This Alaskan's connection to the natural world came by fate.
Some of us are born into the outdoors. Parents invite children on wild adventures. Other kids grow up with the wilderness in their backyards.
The majority of outdoorsmen, though, find their place in the natural world by way of curiosity. Whether it's a two-page spread in magazine or a particular episode of MeatEater the average Joe might come across, something piques his interest in the outdoors, and prompts him to delve in deeper.
However, Mike "Buck" Bowden found his way a little differently, as the wild called him. As a troubled teen who had a hard time finding his place in Illinois, he needed a purpose.
He ultimately came to a crossroads where he was either going to a boys' home or to leaving to stay with his godparents in Nome, Alaska, and fate would choose the latter.
Unlike his years leading up to the harsh transition in lifestyles, the rest of his life would feel fitting, as he always belonged in The Last Frontier.
As part of a new series, MeatEater shared a short film about Bowden's adult life and his journey to becoming an avid outdoorsman, a hunter and a master guide.
Watch the video below:
It's probably safe to say there are a lot of guys like Bowden out there who were meant to live at a different pace. While the backcountry and America's oldest tradition were a saving grace for him, they also helped him become the man he was seemingly meant to be.
As a float plane pilot, a hunting guide and an expert in bushcraft, Bowden made the most he could out of his situation.
What the rest of us doing with our own?
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