The best of the hunter/adventurer lifestyle gets the full treatment with this new "Rain Deer" film.
Amongst the highest achievements of a deer hunter is coming to a full, or at least fuller, understanding of a game animal.
There might not be a better perspective than a wildlife biologist, someone who gets even closer to animals through GPS tracking applications and unrivaled on-the-ground observation. Sophie Gilbert, PhD is someone like that.
Her experience as a Professor of Wildlife Ecology at the University of Idaho brought her together with Jim Baichtal, a local Prince of Wales resident and deer hunter. Baichtal just happens to be the guide who took Randy Newberg on his incredibly memorable blacktail deer hunt, and it sparked the idea of returning some day and really doing the place justice in the filmmaking department.
The end result is "Rain Deer," debuted on YouTube and Amazon Prime Video and created by Newberg's Fresh Track Films production company.
The 23 minutes is a small commitment for such a big, impactful piece of video like this. Randy Newberg nailed it with this one.
The full story is available to watch right here, and you might want to settle in for this one sooner than later.
"Our goal was to tell a story of food, deer, and culture, illustrating how hunting and science work as the vital foundation for conservation of both the species and the landscapes that are critical to these local people," said Newberg. The two-year effort to bring this story to life helped build it into the perfect depiction of sustainable hunting with science as the basis of your efforts.
Southeast Alaska has its place in the Mount Rushmore of American landscapes, and it's no wonder it also doubles as fantastic deer habitat. Well, specialized deer that need and thrive in the rain forest conditions, at least. That's another part of what's so intriguing about Sitka blacktail deer.
The story, the unique relationship, and the positivity surrounding hunting make this one of the better outdoor films we've seen in a long time. Sportsmen groups are agreeing.
"In today's world where social concerns appear to be trumping the scientific management of wildlife, it's refreshing to see a film that includes both," said Keith Balfourd, director of marketing for Boone & Crockett. "People and communities rely on wild natural resources. Sportsmen have been standing guard over these resources and funding the science for their care longer than anyone. It's time more people appreciated this fact."
Newberg, who's made quite the name for himself as a public land hunter and leading advocate, can now add released film to his list of accomplishments and outlets. His Hunt Talk Radio recordings are tops in the hunting category, and his TV show Leupold's Fresh Tracks highlights his elk hunting and deer hunting exploits with the ultimate infotainment style.
It's fair to say everyone, outdoorsmen or not, could spare the time to watch this film.
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