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Kent Boucher

@first.gen.hunter

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Christ Follower | Husband | Dad | Prairie Farmer @hokseynativeseeds | Writer | Host of The First Gen Hunter Podcast & @theprairiefarm Podcast

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I was 10 years old and exploring my grandpa’s farm when I first discovered these woods. Upon this discovery my desire to experience this place as a participant instead of a spectator was born. In some instinctive way I knew this small slice of wild was home to equally wild critters.

That’s when my 23 years of pursuit began. I had no idea how long it would take, but I knew I would stumble my way into hunting this sacred ground once I was able to take up the discipline.

The first years were clumsy, but slowly I got closer. That’s the process when you learn how to hunt. Thankfully I had some help along the way, the most significant coming from my good friend Caleb @allamerican_outdoorsman who helped me select a better location for a stand back in September. While we were hanging the second climbing stick a mature 10 point interrupted us and validated Caleb’s choice of tree, and supercharged our confidence.

I hunted this stand a few times when conditions were right, and even had the 10 point cruise by at 30 yards but no clear shot was available.

Finally 18 minutes into legal light on Tuesday morning 23 years of dreams became reality.

This old white faced 15 point buck walked down a trail in the vicinity of a hub scrape. I was watching a doe and looked up just in time to settle my muzzleloader on his vitals.

I heard him crash and found him within 50 yards of my stand. He passed instantly, and in the most peaceful setting under a half fallen hedge tree with leaves softly floating down on him like big green snowflakes.

With that our own experiences in those sacred woods became permanently connected.

#deerseason #deerhunting #whitetails #deer #earlymuzzleloader #iowa #bbd #trophybucksofiowa #bucktober #hunting #cva #muzzleloader #muzzleloaderhunting #ishotitwithmycva #october #spartanforge #firstgenhunter by @first.gen.hunter

🐸 🚨

Well, I found it. The shed that has haunted my dreams for years was right there in the wide open. Ripe for the scooping. @calebdrake can attest to my wild celebration as I literally hopped out of the truck while we were driving out of the field so I could pick it up before I blinked twice.

Guess I’m going to have to start dreaming bigger if I’m going to beat this one.

#shedhunting #sheds #shedicated #antlers #shedseason #shedhunter #deerhunter #whitetails #iowa #milesforpiles #dream #dontpinchme #dontblinktwice #toad #hammer #firstgenhunter by @first.gen.hunter

I remember seeing shoulder mounts as a kid and marveling at the size and beauty of the buck, and then the skill of whoever was responsible for putting him there. As a kid who didn’t hunt I figured it would be a long time before I ever had a need for a taxidermist, and I was right. I’ve been blessed to tag a handful of bucks in my 7 years of hunting, but ol’ Curly here was the first who required having his cape stay with his rack. I am still pinching myself that I ever got to the point where I could enjoy this experience.

The best part of all of this is I tagged and dragged him with my brother, dropped him off at the taxidermist with @kaitlyn.boucher and the kids, and picked him up with my dad.

Hunting brings people together.

Didn’t @oldbarntaxidermy do an incredible job with him? @loker_outdoors is one of the best artists in the field.

Now it’s your turn to tag your dream.

#deer #whitetail #bigbuck #trophybuck #trophybucksofiowa #wallhanger #shouldermount #bbd #chasingdreams #deerhunting #ishotitwithmycva #thewhitetailstate #iowa #spartanforge #firstgenhunter by @first.gen.hunter

Heartland Americana by @first.gen.hunter

What Invasive Weeds Are On The Best Prairie In The Midwest

Check out the full episode on The Prairie Farm Podcast
Ep. 354 The Man Who Manages the Most Diverse Prairie We’ve Ever Seen by @first.gen.hunter

Most Impactful Moment On The Best Prairie In The Midwest

Check out the full episode on The Prairie Farm Podcast
Ep. 354 The Man Who Manages the Most Diverse Prairie We’ve Ever Seen by @first.gen.hunter

Fall in the heartland. Pinching myself. by @first.gen.hunter

Just harvesting a little Rattlesnake Master

Yes, we still regularly use all crops on our farm, although we are a little concerned that we won't be able to in the future, as they are all starting to wear out across the United States.

Looking for Native Seed? We can help! by @first.gen.hunter

What Kind of Spider Is This??

Looking for a backyard prairie?
We can help!
Reach out today by @first.gen.hunter

I’ve been thinking about this photo lately. It was given to me by a relative who recently passed away in his early 90s. I had been pumping him for information about our family history in the area and who farmed what and where. The next time I saw him he gave me this picture. At that time I never expected to be connecting so much with these unnamed and overworked faces even though I had always wanted to. Within a few months of receiving it I was on a farm learning how to use and maintain antiquated equipment necessary for harvesting a very diverse array of crops. That ancient equipment brings us to a point of overlap- their latest and greatest, my old and tired. They had it harder, but I have the privilege of stepping into their shoes on occasion when I have to rig up some fix to finish a field, or use a 100 year old flat chain breaking tool to get a pull type combine running again. In those moments I get to feel a little bit of what their day was like. But the thing that I feel the most is how important it was then to have a strong team to work a harvest. Those guys in that picture had their own skill sets, their own conversations, their own moments of active and passive aggression toward each other, they fixed each others mistakes, and they survived together on what the Iowa dirt yielded for them. And because we have the privilege to harvest 35 different crops @hokseynativeseeds we depend on a tight and capable team to get our own harvest done not far from where they all gathered around their steam tractor and threshing machine for this photograph.

Thanks @juddmccullum @_hoksbergen87_ @iowaprairiebison and @nicolasrlirio I couldn’t ask for a better harvest crew. by @first.gen.hunter

This just... isn't how you want your harvest to go...

We'll be releasing a full vlog on our harvest season soon. You won't want to miss it. by @first.gen.hunter

A special shoutout to Hoksey Native Seeds and Prairie Farm for their work growing native habitat and making a difference for wildlife and lands across America.

The Flush airs on the @outdoorchanneltv on Mondays @ 4:30 PM, Tuesdays @ 1:30 PM, Wednesdays @ 5:30 PM, Thursdays @ 8:30 AM, Saturdays @ 12:30 PM & Sundays @ 6:30 AM (all times Eastern)

Presented by: | @federalpremium | @northdakotalegendary | @onxhunt | @benelli_usa | @proplansportingdogs | @ruff_land_kennels | @waltonsinc | @garmin | @kickschokes | @bigtimberfasteners | @chiefupland | @dewalttough | @wells_lamont | @southwire | Superior pump | @pheasants_forever | @onxfish | @myrunnings | @mrheater

#hokseynativeseeds #conservation #iowa #nativeseeds #uplands by @first.gen.hunter