Blue Hen Outdoors Podcast
Hunting,travel,outdoors,comedy
Blue Hen Outdoors Podcast
Episode 80: Mackenzie Wild
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This episode we have true outdoors woman Mackenzie Parson. We talk her love of hunting fishing and spearfishing and where it all started, as well as where it has taken her and how she inspires other to get out there, as well we touch on the parallels and cross over of art, music and spirituality and how it all comes back to strengthen our connection with the outdoors and what we all do.
To check out some of her content check her out
@mackenzziewild
And as always thank you to the show sponsors
@dirtyduckcoffe ( use code Bluehen for money off)
@gritandgameco ( use code HunterC for money off)
Welcome back to another episode of the Blue Hen Outdoors Podcast. As always, to start the shows now, we are gonna shout out the show's sponsors. Shout out to Dirty Duck Coffee. Use code Blue Hen at checkout for money off your order. My personal favorite is the cinnamon teal. And shout out to Grit and GameCo quality hats, shirts. Um, she's now putting traps and has calls coming on the way. So use code Hunter C at checkout. Without further ado, let's get into the episode. All right, welcome back to another episode of the Blue Hen Outdoors Podcast. I'm blessed, pleased to have with us Miss Mackenzie Parsons, aka McKenzie Wilde. How are you doing tonight?
SPEAKER_02I'm good, thank you. How are you?
SPEAKER_00Hanging in there. It's Friday, it's the weekend tomorrow, so oh yeah.
SPEAKER_02That's nice, it's awesome.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah. So I usually start either one of two ways, but I'll kind of start this way tonight. How did your season go this past year?
SPEAKER_02Um, it went the best it has ever been um out of any of the years because I got really, really serious about it. And I tried for the first, I think, three years, and then the fourth year that I was hunting, I got my first deer and I got three last year, and they were all doe, so I have yet to get my buck.
SPEAKER_00That's that's okay. I got my first buck this past year, so it takes time, but you'll get one.
SPEAKER_02Well, thanks. Yeah, it's uh not for lack of trying, I will say that, but um definitely working my way up. I had a lot to learn specifically about whitetail. But um, outside of that, I tried so many new species in general this year, so it was definitely my best year just because it was like my first year just trying everything. I was like, let's try it all. Why not?
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah. What kind of species did you get into this year?
SPEAKER_02Uh so last year was my first duck season. I did coyote. Um, I did coyote out west too. Uh, I did whitetail and then um obviously a lot of spearfishing, lots of fishing. Um, I did turkey. This year's my first turkey. Um my gosh, turkey hunting is so fun. It was it's so like mobile and active. And I gotta say, we were out there for like two months straight in the woods, just like chasing turkeys. And I just I don't know, you just feel like a turkey yourself at some point, and you're just like, okay, I might have this down now, but I don't like I'm following people. My boyfriend, and he is incredible at turkey hunting, so I just get to learn from incredible people, and I'm gonna be doing it myself, of course, too eventually.
SPEAKER_00Awesome, that's awesome. I got bit by a turkey bug my first year being out too. It was it was it was just amazing. Like, long story short, he came in and he just strutted, started pluming out, and I saw his colors, his head was changing, and I was like, Oh my gosh. And plus, like you said, like you're chasing them basically, like so active, like you're moving, you're calling, you're trying different things as you're hunting. It's like not like not that whitetail and ducks aren't the same, but it's like you can't just go out and change something real quick, like turkeys, you can just like do it on the fly, basically.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah, lots of movement. And I love that you mentioned like the turkeys running because I was told that turkeys run, and I was like, all right, like turkeys run, sure, they're gonna like trot or whatever. And then the first time I saw turkey run, it was my turkey that I shot, and I was like, He's coming, like he is coming in hot over that hill, and I was like, he's on his way to his death, unfortunately. But I was like, dang, dude, like he's he's trailing.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, well, it's funny you say he didn't know that they run. I took a guy turkey hunting for his first time, and we went down to South Carolina. That was my first time being down there, his first time actually turkey hunt turkey hunting. And I was like, This is gonna be fun. And we kind of missed, and the turkey flew away. He just looks at me, he's like, Turkeys fly. I was like, Bro, yes, they fly.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, there's just so much you can learn about turkeys, just like being out there. I feel like you just need one season and then you're just in love with this bird. Like, like, why am I so in love with this bird now? Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, it's it's like my man Dan says, uh, of only turkey fans, it's a sickness.
SPEAKER_02Oh yeah, I think that that's it's probably a really good way to describe it. I think once you go once, you just can't go back. You're like, I am officially hunting turkeys every year, obviously.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, for sure, for sure. So, how did you get your start into hunting? And you mentioned spear fishing, so how we'll just go one to the other, I guess, or did they start them at the same time?
