Rick Parker - Braider - Forum Moderator

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Started hunting when I was twelve with my dad, been at it ever since except for that stint in the submarine club. My first waterfowl hunt was in either '74 or '75, then I went in the service and didn't pick it up again until last season. My passion is bowhunting for Elk, but I can see the waterfowl world catching up fast. Started tying for Jason last year to help him out in the new business and I've started making some calls on my lathe. The most important thing is to have fun with your friends, the killing is secondary in my opinion. Time spent in the field with family and friends is what this life is all about boys!

Jody Osterhout - Braider - Forum Moderator

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Age: 46
Marital Status: I am married to a lovely gal from Montana
Children:2 boys, Brody is 17 and Taylor is 13. And my little girl, Rayanne. She is 4,my future hunting partner!
Occupation: Sales Consultant for the oldest FORD dealer in Idaho!
Hobbies: Hunting and fishing, anything outdoors. And I am now braiding lanyards for Muddy Dog Lanyards.
Location: Declo, Idaho
 
My boys are my hunting buddies, we do pretty much everything together. We all enjoy the outdoors very much. My daughter is just getting started, she can't get enough. She loves to go out rabbit hunting and fishing. I started hunting at a very early age myself. I remember as a very young man following my father around in the woods. He was a big game hunter. When I was about 17 I found the world of waterfowl hunting. And since has grown into one of my favorite things to do. Chasing geese has a thrill that only a goose hunter understands! I love taking my sons and their friends out hunting! Nothing like watching the youth score on a huge honker! I am a life member of the North American Hunting Club.

Mike Shearer - Forum Moderator

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Age: 31 years old
Marital Status: Married 5 years
Children: 3 Beautiful Children  
Occupation: General Manager of an Insulation/Waterproofing company
Hobbies: Hunting, Fishing, Shooting Trap, Playing w/ my kids.
Location: Farmington, MN Mississippi Flyway
Hunting for 15+ years

I started this passion years ago. I went hunting w/ a buddy of mine in Southern Minnesota. Hauling decoys for what seemed forever, standing in ice cold water, "This Sucks!" Then the ducks started coming in from everywhere. Shooting and laughing all day. I was hooked...Haven't quit since. You make a lot of friends through this "Passion." I hope to make more. Last year I got my little guy out with me and couldn't have been prouder. He's hooked for sure. I belong to DU and have attended several DU events. I'd like to say I am fairly active in getting kids to hunt and fish.

Name: George "Coot" Phillips III - Braider

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Age: 24
Marital Status. Might as well be married. Been dating Emily since 2000!
Occupation: ASE Master Certified Automotive Technician
Hobbies: Hunting, Braiding, Cruising/Moderating the forums,Sporting Clays, Target Shooting, Gun Show afficianado
Location: Roper, NC Atlantic Flyway
Years hunting: Deer (13), Squirrel (16), Dove (3), Duck (3),


I have been hunting since i was 8 years old roughly. I started out hitting the woods with my Father and a .410 single barrel chasing tree rats. I was hooked after my first hunt. I moved on to hunting deer in both stands and with dogs. The deer hunting was never my thing, but i had never been introduced to waterfowling. Five years ago i was lucky enough to finish up college for my Automotive Technology degree and get a job with a waterfowl hunter. After a couple years of asking me to go with him, i gave in and went. I had no idea what i had been missing. I have been spending all of my time AND money on waterfowling since

Tim Fanning

"Tim was born and raised in Calhoun County, Illinois. He grew up chasing everything from deer and turkey to squirrels and ducks. In his late teens and early twenty's he became a waterfowl guide at his fathers club. He also worked on sites such as dedduck.com and huntonly.com while getting his Journalism degree at Western Illinois University. Not much later he learned that his wife was pregnant and they decided to move out east so the Ms. could be close to family. Tim currently stays busy working with Buck Gardner Game Calls, Muddy Dog Lanyards and producing a new England based outdoors show. Oh, yeah and raising a baby."

