Blue Hen Outdoors Podcast
Hunting,travel,outdoors,comedy
Blue Hen Outdoors Podcast
Episode 63: She Goes Beyond ( Victoria Friedges
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This episode we sit down with Victoria Friedges host of She goes beyond podcast, we sit down and recap some of her season this past year as well as talk about how she got started in the outdoors, we also talk about some northern musky fishing as well how she started and got into her podcast to highlight women in the outdoors. Go check her show out She goes beyond podcast on all platforms and see what amazing things she has coming
Welcome back to another episode of the Blue Hen Outdoors Podcast. I'm pleased and blessed to have with us tonight Miss Victoria Fridges of She Goes By Beyond the Eight, right? Is that to have with us tonight? How are you doing?
SPEAKER_00Good. I'm doing great. How are you?
SPEAKER_01Good, good. It's Tuesday. The weather's finally been. I don't know how it is up. You're in Minnesota, right?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, we're in Minnesota. Yeah, it's uh it's chilly today. So funny. The weather hits like 45 to 55, and we're all in shorts and t-shirts, and then today it's back to like 30. It's chilly on it, it's supposed to snow tomorrow.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah, yeah. We just kind of got through that over here. I'm out of Delaware, so on the East Coast, so it's like we just had the two well, not two, three big storms like back to back to back, and it's like hasn't been above 20 or 30 for like three months.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_01So it's finally as I had somebody from New Jersey on the other night, and they're like, the fall has finally hit and because it's been in like the 60s, 70s, the past couple days. So it's yeah, been nice finally.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah. I'm ready. I am ready for spring. We love the winter, we ice fish, we do all the things, but honestly, this is the first year of my life where I'm like, I am gonna need the sun sooner than I thought. It must happen with age. I don't know.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah, for sure. So let's roll into that. How was your guys' uh season up there this year?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it was decent. Um, to be completely honest, we did not get out as much as we would have loved to. We probably ice camped three times, which is fine. Uh, you know, I we take a yeti out. We have an ice house called the Yeti. Um, and we take that out. We spend usually like three, four days out there, usually make it a long weekend. Um, we went out on Malax this year, couple other smaller lakes. We did okay, like nothing to write home about necessarily. Caught a big pike, caught some nice perch, um, caught a couple walleyes. But honestly, we are so busy grinding, like as soon as turkey season hits, and then all summer muskie fishing hard, and then all fall with deer. Uh, we love to use our winter. We're realizing now, now that we're really big into YouTube and stuff, we like to use our winter to relax and to like recharge for the upcoming year of all the seasons that we uh, you know, really pour our heart into. So ice fishing got put on the back burner a little bit. Um, but when we were out there, we had a great time.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah, that's good. How was your uh deer season this past fall? Did you guys get a couple decent ones?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, deer season rocked. Um, I shot a really nice buck with my bow. I uh let's see, my uh so archery season in general. I didn't hunt Minnesota at all. I put all my eggs in one basket and hunted Wisconsin. My family has property up there. Uh, and so northern Wisconsin. So I decided to spend every waking moment that I possibly could in my tree stand. And this is actually also my first year really allowing myself to pass up bucks, which is not something I'm privy to. I am someone who's out there hunting because I truly love the sport and I want to um put meat in the freezer and I want to watch that arrow release from my bow. And I'm just passionate about truly about the sport, that I've always just shot whatever you know came in um buck-wise. Like we have a lot of surrounding property that is county land near our um near our private property, and we have 120 acres, which is manageable, but like you can't really manage bucks on 120 acres, like that's just not how it works. And so uh we do have kind of a, if you will, pact with our neighbor. He kind of knows like what bucks are around. We only, you know, we try to shoot bigger deer, I guess, if you will. But like I'm not gonna go out there and shoot a spike, but my point is that I never sat around and like waited for a giant deer. That was never my intention. Um, but the year before, so season 2024, I shot a buck and I was like really proud of it. However, I almost was not disappointed, but I was like, gosh, this is like my second sit of the season. I really should have given it more time because now it's over. And that's like the saddest part when you're a bow hunter, especially like a super passionate bow hunter. Like, you don't want the season to be done. And I could have bought a dough tag and all that, but it's not the same. Like it's I want to be out there with the unknown of what's about to come in and happen. And that, you know, that's done once you shoot your buck. Um, at least in Wisconsin, where you only get one, you know, one archery tag for a buck. Um, so yeah, I went into the 2025 season with an open mind. I knew we had some nice basket eights. I knew we had um some just some nice deer in general. And I was like, I'm gonna hold out. Like, I'm gonna sit out there, I'm gonna watch the bucks this year. I'm gonna watch what are they doing, where are they going? Why are they here? When are they here? And I did that. And I will say, you can probably tell by the smile on my face, I had the best season of my life, and it's not because I shot a nice deer, it's truly because I got to really be one with nature. I got rained on, I got snowed on, I got wind in my face, I was wet, cold, shaking, all the things, but it was the most pure season I've ever had. Like I just felt the most like myself I ever have.
