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C3 Engage Interview with Collin Cottrell

March 26, 2012
Today we have an interview with C3 Engage’s Collin Cottrell. Collin is an outdoor freak like the rest of us – except he’s one of the few lucky characters to make his living in the outdoor arena. Collin provides marketing and media solutions to folks in the outdoor space, both online and on print. Being that I love both marketing and the outdoors, I was anxcious to learn more about him and his company. I think you’ll enjoy!
 OF – Collin – you make a living via the internet marketing world, how are things changing, and what is new on the horizon? 
Collin – Things are changing dramatically. Not only are personal relationships important, your internet relationships are becoming just as important. Continue Reading →
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QDMA Land Certification Program Info Interview with Matt Ross

March 8, 2012

“To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are, and what you stand for, where you want to go, and why you want to be there” – Kofi Annan. That quote is exactly what today’s blog post is about. If you hadn’t heard, the Quality Deer Management Association has come out with the Land Certification Program for land owners and habitat enthusiasts. This program is essentially a badge of honor for folks whom have taken the appropriate steps in meeting the QDMA standards for improving wildlife habitat, fighting invasive species, and the like. You can bet your sweet bippy that I’ll have my property enrolled. Like was mentioned above, to me this program is about what you stand for in regards to land stewardship. Being a QDMA junkie, I had to share. Below are a couple questions that Matt Ross, Certification Programs Manager for the QDMA was kind enough to answer for us. Thanks for your time Matt! 

OF – Matt, is there a numerical goal or amount of acreage for QDMA and the first year of the Land Certification Program? In other words – how will you know if the QDMA Land Certification Program is a success? Continue Reading →

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Don Higgins Interview Part 3 – Real World Whitetails and Higgins Outdoors

July 6, 2011

Today we have the final part of the 3 part Don Higgins Interview. Known around North America as a sterling voice on deer hunting, and wildlife management, Mr. Higgins talks about his career as a deer hunting writer, author, and what he thinks the future of deer hunting has in store for us all!

You can read Part 1, here.

You can read Part 2, here.

Writing

OF - Who do you credit for helping you get started in the deer hunting writers fraternity?

Don Higgins – I always had a desire to be an outdoor writer. I remember as a freshman in high school writing to the editors of several hunting magazines to get a copy of their “writers guidelines”. I spent a lot of years as a young adult still having that dream but not yet feeling qualified to share my knowledge or experiences in such a professional venue. Eventually I started noticing that what I was reading in a lot of magazine articles was simply not what I was experiencing as a hunter in the real world. I realized that I knew at least as much as some of the writers who were appearing in the magazines. With that I started “knocking on doors”. Eventually Gordon Whittington of North American Whitetail gave me my first writing assignment and it just sorta grew from there.

Continue Reading →

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Scott Prucha Interview – Midwest Whitetail TV and MidwestWhitetail.Com

June 29, 2011

Batman has Robin, peanut butter has jelly and Bill Winke has Scott Prucha. For the thousands upon thousands of MidwestWhitetail.Com viewers out there who’ve been watching MidwestWhitetail.Com at work home for the last few years, you’ve come to know and tolerate love Scott Prucha. Not only does Scott live to hunt big deer and enjoy the outdoors, he also likes long walks in his Frigid Forage plots, perusing craigslist personals good food, and head-bobbing to Jimmy Ryser’s tunes. We caught up with this outdoor freak to learn a little bit more about his facial hair, midwest whitetails Bar-S Hotdogs, and riding Harleys.

Personal

OF – How long have you had that goatee? It looks flawless.

Scott Prucha – I have had the goatee for over 15 years, during that time I have only shaved the mustache portion off once on a motorcycle trip to Montana.  I always think about  a buddy shaving his goatee off before we went elk hunting in New Mexico; he commented “I didn’t realize how many double chins I had”.  I have been afraid to shave mine off ever since.

OF – What do you do for a living?

SP – I am a Manager at Henry Schein Dental, a Fortune 500 company.  This December will mark my 25th year with the company.  The company has grown to become the world’s largest dental supplier.  The past 25 years have been quite a ride in which I have had many different responsibilities.  I have been very fortunate to work for such a great company.

 

OF – What kind of car do you drive?

