At four years old, Michael Mitchell sat in the duck blind in Washington State patiently awaiting the opportunity to kill his first duck. Six years later at the age of 10, Michael got to kill his first duck on a hunt with his father. Michael had no idea the bond that was created in that exact moment that would become his biggest passion.
Michael, now 21 years old, loves all types of waterfowl hunting. He actively hunts all species of geese and ducks. This season will be his third season guiding hunts with Pacific Wings.
By LAUREN BRADY for SPLIT REED
SR: Would you rather hunt with your buddies or be guiding?
MM: I do miss hunting with my buddies especially because guiding turns this thing you are so passionate about, and love so much into a full time job. And it is hard to realize that and make sure to still enjoy hunting even though it is a full time job for me. But being able to guide, I’ve met so many people in the hunting industry and outside of the hunting industry that I would have never met, and I am so thankful for that.
SR: What does this season look like for you?
MM: I will go to Saskatchewan, Canada on September 1 st until the tenth of November to hunt different waterfowl species such as: snows, specks, and cranes. Then I will follow the migration back down to Washington State where we will hunt mallards and pintails guiding for Pacific Wings.
SR: What’s Canada like?
MM: Man, it’s wild. I just look forward to Canada every day when I am at home and counting down the days until I get to go back.
SR: What is your opinion on social media’s influence on the hunting industry?
MM: Although it is a great way to advertise different outfitters and brands, social media has brought the wrong kind of attention to the hunting industry – especially the waterfowl side. Because of social media, so many people are hunting for attention rather than hunting for the memories, and maintaining the heritage of those before us that strictly lived off of hunting. It could potentially ruin the industry one day I think.
SR: What is your most memorable hunt?
MM: It was in Idaho with my longtime friend Trevor Bennett. We were about 16 years old at the time; we hunted in lay out blinds on the bank of a river that had dropped down and covered ourselves in mud. It was so foggy that morning, I had told my dad to stop about 300 yards down the bank not being able to see the exact spot we wanted. But it was just the spot to be. We covered out lay out blinds all in mud and laid along the bank side. We killed a four-man limit in 25 minutes. It was something I will never forget.
SR: What do you do when you’re not hunting or guiding?
MM: Outside of waterfowl hunting, I work for a landscaping business in Spokane, Washington during the summer months. We do sod, flowers beds, planting, etc. This is my first year working for them, but my boss knows that I have to be in Canada in September so we kind of have it worked out.
SR: When did you get started in competition calling?
MM: I started competition calling around the age of thirteen when I began seeing others excel in calling where as I was slacking. I saw a kid on YouTube and I wanted to be that good. I practiced every day, then the local Cabela’s had a contest that I entered and I got my ass kicked only to realize how much I hated losing and not being good at something. But even after winning different competitions over the years, the main reason I do it is to interact with new and familiar faces at all the different competitions. I typically use a Power Call or Pacific Call for my competitions.
SR: What would be your top bucket list hunt right now?
MM: It would be to hunt geese in New Zealand. Everyone that I know that has been just says it is the most incredible experience, and I am just dying to get out there.
SR: How many bands have you shot? What’s the coolest one you have gotten?
MM: Not enough. But I got to hunt with my boss at Pacific Wings over a flooded corn field with no clients one day. There was a single greenhead swinging back in front of us, just as the mallard came out front I saw a band on his leg and I just said ‘BAND, BAND, HE HAS A BAND’. Mike, my boss, told me if there was a band on that mallard then I could have a New Zealand band off of his lanyard. I walked away with a New Zealand band that day. So even though I didn’t actually kill this band, it still means so much to come from him, and makes me look forward to the day I do get to go to New Zealand.
SR: IF you had any advice to give a younger hunter what would it be?
MM: Get out there. You are going to learn more from experience than you will anything else. It’s all trial and error. It does help to have a great mentor. I can’t say I have learned everything by myself because I could not have learned a lot of the things I have without someone guiding me along the way.
Awesome ??