Our Michigan Entrepreneurship Journey Begins
Hi, I’m Amanda, Scott’s wife. We are a couple on a mission to turn a love for Michigan and hunting into an adventure-filled blog for fellow hunters. Scott is the hunting expert, but I might pop into the blog from time to time to share stories. We both enjoy the outdoors and sharing our adventures encountering nature.
We launched our blog in January 2024 to help beginner hunters learn how to follow their passions. I’m a designer and visual storyteller, and as a non-hunter but lover of Michigan, I have found a new way to connect with my husband. He has so many stories to tell you on this new journey of ours and a wealth of knowledge from his successes and failures.
Now, picture this: a future retirement filled with deer hunting, tiny homes, and unplugged family time in the quiet embrace of Michigan’s outdoors. What we discovered at the Outdoor Expo was beyond our wildest expectations.
Outdoor Expo in Kalamazoo
This past weekend, we attended an Outdoor Expo in Kalamazoo, Michigan to network with outfitters because my husband’s next dream hunt is for a buffalo. But the expo did not have a lot of outfitters for us to meet. Instead, what we found was a way to expand our hunting community in new and unexpected ways.
We spent a few hours walking around the Kalamazoo Expo Center and saw a variety of vendors, from Amish families selling their taxidermy services to hunting gear and homemade steak seasoning to a crockpot lid invention.
But a few of the people we met have stuck with me as I reflect on the day with husband Scott. I’d love to tell you about them, and I wonder what will happen with these new connections 5 years from now.
Our Future Tiny Home
Ever wondered how a cool tiny home on wheels could transform your hunting experience? Scott Baker has the answer, and it’s more than just a place to stay.
Scott Baker is a builder who has started his own business making custom tiny homes on mobile trailers that are perfect for hunting camp. My husband, also Scott, talked to him for almost half an hour. The tiny home exuded carpentry showcased creativity, unique engineering for independent living, and so many considerations for going off the grid.
The tiny home that was on display included four twin bunk beds, which would be perfect for my husband and our three sons who love to hunt with him. Thoughtfulness was put into every detail from solar panels to water supply, space-saving techniques, and a few spacious kitchen features.
Our retirement dreams to have a tiny home were reignited, and we talked about the tiny home possibility almost the whole way home. We hope to stay in touch with Scott at True North Off Grid and eventually own one of his masterpieces.
Hunting Property
More dreams came alive when we talked to real estate agents at UC Hunting Properties. My husband and I love to search the web for land for sale that would make good hunting property. But it’s also a future goal to have an escape in the Michigan outdoors. Somewhere in the middle of nature and immersed in the quiet of God’s creation.
Our land budget is pretty small right now, but we are forging a 5-year plan to have additional income and a comfortable retirement. A consistent effort to build this hunting blog is part of that plan. All we need is a computer and the Internet.
With five children currently ages 17-22, the thought of having property where they can unplug from technology and get back to nature is appealing. And down the road, maybe we can have a grandparent camp!
I spoke to Allen Messing about our land-owning dreams and I’m pretty determined to make them come true. But we’ll see what God has in store for us and our journey to Michigan entrepreneurship.
Moose Outfitters from Newfoundland
Believe it or not, 20 years ago, my husband Scott went on a guided moose hunt in Newfoundland, Canada. As we walked around the Expo, he was so excited to find that the same outfitter he hired was at the show. Portland Creek Outfitters is still visiting Michigan to spread the news about their business.
My husband walked up to the table and reconnected with his old friends Leonard Payne and Shelley Payne-House. They reminisced about old times, shared funny stories about Scott’s guide Alvin, and looked at pictures of the 20-year old hunt that my husband still had on his phone!
Then I pulled out my phone and showed them our moose taxidermy on our living room wall. It was so much fun to meet the Canadians that helped my husband with this hunt! Up until now, I’ve only heard the stories and seen the pictures.
A New Dog Bone for Eddie
An unexpected treat was stopping at a vendor called Tec Products who had durable dog bones, in addition to their target shooting products. We shared photos of our dogs and stories about our toy-destroying dogs and failures finding something Eddie can’t chew up. Michael Earnest, the owner, showed us his durable natural rubber bones. They are semi-soft and designed to withstand extreme power chewers.
When we take day trips like the one to the Outdoor Expo, we always miss our dog, Eddie. The durable bones we found happen to be made in Michigan, and we love supporting local businesses. So, we decided to buy one and see if it holds up to our power chewer. We’ll let you know as time goes on. But, so far so good.
Follow Our Michigan Entrepreneurship Journey
Scott’s buffalo hunt dream may not have moved forward yet, but the connections we made at the Kalamazoo Outdoor Sports Expo opened doors to a whole new hunting community. Follow us on our adventure to Michigan entrepreneurship and an online business to share my husband’s experience and passion for deer hunting. Scott loves sharing his knowledge and meeting new people who are interested in the outdoors, especially hunting. We hope you’ll come back and visit our blog.
