Gobles
Born on June 21st, 1977, I have lived in the small town of Gobles, MI my entire life. Four years ago, my parents gave me a 2.5 acre section of land on the back side of their 90 acre parcel. Then, two years ago, I obtained another 3 from my family’s long time neighbor who owns most of the land around us. My father and I have been working on preparing this piece of land for my future house. Remington Excavating, based in Bloomingdale, Michigan, has done all of our heavy equipment work, including an addition to our existing natural pond that Scotty Remington dug with a long-stick excavator, and some incredible dozer work completed by Scotty, Zack Nelson, and Bob Remington. The pond not only plays host to a plethora of wildlife, but is loaded with healthy northern pike, largemouth bass, panfish, dogfish, and bullhead. These fish find their way there via the creek that connects my pond with the 106 acre Mill Lake. Hopefully within the next three years, I will build my final home here.
Parents
My parents have been married since 1967, and have played an instrumental role in my development. They are the reason I have come so far in life, and why I appreciate everything I have earned.
My mother was an elementary teacher until giving birth to my older sister, after which she became a stay-at-home mother. Once my sister and I were in school, she went back into the world of education as a substitute teacher in the Gobles Elementary system. She still works there, and is one of the most beloved (by students, teachers, and administrators alike) individuals in the system. When she is not subbing, she works as the secretary in my father’s shop, which is basically a 24/7 job.
My father was a full-time surveyor and part-time taxidermist for over 20 years, and then decided to quit surveying and concentrate on his taxidermy business full-time. He proved that he was one of the best in the world by winning top awards at several different state association shows (Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, New York,), and the national, Canadian national, international, and world organization shows. Although his specialty has always been fish, he did win the “Best All Around Taxidermist” award at the Indiana show in 1996, proving he possesses top quality skills in all areas. Near the end of his years as a competitor, he began judging competitions across the nation and in Canada, where he also competed and won the “Judges Choice” award. Also, he served as president of the I.G.T. (International Guild of Taxidermy) for six years. This was an exciting time, as I was able to play a major role behind the scenes at International taxidermy competitions as a very young individual. Taxidermists are amazing people, and I formed friendships with people from all over the world.
Taxidermy
My father taught me the art of taxidermy, and I picked up on it very quickly. With my first competition mount (a largemouth bass) in 1991, I took second place in the amateur division at the Indiana show and third place at the I.G.T. show. After touching up this mount to fix the problem areas, I took a first place in the professional division at the New York show in 1992. Also, in that same year, I took third place with my first reptile mount, a Canebrake Rattlesnake that was a gift from a taxidermy judge, and good friend, from Florida. Then, in 1993, I walked away from the Indiana and I.G.T. shows with first place ribbons. Due to my decision to attend college, my taxidermy career was short lived. However, by 1992 I had earned enough points by winning in competition to gain my certification, and at fifteen, became the youngest certified taxidermist in the world.
Hunting
Michigan:
Hunting has been my ultimate passion since I first went along with my father when I was eleven years old. Once I shot my first buck, I was addicted. He was an above average 5 point. My first bow kill was a slightly smaller 6 point. Those are the only two small bucks I have shot because once I harvested my first trophy class buck, I could not bring myself to shoot anything less than a “wall hanger.”
As a junior in high school (1993), I harvested a heavy-beamed 9-point that scored 136”. This was my first trophy whitetail. Since then, I have taken a 115” 8-point with a 20-inch inside spread, a 145” 10-point with a split G-2, and a 141” 10-point Pope & Young. My future hope is to secure a piece of land that produces larger bucks, so I can make my dream of shooting a Boone & Crockett a reality.
Out West:
My most amazing hunting experience occurred my freshman year of high school. My father and I travelled out west to Lusk, Wyoming with some friends to hunt a cattle rancher’s land. Neither my father, nor I, would ever hunt a game farm or go on a guided hunt, so our friends’ connections made a hunting trip out west possible. This ranch was private property, and our group of 7 had the run of a 3,000 acre parcel for mule deer and two other similar parcels for pronghorn. We could walk all day and never worry about bumping into another hunter or wandering off our section of hunting property.
Along with collecting many shed antlers, I was blessed with a 168” 5 x 5 with a 27-inch inside spread. This is the most impressive animal I have ever harvested, and my father helped it live on with a life-size mount. Also, that same year, I took a 15 ½-inch pronghorn. These were both trophy class animals, so I was more than satisfied with my first hunting trip out west.
My father and I went the next two years to the same location, and took my sister on one of these trips. Unfortunately, a massive winter kill left the few remaining animals scattered about, and other than my sister’s small whitetail, we came home empty handed. Even without taking home a trophy, these trips were incredible experiences, and time well spent with my father. In the end, I had the biggest buck ever taken off the property and my sister had the only whitetail. The last year, I did manage to bag a gorgeous porcupine with my Beretta 9mm handgun.
In 2002, my father, sister, and I made one more trip out west. This time, we met a friend in Rifle, Colorado, and travelled up into the mountains to hunt on public land. My sister harvested an average 4x4, but I came home empty handed. Although I did not return home with a bull elk, I was able to bring home memories of a wonderful trip. Colorado’s land, air, and water are amazingly pure, and it was one of the most beautiful locations I have ever visited.
Education
Employment