Blue Hen Outdoors Podcast

Episode 79: Paige Bauer/Grit and Game Co

• Hunter Carr • Episode 79

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This episode we have the one and only Paige Bauer for her first ever podcast. We sit down talk about her incredible turkey season, her love for deer and turkeys, as well as how she started and got into hunting. We also discuss how she started doing hunting content and videos, how she now loves the videography aspect of what she does and how she started Grit and Game Co, as well as where she sees her adventures and brand taking her in the future 

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Grit and Game Co ( use code HunterC) 

Dirty Duck Coffee ( use code Bluehen) 

SPEAKER_03

Welcome back to another episode of the Blue Hen Outdoors Podcast, brought to you by Dirty Duck Coffee Company, quality coffee with fun hunting names. My favorite and per My Favorite coffee that they offer is cinnamon teal. But go find yours and use code Blue Hen at checkout for money off your order. And another sponsor of the show is Gritengame Co. making quality gear that represents hunting and faith for the outdoors. Use code HunterC at checkout. Now on to the episode. Alright, we are here with another episode of the Blue Hen Outdoors Podcast. I am pleased to have with us tonight Miss Paige Bauer of Grit and GameCo. How are you doing tonight?

SPEAKER_00

I'm good. My first ever podcast. I'm a little nervous, not gonna lie. I don't know why. I just I am I've been thinking about it all day.

SPEAKER_03

Oh no, we keep it fun and loose here. It's not no official, nothing like we're just hanging. Yeah, we're just hanging basically.

SPEAKER_00

Sounds good. I'll try not to stare at myself in this uh other screen.

SPEAKER_03

Oh no, you're good, you're good. It happens. But um let's start with how'd your season go this past year?

SPEAKER_00

So my turkey season was amazing. I actually got my single season slam.

SPEAKER_03

Awesome, congrats.

SPEAKER_00

Thank you. It was pretty unexpected. Um, I don't know why I don't give myself the confidence in reaching goals like that, but I decided that after pretty much just killing easterns that I wanted to go after every subspecies, and so I went to Nebraska, Michigan, Florida, Texas. Am I forgetting one? Wyoming, but did not kill there. It was an amazing season, it was the best one ever. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

What was your uh favorite spot that you hit?

SPEAKER_00

Um, honestly, Wyoming, even though I didn't kill a bird in Wyoming, that was like my first time ever going out west, and it was just amazing being out there, the views, it's experiencing the whole thing, and I honestly did not want to come home whatsoever. So I might move there someday.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, yeah, for sure. I don't blame you there. I haven't been out west personally yet, but it's definitely on the list to get out there and for sure, chase some pronghorn and some deer and some turkeys. It's all on the list.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, speaking of pronghorn, I actually have a pronghorn tag this year.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, nice. Is it in Wyoming again? Or is it oh okay, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

So we're going out there in September, the end of September, and I have a mule deer tag and an antelope tag.

SPEAKER_03

So nice. That should be fun.

SPEAKER_00

That is the same thing, right? Oh god, here we go. Now we're gonna have to edit. Antelope, pronghorn, they're in the same category. Am I wrong?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, no, they are, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

They are okay, yeah.

SPEAKER_03

Edit, yeah, no, you're good. Yeah, no, they're the same thing. They they I don't know why people call them both, but yeah, they're the same thing.

SPEAKER_00

But it's a goat, is it not?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, it's a goat essentially, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, yeah. I heard they're really hard to hunt, especially spot and stalk. So we're actually going public and we're gonna take a whack at it. I definitely want to go after meal deer first because I'm a deer hunter first, but yeah, we'll we'll see what happens. Between the three of us, we have six tags, so nice, that should be fun. Yeah, yeah, I'm really excited. It's an early hunt, too. I've never uh I mean, I've hunted September before, but not out there. So I'm curious to see how hot it is and just experience the whole thing.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, yeah, for sure. I will say from what I've heard about uh antelope or pronghorn, whatever you want to use, um water holes, or you're like your best friend.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, that's what I was told too.

SPEAKER_03

So oh yeah, that should be fun, and I know it's hard spotting stalking uh pronghorn, but it'll be worth it. Are you using the uh silhouette or like decoy that goes on your bow, or are you just going at it?

SPEAKER_00

Uh we have not planned that far, so I probably need to sorry, my sister's gone. I probably need to figure that out exactly what we're doing, but I am bow hunting, so I know everyone's gonna hate this, but I'm taking the crossbow.

