BORN AND RAISED OUTDOORS

Backcountry Blacktails

2010-09-07T21:16:00.000-07:00

Training all summer...sweat, sore muscles and blisters couldn't fully prepare me for what I was about to embark on. Mentally preparing yourself and your family to be out of touch from the world for 7 days is a challenge enough, then throw in the task of stalking a Blacktail buck in the backcountry and it seems nearly impossible.

Going through gear. Starting with a fresh pack from the boys at Oregon Pack Works, I sorted, weighed and evaluated what was going to make the final cut into 'The Whole ShaBang!'

Steve and I bombed out of town late that night, we didn't end up at the trailhead until 2 am. We grabbed a couple hours of shut-eye and headed deep into the unknown.

Taking it all in, we glassed our final destination, too bad it still 5 miles away. Packs loaded for broke, we pressed on.

Finally making into camp, we settled in and rested our legs. Later that evening we found ourselves at the ridge-top glassing for bucks. Nothing but bears...6 to be exact. Some big, some small, some black, some chocolate...one problem. NO TAG!

Honestly we were both a little bummed we couldn't find a deer, let alone a buck. After a restless night, we found ourselves climbing back up to our ridge top perch. Things finally were looking up. Bucks! 4 to be exact.

With rough terrain and unsettling winds, we settled to watch them for the rest of the day.

Up before dawn, we found ourselves in yet another dark climb to the top. Once again we found our 4 bucks...joined by another 8 further down the basin. 12 bucks in our 'Honey Hole'

Now is where things got challenging. Steve and I deliberated to come up with a plan of action. The game was set. We loaded the packs and dropped 1500' to valley floor. By the end of the day, we only had a couple of photos and tired feet to show for our bonsai stalk.

1 T-shirt, 1 pair of pants and a set of drawers are all we needed for 7 days. Whether it was 40 degrees at daylight or 85 at noon, the new First Lite gear pulled through. Pretty amazing clothes for the backcountry, no smell and it dries out in 15 minutes after being soaked. AMAZING STUFF!

This trip was more than a deer hunt, it was a challenge that pushed us physically and mentally.

With an unpunched tag, Steve and I loaded our gear and reluctantly headed back to the truck.It had to be the most rewarding hunt I have ever been on. I guess the biggest point of it all is that, "Success in the in the eye of the beholder, and in my eyes, it was a great success!"

A New Hogg...

2010-03-28T20:10:00.000-07:00

A New Hogg is in town!

I was pleased to see a package on my doorstep on Friday night...I was even more pleased once I opened it! The new Tommy Hogg.

I quickly tore into the packaging and started getting it figured out. Once again, I was blown away by the rugged design that still felt as smooth as butter.

Saturday morning I found myself at the local archery shop. There I removed the ol' Spot-Hogg and readied the bow for the new one.

After searching the entire store, we finally found a plum surface to set the level on the 2nd & 3rd axis.

Now with the new Tommy Hogg installed, the bow sat ready for a launch sequence.

With the hip quiver loaded, I proceeded to start the sight-in process.

With a couple groups under my belt, it was time to step back a few yards.

I am now ready and waiting for Spring Bear season...

Born And Raised Outdoors hits Bowcast.com

2010-03-01T06:34:00.000-08:00

It seems that more and more guys and gals are either starting to film their own hunts, or starting to get serious about it. As I know I have interest in this subject as well as many others, I asked my buddy Kody Kellom, Co-founder of Born and Raised Outdoors, http://bornandraisedoutdoors.com/, to do a Q&A about some common filming inquiries, as well as some behind-the-scenes type questions about what it’s like to be part of an outdoor video team.

Joe: Kody, first off, thanks for doing this man!

Kody: It is my pleasure, thanks for bringing me on!

Joe: So to start this off let’s get a little background on yourself, and how the desire to have your own outdoor film company came about?

Kody: Well, I have had a bow in my hand since the age of 4 and bowhunting big game since the ripe young age of 12. My Dad has had a huge influence on my life and why I call myself a die-hard bowhunter. I have been involved in the industry for 12 years now as I worked in an archery shop during high school and college, helping expand my knowledge and love for the sport.