SPEAKER_02Uh, I started spear fishing just last year, but um, this will be my fifth year hunting, I think. Um, so I grew up in like suburbia and my family didn't hunt, but I had cousins and my uncle specifically married into the family, and him and his wife were just like outdoors people. We grew up outside, like hunting or um camping and hiking, whatever, but I'd never hunted and I'd watched my cousins grow up that way. And they always wanted the city life, and I always wanted their hunting life. And I would always ask, because I remember I was 11 and he talked about conservation. I was like, Can you guys take me? And they thought I wasn't serious because my my cousin that was a girl in the family, she didn't really like hunting, so they're like, Oh, sure, like you want to go hunting. And I was like, No, like please take me. And so as I grew older, I would just always ask everyone to take me. And they thought, I was kidding. Um, and then I had a boyfriend, of course, who was a hunter. And so I went out with him a lot. And I immediately, like the first time, I was like, I'm gonna go to my own blind. And so I was doing that. We're salmon fishing was my biggest thing for a long time. Um, and then it just kind of grew. And then when I left him, and then I was like, Well, I've been wanting to hunt my entire life, and I finally have this way, I finally know enough where I was like, I am going to be serious about this. So what I love to do is go to like gun stores and archery shops, and I will go to ranges and all over the place alone, of course, and I'll just like ask questions. Like everywhere I go, I am the person that's like, hey, like, can you teach me about why this arrow flies the way it does? And I'm just a very like analytical person. So I was like, I want to learn everything I can. So um, and I'm comfortable going out there alone, of course. And I just was meeting so many people. People asked me to start my Instagram, and I was like, okay, sure, fine. And I am so thankful now I've met so many people. I'm like, this is like a whole new world. I just don't even understand how I've gotten to meet so many amazing people. And then I am gone spearfishing on a fishing trip when I was with that same ex in Florida, and we were, you know, going around with our pole spears and stuff. We didn't have no idea what we were doing. And then my friend John Dirtka has his account, and so I commented on it and I was like, hey, like I've done that before. It looks like so much fun. I'd love to try it here. I don't know if I got a call immediately or what, but suddenly I was on his boat and um with Lori, of course. And then the three of us have remained friends for a long time now. Just some of the best people in that whole group of friends, and we just like travel around Michigan spearfishing. So um, that is one thing where if you hunt and you try spearfishing, you will love it if you if you are comfortable with it because it is a lot of danger. So um, but you know, like there's obviously safety, you learn with the right people, you do the right precautions, and it's a blast. So yeah, hooked, hooked, hooked on that 100%.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, I kind of started partially two summers ago, really got serious into it last summer, and then I've only been out a handful of times this year because being on the coast is kind of well, not that it's bad being on the coast, but where I'm at up north and northeast coast, it's very conditional based, and we've had a lot of rain the past month and a half, like off and on. So it's like it's like you know, so you get a couple good days, and then it's like oh, I'm gonna go try this weekend, and then it rains for like two days. I'm like, motherfucking I don't know, right? So it's like it's so frustrating, and plus I don't got a boat either, so it's like I gotta be going from shore. So it's like that that's a lot harder in itself, anyway.
SPEAKER_02So it's yeah, you're telling me I found out the hard way. Yeah, 100%. That's I mean, it's it's wild to like have such a passion that's based on weather. I've never paid attention more to the weather in my life than I have, especially moving to the west side of Michigan where most of our winds come from that west and it builds the lake, right? So, like suddenly I'm like interpreting Noah with our tomb, and we're like looking at him, like, okay, like what's the lake gonna look like? Is it good? And then that tournament was crazy conditioned. So I understand you being on that east coast and just being like, maybe not today.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, but it's cool though. We have like a lot of cool species we can get up here, like trick, like gray triggers, flounder, bluefish, the occasional striper people go for, but we have slot limits, so it's like kind of you gotta be know what you're doing and not just spear one to spear one. Um, a lot of guys go offshore for like Tuna, Wahoo, and Mahi. Um, yeah, it's it's pretty cool up here, but the conditions gotta be right.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, that's amazing. I mean, that's it's wild. I mean, I I just have so much respect for the people who have been doing this for such a long time, and they like their parameters are so much larger than mine, and I'm like, how do I get there? Like, they are doing some incredible things, and I just am so fascinated watching these people who are so good at what they're doing. I'm just like trying to learn, like, dude, like it's so crazy what the human body can do, too.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, and that's what I've kind of learned like within the past two years. Like, I've done more diving than spear fishing. I just kind of dive with a spear gun or a pole spear and hope I get lucky, but yeah, no, I've I've I've I I call myself a novice or beginner, spearfisher person or spearho, but um I'll get there eventually. Yeah, I just yeah, I like that I've kind of just started diving because it's getting me more comfortable in the water and you know, learning safe the like the whole safety aspect of it and all that fun stuff. So when I do get the chance, it's more like okay, I'm confident and I know what I'm doing, and I'm just adding the spirit to it at this point. And look, I see fish.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah, I love that. I I feel like it's it's such a combination of things, right? Because you're learning how to dive in and itself is just a huge task. And I've I've been out a lot, and I am still just at the point where I'm like, okay, I'm feeling incredibly more confident than I was when I first started, even just with diving. And like you said, it's like then you add the layer of like spearfishing to it. And if you I mean, I I feel like coming from the firearm world as well, when I've been like a rifle hunter, that really helped me because you need to know what's behind your target and you need to be shooting from a good angle. And I gotta tell you, I was shooting those fish like under the little fin at the beginning because I thought that like you shoot them where you would shoot a deer. And then my friend pulled me aside, and I think she was like, Where are you shooting the fish? And I was like, Oh, like, you know, here. And she was like, girl, don't do that anymore. So I, you know, you go out there and you're just learning from so many people who have gone before you, and they are always so willing to teach you, which I'm so thankful that people have such a wealth of knowledge, and they're like, hey, like, I want to show you a better way, which is what I try to do for people who are trying to get into the sport too, is like, hey, someone was there for me. Let me give you some basics at least. Cause like you said, too, it's like figuring out the safety things are important.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, yeah, for sure. Now it's funny because it's like, you know, well, I didn't really know it was big around me until I went down the rabbit hole. Like it's big up in Jersey, big in Virginia, big in big in Delaware, it's getting bigger. But you are on freshwater in the freshwater lakes, and it's kind of that's kind of like the new uh quote unquote frontier slash gold rush for spirit. So what's that of that?
