When I was approached by retired Marine Captain Brian Cillissen to direct and produce the pilot for his Sportsman Channel hunting show I had a feeling that I had to say yes. A producer friend of mine who I tried to bring along for the ride looked at the project with me and gently bowed out.
We prepped for weeks planning our gear weights and battery and media complements not to mention intense physical conditioning to be ready for the long days at altitude with camera gear. But nothing could prepare me for the rush of melting into the forest and pursuing one of the world's most elusive species. The sound of an elk bugle coming through the mist and trees at 5:30am deep in the wilderness is truly a transformative thing and packing out with a freshly butchered kill that will fill a freezer for a year will change a person.
Brian had been awarded the congressional medal of honor for service in Iraq and Afghanistan and had been through some truly traumatic stuff which made for a really dramatic story.
Ultimately it became a journey of self-discovery both for the hunters and the filmmakers. The show was picked up on the strength of the pilot I directed which was gratifying and I stayed on for another few episodes to help get the series on its feet and it continues today winning sponsorships and awards.