I have been fortunate to be successful in the field over the years, but since I picked up a camera 4 years ago, the game has changed. Our goal at Born And Raised Outdoors is to capture the adventure, the raw emotion, and highs and lows of the hunt. These alone have pushed us to the next level of hunting and filming.

Joe: How did the B.R.O. crew come together?

Kody: When I met Andrea, who now is my wife, she introduced to her twin sister’s husband, Trent Fisher. We started to hunt together every bow season, having some great experiences and success. I had also been a long-time hunting partner with Ty Stubblefield, which I introduced to Trent and his older brother Treavor Fisher. We all clicked together and when we hit the woods together, it was game on. With an idea spurred from Trent and Treavor, we jumped in head over heels days before the 2007 bow season and ordered a camera.

Since that first season filming, we have added an additional hardcore bowhunter, Steve Howard. The rest is history!

Joe: What was your guys’ first camera? And since then what type equipment are you running now?

Kody: Our first camera was a Canon GL2, which we drug through the dust, rain, and snow with no troubles. It was tough as nails, great starter camera. Our progression in filming has led us to shooting in all HD. We have since sold the GL2 and now roll with a Canon XHA1 and a couple of HV 40’s. The small compact size of the HV40, compliment the XHA1 with quality footage.

We have learned through trial and errors that audio is a huge element in producing quality films. The camera microphone just doesn’t cut it. We have since upgraded our audio system to Sennheiser wireless and shotgun microphones.

Another key to quality footage is a fluid head tripod and monopod. Steady shots will make the footage that much better. We run Manfrotto tripods and monopods. They are light weight and stout as hell.

Joe: Obviously, just like a bowhunters first kill, the first kill you are able to capture on camera is something special…describe that hunt:

Kody: We packed the camera that first season with some close calls but no success. Some missed shots and thick brush; we just couldn’t close the deal. Finally with the end of elk season fast approaching, it all came together. I was the shooter, Trent was running the camera, and Treavor was on the calls. After locating the herd a mile away and darkness quickly approaching, we went for the run and gun technique. Pushing it as hard as we could, it all came together. The 7 x 5 bull stepped in the open; I ranged it, drew and shot. This was all captured over the shoulder! It turned out amazing!

We were pumped. All of the sweat, blood, and tears actually came through on tape. We couldn’t have been proud of that accomplishment, a nice Roosevelt bull killed on camera. It set the stage for the rest of the week, killing 3 more bulls on camera the last three days of season.

Joe: For guys looking to buy a camera, with budget in mind…what type of camera setup would you suggest investing in?

Kody: Like I mentioned before, Canon’s HV 40 is a great camera. With a budget of $1000, you can get a killer set-up. Do yourself a favor and buy a Sennheiser MKE 400 small compact shotgun mic. It will compliment the set-up perfectly.

If you don’t have a tripod, get one. Shaky footage can make a big buck or bull irrelevant if it is shaky. There are also many do-it-yourself camera rigs that can improve your shots and give you the big budget film effect with little out of pocket expense.

Joe: Obviously, laying down the footage is one thing, but once you sit down to edit, a bunch of work sits in front of you…do you guys do your own editing?

Kody: We do almost all of our own editing…the learning curve has been huge and by no means do I have it mastered. The biggest thing for us is having the creative control to make the film our own. We do sub out some of the graphics, as this supersedes my creative talents and available time to learn.

I absolutely love editing video and making the viewer feel the sore muscles, blisters, as we push ourselves to accomplish success. It is that sole reason that we do our own editing.

With having a full-time job outside of BRO, it causes me to have some late nights pouring over the clips and making the next scene just right.

Joe: How many hours of footage did you guys run to come up with your first video, Tagged Out, a 55 minute production?

Kody: Well, we ended up with 36 hours of hunting footage for our first video. After the season we sat down and rolled the camera recalling every detail of the hunt to help the viewer feel a part of our journey. At the end, we felt that we had a solid video that keeps the viewers’ attention from start to finish. All in all I think we ended up with about 45 hours of tape to sort through, which seemed like a daunting task until this year. I am currently sorting through 112 hours of hunting footage for our next project. I can’t wait to get it complete!

Joe: Gear wise, what suggestions would you make as far as small differences in products that pay big dividends?