SPEAKER_02Well, there are no sharks, so um, that's the the cool part is feeling like my friend and I were talking, it's like you have a playground here because you aren't dealing with those extra factors, and so you have this really great place to learn, and you aren't dealing with those extra danger things of sharks, which you know obviously it's way too much fun to not go in with the sharks, but yeah, freshwater is super cool. We have different species here. Um, we had Kimmy Swimmy out here recently, and um, she just came out with a cookbook called Yeah, and and she like she told us specifically that those freshwater fish, you can substitute them into her book. So she um loves bearing the freshwater here. It's such a different experience, and we have a lot of great things coming up. I mean, it's it's been such a blessing to be like even just involved in helping with like John and Riley with the regulations and just feeling so passionate in that area. I love politics, I love networking. It was such a blessing to be a part of that and kind of like start there and then continue with that. I just I love the whole aspect of like we can have an impact on this and we can get things changed and we can like help more people do this. It was just a really cool realization that we have power in just like speaking up about things we like, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, for sure. And that's awesome because it's like I mean, we were talking about it before over text. It's like the sport's growing, it's cool to see states trying to get broaden it more, yeah. So it's like it's cool of seeing all those regulations and stuff starting to get passed and more people being open to it, yeah. Because it just opens opportunities.
SPEAKER_02Completely agree, just because they a lot of it I found, especially when we have been like pushing and stuff, it's like a lot of it is education factors, and a lot of it is pushback from people who um either don't know enough um or you know they have their own incentives in other areas, and unfortunately that gives a mistake to be like we can't allow spearfishing because it would impact us. And again, that's another education thing because it's like I know you think that, but if you're worried about, you know, people coming in and taking all the fish, it's like most of the people I know who are spearfishing are already anglers, and so you're actually taking those anglers off the water, it's way easier to cast out, pull in, you know, we go like salmon fishing and you hit your limit, and then whereas you go out with like 11 people and you come back with like seven walleye and you're like, Oh, um, we could have done some major damage if we weren't spearfishing, so a lot of it is just like just come see, oh yeah, just come try it, and you'll understand that like we're not going to be killing all the fish. No, not gonna happen.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, no, I I totally get that too, because one I've personally like run and fished on Lake Erie because I have family up there and friends up there and all that. So I've been out there like and we've hit a wall out limit in like two and a half hours.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00And it's like, wow, okay, what are we gonna do with the rest of the time? Yeah, you're like all big maple search, yeah, and then it's cool because uh I think it was Riley who I had on. Oh yes, Riley before, and he was telling me some of the some of the um statistics of like how many I guess either pounds or walleye get taken by spearfishing every year versus rotten and real.
SPEAKER_02And I was like, Whoa, that's crazy.
SPEAKER_00That's a very that's a very big difference, yeah. It's I think he was like saying like four or five hundred walleye get spearfished every year versus like 40 uh 40,000 or something like that with Rotten Rhee.
SPEAKER_02I'm like, wow, yeah, yeah. They even like I was with Riley last year up. Um, I think we're we're I don't know in the UP and we woke up early and we were gonna go spear fishing, and so we woke up early and we were out salmon fishing, and like it's just so much easier to salmon fish, and then you come back in, you're like, Okay, like now we gotta prepare our minds to switch into spear fishing because that is so much more demanding on the whole body, and you're just not gonna not gonna be having the same success, but it is um a lot more work, which for me, I don't know why I'm like that, but I'm just like, give me the work, like give me the experience. I want that.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, for sure, for sure. Do you have any uh like destination spots you want to hit as far as spearfishing or hunting?
SPEAKER_02Oh my gosh, the list is so big. I would I can't wait to um go back to California for spear fishing um to be with my ocean ammo crew out there. I can't wait for that. Um, Paul's been lovely, but I want to go um to Mexico. I want to go do everything for spearfishing. I just want to go worldwide. Like that is definitely in my future, a huge goal of mine. But for hunting, like this year, um, we might be doing uh antelope and mule deer, and so we'll definitely be going out west because I fell in love with Wyoming. Um coyote hunting out there, I went prairie dog hunting out there. Love. Oh, and then I was um prepping for bear. So destinations, like if I could pull a northern Michigan bear tag, that'd be awesome. But I do have a girlfriend out west in Colorado, and we're planning to go um do we're gonna eat run dogs for Mountain Lion too.
SPEAKER_00So just like oh that's cool. I've been wanting to do that too. That's that's that's badass.
SPEAKER_02I'm super excited. There's just like so many up and coming things I want to try it all, and I spent so much time looking into like okay, where can I go? What can I do? And how do I make the right moves where I can attain that? And so a lot of that was going back to nursing school, getting a schedule where I could be like, okay, I've got five days off in a row. Where am I going?
SPEAKER_00Right. Oh, yeah, that's awesome. And especially it's cool that you want to do mountain lion hunting as well. I mean, I'm I'm like it's like it's been on my radar, but like with all the stuff coming out, with like them being a problem out west and everything, I'm like, okay, I I really want to do this now to A educate, B, get worn, and see help with the conservation efforts that they're trying to do out there.
