By Chris Avena
We are thrilled to bring you an exclusive interview with Kristy Titus, the renowned hunter, conservationist, and host of Pursue the Wild. With her extensive experience in the field and her dedication to promoting ethical hunting practices, Kristy has become a leading voice in the outdoor community. In this interview, Kristy shares her insights on wildlife conservation, her passion for the outdoors, and valuable tips for both novice and experienced hunters. Her expertise and enthusiasm make this a must-read for anyone interested in the great outdoors.
Kristy Titus is not only a skilled hunter but also a committed advocate for wildlife conservation. Through her platform, Pursue the Wild, she educates her audience on the importance of preserving natural habitats and maintaining ethical hunting practices. Her involvement with organizations like the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation highlights her dedication to these causes. In our interview, Kristy discusses her journey, the challenges she has faced, and the rewarding experiences that come with being an influential figure in the hunting community. Join us as we delve into the inspiring world of Kristy Titus and learn from her wealth of knowledge and experience.
Chris: I have seen you several times at trade shows. But there was never an opportunity for us to meet. You are always so busy speaking with people.
Kristy: So the chaos and the beauty of those shows, it feels like if you don't have that 15 minute time slot scheduled with someone actually getting a word in edgewise is, ridiculous.
It's crazy as that sounds. We're all in the same space and we run by each other. It seems like there's never enough time. It's actually a tragedy.
Chris: Yes, it is a fast week, fast three days, depending on what show it is. It always goes by so fast. Can you tell us a little bit about your journey into the outdoors? Was it a natural progression for you?
Kristy: Well, for me it was. From the time I was two years old, My family had mules and we rode into the backcountry and being outdoors has always been a part of my life. I spend every free weekend I can packing my mules.
It is one of the, the reasons why I moved to Wyoming. Wyoming has so many, untouched, truly wild places and landscapes left. It is undoubtedly, that last frontier. So, for me, it's a part of my DNA. I was just blessed to grow with parents that supported me being a little wild child, if you will.
Chris: How does that move you into Pursue the Wild? What made you decide to start your own show?
Kristy: Well, it really was not intentional. I actually started with service in mind. As a child. My parents were always members of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and they have been members almost back to the inception of the company.
That was something that I grew up with hearing in my household, the importance of conservation. To this day, I professionally work with RMEF and I also work with Safari Club International. I started volunteering for SCI as well when I was in my 20’s….way back when.
I worked as a volunteer and I stuffed envelopes. And strangely enough I got brought into more leadership in positions within my local SCI chapter. So eventually I ended up being chapter president, which led me to going to Washington, DC with SCI and lobbying. That is one of the reasons that I love the organization is they have had and do have a pulse on the politics in our country that affect hunting and gun rights and everything that we hold near and dear. They have lobbyists and staff that live and work in Washington, D. C. So, it has always been very important for me to be a part of that organization and I still proudly am.
I started working with SCI. Then kind of backhandedly, I ended up going on a TV show with Mike Rogers. Then I ended up working with the women's clothing company, which used to be called She Outdoor Apparel, well, She Safari. I helped a corporate rebrand occur at one point and we rebranded it to She Outdoor Apparel.
I actually Was with them when they redesigned their current logo and was part of that process a long time ago. Then I helped Under Armour start their women's hunt division for their clothing launch following that. It was a strange occurrence of the fact that I had tremendous business knowledge and sales experience and also hunting experience on that public land side.
The Rocky Mountain Elk foundation gave me an opportunity to do a hunt with them. Then it turned into me co-hosting their show for six seasons with Brandon Bates. At some point they went off network and they did this digital platform.
And they said, you know, this might be a great place for you to create your own series. And I ran with it and now we're filming this year. We're airing season seven right now. It is unreal to think about how many years I've been doing TV and media. Also on that nonprofit side, I have been serving organizations and trying to be a good steward to the resources that we love so much.
Chris: You have served the outdoors on a lot of different levels. Your upbringing fueled your passion for the outdoors, but what sparked your political side. What made you become so entrenched in fighting for our rights?
Kristy: If we don't fight for it, we lose them. The biggest thing is, collectively, we have to have a strong voice and we have to have a voice that reaches the court of public opinion.