SPEAKER_01I I totally agree and concur with that. That's kind of how my season this past year went. At least with bow hunting, I didn't really get out too much bird hunting this year for the ducks and geese because that's big out here, and I'm pretty sure it's big by you guys as well, being close to the Mississippi River and top of the flyway. But I I really kind of strapped in this year and just focused on being a good bow hunter and like bow hunting more, which was just amazing in itself. And I I will say I'm guilty of putting a spike down this year, but I did he he he got the aggression from a couple of deer that I should have got, so well, there's there's nothing wrong with that.
SPEAKER_00Like I said, I like to put meat in the freezer, I will shoot what I need to shoot. I'm not downsizing that at all.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah, and then and it was also kind of when I got him. I was busy with a bunch of weddings coming up soon, and I have a young child, so it's like I was busy with him, and yeah, and the holidays came. I was like, shit, I can't really get out as much as I want to, but I I took advantage of when I did. But long story short, I missed the devil at five yards. I kind of spooked her. I was dumb, was playing on my phone. I was like, I look up, she's just staring at me like shit. So then I went to go grab my bone, draw back real quick, and she just took off. And then I had a buck come in on me. He he did it dirty. He literally came straight down this one uh cornfield, this corn edge. And I thought he was gonna turn off and go into the corn, but he came right under my stand. And by the time I was getting ready to get a range on him, I was like, oh fuck it, I'll just guess where he's at. Mistake. I thought he was at 20 and he ended up being at 30, so I missed him. I was like, shit.
SPEAKER_00Oh dang it.
SPEAKER_01But it happens, and it was a good season, and I learned a lot from it.
SPEAKER_00So yeah, yeah, that's the whole that's the whole game. Like, learn from it, get to be out there, enjoy your time, and yeah, whatever you can take away from each season. I mean, that was like my turkey season last year. I learned so much, and I'm going in with so much more knowledge this year than I did last year.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah. You're getting excited for turkeys. It's it's close. Um I'm a bigger turkey hunter than everything else that I do, so I'm just itching to get out for the spring.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Oh yeah, I am pumped. I've got a tag for well, I haven't officially purchased my Wisconsin tag, but I will. Um I don't think they go on sale for over the counter till like the 17th of March or something like that. Um, but Wisconsin tag, Minnesota tag, and then a South Dakota tag. I'm gonna hopefully go shoot a Miriam.
SPEAKER_01Oh, nice, that'll be nice.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I am pumped. That's on the vision board for this year, so I'm making it happen.
SPEAKER_01Oh yeah, good luck with that. I hope you do.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, thank you. Yeah, yeah. I plan to plan to use my bow, so I guess we'll see. I know that there's risk in that, but I like a little risk, so oh yeah.