SPEAKER_02100%. Yeah, that's how I met my girlfriend out there. She's really big into the conservation, and that like I love that you brought that up because there's such a lack of education again about predator hunting, like not just with bears, but like you said, the mountain lion are unfortunately there are a lot of them. Um, my friend likes to say there's never too many of anything because we love the wildlife, of course, but creating that balance, as you know, you don't want those animals to overrun and cause issues. The same thing with the wolves and the UP. Um, these are touchy subjects because we love the wildlife, right? Like gorgeous, beautiful animals. So much respect for them. They're so intelligent and wonderful. Um, and of course, I think it makes a lot of people sad when they do take a life, but it's like, hey, if you do not, you know, coyotes won't even be afraid of humans. Like there's such an aspect of predator hunting that people just like refuse to learn about. And um, that's one of the reasons why I want to get into teaching hunter safety because it's that like it's it's such a need, and it's coming back to schools in Michigan here. So thankful for that.
SPEAKER_00Well, that's awesome.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah, huge. Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_00And even on the paraphernalia. Like I know wolves are such a touchy subject, but I'm gonna say it anyway. Yeah, one, I don't know why they reintroduced them into Colorado in the first place. Like, there's aren't enough issues out there, but uh I I never realized that like Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, like states like that that are so closer to me than like Colorado in the West and all that, but like they have their own issues with wolves, and it's like wow, yeah, and and I understand they're really that big of an issue, yeah.
SPEAKER_02And and like you said, like they re reintroduce them because we don't want animals to go extinct either. It's not like we're like kill all the wolves, it's it's a beautiful balance. Conservation is such a wonderful part of hunting and fishing, and not only that, but it also raises money for um like parks and all of the DNR. It takes care of these things that people like to enjoy even if they don't like hunting and fishing, like the licensure. It's just such a beautiful thing if we take care of it, and so it's important for us to be able to talk about these things, like you said, like the um the issues that are a lot more prevalent than we think.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, and it's like I mean, look at Africa for for example, like you know, like all that, like all like some of the big game over there was starting to like take a huge, huge hit for like poaching and all that stuff, and then finally some of the governments over there were like, okay, we need to put a price tag on some of these animals so that way we can take that money and put it back into keeping them around. And that's kind of what start doing. I mean, not even cougars and wolves, like, look at bears, like one new I don't know if you've heard about New Jersey's bear problem with their black bears, but I forgot if it was two or three years ago now, but the old governor that's what he ran on. Like, he's like, Oh, I'm taking out black bear hunting, you know, like you know, it it's it's it's it's a cruel, crude thing. And then like a year or two after he's in office, he has to reopen it back up because the population just exploded, and New Jersey became one of the biggest black bear states, like per capita. And like they're just everywhere, right?
SPEAKER_02Which and that would be cool, like if the black bears weren't killing everything else and like a danger to the prey, because we also care about the things that those animals eat. And oh, yeah, yeah, it's crazy. I I respect those people. Like, when we when we go to those NRC meetings in the Michigan here, we have a big population of anti-hunters, and um, a couple of us went to go speak with her after one of the meetings, and we were like, Hey, like, I just want to introduce myself, and she may have swatted our hand away, but like after a conversation, we were able to tell her, like, hey, like, we do love the wildlife. Why do you think we're out there with them? You know, like we love them, but also, you know, it's all about balance a way to understand this. Yeah, and so she was able to understand that. Like, I started hunting a lot of it. Also, was I really needed to put food on my table too. Like, that's I think that people should have that right to be able to provide for their family in that way because it's garbage stars are expensive. I've got all kinds of opinions about that.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, for sure, for sure. And it's like even going out west with like the Grizzlies, it's like they're starting to be a big problem because and I've said this a few times on my show and a couple other podcasts that I've been on, but like when you have people like Rogan and Luke Bryan talking about it, it's a big problem. And he I I forget the actual statistic, but he was like five in every so many thousand grizzly bears will start just will stop hunting animals and be sitting on trails waiting to pick off people, and it's like like like what are we doing here, guys? Like, you need to start like terrifying, like and and they're very aggressive bear species. Like, I I'd probably put them up there just below pol polar bears when it comes to like they are.
SPEAKER_02It's so funny that you said that because I was just thinking of a video I watched of some guy like going away on a snowmobile and he turned around and was shooting a polar bear with a shotgun to get away from it. And I think he landed like seven shots in the polar bear and he just kept coming at him and out. And he the guy ditched the gun because he was like, I gotta go faster. And I was like, that is an aggressive puppy there.
