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Welcome to another edition of Whitetail Rendezvous. This is your host, Bruce Hutcheon, and I’m heading out to Southern California, Orange, California area, and I’m going to speak with Spencer Kirksey. Now Spencer is an AD, teacher, coach, and he builds character in young men and young women. So, Spencer, I’m so excited to talk to a hunter from Southern California.
Bruce, you’re my man. Thank you for having me, appreciate it.
Well, it’s exciting. And, you know, I think of the days that I lived in Southern California and worked up in San Jose, and I had a great time there. And I was also in the Coast Guard, I was stationed in San Diego. So I know plenty about the Southern California lifestyle and it’s quite something, but one thing that “quite something” doesn’t fit is hunting in Southern California, or hunting in California anywhere. Let’s talk about that. How did you, you know, become a hunter living in Southern California?
Well, yeah, you kind of hit the nail on the head there. “Hunting” and “Southern California” are two things you usually don’t hear together. But, so pretty much, you know, where I grew up, I grew up in Topanga Canyon, which is a little small town, city, out just south of Malibu. And it was pretty as country as you could get while still living in Southern California. We were tucked away in between the canyon and we had a big old creek running down it. And, I mean, I just grew up running up and down that creek bed and getting into some trouble, exploring and adventures growing up all through my youth.
So I really grew up just really running those mountains and creeks and living that outside lifestyle at a really, really young age. But, you know, like we alluded to before, you know, Southern California and hunting don’t really mix very well. So how I really started to get into the hunting lifestyle was my family through Texas. I’ve got a lot of family out in, like, the Round Rock, Texas area. And every year we would go out, you know, a week or so, it was usually around Thanksgiving time, and we would go plan a couple hunts.
“Hunting” and “Southern California”
are two things you usually don’t hear together
And that’s kind of how I started to get that need and want for it, and I realized that this is something that I really, really liked. But, you know, that was very part-time because it was only once a year and it was very seasonal for me. You know, once I was out of Texas, it was kind of out of sight, out of mind. But now that I’ve gotten older and I’m done playing baseball, I used to be a college-level athlete. And once I got out of all that, I started to get a chance to kind of revive that passion for the outdoors. And, you know, that’s kind of how we’re…that’s where we are now. You know, that’s how I got to be where I am right now, is all of that leading up to this moment.
Wow, that’s…you know, that’s interesting. I know I used to surf up by Malibu and I surfed once or twice Topanga Canyon where the creek comes out and there’s a sandbar there and stuff. And so a lot of people surf there, and I was surfing there early enough in the ’70s it wasn’t territorial as it is today. It’s just interesting, people have their home breaks and that’s their home breaks, “So get out of here.”
Yeah, yeah, yeah. “Locals only.”
That’s kind of the way it is. And I was pretty good, so I wasn’t…you know, I wasn’t getting in anybody’s way. But, anyway, talking to you brings back so many great memories of living out there.
That’s cool.
Yeah, it really is. And so, you know, where did you go to school, where did you go to college?
So we took Pacific Palisades High School, that’s where I played three years varsity baseball. Had a great time growing up out there. And then I ended up going to two local junior colleges right out to play baseball. One was Pierce College, played there for…well, I red-shirted, then played there a year, and then I went to Oxnard College to finish up my junior college experience for baseball. And then I went out to a school in Missouri, and that was a small NAIA school called Culver-Stockton College, I played there.
And then I oddly enough came home, wasn’t enjoying the Missouri experience. Imagine that, a Southern California boy in Missouri not enjoying themselves. But it brought me back home. I played a little, it was labeled as semiprofessional baseball. I played about a half a season and I just kind of hung them up. And right out of that I started my coaching career. And I’ve been coaching for, man, 10-plus years now. It’s been an amazing, rewarding experience. Lots of ups, lots of downs. You really…I really…it’s funny, I really gravitate toward the kid, you know, who would be labeled as a misfit. You know what I mean? Or the kid that has idle hands and needs something to do and is just looking for that channel or avenue to put forth all that energy. And I really kind of gravitate towards kids like that.