SPEAKER_01I haven't been that too big into bow hunting turkeys yet. I'm still trying to just get the hang of it with gun hunting them and yeah, all that because they're gun hunting them itself is kind of like an ordeal sometimes, but oh yeah. Once once I get a few more under my belt with the shotgun, then I'll probably switch to the bow.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Leading into that, how did you get started in the hunting and in the outdoors in the first place?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, good question. Um, I have been in the woods with dirty jeans since I was probably three. Like just immediately as soon as I could, I was out in the woods or running trap lines with my dad, or you know, whatever. I spent, I definitely grew up, and I don't know how old you are, but I grew up as in that um generation where we spent every waking minute outside. I, you know, we were either on a bike, on a scooter, doing the what is that like, um, skip it. Like we we've lived, we lived outside. We were dirty kids, you know, chasing grasshoppers, catching snakes and putting them in coolers. Like we we did all of that. I grew up truly, I believe my childhood was the best childhood and the best way to raise a child. Um, and so I've been, yeah, I've been doing this forever, forever. Uh I went to college and decided to buy a bow. That was in 2013. Um I actually didn't buy a bow, I was given a bow. And I was given a bow, and I like, it's like they handed me my future, like looking back at it. Like I could never love anything more than archery hunting. Um, something I'm so passionate about. I don't, I feel like I haven't even scratched the surface with it in what I know about my bow and all that stuff. And I actually have a goal this year to learn like every aspect of my bow. Um, and I'm weird and make a lot of goals for myself, but I also have a goal to, you know, just in general each week learn something new about hunting, just to try to expand my knowledge because I don't think you can ever know too much. Um, but yeah, I uh started bow hunting in 2013, and just like all the other things that I love doing with hunting and fishing, I just it was game over from there. Like there was no turning back. Um yeah. Uh and then fishing-wise, like I grew up fishing, uh, but not anything hardcore. And my husband has gone on trips with his grandpa for, you know, years and years and years. And he in 20 like 17 or something like that, he started the muskie fishing thing. Um, and he asked me to go to Canada the year after COVID. And I decided to go with him. He decided to buy a couple GoPros because he didn't think I'd he like I'd ever go back up there. I don't know why he thought that, but he's like, I don't know if I'll ever get her to, you know, take this big long trip with me again up here. Um, but it's a bush camp, so that's probably why he was thinking that. Uh but he got me up there, we recorded the whole thing, he made a like a first video, and that has just taken off. And like I also now love muskie fishing. It's something, if you listen back to my early podcast, like literally a year ago, you'll hear me say that musky fishing is my husband's thing, it's not my thing. And then I had a season last year where everything just clicked, and I understood the assignment and put a lot of effort and time into it too. And I'm like, okay, I think I'm starting to understand why so many people are obsessed with musky fishing. And I wouldn't I wouldn't say that I'm obsessed at this point. I just I definitely enjoy it more than I ever thought that I would.
SPEAKER_01That's kind of foreign to me, muskie fishing, because again, I'm on the coast and we don't really get too many. Well, we have some muskies up in uh South PA in New Jersey.
SPEAKER_00Yes.
SPEAKER_01But um what what's musky fishing kind of like up there in Minnesota, Wisconsin, that kind of area? Because I know that's like bread and butter big time. That's like where everybody's like the trophy up there.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Um I feel like to be completely honest, we go on a two one slash two week trip to Canada, and that's actually when we really hit the muskies hard. Like we are fishing sun up to sundown every single day. And when you're like in Minnesota and Wisconsin, I'm honestly not going to be able to speak on this as well as someone else who has been muskie fishing for years. Um, because Kyle does. I'll give him, you know, what he deserves out of this. Like he's he knows where the fish are. Like he is really good at that. He knows how to read um, you know, maps and side imaging, and he knows how to run the boat and things like that. And that's something that I'm like dabbling with. I'm learning still. Um, but in general, muskie fishing's wild. Like wild, wild, wild. I will say the lakes around us here in Minnesota and Wisconsin, maybe less in Wisconsin, but in Minnesota, they get pounded. Like people are people are really hitting them hard. So we don't really fish like metro lakes or anything like that. Um, we'll go over to Wisconsin, uh, do on a on a Saturday morning, we'll wake up at three o'clock and go take a three-hour drive to try to get to a spot at a decent time and and get some fishing in. But we're weekend warriors for sure. We don't, you know, we both have full-time jobs. Um, but yeah, it's it's a blast. Muskie fishing is a grind. When they say the fish of 10,000 casts, they are not joking. It is serious. It's gonna take you forever. Also, muskies do what they want, like they do what they want. They are I Kyle has said this many times, my husband, and I will attest to this. Muskie fishing is very similar to hunting because you're not just tossing a line out and you know, whatever. I mean, these baits are heavy. You're casting and casting and casting, it's a complete grind. Um, you could hit a whole lake and not see a muskie. So, like it's it is a grind, but it's a blast. And if you've never done it, it's definitely something you have to experience to understand, I think.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah, it's definitely on the list to go eventually catch a muskie, but uh again, uh just as you described, I'm not really too keen on okay, if I'm gonna go spend this time and go do it, I want to catch it. You know what I mean? I'm not gonna just try to go up there and be like, oh, I I did it, nothing was biting because they're the fish 10,000 cast. Yeah, but I will say it's really cool. If I don't know if you've experienced it, but when you guys do the figure eights by the boat and they come get it right by the boat, all that I I've seen videos of that. I'm like, oh, that's that'd be cool.