SPEAKER_00Um, oh yeah, and that's the and that's another thing. Like people are like, Oh, why would you go on a polar bear? It's like they are just straight killing machines, like they live out in the Arctic in the tundra, and all they do is just kill or survive.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, they're they're interesting. It's they're I mean, they're beautiful species, and it's bears are amazing, but it's also like you said, like they are a little bit dangerous, but um would love to be blessed enough to hunt some bear. That would be awesome. I mean, the personal experience is also an aspect, not just of culture, but like just a um a wonderful like accomplishment, I want to say, but then also like it's such a cool thing that you are contributing to that conservation, and then you get to eat it and you get to like enjoy that with people and share food at the table. And um, a lot of people I have not yet tried bear, and a lot of people are telling me like it's so sweet, you would love it, and obviously, you know, you got to cook it more and stuff, but um, I'm just excited to taste a lot of it because I love food too.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, oh yeah, I'm a I'm a big food guy myself, but it's like I've never tried bear, but I wanted to get one to try one, and it like you were saying, it's like a whole kind of camaraderie thing at the table. It's like, okay, you've you're eating what you got, you know, you're telling the story, you're telling conservation about it, you're educating people that probably didn't even know about it, that are like, oh, like that that's amazing, you know, or oh, it's you know, you might have some debate about it in some cases, depending on who you have over, but at the end of the day, you're right, you're you're educating more, and that's what we need to do as outdoors men and women and hunters is yeah, I agree and all that, just educate more because and we'll we'll get into this with you as well, because this is gonna be the next question that I have for you, but social media has been such a hindrance, but yet such a help.
SPEAKER_02That's such a good point. Yeah, I completely agree. I think I'm such a huge proponent of like to me, I don't I don't care about why anyone else is doing anything. I hold no judgments towards anyone. I don't care. Like, I just love that they're getting out there, I love that they're doing something great with their life. They're it I just love seeing other people succeed, love it, and so um just all around. I'm a big fan of hunting and fishing in general. So I have my reasons, other people have their reasons, and I think that respect is something that I would love to see um everywhere across the board, and so I think you know, like you said, there's pros and cons to everything.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, for sure, and it's like you see it more now on social media because it's like I I I coin it the post-COVID boom of the outdoors, but in all honesty, you know, uh from COVID on to present, like you see kind of like a slow increase, or or I mean around COVID, there was a big increase because nobody was uh doing anything. Everybody's just sitting at home, it's like okay, let me go do something. But it's like you see that increase starting to come back a little bit with honey and fishing because it's like people got out there, people got educated, and it's like okay, that's when social media started taking off, like TikTok, Instagram, and everything. It's like, okay, well, I can use these platforms to educate. And my question to you is how did you get into the whole Instagram and quote unquote influencer side of things?
SPEAKER_02Oh my gosh, crazy. Because um I had no social media for four years, and I I did before and just whatever was my own thing, but then I was off for like four years and I loved it because I just love being outside and doing things. Um, but I had a lot of friends, and this was like as this, I think it was like two years in the hunting, and people were like, Why aren't you like sharing about this? And I was like, I don't know, like I'm just whatever. And they were they were so encouraging. Like they were like, you should get online, you have no idea what you're missing. And it was coming from so many people that I was like, all right, sure. Um, so I I think I like made a couple videos, and I at the heart of it, before I was hunting and fishing, I'm an artist. Like I do acrylic painting, I love art. I've been doing it for such a long time. I'm very into that. And so a lot of it I fell so in love with like the visual aspect of it. I think visual art, and then I'm such a music person too. Music has been so healing and beautiful, and like I recontextualize all music. And so um, yeah, I just think that it could be used to bring people joy, and I just love creating things, and it gives me such a good feeling to be able to create. And then you like you finish it, and I feel like I'm looking at my painting because I have so many paintings, and I'll be like, okay, like that's my baby. And then I have my social media now, and it's such a visual thing for me where I'm a visual learner. I love appreciating other people's art. Like when I go on Instagram and I see other people's stuff, I'm just like, oh, that is so beautiful. Like, I'm just respecting the art. So I think that was a big part of it. And um, and then also like I've been a Sunday school teacher for the last six years. So I couldn't have this part of me online and not share my love for God. So I was just like, that's just a part of me. It's just gonna be, it's just gonna be in it. And then I had so many people reach out to me and they're like, you have no idea like how much this is helping. And I'm like, really? Like, I don't know. Um, so then I think that was like the motivation of like, all right, well, you know, I'll just create keep creating art and I'll keep, I don't know, just being myself and sharing. And I just love people, so it's been really cool to meet so many people, and then it just really took off. And I'm so grateful for Ocean Ammo and everything that started through that. Yeah, not expected.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, for sure. That's awesome. And that's that's that's a cool thing that you're into art too. And it's like in music, and it's like kind of like hunting and fishing, kind of have a cohabitation or coexistence with art and music because there's a lot of people in the space that are artists or musicians that go hunting and fishing and get a lot of inspiration from being out there, and that's so cool how you brought that up. Like they're almost like intertwined to an extent.
SPEAKER_02Like, yeah, that's a good point.
SPEAKER_00I yeah, like I know a lot of guys, especially in the fly fishing world, that are like being into like music and making music and making art and all that stuff. Shout out my guy, Travis Luther.
