Hello, friends. This past week I had the pleasure of meeting and spending time with Brandon Wikman, the 20-year-old co-host of Bass Pro Shops’ “The Next Generation” outdoor television show.

Wikman will be a junior majoring in advertising this fall at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, but he lives a far different life than most college students as he travels around the United States on weekends and holidays doing something that most people can only dream of.

Saturday, July 19

High 83, Low 61

The first day I spent with Wikman and his cousin, Joe Nawrot, was at his family’s home near Adams-Friendship in Adams County. I would spend the day watching these two well-disciplined men teach 11 youngsters aged 8 to 13 several outdoor skills in a camp that Wikman and Nawrot call Wiks World Outdoor Camp For Kids.

I have to admit I was impressed from the start of the day and right until the end on how well this pair was in keeping kids interested and their obvious knowledge of the outdoors.

Nawrot is also the cameraman for Wikman’s segments of “The Next Generation,” so these guys see a lot of country together.

One of the first things that Wikman discussed was how he got into the business and it was by taking part in turkey calling contests and writing an outdoor column that he started his freshmen year in high school for the Adams County Times.

Wikman and Nawrot started toying around with a camera, at first just filming birds in the backyard and then actual hunts. During the spring of his junior year in high school, Wikman applied for a position on “The Next Generation” and got it.

Adams-Friendship is a well-known powerhouse in high school basketball and Brandon gave up a starting position on the team to pursue his real passion, which is big-game hunting.

As I said earlier, I was impressed with how both of these guys could connect with kids and keep them motivated from 8 a.m until 6:30 p.m.

The classes were informal and kept a fast pace, starting with antler scoring and shed antler hunting while throwing in biology and management. Wikman and Nawrot would frequently ask questions and the first kid who gave the right answer was tossed a small candy bar, which really seemed to help keep each kid in the game.

Just the fact that each of these youngsters was receiving lessons from a nationally syndicated TV star had put daylong smiles on each boy and girl’s face.

The work ethic put out by Wikman and Nawrot — as well as a couple kids who helped throughout the day and Wikman’s mom, Sue — was incredible. The entire group has farming roots, and the net results are generally, good people, which were certainly displayed on this day.

The kids were taught the value of food plots and how to shoot a bow, which started out with stationary targets and finished with moving targets in the woods. Each young outdoorsman also shot a bow and arrow from inside a hunting blind and was taught simple things like wearing dark colors in a blind instead of light colors, which are much easier to spot by the animal you are hunting.

Throughout the day, different segments of “The Next Generation” was shown to the kids and a class was taught around it. This outdoor writer does not see a whole lot of television, and I have to admit I was really impressed.

One important fact that was taught was how our hunter numbers are down and that the youth being taught today truly are our future.

The entire day was fun, and three meals were served. The following day, Wikman and Nawrot would be teaching 15 to 21 year olds with one more round of classes the following weekend.

Wikman and I ended up fishing on the Wisconsin River a couple days later with my stepson Joey, who was absolutely electrified for a week to be sitting in the same boat as Brandon Wikman.

Joey had bought a bow and arrow along in case a carp swam by and throughout the entire experience wanted a shot. Just before dark, Joey had his chance and made a great shot on a carp, which really put a smile on his face.

I predict that I will cross paths with Brandon Wikman and Joe Nawrot again.

See you in the woods or on the water! Sunset.