So that’s kind of how it all started with me. I came home, retired from baseball, went back to college, started getting my degrees. I’ve got a bachelor’s of science in kinesiology and I’ve got a master’s in athletic administration now. So, you know, that’s how it kind of all started with the coaching world for me. And now I’m a PE teacher in Southern California, an athletic director, and I coach, I still coach, baseball and I coach flag football when I’m needed. And, you know, I just…I enjoy being around athletics because, you know, at the end of the day you’re going to learn a lot about yourself, about others, and about life through athletics. And I think we can all agree on that. It’s just a really, really important part of life that you need to go through. And it doesn’t mean you have to become a professional athlete, but there are so many life lessons to be learned through not only athletics, but also being outdoors, as well. So that’s where I’m at. and you talk about that. I remember in my past there were some coaches I would play for and other coaches I wouldn’t. And the ones that I would play for I excelled and the other ones I just… That’s why I left college football, because I just didn’t want to play for the coach, we just didn’t click and it wasn’t…as I say today, it wasn’t a fit. And so I ran track all four years in Division III and that was that, but I get that. And some of the best life lessons I ever learned was on the field of competition and what the coaches shared with me.
So, you know, you do build and you have a huge impact on the character and the future lives of kids, those that want to accept it. Those that don’t, well, we know they all go to, you know, someplace else.
Yeah, yeah. That’s right. That’s right. You can lead the horse to water, but you can’t make them drink.
it’s just really an amazing, amazing thing when you see the impact people like you have on.
it’s just really an amazing, amazing thing when you see the impact people like you have on…you know, on kids. So, you know, props to you, that’s for certain.
I always think back. And if you talk to anybody who is in the world of athletics as an athlete, at some point in their life they’re always…there’s always that one, at least one, coach that they crossed paths with that made a difference in their lives. You know, hopefully for the better. But I know there’s always been at least one or two coaches that I’ve, you know, crossed paths with that, you know, I hang onto knowledge and life lessons that they’ve given me to this day.
I think that’s great. And the same thing with mentoring. Switching it back to the hunting community, the same thing that people mentor. I remember Otto Knight and Harry Shear, they were my two, you know, mentors, you know, for hunting. And, you know, I remember them today and there isn’t a time that people start talking about mentorship and getting me out there, or wanting me to get out there, and, you know, those two guys don’t come up. And so…you know, and that’s what we need more of in the outdoor sports today, is more mentors. And it’s not just shooting sports, or archery, it’s all sports, just getting kids outdoors. Because, as you see it, everybody got their head stuck in their PalmPilot or their smartphone or whatever it is and it’s a changing environment. You know, it’s just amazing.
Yeah, it really is. It really is. Technology is a great thing, but it also could be pretty catastrophic. And, you know, just taking the time to get outside. And just whether it’s…you know, don’t have to have a bow in your hand, you don’t have to have a rifle in your hand. You can go out and go on a walk and just… You know, one of my favorite things to do out in the mountains when it’s not hunting season is just go up as far as I can, climb one of the steepest mountains I can, embrace the “suck.” You know, I think that’s one of the biggest things that people get away from, is the thought of failure and the thought of, “Oh man, this is going to suck a lot, I don’t want any part of that.” But that’s when you find yourself, it really is.
And one of the things I love to do is go up that steep mountain and, like I said, embrace the “suck” and just sit there and just listen. And, you know, I’ll always love the saying “the sweet sound of nothing.” You know, when there’s so much business going on in our world with, you know, traffic and cars and people and commuting and whatever, you know, plug in whatever you want. But, you know, to be on the top of a mountain and it is so quiet that you can hear a bird’s wings flapping through the air, that’s where I want to be. And I love…I try to do that at least…you know, hunting season I’m doing it two, three times a week. But when it’s not, I’m trying to get up there as much as I can because it is really reviving for the soul to just be up there and just, you know, it is okay not to be doing something. You know what I mean? Like just being up on that mountain and just embracing and enjoying what Mother Nature has given us. And that’s one of my favorite times, to be honest, is just being up there and with nothing to do.
