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Team Rocky!
We are a group of passionate outdoors people who live a rugged, outdoor lifestyle everyday. Forged from decades-old traditions and personal experiences of hunting triumph, we are outdoor experts and the absolute resource for information on the best gear and new hunting techniques. We gladly share our favorite stories to inspire you and hunters of all skill levels to reach your full potential and become a positive force for the wild.
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Zeke Pipher
Zeke is a freelance outdoor writer and photographer whose work regularly appears in several magazines, such as Bowhunting World, Deer and Deer Hunting, Bowhunter, Petersen’s Bowhunting, and Bow & Arrow Hunting.
Since he could crawl, Zeke spent every possible minute outside. His passion for the outdoors led him to earn a BA in Biology from Nebraska Wesleyan University in 1993. After college, Zeke worked as a graduate assistant in the Forestry, Fisheries, and Wildlife Department at the University of Nebraska until going to seminary. Zeke serves as the lead pastor of Heartland EFC in Central City, Nebraska. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from Talbot School of Theology and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. His sermons are broadcast by radio each week throughout central Nebraska.
“I’m never more content than when I’m perched in a cottonwood along the Platte River at sunset,” Zeke says. “There’s no sanctuary more breathtaking than the natural world.” Visit www.zekepipher.com to learn more about Zeke’s hunting, writing, and outdoor speaking.
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Steve Scruggs
SnakeMaster Steve Scruggs is the founder of Let’s Get Wild, an outdoor educational program that motivates elementary and middle school students to learn about nature and get involved in outdoor activities. Rocky is a proud supporter of Let’s Get Wild program. Having studied serpentines from around the world, Scruggs has extensive knowledge about man’s role in managing wildlife. Having been a an avid outdoorsmen his entire life, the snake specialist now has the desire to teach younger generations to love the outdoors and understand their future responsibility in the conserving and preserving our natural resources. The Let’s Get Wild program reaches thousands of children annually and has taken Scruggs all over the South. The “Snakes Alive” presentation of Let’s Get Wild has helped many people overcome their fear of limbless reptiles. Additionally, the SnakeMaster has also instructed many children and adults on the proper and safe use of firearms and bows.
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Brandon Bates
In addition to being one of the youngest and most accomplished announcers in professional rodeo, Brandon Bates is also paving his way as a professional hunter. A member of the Pro Staff at Rocky, this dynamic young man is the host and a featured hunter on the Rocky Geared Up adventure television series, which broadcasts on the Outdoor Channel. As a young boy in Southern Louisiana, hunting and outdoor recreation was a way of life for Bates and his family. The outdoor lifestyle led him to compete in the sport of rodeo, but he soon found his calling as the man behind the microphone bringing sporting events to life. As the Professional Bull Riders’ Association announcer, Brandon Bates has become one of the most recognizable voices in western sports. The PBA Tour and Bates can be seen weekly on the Versus Network and on NBC. Visit www.prorodeoannouncer.com for more information.
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Mike Beatty
Mike Beatty will tell you that on Nov. 8, 2000, he was at the right spot at just the right time. Hunting in Greene County, Ohio, armed with his compound bow and all the hunting skills he had acquired growing up in rural Pennsylvania, Beatty harvested the largest whitetail deer ever killed by a bow and arrow. Since bagging the 250-pound, 39-point giant, now known as “the Beatty Buck,” the Air Force veteran has become an icon in the hunting world. An accomplished hunter for critters from turkey to elk, Beatty has worked with some of his own icons since his record buck harvest, including an elk hunt with Will Primos of Primos Hunting Calls, deer hunting with the camouflage cameras of Mossy Oak and hiking game trails across the country with Team Rocky. These and many other experiences have branded Beatty with hunting memories for years to come. Despite his success, Beatty remains a grounded family man, grateful for his good fortune and for the opportunity to share his story with people from local sporting-goods stores to the hundreds of shows and appearances he and his trophy buck have visited over the years. Beatty started hunting at the age of 12 under the wing of his brother-in-law, Jerry Michael. After graduating high school, he joined the military, which took him on travels from Asia to Europe before he landed in the Buckeye State. Now settled with his wife, Toni, and children, Andrew and Brittany, Beatty enjoys the outdoor lifestyle more than ever — fishing, planting food plots, scouting and hunting throughout the entire year.