Kody: Audio quality is huge. Without sound, the viewer is lost in a mix of clips and music. Spend the extra money and get good quality mics. The other thing to consider is a clean lens. A good friend once suggested carrying a small pack of Kleenex, since that day we all pack one easily accessible in the heat of the moment, so we don’t have a dirty lens.

Another item that we all carry is at least 3 spare tapes and extended life batteries. In cold weather, the battery life diminishes faster than normal. Without a battery and tape, then you don’t have a functional camera.

Another must is a pen. Every time that tape comes out of the camera, label it in detail; Date, location, subject and any other vital information. This will pay off when you start chopping footage.

Joe: All in all, what is the most satisfying part of the whole videography, and production process??

Kody: When a hunt finally comes together perfectly, and it is all captured on film, makes it all worth it. Success is one thing but being able to share that experience with the viewer is the most rewarding thing. When the finished product is able to make the viewer feel the tense moments before the shot, and disappointment of blown opportunities, it puts a smile on our face.

Joe: What is the little pearl of wisdom you would give bowhunters who are wanting to video their hunts?

Kody: Press record! Press record! Press record! We have had some amazing opportunities to film some great encounters and even kills, but the cameraman gets wrapped up in the hunt rather than filming. It is a tough one to balance, but if it is your turn to run the camera, leave the bow, binos, and calls back at camp. Focus solely on the adventure and how you can capture it on film. Go prepared, if you know some shots that you will encounter during the hunt write them down and compile a shot list.

We do not recreate anything after the shot, as we get tired of seeing a bow drawn with the wrong number of arrows or different setting. Viewers are keen hunters who observe their surroundings; you can’t fake them out with some cheesy acting or reenactments.

Joe: We have talked, and you told me that you will be releasing another DVD this summer, can you fill the BowCasters in on this…when, name, a little piece of secret info?

Kody: We are very excited about our next project to say the least. It has been two years in the making as we chased Roosevelt Elk in every possible terrain the Oregon Coast can throw at us. The film is called, “The Reason” which encompasses every reason bowhunter s do we do what we do for success! We face adversity of fire danger, closing the public access to vehicles. It is an adventure into the backcountry on our mountain bikes. We adapt and prevail in the end. We hope to release it this June…

Joe: What hunts does the B.R.O. crew have going this fall?

Kody: We just received draw results from Wyoming and we struck out. Plan B is a Nevada Backcountry Mule deer hunt. We have a high probability of drawing and it will be a blast. 10,000 ft, 10 days and a crew of five pushing it as hard as we can.

We will also be doing our thing chasing Roosevelt Elk and Blacktail deer here in Southern Oregon. It is always fun and very rewarding! With that said, I can’t wait for opening day!

Joe: Cool, thanks a bunch Kody for coming in and sharing some great info on filming hunts! I’m sure a lot of guys will dig this stuff and find it very beneficial in being able to video their hunts, whether it be for personal viewing, or a small production company! Best of luck to yourself and the BRO crew in the future!

Kody: Thanks a bunch for this opportunity to bring the BRO crew’s lifestyle to Bowcast!

A picture is worth a 1000 words!

2009-11-30T16:38:00.000-08:00

The Reason

2009-11-19T18:21:00.000-08:00

I can honestly say that I have never experienced the first week of season to be so action packed. We started it off with Friday morning, the day before season, with a solid 6x6 in our laps at 35 yards bugling and ready for action. Too bad we couldn't duplicate that on Saturday. Nothing!!! Not even a sound.
Sunday was a different story...Steve had an opportunity, but just couldn't connect. Let me tell you, fog and rangefinders do not mix!
As the week progressed, so did the sightings and close encounters. Little did we know that Trent was about to start a trend. He kicked things off with an incredible evening hunt after work.
The next weekend is when things really got crazy! It stormed like none other that weekend. The wind was blowing and calling was out of the question...luckily for us, the spot and stalk was on. Treavor closed the distance and arrowed his biggest bull ever! Yep, count 'em, 6 X 8!Before the celebrating was over, the game was on again...with Trent elbow deep in butchering, a bull was bugling and coming fast. Springing into action, Treavor coaxed this bull into the thick reprod for Chris. After making a stellar shot, he had his first bow kill on the ground!

