Thomas Mlsna
Founder/Head Coach

Experience is Knowledge

It's easy to look at someone else's success with skepticism and assume that you know why or how that individual succeeded, especially in today's world where everyone with a smartphone is an "expert". It's also easy to assume that someone more successful than you had some sort of edge or advantage, which directly related to their success. In my case, that edge was a wild desire to prove that mature bucks could be harvested in an area where no one else was consistently tagging quality deer. My main advantage was that I was unwilling to accept things as they were.

Over the years, I have been fortunate enough to harvest multiple "bucks of a lifetime". It would be easy to look at my success and assume that I am hunting a well managed farm, in an area with big bucks hiding behind every tree. This couldn't be further from the truth. I cut my teeth on a farm with high pressure, poor access, and a counterproductive management plan. I had little control over the property, and shared it with 17 other deer hunters. Hunting in continuously poor conditions, without a successful mentor, forced me to pave my own path. There were no podcasts, or even books that could relate to my situation. Eventually I came to realize that if I was going to be successful, I couldn't walk into woods with the attitude that I knew what was going on, because I didn't. Instead, I entered the woods with questions and worked hard to find answers. I started to recognize problems and create solutions. I became obsessed with information and dedicated to the details, and eventually things started to make sense. I began to see the woods differently and objectively.

About 15 years ago, I stopped hunting deer (plural) and started hunting specific, individual deer. With few bucks surviving to an age where they became distinguishable, I focused on one specific deer, mostly because I didn't have any other options. I could have a wall full of 140 class bucks, but I chose quality over quantity and was willing to eat my tag just for the chance to chase a true giant the following season.

For my first few years of this quest, I found myself on the verge of success, but failed to execute. I worked harder, and asked more questions, and things started to fall into place. Over the last 10 years, I have had 100% of my target bucks within bow range, and wrapped my tag on them 80% of the time.

Watch How Last Season Ended!

How it started

Like most Midwestern kids, I started hunting when I was 12 years old. They didn't have youth seasons or mentorship programs back then- just family traditions that recruited new members from within.

When I started hunting, the concept of killing a "big buck" was comparable to playing the lottery. No one in our group had accomplished said goal, despite the combined century of hunting experiences among them. Everyone just seemed to except that things would always be this way.

I was different. I wasn't willing to accept things for what they were. I was reading magazine articles about "pro hunters" killing mature bucks and managing for a better deer herd, so why did I have to accept that this was unachievable for our crew?

When I entered middle school, I was introduced to a man that understood my frustration. He was a tech-ed teacher, an avid hunter, and a pro-staff archer. He put a bow in my hand and encouraged me to spend time in the woods, not just hunting, but observing and learning. I quickly learned how rewarding deer hunting could be without feeling the need to pull the trigger.

Since that time, I have enjoyed some incredible experiences. I graduated from just trying to find mature bucks, to observing them and their reactions in all types of situations, to being able to anticipate their next move. I have learned something valuable from each step along the way.

Passionate about others success

For the last 15 years, I have worked in the outdoor industry answering questions and troubleshooting problems, and found or created solutions to help customers achieve their goals. I have had the privilege of helping thousands of hunters, biologists and professional researchers from around the world, while getting a taste of their perspective along the way. My role at the company wasn’t in sales; rather, it was to support the customers themselves. I was successful because I could relate to my customers and use my experience and knowledge to solve their problems. My passion is helping other succeed - whether it be customers or my fellow hunters.

I have utilized that experience and the perspectives of those customers to create a platform that allows me to be more hands-on and more helpful. I am now able to use my experiences and knowledge from years of intense whitetail hunting to speed up the learning curve and help my clients have the same success that I have had, without the years of trial and error that I experienced.

About the Brand

“Untamed”, is an adjective, not domesticated or otherwise controlled. “Ambition”, is a noun, a strong desire to do or achieve something, typically requiring determination or hard work.

The Untamed Ambition is more than just a company, it is a mindset and a lifestyle. No matter how big your goals are in life, if you want something bad enough and are willing to work for it, you CAN achieve any level of success.

Our sole purpose is to help you achieve your hunting-related goals; specializing in the pursuit of mature whitetails. Fair chase hunting is not easy, and every situation is different. Maybe you own a property- we can help you set that property up to provide quality habitat that will hold deer while maximizing your opportunities. Maybe you lease a property, hunt permission-based property, or are new to hunting and only have access to public land- we can help you in those situations as well.

The Untamed Ambition is as much a coaching company, as it is a consulting company. We help our clients achieve their goals through a hands-on educational process. Every situation is different and conditions are always changing, so we put a strong emphasis on customer communication and support, not just for one day of consulting, but for an entire season.