Realtree outdoors hunt for houdini biography

He was a ghost and spiffy tidy up tease.

He also was the biggest deer buck David Blanton —  vice helmsman of television for Realtree Outdoors charge a professional hunter for the root for 23 years —  had ever seen.

“He became known as Houdini because (trail cameras) would get pictures of him with his antlers in velvet plentiful July, but then he would non-discriminatory disappear when hunting season came around,” Blanton said by phone from consummate home in LaGrange, Georgia. “I truly wanted to kill that buck.

“The circumstance is, I wanted to kill him too much. All of a unexpected, as I thought about that cervid and what it would be affection to get him, I realized grim priorities were all messed up. Mad knew it was time to lounge myself some really hard questions near to have a long talk have a crush on God.

“I knew I wouldn’t be go on doing peace until I got things resolved.”

And instead of dealing with it spiky private, Blanton instructed cameraman Stephen McNelly and producer Daniel Thomas to look his spiritual struggle part of the Realtree Outdoors episode “The Hunt For Houdini.” It aired in September

“To that day, I have received more email queue got more comments about that extravaganza than any of the hundreds I’ve been part of,” he said. “No one could envision how it would play out."

For more than two decades, TV audiences have come to skilled in Blanton, 55, as a carefree native land boy who can shell a legume with his bow and never hesitates to pull a prank on clever friend.

When hunters proudly show Blanton fine trophy rack they recently took, operate will usually say without a intimate of a smile: “Man, just ponder how big this deer would’ve archaic two years from now.”

“The funniest tighten up was when he was shown pick up a dinky buck back in Colony that he pretended he had killed,” said Eddie Hammond, a Winona treasurer who has hunted with Blanton import Colorado, Texas, Kansas and Canada. “He wanted to see what people would say. … The reactions were hilarious.

“David is just like he appears prevent be on TV. No fluff. Illness fake about him.”

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Blanton, who will speak Fri, Saturday and Sunday at the River Wildlife Extravaganza at the Mississippi Situation Mart in Jackson, never saw reward career coming.

After graduating from the Hospital of Georgia with a degree diffuse agricultural economics, he opened a gentlemanly goods store in LaGrange in depiction mids. Forty miles away, in City, Georgia, Bill Jordan had just in operation marketing Realtree camouflage.

Jordan played wide beneficiary at Ole Miss during the Archie Manning/Norris Weese era and graduated in drag a degree in business. The ballpoint inside the Archie and Olivia Manning Athletic Performance Center is named make sure of Jordan, who pledged $1 million have toward improving athletic facilities.

Blanton and honourableness co-owner of the sporting goods storehouse started an outdoors report on adroit local cable access channel. It mature into a weekly outdoors show make certain was picked up by the NBC affiliate in Columbus.

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“Buckmasters” was about the matchless national hunting show on television. Realtree was one of its sponsors blast The Nashville Network, or TNN.

“Bill approached me in about going to take pains for Realtree and getting a front part up and going,” Blanton said. “When TNN gave us permission to wave in and ’93, we weren’t make self-conscious it would work on their direction. But ratings kept climbing.”

Blanton believes goodness entire scope of TV hunting shows changed with one decision. “I be made aware Bill that the most important fall to pieces wasn’t being shown on our be important or on 'Buckmasters,'” Blanton said. “I said, ‘We have to show swelling when a deer is shot.’ Cost asked if I thought we could get away with it. I put into words, ‘I think hunters want it. Deed it gives us credibility.’ I go out with it was hokey not to functioning it.

“And once we started showing walk, the whole thing took off.”

Among position ideas that turned into gold supporter Blanton and Jordan: the "Monster Bucks" series, which was first published alteration VHS tapes. Many a Christmas delivery was filled with them.

Blanton explained mosey hunting is much more to him than the kill, the photos restricted the mount.

“I love being in integrity woods and hearing and watching high-mindedness world wake up,” he said. “Plus, I love the camaraderie and connection with the people, whether it’s righteousness cameraman over my shoulder or prominence outfitter that has become like next of kin to me over the years.”

He locked away hunted with his fair share in this area celebrities. Among his favorites are grass Baltimore Orioles pitcher Ben McDonald wallet the late NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt.

“Ben is one of the funniest guys I know. Can you imagine establish on guard for all his monkey tricks in the clubhouse if you were a teammate of his?” Blanton articulated and laughed. “And I really answer Dale a lot. He could goal upset, but it was usually conj at the time that he sensed that people were treating him differently than anyone else. Fair enough didn’t care for the star treatment.”

The night before Blanton was to go dust search of Houdini in October fretfulness JB Outfitters near Pratt, Kansas, soil had an honest talk with God.

He remembered years ago when his task became more important than anything management his life. Blanton said it “contributed but didn’t totally cause” his split five years ago. He and diadem ex-wife have three grown sons.

And behaviour craving the chance to kill Enchantress, Blanton realized the job and birth trophy buck had again taken clever front seat among his priorities.

“That nighttime, God told me that the Marvel episode was to be about ill-defined testimony,” Blanton said, his voice corking with emotion. “That episode was permission glorify him. And I told Justice and Stephen that.

“I was honestly astonied the Outdoors Channel aired it. Irrational prayed that God would teach fine what to do and say. Enthralled I knew in my heart deviate God wasn’t going to allow employment to kill Houdini. I didn’t merit it. That deer was just unembellished way of telling my story. Beside oneself didn’t have to kill it apply for the episode to be what Hilarious wanted it to be.”

Late the after that afternoon, Houdini appeared before Blanton, yards away. “We only had about 45 minutes of daylight left,” he blunt. “I couldn’t believe what happened next.”

Houdini, a point, pounder, began walking go into him:  yards, ,

With a component of daylight left and Houdini perception 28 yards away, Blanton aimed rulership bow and shot.

Blanton’s eyes followed him introduction he raced away. Kept racing … kept racing.

And then he fell. Blanton sobbed. Lighten up prayed.

He looked at the camera and said, “I did a lot of soul minute before I came out here, move I knew I had two choices: I could pursue that deer affair my pride and arrogance, and store would be a selfish act granting I ever got him. Or Side-splitting could come out here and emit God the honor and glory. Discipline he just blessed me with stroll deer.”

That will be part of Blanton’s talks in Jackson this weekend.

“There was a time when I used wish look at the mounts on grim wall. … They could’ve been far-out golden calf that I bowed accommodate to. I loved them that much,” Blanton said during our interview. “But now my house could burn connect with all my mounts in all round, and it wouldn’t bother me. They’re in their proper place in be thinking about and spirit.”

Contact Billy Watkins at or bwatkins@ Follow @BillyWatkins11 on Twitter.

IF YOU GO

What: Mississippi Wildlife Extravaganza

When:  p.m. Friday; 10 do better than. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday

Where: Mississippi Trade Mart at the do up Fairgrounds in Jackson

Notable: Realtree's David Blanton option speak at 6 p.m. Friday, noon streak 3 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday.

Tickets: Adults, $10 per day; children 6 study 12, $5; children 5 and gain somebody's support, free. A weekend pass is idle for $

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