SP – It depends what day it is I guess.  I have a 2007 Chevy 2500 Silverado diesel, a 1997 Jeep Wrangler, and two old Chevy pickups, a 1970 and a 1972.  I would have to say I am happiest driving the 4wd 1970 Chevy pickup, it’s a cool old truck.

 

OF – Does any of your family hunt or fish?

SP – I grew up in a family that hunted and fished. Dad, Mom and two brothers all hunt.  My son has a good buck under his belt.  He doesn’t hunt too much anymore but I have four young nephews who are all going to be hunting machines.  Family gatherings always seem to end up in hunting discussions.

 

OF – What kind of music do you listen to?

SP – I listen to mostly country on the radio but I am also a huge Springsteen fan.  My son Will recently turned me on to a singer/songwriter from Texas named Hayes Carll.  I can’t stop listening to him right now.  Oh yeah, there is a guy from Indiana named Jim Ryser I like too!

Midwest Whitetail

OF – When are you going to ditch that Winke guy and give American deer hunters what they really want MORE PRUCHA!

SP – It’s pretty clear that’s what America wants; I hear it nearly every day.  Bill was smart enough to lock me into an airtight non-compete contract a couple years back.  Honestly, I am happy being a part of the main web show and having the opportunity to be on the TV show.  I would like to appear on both formats more often holding the rack of a big mature whitetail but that’s up to me!

 

OF – How did you first meet Bill and how long have you known him?

SP – I met Bill through Larry Kendall the owner of Muddy Outdoors. Larry and I have been friends for a number of years, our farms were very close to each other.  Bill ended up buying Larry’s house and farm next to me.  We have known each other for about 10 years.  He is a good friend who has been very kind to me as well as my family and friends.

 

OF – In Jim Ryser’s Interview, he mentioned writing a song on the turd tube – what part did you have in that?

SP – I hope you’re not asking if I was in the bathroom, if you are this interview is over.  That’s creepy!  My part was really nothing more than having Jim stay at my house in Iowa to hunt turkeys and being a good friend with him.  He told me that day, “I had a great song idea today while taking a crap in your bathroom.  It’s a song about our turkey hunt this weekend and it’s really cool.  The funny thing is no one will know where I came up with the idea”.  I guess people now know.  It is an incredible song called Cold Spring.  Jim finished writing and recording the song as soon as he returned home and sent me a copy.  I immediately fired up the computer and produced a video for the song using only footage from the weekend.  It was fun to put together and is a nice memory.  I imagine the video will show up on You Tube sometime in the future.

 

OF – What is something about you that we the viewers of MW probably don’t know?

SP – My wife and I both own and ride Harleys.  We have taken several trips out west on them.

OF – Tell the Outdoor Freaks readers a funny story about Bill Winke.

SP – I have to be careful here.  Nothing jumps to mind, Bill is a self proclaimed nerd and when he tries to be funny it’s usually just kind of awkward.  He’s lucky he is a smart guy and great deer hunter because he would never make it as a comedian!

 

Hunting

OF – How many acres do you own?

SP – I own about 180 acres in Iowa and I am still a part owner of a 260 acre family farm in Wisconsin (I am trying to sell my portion of that).  Our home and land in Iowa is my happy place, I have always wanted to be able to walk out my backdoor and hunt big deer.  I feel very blessed I can do that.

 

OF – Favorite animal to hunt?

SP – I love to hunt whitetails but there is something about hunting elk with a bow that is difficult to beat.  I love hunting in the mountains out west.  When I am lucky enough to hunt elk it’s often with one of my best friends, Kip Fattaleh and my Dad.   I have some very special memories of those hunts.

 

OF – What is your video camera setup, do any photography?

SP – I use a Sony AX2000, varizoom and a 501 head on a Muddy Hunter Arm.  Nothing too fancy for me.  I also bought an HD GoPro last year that you can get pretty creative with.  I do like to mess with photography, there is something rewarding about capturing a cool shot.

 

OF – What’s the biggest buck you’ve ever shot?

SP – I had quite a year in 2006, in October I shot a 184” mule deer in Colorado then in November I shot a 171” Iowa whitetail out of a treestand.  Both are my biggest to date.

