Hunt Your Dreams
Just about every time we head out on a hunt, Ryan, Aaron, or one of our expert guests inevitably says,
“That’s why it’s called hunting, not killing.”
This bit of folk wisdom, while a nice deflection to the anti-hunting ilk out there, is also deeply true.
Ryan and I have spent eight days sitting in a meadow, letting out bull moose calls as if we were trying to catfish a moose or auditioning for some nature musical to an audience of exactly zero.
Except Ryan is a pro in the bush, and he wouldn’t catfish even a catfish.
The simple fact is: hunting for your food is hard. It takes time in the woods, a working knowledge of the species, and real proficiency with a firearm to even have a shot at success.
To hunt is to pursue something just out of reach—
seen or sensed, but never guaranteed.
It’s to step into the unknown with nothing but instinct, preparation, and hope.
To wait. To wander. To fail and try again.
The same is true in life.
What am I willing to endure to find what matters—or to chase what I desire? And if I never catch it, was the pursuit itself enough?
A few years ago, when we set out to film Finding Nowhere, it was just to make a video that captured the essence of the hunting experience.
Joel’s First hunt with inadequate gear
Ryan had been hunting for many years, but none of us—not even Ryan—owned high-end gear. When we decided to turn that one video into a streaming series with multiple episodes, we had to scrape together enough money to put fuel in our trucks, bullets in our rifles, and the right camera gear in our packs.
Photo Early Days of Ryan Hunting
When we finally had a few episodes cut together, we did what you do when you’re learning to bugle for elk in—we tried calling in a distribution partner and sponsors.
All of it paralleled my own bumbling through the woods as Ryan tried to teach me the way of the wild.
And somehow, after years (and tears—at least on my end), we cobbled together a first season that approximated a pretty fun rewilding show. We found a distribution partner. And just this past Summer, we kicked off filming Season 2 with morel foraging, bear hunting, and long-range shooting up in Dawson Creek.
Much like how, after sitting in a meadow long enough, a big ol’ bull moose finally meandered into view and some incredible things began coming together for our team.
Corlane Sporting Goods, an iconic hunting and gunsmithing institution that’s been doing its thing since 1962, came on board to sponsor the show. They provided us with custom Rocky Mountain Rifles, crafted by master gunsmith Greg Jonsson.
Joel and Ryan with Greg and Aaron owners of Corlane and partners on Finding Nowhere
Bannister Auto Group gave us trucks to carry us through all our crazy adventures. I mean trucks… Like actual trucks!
Ryan receiving his Finding Nowhere chariot with Mark, co-owner of GMC Bannister Autogroup Dawson Creek
Fit Physical Therapy designed bespoke training programs to keep our bodies mountain-ready.
Sam Moxon owner of Fit Physical Therapy putting Joel and Ryan through the paces at True North Fitness in Dawson Creek
Skre Gear not only outfitted us with incredible camo but also invited us on a once-in-a-lifetime hunt in the outback and down under which will take place in Spring 2026. More on Skre to come!
Ryan wearing his Skre Gear in the mountains of British Columbia
Joining them were Gatorz Eyewear, and Kershaw Knives. If you know tactical sunglasses, Gatorz takes quality to another level and as for the knives, which like most things in our show, I had previously been a connoisseur of ( our team obviously was) are truly incredible. I’m now converted to EDC!
Special edition Kershaw knife with Salmon design slices up fish for ceviche
And if that wasn’t surreal enough—Vortex Optics recently became part of the Finding Nowhere family. And in turn, we were welcomed into theirs-all of theirs.
Joel testing out Vortex Scope with RMR rifle in Skre Hard Scrabble Jacket
Much like the deeply rewarding feeling of lacing up your boots and heading into the woods to find an animal and put food on your table, setting out to pursue a dream, believing it’s possible, and watching it come to life through the support and generosity of others is its own kind of wild gift. It’s the gift of life.
There’s an absurdity to it, too—one that runs counter to the well-trodden path. No different than deciding you’d rather get your hands dirty putting meat in the freezer than pulling it off a shelf under fluorescent lights.
We achieve what we desire through effort. Through trial and error. Through the willingness to hunt for it—entering the wild with intention, but no guarantees.
But just like with hunting, there’s another element at work:
Provision is granted by a power greater than our own effort.
Some call it luck. Some call it grace.
We call it God.
And with that comes a responsibility:
To give back to all that made it possible.
That means honoring the good reputation of a store like Corlane's. The time and energy of a trainer like Sam Moxon at Fit Physical Therapy. The generosity of the folks at Bannister Auto Group, Skre, Vortex, and the many others who believe in a small show with a big heart.
Our intention is to give everything we can through Finding Nowhere—to entertain, to inspire, to inform, and maybe even bridge the gap between hunters and those with opposing views.
We’re the new kids on the block.
But we’re grateful to be in this position—on the eve of releasing Season 1, and at the onset of filming Season 2.
The hunt continues.