SPEAKER_03

Hey, you know, I I don't knock it. I mean, I use my dad's crossbow sometimes. Um yeah, like I'll take it, like I haven't brought anything down with it. I've brought stuff down my compound before, but like there's certain situations or certain scenarios where you're hunting where it's kind of needed, so yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Well, it's an archery tag, so yeah, I'm kind of stuck with it, even if I wanted to use a gun, but it's a great opportunity, and I may never pull that tag again because Nebraska is cracking down. I think they went from two turkeys down to one for 2027. Oh wow, and I think they're making changes to the deer too.

SPEAKER_03

Wow. Did you pull any um other good tags this year?

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, actually. So for deer season, I pulled Iowa and Kansas. Ooh, I know I I feel like this is gonna be a record year for me because I I'd never expected to pull Iowa first thing, and then this is actually my second time pulling Kansas. Third, if you want to count turkey tags. So I don't know, but it's gonna be a good year. Got a lot of funny me out, and um, gonna be filming the whole thing as usual.

SPEAKER_03

So oh yeah, we'll be seeing some big deer brought down from you, hopefully.

SPEAKER_00

I sure hope so. I don't I'm not one to talk about numbers much, but I expect good things coming out of Iowa and Kansas.

SPEAKER_03

Oh yeah, for sure, for sure, especially Iowa. Iowa is kind of like the yeah, Iowa and Illinois, I've heard it's like the big two for big deer.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. Well, I mean, and I live in Alabama, so everything here is pretty small compared to everywhere else, but I'm happy regardless. I mean, it would be nice to to kill something bigger than what I could expect here, but it's gonna be one hell of a season.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, yeah, for sure. Hell yeah, that's awesome.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

Well, how'd you get started into hunting in the first place?

SPEAKER_00

So it's a funny story. I actually grew up in the suburbs. Um, I mainly just grew up camping and a little bit of fishing. And when I moved to the south, obviously everybody hunts, everybody fishes. And I have met someone, I dated somebody that lived down in Florida, and he was a charter captain. So we did a lot of saltwater fishing there. I fell in love with that. I really thought that fishing was gonna be where I took my career. Um and then the more that I did it, started going offshore, and that's when I started really getting motion sick. I knew that I had gotten motion sick on planes and like riding passenger with other people, but not to the extent that it ended up happening. Uh, I used to fish in Texas a little bit too, and that's when I got my first, I think it was a 40-inch redfish, and I was super sick right before I caught that fish, and then basically had to get off the water, and um same thing happened in the keys. And so I had a friend come to me after all of that, and she was like, Hey, did you ever think about starting to hunt? And this is someone that doesn't even hunt, and I was like, um, I mean, I don't really know too, I don't I didn't have a lot of hunting friends at that time, so I knew a lot of people, but I guess not anyone that was willing to take me out and teach me how to hunt because people like to just fill their tags, especially in Alabama, and so uh yeah, so I uh I booked a hunt in Florida of all states, and the first animal that I ever killed was an 11 foot six gator.

SPEAKER_03

Oh damn, that's awesome.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, I wish I had it on video. I mean, I have a couple videos of it, but never like YouTube. Um but so from there, it was a it was a weird experience for me because obviously a gator is a little bit different than like a doe. So it was the transition of like going from just catching a fish to I just killed an animal and it was an alligator. Like that's freaking crazy. Um but from there I went on to I killed an Axis deer in Texas. So I will disclose that these two were high fence because I honestly did not know the difference between free range and high fence. I know that sounds ridiculous, but um, I just I didn't really know I didn't care or know the difference. I was really just getting into hunting. And uh, and then I had a buddy that was like, hey, I guide uh for whitetails in Kentucky if you want to come kill a deer. And I was like, uh, I don't even have a gun. I know, so this really tells you something. And he was like, Oh, well, you could just use a crossbow. And I was like, I don't know how to use a crossbow. He was like, you just pull the trigger, and I was like, Okay, I think I I can handle that, and so sure enough, I went to Kentucky and killed my first deer there. It was a really good Kentucky eight-point, it was good for you know your first deer, my first deer, but um, I was instantly hooked on it, and I've been deer hunting ever since, and that was back in 2022, I believe. So killed my first deer at age 31, which is just wild to even think about. Um, but I absolutely love it, and then started turkey hunting the next the following year, and now I'm hooked on that too. So it kind of is a race between whitetail and deer right now because of the last turkey season. I think deer will always have my heart though.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, yeah, for sure. That's that's how I started too. My dad took me out deer hunting because he's from upstate PA where deer hunting's really big.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

And then he when he moved down here to Delaware where I'm at and from now, he um that's how he took me out. He was like, took him out, like took me out to the deer stand, all that stuff. And then probably kill my first actually my first two deer at 16 because I doubled up my first time my first time killing a deer, which was kind of nice. Yeah. And then this past year I killed my first buck, which you know, it is what it is, you know, it happens. It's not the easiest thing in the world to be out there hunting, and especially with work and life and all that stuff. Yeah, but uh I'm a big waterfowl hunter being on the uh Upper East Coast by Chesapeake Bay as well. So I've I've killed my fair share of birds, waterfowl hunting, which is always fun. And then after I got back home from being down in college in North Carolina, a buddy of mine pretty much planted the turkey bug in me. We went out on a really good turkey hunt. I didn't get nothing, but he called the turkey into probably like 40-50 yards, yeah, which isn't a bad shot, but I just wasn't comfortable at the time, like it being my real first turkey hunt taking that kind of shot.