SPEAKER_00There is nothing like a fish biting in the eight. Nothing, nothing. You will never it's one thing to catch a fish out on the cast and or you know, like on a top water or something. That's that's fun too to fight the fish all the way back to the boat, but to catch a fish in the figure eight where you're watching them chase your bait, and that's what I mean by last year, like things just clicking for me. I had so many opportunities when we were up in Canada. Um, and unfortunately, that trip is the end of August, so it's kind of like you're starting to push into my hunting season, so I kind of stop after that. Um, and so I didn't get to to go out too much more after our our Canada trip, but it really clicked for me in Canada on like what to do when the fish is in the eight, because you'll watch it. We have a YouTube channel um called Beyond the Eight. And if you watch the video that's currently, I think there's a handful of videos out um right now from our Eagle Lake trip. And one of the more recent ones, you'll see that I uh go around, I see a fish come follow me um from the cast. I get her to the boat, I go around in the first turn, and I didn't, I wasn't smooth enough. Like these fish are smart. So I wasn't smooth enough. Um, and I kind of cut her off. You can see it in the video. And that was a that was a learning experience. And I'm really hard on myself, so I get really frustrated in the boat. So you'll see, like, if if Kyle is like, well, what did you do wrong? I just kind of like shut down and like, I don't know what I did wrong. Like, I need a minute to think about this. Um, but a few casts later, I actually I'll tell this story. I don't know if I've told anyone this story. My girlfriend was texting me about how Canada was going, and I'm like, I just am so frustrated because I feel like I can't get this figured out. I can't, I can't do it. And she's like, Victoria, I know you don't want me to tell you this, but you need to just listen to Kyle because he is he knows what he's talking about. So when you do something and he's telling you what to do, pretend like it's someone else telling you what to do and just listen to what he's saying. Um, and I I kid you not. The next spot, I think it was, I cast, I took what Kyle had said about the last fish and I put it into play and I caught that fish. And from there, I'm not kidding, it clicked the rest of the trip. And I just had such a successful trip having, you know, when you going back to what I was saying, like when you see that fish in the figure eight, you immediately get tense. You're like, what do I do? What is the fish gonna do? You have to try to read the body language of the fish, you have to try to remember what you're doing with the bait. What bait do you have on? How are you supposed to move that bait? There's so much that goes into it, it's like a science. And once again, these fish are so smart that you make one wrong move and that fish is gone. And you only usually get one chance. Like there are times where the fish will come back, but you only get one chance. You gotta be real, real passion, like strong about what you're deciding to do.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah, for sure. You mentioned you guys did your YouTube channel and everything. Did you ever envision your guys' self doing that eventually? Or just like did it just kind of like grow itself, slash like kind of roll itself into its own thing?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it just happened, and I'm so proud of Kyle. He's if you watch the content, it is cinematic. Like he puts so much time and effort into making sure these videos are rock solid and something that people actually want to watch. Um, it's like production, like he's got like a whole production, he's wild, but he's also someone, and I envy him for this. Maybe I'm a little like this, but I I envy him for sure because he is someone who sets his mind to something and it's game over. Like he is not going to half-ass it, he's not going to partially do it, he's going to be the best at it. So he's going to put every fiber in his being into whatever he is doing, um, which is something to look up to, honestly, in my opinion. But yeah, the YouTube video is wild, the whole like channel thing, it's a lot of work. Uh, Kyle edits all of those videos on his own. He records most of them himself as well. We have like GoPros and stuff, but I did record the my hunting video is on there. So my Archery uh Buck from 2025 is on there. I self-filmed that entire thing, but he did the video for me. Um, I'm not, I podcast too much and do all this side of stuff. So I haven't, I don't have time for the to learn the skills of that, even though I probably should. Um, but yeah, he he has taken that off. Did we ever see ourselves doing this in like as often as we are and like how like the high quality that we are? No. Um, but it just took off after that first video of him recording our our random post-COVID Canada trip. And he's like, wait, I kind of like this. Like we should just keep doing it and why not? And we did, and then it just continued to grow, and it's something that like now we have people who like are excited to watch our stuff, and it's fun to have those connections with people from you know states apart.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah, for sure. We rolling that in because you mentioned the podcast. How did you get started doing your podcast and what made you want to do it? And I just gotta say before we get into that, that you are one of the main voices, in my opinion, for women in the outdoors, and I just can't thank you. Enough that how you've done it and some of the episodes that I've listened to of yours and just given a broader voice for the females in the hunting industry slash trying to get into it.