S2 Episode 11: Kristyn Steckler | North Dakota Hunting, Motherhood & Entrepreneurship

S2 Episode 11: Kristyn Steckler | North Dakota Hunting, Motherhood & Entrepreneurship

Women in hunting, hunting dog training, and building a business — Kristyn Steckler joins the Halfway Feral Podcast to talk through her journey from casual North Dakota outdoorswoman to avid bow hunter, upland bird hunter, and big game hunter. Kristyn shares how she got into hunting through her husband Aaron, what it's like training pointers and flushers for field trials, raising her kids around hunting without forcing it, and how she went from working the front desk at her family's garage door company to co-founding — and eventually fully owning — The CRA Group, a commercial real estate brokerage in Bismarck, ND. She and Kim dig into what "work-life balance" actually looks like when you run a business, hunt, and raise a family with a firefighter husband on shift work, plus how the Her Outdoor Journey ambassador program helped her find her community in the outdoor space. Connect with Kristyn:  Instagram/Facebook @Kristyn Steckler | The CRA Group: @thecragroup Got an outdoor adventure story to share? We'd love to hear it! Email us at halfwayferal@gmail.com to be a guest on the show. Follow us on Instagram: @halfwayferalpodcast [https://www.instagram.com/halfwayferalpodcast] Follow Kim: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/spearstrengthwellness/], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@KimPalmerNicks] Follow Austin: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/dr_austinbell_dc/] Brands we love👇🏼 Spear Strength: Download the FREE Woman Built Wild Blueprint [https://link.arfunnel.io/widget/form/GGu0wLBuO4ncF1QVBZ0o] Adventures: Her Outdoor Journey [https://www.heroutdoorjourney.com] (CODE HOJ-KPN-15) Nutrition: 1st Phorm [ https://1stphorm.com/?a_aid=KimNicks] Digi-Scope: Ollin Co [https://ollin.co] Preparedness: Uncharted Supply Co [https://unchartedsupplyco.com]

S2 Episode 10: Morgan Wines- From Montana Horseback to a Greenland Muskox

What would you say if a friend turned to you at a party and asked, "There's an open spot to bow hunt muskox in Greenland — want to go?" Morgan Wines said yes before she even knew the price. Four weeks later she was on a frozen river in 20-below cold, drawing her bow on only the second animal she'd ever shot with it. This episode is for the woman who wants to say yes to the big, scary, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity — and needs proof that you don't have to have it all figured out before you go. Morgan grew up hunting horseback in Montana, taught by her mom (a rarity in a sport usually passed down by dads and grandpas), and has turned a flexible job and a willingness to leap into hunts everywhere from Alaska to Hawaii to the Arctic. Here's what's inside: * The full Greenland muskox story — the four-wheeler ride across a frozen river, the language-barrier guide, the moment her bow wouldn't draw, and the one-shot recovery she still can't fully explain * Why her mom taught her to hunt, and what it's like to grow up packing camps and processing your own elk on horseback * Making the jump from rifle to archery: the humbling learning curve, the let-off revelation, and shooting through buck fever * Honest talk on the real fear of bow hunting — wounding an animal — and how to carry a healthy fear without letting it stop you * The unmatched outfitter experience: coffee and cookies served while the guides work, and getting told you "skin like an American" (not a compliment) * Why some opportunities have to happen fast, or they never happen at all If Morgan's story makes you want to chase your own adventure, follow Halfway Feral so you never miss an episode, leave a review to help more outdoorswomen find the show, and start saying yes to the things that scare you a little. Resources & links mentioned: * Inuit Outfitters [https://www.inuitoutfitter.com/](Greenland muskox and caribou hunts) * Morgan Wines on Instagram and Facebook — @MorganWines [https://www.instagram.com/morganwines/](muskox photos are up) * Her Outdoor Journey events — including a December elk hunt + meat processing event Morgan is hosting  Got an outdoor adventure story to share? We'd love to hear it! Email us at halfwayferal@gmail.com to be a guest on the show. Follow us on Instagram: @halfwayferalpodcast [https://www.instagram.com/halfwayferalpodcast] Follow Kim: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/spearstrengthwellness/], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@KimPalmerNicks] Follow Austin: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/dr_austinbell_dc/] Brands we love👇🏼 Spear Strength: Download the FREE Woman Built Wild Blueprint [https://link.arfunnel.io/widget/form/GGu0wLBuO4ncF1QVBZ0o] Adventures: Her Outdoor Journey [https://www.heroutdoorjourney.com] (CODE HOJ-KPN-15) Nutrition: 1st Phorm [ https://1stphorm.com/?a_aid=KimNicks] Digi-Scope: Ollin Co [https://ollin.co] Preparedness: Uncharted Supply Co [https://unchartedsupplyco.com]