SPEAKER_00

Right.

SPEAKER_03

But I just seen the turkey just start strutting and pop up basically, and it was showing his colors and everything, and I was just in awe.

SPEAKER_02

And you loved it.

SPEAKER_03

I was like, oh my gosh, yeah. And it's like you heard him gobbling coming in. I'm like, I'm I'm like, this, I'm hooked, and it's something to do in the spring. And me personally, I'm not a big cold weather guy, which is kind of funny because I'm a big waterfowl hunter, and that's like the best time to cook hill birds, but I'm like a spring, it's nice out, something to do.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, I think that um waterfowl is gonna be something that I get more into this year. So this past February, I did a snow goose hunt, and that was different. I mean, I didn't really know what to expect along anything else, but I brought my uh SBE3 and I just let her eat. And I probably missed almost every single bird. I'm not even really sure, but time in my life, and I think I'm gonna try my first duck hunt this year, so I'm pretty excited about that.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, where are you gonna be uh duck hunting at?

SPEAKER_00

In Arkansas.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, perfect place to start.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, yeah, we'll see. We're uh we're going in December, it's a girls' trip, so oh nice. Hopefully, I don't suck as bad as I think I did with geese, but I mean this literally my first time, so I can't really expect to be laying them all down.

SPEAKER_03

Oh yeah, and I've taken people out for their first time before, too. And I've mentioned this on previous episodes before. I always tell people when I take them out for their first time, or if it's your first time, like like you're doing waterfowl hunting or whatever, don't expect to get anything one, just go expect to enjoy it and have fun and learn from the experience, yeah. And then from there it'll just build.

SPEAKER_00

Right. I think that seeing my friends enjoy it so much has really inspired me to want to try because then a year or two ago, I was saying that I would never duck on it, I would never go sell it, and I don't know why people do it. And then it's kind of like you were saying about turkeys, where there's a portion of the season where nothing's going on, and in Alabama, that's November and part of December because they come off their summer patterns and then they're just kind of chilling until they're rut. And I think that'll be a good time for me to uh get at the ducks.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, yeah, for sure. And if you I don't know how you are with turkey hunting, me, I'm a big I love calling, and that's another part why I like waterfowl and turkey hunting a lot. I mean, I don't even know why I like deer, but I like those two a lot more, yeah. Because I like the whole call and response and bringing them in kind of thing.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, yeah. So uh I'm actually coming out with some calls for grit and game.

SPEAKER_02

We're working on right now.

SPEAKER_00

So we're working on three different calls, uh, the grunt call for deer season, and then we're working on some turkey calls, uh, the pot call and uh a box call. But I've not seen them yet. They're working on what wood that we need to go with and everything like that, and then I'll get to figure the rest out. But I'm really excited about that. As far as you know, duck calling, goose calling. I'm that's a future project. I need to learn how to do that first before I throw that in the shop. But yeah, stay tuned for all the calls coming.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, yeah, for sure. Well, now that you brought that up, how did you get started doing grit and game and doing all that? I mean, and you're killing it by the way, with that. I love your designs and love.

SPEAKER_00

Thank you. So, yeah, I um it's really funny because I said I was nervous about coming on this podcast because I'd never done one before. Grit and game was supposed to be a podcast originally two years ago, and I would move the camera, but my house is messy. I have a sign that says grit and game that I had made a couple of years ago because I was gonna do more of a solo podcast where I just kind of talk about different topics and potentially have maybe friend guests on or just something small. And I got really wrapped up in filming my hunts on YouTube and kind of got away from doing the podcast thing, but I stuck with the name and just kind of kept it in my back pocket. And then I just realized that I wanted to have a store. Um, I was inspired to have a store, and I didn't want to just have like t-shirts and hats and like things that didn't have meaning. And so I decided to connect it to my YouTube channel, name all the collections after the series that I have on my channel, and um here we are now.

SPEAKER_03

We're only two months in, so oh yeah, and you're killing it so far with that with all of it.

SPEAKER_00

I'm actually wearing an unreleased t-shirt right now. This is the goose one, but I can't show you the back just yet.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, I got my I got my one hat on that I just got now too.

