Podcast 19 – Naked and Afraid with Matt Wright

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Our guest today is Matt Wright, a primitive survivalist and hunter best known for his appearances on the discovery channel show, Naked and Afraid. As western hunters, we constantly find ourselves immersed deep into the backcountry and with this in mind, it’s important to know how to get out of a sticky situation if it may arise.

Matt walks us through some of his most memorable hunts and moments from the show, along with various tips and tactics for navigation and survival in the wild. Matt also runs his own business, Extreme Instinct, where he teaches beginner to advanced survival classes and makes custom knives. For more info, visit his website at: www.extremeinstinct.com

Matt’s background where he recalls adventures with his dad and starting to shoot a longbow at age seven
Building traps and snares on the playground at school as a young kid
His background in the US Air Force and a hunting guide and how that helped with developing his discipline and outdoor skills
Getting involved with Naked and Afraid and being the first one to kill a big game animal
His South Africa adventures with Naked and Afraid which is currently airing on the discovery channel
Dealing with being naked and vulnerable in the wild and how to overcome that fear
Being mentally prepared and how it’s the difference between success and coming home empty-handed
How to prepare yourself mentally for any hunting scenario and how to become comfortable with being uncomfortable
How to deal with being hungry, fighting urges against bad choices and learning to turn off the feeling of hunger
The three stages of hunger and how prolonged periods without food heighten your senses, bringing you into a “primal” mode
Teaching beginner survival classes of basic outdoor skills as well as advanced classes that are catered to individual needs
Survival techniques and they help you become a better hunter in the modern world
Navigation through unknown terrain and what to look for without the use of a GPS or electronic devices
Telling time with a compass and how to tell direction with your watch
What to do when you first realize you are lost in the wild and the steps to take to get out unscathed
Building a backcountry gear kit and making sure you have the absolute necessities in regards to water, shelter, medical, and fire
The number one thing you should always do before heading into the backcountry alone
Why following a ridge is a better option than a creek when traversing mountain country
How to purify water and what to do if you don’t have tablets or a filter
Custom making knives that are built for a variety of needs and why they are so important in any outdoor situation
His third appearance on Naked and Afraid and how to watch the latest season airing this Summer
Teaching survival classes through his company, Extreme Instinct, that are catered to different scenarios that people experience