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FEATURE STORIES

The Booger Bottom Book

By JJ Reich

The Booger Bottom Book
The Booger Bottom Book
The Booger Bottom Book

It’s safe to assume that Realtree.com readers need no introduction to Michael Waddell. Shows such as “Realtree Road Trips” and “Bone Collector” dominate outdoor television. His enthusiastic smile adorns countless pages of magazines and is often showcased on packaging of useful hunting products.

Waddell grew up in a hard-to-find rural area of Georgia nicknamed “Booger Bottom” by the locals. This backcountry community became his foundation in hunting skills and ethics.

“I’m really proud of where I’ve come from, and I’m excited about where I’m at and where I’m headed,” types Waddell on a post to his website. “I got my start in the hunting industry by winning a Realtree turkey calling contest. Before I knew it, I was running a camera for Realtree and filming hunts all over God’s creation. Since then, my life has been a whirlwind—hunting, traveling, working hard and meeting a lot of great folks from coast to coast.

“But for as much fun as I have, you better believe I’ll never, ever forget just how blessed I am. I’m blessed with a loving, healthy family, a job that I love and awesome fans who’ve supported me every step of the way.”

In the spirit of being grateful for his blessings, Waddell recently decided it was time for him to spill it all through a new hardcover book, properly titled, Hunting Booger Bottom: Life Lessons From the Field.

Schoby’s Side of the Story

The book’s co-author, Mike Schoby, is no hunting slouch himself. Schoby has hunted in more than 30 states, six African countries, Central and South America, and Canada. During the past 15 years, he has worked as a freelance writer and editor for publications such as Petersen’s Hunting, Outdoor Life, Sports Afield and American Hunter, with more than 250 published articles and five books to his credit. Schoby currently lives in Illinois, working as editor of Petersen’s Hunting magazine and host of “Petersen’s Hunting Adventure TV.”

I recently interviewed Schoby, asking him what it was like writing Waddell’s book. His answers provide a unique perspective to the new book and reveal some surprises Schoby learned about his friend along the way.

Reich: How did you meet Michael Waddell, and how did the book idea come about?

Schoby: A few years ago I was working as the executive producer for Gander Mountain’s “We Live Outdoors with Michael Waddell.” As the show’s name states, he was the host of the show. We traveled quite a bit together and became good friends. One night, during a 10-hour drive to North Dakota, Michael was telling me his history—and I suggested we do a book about it.

Reich: How long did it take to write about Michael’s story?

Schoby: From start to finish, it took a little more than a year. It was tough to coordinate and organize with him in Georgia and me living in Wisconsin at that time, but I interviewed him while we were on the road together, during hunts, during the SHOT Show and at his house.

Reich: What is your favorite chapter?

Schoby: My favorite chapter is about his Alaska adventure hunt with Rhett Akins. They got snowed in during a 10-day hunt that turned into a 20-day adventure. They got their moose, but they had to work hard for them. The entire hunt—and coordinating chapter in the book—is a true adventure from start to finish.

Reich: Did anything surprise you when writing the book?

Schoby: Michael’s family upbringing was the biggest shock. I met his dad while working on the book; he is a prince of a man. But what I found shocking is how Michael really got to where he is simply through hard work. He wasn’t born “privileged,” and he wasn’t given any special treatment while working at Realtree—he worked, and worked hard, for everything he currently has.

Reich: What was the most challenging aspect to writing the book?

Schoby: Working around Michael’s crazy schedule was a huge challenge. I couldn’t just sit down and spend a couple hours with Michael; he has countless meetings and his phone rings non-stop.

The only way I could get his undivided attention was to get him somewhere (such as a remote hunting camp) where there was no one else around—and his cell phone didn’t have any reception.

Reich: What was the most rewarding aspect to the project?

Schoby: The fact that Harper Collins, a major New York City-based publisher, picked it up. It was great to see that Michael transcends the hunting and outdoor industries into the mainstream public, and Harper Collins’ excitement about this book is a testament to that. Michael really has the power to get [the hunters’ message] to the everyday public.

Reich: Is there a funny story about Waddell that you didn't include in the book?

Schoby: Not really—I included everything. Michael really is “warts and all” in everything he does. Put another way: what you see is what you get. He doesn’t hide anything, and he’s not always politically correct. Michael is who he is––he opened up completely for this book.

Reich: What do you hope readers “come away with” after reading the book?

Schoby: There is a lot to learn from this book, which is why it’s subtitled, “Life Lessons from the Field.” There are obviously lessons directly about hunting, but the true undercurrent of the book is how Michael got to where he is, the value of friendships, the importance of family and the all-being important lesson of trust, hard work and being a man of your word.

Reich: What is your next big book project?

Schoby: I’m done writing books for a while. Petersen’s Hunting is taking all of my time. It’s a dream come true to run such a classic magazine as Petersen’s Hunting, and it’s something I want to give my full attention to. Michael and I have talked about doing a second book—and we might someday—but for the immediate future we are both too busy with other projects to get serious with another book right now.

Reich’s Report

After the interview, Schoby told me that Waddell’s book was far and away the most enjoyable book project in his career thus far. “I really enjoyed writing that book—because it wasn’t my story,” Schoby said. “I found it extremely interesting listening to Michael’s story from his perspective. I love stories of rags to riches, and Michael’s is one of the best.”

