52 Years in the Timber. No Feeders. No Shortcuts.
I've spent five decades mastering the art of the stalk, the science of the rut, and the discipline of the loadout. At HuntersLoadout, I share the field-proven truth about what gear works when the pressure is on.
A Legacy of Fair Chase
I was 10 years old when my grandfather handed me a .22 long rifle and taught me to hunt squirrel, rabbit, and deer. That was 52 years ago.
Since that day, my philosophy has remained unchanged: Hunting is a sporting activity, not a grocery trip.
I have never used feeders to "prompt" a kill. To me, the reward isn't just the meat in the freezer—it's the knowledge required to get it there. It's about understanding inbound and outbound trails, reading the mating cycles, and outsmarting an animal in its own backyard.
Whether I'm carrying my grandfather's Remington 20-gauge semi-auto or my modern AR-10 .308, the mission is the same: Respect the animal, master the craft, and hunt prepared.
From Tradition to Tactical
I've seen the hunting world change over the last half-century. I still cherish the 870 12-gauge pump and the .22 that started it all, but I've also embraced the tactical edge of modern hunting.
Precision Ballistics
AR-10 .308 DPMS with Vortex optics for long-distance deer, and the 350 Legend for tactical efficiency.
Advanced Surveillance
Night vision, Vortex binoculars, and reconnaissance drones for high-level scouting.
Field Essentials
SOG knives and specialized gutting blades that have taken hundreds of animals from field to freezer.
I don't recommend gear because a brand paid me to. I recommend it because I've tested it in the briars, the thickets, and the cold November mud.
What I Stand For
These principles have guided my hunting career—and now they guide HuntersLoadout.
Fair Chase Philosophy
I've never used feeders to prompt a kill. Hunting is a sporting activity—it's about outsmarting an animal in its own backyard.
52 Years of Experience
From my grandfather's .22 to modern AR-10s with Vortex optics, I've seen hunting evolve and tested gear through it all.
Mentorship Mindset
I've taught beginners their first harvest. HuntersLoadout isn't a review site—it's a mentorship.
Field Stories: Lessons from 52 Years in the Woods
True stories that shaped how I hunt today. These aren't tales—they're lessons.
Escaping by the Knees
I was 20 years old, walking an old logging road on a freezing November morning, when the woods exploded. A 245lb whitetail, spooked by a neighbor, came bounding through a hedgerow of heavy briars so thick a man couldn't walk through it.
I watched that buck do something I've never seen since: he dropped to his knees, head back, antlers deflecting the thicket like a shield, and ran at full speed through the thorns. The most surreal sight—you could barely make out his head with nose in the air, a full rack deflecting everything in his path.
I tracked him for 100 yards after he cleared the thicket. He jumped up from between several felled trees. I pulled up and shot twice with my 20g while that buck was in full leap stride. Found him 45 yards down the hill—one slug through the lungs.
📍 Lesson: Never underestimate the will of a trophy buck, and never stop tracking until the job is done.
Led by the Nose
While bow hunting a pine tree farm near Athens, Ohio, I decided to play the wind. I rigged "scent bottles"—camera film canisters with cotton balls soaked in doe-in-heat—and tied them to my belt with lanyards.
A beautiful 190lb 8-point buck picked up the trail. But here's the crazy part: he didn't just follow me—he LED me. He stayed 45 yards ahead, pausing to check if I was following, eventually leading me directly to a fresh scrape.
He led me right to the rut, showing me the mating dance had begun. I shot doe-in-heat onto the scrape, positioned myself at the base of a tree, and waited. When he trotted back in, stomping and grunting with aggressive enthusiasm, he heard the click of my safety. He stopped.
The shot was taken from less than 10 feet. My 390 crossbow sent that broadhead all the way through his body. Perfect kill.
📍 Lesson: If you understand deer psychology and scent, you don't need a feeder. You just need to speak their language.
The "Pretty Boy" Transformation
An 18-year-old city kid from Columbus wanted to learn to hunt. He showed up smelling of high-end cologne, wearing "pretty boy" shoes with jeans. I told him this wouldn't work.
I sent him back to the house with a garbage bag. Made him scrub with earth-scented soap. While he showered, I loaded that garbage bag with leaves from the woods, shaking it to let the forest scent permeate his clothes.
An hour later, he smelled like the woods. We tied three doe-in-heat scent bottles to his belt—my trademark move, cheap but effective. I showed him the scrapes and ruts 200 yards from the house and gave him one instruction: "If you see a doe, wait. A buck will follow."
He shot a 250lb 10-point buck. We dragged that trophy out together.
📍 Lesson: You can have the best gun in the world, but if the deer smells "human," you've already lost.
Affiliate Transparency
Yes, I earn commissions through affiliate links. Here's how I handle that responsibly:
- I never recommend gear I haven't personally tested or wouldn't use myself
- If a product isn't worth your money, I won't recommend it—period
- I clearly disclose affiliate links in all content
- My recommendations come from 52 years of field experience, not commission rates
- I'd rather lose a sale than send you into the woods unprepared
Why You're Here
HuntersLoadout isn't a "review site." It's a mentorship.
Whether you're a beginner learning to "scrub the human" off your scent or a veteran looking to integrate drones and night vision into your scouting, I'm here to help you build a loadout that works.
Hunt prepared. Pack smarter. Respect the sport.