Billy grew up in Ohio and like all the kids, had a bluegill rod with bobber attached to begin his lifelong pursuit of fishing. Billy never learned to hunt as kid, but took it up at age 36 to develop a love of archery hunting that quickly grew into a passion for recreational archery target shooting. As a U.S. Coast Guard Chief Machinery Technician, Billy retired after serving 21 years. Seizing an opportunity to pursue a career within the Outdoors and Shooting Industry in 2012. He attended his first Shot Show with his Father-in-law and mentor, Bob Cole, of “Cole Media Sales.” Billy was hooked. Bob’s guidance and introductions would serve invaluable the ebb and flow of outdoor industry tides. Billy’s approach toward people and business has always been a simple one. Treat people well, because at the end of the day, “It’s not just , it’s Personal.”
Category: Staff
Staff – Bill Hilts, Jr.
Bill Hilts, Jr.
Bill Hilts, Jr. of Lockport, New York, is part of an important legacy, carrying a pen, fishing rod and shotgun that was passed on by his father, Bill, Sr. (who is also an outdoor writer and continues to be at 84 years young). Bill, Jr. has followed his own calling, serving as the Niagara County’s Fishing Promotion Coordinator and Niagara Tourism and Convention Corp.’s Outdoor Promotion Director – positions that have combined to extend over three decades. He is a syndicated columnist in area WNY newspapers; a regular contributor to several magazines (Great Lakes Angler, Lake Ontario Outdoors, NY Outdoor News), has his own TV (Outdoor Beat on LCTV, Time Warner Cable) and Radio (WLVL 1340 AM Lockport, Greater Niagara Fishing and Outdoor Report) shows. He is a past president of the Assn. of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers and New York State Outdoor Writers, also serving on the board of directors for the Outdoor Writers Assn. of America. His writings and photographs have earned numerous awards; his service to the industry has been recognized by his peers, being named NYS Professional Conservationist of the Year, to the NYS Outdoorsman Hall of Fame, and the Niagara County Conservation Wall of Fame among his accomplishments. Sharing the Outdoors is what he does and he is looking forward to doing just that with the regular visitors to this website. Share his experiences and insight into the Great Outdoors, many times accompanied by his wife Sandy. He can be reached at billhiltsjr@gmail.com.
Staff – Matt Straw
Matt Straw
Matt Straw grew up around trout streams and bass lakes in Michigan. Always fascinated with water, he used his spare time to research baitfish, aquatic insects and limnology in the biology library at the University of Michigan, where he graduated with degrees in communication and English literature, and a teaching certificate.
His professors encouraged him to publish his writings and he did, placing articles with outdoor magazines before graduating. He became a city-desk reporter and five years later held the largest beat in the Advance chain’s history. He was offered a position as staff editor with In-Fisherman magazine, accepted and served there for 21 years. Over that time, he published more words in that magazine than any other writer and appeared in more than 50 TV segments. He now serves as a Field Editor there.
During those years, he introduced such concepts as using bio-diversity to locate panfish, catching smallmouths “in space,” bobber-wacky rigging, pinpointing depths in the water column without downriggers, and many more. He occasionally scooped the angling media with early reporting on things like satellite imagery to find “invisible structure.” His report detailing Great Lakes salmon commonly using depths of 700 feet and deeper scooped all media. His writings on steelhead are recognized throughout the industry as some of the most informative ever published.
Matt has participated in only 20 bass tournaments, but won 4, including the prestigious Sturgeon Bay Open. He has appeared as a seminar speaker in every major city in the Upper Midwest, from New York to South Dakota. He has been interviewed by dozens of radio and television hosts to comment on outdoor issues. Today, Matt uses his vast multi-species experience to help youngsters find fish and enjoy the outdoors by volunteering to speak and bait hooks for kids groups and outings throughout the Midwest, while continuing to teach angling skills through his writing nationwide.
Staff – Gord Pyzer
Gord Pyzer
Forty-two (42) time national award winning writer, Gord Pyzer is the only person ever inducted into the Canadian Angler Hall of Fame, the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame in the United States and the Canadian Outdoor Hall of Fame.
An internationally sought out speaker, Gord is the Fishing Editor of Outdoor Canada Magazine; Field Editor of In-Fisherman Magazine, Television and Radio; Co-Host of the nationally syndicated Real Fishing Radio Show; and the host of “Fish Talk With The Doc” on the Outdoor Journal Radio Show.