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Okay. Well, wow, that was so sweet. Um, yeah, you're gonna make me cry. I uh I'm also like uh off my rocker lately. I've been real tearful. I don't know what's going on. Um, I actually will start with I just posted on my She Goes Beyond Instagram, the podcast page. Um, this past weekend I had posted this just this quick little story of asking the people who follow like what they think of when they think of the podcast and she goes beyond in general. Um, because I've been pulled, I feel this pull to have a logo and like something that really represents the quote unquote brand, if you will. Um and I don't personally, I didn't, I couldn't think of anything. I've had like months to think about it. I've been just like hymning and hawing. So I posted this, you know, question box on Instagram and ask people what they think of when they think of she goes beyond because I want it to reflect the women in the outdoors. I want it to reflect the community that we've built, that we've built, because I didn't build this myself. Like I would never be here without everyone else in the outdoor industry who has warmly come on the podcast and introduce themselves to the women in the outdoors. And two things with this. So, one, the question box got so many hits, and the responses literally put me in tears. One of multiple people actually, this was surprising to me because I never even thought about this, but multiple women responded that there should be some sort of floral in the um logo because it has helped women grow so much from listening and being a part of it. And I was like, I am so unwell from hearing that. That is like the most beautiful thing you could have said. Um, and so many other things were said that were just so lovely in how people see the podcast and the the community that surrounds the podcast. Um, and the second thing is is someone else reached out to me same day and she said that she wanted to let me know what a blessing this podcast has been for her in getting to like know other women in the outdoors and that she actually reached out to one of the women that she felt um was so similar to her, and now they have been talking and like are friends, and I'm like, oh my gosh. I have always said that or I've always felt in my heart that I was put on this earth to um sorry, I'm like gonna cry. I was put I was put here to make an impact, and that is actually why I went into nursing is because I wanted to make an impact on people's lives. And at the time, that's where it made most sense was what degree you're gonna get and what makes the most sense. And it's like, well, you know, marketing isn't really gonna make an impact on like the way that I was wanting to. Um, going in to be an accountant doesn't really feel like I'm gonna make the impact that I really want to on the world. And nursing was the to me the best thing in my mind. So I went for nursing and now I'm like, as time has evolved and I have shaped, you know, my path and become a a become the woman I am, I guess, if you will. Um I think that I'm actually here to make an impact in different way, a different way. And I think that is truly through the podcast. Like getting to connect women and show women how awesome they are. Like I am someone who is like girls, girl till the day I die. Like, I don't care who you are, I'm gonna hype you up. I, you know, I that's just that's who I am. I've always been a very I can be negative, trust me, I'm not perfect. Um, but I'm a pretty positive human. Um, and getting people to see their best self and their shining colors has always been something I've been really good at, I think. Um, so using the the podcast to do that and hopefully shape the hunting industry um differently for the future for you know the next generation of young little girls who are questioning like if they are allowed to pick up a bow or not, or if they're allowed to go duck hunting or put camouflage on. Like, we're gonna make sure that they know that they're welcome here. And I think that getting to know one another is the best way to build a community to make sure that those little girls feel comfortable to do that someday.
SPEAKER_01For sure. I mean, like I said, it's definitely you're making that impact. I mean, for me doing this and just like being in the outdoor space in general, like me personally, outside of your podcast, I don't know any women specific in the outdoors podcast if that makes any sense. I mean, I've I've seen and heard like different ladies hop on guys' podcast or hop on other podcasts on the outdoors just to like be like, hey, you know, this is what we do, or you know, it's not just we're doing it for likes or whatever like the stereotype is or what people think. Like you were really doing it, and I'm so happy that you're doing that. I mean, it's just I mean, I that's kind of why I started doing my podcast in general. I mean, I was like, okay, it's gonna be a hunting thing, and then we'll I was like, Well, I do more than just hunting, like I do fishing, and I'm like, well, okay, there's different avenues of fishing that people do, and different ways people go hunting. So I'm like, I'm just trying to cast the broadest net that I can to try to have as many diverse, interesting people from all walks with the outdoors on, and what they think, what they say, and how their opinions align/slash differ from others, what techniques they think, or what have you.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, no, I I think it's great what you're doing too, and that's that's needed as well from a different perspective. Like there are there are podcasts out there, but every perspective is different, and we're not all having the same people on, right? Like, I think they're all there's just this, there's the space for all of us. But yeah, I mean, I do I definitely know of a couple other girls who have podcasts. Um, like I know Courtney Preet uh Preety, she has a podcast um for it's called Her Outdoor Journey, I think. No, Soul Summit podcast, that's what it's called. Um, but she runs her outdoor journey. Um, I think she usually has uh people on who are like super specific to like one thing of like learning, um like learning specifics about, I don't know, like certain things, I guess. I won't go into major detail, but yeah, I there's a couple out there. Um I do think that my podcast, the She Goes Beyond Podcast, is one of a kind in the way that like I'm doing things, um, which is great. It's super cool.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah, for sure. Did you ever see it growing to where it is now or how it's growing when you first started it?
