, you know yeah, they might have a hard time pointing at rabbits and then screaming at birds, but it'd be for an interesting hunt definitely. Um, yes, that's interesting because, yeah, you started with the sled dogs and then worked into to that, so you're always outside though oh yeah, I love the outdoors.
Speaker 2:It's like fishing church therapy for me. Basically, yeah, keeps me sane.
Speaker 1:Yes, no, it's great, that's uh. That's why a lot of us do it. I think a lot of us do it. Some people seem to go insane during deer season and stuff, some friends and all that. If you guys are listening to this, you know what I'm talking about. So then, yeah, that's good. So, kelsey, with the, I guess we're going to get right into the meat and potatoes of the podcast with you know, do you think that society deters women from hunting? It's more portrayed as like a men's sport, because I don't see a lot of women in it. Maybe I'm just got blinders on, but I think.
Speaker 2:I think to a degree, yes, but like in my experience um the majority of men that I have encountered throughout, you know, being involved in hunting, have been supportive they've been welcoming, yeah, for sure, like I, a lot of what I know I can accredit to learning from men it's not a boys club that you've seen no, not really mean you do have.
Speaker 2:You definitely run into some guys that I think maybe have some insecurities or like weak, weak egos or something like they. You know I'll get stupid comments like oh, did your boyfriend shoot that for you? Or you couldn't have possibly shot that because of what you're wearing, or whatever. Know what I mean. Like just stupid shit.
Speaker 2:But to me, like I just kind of laugh at those guys, like I know they're just you know, you know who you are yeah, I'm striking a nerve, basically because you know I can go out in the woods and get it done and maybe they can't like, but it's got nothing to do with with my parts. Like it's, it's time and effort and and and patience, and patience and commitment and that's that's all it is. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter if you're a man or you're a woman, like, if you put the work in and you you put the time in, you're going to be successful.
Speaker 2:It might take you a while. Some some things might be harder than others, but I mean that's part for the course, right? That's the whole point, like at the end, when you put all that work and time in and you get the reward. That's, that's what we're all out there for yeah, exactly, yeah.
Speaker 1:I'd hope that any guy or girl listening to this, whoever in hunting, encourages, because I mean, we are a small group in the grand scheme of things, us hunters, whether it's you know you're a hound hunter only, or deer hunter, or whatever right and it should. I welcome everybody with open arms to like, yeah, come on in, because it's we need to grow this industry if we can have a voice to be able to keep this industry absolutely.
Speaker 2:You know it's a, it's a tradition and an art that I don't want to see lost and I certainly support anyone who wants to get involved. You know what I mean. Yeah, as long as you're being ethical about it and you know a good advocate for it, then it shouldn't matter yeah, exactly yeah, do you?
Speaker 1:yeah, I think, with um, with all that there's yeah I know some spots probably worse than others, but yeah, we should just welcome everybody in that wants to hunt legally you know and learn about it right I think maybe like it's less. We're securing our future as hunters by doing that, by bringing more people on, you know Right. So?
Speaker 2:I think sometimes I think it's it's less like society or men like discouraging women from getting involved. I think maybe part of it is like women thinking they're not capable.
Speaker 2:part of it is like women thinking they're not capable, okay, you know, like maybe they don't feel like they can because they've never tried it, or they might think they don't have the strength or whatever. You know what I mean, but that I don't. I think if I could like say one thing to any girl who is interested, it would be you know, if you want to do it, just just do it, because there's been lots of times like I've gone out in the woods just totally winging it and hoping for the best and not knowing what the fuck I was doing.
Speaker 2:But I managed to do it right and every time you go out, the next time you go, you're that much more experienced, you know, you're that much more confident and from that it just builds.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, tell me the story about was it your first deer that you got?
Speaker 2:That your friend helped with.
