Hunt Team Member

Peterson grew up in Colorado and at an early age fell in love with the outdoors, going camping, fishing and skiing with his family. It wasn’t until high school that he started hunting waterfowl with his friends and even later after college that he started big game hunting with his brother-in-law and sister. After his first Colorado backcountry hunting experience he was hooked. But he realized that to be successful you could not just show and go. You must be prepared both physically and mentally.

Peterson has a bachelors degree in exercise science and a masters degree in human sports performance. He interned at Authentic Performance where he worked with a wide variety of athletes from youth all the way to veteran NFL players. He worked as an assistant strength coach at the University of North Georgia. Where he was responsible for the strength and speed development of the baseball, softball, and men’s golf teams. He then moved on to work for the Houston Astros in their minor league system. Durning his time there he worked with the AAA affiliate as both a baseball and strength coach. His main focus was improving the players’ outfield and bae running performance, while also helping with rehab for the big-league Astros players. Peterson finished his time with the Astros working with their rookie ball player as a strength and conditioning coach. His focus was improving players athletic ability and minimizing risk of injury.

Michael Barnes owns and operates a training facility and a human performance consulting business in Colorado Springs Colorado. Barnes is a lifetime outdoor enthusiast, hunting, camping, hiking and fishing around the US. Mike, a dedicated family man with an unquenchable love for the outdoors, made the life-altering decision to relocate his family to the picturesque state of Colorado in 2000. With a heart that yearned for adventure and a soul deeply connected to nature, he knew that Colorado’s breathtaking landscapes, from the towering Rocky Mountains to the serene alpine lakes, would provide the perfect backdrop for their new chapter. Surrounded by pristine wilderness, they embraced a lifestyle that revolved around hiking, camping, and exploring the natural wonders that Colorado had to offer. For Mike, this move was not just a change of scenery; it was a commitment to creating lasting memories and instilling in his family a profound appreciation for the beauty and serenity of the great outdoors.

Michael Barnes brings over 25 years of experience to the strength and conditioning/ fitness industry. His previous experience includes working in Division I athletics at the most successful collegiate programs, several years in the National Football League with the San Francisco Forty Niners, and the Director of Education with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Michael is an author, speaker, subject matter expert, industry consultant and practitioner. He holds three of the most respected professional certifications in the industry, as well as a master’s degree in Exercise Science. He has presented to coaches, athletes and fitness enthusiasts of such organizations as USA Triathlon, USA Rugby, the World Class Athlete Program of the US Army, the NCAA, US Ski and Snowboard Association, USA Judo, the US Association of Deaf and Blind Athletes and many more. He has traveled the world visiting such countries as Japan, Australia, Puerto Rico, Bermuda, Greece and Denmark educating, training, and interacting with leaders in the fitness industry.

Mike has fused his deep-rooted passion for the outdoors and his professional expertise forming the cornerstone of his visionary mission. “Teaming up with H3O was a natural fit”, said Barnes. “With the ultimate goal of H3O to emerge as a pioneering force in the outdoor industry and the sole evidence-based company that seamlessly integrates physical conditioning for high-altitude big game hunts with precisely tailored training.” This unique approach is aimed at empowering hunters to optimize their skills, enhancing their capabilities to embark on successful hunting expeditions and fill their tags consistently. Barnes has an unwavering commitment to revolutionize the way hunters prepare for and approach their passion, infusing it with a scientific and results-driven methodology that not only heightens their physical prowess but also deepens their connection to the wild, ensuring a more fulfilling and fruitful hunting experience.

MEd, CSCS

Performance Consultant

Current Load Out

EdD, NASM – CPT, CES

Performance Consultant / Data Scientist

Andy Wolfe grew up in the hill country of Texas and was inspired to explore the outdoors by its father, Albert Wolfe III. For over 20 years, Albert, Andy, and his four brothers collectively managed the wildlife of a 1000+ acre ranch just outside Lampasas, Texas. There, Andy’s hunting experience began at the ripe age of four years old, when he “stuck” his first small game animal (squirrel) with his toy Bear bow and arrow. He progressed to annual dove hunting and Whitetail deer pursuits, harvesting his first Whitetail buck at age 10 and transitioned to archery hunting at age 13, taking down his first whitetail buck at age 14 with a bow. These foundational experiences have propelled Andy’s hunting practices around the globe, where he has hunted the mountains of Arizona for elk, the bush of Africa for multiple African species, and the deep sea of the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific for various marine life. Throughout his hunting and fishing expeditions, he has harvested over 20 different species, yet his greatest trophies are the memories of fellowship, friendship, and fitness that accompanies outdoor pursuits.

Currently, Dr. Wolfe serves as an Assistant Professor of Health and Human Performance and Director of the Kinetic Performance Laboratory at Tarleton State University. Andy primarily teaches courses that explain theoretical constructs and applications of exercise science and strength and conditioning. Andy has published 10+ peer reviewed manuscripts, 50+ abstract/conference proceedings, and delivered 60+ presentations at local, state, national, and international exercise science conferences. His research agenda explores the effect of innovative strength and conditioning methods, specifically the effects of perceptional regulated fatigue and autoregulatory resistance exercise. These presentations, publications, and teachings have enabled Andy to explore the physiological responses associated with outdoor exploration. The empirical links that Andy’s has discovered between fitness and hunting are revolutionizing the performance of today’s outdoorsman.

Andy’s passion for and works within fitness and hunting has driven him to conclude two concrete perspectives: (1) The ranch, the global outdoor journeys, pursuit of wildlife, and the teachings of a father yield the fundamental and societal importance of maintaining ancestral hunting practices of specie conservation, family provision (Fill the Freezer!), and the overall spiritual connection associated with the outdoors. And, (2) exploring the physical demands of hunting through technological advancement and data analytics, enhances hunting success and enriches the hunting experience.