 

OF – What’s the funniest thing you’ve had happen in a deer stand?

SP – It wasn’t too funny at the time but I got sick from a tree stand one night after eating a bunch of Bar-S hot dogs.  I think you can still buy them, they cost like 99 cents a pack.  The stand is still there and we named  it the Puke Stand.  I never ate Bar-S hot dogs again.

 

OF – What type of food plots will you be hunting over this year?

SP – I will be hunting over Frigid Forage brassicas and clover.  I actually used the Frigid Forage products years before they ever became involved with Midwest Whitetail.  Their products have always worked great for me. I also have some beans to hunt this year too.

 

OF – Any goals that you’d like to achieve in the outdoors?

SP – My number one hunting goal changed about two weeks ago when my very good friend and hunting partner, Kurt Schroeder, was diagnosed with stage 2 Hodgkin’s cancer.  The prognosis is good and Kurt’s a tough guy but he has a fight on his hands.  So my current goal is to spend another twenty years or so hunting with him.  Prior to two weeks ago I would have said my goal would be to go on an Alaska moose hunt.  Maybe someday, do you have any good connections for me?

 

OF – What is your best tip, when it comes to hunting mature bucks?

SP – I think you have to be a good hunter who hunts where mature deer are.  By that I mean the obvious things like, scent control, getting to stands undetected, and being a good shot.  However, the biggest key to taking big deer is probably how much time you spend in the tree.  If you look at anyone who has had continued success on mature whitetails they put their time in!  The more hours you spend on your Muddy stand the better your chances of harvesting a mature buck.

 

Thanks Scott, we appreciate you taking the time to do this Interview – best of luck this Fall!

 

My pleasure, good luck to you guys as well!

 

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Cody Altizer Interview – Bowhunting.com Junior Editor

June 28, 2011

Today, we have a special interview with Bowhunting.Com Junior Editor, Cody Altizer. He’s an outdoor freak who lives for bowhunting whitetails. Cody is an up-and-comer in the deer hunting community, and has a great appreciation and perspective when it comes to capturing the outdoors with camera equipment.

Personal

OF – You’re from Virginia. How was your hunting situation out there?

Cody Altizer – I am fortunate enough to have 260 acres that I am able to hunt whenever I feel like.  That’s a luxury that not many people enjoy so I am very thankful.  Bowhunting for whitetails in Virginia is a lot like bowhunting anywhere in the country.  You have to put your time in, work hard and get lucky!

OF – How did you get started with Bowhunting.Com?

Cody Altizer – The typical American Dream story!  I used to write for a small Virginia based hunting website and maintained my own blog a few years back.  I would share my articles and blog posts in the Bowhunting.com forums looking for feedback and constructive criticism on how to improve my writing.  Well, one day I got a message from Hunting Network Senior Editor Mike Willand, gauging my interest level for a new website Todd Graf was working on, Bowhunting.com.  I jumped at the opportunity, drove to Chicago last summer for the Get Together and before I knew it, was hard at working at the Bowhunting.com Office!

OF – I hear you recently moved down South. Was that because Justin Zarr kept making you feel uncomfortable with the constant winking? Or was it for more for media schooling?

Cody Altizer – Justin does a lot of things, and I learned more from him during my time up there than he knows, but you will never catch him winking at other guys!  But my move down South was based solely on two reasons, live with my brother for one final year before he gets married, and get my Business- Marketing degree.  So far it’s working out great!  Although, the deer in North Carolina are a lot smaller than Illinois!

OF – With the recent move, how has it changed your relationship and duties with Bowhunting.Com?

Cody Altizer – Before I moved back home from Chicago I was bumped up to the Junior Editor of Bowhunting.com, so I have been given more responsibility and duties that I can do from home.  I miss it like crazy up there though!  I learned so much from Todd and Justin about hunting, business, how to carry myself and how to be successful that I contemplate a move back up there all the time.  I am more than excited about what my future with Todd, Justin and Bowhunting.com!

OF – Because I facebook stalked you like a 14 year old girl, I can see that you’re not a stranger to the basketball gym. Tell us a little bit about that! When’d you play? Where? Favorite team? College hoops fan?