Speaker 2:Yeah, my first deer. I had called a bunch of people and the only person who would answer was my friend Kayla, and she was just getting into hunting herself. So she was like well, I'm on the way to the stand, like I don't know. And I was like, ah, whatever, fuck it, click. I was kind of being a jerk. Anyway, like 20 seconds later she called me and she's like all right, where are you? I'm on my way. So she came out and like I had shot this deer and we had to drag it probably like first, yeah, my very first.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I was buck, yeah, seven point buck he was. He was a nice deer, I was pretty happy with him, yeah. But yeah, we had to drag him like 300 yards through a really shitty chopping and then had to try to load him into my vehicle. Just the two of us and we were pulling all kinds of maneuvers, pulling out all the stops, trying to get this deer into the vehicle. We didn't, we didn't manage it. But eventually we got some more help. But I mean, we drug him, we drug him to the car so that in itself was that I was proud, that's a lot of work.
Speaker 1:Did you know how to gut it?
Speaker 2:and all that in yeah, I didn't know how to field dress a deer at the time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, helpful yeah very helpful and at least had antlers to pull on.
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly, but it was a lot of work, yeah.
Speaker 1:I mean, do you think that there is enough women in hunting, that you see through social media and you know your friends?
Speaker 2:I definitely see like there's social media and stuff, like it's kind of broad right. There's social media and stuff like it's kind of broad right. Like I mean, in our area I see an increase in women taking interest and going out to the field. For sure I'd always want to see more, but I definitely think like it's something on the rise, like I mean, you know, I work in the trades. It's the same in the trades Like that's predominantly male dominated industry, right, but there's every day there's more and more women showing up and being successful at it, and I think the same is happening with hunting. You know, just, the times are kind of changing, I guess, and I think it's great. I would love, love to see more women out there.
Speaker 2:It's very, it's empowering like it feels good, you know, to be able to go out and to do that for yourself and like for me. I have three young children.
Speaker 1:Confidence, you know.
Speaker 2:So the reward of being able to go out in the woods and harvest an animal and bring that home and, you know, prepare that animal from start to finish and put it on the table for my family, like that's a really, really good feeling. Yeah, you know, so I would hope that you know. Any person, but especially any woman, would get to experience that, whether it's just a rabbit or, you know, whether it's a moose like yeah, yeah you know, for a woman to get to experience that it's a cool feeling, or for anyone you know yeah, what well?
Speaker 1:I mean, what do you think would help, uh, if you were to suggest some women, well, like you said, to get into it, just to do it. But is there anything else that you know, a society and stuff you think would make it more, uh, open to women doing it?
Speaker 2:um, I don't know, it'd be cool to see, like some like clinics or something you know, some kind of group get-togethers for for women that are interested. That's something that I've kind of pondered in the past like show like how to got a deer.
Speaker 2:Yeah, women's group stuff, yeah, just something like that you know what I mean just to kind of encourage maybe more, more girls to come out. But I think, um, I think fathers, fathers with their daughters, like I hear of it all the time, like girls been like, oh well, my dad would take my brother out or whatever, but he wouldn't take me. You know, like, if you're a dad and you have a daughter and you're listening to this right now, take your daughter out there. I have a daughter and Valkyrie's only two and a half years old and she's already obsessed. Like all she wants to do is go out and shoot the gun, shoot the ducks, shoot the deer, like she loves it.
Speaker 2:You know and I think that's that's a lot of it you know, like a lot of a lot of people that you meet guys, right, they got into hunting by going out with their dad or with their grandfather, whatever, you know what I mean. And maybe the girls are getting left home to. You know, stay with mom or nan and do stuff around the house kind of thing or in the garden, like, just just take the girls out there, plant you gotta plant that seed. Like you can't force your kids, obviously, like that just deters them away from it, but just plant the seed right, and then maybe it'll blossom sooner than it yeah it would for me, like I.
Speaker 2:It took, you know, a bit for me to get into it right. Had I gone out more when I was younger, maybe I would have gotten into it sooner, Even guys taking their girlfriends.
Speaker 1:But here some guys take their girlfriends or wives out and they shoot something and then they're hooked and then there's that little competition in the house.
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1:Competition breeds excellence.