To say that Waddell’s life story is “extremely interesting” is definitely the truth. It’s packed with a lifetime of hunting stories that are fascinating and often hilarious. Just the first few chapters reveal stories about him learning to shoot his first deer rifle, a shoulder-punishing Remington 742 Woodsmaster .30-06; emotional accounts of the hardships he and his dad faced when Michael was teenager; and memories of struggling to beat his childhood idols when competing against them during turkey-calling contests. I think the team-up of Waddell and Schoby was a perfect match. Hunting Booger Bottom is organized, well-written and easy-to-read. The book is funny, insightful and thoroughly entertaining––just like Waddell himself. If you like the man, you’ll love the book.

More About The Book
HUNTING BOOGER BOTTOM:
Life Lessons From the Field
By Michael Waddell with Mike Schoby
Forward by Ted Nugent
ISBN 9780061733536 / 224 pages
Hardcover: $24.99 / E-Book: $19.99

Publisher’s Description: Booger Bottom, in rural Georgia, has no road signs, no stoplights and no stores. Nobody knows how it got its name, whether from the mythical booger—part panther, part wild dog—that is rumored to have roamed there, or from the Feds (“boogers”) who raided local moonshine stills during Prohibition. Today, Booger Bottom’s most famous product is Michael Waddell, one of the world’s most accomplished hunters.

Growing up in this wild land near the Chattahoochee River, Waddell was blessed with two great gifts: a wonderful father who stoked his passion for hunting, and endless time in which to pursue it. He eventually left the backwoods of Georgia to stalk elk, moose, caribou, wildebeest, eland and everything in between, from Alaska to Africa.

Mixing Waddell’s best hunting stories with hilarious anecdotes about the people he’s met along the way, Hunting Booger Bottom is a must-read for anyone who has ever wandered into the woods with “a stick and a string.”

The book was released January 2010 by HarperCollins Publishers, headquartered in New York. It’s available for sale at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders and other fine retailers. Learn more at www.harpercollins.com.

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Comments

Michael Waddell,:-) im 15 years old and im from southern wisconsin. i hunt pretty much all day on the weekends and just recently got my very first bow kill. i am obsessed with trying to find out new things and ways to better myself the next season. i have the realtree monster bucks complete collection, and i watch them almost everyday during hunting season, but when it comes to the bow shoot your the one who seems to always come out on top, i enjoy the outdoors and if you have any ways of helping me find out knew ways to go about hunting, it would be very much appreciated. e-mail me at vikingseagles@hotmail.com
#25 - Hardcore Hunter - 10/19/2009 - 12:27
****o Mr. David Blanton, I'm am 16yrs old and I live in Dalton, GA and my neighbors, the Erwins told me they use to live beside you in Lagrange, GA. Their oldest son John told me he used to hunt with you behind ya'lls house, but he said ya'll never saw anything. I thought it was cool that my neighbor just happen to have known you and lived beside you. Please email me back at dhagn1@windstream.net and tell me about you and the Erwins. Also, me and John were wandering if we could go hunting with you just john did with you when he was little.

Thanks

#24 - Garrett Hagan - 01/24/2009 - 21:03
****ooooˇˇ
k bisnez
okz?
weno
:-)
#23 - zaul - 01/20/2009 - 15:12
MR.BILL WE MISS YA'LL SO MUCH ALREADY! WE HAD A GREAT HUNT WITH YOU AND WILL ALWAYS KEEP THAT IN OUR HEARTS...THAT WAS THE BEST HUNT WE HAVE EVER BEEN ON AND YOU THERE WAS ICEING ON THE CAKE ...
#22 - DAYNA REDMOND - 12/18/2008 - 22:38
Hey hows it going..... I am 16 and and i live i n belle west virginia im a huge fan and a pretty good hunter....... Ive killed 15 deer in 4 years of hunting....... my dream is to become one of the pro staff members..... Im gettin ready to graduate high school and im going into wildlife and wanna someday become a professional hunter it is my life....... if you have any info or help for me call 304-989-1631.....
#21 - Cody Hobbs - 12/15/2008 - 18:48
Hi, my name is Mike vanLeishout all my friends call me porkchop. i hail from wisconsin, and i'm a big realtree outdoor fan i have alot of your movies i watch the shows on tv. I love hunting i look foward to it every year, the 9 days of shotgun where i live is my time for a vaction. I shot my first buck when i was 15 i will be 24 on 12/9/08. every year for me though is tough i haven't shot a deer in the past 4 years, money also has been tight for me and my family so hunting is getting harded every year. My biggest dream ever would be able to shoot a monster buck if i ever had a chance. inclosing if u had any information or advise for me bill jordan, and the realtree out door pro staff i could really use it, and i would be thankful for all my life. I can contacted at 1(920)323-1166 thanks much.
#20 - Mike VanLeishout - 11/16/2008 - 08:50
I live In Kentucky, and modern gun season opens saturday. I was wondering if you could give some tips on early season deer hunting? THANKS!!!!!!!
#19 - Nathan S - 11/03/2008 - 10:29
Mr. Bill Jordon, I live in Wisconsin, we just had alot of flooding here, My basement had 2 feet of sewer in it, I had a room set up down to watch hunting videos,races,packers games, But anyway i had all 17 years of my monster bucks down there too and all of them got wet, please send me some info or something so i can get them back, I know you are a busy man put if you can do this for me i would really like that thank you. My e-mail is nascarfanpacker88@yahoo.com.
#18 - AL Stewart - 06/29/2008 - 11:13
what is that kind of turkey it is huge
#17 - noname - 06/04/2008 - 10:31
realtree is great cant wait to get back in the woods
#16 - sean meiners - 05/15/2008 - 11:15
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