SPEAKER_00

I noticed that. I love that. Yeah, a lot of hats are coming. Um, they're kind of I don't want to say back ordered because they're not really back ordered, but hats are harder to make, so they're on their way, but they're just in the process of being designed.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_00

But I like seeing you rep, that's awesome.

SPEAKER_03

Oh yeah, for sure. Um, how uh how do you get started doing the YouTube stuff? Because I know that's I mean, that's kind of how I started before the podcast was making some YouTube videos. Yeah, but it's it's very hard. I will say that. It's definitely hard when you're hunting and juggling the camera and trying to get the angles and yeah, definitely.

SPEAKER_00

I um I started filming about two years ago, and I actually I wanted to avoid saying him in the podcast, but I was dating somebody that used to film or does film for a living, and so he started filming me a little bit, and I just got really obsessed with photography and videography, just the high qualityness of it. And it wasn't until this year that I actually bought like the big camera and big production stuff, but um I just slowly got into the GoPro and iPhone deal where I was just filming my deer hunts, not turkey hunts, just deer hunts. And um I started actually enjoying it because I got to watch my hunts back and kind of learn and see what I need to apply to the next year. And then I started traveling out of state, bringing the camera there. I still have a lot of content that is strictly iPhone just because it's easier. Um, but yeah, I um I'm loving it so far. It's just really hard to get that big camera in a tree. So that's why people really haven't seen me do that yet. But um but I really enjoy it and I especially love editing every episode. I don't know what it is, I just think it's fun. So we'll see. Um we'll see what kind of content I can put out with the big camera, hopefully this year.

SPEAKER_03

Oh yeah, for sure. Can't wait to see it. And plus the iPhone, I mean, especially the iPhones now, it's like their quality of video and stuff is just as good.

SPEAKER_02

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03

So it makes it easier instead of oh yeah. Oh yeah, for sure, for sure. So what was the transition like from like okay, I'm starting hunting into hunting to doing hunting content? Like what kind was like the spark?

SPEAKER_00

Um, you're asking like just hunting to wanting to film it, what kind of made me yeah, like what made you want to start filming it and posting it? I have been watching hunting videos on YouTube since I mean it's been a few years now. Shortly after I learned to hunt. I mean, I'm always learning, but shortly after starting to hunt, I got really big into watching the hunting public. I am a huge public girl, and I learned so much from them. Yeah, I think I is that the turkey shirt? Yeah, I have that one. Yeah, I love them, they're so genuine and funny, and they bring a lot of knowledge to the table. And um, and so I've been watching them and learning little things about how to apply, you know, different things in the woods, but then also kind of how to film, just the style in which they film. And so that's kind of what I want to do to my channel. Obviously, I don't have a group of friends with me a lot. Um, I do plan on having a lot of hunts with friends this year, but it they have inspired me to pull out the camera and film everything and not worry about it being super, super high quality at all times. Because looking back, you're just gonna be happy that you have that content, period. It doesn't matter if it's in 1080 or if it's in 4K, which 4K is better, but oh yeah, that's awesome.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, I also love some of the um videos you do, like um I think it was over turkey season. It was the one of you like waving yourself with the fan, you're like waving the haters off or something like that.

SPEAKER_00

I was like, Oh, that's that so we were in Texas, and uh that was the guides fan, but uh Texas was grueling, by the way. Um that was my second time hunting Texas and did not kill a bird there. So yeah, really hard, yeah.

SPEAKER_03

You could have fooled me. I thought you did.

SPEAKER_00

In Texas?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, did you watch that video?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

So I got very, very close. Um, it was me, my camera guy, and my guide, and we got to about probably 25 yards when they first started gobbling. We were literally just walking around getting ready to kind of just go back towards the corner where they roost at, and didn't expect like three or four of them to fire off. They were mostly jakes, but two of them were long beards. And so all of a sudden we like panicked and got down. And of course, in Texas, it's all cactus.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

So my camera guy and my guide were went behind this like gigantic cactus, and I was. In front of a different one. So we're basically separated. And these turkeys were coming in, but they had to cross a barbed wire fence. And with me being newer to hunting, I actually thought that they would cross. It kind of depends on the bird. It depends on what the fence looks like because they're all different. And so the fence was like, I think three high right where they were at. And I was right on the other side of the fence. So all these birds had to do was pretty much cross the fence. They'd be right in front of me and I could take a shot.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

But they wouldn't do that. And so they pretty much just like stood there for a while, just gobbling their heads off. And then they went about 30 yards in front of us and then cut across. And then they were in front of me. But there's too many cactus for me to be able to take a shot. So you can see in the footage in the video where the birds are just standing there like looking back and forth, heads are getting white, getting red. They're trying to figure out where we're at. Yeah. And unfortunately, they spooked. Um, not by me, but unfortunately, I did not get one. But uh, it was still pretty cool to watch back the footage because the angle of the camera that was on the birds, I could not see them.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