S2 Episode 9: Heather Aldrich - Going Back to the Canyon: Bear Hunting, Hard Resets, and Refusing to Quit

She shattered her leg in grizzly country, heard the bone break, and felt herself slipping toward a pinprick of light while her best friend's voice clawed her back to consciousness. Five years later, ovarian cancer and two back-to-back surgeries dropped her to walking 20 yards before exhaustion took over. So why does Heather Aldrich say she'd go right back into that same canyon? This episode is a masterclass in adaptability, grit, and finding joy after the hard resets that life hands you. Heather — bear hunter, wall tent maker, mom, and 30-year business owner — sits down with Kim and Austin to talk about building a life in the outdoors on her own terms, and what it actually takes to recover, both physically and mentally, when your body and your plans fall apart. Here's what you'll take away: * The real story behind a backcountry search-and-rescue airlift — and why an SOS beacon and wilderness first aid course belong in every pack * How to rebuild after a "hard reset": surgery, injury, illness — one honest step at a time (today 10 steps, tomorrow try for 11) * The conservation case for predator hunting, and how to answer the trolls by leading with your "why," not just facts and figures * Why women and kids catch the most heat in the hunting world — and why "holding the line" together matters * Setting boundaries that protect family, business, and time in the field when you're wearing every hat * Honest talk on the love-and-loss paradox of hunting, plus a mouse infestation on I-84 that'll make you grateful for camp This one's for the woman who's been knocked down — by injury, illness, fear, or just a brutal year — and needs to hear that going back out is possible, on her own timeline and her own terms. If Heather's story moved you, follow Halfway Feral so you never miss an episode, leave a review to help more women find the show, and send this to the friend who needs the reminder: be an asset, not a liability — and don't be afraid to go do the things. Resources & links mentioned: * Bravo Manufacturing (canvas wall tents) — https://www.bravotents.com/ * on Facebook and Instagram @BravoMFGInc [https://www.instagram.com/bravowalltents/] * Two Bear Air — Montana-based search and rescue * Brooke's side of the leg-break story — Halfway Feral Season 1, Episode 4 [https://open.spotify.com/episode/2aVoLN5HIQ0zSXSa2feL3s?si=I2__vXakT2uDZ2pkkXNSuA] Got an outdoor adventure story to share? We'd love to hear it! Email us at halfwayferal@gmail.com to be a guest on the show. Follow us on Instagram: @halfwayferalpodcast [https://www.instagram.com/halfwayferalpodcast] Follow Kim: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/spearstrengthwellness/], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@KimPalmerNicks] Follow Austin: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/dr_austinbell_dc/] Brands we love👇🏼 Spear Strength: Download the FREE Woman Built Wild Blueprint [https://link.arfunnel.io/widget/form/GGu0wLBuO4ncF1QVBZ0o] Adventures: Her Outdoor Journey [https://www.heroutdoorjourney.com] (CODE HOJ-KPN-15) Nutrition: 1st Phorm [ https://1stphorm.com/?a_aid=KimNicks] Digi-Scope: Ollin Co [https://ollin.co] Preparedness: Uncharted Supply Co [https://unchartedsupplyco.com]

S2 Episode 8: Genevieve Fuller: Riding Iceland on Horseback: What It Really Takes

