John's Journal...
Entry 147,
Day 3
MIKE BEATTY'S BIG DEER
Life On The Mossy Oak Pro Staff
EDITOR'S
NOTE: Avid deer hunter Mike Beatty from Xena, Ohio, has been hunting
since he was 12-years-old. In the 2001 hunting season, he took the buck
of his lifetime -- a monster buck that scored 304 6/8 Boone and Crockett
points -- while wearing Mossy Oak's new Break-Up camouflage. This week,
Beatty will tell us about his hunt of a lifetime and share his passion
for bow hunting whitetails and enjoying the outdoors with family and friends.
QUESTION: What pattern of Mossy Oak camo were
you wearing?
ANSWER: I was wearing the Break-Up pattern. Probably 90% of my
body was covered in Break-Up camouflage. I just love that pattern. I'm
excited that they came out with a new pattern, but I like the old pattern
just as well.
QUESTION:
What makes Mossy Oak camouflage better than other brands?
ANSWER: Mossy Oak camouflage helped me to be more invisible. I
blended right in with my surroundings. I was up in an oak tree, and my
camouflage blended in with that tree and the trees behind me. I don't
think the deer even knew I was there.
QUESTION: How has your life changed now that you're
on Mossy Oak's Pro Staff?
ANSWER: My lifestyle is much busier now. I've had to attend numerous
outdoor trade shows.
QUESTION: How many shows have you attended?
ANSWER: I've probably been to dozen or so shows this year. And
I still have many more to go to throughout the rest of 2002. I've been
really busy, but it hasn't changed my life too much. I do talk a lot more,
though.
QUESTION:
Do you enjoy talking to people at the shows?
ANSWER: Yeah, I like to stand around and hang out at the shows.
I have a lot of fun doing it. Mossy Oak took me to Portland Landing in
Alabama on a hunt. The temperature was hot, so we didn't do quite as well
as we thought we would. But, I had a good time just because of all the
people I got to meet. I really enjoyed the camaraderie of everyone sitting
around at night eating at the dinner table. Thirty or 40 hunters attended
the hunt. I'm on a few other pro staffs now since this has happened. Rocky
Boots and Primos Game Calls have been real good to me since I took my
big deer. They've worked hand in hand with Mossy Oak on all the advertising.
QUESTION:
When did you start hunting deer?
ANSWER: I started hunting when I was 12-years-old living in Pennsylvania.
QUESTION: Did your father teach you?
ANSWER: Actually my brother-in-law, Jerry Michaels, took me out
quite a bit. He took me hunting with him until his girls were old enough
to hunt. I'm really thankful that I had someone to take me out and show
me the ropes. I had a few years' break from hunting when I was in active
duty in the military overseas. I left right when hunting season started
and was gone for about three years. But other than that, I've hunted pretty
much nonstop.
TOMORROW: A PASSION FOR BOW HUNTING
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