It is really important for us from the hunting community to influence the public. The anti hunter is a lot harder to influence than the non-hunter. There are so many people in our country that are on the fence. They're not anti-hunting and they are not necessarily pro hunting. They just kind of ride that center path. They might understand that we hunt whitetail deer.
But they may not understand hunting different species like wolves. It is really important for us to educate the non-hunting community the importance of sound wildlife management, but also the task of influencing our government officials. A lot of our government officials are also coming from that kind of non-hunting stance, or they might feel a lot of pressure from the anti-hunting groups that have very, very big pocketbooks and very, very loud agendas, and they're very good at Flying around very vivacious representations of an anti-hunting agenda that really put a bend on these politicians.
So it is important for us all to get in the ear of our politicians and bend them our way as well.
Chris: The public really does not know how much money, we as hunters and outdoorsmen raise every year. We raise so much money on our own, through our own validity, through the Pittman, Robertson Act and various other self-imposed taxes. Yet these anti-hunting groups raise a ton of money and none of it goes towards conservation.
Their money is earmarked towards pointing the finger at you and me and them and hate campaigns. That's where their money goes.
Kristy: They spend a lot of time campaigning on lies. If you look at advertisements for the anti grizzly bear management, for example, they don't have a picture of a big boar grizzly bear that is 18 or 19 years old.
They have a picture of a sow with a cub and they make it seem like you're going to rob this poor baby bear of its mother. They appeal to the heartstrings of these non-hunters that do not know any different. They do not know about hunting laws or regulations or the ethics that goes behind hunting.
They talk about, save the puppies and kittens and then they euthanize 90 percent of them. If they don't actually tell people that. They are generally a marketing machine and they're making a lot of money and they're selling a lot of lies that paint the hunter in a very bad picture with a very broad and effective brush.
Chris: You do not need to look any further than the wolf issue. The wolf is the poster child for the anti- hunters. We see the Wolf being reintroduced into Colorado and various states and they multiply very quickly. And they infringe on personal space. The cattle farmer, the sheep farmer, where they have to monitor their livestock 24 seven to make sure that their stock is okay.
Kristy: They are devastating to wildlife as well. But it goes beyond that. We are also fighting for simple things like the ability to use lead ammunition and that is an ongoing thing. Being able to bait bears. That has been another tremendous fight.
The use of dogs when hunting mountain lions. I've got to tell you that in all of my years, I have seen a mountain lion in the daylight without a dog twice in my life. These are effective tools using dogs to hunt mountain lions so that you can tree them.
Once the dog’s tree the mountain lion, you can look at them, you can identify their age, you can identify their sex, you can identify how much they are in their life cycle, and you can walk away. So, these anti groups do not tell the true story about the strategic management of the species. They just make it sound like we are chasing these poor lions around the forest with dogs and they're completely helpless.
So, it is just a matter of trying to re-educate and get involved because as we all know, once the government takes a right from us. We do not get it back. It's very, very rare that legislation is overturned. It takes a mighty effort to overturn legislation. So, we have to really put these checks and balances in place.
Being active in a group like SCI is a first step of working first for hunters.
Chris: Absolutely. Now let's shift gears a little bit. You have been at this a long time. You are involved in many aspects of the outdoors. What challenges have you faced as a woman in the outdoors? And how have you overcome that?
Kristy: I hate to say this because this is probably not the most feminist in movements, like the feminist out there in the world might be angry at me, but I really don't feel like I've faced any challenges being a woman in the industry. I believe I'm as capable and as competent as any man. The only limitations that have defined me in my career or what I'm doing are the ones I put on myself.
I feel very blessed that being a woman has not stigmatized me and I don't feel slighted by gender inequality or anything like that. The only thing that I have really seen that has really transpired over the years, that has been kind of significant is being a part of this movement of recognizing that there are women in the outdoor and hunting space with manufacturers making clothing for women. I work with a clothing company called Born Primitive.
It's all clothing that is made in the USA and they make clothing for girls that fit girls, which is, as you know, such a small market. You have Ruger firearms and they're making firearms with adjustable length of poles. So that not only women can use their firearms comfortably and accurately, but also for small men.
There has been a shift in my life cycle in the industry of recognizing and embracing women and welcoming us, because we are the gatekeepers of our homes. Once we are involved in something that is important for the continuation of our hunting traditions.
