Click the play button to listen to the complete phone interview!

 

As the calander turns over to 2011 it's not just another year, but a NEW YEAR.   With the new year I am excited to bring many new changes and updates to Whitetailworld.  A person that has helped me tremendously during 2010 to get to this point is Derek Brown.  Most of you know him as Blindsniper on the forums.  It was an easy decision for me to pick Derek as the Whitetailworld Member of the Month.  Read and listen below to find out a little bit more about Derek.

When I started the site back in 2006 it was a challenge to get new members.  Shortly after the start "Blindsniper" registered.  I did not know who this guy was, but it didn't take long to find out that I am glad he stumbled across Whitetailworld.com.  His forum posts have always been informative and positive.  I would soon come to find out a little bit more about this dedicated member. 

As Derek puts it, "In the real world I am a farmer".  Derek is the 5th generation of farmers on the 1150 acres he farms each year.  A farm that has been in the family for about 115 years.  In my opinion this is the roots where his hard work and dedication comes from. 

He is a family man.  Derek is married to Nicole and they have 6 children.  The kids range from 15 to 3.  When I asked Derek where he got his passion for the outdoors from without hesitation he said, "Absolutely from my dad and my grandpa.  Especially my dad.  His hunting stories where basically my bedtime stories when I was a little kid."  His dad still does hunt Minnesota with a muzzleloader and is planning on heading out west for his 35th straight season chasing elk.  Mr. Brown's passion has always been for elk and one of Derek's most memorable moments involving hunting with his dad was on a elk trip out west given to Derek for his graduation present.  Derek was successful on a bull elk that year and said, "That was extremely memorable for both of us."

Along with being a husband and father of 6, a farmer that runs over 1100 acres, and all his time with Whitetailworld Derek manages to be a volunteer fireman and medical first responder with the local fire department.  There have  been several occassions during our phone conversations that Derek has had to end the call because the pager was going off.   On average Derek will go on 20-30 fire calls per year and 80-90 medical calls per year.   

 

 

This past fall Derek and I got to share our first whitetail deer camp together.  We spent 5 days at Sugar Creek Outfitters in Illinois.  Derek says, "That place is phenominal!"  I definitely agree with him.  In 2009 I shot the biggest buck of my life there, but the 2010 trip was just as good if not better for me.  I didn't shoot a buck, but I got to share a great camp with Derek.  Hopefully, we can continue this in 2011 and beyond.  Derek was able to put his tag on a great buck.  Not only did he get a nice buck, but he was able to videotape it.   His dedication to capturing his hunts on film started about 3 years ago.  This trip to Sugar Creek presented a new challenge for him, self-filming from a tree.  Derek stated, "I've been in treestands before, but not with a camera attached to me...I don't have a lot of opportunities to hunt out of a tree.  Everything I do here (Minnesota) is basically spot and stalk or ambush mode on the ground with a ghille suit in the middle of a crp field."  So as you can see this is where the name "Blindsniper" comes from!  His dedication to getting his hunt on film was evident when 3 days before he shot his buck at Sugar Creek, Derek had an opportunity at a buck larger than the buck he tagged on the last day. Unsure of his camera shot he hesitated on drawing his bow on two seperate ocassions. Ultimately, costing him the shot on a great Illinois trophy. 

 

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Watch as Derek self films an encounter with Max, a buck from his hitlist.  Notice how he hunts on the ground with his ghillie suit in the crp field.

A teaser video of Derek's 2010 Sugar Creek hunt.  Derek was able to self film a great buck.  Watch for this hunt on The Chase, volume 2.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I first met Derek in person when he helped out at the Iowa Deer Classic in 2009.  Derek also came back and helped in Iowa in 2010 and is set to help out again this year.  Derek has also attended the Whitetailworld shed hunts and camera schools in 2009 and 2010.  Along with attending these shows and events we have spent countless hours on the phone.  I look to Derek when any big decisions or changes need to be made.  As a matter of fact Derek is the only other person besides myself that has complete access to the site.  I consider Derek "my right hand man."  I know that it would have been hard to get thru 2010 without him and moving forward I know that 2011 will be better because of him. 

 

I can say that if it's a change, Derek had something to do with it.  Be sure to check out the ongoing changes in 2011. A big thanks to Derek for all that he has done and for all that I know he will do!