SPEAKER_00Absolutely not. Absolutely not. Um, I remember recording my first episode in January of last year, and I couldn't even have the camera on because I was so nervous. So I had the camera off, and I just sat and talked into this little microphone that I had, and I was so nervous. I redid it. I am not kidding you. I redid that episode like 35 times. I sat in there until like midnight trying to in my just in my office upstairs before we had the podcast room. I was just, I just was so anxious. I'm like, what are these people gonna think of me? Who do I think I am, first of all? Like coming on here trying to, you know, think like bring women on that like why why me? Why would they want to come on my podcast? Right, like it just doesn't make sense. But what I have learned about the women who have been on my podcast, and most of honestly, probably 99% of the women in the outdoor industry, we're already a community, like there's already a community out there, and you see each other, and you're you're proud to say, you know, I'm her sister, like I we love the same thing, like that kind of thing. But I lost my train of thought. I was I was getting in too deep there. Um shoot. I was really, it was really vibing there. Um I don't know. I was probably just yapping. Um, so yeah, I mean, there was already a community, I guess, and I just I saw maybe a little bit of a gap because I think that the reason, I guess, to go back to your question of kind of like how like where I saw this the podcast going, and you didn't really ask this yet, but did I um did I envision like where it's come and how I kind of got here? I just really wanted to see personally a space where these women could be themselves. So there's Instagram and there's Facebook and there's YouTube, and all of that is edited and it's a persona, and you have to be, you know, you and for the most part, if you think about it, you kind of have to have a niche, right? Like they people want to put you in a box and figure out, okay, what is what is Victoria? Like, why are we following her, right? Like, what do we like about her? But I don't think you get to actually be all of yourself. And there's a lot of stuff that like you don't really, there's no reason to talk about on those platforms. So you don't talk about it, but it is some of it could actually be huge, make an impact on other people, right? So, like learning more about you. So, something I love about what I do with the podcast is we go through all the questions. Um, you know, who are you? All the things, tell me all the things you're good at. We I talk the girls up, and then at the end, like we do fun questions. Like, I want to know what type of toothpaste you're using and what you're curling your hair with, and give the girlies the details. Like, that's something that we all can appreciate as women. Um, so yeah, that's that's something I I love about the podcast. But no, I never thought that this is where it would come, and I'd have people like Sarah Bomart on and talking and Taylor Drury, who was so willing to join me in conversation. Like, I am so I will never be able to explain how thankful I am. And I know that's just an hour of their time and they move on, but to me, it it made a huge impact getting to have that conversation in me as a hunter, in me as a woman in the outdoors, um, in future, you know, hunters, all the things.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah. Same same with me. I mean, I've from doing this, I thought I was just gonna have like a bunch of like little quote unquote Instagrams or channels, or like nothing too big on, and then it's like next thing I know, I'm having like Jean-Paul from Duck Camp Dinners come on. I'm having Spook's band come on, I'm having guys like uh the dude that runs Aleutian Waterfall and Elastic come on. I'm like, well, I'm having big names come on. I never would have thought this was even possible, but I'm like, okay, let's run with it. And it's like from there, it's like some of these guys become friends. I'm like, wow, you know, it's like not that the whole fact of like, oh, I well, I did look, I do look up to those kind of guys, but it's like I've just seen their videos for so long and seen them doing it for so long, and it's just like to kind of like have them humanized when I've talked to them here in a sense, yes, and it's like they become buddies of mine eventually. It's like I like I was taking a spooky other day, and then it's like I never would have thought that would be even possible.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah, absolutely, and like to that point too. While I love getting to talk to these bigger names, there is something even more beautiful about getting to know the girls who are like just starting up or like have, you know, I don't care how many followers you have, you know, 500 followers or whatever. Like, it's it's so fun, especially the women like in Wisconsin and Minnesota, because that's you know where my territory is, if you will. Uh, getting to know women that are right around here that love what they do and you know, just love being outdoors. I love introducing those women to the community. Like, it's so fun because we're all in it together, and like who knows, maybe you can join a bowl league, and that's gonna be the girl that you're able to join with, right? Like, it's just that kind of stuff is really fun to me getting to see the women who are closer, um, and you know, have that time to grow that relationship because that's why I started the podcast was to really get to know the women in the outdoor industry in general, big, small, all the things.
