Most know Kristy Titus is the host of the first-rate outdoor program Pursue the Wild and the founder of the Wild & Uncut podcast.
But she’s also a horse and mule lover, you might know her as an equine enthusiast who loves nothing more than spending quality time in wild lands with her four-legged family members.
But there’s more to Kristy than meets the eye. From competition shooter and avid hunter, to conservationist and Second Amendment advocate, Kristy spends her life pursuing and sharing her passions.
In an exclusive interview with Hook & Barrel Magazine, we explore what makes Kristy tick.
Kristy Titus: From Rabbits To Elk Via Mules
Born and raised in central Oregon, Kristy came by her love of the outdoors, like many do, through family. And she got started at an early age.
“I was raised from the time I was two-years-old with mules and packing into the backcountry with my parents,” Kristy recalls.
“It was kind of how we spent our free time, and still to this day, I’ve never been to Disneyland.
“We did our family trips fishing in the high lakes and packing in and just enjoying wild places.”
Her hunting career started early, also. Although regulations that require youth to be 12 years old to get an Oregon hunting license held her back more than she would have liked.
“My first hunt was for rabbits with my dad, but my first big game hunt was a cow elk,” she says.
“It was in Oregon, and my dad and I went on a late-season cow elk hunt. We had our mules, and we basically rode around in the snow until we cut tracks for elk, then just followed the tracks.
“I was able to harvest my first elk with the aid of my mules.”
Soon, Kristy realized her calling was in wildlife and conservation. She started working with Safari Club International in her 20s and did her first hunting TV show with Expedition Safari TV.
Later, she also began working with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, where she co-hosted Team Elk for six seasons.
READ MORE: Why Whitetail Hunters Need MTNTOUGH’s Backcountry Fitness Training
Kristy Titus on Her Horse and Mule Hunting Partners
One thing you learn quickly when talking to Kristy is that her life centers largely on her horses and mules.
In fact, calling her an “equine enthusiast” really doesn’t do her passion justice.
She currently owns a horse and seven mules, with two little ones expected this year.
“Horses and mules keep me grounded,” she says. “They’re very humbling, and they’re very honest.
“You know, you get back out of them what you put into them.
“So, if you put a lot into them and you have a good relationship with them, then when you go in the mountains, they’ll work unquestionably hard for you.
“Then you can have the same goal in mind, and both of you work toward the same purpose. If things go wrong in the backcountry, I always take a look at where I failed as a leader.”
For Kristy, her mules make perfect hunting partners. And they contribute far more than just being good company, supplying transportation and packing out harvested game animals.
“A lot of times, I’ll ride somewhere and tie up and go glass or whatever,” she says.
“But I’ve got to be very in tune if my mule is looking at something. If so, I should probably be looking, because there’s something out there.”
Kristy Titus On Long Range Precision Shooting
Of course, shooting and hunting are also big parts of Kristy’s lifestyle.
Now that she has moved to Wyoming and owns her own property, where she is building her home, finding a range is easy.
“I used to do quite a good bit of competitive shooting, so I like to shoot long-range precision rifles,” she says.
“I’ve historically done PRS or NRL hunter competitions. I just love shooting firearms, so that’s a lot of fun for me.
“I have a range at my house where I have steel targets out to 1,080 yards. I’ve also got a lot of reactive pistol targets, and some really great .22 rimfire stages.”
Kristy Claims Elk Hunting Changed Her Life
As for hunting, her high-country heritage has always drawn Kristy to mountain hunting deep in the wildest places.
Mention elk to her, and you’ll soon find them to be another of her passions.
“Elk hunting was life-changing for me,” Kristy says. “Learning how to call elk was life-changing for me.
“The best memories of my life have probably been elk hunting with my dad.
“This year my dad and I were together when he shot a rifle elk with me on public land here in Wyoming. I got him 65 yards from the bull during rifle season. I just love that stuff!”
Pursue The Wild Origin Story
Traveling for and filming her Pursue the Wild program takes much of Kristy’s time, of course.
Not only is it a labor of love, but it was a long time in the making.
“I came up with the name of the show in my twenties, so I had put this vision or hope that someday I would have an adventure lifestyle show,” she says.
“Then, I just kind of waited for the right opportunity to launch it.
“And I wanted it to be not just hunting. I wanted it to encompass all aspects of pursuing the wild, whether it be from a conservation standpoint—this is how hunters are conserving wildlife—but then also showing that Western lifestyle.”
Kristy Titus And Her Ruger Firearms Connection
One thing Kristy particularly enjoys about making the program is the connection not only to the land and wildlife, but also to others in the hunting industry.
“I love having that tie with tradition,” she says. “If you think about Ruger firearms, they’re traditional firearms, American-made firearms.
“The fact that I get to carry a Ruger firearm and hold on to that tradition with the traditional backcountry lifestyle here in Wyoming just shows how it’s still relevant today. I love that.
“To me, it’s so important to show not just the pursuit or the successful hunt, but showing the friendships and everything that goes into it along the way, including the important work we’re doing in conservation.”
READ MORE: Ruger Precision Rifle and EOTECH Vudu Scope: Gun Review
Kristy Titus’ Wild & Uncut Podcast
Kristys’ Wild & Uncut podcast came about at the urging of a friend and business associate, Randy Newberg, who had given her great advice in launching her digital platform.
The addition of the podcast has not only enriched Kristy’s life, but has expanded the reach of her wild country and conservation message.
“What I think makes my podcast kind of fun and unique is I don’t do anything on Skype or Zoom,” she says.
“Everything is in person and on location. So, if you’re somebody I encounter and I feel like you have an interesting story, I want to sit down with you and talk for an hour.”
In addition to the podcast, if you haven’t heard of Kristy’s jewelry line, you’re missing out.
The Pursue The Wild collection is crafted by Montana Silversmiths, the same company that makes the champion buckles for the National Finals Rodeo.
“When I was crafting my pieces, my goal was to do something that was not traditional to Montana, which is that Western lifestyle, but traditional to hunting culture,” she says.
“I wanted a father to be able to buy his daughter a necklace that commemorated her first deer or her first elk, or a husband for a wife, or two sisters that went on a hunt together or friends to kind of commemorate a journey.
“I love the stories that people come tell me of, ‘My dad got me this necklace. It’s exactly what I wanted.’”
READ MORE: Cheyenne Frontier Days Guide: Where To Stay, Eat, And Party
Kristy Titus on the Future of Hunting and What’s Next
The future of hunting is something Kristy cares deeply about. She also has some ideas on where we should head—and how to get there.
“The future of hunting really is in the court of public opinion,” she says.
“So, it’s our job right now as hunters to show not only the relevance, but the importance of hunting going forward.
“It’s not just about putting food on the table. It’s that our Pittman-Robertson dollars are contributing to conservation.
“And we, as hunters, have created the most successful model of wildlife conservation in history, one that pretty much every other country in the world tries to emulate to bolster their own species.”
Despite her busy life, Kristy has no plans of cutting back on her schedule anytime soon. After all, she truly enjoys everything she is involved in.
“I’m going to keep doing the TV show,” she says. “We’re going to film season 10 for Pursue the Wild this year. And I’m going to continue with the Wild and Uncut podcast.
“In addition, I’ll be doing more equine-related content along with the shooting sports, hunting, archery and other things.”
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