All of these events unfolded unbenounced to Ty, Steve, and I. Little did they know we were doing our fair share of harvesting. Across the drainage Steve wrapped his tag on a respectable big timber Blacktail buck.

After meeting up and swapping stories the BRO crew called it quits to one hell of a Labor Day weekend.

With a couple weeks left in the season, Steve, Ty, and I headed deep into the unfamiliar timber-lands to try our will and skill. After a couple days of nothing, make that absolutely nothing. We located a herd in the distance, 3 miles away to be exact. We packed up camp in the dark, saddled the mountain bikes and headed by headlamp down the long gravel trek. Daylight brought us within striking distance and by 8am, Ty had his bull on the ground.

After a grueling 14 mile pack out, the tender vitals were tucked away in a walk-in cooler. The next day led us into some old stompin' grounds from back in the day. After locating a herd the game was on...

An hour later Steve had horns in hand!
Going into the last weekend and having the only tag remaining, I felt like one of the, "Last of the Mohicans." With the help of Treavor and Chris, we called this bull into a mere 20 yards. One well placed arrow finished the season for Born And Raised Outdoors.

We are now in the mix of late deer season, we will try our best to continue the streak!

Tagged Out-

Kody

More to come...

2009-10-01T12:58:00.000-07:00

Life has been crazy with elk season wrapping up last week...a whirlwind has caught us and we haven't looked back. I am sorting through the photos and stories from this past season. I will update shortly...in the mean time check out a blurb from our latest release, "Tagged Out"

I hope you enjoy....

TAGGED OUT

2009-09-07T15:45:00.000-07:00

Well it has been a couple years in the making, but it is finally here. We released our latest project this last week, which encompasses our journey through an entire bow season. Feel the blisters, sweat and tears as we push ourselves to the breaking point while pursuing Roosevelt's in the rainforest jungle of Oregon.

You can find your copy at these retailers:

Waldron's Outdoor Sports
330 NE Garden Valley
Roseburg, OR 97470
541-672-8992
http://www.waldronsoutdoor.com/

XXX Archery
75940 Rockcrest St.
Rainier, OR 97048
503-556-1322
http://www.xxxarchery.com/

Dewclaw Archery
2722 West Main Street

Medford, OR 97501

800-278-1896
http://www.dewclawarchery.com/

We are currently working on a Web-Store to purchase other BRO merchandise at http://www.bornandraisedoutdoors.com/ which is expected to launch later this month.

Currently season is on and it has been one heck of a week. I will load up some pictures when we get a free moment....

Kody

2009 BRINGS A NEW BRO

2009-01-06T20:56:00.000-08:00

Born and Raised in Coos Bay, Oregon. Steve is a licensed journeyman plumber in the state of Oregon. He has been chasing Oregon blacktails and Roosevelt Elk since the age of 13. Now at the age of 33, Steve's been bowhunting for the last 15 years taking big game in Oregon, Wyoming, California and Nevada. When he's not spending time in the outdoors, he is spending it with his beautiful wife Heidi, 6-year old daughter Chelsea and 2-year old identical twin daughters Ashley and Shelby. Every day Steve is thankful for his family letting him chase his passion - bowhunting big game.

Steve in Nevada @ Camp
(Camp - AKA - a sleeping bag)

After having the pleasure to hunt with Steve this past year, I learned that there is not a more dedicated or motivated guy in the woods. He is relentless in the pursuit of his obsession. He has a "Never Quit" attitude that has lead him to be a very accomplished and successful hunter. BRO is proud to be able to have him on the team! Look for more to come.....

Kody

Another season for the books.....

2008-10-13T20:26:00.001-07:00

Well another season has come and gone…..and already the countdown begins for next year.

This season was no textbook example for how things are supposed to go. It started rough. Pedaling our bikes into the unknown, we pushed our bodies to the brink. Needless to say this season wasn’t looking over our favorite hunting or even familiar ground.

We couldn’t find the usual suspects in their typical range, which caused us to expand our horizon and check out brand new and foreign hunting grounds.

