“Average Joe’s Huntin’ Show”

Author’s note: As a hunter who’s a little sick of all the “monster this” and “monster that” stuff that’s become the focus of todays outdoor television programming, I was pleased to have made friends with a guy named Devin Juel, producer of a brand new TV show that is taking the nation by storm. I think like most hunters do…that REAL hunting by non-pros is tougher than what we see on TV and this guy is a credit to the American outdoorsman…and I think we need to share this so others can jump on the bandwagon.

By Blaine Cardilli

New Reality Hunting Show Focuses on Everyday Hunters

There’s a new guy on the block and his name is Devin Juel… creator, chief executive manager, and host of the new reality-based hunting program, “Average Joe’s Huntin’ Show”. Devin’s “baby” is “Headbone Productions” and he created it because he, (like many of us), was tired of the same old hype that was circulating throughout the outdoor television industry and he decided to make a bold change by stepping up to the plate and creating the “Average Joe’s Huntin’ Show”. In the “About Us” section of his website, (www.averagejoeshuntinshow.com), Devin relates the following about his goals for the show compared to what he currently sees…

“The market is flooded with professional hunters who have all the money, time, land and equipment to go anywhere on earth to hunt. This show will showcase the average American [hunter] who doesn’t have many of those luxuries….blue-collar American guys and girls who hunt on a budget- with time and constraints like most people. We want to illustrate great hunts, a lot on public lands, and then budget for one “big hunt” a year. For average Americans like us, getting tags and a license out of state, time off from work, booking a hunt, or hunting public grounds and staying at a hotel, with transportation to and from, are for the most part, things that have to be budgeted and saved for. “Average Joe’s Huntin’ Show” will return to a focus on the hunt, and not the hype”.

I say “Amen” to that as I feel exactly the same way, Devin. You know, I love to watch outdoor television and we’re definitely not down-playing it here but there comes a point when most hunts just seem to be focusing on the biggest bucks and the trophy animals and though fun to watch, most of us can only imagine about such hunts, classifying them as “dream hunts” or “hunt of a lifetime” opportunities most will never be able to afford. The “professional hunters”…guys and gals who get paid to travel and hunt…might have started out the way we did, struggling to put even a doe in the freezer to provide meat for the family, but it appears some of the focus has been lost in favor of today’s scoring system. Of course I, like you, also dream of that monster buck walking by my stand and would never turn down the chance to take one, mount him for the wall, and enjoy the status that comes from such a hunt…that’s not the point here. The point is this… Many hunters of today, the little guys or “average Joe’s”, have been screaming for a show that would focus on their way of hunting and since it’s debut here in the summer of 2010, “Average Joe’s Huntin’ Show” has indeed received great reviews from the public already. This is a show that finally allows the filming and taking of game…no matter the size and no matter what it is…be it a squirrel hunt with your kids or the spikehorn you ended up harvesting after x-amount of days on stand in the November cold. If you were happy to have taken it, Devin Juel wants to hear about it because it was a successful hunt from you..the true “Average Joe”.

I, for one, know what it’s like to try and schedule in time off to go hunting here in Maine, let alone another state, having to scout all my own spots and put in enough shoe-leather to find just the right spot to hang that stand or set up that ground blind. And sometimes, especially on public lands, other hunters just trying to do the same thing, inadvertently blow your set up and that just makes it tougher. It’s already hard enough to drop a decent deer or a big mature gobbler without the hassles, so imagine planning all your time off as if it were gold, only to have it get busted. Yup, I’m an “average Joe” and I can certainly relate!

I’m far from a “professional hunter” myself, though I have over 35 years experience in the field. Most of what I do is “promotional”, not “professional” when it comes to hunting, and by that I refer to my annual seminars and floor-walking expeditions where I promote outdoor products for manufacturers at outdoor expos and shows. I receive reimbursement for my time on ‘Field Prostaffs’ and some decent product discounts but when it comes to hunting, it falls solely on my shoulders alone to research my hunts, map out my strategies, gain landowner permission, hang my own stands, and pay for all licenses, tags, gas, expenses, etc. I like the idea of a hunting show that focuses on the “non-professional” hunters and not only does “Average Joe’s” portray us in the light of true reality hunters, they also film with no out-takes, no re-takes, no cut-aways, and no unnatural angles; When filming, they show every aspect of the hunt, as it unfolds….THAT’S reality hunting!

Proud To Be On-Board

I “met” Devin Juel on Facebook some time ago and we developed a friendship based on being hunters who share a common belief system and set of goals so when he approached me to see if I would consider joining the show and his “crew”, I agreed. Having broken the Crew into specific geographic locations, there are now seven separate “regions” designated for the crew in that area and each region will have it’s own ‘Crew Leader’. I was recently appointed Vice Executive Crew Leader for the Northeastern U.S. and eastern Canada and am proud to be a part of what many are calling a truly ground-breaking and innovative new show and one that is taking the outdoor television industry by storm. A man with true business sense and intuition, I believe Devin Juel is in this for the American hunter’s best interest….and in it for the long haul. If you would like to become part of the Crew, go to the website at www.averagejoeshuntinshow.com, and hit the “contact us” button. Devin is interested in promoting the great sport of hunting from a brand new perspective…your perspective…and he wants you to share your hunting stories with him!

Currently, “Average Joe’s Huntin’ Show” is airing on The Pursuit Channel, (608 HUNT), on Direct TV. As far as I’m concerned, it’s about time such a show came to air and by the sounds of public support, it’s here to stay. If you like hunting, like to film your hunts, and consider yourself an “Average Joe”, this is a great new voice and opportunity for you…the American hunter.

(Blaine Cardilli is a freelance outdoor writer from Maine who enjoys giving seminars and product demonstrations throughout New England on deer & turkey hunting)