It was a Thursday in 2004 and I was in deep trouble. I was sitting in the principal’s office, sent there by Mrs. Luca who didn’t appreciate my sleeping in her third-grade class. In my defense, spending the entire night watching over bear bait wasn’t doing me any favors. But fortunately, I had gotten enough sleep in Mrs. Luca’s class and then in Mr. Reed’s principal office to do it all again, because this was fall hunting season…and that’s exactly what I did.
Growing up as a military kid, I had the pleasure of living in two and a half countries: Alaska, Virginia, and Germany. I was born in Alaska in 1994, sent to Virginia to potty train for a few years, and then on to Germany to fall in love with the place. By the time we returned to Alaska, my folks had no intention of ever leaving again, having become active Army Guard members until their eventual retirements.
It was in Germany where my love for hunting and high stands first developed. During my parents’ first time being stationed in Germany, before I was even in the world, my dad received his German Jagdschein (hunting license) and joined the local hunting club. So when we returned 14 years later they welcomed him back. My first hunting memories were of helping him repair high seats, the European version of a raised blind, which you can’t help but notice when you drive in Europe even to this day, as they are scattered in nearly every field. It was this stewardship of hunting areas and respect for wildlife that stayed with me over the years, even though I only realized it once I was grown.
My father kept the hunting tradition going in our family even when we returned to Alaska, the same way those in Europe have done for hundreds of years. Some traditions grow on you, while some have just always made sense. A last bite, for example, which is the placing of green grass or evergreen in the fallen animal’s mouth as a sign of respect, always made sense especially when explained in my father’s solemn way. It was what came after that took me a while to appreciate: the cough medicine which I found out later was called Jägermeister that was used to toast the animal. What began as a tough sell soon became a reason to head back into town in the middle of a safari to refill. To this day when I think of Jägermeister, I don’t think of my freshman year of college, I think of hunting with my father.
As I got older, I became active with my local Safari Club chapter, working on conservation projects, selling memberships, and teaching hunter safety. Hunting was quickly becoming more than just a hobby and in 2014 I was rewarded by winning the Cabela’s Young Hunter of the Year Award. That was a childhood dream of mine, and I was ready to use it to my advantage. Able to speak German fluently, I went up to the only booth in Las Vegas that seemed German. It ended up being one of Austria and Hungary’s finest outfitters, and a few emails later I was boarding a plane to the rest of my life. What started as pure hard labor, with no sign of hunting opportunities for me, has turned into a career of 8 years of hunting in some of the world’s finest locations.
It was through these connections that I chose to pursue my career in the organization and booking of worldwide hunting, fishing, and wingshooting trips. Having experienced some of hunting’s finest and most underrated destinations, I was eager to share them with folks in North America. It is through this mission that I have found myself at Worldwide Trophy Adventures.
Having finally tricked a beautiful woman into marrying me and starting a family in the countryside of Carinthia in southern Austria, I am very pleased to be WTA’s newest addition. I come to WTA with a passion and wealth of knowledge about hunting in Africa, Europe, and Alaska and I look forward to serving you. The sporting opportunities in Europe are some of the finest in the world and it would be my pleasure to share these experiences with you in the years to come.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me at my office in Austria at 1-435-244-7790.
And, since I’m introducing myself, I’ll give you a little bit more information about me.
Favorite Hunts:
- Chamois
- Bongo
- Driven Duck
- Roe Deer
- Grey Seal
- White-tailed Deer (Finland)
- Pheasant & Partridge
- Driven Wild Boar
- European Brown Bear
- Mountain Goat
- Capercaillie & Black Grouse
Favorite Destinations:
- Cameroon
- Austria
- Hungary
- Romania
- Spain
- France
- Zimbabwe
- Russia
- Sweden
- Estonia
- Alaska
I love to talk about hunting. Call me at 1-435-244-7790 and tell me about your favorite hunts and destinations, and where you’d like to go next.