So it was just that's another reason why I like filming, just be able to look back and see stuff that I would have never seen. I mean, obviously, sometimes I have a camera person um and get to see stuff like that, and that's why I think it's good to mix it up a little bit. But self-filming has brought me so much gratitude for everything that I do because I I capture everything and then I get to watch it back and share it with people too.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, yeah, for sure, for sure. Um I kind of talk about this a f a little bit on here, and I kind of want to bring it up because this is kind of what got you into hunting. Well, not we not into hunting, but like you're kind of like in that quote unquote section of people starting to get into hunting. The post-COVID outdoors boom, or whatever you want to call it.

SPEAKER_00

Is that a thing?

SPEAKER_03

I don't know if it's a thing, but people saying that. Well, maybe not turkey hunting, but like it I mean it's kind of obvious that like you see, like you see more people kind of have got into the outdoors and hunting, whether it be hunting or fishing, since COVID came through.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

How how have you seen that like help hunting grow? Or like with yourself.

SPEAKER_00

Everybody wants to be a turkey hunter, everybody wants to be. I think it's mainly turkey and ducks that I'm seeing people kind of get turned on to. Um, I have to put myself in that category though, because I started hunting two years after COVID. So I guess maybe it was still going on. Um, but as far as helping hunting grow, I think social media has done a lot to get people into it because they're inspired by each other and the cool content that people are putting out. So I actually hope that I am a part of inspiring other people to get out there, even though I'm new, because I know that there's a lot of cool people to watch that know a lot, but I do think you can still learn from those that are newer and figuring out everything themselves, and that's something that I'm doing.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, yeah, for sure. And I definitely can see you on that track to inspiring people because you're new. You kind of I don't say got an idea of what you're doing, but like you present it that way and like make the best content you can.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, not throwing any shade or anything, but I'm just like uh yeah, I'm not uh well now that you bring that up, I'm not here to you know pretend that I have been shooting a compound my whole life when I clearly shoot a crossbow. I'm not gonna hide in my content who I'm hunting with unless we literally forget to like take pictures together because that does happen sometimes in the moment, or you know, weather or whatever. Um, but I think that being like honest and authentic and showing all the sides to your hunt and how you hunt is helpful and people feeling comfortable getting out there and putting themselves out there with trying something new if they've never done it before. Um, it's not a competition between the compound and the crossbow. And I wish that people more people felt that way because I do think that there's a lot of pressure for people to learn that that don't know how, such as myself. And um, I'm not in a rush to learn how to use a compound when I'm comfortable with my crossbow. And you know, I've only been using it a couple of years, and I'm getting better and better. And by the way, I'm still using a rangefinder, so I'm still hunting, I'm still missing deer, you know, some still get away, but I have a one-track mind when it comes to talking about the compound crossbow thing, so you'll have to pull me back in.

SPEAKER_03

Oh no, you're good, you're good. Um but like I'm right there with you. I mean, I kind of mentioned earlier, like I use a crossbow sometimes. I have buddies that use a crossbow. Uh, granted, do I use my compound more? Yes, because that's what I'm more comfortable with. And do I give my buddy shit sometimes for Junior Crossbow? Yes, but that's just kind of like what friends and you know how the hunting world is. You know, we talk shit to each other, it happens. It's it's it's all good fun though, but I'm a big proponent of don't get caught up in the hype of things. Like, for example, like you know, like for turkey hunting, and if you're going out for your first turkey and you shoot a jake, awesome. Like it is what it like, you know, you you got a turkey. That's more than a lot of people can say. Yeah, and hopefully you get in that jake, or say for deer hunting you and you shoot a spike for your first deer, yeah, or what have you that just wants you to keep going to get a something better, right? Because you're not because you've done it already, right? And it kind of builds your confidence and gets you more comfortable with it. And also, like with you and the crossbow, it's like you're comfortable with it, just do what you're comfortable with, and as long as you're comfortable with it and feel like you can ethically harvest something who's there to tell you any different? Like it's just what you're comfortable with, and that's what got you into hunting in the first place, right?