SPEAKER_02I I love that, yeah. Um, I think that's that's such a good point. And and I'm thinking about it, I think a lot of it comes down to like appreciation for things because if you appreciate art and you're sitting out there in God's creation, you're like, this is the most beautiful thing I've seen. And I can I I love the Oscar Wilde quote, um, life imitates art or like art imitates life. And I think that it's a beautiful idea of um just appreciating things, like you're appreciating wildlife, you're appreciating what God's created, you're appreciating um like the animals, and just you can really get down to the nitty-gritty of what you're appreciating out there. You're when you're hunting, you're sitting out there for so long that you're just like staring at the most beautiful things. Yeah, I don't like being inside.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, me either. I try to be outside as much as I can, but it's like not even just like paintings, but like even like with like calls and everything, like they're like their own kind of like art canvases for people and stuff like that, too.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah. Oh, you're so right. The like um with the spear gun, seeing the art that um Paul will put on those spear guns, I'm so fascinated by what you can do with combining the two of those things, and then like guns. I love firearms, so seeing the builds, my algorithm on Facebook. I I or uh I don't use Facebook very much, but my algorithm on Instagram, I'm just like, you know me, you get me, because it's just like these beautiful guns and gorgeous, just like beauty. I don't know, I love it.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, and I also like how you talk about like God's creation and like bringing God and everything into it and like spirituality. I don't like to use the word religion, but I'd say spirituality. Um but uh no, like I'm a big believer in Christ and God and all that. Like I try to go to church every Sunday, and um one of my biggest selling points to people to go hunting, it's like you're going to God's art museum and you're going to his grocery store at the same time. And that's like it's like you know, like to me personally, I mean, probably you as well, but like harvesting an animal is just icing on the cake, you know, just being out there and seeing like the sunrise, the sunsets, the still moments, enjoying the sounds and sights around you. It's just like wow. Like I tell people, you know, like I get up before the crack of dawn, see the sunrise, and it's like every single sunrise is different. And it's like I see God just paintbrush.
SPEAKER_02Oh, yeah, that you're so you're so right. I completely agree. I think one of my my favorite mornings was when I was I was deer hunting and it was November and it was snowy, and I was like up on a ridge, and I was just sitting on the ground, and I was just I was looking to my right and just watching the sunrise, and it was like 8 a.m. It was it was late sunrise. Was it eight? Couldn't have been that late. I think it was, but it was rising up, and um that the deer just came running because my my friend jumped it, and um, we were on a small drive, and my friend jumped the deer, it came running, and it just like stopped in front of me. And I just you just can't believe some of those moments when you see like the gorgeous sunrise right there, and then you're looking around at like the crisp, quiet snow all over the leaves and the branches, and then that beautiful animal just comes out and stopped right in front of me. I was like, the existence of the Lord could not be more present than with me in this moment, and then I don't get as much like buck fever before I shoot, but I take the shot and immediately after I'm just like, okay, first like looking to see where I shot on the deer, but then I was like shaking, and I'm just so grateful for the moment because like that adrenaline courses through you, and I don't know, it's just such an experience of like feeling so blessed and thankful. And I just can never believe that he sent me that animal, and I can never believe that I'm harvesting something and it's gonna be in my fridge and I can eat it and like it feels directly from him every time.
SPEAKER_00Well, yeah, yeah. And it's like, like I said, it's like you know, going to garage grocery store with the whole big organic and whatever fat or whatever you want to call it. Like everybody's like, Oh, I gotta get organic food, I gotta get you know, whatever beef and chicken is organic from the store. It's like, buddy, you can't get no more organic than what God created, and it's he it's it's eating what it's intended, he made it to eat. Like, you can't get no more organic organic.
SPEAKER_02That's a reach. Yeah, like it's I mean, I've got like raspberries from the ground, and like you know, he provided us with these things, and we talk about dandelion and like the impacts of he has provided God, is the provider, and he's provided us with the food to eat, the I mean like the harvest to share. It's such a cool aspect to just like appreciate that. And I think that as it gets further away from us, and we're just buying these packages of things in the store, then you come home and you're just putting it on your plate and you're just heating it up. And I I don't know, you feel so disassociated not just from the process of the animal, right, but also from like it being a gift. I mean, you you may pray over your food, but when you are harvesting it, you're like, I can't believe that. First of all, that's a life that I just took, which could be hard, but also that like it was given, you know, it's it's it's not so much about it being taken, but it's also given too. Oh yeah, wild.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, and it's like I'm not gonna go down that rabbit hole of watching a flak and then hunters give like back together, like I said, we get enough flak ass.
SPEAKER_02It's hard.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah, because it's like let's be together, like let's think about it's like you know people are so disconnected because it's like the whole uh mass I don't want to say mass farming, but like farming for food, like you know, like cattle farms, pig farms, chicken farms, it's like all that's way worse than what we're doing. Yeah, and and we're making sure that you know we're not just going out there, you know, shooting willy-nilly or sh slinging arrows willy-nilly or shooting spears or fish willy-nilly. Like we're like we're making sure we take ethical shots.
SPEAKER_02Yes, yeah. That I mean that's so important.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, and you know, I still get it to this day. Like, yes, do I get excited and happy and thankful when I harvest something, but there's always that split second, or well, not split second, but split a couple minutes of remorse in a sense because like you did take a life, and it is and it is sad to an extent, but then it's like you walk up to it, you know, it's like I like saying this because it's a big thing on Instagram, but it's like you're the first person to ever put hands on that animal.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah. I mean, there's just like so much running through your head, I think, when you're walking up to an animal. Like, like you said, the ethics part too is like, did I take a good shot? That's why I said when I when I shot that deer, that was I think my third deer this year, this last year, and I shot it. And my first thought was like, was it a good shot? And so I'm like following with my eyes, just trying to see like where did that hole land? Because I practice because I just I've I've got a conscience, and so if I hurt the animal, obviously you're killing it, like we're killing it. But if you hurt it and you're wounding it and it's running away, that's a different feeling you're gonna have, which thank God I have yet to experience that, and I know I'm sure it will happen. It's happened with fish, you know, unfortunately. But um, you're you're doing everything in your power to make sure that's why we go to the range. That's why you train like I'm shooting clays because I don't want to wound something and then be the one to not recover the animal, which happens, it does.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah. Well, it's happened to me before, like uh and it it it also kills me more that I didn't make an ethical shot. Like, for example, like one time I was deer hunting and I got shot a deer, and it was during the rut, and I brought a tracker out and the dog and everything, and we were talking, and I was like, he was like, Yeah, it's a gut shot. I'm like, Yeah, I know it's a gut shot. He's like, dude, you kind of messed up on that one because it's the rut. These deer are so full of adrenaline and whatever. Like he's gonna just keep going. He's fucking yeah, a little bit. I'm like, don't tell me that. It was like you know it's a horrible feeling.
