Episode 102: Ben Brochu of Hinterland Outdoors

In this episode, Erik sits down with Ben Brochu of Hinterland Outdoors for a wide-ranging conversation about hunting, trapping, wildlife management, and adventure in the Canadian wilderness.

Ben shares his journey from growing up around trapping and the outdoors in Alberta to building Hinterland Outdoors and guiding hunters across remote country. The conversation covers everything from moose, bears, wolves, whitetail, and mule deer to the realities of trapping species like marten, fisher, wolverine, coyotes, and foxes.

Ben also tells the story of taking his family on a five-month sailing adventure in Mexico, embracing a simple philosophy of asking, "Why not?" instead of waiting for the perfect moment.

We dive into wildlife management, predator control, conservation, public land, and the challenges of balancing healthy wildlife populations with the needs of the people who live and work on the land. Erik and Ben also compare hunting cultures in Canada and Sweden, discussing everything from regulations and predator management to the different ways hunters experience the outdoors on each side of the Atlantic.

Highlights include:

🪤 Trapping marten, fisher, wolverine, coyotes, and foxes

🫎 Moose, bear, whitetail, and mule deer hunting in Alberta

🐺 Predator management and wildlife populations

🌲 Conservation and responsible land use

🏕️ Building Hinterland Outdoors and guiding hunters

⛵ Sailing from Canada to Mexico with family

🌍 Comparing Canadian and Scandinavian hunting culture

⚖️ Hunting regulations and wildlife management

🎯 What makes a true wilderness hunt different

🔥 Problem wildlife control and working with landowners

A great conversation about hunting, trapping, adventure, conservation, and the people who choose to live close to the land.

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Following the Trails. Telling the Tales. 🐾🎙️🌲

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