Born July, 1967, I started hunting with my father in 1975, at eight years of age. After the death of both my grandfather and father in 1978, I began hunting with family and friends. This lasted until age fifteen. With drivers license in hand and ready to hunt, I began the task of teaching myself hunting and tracking skills. I read and listened to every piece of imformation on the subject that I possibly could. I hunted public land which was an extremely difficult task, as back then everyone hunted public lands, which I did until age nineteen.
It was then that I had made enough money that I could afford to join clubs and hunt private lands. This was the time that food plots, supplemental feeding, and mineral sites were very experimental. Myself and a few others started to have success and it was beginning to catch on, in our clubs and around the country. I continued down this road for another ten years and started to develop a positive reputation for what I was doing, especially after the mounts started to improve. I had also began to acquire rights to hunt on my own in trade for the improvements to peoples' property.
Now, thirteen years wiser, I'm even more passionate about the outdoors. I've been a licensed guide in the State of Illinois since 2004. I have been to numerous deer, quail, turkey, and duck stewardship programs. I was a Ducks Unlimited chairperson, and have volunteered for the National Wild Turkey Federation, and the Quality Deer Management Association. I have collectively managed now over 6,000 acres in the last thirteen years. I have been bow hunting 120 class whitetails and better for the past 8 years, 130 class and better in Illinois, and I have spotted and stalked elk in the mountains of Idaho. Though I do not possess a degree as do some of my peers, I believe they would agree that I have achieved the same merits through life experience.
My passion for the outdoors would not be complete without my love for saltwater fishing, from party boats as a kid off of Cape Hatteras, as mate on several offshore boats in Charleston, to now, days of slow-poling the flats for reds in my 151 Backcountry.
And most importantly, thanks to my father and grandfather for instilling in me the outdoor lifestyle and responsible stewardship.
Brian O'Neil is also the founder and owner of LOW COUNTRY 4X4, INC., located in Charleston, South Carolina.
Brian O'Neil