Rick Schmitz

Utah

Rick Schmitz got an early start into hunting by tagging along with his dad before he could even carry a gun. Growing up, he spent every minute that he could outdoors. Rick bought his first dog when he was 15 and has been training ever since, always saying, "the main reason why I waterfowl hunt so much is for the dogs". For Rick, there is nothing better than watching a good dog and a nice crisp waterfowl morning.

When Rick turned 16 he bought his first boat and started running the marshes, whether it was for hunting, trapping, or just scouting. This led to Rick getting the nickname "Beaver" because the only reason he ever left the marsh was to cut down trees to make blinds. Rick started taking his dad's friends out waterfowl hunting, and one morning when Rick was sitting in the blind with a couple of his dads buddies and one the guys said to him, 'you should seriously think about starting a guide service when you get out of High school. At only 16, you are a heck of a guide'.

This boost of encouragement and his passion for dogs and hunting led Rick into starting a kennel and outfitting service in northeast Wisconsin. It's not a job, it is his passion. Rick loves to get new people into hunting and is a big supporter of getting youth involved into the outdoors. As the youth coordinator for the local Pheasants Forever chapter, he tries to take out as many kids hunting as possible. He also a big supporter of our country's servicemen and women and is thankful for our freedom, so he supports Hunters Helping Soldiers, an organization dedicated to making sure soldiers can enjoy hunting even if they missed the season because of being off at war.

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