I met Dan first as a podcaster when he started out with “Nine Finger Chronicles.” I pitched him guests to have on the show and he was nice enough to accommodate. He always had a great show and we kept in touch. Next thing I know it, he startedSportsmen’s Nation, which is a collection of podcasts, videos and blogs for sportsmen and women. And now, he’s a film producer with his first film, ‘Tradition.” After watching the film, I wanted to learn more about what Dan has been up to; enjoy the quick Q&A below.
Q: First, tell us about Sportsmen’s Nation – what it is, why you started it, and what you see for its future.
A: The Sportsmen's Nation is a collection of hunting and outdoor related content, specifically podcasts about whitetail hunting, big game hunting, and fishing. The Sportsmen's Nation was started because we felt that there was a lack of podcast content that was relatable to the "Average Joe." Now we have podcasts that cover everything from whitetail hunting to western hunting, habitat management to public ground, and even fishing. As we move forward we are looking to expand more in to fishing content and waterfowl hunting as well as conservation, not to mention more VLOG, videos, and short films. In the future, the Sportsmen's Nation will be your one-stop-shop for all your hunting and outdoor related content.
Q: It really is an awesome platform. Now, you mentioned short films. Can you share more about your short film release of “Tradition?” What led to you wanting to release films?
A: I can remember as a kid watching National Geographic documentaries with my dad and brother on Sunday nights, I absolutely loved watching anything that had to do with animals and nature. As time went on I fell in love with hunting, fishing, and the outdoors as a whole, so it was almost inevitable that something like this was bound to happen. At this point there is no set schedule for more films, but I can tell you that the goal is to continue to put films out that tell amazing stories and showcasing wild places.
Q: What was a surprising element you learned during this process of creating, producing and distributing the film?
A: As we all know, just because you're ready to make a hunting film doesn't mean that nature will cooperate. During filming we had a hard time getting turkeys to respond to our calls and come close enough to get good footage. Luckily, we got just enough footage to put the film together. I just hope others can relate to the film and find it enjoyable.
Q: You started as a podcast – now lead a whole group of podcasters – and now film producer and TV star. It seems like yesterday I was meeting you for the first time for your “Nine Fingers Chronicles” podcast, but that was probably three ATA shows ago….Can you share what has pushed you to create these elements? What keeps you challenged? What motivates you?
A: I feel that as a content provider within the hunting community, it's my job to share what is truly important and relatable. A majority of the content that is being put out is unreliable to the average Joe. I created all of this because there are so many amazing stories that otherwise never get attention due to the fact that the animal may not be a certain size or age, and from my experience that has so little to do with the actual story. In my opinion, hunting is about the connection between man and nature, among other things. If we continue to idolize the hunter or a score and not the experience or the resource, I feel we're missing the point. My motivation is pretty simple: showcase nature, adventure, and what it means to be a hunter.
Thank you, Dan, for the time and always answering my emails.
Learn more about Sportsmen’s Nation and what Dan is up to at the links below –
“Tradition” Film - https://youtu.be/Lui01OhNTeU
Sportsmen's Nation website - https://sportsmensnation.com
Sportsmen’s Nation Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sportsmensnation/
Sportsmen’s Nation Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SportsmensNation/
Michelle Scheuermann, editor, Archery Wire