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Will Clark
Will “The Thrill” Clark, a former Major League Baseball first baseman best known for his play with the San Francisco Giants, is now delighting fans as a member of Rocky’s Pro Staff. As a professional hunter, Clark has appeared numerous times on ESPN Outdoors. An avid outdoorsman and fisherman from an early age, the New Orleans native was known to practice archery in empty stadiums after games. Before signing with the Giants in 1986, he was an All-American at Mississippi State University, where his play was recognized with an induction into the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006. In addition to San Francisco, Clark played for the Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles and St. Louis Cardinals. Throughout his impressive 14-year career, Clark piled up 284 home runs, 1205 RBIs and a .303 batting average.
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Justin McBride
“I can’t quit bull riding until I win a world title,” he vowed on more than one occasion. In 2005, Justin McBride wasn’t prepared to walk away with anything less than the World Championship buckle. He won the second event of the 2005 Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) season and his hot streak never stopped. He tied the record for most BFTS event titles in a single season with six, and won the 90-point bonus for 2005 with six 90-point rides. PBR President and seven-time PRCA All-Around World Champion Ty Murray commented, ”He’s a guy who has come really close to winning a championship a number of times, and I’ve seen how it can ruin guys ‘cause they want it so badly. Justin learned from his mistakes, he made adjustments and that’s what it took. He showed it’s more than just physical ability – it’s the heart of a champion.” Visit pbrnow.com or justinmcbride.com for more information.
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Thomas Pigeon
Canada In The Rough host, Thomas Pigeon, a man whose passion for the outdoors is matched only by his deep and abiding respect for the natural world. Highly respected, camera savvy and experienced, Thomas brings his viewers unparalleled adventure, outstanding videography and exemplary insights into the wildlife that makes its home on the last great North American hunting frontier - Canada. Broadcasting on networks in Canada, Canada In The Rough will air 26 weeks of absolutely spectacular episodes on WILD TV at Friday, 9pm EST and Sunday, 11:30am EST. Visit www.canadaintherough.com for local show times and stations.
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Scott Anderson
Scott Anderson is the dynamic on-camera guy for BackLand Outdoors. BackLand Television, now its sixth year, is well known for producing a viewing experience that is second to none. With five different shows on four networks, the cameras are always running. Anderson’s team will deliver 364 original programs in 2008. But BackLand’s main business is camouflage, and BackLand’s first license agreement for the new patterns BackLand Adrenaline, BackLand Waterfowler and BackLand West was with Rocky in boots and apparel. Known by all for his unmistakable good-humored nature and crack shot with a muzzleloader and a bow, Anderson entertains his fans almost daily on one channel or another. Scott partnered with GAC, a network best known for airing country music videos, in the tail end of 2006 to start a new venture for the Great American Country channel in outdoor programming. Since launching BackLand Television six years ago, the company’s shows have won numerous awards. So don’t miss a beat. Visit www.backlandoutdoors.com for show times and more. Visit www.backlandoutdoors.com for show times and more.
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Steve Puppe
Host of Rocky Geared Up and life long outdoorsman, Steve grew up in South Eastern Minnesota, and broke into the hunting industry as a Championship Turkey Caller and a world class guide. He is well known and respected trough out the hunting world for his ethical hunting methods and excellent sportsmanship. He is also a licensed guide. Be sure to watch 26 weeks of exciting episodes as the ROCKY Geared Up team braves the elements to hunt the games species you want to see. Rocky Geared Up will air July-December2007 on The Outdoor Channel at 3:00 pm Eastern Time, Saturday afternoons. Visit www.RockyGearedUp.com to see the full tv schedule.
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