Yeah, it reminds me of yesterday’s sunrise in Central Nebraska. And I got up early and I was going to get up high on the ridges and stuff and look for mule deer. And, you know, the sun came up and I just kind of, you know, took my pack off, kicked back, and just watched the whole thing unfold. And the birds, you know, you could hear the cows mooing from a mile away, it seemed. They weren’t a mile away, but it seemed they were a mile away.
Yeah.
And it’s just it’s a beautiful thing. And, you know, thank you for sharing that, you know, that’s the wilderness experience that we all… And you can be in wilderness, folks, pretty close to L.A., actually.
I mean everyone thinks L.A., you know, big buildings and freeways and all that, but you don’t have to go too far to go find some mountains and get away from everything. I mean it’s not as easy as, you know, Montana or Colorado, a state like that, but, you know, we’ve got some pretty amazing mountains out here in Southern California.
Now are you a longbow hunter, or traditional hunter, or do you hunt with a compound?
I hunt with a compound. I don’t like to miss that often. No, I’m just kidding. Trad bow is awesome, those things are awesome, I love messing around with those things. You can’t get any more primal than that, in my opinion, is running a longbow or a trad bow. But my first introduction was with a compound bow, and that’s what I stick to when I’m out in the field and actually hunting.
Now share your hunting experience. I think you had a grip and grin, you had a picture up, and I think that’s what attracted me to, you know, invite you on the show.
Yeah. So, you know, and the whole term “grip and grin,” you know, I am not a…it’s not my style, I’ll say it that way, it’s not my style. I take… You know, you’ve seen my photos, I try to bring some artisticness, I guess, through my photos and photography and trying to connect that way with my Instagram content. But, you know, I was really, really lucky, this year I… Again, this is only my second year truly bow hunting and it’s been quite the experience. And just like we alluded to earlier, like, there are so many things I’ve learned just in the matter of months with the great outdoors.
And so we’ve been kind of sitting on this one spot, we’ve been really liking some footage from out cameras we liked, and we hunted there a few times with, you know, coming up with goose eggs. And we did an overnight day, slept in the back of the truck old-school, and got an early start. We really liked what we were seeing, went to full draw a couple times, but just wasn’t presented with an ethical shot, on a few different deer.
And as the morning grew older the sun was really starting to peak and I was, you know, really starting to think, like, “Well, dude, I think this might be it. You know, we might have to start thinking about packing it in.” And just as I thought that, I saw two young bucks come up on my right side, I mean out of nowhere. And one…and it all happened so fast, as it usually does. They came perfectly broadside, I picked the legal one, and he was…I mean he couldn’t be more than 20 yards away from me, had no clue I was there, and put it right through his lungs. It was a great shot, he was gone in 10 seconds. I saw him sprint up the side of a hillside behind some brush right in front of me and gave it about 45 minutes. Walked up, retrieved the arrow, saw some good blood, and went around the bend right where I lost sight of him and there he was. You know, so you can’t really ask for any more than that. You know, a great, ethical, clean shot and tried to make it as painless as possible. And that’s what I did, it was a great, great day. Oh man, I truly will never forget that moment, it was such an amazing experience.
So, one, you were on the ground, correct?
Absolutely. Yeah, yeah. So I was….it was really just me embedding myself in nature. There was a big downed tree that was at the bottom of kind of a little knoll and I kind of tucked myself away behind in there. There was a little bit of brush and this big downed tree. And, I mean, it was a big downed tree. And I kind of just…you know, I was literally just standing behind it. And the guy just popped up right in front of me. It was quite amazing, it couldn’t have gotten any better.
Now how did you put yourself in the right spot?
Now how did you put yourself in the right spot? Obviously, in the whole mountainside or hillside, you were in the right spot. How did that happen?
