#084 - Adam Grenda | Faith, Failure and Flying the Alaska Bush

#084 - Adam Grenda | Faith, Failure and Flying the Alaska Bush

Alaska bush pilot, hunter, entrepreneur and father Adam Grenda joins Ryan for one of the most honest and unpredictable conversations yet on The Hunt Stealth Podcast. Adam lives in King Salmon, Alaska, with his wife and six adopted children. He shares how a fascination with Alaska’s bush planes led him to begin flight training at 19, eventually building thousands of hours of experience flying in some of the most unforgiving conditions in the world. That experience did not come without mistakes. Adam recounts crashing a Super Cub when he was young and nearly drowning in 39-degree water while trying to recover a drifting airplane. As his strength disappeared and he believed he might die, Adam says he heard the words, “I’m with you, my son.” That moment became one of several experiences that eventually helped lead him toward faith in Jesus Christ and membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The conversation moves from survival and bush flying into marriage, addiction, faith, entrepreneurship and fatherhood. Adam explains how meeting his wife challenged him to reevaluate the direction of his life and how faith gave his intense, addictive personality the structure he needed. Adam and his wife also endured years of infertility treatments before becoming foster parents and eventually building a family through adoption. He opens up about learning that his own attitude sets the emotional tone inside his home and shares the three things he wants most for his children: to genuinely want a relationship with their parents, to become productive people who make a difference and to develop their own relationship with Jesus Christ. Ryan and Adam also discuss honesty, overcoming people-pleasing, resisting the victim mentality and the importance of admitting your struggles instead of presenting a perfect highlight reel online. Adam shares his decision to speak publicly about pornography, nicotine and other personal battles because he believes vulnerability can help other men avoid the same mistakes. They close the episode with hunting, cancel culture and practical advice for anyone trying to enter the hunting world. Adam encourages new hunters to pursue accessible opportunities, take ethical shots at legal animals, build experience and learn alongside hunters who are willing to mentor them. This episode is direct, unfiltered and filled with lessons about faith, failure, family and becoming a better man. KEY TAKEAWAYS 1. Experience is built by surviving and learning from mistakes - A license or title does not automatically make someone competent. Real confidence comes from experience, humility and having multiple exit strategies before things go wrong. 2. Faith requires effort. Trusting God does not mean sitting back and waiting for everything to work out. Adam believes you must meet God in the middle by working, preparing and being willing to step outside your comfort zone. 3. A father sets the emotional temperature of his home. When dad is angry or stressed, everyone feels it. When he is calm, present and affectionate, the entire family feels more secure. 4. Accountability creates freedom - Hiding mistakes creates shame. Admitting struggles, seeking help and speaking honestly can strengthen marriages, families and personal faith. 5. New hunters need repetitions, not trophies - Start with realistic opportunities. Learn how to control your emotions, make a clean shot, recover an animal and complete the entire process before becoming consumed with chasing the biggest animal.

#083 - JT Maguire | Big Leagues to the Backcountry

In this episode of the Hunt Stealth Podcast, Ryan sits down with JT Maguire, outfield and base running coach for the Cleveland Guardians, to talk baseball, hunting, discipline, and the lessons that connect the diamond to the backcountry. JT shares his journey from growing up in Maryland with baseball as his entire identity, to climbing the coaching ranks through high school, college, and eventually professional baseball. Along the way, he found hunting during the offseason in Arizona and quickly became hooked on mule deer, elk, scouting, and the challenge of the western mountains. Ryan and JT dig into the parallels between baseball and hunting: preparation, failure, patience, aggressive decision-making, mentorship, and learning from mistakes. JT talks about the importance of being “selectively aggressive,” whether stealing bases or making a move on elk, and how scouting helped him harvest the biggest bull of his life just minutes into opening morning. This conversation is for anyone who loves hunting, sports, personal growth, and the grind required to get better. Whether you’re a new hunter, a lifelong athlete, or someone trying to push yourself physically and mentally, JT’s message is clear: get in shape, lean on mentors, practice in real-world situations, and keep showing up. Success will come.