SPEAKER_00

That's what it's about is ethical shots and feeling comfortable in the shots that you take. And so obviously, I've never picked up a compound bow before, I've never even held one, I've never even practiced shot one, I know nothing about that, but I want to stay comfortable in what I'm doing right now, and when I'm ready to advance, I will do that. And I think that people should not be afraid to continue with their crossbow if that's what they're currently using. Because I do think social media does kind of push being cool and you know, shooting a specific brand, and it doesn't need to be that way. And I learned pretty quickly getting into the hunting industry that a lot of people are are just um chasing brands and stuff like that and getting carried away with it. And I want to make sure that that never happens, um, you know, with what I'm doing, because I love putting out content, I love the fact that I'm new and you can tell in my content. And I know that it probably won't always be the case, but it's it's cool to look back even two years ago to see where I was then and where I am now with it.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, yeah, for sure. And plus again, if you've been new in the content and stuff and putting yourself out there like that, it kind of helps people like, okay, if she's doing it, I can do it. Not like the whole put yourself out there with content and everything, but it's like if she's willing to show that, okay, this is my progression and this is where I could see myself going with hunting, why can't I do it? You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00

And I actually do get a couple of messages a year that people will message me, guys or girls, and say that I've inspired them to put them put themselves out there in the woods and either trapping or turkey hunting or deer hunting. Um, and that means a lot to me because I don't know, I'm putting out content, I'm editing for hours, and then I go on to the next hunt. But I like to actually hear the feedback from people about the impact that I'm making, because to me, it's just keeping a dear diary of every season. It's I never realized that people are are really impacted by that. And just as I am by the people that I watch, it's something that people look forward to seeing, and I just I love that.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, yeah, for sure, for sure. You said you do trapping.

SPEAKER_00

I trapped, I do, yeah. So that's awesome. I actually caught a raccoon this morning.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, nice.

SPEAKER_00

I had my whole day planned out, ready for this podcast later, and I was upstairs in this room packing orders, and I looked out my balcony window and I could see the raccoon in the trap. So I added that to my list, but yeah, I've been trapping since 23. Um, I had a friend, ex-boyfriend, I had a friend get me into it. I had a friend get me into it. And at first I was kind of like, oh, they're cute and cuddly. And then when I got more into turkey hunting, I realized that they're actually nasty and that they do us, and that you gotta look past the cute factor because they are menaces, and they're you know, a lot of states struggle with turkey population as it is, and so I got after the raccoons that first summer and probably killed 50 of them in one summer.

SPEAKER_02

Oh wow.

SPEAKER_00

I went ham. I should have saved the fur, but um, but yeah, so I I've done raccoons the last few years, and then this past year I got really big into coyote hunting, coyote hunting, coyote trapping, and um not gonna lie, I've really struggled with coyote trapping.

SPEAKER_03

Oh yeah, they're not the easiest.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, the traps are um honestly, the traps are kind of intimidating to me just because you do have to hold those jaws down. And if your knee slips, however you do it, because I know there's different ways to do it, but if your knee slips and it that jaw closes, anything that's in its path is gonna be stuck. And I've always had this fear of my finger being in there, even though God forbid it ever happens. But I trapped three coyotes last year, which is a record for me because you know they're not easy to catch. And um, and I had user rebar stake thinking that they wouldn't pull out again. This is me being new, but unfortunately, all three of them pulled out with the trap on their foot and ran off. So I learned from that though, and I learned to use the earth anchor, hammer that into the ground, pull up on it, it'll pull sideways, and then they cannot get you can't even pull that out of the ground, you'll have to use a a trap puller. So yeah, but it was cool to see the catches on camera. I've got a few of them actually on my trail camera, so that was awesome. Oh and now I like to coyote trap too. So any nest raider out there, I'm getting them.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, yeah, for sure. Do you um did you eat any of the raccoons that you got or not really?

SPEAKER_00

You just kind of I am baffled that people eat raccoons, to be honest with you. Uh, I don't think I will ever do that. I just can't. I actually had to change my shirt because I was wearing one of the other shirts that I uh actually the shirt that I just released, and it had a little speck of raccoon blood right here. But um, yeah, I think that they carry a lot of diseases, and um never will I ever eat a raccoon.

SPEAKER_03

So yeah. I have a buddy that I I mean I'd try anything once.

SPEAKER_02

Really?

SPEAKER_03

That's just me, yeah. I'd try anything once. I've heard if you cook it right, it's not too bad. But I have a buddy who's up in New Jersey, and he kind of introduced me to trapping last year, the year before, when I was up there hunting with him a little bit. And we'd go goose hunting in the morning or duck hunting in the morning, and I'd park at his house, and then he me and him would drive to wherever we're going together and meet up with a couple of his buddies and stuff. And then when he'd drive me back, he'd be like, Hey, you got some time? Wanna go run a trap line with me? I'm like, sure, why not? You know, something something else to learn.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

And um he keeps saying that he's gonna try it. So I was like, Yeah, let me know when you try it, I'll try some with you.

SPEAKER_00

I don't think so.

SPEAKER_03

And uh he he also actually so New Jersey's weird, you gotta pull permits to trap beavers and otters, and he actually ended up pulling an otter permit a couple years ago and got one. Nice, and back on the whole cute and cuddly factor that you were talking about, like you know, people are like, Oh, otters are all raccoons, they're so nice. And I just want to hug it. No, he he was saying that like that thing was trying to get him and tear him to shreds.

