Rebel Talk: The Hunt
This weekend marks deer opener in Minnesota — a tradition that’s always carried a special kind of weight for me. Some of my best memories as a kid were sitting beside my dad, bundled up in layers, breath hanging in the cold air, waiting for that first glimpse of movement through the trees. Back then, I didn’t realize how much those hunts would shape me. It wasn’t just about deer. It was about patience. Discipline. Respect. And being part of something bigger than yourself.
For years, I’ve wanted to give my boys that same experience. But life, as it often does, made that easier said than done. Between the divorce, rebuilding from scratch, and clawing my way back financially, the dream kept slipping further away. I didn’t have the land, the setup, or the time. But last year, things finally shifted. I secured the land. I prepped what I could. And this season — finally — we made it happen.
It’s just me and my oldest son out here. Four hours from home. No safety net. Just us, the woods, and a goal that’s been years in the making. The gear, the setup, the planning — all of it has been daunting. But as we sit here, camping on our land, tucked into an Ice Castle fish house while the Northern Minnesota air bites below 20 degrees… I realize something.
This is The Hunt.
Not just for deer. But for life itself.
Every one of us is hunting something. Maybe it’s success. Maybe it’s love. Maybe it’s peace after years of chaos. The trophies might look different — a new business, a healed heart, a proud smile from your kid — but the pursuit is the same. It’s gritty. It’s lonely at times. It tests your patience and your will. But if you want something bad enough, you’ve got to go after it. You’ve got to step into the cold, face the unknown, and trust that the effort will be worth it.
That’s what this trip represents. Years of pushing through, rebuilding, believing that one day I’d have this moment — watching my son experience what I did as a kid. It’s not perfect, it’s not polished, but it’s real. And that’s what life’s hunt is all about.
So whatever you’re hunting — keep going. Stay ready. Prepare the land. Brave the cold. Because when that moment finally comes, when you realize you’ve built something worth remembering, it’s a feeling no one can take from you.
Keep hunting. Keep building. I promise you, it's worth it.
Stay Relentless, 🦌
Ryan
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