After sifting through hundreds of applications, we’ve picked the four hunters and anglers who will be the first ever Generation Wild Pro Staff. Here they are:

The Natural Born Hunter
Tyler Stefanelli, 16, Easton, Penn.

As the only child of parents who don’t hunt or fish, Tyler’s entry to the outdoors didn’t come easy. Other than some help and guidance from his older cousin, who is a hunter and angler, Tyler was pretty much on his own. He mowed lawns and raked leaves—anything to make a couple bucks that he could put toward hunting gear. And Tyler’s dedication and persistence paid off. He’s a hardcore bowhunter and largemouth angler, and he’s ready to share his experiences and expertise as a Generation Wild Pro Staffer: “My life dream is to get a job like this,” says Tyler. “This job is a perfect example of how determination and passion can lead you to what you want to do or where you want to be.”

The Next Annie Oakley
Jessie Ann Gash, 15, Odessa, Mo.

Jessie Ann got into hunting and fishing thanks to her dad and older brother. “I absolutely love hunting and fishing because I’m total tomboy,” jokes Jessie Ann. The last two years, she’s shot nice whitetail bucks during Missouri’s youth firearms season, and she loves catching cats in the Missouri River and Truman Lake. She also enjoys shooting at the range with her brother, who is a firearms and hunting-educations instructor. As for Jessie’s plans for the fall—aside from being a Pro Staffer—she is hoping to go on her first bow hunt and her first duck hunt. After each hunt, you can expect Jessie Ann to give us a full report.

The Rising Star
Josh Copeland, 18, Murrayville, Georgia

Josh killed his first deer when he was just 7 years old, and “I’ve been hooked ever since,” he says. “I’m absolutely obsessed.” It’s exactly that type of attitude that caught our attention when we got Josh’s application. This fall, Josh started school at North Georgia Technical College. In addition to school, Josh, his brother, and a few of his hunting buddies are trying to start their own hunting show. When Josh becomes a huge star, just remember that you all saw him on Generation Wild first!

The “Old” Pro
Wesley Willaims, 18, Stratton, Colo.

Wesley is the older member on the pro staff, and his experience in the outdoors covers a lot of species: He’s hunted deer, elk, and other big game, waterfowl, and upland birds. He’s also fished for largemouth, smallmouth, panfish, pike, muskie, walleye, catfish, trout, and salmon. Not a bad résumé for an 18-year-old. But out of all that, Wesley’s favorite things to do in the outdoors are waterfowl hunting and bowhunting. “If it’s a cold winter day, and I don’t have anything going on, you can bet on finding me in the duck blind.”

And you can bet on hearing more from Wesley—and our three other Pro Staffers—every month here at Generationwild.com. —Colin

Tags: bass, boar, bowhunting, catfish, deer, elk, fishing, hunting, muskie, panfish, pro staff, salmon, trout, upland birds, walleye, waterfowl

Thursday, October 9th, 2008 | RSS 2.0 feed.