Kenny Hill "Scout"

Age: 42
Marital status: Married 22 years Wife Katrina
Children: 1 Daughter 14 years old
Occupation: Building Maintenance Technician
Hobbies: Hunting, Fishing , Shooting Sports, Family
Location: Eastern Shore of Maryland/Atlantic Flyway
Waterfowling Experience: 18 years.

I have hunted all my life starting at the age of 6 years old. I grew up in Western Md, but didn’t get into waterfowl until I moved and now it is a passion. I've been waterfowling for 18 years and guiding for 10, which I would like to do full time. My Lab  “Nala” and I hunt every chance we get. And my daughter is starting to hunt. In the off season there’s fishing for stripers, I mate on several boats for local captains, build blinds and pattern birds. For me the hunting lifestyle is the way I was raised and will always be in my blood. I have helped in many ways to better our sport being a member of Ducks Unlimited, National Rifle Association, North American Hunting Club, and the Maryland Outfitter and Guide Association.

Gregory Ruark Jr 
 
Age:  34 years old
Marital Status: Married 7 years Wife Jennifer
Occupation Electrician Local 24
Waterfowling Experience 23 years
Hobbies Deer hunting, Bass fishing, Canoeing, Camping.
Location Cecil and Kent Counties, MD Atlantic Flyway 
 
I was nine years when my father took me into the marsh on my first goose hunt. I was hooked as soon as saw birds working the decoys. Ever since then, I look forward to each hunt with anxious anticipation and a desire to improve my technique. A lot has changed since that first goose hunt. Decoys have improved dramatically, and calls have transformed from resonant cavity to flutes and now the shortreed. I can only imagine where the sport his headed next, but I know I'll be there. My father handed down a special tradition in waterfowling, and I share my blinds and pits with children periodically throughout the season. I find it enjoyable introducing new people to the lifestyle, young and old alike. As a member of Ducks Unlimited, The Maryland Waterfowlers Association, and the Susquehanna River Waterfowlers Association, conservation and preservation of our way of life is an important issue to me and those I hunt with. Hunting is a way of life, and even though the season may be closed; I'm always chasing the limit.                            

Brian Kalkbrenner

Age: 25
Marital Status: Married 6 year, Wife Sarah
Children: 3
Occupation: Production
Hobbies: Hunting,Fishing,Working My Dog, and Family Time
Location: Mississippi Flyway, St.Louis,Missouri
Waterfowling Experience: 15 years

Waterfowl hunting has been a part of my entire life. I started hunting with my dad and my grandfather when I was 10. I still have tons of memories of us at Duck Creek Wildlife Area back in the timber blinds watching the ducks drop down on us by the dozens. It was something that has gotten me hooked ever since. Today my passion is waterfowl hunting and I try to get out every chance I get. I hunt all over the state of Missouri. I hunt conservation areas, private fields and the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. I am also aproud to be a Field Staffer for Foiles Migrators Inc. and a member of "Team Strait Meat".  

Dave Anderson
Age: 26
Marital Status: YES-Frances
Children: 2-Maddison,Anthony
Occupation: Valvoline/Redeyedecoys.com
Hobbies: Hunting, spending time with my kids
Location: Mississippi Flyway, St.Louis,Missouri
Waterfowling Experience:5 years
Field Staff for Foiles Migrators
Pro Staff for Muddy Dog Lanyards

The first time I went Hunting was with Brian Kalkbrenner and we left my house about midnight and drove to Fountain Grove. It was great, The sun came up and the first birds came in to the decoys and from that point I was hooked....... I have gone every year since and will go for the rest of my life.

