By Chris Avena
American Outdoor News is thrilled to present an exclusive conversation with Nick Hoffman, the host of Nick’s Wild Ride on the Outdoor Channel. As a dynamic personality who blends his love for country music with a passion for the outdoors, Nick has carved out a unique space in the world of adventure entertainment. Known for taking viewers on journeys that transcend traditional hunting shows, Nick’s Wild Ride explores not only the thrill of the hunt but also the rich culture, food, and stories from communities around the world. This interview offers an up-close look at the man behind the adventures and the stories that have shaped his path.
Nick’s journey from touring musician to adventure show host is a fascinating one, filled with unexpected turns and profound experiences that deepen his connection to the wild. In our discussion, he shares personal insights about how his travels have influenced both his art and his outlook on life. From Africa’s vast plains to the backcountry of the American West, Nick’s adventures have given him a unique perspective on the power of nature and the importance of conservation. His storytelling does not just highlight hunting; it celebrates the beauty, depth, and resilience of the cultures he encounters along the way.
As we delve into this interview, get ready to explore topics that go beyond the ordinary. Nick opens-up about what fuels his passion, how his music and outdoor lifestyle intersect, and what he hopes viewers take away from each episode of Nick’s Wild Ride. Whether you are an avid outdoorsman, a music enthusiast, or just someone who loves a good story, Nick’s experiences will resonate on a deeper level, inspiring viewers to look at the world around them with fresh eyes.
Chris Avena: Hey Nick, it is always great to see you.
Nick Hoffman: Hey man, it has been a while.
Chris Avena: You know, the last time that we spoke, your show was kind of new at the time.
Nick Hoffman: If I remember correctly, it was right when season one of Nicks Wild Ride was just in its first season.
Chris Avena: And you are into season nine?
Nick Hoffman: Yes, season nine is airing on Outdoor Channel and still, when I say those words, especially considering my story and my journey to how I got into doing the television show in the first place, it blows my mind every time that I say that - season nine. We are already filming season ten. Ten seasons of this show and getting to go around the world and explore history, and culture, and food, while I hunt, and literally systematically check my bucket list off. I mean dude, life is good, you know?
Chris Avena: What would you think makes your show different compared to the other shows?
Nick Hoffman: Well, I think there is a lot of ways that it is different. I think that is by design. I had no intention of having an outdoor television show. I am a country music artist. I am a fiddle player, a singer. I have always hunted, and I have always travelled to hunt. In fact, I have always loved to travel to hunt, but the thing is, I am a curious traveler. I have always been like that ever since I played music on the road and been on tour. I have always been the guy that goes and tries to find a local burger, or the local museum, or the dive bar with the beer. I am always asking people, “Hey, tell me about the history of this place.” So, when we started talking about doing Nick's Wild Ride, it was just an extension of that and I am a big believer that authenticity is key, right? Authenticity is the key to entertainment really. Long-lasting entertainment anyway. So, when you see “Nick’s Wild Ride,” you are just watching me doing what I would do anyway. When I go somewhere, I am exploring local history and food and culture and music along the way. That is the basis of the show. But I think the coolest thing about it, for me, is that because of the show it has been a conduit for me to go to places that I would probably only dream of going to. I am a farm kid from Minnesota. The idea that I would someday be hunting Marco Polo in Kurdistan or giant mule deer in the Sonora. These things are stuff that I would have only dreamed about and only read about in magazines. So, I know that this does not really answer your question of what is different about it. I think that is what is different about it. I think that the shows that I grew up watching, and the shows that I still watch and the shows that I still love, are a lot of “Whisper, whisper, point, point, shoot, shoot” and that is it. In fact, I sometimes envy my friends that have more traditional hunting shows. Because they show up, they hunt, and when they kill something, they are done. Right? Me, if I go and film an episode, it might take me a week to kill, and then I still have another week of filming to do. But that filming is fun, and I have had some of the most incredible experiences because of this show that I probably never would have had. So, what is different about it? Everything, really. It is still hunting. But it is all the other things, and I get a lot of enjoyment out of the messages that I get from people that say, “Hey, your show is the only show that my wife will sit down on a Friday night and watch with me. The only hunting show that my whole family watches together,” things like that. It is because there is something for everybody in this show versus just the hunter. And I am trying hard to make a show that if you are not a hunter you can still watch and maybe it will help change perceptions of people that maybe just stumble upon it and see this show and they are like, “Oh, hunting's pretty cool,” you know.
hris Avena: In ten seasons, you have had so many experiences in such a long span. what stands out the most to you?