SPEAKER_01So, oh yeah, and I also love how you mentioned kind of earlier a little bit that you bridge the gap between like, okay, you're an outdoors woman and you're also just a regular girl woman that you know, like how you were saying like the curling iron stuff, or like I love how you do that, like bridge the gap between the two, and it's like it humanizes people.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah. And like, you know, I see these videos. I made a video during rifle season last year, and I'm not someone to like talk about controversial things online because it's it it just doesn't affect me. I don't care what people say. Um, but I posted a video of like, you know, that I was gonna keep putting on makeup to go to the tree stands. That's who I am. So and it's been that way my whole life. Like I've never gone out there looking like a, you know, potato sack. I mean, I do in my sick hug bibs because they're gigantic and I look like a I do look like a potato sack. But like in general, I'm the hair is curled from yesterday. The, you know, makeup is fresh, but that's because that's that is how I would dress any, or you know, I'd put makeup on for anything. Um, so I think just making sure that it's clear to people that I'm not trying to make hunting look glamorous, I'm trying to just be myself. And I think that that's where like I don't want to say the men in the industry get turned off, but I've noticed obviously more comments from men um being like, you know, oh yeah, put your fake eyelashes on and stuff like that. Never to me. I people have always been kind to me. I've actually been very lucky in that sense. But when I see it to other women who I support and I look up to, or you know, whatever, whatever the thing may be, I don't like it. And I don't think that it's fair that, you know, these platforms have become an opportunity for people in general to bash each other. I think it's so important to use these uh platforms as opportunities to support one another, especially women on women, like to be able to build one another up and and whatnot. But yeah, I just I think being yourself is super important. And if that means that you have curled hair or makeup or you know, a pink bow or whatever that looks like to make you feel good as a human, I think you should do that.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah. And even on that sense, it's like us in the hunting community as like a whole, we already have enough coming at us as it is from people like trying to put us down or bash us. It's like why we gotta put our, I mean, even guys on guys, it's like they'll put they'll put each other down, like, oh you know, I could shoot a better limit, or oh, I've shot bigger bucks, or oh, this or oh that. It's like, yeah, why do you gotta hate on somebody for doing something that they love or doing it how they do it? You know what I mean? It's like just be appreciative that we're trying to keep the tradition alive of hunting and fishing and being in the outdoors, be appreciative. Okay, maybe it's not the style you would do it, but somebody has their own style of doing things, and then they're they're doing what we all love, you know what I mean? It's like I mean, I was talking to Dan from Only Turkey Fans uh a couple episodes ago, and we we were talking about the whole NWTF stuff. He's like, people are just negative, like it's not needed, especially as us as a hunting community, it's like he's like, I know of some real killers that were there, you know what I mean? Like, it's not just some fashion show, right?
SPEAKER_00No, no, and like once again, like let the girls look cute. My gosh, why do we have to so you want us to wear baggy jeans and a dirty old t-shirt? Like, I just don't understand, I guess, where people are coming from in that sense. Like, let it be an opportunity for us to look adorable and be ourselves. Um, yeah, I saw the hate that NWTF got, and I was like, what is the drama here, people? I am someone who, if it doesn't affect me, you can I can promise you it's going in one ear and out the other. I'm not paying attention because I don't have the time or energy for it. Uh, so I feel like more people need to be like that and ignore all the negatives, but also I always go back. I need like a bumper sticker that says this. But if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all. Like exactly get off Instagram saying dirty stuff, and I mean, just don't like it's just not not needed. Let's just be positive. Like you said, the hunting industry gets enough flack for you know being what it is because people don't, you know, understand what hunting means and things like that, but we don't need all the extra drama.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah, exactly. Well, on that note, what is next for you as far as like the YouTube, the podcast, the hunting? What what's next? What are your next big plans if you have any?