Luke Cyphers
Age: 21
Marital Status: Single
Fort Collins, CO

I began hunting when I was about 8 with my dad; he would take me pheasant hunting in Kansas every year. We still to this day take an annual pheasant hunting trip in the fall. And in turn I have now introduced him to waterfowling and since then he loves to join us in the field. I began seriously waterfowling 4 years ago when I was a senior in high school and can't get enough. Goose hunting would have to be my passion, there is nothing like a big old gander circling your decoys. I also love the fact that I can drive 20 minutes and have some of the best waterfowl hunting in the country. During the rest of the year I enjoy golfing, fishing, and I also coach and referee youth hockey. I am currently a senior at Colorado State University majoring in Health and Exercise Sciences with a minor in Business.

Richie Lepera
Age: 26
Location: Berks County, PA
Hobbies: Hangin with my daughter, Training my dogs, Practicing for comps., woodworking.


I started my hunting addiction about 5 years ago trying all aspects of hunting. After trying it all, waterfowl and wing shooting stuck with me. So for the last 4 seasons I have basically dedicated myself to the sport of waterfowl. I hunt from NY down to VA. My work permits me to be out everyday and whether I get my limit or no birds at all, winter is a beautiful time of year and it's a pleasure to be able to get out and enjoy it. Now I am at the point where I want to give back as well as recieve. Nature provides more than just a hobby for my family, its what we do. So now i have started comp. calling and working in the waterfowl industry as a MuddyDog staff and with custom decoys. Hopefully my daughter will take up the enjoyment of wildfowl when she's old enough.

Brison "Curly" Bishop
Age: 21
Marital Status: Single
Fort Collins, CO

I stared hunting at 9 years old with my family in Western Nebraska. I gained early passion for waterfowling. I also enjoy the thrill of deer and elk hunting in the early fall. But its a teaser for true passion-waterfowling. I love do "Do Work" I am currently a senior at Colorado State University and I am majoring in Wildlife Biology.

Benton Boyd

Age: 36

Location: Olathe, KS (Kansas City) / Central Flyway

Occupation: Interactive/Online Marketing

Waterfowl Experience: Every since I could walk…

Pro Staff Bass Pro Shops / Red Head Gear & Apparel

Pro Staff Inside Outdoors TV

Benton brings with him to the Muddy Dog team a lifetime of dedicated and passionate involvement in hunting, fishing, and the outdoors in general.  From intense participation as an eager enthusiast to the marketing and promotion of the businesses that continue to innovate and support these pursuits, Benton continually finds unique ways to blend his passion for the outdoors, especially waterfowling, with his day to day business life to continue to ensure that he not only enjoys what he does for a living, but also promotes good will and integrity as a representative of the sports, ensuring that resources will be around for his children and theirs to enjoy.  Benton’s greatest passion is in the area of waterfowl hunting, spending 50-60 days a season in a field or a blind somewhere.  His broad and diverse range of experiences in the marsh and field make him a perfect fit to put the Muddy Dog lanyards to the most grueling of tests.  Benton has sported Muddy Dog lanyards on the Outdoor Channel as a Prostaff member of Inside Outdoors TV, as well as at numerous events and seminars as a Prostaff member of Bass Pro Shops and their Red Head brand. 

Howard (The Duck) Avery
Lynden,Wa
26
 
I'm an explosive K9 Handler in the Military, and have been in for seven years. I'm an avid duck hunter: I dream, sleep, and eat Ducks.  I've been married for 6 years and have a 3 year old named Hunter. My favorite hunting memory would be the first time I ever went duck hunting. I was 10 years old and was invited by my best friend to this day, Mike Henderson and his father. I was so excited, except for getting up at 3:30 in the morning. His father fixed us some eggs and venison for breakfast. I couldn't hold in my excitement and curiosity of what was going to come! We finished eating and headed out. We arrived at a corn field with a slough than ran along the edge. I heard the sound of whistling wings and quacks surrounding me and it sent shivers down my spine, making my hair stand on end. I was addicted and there was nothing I could do about it! It's just not the hunting, it's the getting up early with close friends, perfecting decoy setup, learning to call. Duck hunting has so many variables, that is what makes us an elite breed; We are Duck Hunters!