SPEAKER_00

Right. Well, and just like anything else, hunting and trapping, there's a reason that everything is illegalized that we did. Oh, yeah, so it's not just well, it's in season, so we're gonna shoot them, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, exactly. It's all about conservation at the end of the day, exactly. Yeah, and some states like Jersey, struggle with that. Um, like the whole black I don't know if you've heard much about the black bears up there, but no, I haven't. Oh, Jersey's one of the biggest black bear states you could probably hunt.

SPEAKER_00

Is it really?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, and their tags are like dirt cheap, they're like two or three dollars.

SPEAKER_00

No way, I never knew that.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, well, long story short, the governor they got now, I think, or the one before, he was running on okay, I'm gonna take away bear hunting, and he took it away for two years, and then the state got overran with bears basically, and they kind of just haven't recovered since.

SPEAKER_00

That's wild, yeah. Yeah, I actually killed a black bear in Canada last year.

SPEAKER_03

Nice, yeah, and uh Saskatchewan.

SPEAKER_00

No, this was in Ontario, actually. Okay, yeah, that was a pretty cool experience. It was obviously baiting the bears, but uh, we were in a ground blind at like 20 yards, and we had a little baby come up, and then like a little bit bigger one, and then the mama bear came in. Okay, I say mama bear, but there is no proof that this was her baby. Um she was just she happened to be two hours later, but I was really excited about it, and honestly, she looked huge to me from the naked eye from the blind out 20 yards, and so that's the bear that I got, and I'm super happy with her. Of course, I got a little bit of hate for it being a sow, but it is what it is. That was a really, really cool experience to hear the um well to just to hunt them in general, but then the death moan was something I had never heard before, so it's just kind of kind of interesting, kind of cool.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, yeah. I'm trying to get up to I've been invited a couple times up to Jersey. I'm trying to get up there this year to go black bear hunt. You should that that that's I definitely want to do that. Yeah, and fun fact, I don't know if you've heard, I think there was a couple articles done about it, but the state record up here got shattered a couple years ago. A guy shot a 900-something pound black bear. Oh my god, and it was like 770, 78, 780 when it was field dressed.

SPEAKER_00

That's crazy. That makes me feel like my bear was little. Well it was, I guess, in comparison to that. Hey, a black bear is a black bear, though.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, yeah, for sure. Black bear is a black bear.

SPEAKER_00

I mean, yeah, I like to color phase next. I think that'd be cool.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, that would be cool. Get like a cinnamon bear, get one that's got like the blonde patch on it.

SPEAKER_00

Yes, that's what I want.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, yeah. Would you uh full body mount uh color phase?

SPEAKER_00

Um, actually, yes. I was at first planning on doing this one, but then I realized that I'll probably be on another bear hunt in the future, and I'll probably do a stand-up one maybe in the loft or something like that. Um but yeah, I think that'd be awesome. Maybe go to a different province or something because I love Canada.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, yeah. That's also on the list to get up there and do some stuff up there. I want to definitely waterfowl hunt in Canada because that's kind of like been the big thing recently.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, I'd like to try that too.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, yeah, for sure. Where do you see the content and grit and game going from when you started to where you're at now to the future?

SPEAKER_00

It's hard to think about the future just because I feel like every year of my life is a brand new adventure. As cliche as that sounds, things happen every year in my hunting journey that I never thought were gonna happen. Like I just thought it was gonna be another turkey season for me, and then I did the slam, and then I completed the slam. And so now I'm going out west for my first meal deer, and then that could lead me to my first elk. So um, I think I'm just taking it season by season, day by day, and learning as I go, and it's hard to put too many goals out there because I don't want to look back and say that that never happened, yeah. But God is definitely leading the way for me, as He has been, especially over the last year, and big things. I'll just say that. I definitely think that headed in a good direction, and I'm excited about it.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, yeah. I'm excited to see what you bring out and have too, as far as like written game coming and yeah, content on your YouTube. It's gonna it's gonna be great. I can't wait.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, I'm so excited to share this with everybody. It it's surreal that it's only been two months, and I've gotten so many orders and people that are so excited about it, and it's just you know, when you start a business in a room in your house, and then people actually like it, it's just it makes you feel good.

SPEAKER_03

And um I have no idea where the future takes the brand, but it's it's definitely putting a smile on my face every day when I wake up, it's keeping me busy, and um hopefully I have a booth someday at shows and people can come talk to me in person, and I'll have to go out of my comfort zone for that too, but I want to do it, so oh yeah, that was gonna be another question I had coming up is do you see yourself bringing Britain game to any shows like NWTF as a big show, the uh duck expo or whatever?