Chris: Well, I'm sure you'll agree with me when I say this. Over the past 15 years or more, hunting really has become a genderless sport. Where prior to that, it was primarily a male sport.
Kristy: That's right.
Chris: I have hunted with women that are much better hunters than me.
Kristy: Yeah, and that's one thing about hunting. It's something that anybody can do.
I have been on hunts with a lot of combat wounded veterans and there is a saying with them is adapt, improvise, and overcome. There is a space in the hunting world where you can still provide for your family. You can be a part of this beautiful circle of life, regardless of physical limitations.
That is one beautiful thing about the hunting community is we welcome everybody into hunting and the second amendment community. We welcome everybody to be a gun owner. We want everybody to be able to be their own first responder, to be their own first line of defense, to enjoy the fun found in shooting sports, and that transcends all politics.
Chris: Yes, that is what people should really know that you are a huge second amendment advocate. You are a member of the Ruger shooting team. An incredible bow hunter and so much more
Kristy: Yes, I shoot for Bear Archery, following in the footsteps of Fred Bear. Hunting today, it is really important to try to preserve his legacy.
The things that Fred Bear tried to create was that there is not just one season for hunting. There are archers, rifle hunters, muzzleloaders. At the end of the day, we are all here for the same reason. Shared unity in that voice that Fred Bear transformed hunting.
It is just such an incredible story and legacy.
Chris: Absolutely. Now, what some people may or may not know about you is that you are a certified fitness trainer. You are a fitness fanatic.
Kristy: Well, I've had ebbs and flows with fitness fanatic. Okay. So, I'm on the on the wagon say right now, but I have fallen off the wagon of fitness for sure.
Fitness has always been a struggle for me. I was never like an athletic kid. Being in shape was something that I have always had to really fight for. I did figure competitions and things like that once upon a time. I used to consider myself an athlete.
I don't necessarily anymore, but it is a caveat. Your body is a caveat to getting you out there and helping you recover quickly and enjoy more sunrises and sunsets. As you get older, you appreciate a pain free aspect of that. So, taking care of myself is important.
Chris: Plus, some of these hunts that you go on like going on a sheep hunt or an elk hunt, you really have to be in pretty good shape to climb those mountains and chase those elk and mountain goats and the like. There's only so many times you can make it up that mountain.
Kristy: Yes. Everybody only has so many climbs. Last weekend, my girlfriend and I packed five horses and mules into the back country, and it's a lot of work when you're wrestling 1500- pound animals and you're putting saddles on and tack and navigating the mountains with them. It does require a tremendous amount of physical effort, especially when you don't have somebody doing it for you. When I got married, I fell off the Physical fitness bandwagon.
I just thought, oh, I'm going to drink the wine and eat the cheese and travel with my husband and the gym became less important. But the last year and a half, I've really had to try to do a little bit of a refocus and refresh on that, especially since I've hit whatever age I'm at in my forties.
Now I figured that it's time to really focus on myself because, as we age, especially with women, we deal with things such as bone density issues and osteoporosis. I want to be able to survive a fall without breaking a hip in 30 years. So that is my goal with getting strong bones and lifting heavyweights.
Chris: Well, once you have been an avid gym person, you always get drawn back. No matter what your age, you just get pulled back into it.
Kristy: Yeah. You were an athlete once. Right?
Chris: In my mind, I still am, but as a kid growing up, I always played ball. I played football, lacrosse and I've always been in a gym on and off.
I am still in the gym every morning. I had to cut back on the amount of weight that I was lifting, because at my age, there's no reason for me to be pushing the weight that I'm pushing. My shoulders can only last so long before they need to be replaced.
Kristy: I think that is with all of us. We all feel it on our knees on cold mornings.
Chris: Oh yeah, I know it's raining out before I even open my eyes.
Kristy: That's right. Funny how God gives us that gift of premonition in our bodies as we age. It's like a weather vane.
Chris: So, for young women that are interested in hunting that have never been out into the field. What kind of advice would you give them?
Kristy: My advice would be to join a non-profit organization, a conservation group, because so many of these groups have subgroups within them that really support women. For example, SCI has women go hunting, we also have a stables organization. If you've never been hunting, there are members of these organizations that are retired and they have more time and more treasure to share.
