 Host – Backwater Outdoors Radio Johnny “D” has been in the field, hardwoods, and backwaters for over 30 years. He is a native central New Yorker, where he grew up in the Finger Lakes Region with a rod and gun . Johnny cut his teeth hunting rabbits, squirrels and pheasants then graduated to ducks and geese in the grain fields off Cayuga Lake and in the backwaters of Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge in the heart of the Finger Lakes region of the Atlantic Flyway. His extensive resume of Hunting and Fishing consists of waterfowl (his true love of the sport …with a well trained retriever) upland bird, turkey, deer and hopes to kill his first Hog and Gator in the south. He has lived in the Midwest and now resides in Florida.Johnny has fished well over 40 years in farm ponds to the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. He has operated small craft with either an outboard or a surface drive mud motor to twin screws on larger saltwater fishing vessels and his boating experience is extensive. Some of Johnny’s travels have taken him hunting and fishing in Canada and 10 states in the US. Johnny is married to Linda of 22 years and have three phenomenal sons… Nick, Mike and Vince. Nick is the producer of Backwater Outdoors Radio. Before children, Johnny and Linda ran the HRC (Hunting Retriever Club ) circuit thru-out the Midwest and were also licensed judges for hunts. They have trained three different Labrador Retrievers for the field and home, Brandi, Cassie and now Meg. Johnny knows he is truly blessed to have such a wonderful family where God has given him a great loving wife, three healthy,productive boys and a life full of the GREAT OUTDOORS. “It don’t get no better than that!”
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 Co-Host – Backwater Outdoors Radio Chuck Echenique is a Florida native and life-long outdoorsman. His hunting obsession started as a little boy when he began accompanying his dad afield. “I’m so crazy about hunting, my wife and I scheduled our wedding date so as not to interfere with any hunting season,” says Chuck.In 1994, Chuck started guiding Osceola turkey hunts near his home in central Florida and soon after, began making his own duck and turkey calls. He owns Rebel Yelp Outfitters and Calls and professionally guides duck, turkey and alligator hunts across the state. He makes hand crafted turkey and duck calls and has been featured as a recurring guest host on Kids Hooked on the Outdoors Television with his daughters Elizabeth (age 9) and Emma (age 5), and his wife Maria.At 38 years of age, Chuck already has more than 30 years experience afield, and over 15 years as a professional hunting guide. Chuck is a featured staff writer for Woods N’ Water Magazine and is a current board member and past president of both his local DU and NWTF chapters, and active with RMEF, QU, SCI, NRA and United Waterfowlers-Florida. He holds a seat on the Deer Management Technical Advisory Board to the Florida Wildlife Commission as a representative of commercial hunting guides and Florida’s west coast hunters’ interests across the state. He volunteers his services and products to charities such as Buck Masters American Deer Foundation and the Catch-A-Dream Foundation and believes in giving back to his community through leading by example.”When you live for the outdoors and this way of life, you better be willing to put your time in to educating and recruiting kids and new hunters. After all, they are the future of our sport and the only way to ensure we preserve our hunting heritage for generations to come.” As both a professional guide and hunter’s education instructor he tries to impart the experience and knowledge he’s gained over his many years afield. Chuck is also field staff with Final Approach.
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 Field Host – Backwater Outdoors Radio Captain Rodney Ristau’s enthusiasm, intense work ethic, and desir.e to share his love for fishing is something very special and differentiates him from other fishing guides. He is a native Florida fisherman and has over 22 years of experience fishing the waters of Tampa Bay, Tarpon Springs, Lake Tarpon, Boca Grande, and Charlotte Harbor. He is a member of the Berkley Pro Guide Team, Mercury Marine Saltwater Team, and the Florida Guides Association (FGA). When you schedule a trip with Captain Rodney, you won’t forget it. Rodney is a hunter as well. He enjoys all hunting but predominately enjoys bird hunting over his dog Davis (Weimaraner), and sitting in a tree stand waiting on deer and hogs.
