Michael sat down with USA Newspaper, read the interview below or check out their site
A freak daddy, nasty rabbit. Chasin’ the thunderchicken. Layin’ the smack down on a slickhead.
If you’re a hunter who enjoys the outdoor television, odds are you know exactly who spoke those words. That’s right, Michael Waddell.
Waddell is to the outdoor industry what Elvis was to music. Maybe, just maybe, even bigger for those of us who live the outdoor lifestyle.
Funny thing is, when you talk to the guy, you wouldn’t know that he’s perhaps the most revered and respected personality in the outdoors. As he likes to say, he’s “no one special. Just a guy from Booger Bottom, Georgia who loves to hunt.”
And that’s true. Michael Waddell is a seed grown from humble, country roots.
But that seed has sprung into a massive oak, one that continues to spread shoots anywhere and everywhere that it can. All in the name of the hunter.
“I got started in the outdoor industry by competing in turkey calli9ng competitions and had some success there. That sort of got the ball rolling for me and I started working for Realtree with Bill Jordan and David Blanton,” Waddell said. “Things just took off from there and when the opportunity came for me to go out on my own, I knew pretty much exactly what I wanted to do.”
What Waddell wanted to do was to be part of an outdoor TV show unlike any other. One that would allow him to not only be the super-likeable personality that he is but would also allow him a platform to promote the outdoor lifestyle in the best way possible.
“We started out doing the Realtree Roadtrips show and that was so much fun, I learned so much from guys like (producers) Marc Womack and Steve Finch,” Waddell said. “But I had always had this dream in my head about another hunting show, a different kind of show. We started Surf and Turf Entertainment from Scratch and our goal was that we weren’t going to play defense.
“Hunting shows are always under the watchful eye anti-hunters and we always seems to be playing defense, like we needed to justify what we are doing. Well, I wanted to play offense. I didn’t want to apologize for anything that we do, legally and ethically of course, as hunters.”
The idea of the show was born. What it lacked, however was a name.
That all changed when Waddell was testing a new muzzleloader for Thompson-Center Arms with Gregg Ritz.
“We were out shooting that new gun and it was just amazingly accurate,” Waddell said. “I took a couple of shots and said to Gregg, ‘Man, this thing is awesome. This thing is going to be a real bone collector.’ We just looked at each other and I knew that was it. That’s the name of the show.”
Michael Waddell’s Bone Collector is not only the top-rated show on The Outdoor Channel in just its first season, Bone Collector is a brand that’s found on everything from TC Muzzleloaders to Hoyt bows to targets and clothing.
It’s a brand Waddell is proud of because of what it stands for.
“Our motto is ‘If you can’t have fun, stay home.’ We really live by that. The outdoors offers so much to people. We just really feel fortunate to have the opportunity to share that with the people that have the same passion as we do.”
Waddell is joined on the show by longtime friends Nick Mundt and Travis Turner. Both share Waddell’s dynamic personality and passion for what they do.
Incredibly, Waddell’s rise to superstardom has not changed him. It has, however, changed his life.
“I’m just blown away by the response. It makes me very proud but I think there’s a fine like between confidence and arrogance,” Waddell said. “Coming from Booger Bottom all I’ve ever tried to do is be myself and try to portray hunting and the way I was brought up.”
“Anyone who has sincere passion truly has the opportunity to do what I’ve done. It’s all about passion and sincere love of the outdoors. All you have to bee is confident in who you are. I make mistakes all the time but I just try to be myself and enjoy each adventure. It makes me proud of my culture. I want to be an asset.”
Waddell said that he’s particularly proud of his support of conservation organizations across the country including the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance.
“The biggest thing about (USA) that gets me is you know you’re dealing with hardcore patriotic Americans. They’re not waiting for anything to happen, they’re making things happen in a positive way. They get to work,” Waddell said.
“What you find in the hunting community is you find people who are truly looking for ways to help their community, we’re givers. If you look at all of the organizations from USA to NWFT to QDMA and on down the line, we’re constantly giving back to make things better. Just by getting up every day and sweating and working and putting calluses on our hands. That’s why, in my opinion, hunters are the greatest Americans.”
Here recently I had an opportunity along with my wife Ashley to visit Lambaeu Field for the Mills Fleet Farm hunting show or customer appreciationg days. WOW! Even though we were only there for a day and a half, we were both overwhelmed with our visit.
ROCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE -Thompson/Center Arms Company Inc., a Smith & Wesson company, announced that it has begun shipping the new Triumph® Bone Collector™ Series of muzzleloaders. The series consists of two top-of-the-line .50 caliber magnum muzzleloaders that carry the look, feel and attitude of Michael Waddell’s “The Bone Collector” series currently airing on The Outdoor Channel.
