About

At Outdoor Empire we harness our passion for fishing, hunting, hiking and camping in all the content we publish. Our mission is to guide outdoorsmen to confidently select the best gear, improve their skills, and enjoy nature responsibly. Outdoorempire.com was built out of our love for the outdoors. We care about conservation of wildlife and their habitat. 

To ensure all outdoorsmen are conservation-minded and well-equipped for their adventure ahead.

What We Do 

Having experienced the joy and satisfaction that outdoor pursuits can bring, we wish to make it as easy as possible for others to discover this for themselves and their families.

In the outdoor world there are a lot of unhelpful articles and gear reviews that lack authentic insight. Readers may feel mislead or some reviews overhype new products that offer little value to the committed enthusiast. We aim to change this.

Our informational articles are intended to educate both new and experienced sportsmen. Our actionable in-depth content offers unique insight that helps readers make more informed buying decisions.

How We Do It 

We hire writers with experience, either as professionals or enthusiasts, in the subjects they write about. Our expert team conducts original research and draws on their own firsthand experience and passion in everything they write. 

Wherever possible, we conduct hands-on gear reviews that are authentic and unbiased based on direct experience with the equipment. We often purchase products at our own expense, or in some cases, we receive discounted, loaned, or free products to review. When this is the case, we disclose it. 

In any case, we make no promises of favorable reviews and we reserve the right to share our honest opinions, or nothing at all. We have no intentions to disparage any company or product. Our focus is on providing useful insight, good or bad, to our readers. 

Wherever possible, we provide links to multiple online retailers who carry a product so that our readers can compare current prices and availability in order to make an informed purchasing decision. As explained in our Affiliate Disclosure, we may earn a commission if you purchase a product from one of our partner retailers after clicking on a link on our website. This comes at no additional charge to you. It is how we stay in business and it’s how you can support us in making more helpful content.

The outdoor industry is always innovating and evolving. We take steps to ensure information and product links are up to date. Our goal is that everything is presented in an easily understood, no-nonsense manner.

For questions, concerns, and recommendations please contact us here.

Meet Our Team

We are headquartered in Boise, Idaho, USA, but we have the privilege of collaborating with talented contributors from all over.

Leadership

Chase flyChase Fly

Chase enjoyed a successful career in international business and tech before he jumped at the opportunity to pursue his passion and build Outdoor Empire. A seasoned adventurer with a knack for detail, he’s the engaging host of Outdoor Empire’s YouTube channel, and is known for his deep-diving camping gear reviews and a hands-on approach that resonates with outdoor enthusiasts everywhere. Chase cares deeply about conservation and multiple use of public lands. His greatest pleasure is time outdoors with his wife and three kids. Chase directs the overall content and business strategy of Outdoor Empire.

Contributors & Writers

Andrew jacksonAndrew Jackson

Andrew Jackson is a senior writer and top contributor to Outdoor Empire. He learned to walk in the mountains and has spent much of his life exploring the outdoors. Andrew is equally at home in the woods, at the range, or on the gunsmithing bench, and loves to build guns almost as much as he enjoys shooting them. His travels have taken him to the four corners of the United States. Though his favorite hunting spot is in Alaska, Kansas deer taste better.

Travis pikeTravis Pike

Travis Pike is a former Marine machine gunner who served with 2nd Bn 2nd Marines for 5 years. He deployed in 2009 to Afghanistan and again in 2011 with the 22nd MEU (SOC) during a record setting 11 months at sea. He’s trained with the Romanian Army, the Spanish Marines, the Emirate Marines and the Afghan National Army. Travis serves as an NRA-certified pistol instructor and teaches concealed carry classes.

Jon ball fishingJon Ball

Jon Ball is an accomplished photographer, world traveler, and bass fishing enthusiast. Always up to shoot the bull and some photos, Jon is the man behind the lens of Outdoor Empire’s best images.

Thomas burrellThomas Burrell

Tom Burrell is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys fishing, hunting, and kayaking in his native state of Pennsylvania or anywhere else he finds the time to travel to. When not recreating outdoors, he is protecting it as a full-time conservation officer or he’s spending time with his wife and 3 children.

Alex marshallAlex Marshall

Alex Marshall was born and raised wandering the mountains of central Idaho. He spent his 20’s working in the outdoor industry as a river guide, ski patroller, and in wilderness therapy. Currently he is a paramedic with an interest in wilderness medicine and he dabbles in photography and writing. He enjoys long days in the mountains trail running, fast packing, rafting, backcountry skiing, mountain biking, and fly fishing. His newest passion is introducing, some might say indoctrinating, his three children into the outdoor sports that he loves.

Jacob pelle portraitJacob pelle

Jake Pelle is an Eagle Scout, avid hunter, angler, and writer who channels his passion for the outdoors through pen and paper. Located in south Louisiana, if Jake isn’t behind a computer writing, he can be found in the woods or on the water in search of his next big story.

Hiroto hayashi portraitHiroto Hayashi

Hiroto Hayashi is an outdoor recreation writer, photographer, and educator. If it falls under the umbrella of outdoor recreation or nature-based skills, hobbies, and crafts, you can bet he’s tried it, or it’s on his calendar to pick up. That said, his main passion has always been fishing. Visit Hiro’s website here.

Ian standard portraitIan Standard

Ian has been pursuing a life outdoors since he was young, ultimately landing him in Alaska. All of the hiking, camping, fishing, canoeing, and skiing naturally lead him towards putting it all into words.

Marissa leonard portraitMarissa Leonard

Marissa has spent the last decade living between the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada, where you’ll likely find her deep in the woods or on top of a peak. She is passionate about public land stewardship and sustainability in the outdoor recreation industry.