Nick Hoffman: Well, when it comes to destinations, there are some hunts that have stuck out. I just mentioned Kurdistan. I mean, the culture of some of these places is what stands out to me. Hunting - I will tell you one thing that I have learned that stands out - is that hunting is universal, it is a universal language. It is kind of like that feeling when it is getting close to opening day and you go to Walmart to maybe grab a pair of Huntworth gloves or something like that and you see another guy wearing a camo hat, checking out with his wife and you give him that knowing look like, “Hey, man. You are in the club.” You know what I mean?
Chris Avena: Yep. You give the nod.
Nick Hoffman: Yeah, absolutely. It is like, “Hey, man, I don't know you, but we'd probably be friends.” That language is universal. People that hunt and people that love the outdoors, even people that fish. All this stuff, there is a commonality amongst us all. A common thread, a common blood that runs through our veins that instantly connects people. Like I mentioned, Kurdistan, I could not speak the language obviously. We hardly could share any words while we were there. I had a guy that spoke English and helped translate a little bit. But the guys that I was hunting with, the outfitters, we were instantly bonded by our love of the outdoors, by our love of the journey, by our love of the hunts, by our love of the adventure. And that is something I have noticed. From Africa to Alaska, when you show up in a hunting camp you are already surrounded by friends, and you do not know anyone. You know what I mean? And I have always loved that. I have always likened the outdoors to going to church. If it is any church that is worth its salt, anybody can walk in the front door and be welcomed with open arms, right? I feel like that is what most hunting lodges are like. I feel like that is what most hunting camps are like. That “Hey, I do not know you. And maybe we have different politics, or maybe we have different religions, or maybe we have whatever. But hey, we have this one thing in common and boy is it awesome,” you know? And so, I think that is something that stood out to me for sure.
Chris Avena: I think hunting camp is a big part of the hunting experience.
Nick Hoffman: Absolutely.
Chris Avena: It just brings people together. It is a bonding experience. And memories go on.
Now, you have had a diverse musical career. How has your musical background influenced hosting Nick’s Wild Ride?
Nick Hoffman: That is a really good question. I think that one way that my musical career has helped me prepare to be this television host, if you will, which I still do not view myself as a television host. I do kind of feel like this show just follows me around doing what I am going to do anyway, but I think the one way that it prepared me for it is the entertainment value side of things. I try to make my show entertaining. I think that from a life, literally an entire life of being on stage from full-on theatre shows to playing in bar bands and playing in stadiums full of 60,000 people, I feel like I have gained a sense of timing and entertainment and how to provide something that people enjoy seeing and makes them happy. That is my goal. Anthony Bourdain is kind of my hero. This show is very much Anthony Bourdain-inspired, God rest his soul. But the difference between what I do and Bourdain, is that I am a little more tongue-in-cheek, a little more self-deprecating. The way I see things, I am not the expert when it comes to hunting, I am going to leave being the expert to the experts. I am just a guy out there who is lucky enough to get to go to these cool places. And boy, am I enjoying it. So, what I have learned through the music business, is again, like I said earlier, authenticity. Just be yourself and sometimes that means being really wacky. Sometimes that means being a little too serious. That is who I am. Sometimes a little wacky, and sometimes I am way too intense, and I think you see all that come through in the show. Also, I love a cold beer, and I love a hot meal, a homecooked meal. I love a good burger. All these things, I am not afraid to show that. If I want a cold beer after a hunt, I am not afraid to show that on camera. Sometimes that's turned a few people off. “Oh, you shouldn’t be showing alcohol.” That is real, and that is who I am. That does not mean that that is who you have to be. But that is who I am. So, I think that that is another thing I learned through the years in the music business, is just be yourself. People will resonate and you cannot please everyone. You know what I mean? You have to make the product you make, and then from there, people will resonate to it. There is a famous music producer, Rick Rubin, who has produced so many great artists. I will not even go down the list. But just the biggest of the big stuff in his career. There is a great quote that says that he does not care about what the audience likes. What he cares about is making music that feels good and sounds good to him, and then naturally, if it is good enough, then other people are going to like it, but not everybody is going to like it. It is like Bob Dylan versus The Stones. Or The Beatles versus The Stones. They are very, very different things. Usually, you get people that are big Stones fans or big Beatles fans, but do you think The Stones were worried about whether people are going to like it or not?