SPEAKER_02I did have a gut shot on a deer when I was doing management tags, and um thankfully we had a follow-up shot on it. So I I shot the first shot, and then I was sitting with the farmer, and um, him and I both took a second shot at the same time, and our second shot was this far away from each other. Um, but that first shot was a gut shot. So we were both like trying to just like rack it fast enough, be like, don't let him get away. And um, yeah, so but that's an awful feeling, you know, because we didn't want him to get away, not because it's like I want that darn deer. It's more of like if he keeps going, he is you you might not recover it, and that deer is now injured. And yeah, right. It's not a good feeling, but um, yeah, like your goal is to harvest.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I had all those not so good feelings.
SPEAKER_02I had all those.
SPEAKER_00Like a good two weeks. Like I didn't need like I didn't I didn't even want to be in the woods. I was just beating myself up. I was like why like why I couldn't do that.
SPEAKER_02I'm done. Did you recover it eventually, or did you like it was just kind of one of those losses of like oh man, yeah.
SPEAKER_00It it was just kind of one of those losses, and that made it even worse. I was like, I know, but it happens, it does, yeah. They this is like yeah, it's such a one of the downsides of it, but yeah. Well, I mean, and even when I was duck hunting one day, because I'm a big I mean, obviously you can see my painting, and I got birds all over around me, but that you can't see, but I'm a big waterfowl guy, and like one day I shot two mallards and I recovered the one, and then I and I seen them both drop, and I was like, okay, they're both dead, but I couldn't find it for the longest time. I was like, uh he he dropped right here. Like, what happened to him? Oh and then I I guess he like kind of like hit like he wasn't like dead dead right away, but like he kind of just like went in the weeds and died. I ended up recovering the bird, but I was like, Where is this freaking bird? I know I got him. The whole like it's like it was almost like one of those days where I was like, Yeah, but it was almost like one of those days where I was like, you know, I'll call it a loss, and then like the one time I was like, I'm gonna give it one last go. And I was like, God, just let me find this bird. I don't want him to suffer, but if he did and does, I don't find him, I know you'll feed him to something that needs him.
SPEAKER_02That's yeah, that's a really good thing. Yeah, yeah. Oh, like old Duck Marsh, it's a good place to have a lot of stuff going on at once, I'll tell you that. Oh, yeah, yeah, and it gets hard out there sometimes trying to find birds just in general because it's so like thick with the reeds and the conditions, and yeah, and then other duck hunters around you, and you're like, All right, are they gonna shoot my brains out or am I gonna recover this duck? Because I'd really like the latter.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, oh yeah, for sure.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, it's an education thing.
SPEAKER_00Well, yeah. Well, let me get off the soapbox for a second. I start asking questions again.
SPEAKER_01That's okay. I'll run it with you.
SPEAKER_00What is your favorite thing to go for now that you've kind of experienced it and done a little bit?
SPEAKER_02Oh well, spear fishing, of course, is my number one. But um, in hunting, I am really into uh coyote hunting is my favorite, and then duck hunting, coyote and duck, and then turkey, of course, like this year rocked me in the best way. But coyote hunting, I think is one of my favorites because you are communicating with the animal. And I mean, yeah, it's the same with turkey, maybe that's why I loved it so much, but a duck too. But with um coyote hunting, I I just love that there's so many different calls that you can make. And if you are like really listening to what sounds they're making and what sound do I need to make back, and like creating almost like a storyline of like predicting what are they doing out there and what and and they're such an intelligent species that when you do bring them in, it's like, okay, am I gonna shoot it now? Like, do I can I land the shot? Can I convince it to come in? And yeah, it's it's it's exciting. I love it all.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah. Well, it it's funny you bring that up because we were me and my buddy were deer hunting one day. We were just sitting on the ground next to each other, just in our chairs, like in the brush, obviously, not just sitting out in the open, but we saw a fox walking in the field, and he was like, Yo, I'm I'm gonna bring this fox and shoot it. I'm like, Okay, like I and I thought he was like just like you know, I'm like whatever, like and he started doing like a little rabbit squeal, and sure enough, that thing just comes, booking it right to where we're at. I'm like, Oh my goodness, I better get ready.
SPEAKER_02I mean, I missed and it went it and it ran away and hissed at me, but it hissed at you, the box is like, get out of my world.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, it was funny because um we were bow hunting, so I drew back and it like hit the dirt right of it, and I was like, What? And then it kind of jumped, spun around, and was like and like ran off.
SPEAKER_02Oh my gosh, like the raccoon and elf.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, and my lady starts laughing. He's like, Oh, that was the funniest thing I've ever seen.
