Top 10 Something in the Wild Videos of 2025 (Part 1: #10-#16)

I want to start by wishing everyone in the Something in the Wild community a very happy and healthy New Year.

Since I started this platform, it’s become a bit of a tradition to look back on the past year and revisit the top 10 videos. Not just by views, but by experiences, people, and moments that stuck with me long after the cameras were packed away.

So here we go.

This is Part 1, counting down #10 through #6. I’ll wrap things up with #5 through #1 in the next post.

#10 – Searching for North Carolina’s Finest Seafood

On this trip, Sammi and I headed to the Outer Banks of North Carolina with family for their yearly vacation. Good food, good company, and salty air… it doesn’t get much better than that.

We also towed our brand-new jon boat all the way down to OBX to chase blue crabs, flounder, bluefish, and whatever else decided to bite. While we caught some fish from shore, the real MVPs were the crab pots.

Once we had all the ingredients, Sammi’s brother cooked up a seafood feast fit for a king. Multiple dishes, each one better than the last, and the perfect way to cap off an epic coastal adventure.

#9 – Opening Day Success: Pennsylvania Spring Turkey Hunting & Fly Fishing

This trip was a springtime outdoor doubleheader with my college roommate, Ben Briggs.

We kicked things off waist-deep in a trout stream, fly rods in hand, while Ben’s new puppy worked on her swimming skills. After that, it was time for the main event, spring gobbler season.

We hunted as part of an organized community turkey hunt in Huntingdon, PA, on Ben’s family property. We had roosted two birds the night before, and as the sun came up, it didn’t take long for the woods to light up with gobbles.

The plan came together perfectly, and we sealed the deal.

This one meant a lot to me. It was my first successful turkey hunt. And now? I fully understand why people get absolutely hooked on the turkey hunting grind.

#8 – Winter Steelhead Fishing in Erie, Pennsylvania

This trip took me back north with my other college roommate, Owen McKeever, and his dad to the snowy banks of Lake Erie’s famous tributaries.

Every winter, I try to make at least one trip up to test myself with a fly rod against migrating steelhead. It’s cold, it’s challenging, and it’s completely worth it.

We had our ups and downs, but we met new people, reconnected with old friends, and spent time surrounded by the quiet and peace that only winter can bring.

This trip further cemented one of my core beliefs: you’ll never meet someone enjoying the outdoors who isn’t willing to help when you need it.

#7 – Bikepacking the Great Allegheny Passage Trail

This trip wasn’t about how many miles I rode, it was about who I met along the way.

At a random campsite on a random night, I crossed paths with someone whose trail name was Packrat. A true nomad in every sense of the word.

After a serious work injury, doctors told him he’d never hike again.

And, in the words of Michael Jordan… he took that personally.

Nearly two years later, Packrat had hiked from Washington State all the way to western Pennsylvania, never leaving the trail, living off the bare essentials, and mastering the art of putting one foot in front of the other.

We spent the fading light talking about his journey, my goals, and shared a simple but perfect gnocchi-and-sausage meal cooked over the campfire.

I don’t know where Packrat is now, and I may never see him again, but I’m incredibly grateful our paths crossed. That night felt special, and it’s one I won’t forget.

#6 – Backcountry Wilderness Deer Hunting in Potter County, Pennsylvania

I’m starting to notice a trend here, the better the trip, the more there is to say.

This one was my annual pilgrimage to Potter County, PA, to chase whitetails in the big woods. But this year, I did things differently.

Instead of one weekend, I went up twice. Once during archery season and again for the opening weekend of rifle season. I had one of the biggest deer I’d ever seen on my trail cameras, and I knew I needed to make a move.

What I found up there ended up meaning far more than any buck.

I found a truly wild place. Whitetail, bear, elk roaming freely, and not another human soul in sight. Not all day. On the opening day of rifle season.

That is incredibly rare.

There’s something powerful about being alone in God’s creation, soaking in the silence and stillness that only the big woods can offer. It’s grounding. It’s humbling. And it’s why I keep coming back.

Thank you so much for reading.

Stay tuned for Part 2, where I’ll round out the list with my Top 5 Videos of 2025.

Have a great New Year, everyone, and as always…

Keep It Wild.