Believe that, it is authenticity, go out and do what you want and the rest will fall into place. I am not making television for everyone. I am making television for me that I hope you will like.
Chris Avena: It is funny that you say that. As somebody who spends so much time in the outdoors, how has nature and the outdoors influenced your creativity, not only for the show, but in your songwriting?
Nick Hoffman: Yeah, it is in every way, shape, and form. There is not a single ounce of my life that is not affected by the outdoors. There is lots of different levels to that statement, but I did not grow up in a hunting family, so nobody in my family hunted. My dad had dabbled with a little bit of hunting when he was a teenager. My grandpa, I think, hunted a little bit as well. But nobody in my family hunted. In fact, when I started showing interest in hunting, I think my mom thought she had spawned a gremlin, she just did not get it. But I was always really interested in it. I know now, looking back at it, that started with me just wanting to be outside at the farm. It all started with me trying to catch snakes and follow deer tracks through the woods. I remember one time I tried to sneak up on a sleeping doe in the woods, and either if I did not touch her, I almost touched her, and it took me like two hours. Now I realized that was hunting. I was seven or eight years old, just off in the backyard behind our house. And that was hunting. I had this in my blood. I really believe that some people are wired to be hunters, and some people are wired to be gatherers. I was one of these people that has always paid attention to nature. I was always looking at the birds in the sky and curious about the worms that were underneath the board that you would pick up and I was just fascinated by all that. So now fast-forward to a guy who got introduced to hunting through a neighbor and has become this, “professional” hunter or whatever you want to call it. There is a huge journey there and all of it has been inspired by my love of animals and my love of nature. That is an oxymoron, right? The idea that hunters love animals. You know people say, “Well, you're a killer.” Sure, I go out and I kill something and fill my freezer and help manage populations and all these typical things that we all say. But I have got to be honest with you, killing is not my thing. I do not like the killing. I like the hunting. But there is not a single animal that I have ever walked up to, from a coyote to a hog, to a deer, to a duck, that I do not hold and touch and feel a tinge of… I am not going to say remorse, but I will say sadness. I think that there is an element of… respect is the word. I respect these animals, and I love animals. A great example is last night in the barn here. There is a possum that has been eating all our cat food and we think might have rabies, we are not sure. It looks kind of sick and I went out and my wife was like, “Hey, that possum's in there right now, you better go shoot it.” And a pit in my stomach just hit me. I do not want to go kill a possum. You know what I mean? There are some hunters out there who would be like “Yeah, wahoo!” That is not me. I do not want to just go kill something to kill it. Luckily for me I did not find that possum, so I came in and I did not have to do it. It is not that I will not. It is all good. I have done that 1000 times. But I am a hunter and sure, I guess that makes me a killer. But I am not a killer. I am a hunter.
Chris Avena: Yes, there is a difference. I love my dog. I love pets. I love to be around animals. Taking a deer or an elk or whatever we are hunting is a means to an end.
Nick Hoffman: For me, it is a very spiritual thing. It really is. I really feel a spiritual connection to the animals that we hunt. And I know again that sounds like an oxymoron, but I do and it is an exercise in spirituality for me, it always has been. And there's deer in the backyard every single night. I love to just sit with a beer and watch them. I love that. I love that so much, but I would be lying if I said that I do not occasionally, when they are sitting there be like, “OK. Where would I put the arrow?” So, like I said, it is an oxymoron, it is a contradiction in terms for sure.
Chris Avena: I agree one hundred percent. Are there any upcoming collaborations musically and professionally through your show that is upcoming that you can share?
Nick Hoffman: Yeah, I have got a brand-new solo album coming out soon that I am really excited about, and it has been in the can for several years and I just have not felt like it was ready to put out. But it is time and I think that is going to be coming out towards the end of the year. I am really excited about that. There's a couple of episodes coming out in the new season that have me singing some cool songs around the campfire. I have got a collaboration with my wife, Natalie Murphy, she has a couple of new songs coming out, one of them that I am featured on. I just did a collaboration with my buddy Chris Kroeze, who was on The Voice that you can find out now. It is called Crushing Cans and it is about a bunch of guys getting together to drink some beer on the campfire and get over a break up, and he and I are featured together on that and I am singing and playing a bunch of fiddles, so you can go find that right now. Chris Kroeze. K.R.O.E.Z.E. He's incredible. I have got a lot of fun music stuff coming out and it is hard to find the balance between a show that keeps me going all around the world all year. My hunting season is not just right now in the fall, it is year-round, because in March I am going to Argentina for water buffalo.