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, yeah. So I guess hunting-wise, I have the turkey hunting coming up. Um, we've got a lot of muskie trips this summer, headed into fall. Um, I've always hunted on our private land for uh archery season, and I plan to uh get a saddle and I will be saddle hunting on some public land. Also, some of our land is hard to get to. And what I realized while I was archery hunting last year uh is that where it's hard to get to is where my bucks were coming from. So I am going to hopefully get back there a little further where we wouldn't be able to put a tree stand, and I'm gonna use my saddle to do some hunting in the the back piece of our property. But also there is so much county land, um, public land that I would really like to explore. One to just get confident with that, because it's not something I'm confident in right now, um, being on public land, but just to learn, learn about more like the deer movement, put myself in another position to struggle, if you will. And I don't know. I just I'm very excited for that. So that's the hunting side of things this year. Um for the podcast, we have I'd like to say we have some big things coming. Um, a couple different opportunities have come my way. So uh nothing I can really say, unfortunately, um online yet, but I see the podcast doing some big things this year in 2026. I've got, I'm also someone who once I have decided I'm doing something, it's it's happening. So I have lots of goals and I'm gonna be pushing um maybe some more in-person things. Um, but for sure, getting more women on the podcast. I have a couple, I would like to say one really big person, hopefully, really trying to line her up that people will not want to miss. But other than that, just going with the flow. Like I said, it's it's good to have goals, um, but I also have almost no expectations, and I'm just loving the process and loving where we've all taken this. And hopefully we'll have a logo this year. Um I don't know if you know, I think his name's Colt Colton, Colt McDermott. I'd have to look at, I think that's his name. Colt McDermott. I should, that's so rude of me not to know right off the top. I want to say Colt or Colton. Um, let me look here. But he is going to, he's an amazing, amazing artist. Um, and he's going to be the one, Colt. Yes, I don't know why you wanted to say Colton. Colt McDermott. Um, he's on Instagram, and he is a just a phenomenal artist. So if you are guys are in the need for like some sort of sketch or logo or whatever, he's the one that's going to be helping me with that. And I'm just so pumped to watch his magic like come to life.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah, that's gonna be awesome. I can't wait to see the logo when it's not in it and you have it come out. I'm excited for it.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah, I'm pumped. I'm super pumped. So thankful that some of the ladies reached out to and kind of gave their their opinion because I really wanted to represent everyone.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah, for sure. Well, Victoria, it's the point part where I have my last question, and it's my favorite question that I ask all my first-time guests that come on.
SPEAKER_00Okay.
SPEAKER_01And it's what is your why that keeps bringing you back for more?
SPEAKER_00Oh. Oh, I like this. Um, my why is this is a good one. Trying to, I don't wanna, I don't wanna mess this up. Um I just have so many whys that I I want to like narrow down to a good one. Um, like truly what what my why is. I mean, my why is truly like I said earlier being the person who can give a voice to the women in the outdoors, um a positive voice, uh, and connection, connecting all these women together, being able to, I've learned. I've learned so much from this podcast. Like that is my why is truly just building a community and building a strong community and giving voice to women. And yeah, I I don't know, like I said, my my whole life I've wanted to I'm like losing my words now. Um I wanted to like be that person that serves. And I feel like this is the way that I'm serving um is by giving all the women a platform to be confident and be themselves and and grow grow their own, you know, their own community.
SPEAKER_01For sure. I love it. Do you have uh any last minute thoughts, shout outs, plugs you'd like to give before we head off?
SPEAKER_00Oh um, no, I feel like I'm so sorry, all of the little like brain farts I've had. Um no, I think that I'm so thankful that you allowed me to join you. This is super fun. Um you can you know find our YouTube channel Beyond the Eight or follow the podcast. That is something that is so hard about podcasting, as you know, is that the only way to grow it is to talk about it, um, as with most things. But if you guys feel pulled to, you know, follow the podcast on Spotify and and share it with a friend, that of course is always so helpful. And of course, only if you are passionate about what you're hearing. Um, and I also love feedback, so give me some feedback if you have it. Um, but yeah, she goes beyond podcast. We're on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and yeah.
SPEAKER_01Well, thank you for your time again, Victoria. I appreciate it. I appreciate you coming on and sparing some time, and it was a really fun time. Uh, best of luck to you with everything, like I said earlier, and thank you all again for tuning in to another episode of the Blue Hen Outdoors Podcast.
SPEAKER_00Thank you.