Terry nelsonTerry Nelson

Terry Nelson is a 30-year veteran of law enforcement and has served as a state game warden. A lifelong hunter, guide, tracker and firearms enthusiast, Terry currently provides training for law enforcement, security and civilians through his own company, Firearms Training Institute. In the fall and winter months you will find Terry guiding hunters for big game across the state of New Mexico.

Ben teamBen Team

Ben Team writes about outdoor recreation, natural sciences and environmental issues. He has designed and executed environmental education programs for more than 15 years. Ben is also an ISA certified arborist and has professional animal care experience. Read more by Ben at www.footstepsintheforest.com.

Chris watersChris Waters

At a very young age, Chris Waters was introduced to hunting by his father. He has hunted everything from muzzleloader to archery, including deer, elk, antelope, ducks and more. He loves every minute of being outdoors. Every spring Chris and his wife Janell toss their two kids on their backs and hike the hills looking for deer and elk antlers. Chris also loves to fish and has been to Alaska where he was able to catch halibut and king salmon. 

Erik jutilaErik Jutila

Erik Jutila is a native of the Pacific Northwest and loves spending time in the woods and on the water. At a young age, his dad introduced him to hunting and fishing. Since he caught his first trout as a toddler, he has grown into a full-fledged angler who pursues salmon and steelhead in rivers and streams. His summertime passion is chasing albacore tuna 50 miles off the Oregon and Washington coast. He also enjoys hunting for deer, elk, and waterfowl. He has spent the last seven years working in the outdoor/sporting goods industry.

Gaby pilsonGaby Pilson

A professional mountain guide and experienced outdoor educator, Gaby Pilson enjoys traveling and exploring the world’s most remote locales. As a writer and editor, Gaby has written for a variety of climbing and travel blogs, news sites, and climbing magazines. She is currently finishing a master’s degree in outdoor education but in her free time, Gaby loves a strong cup of coffee and searching for the next great adventure. You can check out more of Gaby’s work on her website at www.gabypilson.com.

Nicholas oetkenNicholas Oetken

Nick Oetken is an outdoor enthusiast and writer, specializing in writing about wilderness survival, disaster preparation, outdoor tips, firearms, and defense. He has authored multiple books and ebooks as well as written for multiple online media outlets. Nick has broad and diverse writing experience in business and outdoor media.

Joe brennanJoe Brennan

Joe Brennan hails from Down Under and grew up in the Aussie outback, in a family of professional hunters. His passion is sharing his decades of outdoors experience to inspire others to find their own adventures. He’s fished and hunted around Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada; acted as a wilderness guide; and works as a wildlife ecologist. He regularly contributes to a range of fishing and hunting magazines. 

Bill bernhardtBill Bernhardt

Bill Bernhardt is a professional fly fishing guide and instructor with over fifteen years of experience. Also, he is a professional editor and outdoor author who has published eight books and written more than 1,500 articles. Besides Outdoor Empire he has contributed to both American Outdoor Magazine and Southern Trout e-zine.

Dakota pottsDakota Potts

Dakota Potts is a school-certified gunsmith with experience in the firearms manufacturing industry. He is an avid long range shooter and firearm collector. His favorite topics include gunsmithing, ballistics, and precision shooting. Dakota has written on many hunting and shooting topics for various online media outlets.

Dan armitageDan Armitage

Dan Armitage has been a popular Midwest-based full-time freelance outdoor writer and radio show host (buckeyesportsman.com) for more than a quarter century. As an avid angler, boater and USCG-licensed Master Captain, his byline appears regularly in major boating magazines. When not on the water, Armitage pursues whitetail deer, turkey, waterfowl and upland game, sharing his experiences, lessons and tips with readers and listeners.

Derek goinsDerek Goins

Derek Goins is a former designated marksman and infantry team leader with 3rd BN 5th Marines. He served a combat tour in Sangin, Afghanistan in 2010 in Helmand Province as well the 31st MEU. After serving with the Marine Corps, Derek got an education at one of the top gunsmithing schools in the nation and has worked as a gunsmith since 2013. Derek is also an avid hunter, traditional archer, outdoor photographer and general gun nut.

John mccoyJohn McCoy

John McCoy is a native of the Great Plains, having grown up under the spacious skies of the Flint Hills in Kansas, and has lived there his entire life aside from a four-year hitch in the Air Force. He considers it a great pleasure to be employed in both of his hobbies: flying and shooting. John currently resides on a 20-acre hobby farm with his wife and five children where they can shoot any time they want.

Lp brenzyL.P. Brezny

L.P. Brezny started writing and researching new load development in 1972.  As a part of this research Brezny designed and successfully tested some of the very first workable non-toxic shotshell loads. Brezny has written hundreds of articles for major industry publications such as Gun Digest, and he has authored three books on long range shooting. Today, he spends a great deal of time on long range shooting load development and gun reviews.

Mckinley downingMckinley Downing

Mckinley Downing lives by the hunting seasons. He shoots, hunts, and writes for several online outlets on the use of guns and ammunition to solve all sorts of problems both in and out of the woods. McKinley is a firearms instructor and a regular shooter who loves the range.

Aaron pillipsAaron Phillips

Aaron Phillips is an avid fisherman and hiker, and enjoys spending time in Michigan’s rugged northern forests. He’s been lucky enough to cast his line in lakes and rivers around the country. Aaron loves to explore the outdoors and write about his experiences, telling stories and offering advice to anyone who will listen, and to a lot of people who won’t.

Outdoor Empire is owned and operated by Black Cloud Media whose address is 7154 W State St, Ste 325, Boise, Idaho 83714.