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, um, I think that I may release a new duck or goose shirt. I don't want to do them both at the same time. I might release one before the Ducks Expo, but I will not be having a booth this year, but I have put in for one or two expo, like the wait list for next year. So it may pop up. Um, NWTF is definitely a goal of mine. It's just a really big show, so I want to make sure that I'm ready for that. Yeah, but yeah, you're gonna see me. You're gonna it's gonna be it's gonna be out there.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, yeah. Awesome. And real quick turkey question before I give you my last question. I love giving everybody.

SPEAKER_02

Okay.

SPEAKER_03

Um, since you got your single season slam, do you think that you're gonna go down to Mexico and get a gold and oscillated one day and complete the super slam or whatever slam, the world slam, yeah, world slam or something like that.

SPEAKER_00

Um I'm a little nervous about that just because I don't know. I've heard that it can be a little sketchy at times, but I think in the future I have to just because I'm already what four out of it's six, right? Yeah, oscillated. So maybe I don't want to say yes or no yet. Um, I do plan on going to Hawaii next year though.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, that'll be cool.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, so and I don't know what to expect because I did hear that they don't really want to talk to you, and then I also hear that you're walking on volcanic activity, so you need good boots. So yeah, I don't know what I'm gonna do, but it's gonna be fun.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, I've definitely heard that there's a lot of volcanic rock, and you gotta have good boots and yeah, good gear, and don't slip because it'll slice your right open because it's so sharp and everything.

SPEAKER_00

Really?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Well, I fall a lot and everybody knows that. And it's in my content all the time. I'm tripping. It's okay. Well, it'd be cool to to do that. I think that I have to brace myself for the flight because I'm not good at flying beyond like three hours at a time, and it's probably gonna be like nine straight there, but totally worth it.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, yeah, especially going to Hawaii just in general, like it's worth it.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, oh yeah. I definitely want to see black sand. I've always had an obsession with like a black sand beach, so I want to go there and relax and hunt.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, yeah, for sure. Gotta do both.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_03

Well, I got one final question for you, Paige. It's my favorite question I love asking all my first-time guests on the show.

SPEAKER_02

Okay.

SPEAKER_03

And it is, what is your why that keeps you going and coming back?

SPEAKER_00

The why that keeps me coming back, I feel like it's God's purpose for me. Um everything that I do in life just I kind of fall into, and that's how I know that I'm on the right path of what God wants for my life. And the feeling that I get when I'm in the woods in comparison to anything else that I do in life, it's that's really the only thing I like to do. But the feeling that that brings me and how I feel at peace is not comparable and will never be replicated. And that's what keeps me coming back, is I actually get to, especially when I get to film everything that I haunt, looking back and seeing my face or my little laughs when I'm excited that I just found that deer. I don't hear that stuff, you know. I don't stage when I go find the deer and stuff like that. And so being able to look back and see myself genuinely happy, you I mean, it doesn't get better than that. And hopefully I can share that with you know more friends and family along the way so that it doesn't, it isn't just about me, but but yeah.

SPEAKER_03

Oh yeah, for sure. That's awesome. I love it. Do you have any shout-outs, plugs, anything else you want to say before we get ready to head out of here?

SPEAKER_00

Um such a broad question, you know. There's so many homies that I can shout out. I don't I don't know how to narrow it down. Um I guess I just want to say shout out to everybody that has supported me since I started hunting and um all the positivity that everybody brings that follows me and everybody that watches, because without it, I'd still be doing this. But it it brings me joy to be able to see uh people having a better day because they learn something from my content, or you know, they're supporting me, and and that's something that's kind of new to me. My family doesn't hunt, and and so having people support me means more than anyone will ever realize.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, yeah, for sure. Well, thank you again, Paige, for your time tonight. I really appreciate it. It was definitely a fun episode.

SPEAKER_00

Thank you for having me. I hope that I didn't seem too nervous.

SPEAKER_03

Oh no, you know, you're good, you're good. And um, before we get ready to head off, I always throw the invite out. If you're ever up around Delaware, Maryland, Jersey, hit me up. If it's hunting season, fishing season, we'll definitely get into something, show you around, show you where the good bucks and ducks are.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, I need to know. If you ever want to come to Bama, I don't know where the ducks are or the deer really. You're welcome to come turkey hunting, we'll figure it out.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, yeah, awesome. I'll definitely have to take you up on that because I'm trying to get down to Mississippi probably next season or the season after that. I got a buddy down there.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

So I'll probably just hop right over to Alabama and we can get after it.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, let's do it.

SPEAKER_03

Oh yeah. Well, thank you again, Miss Paige, and thank you all for another episode of the Blue Hen Outdoors Podcast.