And you find somebody that has the desire to learn. A lot of the members have an opportunity to give. And that is just such a tremendous gift. And they give it so freely in these organizations. People want to see you succeed. They want to bring you into our world. They want to teach you how hunting is conservation and hunting through conservation is the way to ensure our future for our wild resources.
That is the number one thing. Number two – there are a ton of different women's groups out there. I just did one in June. It was called the wild women's rendezvous. There were almost a hundred women that attended and they had all types of training. I'm doing women's backpack. There are back country trips on horseback every year.
There is an over-abundance of women's groups. Wildherness is another group. I have done some interviews about that. They have a really great program. So, there are plenty of women programs. The Rocky Mountain Oak Foundation now has a master class program, which you can pay to get education and resources.
A lot of these NGOs or nonprofits are really taking a lot of care and concern into ensuring that women have a welcome space. Another organization I work with. Really hand in hand with them on the board for his First Hunt Foundation. And the great thing about First Hunt Foundation, it's not just like kids first hunt.
We have had 75-year-old women come and go on their first hunt and get mentored through First Hunt Foundation. We have a number of chapters around the country. So, if you want to get involved, there are so many resources. To connect into and the great thing about the nonprofits like SCI is that when you connect into them, they have this whole network, that they can introduce you to. It is such a small but large community. It gives you at least that great, great landing place.
Chris: That's great. Everybody should be involved in some sort of mentor program. Because that's our future.
Kristy: Without mentors, we do not have a future at all. Somebody taught me everything that I know, and I'm still learning. I still consider myself a student all the time. That is one thing about our life. We should never stop learning. There is always somebody that can share some valuable information with us to really enrich our own lives and in the process. By them helping us they, they grow as well and it's just a wonderful cycle.
Chris: I agree. So- season seven. What can we expect this season?
Kristy: Well, we moved to Wyoming a couple of years ago, so we did a cash out season in season six of my series, which showed cashing out my Oregon points as a resident and cashing out my Wyoming non-resident points. So last year was my first-year hunting as a Wyoming resident.
So, season seven has a lot of public and DIY hunting here in Wyoming. We moved to Wyoming so that we had that second amendment sanctuary, constitutional carry right to hunt and fish and by golly, we take advantage of all of it. That has been really fun. Season seven is a little bit different than my past seasons.
Because we are bringing in kind of a lifestyle component as well. My husband and I are sharing the process of building our home. And I invite everybody in to meet all my mules and my horses and share the highs and lows of raising and training them. And then what I do to prepare my firearms, my bow, all of my gear for hunting seasons.
It will be a full spectrum type of season, which I have not done in the past.
Chris: There is a lot more to it than people think, they might think that you just hop on the horse and go.
Kristy: Well, especially when you are doing it yourself. It is a lot of fun. I still go to the Midwest and do outfitted whitetail hunts because for me to hunt whitetail, that's what you do. So, I still have some component of some outfitted hunts, but a lot of it is that DIY and hopefully people find some inspiration on that and maybe decide to put in for tags or, or try a new adventure.
Chris: Well, I think that is what most people do. The average person ca not afford the hunts that you might go on or have sponsored.
Most people are not sponsored and most people don't have the disposable income or do it for a living where they can afford it. They do the DIY's and I think they'll gain a lot of knowledge watching you do that.
Kristy: Well, I hope so. Hopefully they have fun with it also. Maybe get a laugh out of some of the interaction with me and my dad and my husband. We're all a little crazy and have a good time.
Chris: That's what makes it fun. So where can we find you?
Kristy: So on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, I'm just my name, which is at Kristy Titus. And then on YouTube, I have Pursue the Wild is my YouTube channel.
My website, if you want to watch all things in one location, just to make it easy, you can watch. The Wild and Uncut podcast is there. You can stream and listen to it. My podcast and show, Pursue the Wild also airs on carbon TV. So, the podcast airs on carbon and the TV show airs on carbon. People can watch in Canada on Wild TV or Wild TV plus.
And then in the United States, I'm also on Pursuit Channel Q3, Q4. So, it's kind of like all over the place, but my website's a great spot to go, which is pursue the wild.com. People can go there and navigate whatever they want.
Chris: Well, I appreciate you taking the time to talk to us today and we look forward to season seven and what's to come beyond that.
Kristy: Hey, it's totally my pleasure. I appreciate you and I hope everybody follows and we can share some epic adventures together.
Chris: Thanks again. I appreciate it.