Speaker 2:I think that's the main thing. If you whether you're a man or a woman, like it's, it's a tradition that that needs to be passed on. So if you have the skills and the knowledge to do it, then I feel it's it's your duty to pass that on, so that we don't see it fade away, you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And I don't see it fade away. You know, yeah, and I don't think, I don't think, you know, daughters or wives or girlfriends should be excluded from that. I think they should be made part of it and then maybe, you know, maybe they'll take a liking to it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, hopefully, yeah, exactly yeah and then, um, you know so, to kelsey, want to talk about you. Uh, it's too bad. He experienced this. So you've had some hate mail surprisingly on. So you, you're on social media and all that. You post pictures.
Speaker 1:Like anyone knows that hunts likes to of your kills, and it's not, I think it's hunters too. We need to always try to do a better job of like, you know, not have blood everywhere, like I've seen some guys you know head shot a deer and like kind of show that too, and like, it's just like you know yeah like just try to clean it up a little. Yeah, like when I take picture stuff I'll I'll try to not show any blood or eyeballs hanging out, or I tried and remember to put the tongue back in something, right, just yeah, up a little bit, just show respect for the animal and for sure it's.
Speaker 2:It's in poor taste, like to not at least make some small effort, like I'm not going to say that I don't have one single picture on my social media. That isn't a little gory. I might have a tongue hanging out here, yeah.
Speaker 1:I mean, that's not horrible, A little blood there.
Speaker 2:but I do my best to try to keep things clean and I definitely try to show respect for the animal.
Speaker 2:I have a tremendous amount of respect for the animals that I'm harvesting, but I thought your pictures I'm harvesting are respectable yeah, but I still get shit on you want to talk about that because remember you had a screenshot one day on there and you're like showing, like people are just like coming at you, sort of thing oh yeah, I've had like some crazy comments, like I've had people like tell me that I'm a, I'm a bad mother and I'm raising savages and you know like just putting putting me down. Basically, and I don't pay any mind to those people. Like honestly, I just feel bad for them because they're speaking on something that they obviously know nothing about.
Speaker 1:They're uneducated. It is, it is a lack of education.
Speaker 2:You know like they don't understand that hunting, fishing, trapping, like those bag limits are in place for a reason and part of that is conservation, like a lot of these people that have something negative to say probably don't leave. You know their little town or their little city. You know they probably don't leave their house very much. They probably haven't seen any of these animals with their own eyes.
Speaker 1:They're certainly not paying towards conservation fees or anything like that, or they've had a bad experience, though with one hunter which is why we always have to the spotlight's on us, whether we like it or not for sure you know. So always try to do the best we can. You know, I used to have that attitude a lot of guys probably did too about like if you don't hunt and screw you kind of thing, but if somebody's against it but genuinely I don't know about curious, if they're willing to listen, I will like 100, educate them and say politely, and then sometimes they'll be like okay well it's kind of always funny.
Speaker 2:You say that because, like when I was younger, I was so against hunting oh if I saw somebody wearing like a fur parka or something like you were the devil in my eyes, you go a long ways from trapping and but I didn't.
Speaker 2:I just I didn't know at the time like it came from a deep love of animals, like I loved these animals and I felt sorry for them and I didn't understand so. So now that I understand the importance of conservation and that part of that is managing and balancing populations so that other populations can thrive, that's not how I view it Right. But before I knew all that and I had been properly educated, that was the same standpoint I had been properly educated, that was the same standpoint I had. So you know, that's kind of how I view these people who are saying hateful things to me online is. You know, they just don't understand and you know I don't.
Speaker 2:I don't try to approach these people like, oh, fuck you like try to educate, I try to educate them, you know and I'm I don't, you know, let them walk all over me, but yeah, I do, I try to educate them, you know, and I don't let them walk all over me, but I do, I try to, you know, educate them in the nicest way possible. And hopefully, you know, sometimes, sometimes you can actually have like a productive conversation with these people where you can start to see like, or you know, you notice that they're starting to.
Speaker 1:They're reconsidering their yeah like point on it.
Speaker 2:Yeah they're actually listening to what you're saying viewpoint yeah, and with some people it's like beating a dead horse, like you're just not going to get anywhere with them.
Speaker 1:You know what I mean, that they're just stubborn with those people and anything. So it exactly yeah, but I find too a lot of it, um, I think a lot of it's dis honestly, Because I mean, you think about it. You know the classic Bambi the hunter shoots the mom right Bad hunter and stuff. That's all of Bambi's portrayed right. And then you've got the movie like the Fox and the Hound.
