At the age of six I started hunting with my father Keith. My dad’s love for whitetail deer hunting soon rubbed off on me and now some thirty years later I still love everyday hunting just as I did when I first started. My professional career in the outdoor industry really began kind of by mistake or should I say “lucked into it.” I was working as a whitetail guide for Tom Indrebo at Bluff Country Outfitters located in Buffalo County, Wisconsin.
Through the connections at BCO I met many people already in the hunting industry. Gene Bidespacher who was the current producer for Buckmasters TV urged me to take my passion and hobby of photography to a higher level and to start running the video camera. One year later, I had to step away from my guiding job and went to work as a freelance videographer for both Tom Miranda and Hunters Specialties.
Eventually after lots of hard work and determination I landed a full time field producer/pro-staff position with Hunter’s Specialties located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Working at H.S. was definitely a dream job and for five years I really enjoyed filming and learned a lot from the pro’s like Eddie Salter, Alex Rutledge, Matt Morrett, Bob Folkrod, Stan Potts, Greg Miller and the rest of the H.S. crew.
During my time at H.S., I was lucky enough to film the largest non-typical ever to be harvested on professional video. After working for several years I resigned from H.S. and decided I wanted to take my skills to a higher level and become more included in the pursuit of my real passion for whitetail deer.
My next big career break came when I was hired to produce and co-host North American Whitetail Television. The show quickly became popular and was nominated and won several awards.
After working two years for NAWT, I started my own television show, "Driven TV", which explains my passion for hunting and specifically my love for whitetails.
After putting over 40 Pope and Young bucks on the wall, three which gross Boone, I thought my hunting career was going well until my great accomplishment yet which was shooting the largest typical ever taken by hunter on professional video scoring 200” Boone and Crockett. I don’t know if I’ll ever top that but I know I’ll sure have fun trying!
If you were to ask me the downfall to this occupation, I would have to say it’s being away from my four wonderful children; Olivia, Cole, Carson and Isabel. The upside is that they are all looking like they want to get started just like I did way back when with my dad.
This year I’m enjoying time afield with my girlfriend and successful hunter Nicole Jones behind the camera filming her shooting all the big bucks which is just how I began my professional career.
One thing I have learned so far on this journey is that everyday is a new day and life throws you curve balls. Defeat and failure is inevitable but its how you deal with it which is really what determines success. I can’t wait to get a chance at the next big buck that comes down the trail but until then, Good Hunting and remember to stay “Driven”.