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Predator Hunting’s Top Dog |
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Blocker Outdoors announces partnership with Les Johnson and Predator Quest |
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MUSKEGON, Mich. (December 16, 2020) – Today’s hunters are living in a Golden Age. Whatever game they pursue, hunters have unprecedented access to information and technologies that can help earn more success in the field. Ultimately, we still need to find places to hunt and invest time in practice and scouting, but today’s resources greatly simplify the process. Those who have hunted for a couple decades or more understand this; becoming an effective hunter hasn’t always been this easy. Some, like renowned predator hunter Les Johnson, devote much of their time and energy – both personally and professionally – doing whatever they can to help hunters shorten the learning curve. Often, that means sharing specific hunting techniques or tips, but for Johnson, it also includes a more-fundamental discussion of life’s overall challenges. “Appreciate the things that life teaches us, and we become better at anything we decide to do,” he says. Widely recognized as one of the world’s top predator-hunting experts, Johnson began gaining notoriety in the late 1980’s as a competition coyote caller. “I wanted to be one of the best coyote callers in the world,” says Johnson, who went on to earn the Triple Crown Championship of coyote calling in 1999, becoming the first and only coyote caller to win all three major championships (Midwest, National and World Championships). What’s more, Johnson earned all three of these championships in the same year, securing his place in coyote-calling history. |
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Les continued to enter and win calling competitions throughout the early 2000’s, but would refocus his efforts on teaching his experiences to others who shared his passion for predator hunting – something that was not easy for the introverted Johnson to do. He began writing articles, actively sharing his expertise in online predator-hunting forums, and started production of what would become one of the most-popular predator-hunting television shows of all time – Predator Quest TV. Today, along with Predator Quest TV airing on Pursuit Channel, Johnson interacts with predator hunters via his Predator Quest podcast and on social media, including his popular YouTube channel, Everything Outdoors with Les Johnson, where he regularly shares not only hunting tips and footage, but also motivational messages. He makes frequent in-person appearances at various events, and also owns and sells his own line of predator calls. These enterprises help Johnson earn a living, but helping other hunters – all hunters – remains the firm focus of his day-to-day activities. Johnson frequently educates on the value and benefits predator hunting has to greater wildlife management, and in turn, to all other forms of hunting. “I do everything I can to give predator callers a good face and name in the greater hunting industry where whitetail is the spotlight,” he says. “Predator calling has always been viewed differently. I’m a passionate whitetail bowhunter and turkey hunter myself, so I’ve worked hard to show that versatility and portray that predator hunting is not just another ho-hum category. We are top of the line. Predator hunters perform a service that helps all wildlife and all other hunting categories by controlling the predator population.” |
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Predator-hunting experience and expertise aside, Johnson largely sees himself as a self-helper and motivator. “I have faced my share of challenges in life. Many of these have been related to emerging as an expert in my field, and these are challenges others commonly face as well,” Johnson says. “Everyone told me I’d fail. Whatever passion you pursue, you will encounter people who want to tear you down at every opportunity. I like to remind others who encounter people like this of the simple fact that these are almost always people who don’t know any more than you or I. The truth is, they usually don’t have any expertise at all and are simply jealous of your success. Never allow a person like this to negatively impact your goals or outlook. I want people to chase their own passions and excel, regardless of what others say.” Within the coyote-calling arena, Johnson loves connecting with hunters of differing skills and experience levels. “You don’t have to be a champion caller,” he says. “Anyone can do his or her part by getting out there fooling and harvesting predators to manage the population. I just want to mold people to be better… whatever that means to them. I’m humbled whenever I hear from a hunter who leveraged my input – or someone else’s – by paying closer attention to the wind, making the right sounds at the right time, or calling them in closer for a better shot.” Les Johnson is excited about a new relationship between Predator Quest and Blocker Outdoors – the 40+ year-old company that makes hunting apparel designed to help hunters earn more success in the field. “It’s humbling,” Johnson says, “and It propels me to keep on doing what I’m doing, just like my personal interaction with my followers does. I’ve been in the hunting industry for a long time and it’s hard to build a long-term relationship with good companies. Dale (Dale Douglas, Senior Vice President of Product Development for Nexus Outdoors, parent company to Blocker Outdoors) and I have built that relationship, because we both recognized the value, integrity and character in each other’s brands.” |
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Johnson and Blocker Outdoors are celebrating the start of their relationship with a special Predator Quest Logo Hoodie in the new brand new Mossy Oak ElementsTM Terra Coyote camo pattern, and new Predator Quest Logo Hats. |
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“We’re starting with these products and will be expanding from there based on what predator hunters want,” Johnson says. “The relationship is going to progress, and other exciting products are in the making. We are just getting started.” Douglas echoes Johnson’s enthusiasm. “Blocker Outdoors and Predator Quest share a lot of the same ‘roll-up-the-sleeves-and-get-the-job-done’ DNA,” he says. “And we’re both out to create elevated experiences, using information and technology to help hunters get closer and experience more success in the field,” adds Douglas. “Both brands have fought through adversity and persevered. We couldn’t be happier to be working with Les and Predator Quest, and are genuinely excited about what we’ll be offering to passionate predator hunters in the coming months.” KEEP UP WITH PREDATOR QUEST Follow Les Johnson and Predator Quest on social media: YouTube / @EverythingOutdoorsWithLesJohnson; Facebook / @LesJohnsonFanPage. Learn more about Predator Quest TV on Pursuit Channel here. |
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ABOUT NEXUS OUTDOORS Nexus Outdoors, headquartered in Muskegon, MI, USA, is a leading worldwide designer, marketer and distributor of performance, hunting and casual odor-controlling apparel, footwear and equipment under the ScentLok Technologies®, OZ®, Blocker Outdoors®, Whitewater, Hard Core® Waterfowl Hunting Apparel and Tree Spider® brands. It also owns American Range Systems, manufacturer and distributor of the world’s strongest and safest bullet traps. Nexus Outdoors is the only company with access to all scent-controlling technologies, including their patented Carbon Alloy™ and Cold Fusion Catalyst™ technologies, which provide superior success in the field. ScentLok and Blocker Outdoors are pioneers in the hunting industry, which many credit with creating a market focused on superior scent control to get closer to big game. |