The first weekend of season was a learning experience in itself…Trent and I need to take a class in “How to Read Maps 101.” Friday night before the opener, we decided to load up the gear and check out some gated ground. We consulted Ty’s ancient, I mean outdated and obsolete map. With the effect of a couple of brew’s Trent and I made the decision to head west after departing from the rigs. Big mistake!

Our lack of common sense, lead us to a round-trip pedal fest of 27 miles and zero elk. Not to mention sore muscles.

We finally found our anticipated route, which was only ½ mile in the other direction from the truck. OOPS!!!!

As the season progressed, so did the odometer on our mountain bikes. We rode those stupid bikes everywhere, even pushing them up some of the steepest grades. With that said they not only saved us time and our feet, but they came in handy when it came time to pack meat.

Darrell and Trent were the first to draw blood.

Trent was able to coax a stud bull into his father to a mere 35 yards. With two well placed arrows the bull made a 65 yard jaunt before piling up. This was a great way to get things started for the BRO crew.

The second week of season, Trent and Steve hunted their asses off. Their hard work and sweat equity produced another bull on the ground. The bull made a severe mistake and Trent slipped an arrow into the vitals…

The pack out was a huge undertaking, with just of the two of them, they proceeded to pack out an entire elk in one trip on the mountain bikes and trailers. Finally arriving back to the homestead as the moon gave way to daylight.

Soon I followed with a sequence that nobody could have predicted. Pedaling our bikes into country that we had never laid our eyes on, we struggled to even raise the sight of an elk. Trent made our luck change though, as he painted his face as the daylight was winding down. Ty and I in disbelief put our “rally” caps on and proceeded to the end of the road.

Finally as the sun was going down, we located a bull. With Ty as the shooter, Trent and he slipped down the ridge as I continued to rouse the bull. Soon I realized that the bull’s route was going to end up at my feet. With little time to react, I drew and shot. After a few seconds of crashing, silence came over the woods. We knew it was over.

After an easy pack to a skid road, we loaded up the bike carts and headed to camp. The next morning we started on our 14 mile ride out. By 1:30 pm we had the elk in the truck and a beer in our hand.

The next week was met with more challenges as Ty still had a tag burning a hole in his pocket. Tuesday night after work, Ty and I headed in to check out some old stomping grounds. With some fresh sign and one bugle we had high spirits as the sun set.

On the ride out, Ty lost his BRO hat off his handlebars. Not wanting to lose his lucky cap, he took his 7 yr old daughter back in there the net morning. After locating his hat more than half way on the loop, he decided to continue on.

At straight up noon, he located a bull raking his antlers and pushing his cows through some heavy reprod. A quick bugle had the bull and Ty in a standoff. With a narrow window of opportunity, Ty made a stellar shot resulting in the biggest bull of his career.

Him and his daughter, Hunter, experienced a hunt that they will never forget.

Last up was Treavor.

His plane arrived Thursday night as Trent and I greeted him in the North Bend International Airport. And I use the term “International Airport” very loosely. We didn’t waste any time and started planning the route for the next day's hunt.

As the week progressed so did the number of close calls and frustration. We anticipated the last week of season being the best hunting, but we struggled to find them on a consistent basis. We pushed on and kept our chins up.

The last weekend, we found ourselves pedaling up the same path we made on my hunt. Unfortunately we were unable to locate anything. In fact I didn’t even lay my eyes on an elk the final two days of season. The sign indicated we were a day late and a dollar short. Oh well! We came away with some more tricks in our bag and numerous new hunting spots.

The best part of the season was being able to share the experience with good friends.

We had a diverse crew, from professional cinematographer, Justin Crump, to first time bowhunter, Chris Apuy. Not to mention our newest member to the crew, Steve Howard.

The “tough-ass” award goes to our fellow partner, Trent. The rest of the crew through out our inflatable pads and set-up our bivy tents every night.

Not Trent. He just through out his sleeping bag on the less than soft ground and called it a night.

Yet another sunset but this one is different, it marks the end of another memorable elk season!

Stay tuned as we prepare for late buck season. Only 32 days left……

-Kody

Off to the Mountains!

2008-07-31T18:51:00.000-07:00

The desert....it is so miserable when your there, but you can't wait to go back!