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 Field Host – Backwater Outdoors Radio Dwayne Padgett was born in San Antonio, Texas but grew up in the Low Country of South Carolina. He was introduced to hunting at a young age by his father and took his first duck at age 7 in the famed Sparkleberry Swamp of the Santee Cooper Lakes. Today he still enjoys hunting ducks in these same areas as well as the many tidal rivers along the Carolina coast. He’s also an avid bow hunter for deer and turkey in the hardwood bottoms and pine hills of the south. After almost 35 years of chasing ducks and geese Dwayne has hunted in over a dozen states as well as Canada and Mexico. Along the way he has met a lot of people and made friends for life. His drive to pursue waterfowl, no matter where or what the conditions, is the same drive and determination that he brings to the Avery Pro Staff. Dwayne currently resides in Moncks Corner, South Carolina and works as a Plantation Assistant Manager. |
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 Field Host – Backwater Outdoors Radio Rhett Riddle was introduced to hunting while sitting on his Grandfathers knee as a young boy listening to hunting stories from years past. He started hunting deer and wing shooting at the age of six with his Grandfather in the backwoods of South Carolina. At the age of twelve Rhett got introduced to the world of waterfowl after getting drawn for a youth waterfowl hunt in the low country of South Carolina. After killing his first limit of ducks he was hooked. During the Fall and Winter months Rhett spends as much time as he can on the road chasing waterfowl in the Mississippi, Central, and Pacific Flyways, but still spends time waterfowl hunting around South Carolina for big honkers and ducks. His “go-to” calls whether it be on the road or back at home are the Zink Money Maker and the Power Hen Two. During the Spring and Summer months Rhett spends all of his free time training labs, and running/judging Hunting Retriever Club hunt tests. He has been running HRC tests since 2005 and is a Licensed Finished judge. Rhett’s personal hunting companion that got it all started is HRCH, “Costa,” who can always be found at Rhett’s side in the duck blind or at the line at a hunt test.
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 Field Host – Backwater Outdoors Radio Rick McCurley grew up hunting in the piney woods of east Texas at the ripe young age of 8 where he roamed the old logging roads with his dad and grandfather hunting squirrels and walking the creeks with buckshot hunting deer. He was born in Galveston, Texas and it was there in the freshwater ponds off of the Intercostal canal that he cut his teeth waterfowling at the age of 13. From there Rick moved to central Texas to attend the University of Austin and it was then that he discovered the freshwater reservoirs and rivers that he so loves to roam in his mud rig today. He started guiding for ducks in 1995 in the backwaters and river ways and continues that today on a part time basis. He is the owner of R & B Outdoors in which, along with guiding duck hunts, he is also the central Texas dealer for Mud Buddy Outdoors and Gator Trax boats. He also serves on their respective Pro-Staff and R & D teams as well. In the 30 years that Rick has been chasing our fine feathered friends, he has hunted in 7 states and his best friend Bart (his 10 year old black lab) has always been by his side to share in the adventures. Rick now resides in Pflugerville, Texas with his wife Kristi and their 2 girls, Kendall and Mia. Rick enjoys nothing more these days than taking his girls out hunting with him and showing them what being afield is all about. He is a proud father that now gets to share with his girls what his father and grandfather shared with him. |
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 Field Host – Backwater Outdoors Radio Sid Thyhsen I was born in West Monroe, Louisiana. At the age of 3 I started my love for the outdoors. My father introduced me to the outdoors when I was young by going camping and fishing. I grew up in Central Florida from the age of 6 and discovered the backwaters at an early age running through the swamps of Central Florida. I truly believe that my passion for the outdoors came from my Grandfather who died at an early age and I would hear stories of him in the duck blind and meet people that knew the type hunter he was and I believe a part of him lives in me to this day. My first gun was a bolt action Stevens .410 and I will never forget that gun as long as I live it was given to me by my grandmother when I was 7. I developed my passion for hunting around the age of 10. My brother and I would walk through the woods hunting anything that was legal. I have had Labs all my life and cannot imagine being without one. Now after 37 years of traveling across this great land hunting and fishing and as I have grown older and started a family I have come to realize the importance of family and sharing the outdoors with young people and showing them that just being outside is the key to life. Hunting, fishing, Kayaking, dog training, and hiking are all integral parts to the outdoors and taking the time to enjoy them should be a part of everyone’s life. I love to share the sport with everyone, and there is nothing like taking a first time hunter or fisherman out and seeing the look and amazement on their face when they catch their first fish or shoot their first Deer. I have also discovered a passion for helping people who have suffered injuries and showing them that life is not over but just another chapter in life that has yet to be written for them. I do prefer hunting with primitive weapons such as a Bow or with my Muzzle loader. I enjoy Alligator hunting, Turkey, Duck, Deer and really anything that tastes good in a skillet!! I loved the sport so much so I have since started Fast Duck Motors Inc’ to help provide the best products in the outdoor market today. I truly enjoy meeting and talking with people and giving back to this great country of ours.
