Mike Horstman [Mountain men]: Wiki-Bio, Age, Net worth, wife, Kids.

For more than four decades, Mike Horstman has built a life most only read about in outdoor magazines. As a professional hunting guide and subsistence hunter, he has faced the harsh weather and isolation of Kodiak Island, Alaska, while making a name for himself in the world of wilderness survival.

Since joining the cast of the History Channel’s Mountain Men, Mike has become known for his off-grid lifestyle, survival skills, and knowledge of the Kodiak brown bear. Viewers often ask about Mike Horstman’s net worth, early life, wife, and family, curious about the man behind the camera.

This article takes a detailed look at Mike Horstman’s early years, his guiding career, his television appearances, and the life he leads both on and off the screen.

Early Life

Michael Paul Horstman was born on December 19, 1954, in Jonesville, New York, United States. He graduated from Shenendehowa High School, located in Clifton Park, New York, but chose not to pursue a college education. While Mike’s parents were not involved in hunting, his uncle William Horstman hunted small game and deer in the Adirondack Mountains, introducing young Mike to the outdoor lifestyle.

During his teenage years, Mike developed a strong interest in hunting. He was influenced by Outdoor Life and other popular hunting magazines of the time, many of which featured stories and photographs of Alaskan wilderness expeditions, big game hunts, and survival in remote regions. Inspired by these accounts, Mike began dreaming of Alaska as the ultimate destination for wilderness hunting.

By the age of 17, Mike had already shot his first bear, an experience that solidified his desire to one day hunt in Alaska. This formative experience set the stage for his eventual move to the Alaskan frontier, where he would go on to become a licensed guide, master bear hunter, and later a familiar face on national television.

Moving to Alaska and Guiding Career

Mike Horstman began leading hunting trips in 1973, starting his outdoor career as a guide and horse packer in Idaho. He spent several years there gaining field experience before deciding to pursue guiding full-time in Alaska.

By the mid-1970s, Mike made the journey north and eventually reached Kodiak Island. He settled permanently in Eagle Harbor during the winter of 1979, a remote location on the island’s coast where he has lived ever since. Drawn by the opportunity to guide hunts for one of the world’s largest land predators—the Kodiak brown bear—Mike found Kodiak’s rugged terrain to be an ideal place to continue his career.

By the mid-1980s, Mike became a registered guide in Alaska. He later founded Horstman’s Kodiak Guide Service, offering guided hunts for Kodiak brown bears, as well as other Alaskan species including mountain goats, moose, sheep, and Sitka blacktail deer.

Horstman’s Kodiak Guide Service organizes one-on-one hunts on native, state, federal, and BLM-permitted lands. Hunts are conducted during the 11-week Kodiak brown bear season, typically with three to four hunts in the spring and two to three in the fall. Clients are transported by boat or charter plane to remote areas, staying in rustic cabins or spike camps.

Mike’s professional guiding career has also been featured on television. He appeared in The History Channel’s series The Hunt (2014) and became a regular cast member on Mountain Men, where he demonstrated his guiding methods and subsistence lifestyle on Kodiak Island.

Mike Horstman — Reality Television Career

Mountain Men debut (2012)

Mike Horstman first appeared on History Channel’s Mountain Men in the series premiere — Season 1, Episode 1 (“Winter is Coming”), which aired in 2012. In his early segments, Mike showcased his strategic bear hunting techniques on Kodiak Island, using wind direction and deer distress calls to lure bears — a method reflecting both his deep wilderness skills and his cautious respect for Kodiak’s formidable predators. He also highlighted his commitment to preserving Alutiiq cultural traditions by salvaging bear intestines for crafting traditional waterproof garments, a practice that connected modern subsistence living with the knowledge of Kodiak’s indigenous ancestors.

The Hunt (2014)

Two years later, in 2014, Mike featured in The Hunt, a short-lived reality series focused on pursuing Kodiak brown bears. Though the show aimed to offer a deeper look into the challenges of bear hunting, it lasted for only one season.

Mountain Men regular (2018–present)

After his early Mountain Men appearance and The Hunt, Mike became a regular cast member on Mountain Men starting in Season 7, Episode 8 (“Edge of the Earth”) in 2018. Mike made his official debut as a regular cast member. The episode introduced his homestead on Kodiak Island’s southern coast—3,600 square miles of windswept wilderness inhabited by the world’s largest brown bears. Mike shared his journey from his first bear hunt as a boy in upstate New York to relocating to Kodiak in 1979 to dedicate his life to bear hunting and guiding.