A couple of friends of ours were fortunate enough to draw a coveted Nevada archery deer tag. They just returned from a scouting trip with smiles on their faces....they really liked what they saw.

The rugged terrain will put their will and determination to test, but with plenty of pre-season conditioning, they will succeed.

The season opens this weekend and they hope to put their preparation to test. We hope to report the first kill of the year upon their return. Stay tuned.....

2008-07-23T17:42:00.000-07:00

As I'm sure you know seasons just a month away. I hope you've been shooting every day possible and visualizing that perfect arrow. Making sure your pack is stuffed with all the accessories that you need, and scouting every available minute that you can. I can't wait to see the pictures.

Trent

Born And Raised Outdoors

2008-07-17T23:51:00.001-07:00

Fresh off the cutting room floor.....sit back and enjoy!

Scouting

2008-07-13T12:03:00.000-07:00

I thought I would give a scouting update.....

Kody and I traveled to the elk woods on Friday evening. No elk were found, but we did manage to locate a couple of bears!!! Two more weeks and they will be in trouble!

Then on Saturday we ventured out to the HOLY GROUND. We only saw about ten different heards. It was amazing! Elk everywhere!!!

I will keep you posted.

Trent

BEAR DOWN!

2008-05-27T19:25:00.001-07:00

Well, we finally got the job done. We chased them all season with the bows, but when push cam to shove, we busted out the guns!!

After scaling the rugged Coast Range of Southern Oregon, we pushed ourselves to the brink before bringing this big bruin to the ground. Those mountain bikes sure came in handy on the way out.

Ty was able to get the job done on a nice bear. The boar tipped the scales at about 215 lbs., which will fill the freezer with some nice pepperoni sticks for this upcoming year.

This capped off a great day as we saw 7, yes 7 bears in one day. Needless to say we found a new "Honey Hole", no pun intended. Stay tuned for some great footage and hope for more success....

Kody

Big and Black

2008-04-15T21:47:00.001-07:00

Spring Bears are here! These recent photos taken from the trail cams, have shown proof that the bears are out and moving.

We would like to welcome our latest friend to join Born And Raised Outdoors, Steve Howard. Steve has been hard at work scouting the vast bear country of Southern Oregon. Most recently he has captured some great photos.

Early activity shows a promising season ahead. Check us out as we keep you posted on the red hot action!

Kody

Sheds!

2008-04-15T21:26:00.000-07:00

Well to say the least, I have a huge case of cabin fever. We finally had a break in the weather and got a chance to roam the local hills. I knocked the cob webs off the gear and suited up.

Through the binos and miles on the boots, I was able to pick up quite a few low land buck sheds, 14 to be exact. The day produced a mixed bag of Columbia Whitetail and Blacktail horns. With the best find of the day being a nice Whitetail 3-point shed with double eye guards.

I can't wait for Spring bear season. The winter has been colder and longer than on average, which minimize movement, but it will give us an opportunity to get back in the woods!

Stay Tuned.....

Kody

Spring Break-In

2008-04-15T21:08:00.000-07:00

It is March 24th, we are getting ready for spring bear season that opens in April here in southwest Oregon. It is time to put away the field points for awhile and go back to the broadheads. It is also time to get back into shape. Put on a few fat pounds this winter and lost a lot of much needed endurance. This will start the exercise routine from now until the end of September. Starting out with a mile run on the treadmill and some push ups and will work up to several miles a day. Time to get started..............

Ty

BORN AND RAISED OUTDOORS BREAK OUT!

2008-01-01T20:23:00.000-08:00

LOOK OUT!!!!
BORN AND RAISED OUTDOORS IS GOING TO CHANGE THE WAY YOU VIEW BOWHUNTING

Born And Raised Outdoors is a newly founded Outdoor production company that will be pushing the outer limits of bowhunting caught in action! The team consists of 4 members who combined will bring you some of the most cutting edge and exciting outdoor films.

The team consists of Trent Fisher, Treavor Fisher, Kody Kellom, and Ty Stubblefield. The dynamic members each bring their own personalities which proves to push the group to the highest intensity level. The energy and expertise will prove to bring success to the group as they pursue some of the biggest Roosevelt Bulls and Blacktail Bucks!

STAY TUNED!