With a passion for hunting the wild, pure backcountry and a love of the written word, Cameron is living a lifelong dream as the editor of Eastmans' Bowhunting Journal and hunting editor of Eastmans' Hunting Journal. Cameron is now proud to follow up his bestselling book, Bowhunting Trophy Blacktail, with this, his new release, Backcountry Bowhunting, A Guide to the Wild Side. Cameron has hunted all over the United States as well as Africa and Canada, but by far his greatest love is bowhunting the remote wildernesses of the West and Alaska.
For a glimpse into Cameron’s passion for bowhunting, look no further than his training regimen for his backcountry bowhunts. To get ready for bow season, in addition to shooting every single day of the year, Cameron runs 31-mile ultra marathons in the mountains during the off-season. Setting this type of standard, raising the bar to this level, pushing his body to failure and beyond, inspires many and inspiration…is basically what best defines Cameron Hanes.
Cameron has motivated thousands of hunters through his writing. “Hunters can be a tough crowd; they are savvy and can tell if what you write is real or if you’re trying to sell them a bill of goods,” says Cameron. He continues, “You can’t pull the wool over their eyes. I practice what I preach and the readers know I am genuine because I do a lot of my hunts just like they do, on my own and on public land. It is because of this common thread that they seem to trust my advice.” This type of hunting is tough, which is why Cameron’s life is devoted year-round to preparation, mentally and physically, for that one, split-second chance to land an arrow on the mark.
More often than not, one chance is all he gets when bowhunting in front of the camera for Eastmans’ Hunting TV, a nationally syndicated television show on The Outdoor Channel. “The pressure is undeniable, but it is all a challenge I have come to crave and love,” says Cameron. “We have captured some great bowhunting footage in the face of very steep odds over the years, which is what I believe makes Eastmans’ Hunting TV unique.”
The motivation Cameron Hanes has is magnetic to hunters who read about and watch his undertakings. He has also been featured at widespread hunter’s gatherings including being the keynote speaker at the 2005 Alaska Bowhunters Association banquet and has given seminars at many sportsmen’s shows throughout the West.
Devoting himself to learning and honing hunting techniques for his fellow bowhunters has made for an exhilarating career for Cameron. Outdoorsmen have come to respect his knowledge and look forward to his stories. At only 38, Cameron has based his life and career around the things he loves…writing, photography/filming, his family and bowhunting the backcountry.