SPEAKER_02Oh man, yeah, fox are another beautiful thing too. Yeah, oh yeah, yeah, that I was I was surprised with the tags out in Wyoming um for for like varmint and um they have a pretty wide non-resident tag um structure in Wyoming, and that was very exciting to me. So I really enjoyed my time out there. I may have chased a fox down a mountain in the woods, but you could like jump out of the car with a gun, which is really fun. Road hunt, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah, and it's and it's like we said, it's needed. I mean, that's what I kind of I thought you kind of see the resurgence of trapping starting to come back to an extent. Not that it's as big as it was, but it's starting to come back, and it's like fur's cool now. People are trapping rac, people are trapping raccoons, foxes, bobcats, coyotes.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, trapping isn't that's uh that's something I have not yet had the time to get into. It's very exciting. Like that's a that's a different skill. I another thing that I respect so much is people who know a lot about that because I've like, what is it, beaver? I think you can trap.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, the way that they like know how to navigate their um those the dams and like the structure and where to put things and like how to read it, and the you just never know like the tip of the iceberg, how much more there is to learn about something.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, love it. Well, we were talking about how I got into podcasting before the same guy that got me into well, not got me into, but helped me get into podcasting. Um, I went goose hunting with him a couple times in New Jersey or duck hunting, yeah, goose duck hunting, waterfowl hunting. I forget what, but we were waterfowl hunting. And I'd park at his house, and then we'd me and him would drive the spot together. And then when he would go drop me off back of my car, he'd be like, Hey, you want to come run the trap line with me? I'm like, sure, I've never really trapped before, I've never like gone too much into it. And it was cool seeing like the way he would set the traps and like what he was looking for, and he would like he would start telling me, like, hey, like, you know, this is what I'm looking for, like, you know, kind of keep an eye out for this because he's a big raccoon trapper, and he ended up that's pulling an otter permit in New Jersey as well. And he trapped an otter up there, which is really cool.
SPEAKER_02That just another cool animal. Wow, that's cool. I mean, it it's crazy like how many different methods of take there are, too. It it's just there's so much to do, so much to learn. There's this is a whole world that you could spend a lifetime on, and I think it's it's such a lifestyle as opposed to just being like, oh, it's like a hobby or a sport. I think this is oh yeah, it's a life.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah. And last year I wanted to get into trapping, but I didn't have the time. But I might try to dabble a little bit this year.
SPEAKER_02I mean, trying to get a fox or two or a raccoon or yeah, yeah, you'll have to you'll have to keep me in the loop on that. I would love to see if you've got some uh cool harvest or like how it went and what you're learning. I I love to hear other people's experiences, and when they get excited, I'm like, please like share with me. That'd be cool.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, for sure. I'll definitely keep you in the loop with that. Please, but uh we're winding down now. It's it's been a nice long conversation. I'm surprised it's just about been an hour already. Um, this is my favorite question that I love asking all my guests, they're first time on. And it's the question that I usually end every first-time guest episode with. And it's what is your why that keeps bringing you back for more?
SPEAKER_02Oh man, I that's a great question, really. I think I think a lot of it um it's just a pure love, like just such a deep passion. I mean, that's like what it comes down to is just a love for the game. But um yeah, I think a lot of it too is like my Instagram has really become a place where um I get to talk about God and it's become so much more than just hunting for me. I mean, my relationship with God has always been like that um since I met him. But I think my why for coming back is really just I get to share my experience and see other people in whatever way benefit. Um, and I'm like, I literally have so much to learn. I don't even have to be good, like the best in anything to be able to be like, hey, like you can do this too. So I think my why often comes down to like how can I share this for other people and how can I make their lives better in some way? And um, yeah, I don't know. Being a part of it, loving it, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, for sure. That's awesome. Well, Miss Mackenzie, thank you for a great episode. I really appreciate it. Do you have any last thoughts, shout outs you want to give before we head out of here?
SPEAKER_02Um, I am very thankful to have met you. I think you what you're doing is great. I really appreciate you meeting people and um like speaking with them and finding out about them. I've learned a lot about other people through your podcast. So I love what you're doing. So thank you. Um big shout out to Ocean Ammo, of course, because that was like huge for me was when I met Paul through Anna Hilton and then John Dirtka really had a huge impact. And then um my boyfriend Artum Rank has been huge um with like getting me on turkey hunting and all these other experiences, and um, but number one is just so grateful to the Lord. Like, I can't express how thankful I am every day just to be like, oh I woke up again.
SPEAKER_01Oh yeah, for sure.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, it's just it's just such a blessing to be live and um be a part of this life and keep going.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, for sure. Love it. Great, great way to end it. And as al and as always, if you've seen some of my stuff before you head out of here, I always extend the invite out. If you're ever out east and ever out this way, you're more than welcome to hit me up. We can go hunting, fishing, whatever's in season or happening. We can go spear fishing if the conditions are right.
SPEAKER_02That would be awesome. I would be tempted to get on a boat either way, so I think that would be great. I think I would uh be grateful for that. And uh, you're always welcome in Michigan. So lots to do in both places. I would love the chance to go out there and see what y'all got.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, and I definitely am gonna take you up on your offer and probably next summer come out, and you can show me what spirit fishing the lakes is like, dude.
SPEAKER_02You you gotta get with uh Riley Smith and John, and like we'll we'll all we'd love to have it'd be awesome.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, for sure. Well, thank you again, Mackenzie, for coming on tonight, and thank you all for another episode of the Blue Hen Outdoors Podcast.
SPEAKER_02Thank you.