Matěj Houška’s Mysterious Realm: Exploring the Czech Wilderness with Rigad Gear

Tracking a lone wolf, searching for eels in a forgotten stream, and coming face-to-face with European bison—Matěj Houška’s Mysterious Realm takes viewers into the Czech wilderness to explore bushcraft skills and the stories of its wild inhabitants. The show’s creator and Rigad ambassador tells us what filming involved, when he genuinely feared for his crew, and which gear he relied on in the field.

Matěj Houška’s Mysterious Realm premieres on TV Nova on November 1, 2026. Viewers can set out with Matěj even earlier, as the series has been available on Oneplay since October 25.

Having your own television series is a major step. Was it your goal from the beginning, or did the idea for Mysterious Realm develop gradually?

Television had been a clear goal of mine ever since I started creating content seven years ago. I’ve always been a big dreamer, but I also try not to sit around waiting for things to happen. Whenever I have a dream, I ask myself what I can do to move closer to it.

In Matěj Houška’s Mysterious Realm, expeditions in search of wild animals are combined with practical bushcraft. Gear from Rigad also accompanies him into the field.

I took the same approach to projects that initially seemed almost impossible. Creating my own adventure documentary series for television was one of them. To be honest, I still find it hard to believe that the dream is now becoming a reality.

What can viewers expect from the first season?

The first season consists of six episodes, each built around a specific adventure and objective. I want to take viewers on an expedition that ends with a discovery, a memorable encounter, or the culmination of a challenge.

In one episode, for example, I track a solitary wild boar that has managed to remain hidden from people. In another, I follow the trail of the European eel and try to find one in a small, forgotten stream. We also embark on a journey into the past to encounter European bison and set out in search of a lone wolf.

Practical bushcraft skills are a natural part of the series, along with my favorite activities: outdoor cooking and fishing. There are also personal memories and family stories. I want viewers to feel that every episode is taking them somewhere. Above all, I want to show them that even the seemingly ordinary Czech countryside holds stories worth stepping outside to discover.

You have been filming outdoors for years. What surprised you most while producing a television series?

I knew that nature gives you nothing for free and that you have to be prepared for anything. In the end, however, the production itself proved to be the greatest challenge. Standing in front of the camera is the easiest part by comparison—the icing on the cake.

We handled the entire series through our own production team. Every episode required an enormous amount of preparation, planning, coordination with the broadcaster, permits, and arrangements with subject-matter experts. We also had to align the crew’s schedules and secure filming equipment, transport, and licenses. Whenever something fell through or circumstances changed, we had to find another solution immediately.

Keeping the project and the team together, meeting deadlines, and satisfying the broadcaster’s technical and editorial requirements was demanding. There were nights when I went to bed convinced we could never pull it off. You cannot simply switch off and decide that you have done enough for the day. But those are precisely the moments that reveal how much the project truly matters to you.

According to Matěj, the production itself was the greatest challenge. Field expeditions were only part of the job, alongside planning, securing permits, and coordinating the entire crew.

And what about the filming itself? Which experience has stayed with you the most?

There were quite a few. (laughs) One of the most dangerous, however, happened after all the cameras had already been switched off.

While filming the third episode, Journey into Prehistory, the crew and I set out to find European bison. We located the herd in a small stand of woodland, but there were calves among them, and I knew that approaching could be extremely dangerous. The dense vegetation also gave us very limited visibility.

We therefore decided to use a specialized FPV drone. After several minutes, however, it overheated and came down directly among the herd. Three of us eventually went in on foot to recover it—and suddenly found ourselves only a short distance from a bison and its calf, neither of which we had seen through the vegetation.

It came as a shock to the crew. We managed to remain calm, recover the drone, and leave the area. But I will admit that I was genuinely afraid. I felt responsible not only for myself but for everyone else, and I knew that a single mistake could have serious consequences.

If you had to choose the most suspenseful expedition of the entire season, which would it be?

The search for the lone wolf in Episode Five. Imagine tracking an animal that local farmers claim has been moving around their livestock. The problem is that no one in the area has reported a wolf for decades, and experts consider the chances of finding one virtually nonexistent.

I returned from the woods empty-handed several times. Gradually, I began to wonder whether I was searching for a real wolf or something that existed only in local stories. Just as I decided to make one final attempt, a message arrived from one of the farmers: the suspected wolf had appeared again.

We will leave the outcome a mystery for viewers. After all, this is Mysterious Realm. (laughs)

Filming continued after dark. The camouflage tarp behind Matěj is one of the proven pieces of field gear he mentions in the interview.

Rigad gear also accompanied you during filming. What did you carry?

The Exotac fireROD V2 had a permanent place in my pack on every expedition. For overnight stays, I relied on a Snugpak Tactical 2 sleeping bag and my favorite camouflage tarp from Helikon-Tex. And I could keep going. (laughs)

Filming outdoors is very different from working inside, where you can control the lighting, sound, and most of the surrounding conditions. In the field, we are at the mercy of the weather, available daylight, terrain, and above all, nature itself. That means we need equipment we can depend on. I am very glad that Rigad has supported me on this project from the beginning.

Is there one piece of gear you can no longer imagine heading into the field without?

Yes—the KA-BAR Kukri Machete. I have sworn by it ever since the first day I took it into the woods. It gives me a great deal of confidence whenever I head out on an outdoor adventure.

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That same machete also appears on the cover of my new book, Život zálesáka (The Life of a Woodsman), published in October. It takes readers from my childhood wanderings along a woodland stream to expeditions into the Mongolian wilderness. The book combines personal stories, practical bushcraft techniques, and advice on surviving in the wild—from starting a fire and finding water to building a shelter and reading animal tracks.

The series combines the search for wild animals with practical bushcraft skills. Fishing and Matěj’s favorite outdoor cooking also feature throughout.

What would you recommend to someone who wants to explore the Czech countryside but has little outdoor experience?

They should start by watching Mysterious Realm! (laughs) More importantly, I would tell them not to be afraid of taking that first step. There is no need to begin with a demanding route or a multi-day expedition.

Simply pack a backpack, head to the nearest forest, and pay attention to the things you would normally walk straight past. Watch the wildlife, follow animal tracks, or sit beside a stream for a while and listen to what is happening around you.

That is when you begin to realize how much beauty and mystery lies right on your doorstep. I hope Matěj Houška’s Mysterious Realm and my book Život zálesáka (The Life of a Woodsman) will provide even more inspiration to get outside.

Matěj Houška Inspires Viewers to Explore the Czech Wilderness

Matěj has fulfilled his ambition of creating his own television series and now takes viewers deep into the Czech countryside. Whether he succeeded in finding the lone wolf—and what else he discovered along the way—will be revealed in Matěj Houška’s Mysterious Realm.

At Rigad, we are proud that equipment from our range accompanied him on these expeditions. And if an episode leaves you reaching for your backpack and heading for the woods, Matěj will have achieved exactly what he set out to do.