Then in April and May you find yourself in Australia, New Zealand, or Europe. There are all sorts of different seasons that are different than here. And I usually find myself in Africa at least once a year in different areas. I am going wide open all year round. And then of course you have got turkey season in there and I am not complaining though. Man, like I said, I am just checking off my bucket list. It is beautiful.
Chris Avena: That list just keeps getting bigger. The problem is, when you check off one, you add two more at the same time.
Nick Hoffman: It is hard to believe it, but in the last ten years since I started filming these nine seasons, I have been on nearly 150+ adventures all over the world. And man, it does not feel like that. It does not feel like 150. It feels like two years and ten trips. It has just gone by in the blink of an eye and it is not until I go and I see the mounts on the wall and I look at them and I start to see how many of them there are and every one of them is a memory. When I look through my phone, when I am searching for a photo, and it is just one cool adventure after the other. When I look through my Instagram, I just scroll through it occasionally, and then I am like “Wow, look at all this stuff that I have had the opportunity to do. How cool is that?” And you are literally looking at a dude that is living his wildest dreams. As a guy that grew up, reading Field & Stream and watching Jackie Bushman and Dave Watson on TV, I still just pinch myself. This is what I get to do for a living and I do not take it for granted for a second, I do not take a single ounce of this for granted and I am living. I wake up every day, I am a little more sore than I used to be when I wake up, but I wake up and I am just like “Here we go. Let us do it.” I am loving it. And I am fully aware that it is not always going to be like this, someday I am going to be looking back through those photo albums, remembering when. So, I am trying to be as present and, in the moment, as possible, because this is special what I am experiencing right now. It really is.
Chris Avena: Having a trophy room like that, every mount and piece of taxidermy is really a memory that you physically have in front of you that you can look at and actually remember that hunt, and who you were with, and how you did it, and what you went through. The whole thing comes flooding back to you.
Nick Hoffman: Absolutely. That is something that most people that do not hunt cannot really understand. I think my wife gets it, but the other day some people came over and there are some mounts hanging in my shop and I was just kind of staring at one of them and she made some comment that I was bragging to myself in my head and I am like, “No, I was picturing it coming in, and how much I shook, and my heart pounding, and all these things.” And it really does. They are time capsules. That is the stuff that people that do not hunt cannot really understand. What, why, and the how, and the feelings. And again, that spirituality behind it. It is like man, these are monster moments in my life. And I love the art of taxidermy too. I love a great taxidermist's work and seeing what they do and having all those mounts for me, it is an honor. That deer back there on my wall is not my biggest deer, but it is the only one that is up in our house. And it is because that deer deserves that honor, and there is a whole other story behind that. But he has got a place of honor there, not because he is the biggest but because he just deserves it. I will just leave it there.
Chris Avena: So, what can we expect this year?
Nick Hoffman: For season nine, it is pretty crazy, man. It is all over the map. I mean, everything from elk in Colorado to quail in Mississippi where I meet this incredible guy named Jimmy Bryan, who is doing incredible conservation work and he is putting his money where his mouth is to bring his family habitat back to the way it was in the 1950s and 1960s. Incredible stuff there. I go to Mexico to finish my world turkey slam and shoot and oscillate a turkey. I go to Spain to finish up my Spanish slam, which is all the seven indigenous animals of Spain. I go to New Zealand and hunt with a bow for the first time. I have been to New Zealand before, but I have always hunted with a rifle. Deer at our place in Kentucky. I mean it just goes on and on. It is not hard if you say it fast, right? Like, “Oh, we do this, do that.” But man, I mean, this year alone, I will have been gone well over 200 days, probably pushing 250 days of the year away from home, away from my family, away from everything. And that is the hard part. I mean, I love what I do, but for the same token, I would be lying if I said it is not hard to be gone. But someday I will be looking back at it going, “That's pretty cool. I am glad I did that.”
hris Avena: Yes, I can surely relate to that. Well, I appreciate you taking the time to speak with us today. I look forward to seeing you at the shows this season and let us connect again real soon.
Nick Hoffman: Absolutely man. Thanks for having me and thanks for doing what you are doing and flying the flag for all of us hunters, we appreciate you.
Chris Avena: We do what we need to do. Thank you again.