Oh man. You know, you pick up things, you kind of look at shooting lanes. And, you know, like for me, I found this one spot. I was like, “All right. Well, my back is covered, I’m in some shadows.” Because, you know, with bow hunting, or hunting in general, you try not to have a silhouette of yourself. So I put my back up against something and it just happened to be where I was I had a really big shooting window, and that’s kind of where my thought process was. So, you know, I wanted to stay back in the shade, I wanted my back up against something so I didn’t have a silhouette, and gave myself multiple shooting lanes. And that’s what I did.
But how did you know there was game around?
So I had been scouting that area for quite some time. And I’ve been hanging some cameras here and there and been really liking the activity that I saw there, and I decided to make it my number one spot. It was quite a drive, so I only had to go up there a few times. But we had the Holy Fire out here in Orange County. And obviously I would love to be able to hunt 30 minutes away or 20 minutes away. But since the Holy Fire hit and just torched acres and acres of land out here, they had shut down all access to a lot of the areas I had been scouting. And so my…this area became my golden goose, I had to get something out of there because I really didn’t have any other options.
So how many hours did you have to drive?
It was a solid three hours. A solid three, I would say. And then they… And where we ended up, you know, putting our blind down it was straight downhill, which was great getting there. But, you know, in the back of my mind, you know, I’m thinking, “Oh man, when I pull something out here, or if and when I pull something out here, this pack-out is going to be one hell of a tough time.” And it did not disappoint, that’s for sure. But it was so well worth it. I mean the full freezer I have right now and just the experiences and just, you know, the overall adventure of that weekend was worth it tenfold to me.
So did you go with a couple of buddies?
Just with one buddy, his name is Eric. I always give him crap for being redhead, even though I have red hair, as well. But he and I met almost around the same time. And we were at a local indoor archery range and, you know, he literally… I probably had a bow in my hand maybe two months before he did, so I was, I mean, just as green around the ears as he was. And I saw him come in, he had literally just bought a bow. And I just saw the deer-in-headlights look with him, he had no idea what he was doing. The guy is kind of like, “All right, here’s your bow, good luck.” And they just kind of dropped it off with him and he was, like, sitting there in the lion’s den, like, not a clue what’s going on. And so I kind of saw that look in his eyes and I just kind of walked up to him and was like, “Hey, bud,” like, “First day?” And he was like, “Yeah, man, I got no clue what I’m doing.”
And so, you know, again, this is coming from a complete rookie, as well. But, you know, I knew a little bit more than he did, so I just tried to help him out and give him as much information that I had and, you know, tell him the things that, “Hey, whatever you do, don’t do this,” or, you know, “These are the things that really work for me.” So I just tried to give him as much information as I could. And we actually became great friends. I was in his wedding just recently, just a couple months past, and he’s actually going to be in my wedding, I’m getting married in a month, literally a month.
So, you know, it’s funny, the relationships that happen over hunting
So, you know, it’s funny, the relationships that happen over hunting. You know, just two random guys in an indoor archery range.
Wow, what a beautiful story. That’s way cool. Now these are blacktail deer?
Yeah. So it’s been described to me as kind of a hybrid between a mule deer and a blacktail. But I would definitely go more towards a blacktail, if I were to have to pick one or the other. Definitely not a straight mule deer.
And what do they weigh? 150 pounds, 200 pounds, 100 pounds?
It all depends. I think mine was around, I should say, like 160, 170. It was probably around 170. But, yeah, I think it’s going to all depend. But, yeah, they’re not huge. You’re not pulling, you know, a 240 thing out of there, that’s not going to happen.
but that’s still a lot of meat. I mean you bring that out and you got a lot of meat.
I’m good. I still got another deer tag that I’m going to be looking to fill this weekend, but, yeah, no, it’s definitely a lot of meat, there’s no doubt about that. And I’m using everything, man, I’m using absolutely everything. I’m even using the bones for bone broth. I’m trying to use as much as I can out of everything.
I’ve got a friend who has a podcast, Living Country in the City, Sam Ayres, https://livingcountryinthecity.com/ and he works literally, and lives, in Hollywood, that’s where he handles. And just a great young guy, and so I’m going to introduce you two guys because I’m thinking you could get together, plus you’d be a great guest on his show.