Gord blogs weekly for Outdoor Canada Magazine and bi-weekly for the Northern Ontario Tourism portal.
Staff – Cameron Tait
Cameron Tait
Cameron Tait is a master chef who is internationally recognized as a world class culinary master with excellence in the outdoors with two decades of world-wide culinary competition and mentoring for Olympic Team Canada.
In addition, Cameron is not just a chief cook, he is an active outdoors explorer that loves to fish and hunt, he is pro-staff member for Cabela’s Canada, Alumacraft/Suzuki Marine, MinnKota/Hummingbird, is senior hunting coordinator for youth and ladies hunting with Manitoba Wildlife Federation, is a consultant for Delta Waterfowl and a member of Walleye Anglers Association of Manitoba (WAAM), Central Walleye Trail (CWT), and represented multiple other outdoor companies including St. Croix Rods, Camillus Knives, Cuda Products, Bait Buttons, Wee Hours Tackle, Kamooki Lures and others.
Staff – Fern Fisher
Fern Fisher
Fern Fisher resides in East Aurora, New York, where Big Whitetail Deer, Monster Lake Erie Walleye and Slab Crappie are among favorite food preparations. Fern has been home-cooking for her outdoor-minded family and all their friends for more six decades. In that time, she has learned to cook the slow way and the fast way, the easy way and the hard way, learned the difference between using frozen or canned vegetables, and knows the huge taste advantage for best flavor when we cook with fresh garden vegetables from the backyard garden or the Farmer’s Market.
Her expertise for tasty outdoor critter cooking covers a wide range from small game and big game hunting to fish from freshwater and saltwater. Fern has earned multiple “Grammy Awards” from her hungry grandkids where her favorite expression is, “Come and eat, dinner’s ready!”
Staff – Dave Barus
Dave Barus
Dave Barus is a syndicated outdoor newspaper writer with more than 30 years of experience. His passion has always been to share his love for the outdoors with others and to help “Pass-It-On” to our younger generations, so they can enjoy our incredible world of outdoor adventure through fishing and hunting.
Dave has been humbled to accept recognition awards through decades of volunteer work with many organizations, but he reminds everyone that without the help of his beloved wife and hundreds of volunteers over those years, none of those programs would have ever worked very well.
His special interest continues in a program initiated at the request of the late Mayor of Buffalo, Jimmy Griffin, at the Bison City Rod & Gun Club in Buffalo, New York, called “Teach-Me-To-Fish”. Tight lines to everyone!
Staff – Joe Byers
Joe & Vel Byers
Joe & Vel Byers are great members of the STO team. Joe is an accomplished hunter with a level of experience that few ever achieve. Joe hunts with Bow, Gun and Crossbow all over the USA. In addition to hunting all over the western US Joe has made 20 hunting trips to Africa.
Joe has written about hunting for 25 years producing over 1,000 informative and interesting articles. Joe and his wife Vel bring a great knowledge and share that with all of us at SharetheOutdoors.
Staff – Kiley Voss
Staff – Tyler Mahoney
Tyler Mahoney
Tyler is a perfect member of the STO Team. Tyler enjoys everything outdoors and shares that passion for the outdoor sports in a special way. He is an intense outdoorsman when in pursuit of the biggest buck in the woods or when baiting up for an afternoon of crappie fishing.
Tyler is the Team leader when it comes to sharing the outdoors through the video platform.
Staff – David Gray
David Gray
David has over 36 years of experience serving anglers, hunters and boaters in the outdoor industries. His experience includes operating a Fishing and hunting Store, a Marine Dealership and a Fishing tackle manufacturing business. And along the way David has fished and hunted with many friends in many places.
David says “I have shared many wonderful days afield and on the water with friends.” “SharetheOutdoors was created so we could all more fully share our passion and enjoyment of the outdoors with each other.
Staff – Stacy Hedberg
Stacy Hedberg
Stacy is one of those multitaskers. She is an accomplished business manager. Stacy also knows her way around the outdoors. She is an outdoor gal. Stacy is an avid angler and enjoys chasing the run of species. Walleye, Bass, Panfish, Pike, and Musky are all her favorites.
When not out in her boat you might find her in the deer stand, at the trap range or mentoring her kids and others in the outdoor sports.