Matt Shumlas

Thanks to Eric and Ries Outfitters for giving me some space to share my thoughts. I primarily deer hunt Kentucky at a farm I co-own with a friend, Ryan Nelson. I do hunt Ohio a little but my concentration for deer is my birth state of Kentucky. I would put a good duck hunt ahead of a tree stand though. I primarily duck hunt the creeks and rivers in Ohio. But I also get up to Northern Michigan and to the Chesapeake Bay to duck as well. Having lived in Kentucky, Michigan, Indiana and Maryland I have some good friends who always seem to have a couch for me and an opening in the duck blind. I have a great yellow lab name Kahler (kay-ler) who I run with during duck season. She and I have been through the field trial circuit together and she is quite accomplished. She has a lot of natural ability, I can't take too much credit for her. In the summer's I have somewhat transitioned out of bass fishing and have focused more on Lake Erie walleye. I run out of Catawba Island and have been thrilled with the challenge to find fish and navigate the big water of Erie. Everyday is different on that lake and that is what makes the challenge enjoyable.

If I'm not working or enjoying my family time with three kids and a wife, I'm working out, shooting, fixing something or trying to get my arrow building business off the ground. T3 Arrows is my business venture. I got tired of waiting on arrows to be built so I started my own custom arrow shop. It has gone well so far and is a nice way to stay even more connected to my interests in the outdoors.

Thanks again to Ries Outfitters for putting me on the team.

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