These days I find myself with the desire to give back and help. I truly feel that it only takes a minute to answer a question or pick up a phone and make a call, to make a difference in someone’s life no matter how big or small it is. God has blessed me more than I can ever thank him for and for that I give him all the credit for my successes and I thank him every day for the blessings he has given me from my beautiful Family to my closest friends. Life is good and sharing it with just one person everyday does make a difference!!
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Host – Backwater Outdoors Radio Johnny “D” has been in the field, hardwoods, and backwaters for over 30 years. He is a native central New Yorker, where he grew up in the Finger Lakes Region with a rod and gun . Johnny cut his teeth hunting rabbits, squirrels and pheasants then graduated to ducks and geese in the grain fields off Cayuga Lake and in the backwaters of Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge in the heart of the Finger Lakes region of the Atlantic Flyway. His extensive resume of Hunting and Fishing consists of waterfowl (his true love of the sport …with a well trained retriever) upland bird, turkey, deer and hopes to kill his first Hog and Gator in the south. He has lived in the Midwest and now resides in Florida.Johnny has fished well over 40 years in farm ponds to the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. He has operated small craft with either an outboard or a surface drive mud motor to twin screws on larger saltwater fishing vessels and his boating experience is extensive. Some of Johnny’s travels have taken him hunting and fishing in Canada and 10 states in the US. Johnny is married to Linda of 22 years and have three phenomenal sons… Nick, Mike and Vince. Nick is the producer of Backwater Outdoors Radio. Before children, Johnny and Linda ran the HRC (Hunting Retriever Club ) circuit thru-out the Midwest and were also licensed judges for hunts. They have trained three different Labrador Retrievers for the field and home, Brandi, Cassie and now Meg. Johnny knows he is truly blessed to have such a wonderful family where God has given him a great loving wife, three healthy,productive boys and a life full of the GREAT OUTDOORS. “It don’t get no better than that!”
Field Host – Backwater Outdoors Radio Rick McCurley grew up hunting in the piney woods of east Texas at the ripe young age of 8 where he roamed the old logging roads with his dad and grandfather hunting squirrels and walking the creeks with buckshot hunting deer. He was born in Galveston, Texas and it was there in the freshwater ponds off of the Intercostal canal that he cut his teeth waterfowling at the age of 13. From there Rick moved to central Texas to attend the University of Austin and it was then that he discovered the freshwater reservoirs and rivers that he so loves to roam in his mud rig today. He started guiding for ducks in 1995 in the backwaters and river ways and continues that today on a part time basis. He is the owner of R & B Outdoors in which, along with guiding duck hunts, he is also the central Texas dealer for Mud Buddy Outdoors and Gator Trax boats. He also serves on their respective Pro-Staff and R & D teams as well. In the 30 years that Rick has been chasing our fine feathered friends, he has hunted in 7 states and his best friend Bart (his 10 year old black lab) has always been by his side to share in the adventures. Rick now resides in Pflugerville, Texas with his wife Kristi and their 2 girls, Kendall and Mia. Rick enjoys nothing more these days than taking his girls out hunting with him and showing them what being afield is all about. He is a proud father that now gets to share with his girls what his father and grandfather shared with him.
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