#082 - Taylor Lyman | Chasing Mule Deer and Building Mountain Grit

In this episode of the Hunt Stealth Podcast, Ryan sits down with Taylor Lyman to talk about his path back into hunting, the addiction of bowhunting, and the lessons that only come from time on the mountain. Taylor shares how he grew up around hunting, stepped away during his football and work years, then came back to Utah and dove headfirst into archery hunting. The conversation covers early rifle success, the grind of bowhunting, hard lessons from missed or imperfect shots, tracking animals, building confidence through failure, and why hunting becomes more meaningful when you earn it the hard way. Key Takeaways: 1. Taylor grew up around hunting but did not fully commit until later in life after returning to Utah. 2. His first rifle buck came quickly, but the experience left him wanting more challenge and more of the chase. 3. Bowhunting hooked him because of the grind, the emotion, and the reward that comes after putting in real effort. 4. Taylor shares stories from successful mule deer hunts, including lessons learned from shot placement, blood trailing, and patience. 5. Both Ryan and Taylor talk about how archery hunting exposes weaknesses, teaches humility, and rewards persistence. 6. Fitness, preparation, and time on the mountain are key pieces of becoming a better hunter. 7. Taylor’s biggest advice for new hunters: drop the ego, ask questions, talk to experienced hunters, and put boots on the ground.

#081 - Tyler Turco | Rodeo Grit, Elk Hunting, and the Arizona Strip

In this episode of The Hunt Stealth Podcast, Ryan sits down with Tyler Turco — a hunter, outdoor filmmaker, photographer, and professional saddle bronc rider. Tyler shares how he got started in rodeo, what it was like competing at places like Cheyenne Frontier Days, and how serious injuries forced him to adapt, including relearning how to shoot a bow after tearing his tricep. The conversation also dives into Tyler’s hunting background, from growing up bird hunting to becoming a self-taught bowhunter. He shares advice for new hunters, including why learning from someone with experience can speed up the process and help you avoid years of mistakes. Tyler also breaks down what it was like filming a tough Arizona Strip mule deer hunt, where it took eight days of grinding, glassing, and covering brutal country to finally turn up the right buck. He also shares an unreal elk story where three bulls hit the ground in one canyon within about thirty minutes. This episode is packed with rodeo grit, hunting stories, filming insight, and hard-earned lessons about confidence, toughness, and staying in the game. Follow Tyler Turco: https://www.instagram.com/tylerturco_outdoors/ [https://www.instagram.com/tylerturco_outdoors/] https://www.instagram.com/tylerturco_/ [https://www.instagram.com/tylerturco_/] Discount Codes: * www.bisonking.com Code: STEALTH 10% Off * www.blkflg.com Code: STEALTH

#080 - Brian Call | Elk Hunting for Beginners

I had the opportunity to sit down with Brian Call on The Gritty Podcast at BLK FLG HQ for a conversation about bowhunting, starting later in life, and what hunting has done for me personally. In this episode, Brian and I talk about the story behind The Hunt Stealth Podcast, how my son Jaxon helped pull me into archery hunting, and why I wanted to build a podcast for people who are new to hunting. We also get into the early days of trying to figure out tags, units, gear, and what it feels like to draw back a bow for the first time and realize there’s something different about this pursuit. A big part of the conversation centers around the learning curve of archery hunting. Brian shares years of hard-earned elk hunting knowledge, from reading wind and thermals to understanding how elk move from bedding areas to feeding areas. We talk about why the wind can make or break a hunt, how to identify pockets where the wind behaves consistently, and why mastering those little details can make a hunter far more effective. I also share the story of my first close encounter with a bull elk: a moment where I was drawn back, watching him come through the scrub oak, only to have the wind shift at the last second. I never released an arrow, but that encounter hooked me for life. Brian breaks down why those moments matter so much for new hunters—because they prove that it’s possible. This episode is packed with lessons for anyone trying to become a better bowhunter, especially those grinding through OTC tags, tough country, missed chances, and the frustration of learning by failure. We talk about patience, solo hunting, hunting with friends, building confidence, getting more “at bats,” and why every close call teaches you something. For new hunters, bowhunters, elk hunters, and anyone chasing growth through hard things, this conversation is all about the process: showing up, learning the wind, staying patient, and falling in love with the grind. 5 Key Takeaways Bowhunting gives you purpose beyond the hunt - Ryan talks about how archery and hunting helped him get healthier, stronger, more focused, and more disciplined. Getting close is what hooks you - Ryan’s close encounter with a bull elk proved that success was possible, even without releasing an arrow. That moment made him want to chase elk forever. The wind is everything - Brian breaks down how elk use wind and thermals to survive, and why hunters have to understand wind patterns before making a move. New hunters need more “at bats" - Bowhunting is hard because every encounter teaches a lesson. The more opportunities you get, the faster you learn how animals move, react, and beat you. Patience kills more animals than aggression - The episode highlights the importance of slowing down, watching, waiting, and not blowing up a good spot just because you’re eager to make something happen. Discount Codes: BSN KNG Code: STEALTH - bisonking.com [ www.bisonking.com ] BLK FLG Code: STEALTH - blkflg.com [www.blkflg.com]