Cody Altizer – Basketball is just as big a part of my life as bowhunting, almost.  My dad and brother taught me the game and I played it at a very high level all the way through high school until the passion that is bowhunting for whitetails completely engulfed me.  My claim to fame in basketball is that I could (and still can, on a good day) do a 360 degree dunk- even though I am just 6 feet tall!  Pursuing a career in the hunting industry has proven to be the right decision, but I miss competing and the time away from the court.

OF – Favorite Flick?

Cody Altizer – The Dark Knight – One of film’s greatest tragedies is Heath Ledger’s death.

OF – Do you have a lady friend?

Cody Altizer – No lady friend for me right now, they are too much trouble and too expensive at my age!  I will tell you what though, Willie, when you find an attractive young woman that enjoys bowhunting, photography and video like I do, feel free to give her my contact info!

Deer Hunting

OF – How’s your deer season looking this upcoming Fall?

Cody Altizer – As of right now, it looks fantastic!  My food plots in Virginia are doing extraordinarily well, and I feel like they will pay off big time for me this fall.  The key to successfully bowhunting my property in Virginia is having a consistent food source throughout the fall, and for the first time ever, I think that will be the case this season.  My goal is to shoot a 3 year old buck before November 1st this year in Virginia, so I can’t wait until the season opens!  Other than that, I am going to be making a return trip to Illinois this fall and hunt and film for a week or so with Justin and Mike;  I am hoping to put down another Illinois buck and have a lot of doing it on that trip!

OF – Where did you hunt this past Fall, being new to the Land of Lincoln?

Cody Altizer – I was fortunate enough to hunt three different locations this past fall in Illinois.  I hunted in McHenry and Boone Counties outside of Chicago, and harvested a mature doe in McHenry County opening weekend on film.  But my favorite spot was hunting Justin’s lease in Pike and Brown Counties.  I shot my first buck with a bow on the Pike County side of his lease Halloween Weekend while filming myself!  I’ll never forget that trip! See Cody’s entire hunt on film, here.

OF – Do you hunt other game too, or are you just a whitetail junkie?

Cody Altizer – I live and breathe for whitetails!  Every Spring I say I am going to get into turkey hunting, and every Spring I spend more and more time working food plots and doing other habit management projects to help my whitetail hunting in the fall.  Sooner or later, I honestly believe I will get bit by the turkey hunting bug, but it’s all whitetails for me right now.

 

OF – What’s your favorite piece of hunting gear?

Cody Altizer – I would be lying if I told you I had a SINGLE favorite piece of hunting gear, because there are just too many products I rely on and trust.  That being said, I feel like my Mathews Z7 Xtreme equipped with an NAP Apache Arrow Rest and broadhead and a Lone Wolf Assault and Lone Wolf Climbing Sticks give me the best chance to be successful in the field.  Lone Wolf and NAP simply make products that make hunters more efficient and stealthy in the woods, and the new Z7 family of bows from Mathews is incredible.  You can’t go wrong with equipment.

Photography / Video

OF – Canon or Sony?

Cody Altizer – Canon for stills, Sony for video.

 

OF – What’s your favorite picture you’ve taken?

Cody Altizer – I have a handful of images that I am very proud of, but if I had to narrow it down to just one capture, it would be of a shot I got several years ago of some daffodils facing a wooden cross.  It’s a unique shot because when the sun sets, it sets behind the cross and the flowers face the cross at sunset.  I call the image “Even Nature Follows Christ.”

 

OF – What’s your current video and photo setup?

Cody Altizer – For photos, I shoot with a Canon 7D and 24-105mm f/4 L series Wide Angle lens- love that thing!  I actually use the 7D for the majority of my filming now as well, but when filming hunts I use a Canon HF S20 HD Camcorder with Azden shotgun mic and Audio-Techica wireless mics mounted to the Muddy Outdoor Tree Arm.

OF – How long have you been into photography and video?

Cody Altizer – I’ve loved photography and video ever since I can remember.  I just enjoy sharing with others the world how I see it.  The world looks different to all of us, and if I can share with others what I see every day and how I see it, then maybe I can impact others on a very unique level that’s possible only through photo and film.

Thanks so much Cody for taking the time to do this interview, and share with us a glimpse of what you’re all about. We look forward to catching up with you during the hunting season, best of luck!

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