Speaker 1:Anyone remembers that, where the hunter's, like you know, this is old grizzly bastard, basically. And then what was the other one? And then what was the other one, tarzan.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:There's, like you know, that hunter there. He's like the poacher and bad. I mean they do quite a job of making hunters look bad, so it starts at that young age. It's engraved and these kids know that. And then they get older, they're not around it, they go to a city, and that's just what their viewpoint is on hunting. Is that it's wrong because there was Disney wrong because there was disney.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's a really interesting perspective.
Speaker 1:I never, I never would have thought of that, but it actually makes so much sense.
Speaker 2:Right, right, you're pretty much, yeah, you're. You're setting it up there for sure for people you know, the hunter is never the good guy in the story. Like you said, he's always the bad guy, the villain, and it's unfortunate that it's it's. That's the case.
Speaker 1:Movies open season right, you know, with the deer and all that's the crazy hunter I mean it doesn't matter, the hunter is always the bad one and it's hopefully. You know they can people get. You know, take kids out, that's what they say. You know, take kids out hunting and show them like you know, we're going to be respectful, we're enjoying nature and we're helping manage, and then I mean a lot of these aunties. Yeah, that's what we talk about, our when we buy your license stuff.
Speaker 1:that's conservation, that's money that's going towards helping the animals. The anti, you know they're not doing anything yeah about that, but that's. That's a whole other topic. I think everyone on this is an agreeance that we do more for conservation than any other group absolutely without question. For sure you've got your well, there's too many to name. I'm like gonna hit your ducks. Unlimited your pheasants forever. Your, uh, the quality deer management ones. You've got your well, there's too many to name. I'm like going to hit your ducks and lividate your pheasants forever.
Speaker 1:Your, uh, the quality deer management ones, you've got your. I don't know, it's like elk society and stuff. It's just everything Delta, waterfowl, all that. So, yeah, you're. Yeah, that's unfortunate.
Speaker 2:They had to deal with that, but you deal with it in a good, mature way.
Speaker 1:I try my best.
Speaker 2:Do you think it's because you're a girl that they're people are more apt to like um, attack you on it because they don't, maybe, maybe because, like I think being like being a female in in the world of hunters, like naturally you know you get put in the spotlight a little bit more.
Speaker 1:Like you, you know you could see one guy it looks like an odd role for you to some people yeah, like people, just they pay.
Speaker 2:They seem to pay more attention when it's a girl out in the field because they're like well, that's that's different right so I think that kind of gives my social media like if I post something online it gets a little bit more attraction and then it ends up being seen by you know more people or whatever, like it was kind of recently I posted just looking for a babysitter for my daughter yeah and I had some random girl come on there and basically tell me that I'm disgusting and because you hunt because I hunt, yeah, yeah it's awful, that's just.
Speaker 1:That's uneducated. You gotta wonder what got that thought in your head to think that you know. Right Maybe it was Disney, who knows? I don't know.
Speaker 2:You know I'm sure she's going to the grocery store and buying meat and not questioning. You know how humane those animals are treated.
Speaker 1:Or even killed. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like the lives of the animals that I have taken, I know they've lived a good life up until that point. I can't say the same when I go into the grocery store and buy a steak off the shelf. You know what I mean. I know that's.
Speaker 1:But most farmers do an excellent job raising their animals. Yes, but still, I mean people I don't know. They just think that because you hunt it and shoot it with a bullet or an arrow, that it's worse. It's wrong you know, and it's obviously not no. But I don't know. It's the viewpoint on it. But you got to wonder. You always got to wonder with these people. If I talk I don't come across them much, but if I do try to figure out why you have that perspective that it's wrong I think it's just people.
Speaker 2:People always look down on things that they don't understand like, not just hunting, just like life in general. If people don't understand something, then you know they just want to assume that it's it's wrong. Yeah, and that's a lot of what it is. It's a lack of education. Like you know, everybody within our hunting community, we all understand each other and you know whatever. But people outside of that are they seeing it for what it is or are they just seeing little glimpses and so they don't fully understand what it's about? Right?
