Vogt Feature: Nate and Sereena Thompson

Sereena Thompson is a mother, wife, hunter, rancher, marketer, blogger, and all-around outdoor enthusiast. She is the co-founder of Nature’s Paint, a natural alternative to traditional camo face paints. As an NRA certified rifle instructor and USA archery level 2 instructor, Sereena is passionate about educating others in the world of hunting and outdoor skills, especially women and kids. Her husband Nate is a hunter and full-time mechanical engineer who designs equipment, rifle targets, and more through his business .

The Thompson family lives in the Pacific Northwest where they are currently building a home. Sereena blogs about her homesteading life, including healthy cooking, hunting, ranching, and much more, at sageandpinehomestead.com.

We caught up with Sereena and Nate to ask about their love for the outdoors, ranching, and the Western lifestyle. 

You and your husband are both so involved in the outdoors industry! Can you tell us a little more about your background and what led you to this space?

Coming from a ranching and hunting family, I have always loved the lifestyle. However, it wasn’t until about six years ago when I founded Nature’s Paint, an all-natural camo facepaint company, that I became heavily involved in the outdoor industry. I never thought that creating a company to help with one of my own pain points (sensitive skin while bowhunting) would lead to lifelong friendships and many amazing adventures.  

Tell us more about what makes the outdoors industry so special.

We love the close-knit nature of it all. We have met some of our very best friends through this industry. It amazes me how a whole community can have your back, no matter what you need. It truly is amazing!

 

Do you have a favorite hunt?

We both love to hunt anything we can, but our absolute favorite is elk.

Conservation is a cause that hits close to home for Vogt. As a family with roots in both ranching and hunting, how do you view the challenge of conservation? Do you see a synchronicity between these passions; a shared purpose?  

 I absolutely see a shared passion and purpose. I believe both ranching and hunting contribute hugely to conservation and we all share the same goals. We want to protect our livestock and game numbers through predator control and habitat restoration.

Facts:

  • Cattle and livestock help restore habitat, reduce fuel for fires, and build up the soil through range management.

  • Stock water through water holes and guzzlers set up by ranchers also water game animals.

  • Ranchers collectively pay millions of dollars every year to combat predator control to save their livestock during calving season.

  • Lots of ranchers are also hunters and they donate to many conservation groups yearly.

  • Through state licenses and fees, hunters pay $896 million a year for conservation programs.

  • Hunters help manage growing numbers of predators such as mountain lions, bears, coyotes, and wolves. The government spends millions to control predators and varmints while hunters have proven more than willing to pay for that opportunity. 

I believe that if ranchers and hunters work together, we can expand our efforts and come together to contribute even more to our conservation efforts. As Mother Teresa said, “together we can do great things.”

 

As a lover of the outdoors, what is the legacy you and Nate want to leave for the next generation?  

Nate and I really pride ourselves on helping women and kids get into hunting and the outdoors. We have put in lots of time creating an online “Learn to Hunt” course that helps prepare and teach people to plan, prepare, and hunt. We also volunteer hundreds of hours a year with the Raise ‘em Outdoors kids camp and Ladies Hunting Camp, teaching them how to shoot and hunt so they can be self-sustainable if need be.

 

You were fortunate to grow up in a ranching family, a lifestyle where you were naturally exposed to aspects of this Western way of life like hunting, fishing, and hiking. For others who aren’t so blessed, how would you recommend they get started and make a connection with the community?

Most everyone in the outdoors community is willing to help in any way! My best advice would be to reach out to some of their local conservation groups (Oregon Hunters Association, Mule Deer Foundation, etc.). They often have mentoring programs to help. They can also hit me up, my Learn To Hunt Course has an amazing community of new and veteran hunters all willing and eager to help newbies any way they can!

 

What are your favorite Vogt pieces? 

Sereena: The brand-new bar necklace collection, Whitney Ring, Russet Running Oak Leaf Belt, and Whitney Pinto earrings.

Nate: The Western Russet Basket Weave belt and elk money clip.

 

As a mechanical engineer and owner of Bouldercreek MFG, Nate has a unique appreciation for craftsmanship. Many of our customers with similar backgrounds chose Vogt because we are a multi-generational, family-owned company that takes pride in our work; we guarantee every piece for life. When you come from a craftsmanship background, that means something.

Bouldercreek MFG is also a family-owned company that we hope to grow and eventually hand down to the kids. As an engineer, Nate takes a lot of pride in creating custom pieces, signs, targets, and more for his customers. You can say he’s a perfectionist and nothing is done, until it is done perfectly.

 

A lifestyle in the great outdoors can take a toll on your tools and accessories. How do you and Nate choose pieces that will hold up? And how do you see Vogt fitting into these priorities?

From hunting to working on the ranch, we have to have gear and accessories that will last. As you know, it’s no easy or light task. Nate and I look for companies that are family-owned and take pride in what they create. From our experience, this combination leads to quality craftmanship and work and that is where Vogt comes in.

 

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