Two riders ended up in the hospital. One of only 18 big game biologists in Colorado spent 45 minutes on a runaway horse, holding on for her life past a campground full of people filming. So why does Genevieve Fuller say she'd go back and do it all again? This episode pulls back the curtain on the "sexy" adventure trips flooding your feed — the six-day, 25-mile-a-day horseback treks across black sand and volcanic terrain that look effortless on Instagram and are anything but. If you've ever watched an outdoor trip online and thought "I could do that," this is the conversation that tells you what it actually takes to do it safely, ethically, and prepared. Here's what you'll get from this one: * How Genevieve built a career as a terrestrial wildlife biologist managing mountain lions, moose, and wolves — and what it's like being a woman in a competitive, historically male-dominated field * The real fitness behind horseback riding: core, glutes, quads, and the endurance of hours of posting trot (basically squats all day long) * How to tell an ethical horse tour from an exploitative one, and the red flags to watch for before you book * Why "I've ridden horses before" doesn't mean you're ready, and how to actually train for a backcountry adventure abroad * The mindset piece — staying regulated when a 1,000-pound animal panics underneath you, and why being an asset (not a liability) matters for the whole group This one's for the outdoorswoman who wants to do hard things the right way: with preparation, humility, and respect for the wildlife, the culture, and the risk. If this episode lit a fire under you, follow Halfway Feral so you never miss an episode, leave us a review, and share it with the adventure buddy who needs to hear "train before you book." Got an outdoor adventure story to share? We'd love to hear it! Email us at halfwayferal@gmail.com to be a guest on the show. Follow us on Instagram: @halfwayferalpodcast [https://www.instagram.com/halfwayferalpodcast] Follow Kim: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/spearstrengthwellness/], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@KimPalmerNicks] Follow Austin: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/dr_austinbell_dc/] Brands we love👇🏼 Spear Strength: Download the FREE Woman Built Wild Blueprint [https://link.arfunnel.io/widget/form/GGu0wLBuO4ncF1QVBZ0o] Adventures: Her Outdoor Journey [https://www.heroutdoorjourney.com] (CODE HOJ-KPN-15) Nutrition: 1st Phorm [ https://1stphorm.com/?a_aid=KimNicks] Digi-Scope: Ollin Co [https://ollin.co] Preparedness: Uncharted Supply Co [https://unchartedsupplyco.com]

S2 Episode 7: Captain Natalie Anderson | 19-Year-Old Alaska Fishing Captain: Breaking Barriers in Charter Fishing & Conservation

In this episode, we sit down with Natalie Anderson, a 19-year-old charter boat captain from Prince of Wales Island, Alaska, who is quickly making a name for herself in a male-dominated commercial fishing industry. From starting as a deckhand at 16 to becoming one of the youngest captains in her fleet, Natalie shares what it takes to lead on the water, earn respect, and deliver unforgettable fishing experiences. We dive into the realities of Alaska fishing, charter boat life, sustainable fishing practices, and navigating strict fishing regulations—including king salmon limits, halibut restrictions, and the impact of industry policy on the next generation of outdoorsmen and women. Natalie also opens up about overcoming skepticism due to her age and gender, building confidence with clients, and the importance of community support and mentorship in the outdoor industry. This episode is packed with insight for anyone interested in fishing, conservation, entrepreneurship, and breaking barriers in the outdoors—plus some incredible stories from life on the water, including landing a 200+ pound halibut. If you’re passionate about wild-caught food, sustainable fishing, Alaska adventures, and the future of outdoor industries, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss. Got an outdoor adventure story to share? We'd love to hear it! Email us at halfwayferal@gmail.com to be a guest on the show. Follow us on Instagram: @halfwayferalpodcast [https://www.instagram.com/halfwayferalpodcast] Follow Kim: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/spearstrengthwellness/], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@KimPalmerNicks] Follow Austin: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/dr_austinbell_dc/] Brands we love👇🏼 Spear Strength: Download the FREE Woman Built Wild Blueprint [https://link.arfunnel.io/widget/form/GGu0wLBuO4ncF1QVBZ0o] Adventures: Her Outdoor Journey [https://www.heroutdoorjourney.com] (CODE HOJ-KPN-15) Nutrition: 1st Phorm [ https://1stphorm.com/?a_aid=KimNicks] Digi-Scope: Ollin Co [https://ollin.co] Preparedness: Uncharted Supply Co [https://unchartedsupplyco.com]