Oh man, I would love that, that would be great.
Yeah, I’m making a note, I’m making a note right now to do that. You know, when you think about all the things you had to do to get to you to be able to, you know, let that arrow go and make your first harvest, you know, it’s an incredible journey. What are two or three things that you’ve learned out of that that you’d like to share with the listeners?
Oh man. Patience. Patience. If there’s one thing.
And trust me, I was never good at that. I was always kind of here and now, “let’s do this right now” kind of guy. But hunting has taught me one thing, and that is patience. Because you…before I had that first harvest I was sitting there for three hours, three hours, with nothing. You know? But if you’re a person who’s going to come into this kind of space and think that, you know, “It’s not a success unless I’m pulling something out,” it’s going to be a long day, it’s going to be a long year, and you’re probably going to end up quitting. You’re probably going to end up selling your bow, selling your hunting gear, and taking up something else, like golf or something.
Because it’s not for the faint of heart and it’s not for the person who needs something right then and there. It’s the slow burn, it’s the long marathon that has taught me a lot. But if there’s one thing I can drive home right now is it’s patience. But, and the whole thing about, you know, being successful, the whole success thing, hunting… And I’m stealing this quote from somebody. Hunting is the pursuit of something. Okay? So as long as you’re out there enjoying yourself, pursuing something, you’re being a successful hunter. Okay?
And like I said, if you’re only measuring your success by, you know, the size of the rack or you pulling something out of there, you’re missing the point, you really are. A successful hunt to me is being out in the great outdoors and enjoying yourself and the experiences and the relationships that you make with not only people, but, you know, Mother Nature. And just breathing it all…taking it all in. That’s the biggest thing that I want people to understand, is, you know, success is not just the size of the rack or pulling something out of that forest.
You know, it’s really the overall experience of just being out there and doing one of the hardest things to do, literally. Like, hunting is one of the hardest things I’ve ever tried to do in my life. And a lot of people can…I think that resonates with. Is because it is…just the amount of time it takes to be successful. And you can put in those hours and those days and those everything, the blood, sweat, and tears, you can put all those things into it and still be coming home empty. Okay? You know, the quote, “Coming up empty.” But that’s not me, like I’m never coming home empty because I’m always going to be that person to have that mindset of, “Man, that was an awesome experience.”
My first bow hunt ever I went out to Arizona. And I was with my future father-in-law and future brother-in-laws. And, you know, when you say the word “Arizona,” rain usually doesn’t come to mind. But, as luck would have it, we got rained out for four freaking days.
Oh no. Yeah, yeah. And, again, rain in Arizona, it’s like hunting in Southern California, it just doesn’t make any sense. But we got completely rained out, just some of the worst weather you’ve ever seen in your life, or definitely Arizona. And we were out there hunting javelina and it was just a complete goose egg, absolute goose egg. But I walked… And I remember the moment I was like, “All right, well, the hunt is over. I’m starting my decent, I’m going back to camp, and, you know, we’re going to have a couple beers and, you know, get the campfire going, and then we’re going to leave in the morning and that’s going to be that.”
And I was okay with that because all of these experiences and just the journey of everything, like thinking we’re close to a javelina and that thing just takes off on us. You know, just those kind of things. But I don’t want people to think, like, “Oh man, that was a waste of time.” Because if that’s your mindset, then, dude, do something else. Because it’s going to be rough for you because you need to have that mindset of just enjoy the moment, be there in the moment. And if you pull something out of the forest, you know, you punch a tag, good, awesome, congratulations. But don’t measure all of your success on that one moment because you’re missing out on so many other moments.
Well said. Well said.
I was rambling a little bit, but, I mean…
No, no, that’s perfect, because it’s the journey.
it’s the journey.