With nearly 40 years of experience, Mike guided outlanders seeking to hunt Kodiak’s massive bears during the island’s limited bear season. In this episode, Mike patrolled his property alongside his dog, checking bear trails and trail cameras. He discovered signs of a recent break-in at his inland hunting cabin, where a bear had torn open the door and ransacked the freezer. The incident highlighted the constant danger of living among predators and underscored Mike’s resilience, preparedness, and deep knowledge of the land. His scenes emphasized his commitment to self-reliance, defending his homestead, and preserving Kodiak’s unique wilderness culture. Mike’s scenes emphasized his commitment to self-reliance, defending his homestead, and preserving Kodiak’s unique wilderness culture.

From there, Mike’s presence became a constant as he battled the harsh elements of Kodiak Island:

• S07E09 “Altitude” (Sep 13, 2018): Mike navigated Kodiak’s unpredictable terrain and weather, using his deep knowledge to adapt to changing conditions.
• S07E10 “Lost Time Is Never Found” (Sep 20, 2018): Mike capitalized on a rare find to gather crucial supplies. In this episode, he set out with his trusted hunting dog Adele in search of a valuable silver fox, which could fetch a high market price to support his subsistence lifestyle. Using a distress call imitating a rabbit in peril, Mike lured foxes while navigating the island’s challenging terrain. Although he missed his first shot at a cross fox, he persisted. Eventually, with Adele’s help, he successfully tracked and harvested a prized silver fox. Adele, trained to retrieve and dispatch wounded game, proved essential to the hunt’s success. This not only demonstrated Mike’s resourcefulness but also highlighted the important role of traditional hunting skills and well-trained dogs in the harsh conditions of Kodiak Island.
• S07E11 “Conquer the Mountain” (Oct 4, 2018): Mike scaled one of Kodiak’s most dangerous peaks, testing his endurance and resourcefulness.
• S07E12 “Milestones” (Oct 4, 2018): As the annual awakening of Kodiak’s bears commenced, Mike went on the offensive, preparing for the heightened risks of bear encounters. In this episode, he scouted the high cliffs of Kodiak Island where the world’s largest brown bears were becoming active after winter. Mike spotted his first bear of the season—though small, it signaled promising activity. He explained the patience required for hunting, sometimes going days without a sighting, and assessed which bears might be trophy quality. To prepare for the coming season, he strategically selected a promising location, stashed a tent in a tree to avoid bears using it as a chew toy, and prepared his gear to ensure safety and readiness. His proactive approach reflected decades of experience surviving and guiding in one of the most dangerous environments in North America.
• S07E14 “Double Jeopardy” (Oct 18, 2018): A supply run across the bay left him stranded, demonstrating the constant unpredictability of remote island living.
• S07E15 “The Gauntlet” (Oct 25, 2018): Mike battled icy currents and fading daylight to transport supplies back to his cabin, highlighting the logistical challenges of subsistence living.
• S07E16 “Hell or High Water” (Nov 1, 2018): He wrapped up a demanding season, overcoming Kodiak’s brutal elements and maintaining his independence despite relentless adversity.

Since becoming a regular cast member in Season 7, Mike has appeared consistently through Season 13, which ended on December 26, 2024. By that time, he had been featured in more than 36 episodes, earning credits in over 36 episodes, making him one of the show’s longest-serving cast members.

How Rich Is Mike Horstman? His Net Worth

Mike Horstman earns income through his work as a professional hunting guide and his appearances on the History Channel’s Mountain Men. His guiding business, Horstman’s Kodiak Guide Service. In addition to guiding and television, the game he hunts, traps, and fishes contributes to minimizing his living expenses. As of 2025, Mike Horstman’s estimated net worth is $400,000.

Personal Life

Wife & Kids

As of 2025, there are no publicly available records indicating that Mike Horstman is married or has children. His social media presence focuses almost exclusively on his professional work, outdoor activities, and his life on Kodiak Island. His posts typically feature hunting expeditions, wildlife encounters, and his guiding career.

Mike resides in Eagle Harbor, Alaska, where he maintains an off-grid lifestyle. No information has been publicly disclosed about a spouse, children, or grandchildren.

Wiki/Bio Facts

Full Name	Michael Horstman
Age	70 years
Birthdate	December 19, 1954
Birthplace	Jonesville, USA
Nationality	American
Ethnicity	Caucasian
Parents	Not known
Siblings	Not known
Gender	Male
Sexuality	Straight
Relationship Status	Single
Education	Shenendehowa High School
Career	Television personality, Hunter, Trapper, Guide
Net worth	$400,000
Wife	N/A
Children	N/A
Star Sign	Sagittarius