Speaker 2:and people are afraid of what they don't know and what they don't understand, and they just think that it's that's what it's wrong it's.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I always welcome everyone with open arms because I mean, no, I don't get into politics because we don't on this podcast, but you see what's? It's politically driven stuff and lack of knowledge and what's going on in colorado right now where they're trying to get rid of the cat hunts because they consider it trophy hunting only, which is not the case.
Speaker 1:Uh, they're trying to do that here in bc, canada, and uh, it's just if we can get more people in, not even into it. But I'm not saying everyone that I talked to I'd like them to hunt, but everyone I talked to like them to acknowledge that it's okay yeah you know you don't have to do it, but you don't. You know there's no reason to be against it right kind of thing, yeah, so try to uh to work on that. But uh, kelsey, what's your favorite animal to hunt?
Speaker 2:oh uh, I would say not hunting, but snaring coyotes okay, that's hard, that's tricky yeah, that's why I like it like it's. It's the challenge, like to me. I think that coyotes are the most intelligent animal that we have in our woods. I agree they are extremely resourceful, they're very elusive, they're just super intelligent. So the feeling that I get when I'm successful at snaring a coyote- you outsmarted, yeah, this animal in the woods yeah, so I know it wasn't just like an easy thing to do, right like like we were taught there was a challenge there, right, like I had to work for that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, um, and also it. I think it's really important. Trapping is is super important to conservation. There's not enough people doing it and so I feel I get a sense of reward from that, from knowing that I'm helping balance those populations and you know, well, our predators in general, all fur barianos should be managed, but you know, especially our predators.
Speaker 1:But I mean, yeah, coyotes, they're so smart Me, think about, I've got a border collie among other dogs, uh, and he is unbelievably intelligent. Now you take him, put him feral, doesn't know anything about. People have to make, make him have to get his meals every day and all that. I mean you want to talk about how much you know, how smart these, these, they're dogs they're dogs that have to fend for themselves and get their food every day, and all they are smart.
Speaker 1:Oh, yeah, you think about how quick you can train. Some people can train their house dogs and all that. And these are dogs that are, you know, pampered and this, and that Don't have to do much thinking on their own. They're still very, very intelligent. So then, yeah, then you're trying to snare that, trap it, hunt it. I mean, they are genius.
Speaker 2:And they're very, very cautious. Like it's not very often you see one. You know you're not just going to be walking, maybe, but not very often you're going to see one wandering around like they're very focused on they're wily.
Speaker 1:Yes, yeah, they're very very cautious animal like they, they think of very weary, they think about you, know every every little thing that could pose a threat to them, and that's that's why they've been so successful really at surviving their yeah, I've always heard too that, uh, the coyotes that we have here, because I always wonder like, why are they so sketched out and everything? Because our deer I don't find they're nearly as flighty and this and that as a coyote I mean they're also. They're a prey animal that isn't a herd normally and it's different. But I was like always wondered coyotes because they don't really have any predators here besides people Right In our area. Then I got hearing that it's DNA from coyotes that were around wolves. I guess that's what I heard.
Speaker 1:I'm not saying it's true and wolves will hunt down and kill coyotes and because of that, the coyotes here have always just had that I don't know the DNA bloodlines, whatever you want to call it, to be cautious.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that very well could be the case.
Speaker 1:It's interesting. Okay, so that's a cool answer.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and then you know he's still got the training. So how many German?
Speaker 2:I have two German wire-haired pointers right now and then another puppy on the way.
Speaker 1:I'm pretty excited about that, and then possibly a hound.
Speaker 2:yeah, yeah, I definitely there is a hound in my future. I don't know when it's gonna happen. I gotta find the right, right puppy.
Speaker 1:But they're a lot of fun. They're uh, they're a lot of dog.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, yeah I like that though. As soon as soon as I watched greta and houdini working, I was like, yeah, I need, I need this in my life, just like a wind-up toy, just wind them up and a lot of well, they wind themselves up but let them go and yeah, no, it is a lot of fun just pedal to the metal.
Speaker 1:So well, kelsey, I can't thank you enough for coming on the podcast and, uh, we'll be hunting again soon yeah, thanks for having me see ya.