It’s just the journey
It’s just the journey. And I was finding a place to hunt, and so I had never hunted there before and cruised on over there and met so many great people, neat people, fun people, just to talk with in this little small community in central Nebraska this past week. And, you know, I was only up there for four days or whatever I was up there. And, but it’s the journey. Because now I’ve got memories of discussions with folks that have been on the same land for four generations, I mean that’s huge.
Yeah, that’s awesome.
that’s huge. And, you know, I never pulled the trigger on my crossbow, but that was okay.
just for the people I met. So props to you, well said, I really like how you said that.
Yeah, pulling the trigger or releasing your bow or, you know, whatever you want to plug in there, like that is just such a small part of it, it really, really is. All the other experiences of being able to kind of, you know, connect with the great outdoors and your friends and your family, like that’s…to me that is what you need to take away from hunting, not just pulling things out.
And that’s what we got to share with the people that don’t understand hunting. Now anti-hunters, they’re pretty much set in stone and they’re going to stay that way unless, you know…
It’s fun to talk to them.
it’s really fun to talk to them. You know, and there are some people that are so…just abhor me harvesting game that it’s nuts. But there’s a ground of people that they’re really not anti-hunters, they’re not for or against hunting, they just never had a conversation like you just shared and the experience. And look through the relationship you’ve developed with your buddy now and, heck, you’re in each other’s weddings.
absolutely. Absolutely.
So that happened because of hunting, but it’s just part of the lifestyle that we live.
And with the whole Instagram thing, you know, like I’ve met so many amazing people through this Instagram, I mean, whatever you want to call it, we’ll call it an Instagram journey. But I’ve met so many cool people from all over the world, literally all over the world, that I have great conversations with, we get to bounce ideas off of each other, different concepts and opinions, different hunting styles, different scouting styles, I mean you name it. And this is all around hunting, it’s all around all of our mutual passion for the great outdoors and just being out there in nature and just enjoying everything.
And I wish people could have those conversations with people like us to show them, like, we’re not just crazed murders out there just shooting anything that moves. And, you know, it’s crazy to me that that’s an actual thought that happens, or occurs in people’s minds about us. Because, yeah, I mean, don’t get me wrong, there are people out there that hunt and don’t do us any justice. And you’ll find that with any, I would say, hobby or profession.
There is always going to be somebody who doesn’t put your passion in the best light. That is just part of life. You know, not everyone is going to get along, not everyone is going to agree, and not everyone is going to play by the rules. But that’s just something everyone has to deal with and know that it’s a thing and just move on from it and just keep doing the right thing.
I was actually showing a video to a coworker not that long ago and it was…
his name is Eduardo Garcia
And, you know, I was actually showing a video to a coworker not that long ago and it was…his name is Eduardo Garcia http://www.chefeduardo.com/ and he’s a world-famous chef, wild-game chef. And he does these little short films with Yeti that are called the Hungry Life https://stories.yeti.com/story/hungry-life-series. And, you know, they range from 8 to 12 minutes long and they are just mesmerizing. Because he literally will go out anywhere and start gathering things from the terrain, he’ll go out and throw a fishing line out and pull out some trout, or he’ll go… You know, he had an episode out in Hawaii where he was able to harvest an axis deer with his bow, and then literally right then and there they build a campfire and he makes this amazing meal out of everything.
And I showed that video and I showed multiple videos to this person I work with who’s not necessarily against hunting, but, you know, it’s just so foreign to her. And I showed her this video, she’s like, “Oh my goodness, like, I had no idea, like, people like that exist and, like, you can do those things.” And I was just trying to show her, I’m like, “This is what it’s about, like, connecting with your food and connecting, you know, with nature and everything.” And that’s something that I really am trying to drive home with these people that, you know, have really no idea, like, what it should be about and what it really is about.
I like that. And there’s a lot of tools we can use, folks. So, you know, this hunting season, you know, good luck, everybody. But when you start thinking about telling your story after the hunt, use some great examples with people and just get them engaged. Because you never know, you know, what impact you’ll have on somebody else’s life that, you know, let’s just say, is neutral to the concept of hunting. They’re neutral because nobody has ever explained to them, nobody has ever taken them, and they don’t know the experiences of sitting on mountaintops or sitting in a slough, it doesn’t matter, just being out in nature is a wonderful thing.
absolutely.
