Jimmy grew up in central Ohio where his love for the outdoors started at a very young age. His Granddad, parents, aunts, uncles, and numerous cousins were all avid hunters and anglers. From as far back as he can remember, his family gatherings always involved swapping stories of hunting deer in Eastern Ohio or fishing for giant muskies in Lake Erie. It should come as no surprise that Jimmy became hooked on the great outdoors as a child!
Jimmy currently resides in south central Ohio with his wife, Kaylee, and their son, Ryan. His family spends most of their free time exploring the 6000+ acres of beautiful Ohio public lands and waters that is adjacent to their property. When Jimmy isn’t working, this is usually where he can be found hunting, fishing, and recreating. As a certified member of 2% for Conservation, the nearby public lands are where Jimmy spends countless hours cleaning up trash and debris from the Wildlife Area each year.
Though Jimmy has been hunting and fishing for nearly all his life, it wasn’t until about 10 years ago that his focus switched primarily to meat acquisition. For nearly the last decade, the only red meat and fish that Jimmy’s family has eaten, has been from animals that he has harvested each year. Jimmy is continually working to create new recipes that incorporate wild game into daily meals.
“One of the best things about being a hunter, are the opportunities it gives to change misconceptions about wild game. There is no question that to most folks, wild game is thought to be second rate to store bought meat. This is the part of hunting that I truly enjoy the most - changing those misconceptions. There are few better feelings in the world than preparing a wild game dish and feeding it to folks who look down on it. I can’t help but smile while I watch their faces and body language change from the initial fear of eating it, to the subtle look on their faces when they realize that it doesn’t taste bad, but actually really good. Then comes the ultimate compliment - they go back for seconds.“
Jimmy is extremely proud that he has introduced wild game to hundreds of friends, family members, and co-workers over the last decade.
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