You know, it’s just a wonderful thing.
And they don’t get that chance. You know, like you said, like, they just don’t know any better. And if…you know, if people like us can make a positive splash in those people’s lives and show them what hunting is really about, I mean that’s the ultimate goal in my mind, is to help people understand what hunting is really all about. It will always be me connecting with nature, I think that’s the most intimate way to connect with nature.
But, again, the meat, let’s talk about the meat. Like for me that is the…that’s the trophy for me. Like being able to provide for my friends and family and for myself this pure organic… Can’t get any more organic meat. And being able to be there the moment I harvest it to all of the hard work that goes through processing everything and being able to do that with my own two hands, knowing where my food is coming from, literally. Like I know exactly where it came from because I pulled it out of the forest myself, and then I processed all of it myself. And then be able to package and label and put it in my freezer, and then take it out and have a barbecue with my friends and family. Like what is wrong with that? “Absolutely nothing” is the answer. You know, that is something that I take great, great pride in, to be able to provide. And I want people to be able to see that and I want people to be able to understand that they can do that.
Well said. I mean I’m just…I’m sitting here saying, “Man, I could use this guy. You know, we should do an infomercial, we should put a video together.” No, in all seriousness. Because, as a young hunter, you’re very, very mature in what hunting is and what it isn’t. You’ve touched on so many things today and I just want to thank you for being a guest on Whitetail Rendezvous and sharing that. And I will get, you know, props to Sam Ayres, Living Country in the City https://livingcountryinthecity.com/. Sam Ayres, I will get you guys…you know, I’ll send an e-mail. Where it goes, I have no idea. But, you know, he’s an amazing young man, as you are, Spencer.
I would love to hook up, that would be great.
So any final thoughts before we close out this segment of Whitetail Rendezvous?
Any final thoughts? You know what? Enjoy it.
Any final thoughts? You know what? Enjoy it. Enjoy the process, enjoy the experience, enjoy…embrace the “suck.” Embrace the good times, embrace the bad time. Because at the end of the day those are the experiences that are going to make you who you are. And, you know, that’s what it’s really about, that’s what it really, really is about. Enjoying life and trying to positively influence other people. And that’s…those are my final thoughts, Brucie Boy, that’s all I got for you.
Well, you know, you’re the type of coach, I’d go through the wall.
I appreciate that, sir. I appreciate that.
Oh, yeah, you’re the type of guy that, you know, in my mind has got it pretty much figured out where I live. And, you know, who wouldn’t want to play, you know, or learn from a person like that? And the kids that don’t, you know, that’s the hardest part, I think, in your business. The kids that don’t, you got to let them go.
Yeah, yeah. And it’s sad because eventually you do hit a point where you’re like, “You know what? This isn’t working out. You know, if you don’t want to be helped, you know, I can’t keep breaking my back.” You know what I mean? Because there’s so many other people that need it.
Well, they’re looking for it, they’re just waiting for you to show up, like that guy with deer in the headlights.
Yeah, exactly. Exactly. I’ll make sure that I tell him that, “Bruce said that I’m your savior.”
I’ll make sure that I tell him that, “Bruce said that I’m your savior.”
I’d love to have him on the podcast, too.
Well, you just send my e-mail address and say, “Hey, I was just on the podcast with Bruce and you’re up next, buddy.”
Spencer: Sounds good. I’ll make sure that happens.
What’s his name?
His name is Eric Anderson.
Eric Anderson, okay. Yeah. All right. Well, buddy, I got to go and I got to get ready for my next show, but we’ll be in touch. And, you know, I don’t know the next time I’m going to be out in Southern California, but when I am we’ll meet at Duke’s in Huntington Beach and have a beer.
Absolutely. I’m looking forward to that day, Bruce. Thanks a lot for having me, man.
Okay, man. Talk to you soon.
All right, bye-bye.
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