“WHEN YOU BECOME ONE WITH NATURE IT’S INCREDIBLE. WE’RE MOST AT HOME AND AT PEACE WHEN WE’RE OUT IN NATURE.”
Shockey is at home in the primordial swamps, towering peaks and the tepid jungles of the uncharted world.
Shockey likens being in the wilderness to a truly spiritual experience. “No offence to big cities like New York or Toronto, but it’s hard to be spiritual sitting on the corner of Bloor and Yonge Streets. When you become one with nature it’s incredible. We’re most at home and at peace when we’re out in nature – it may be cliché, but it’s true. When you sit below the cathedral of the forest you become a part of nature. No phone calls, emails, texts, no work. There’s not a more pure experience.” While Shockey extolls the virtues of exploration, this world traveller is also a fearless and experienced hunter which has also garnered him immense world recognition and multiple awards. During the course of his adventures, he has taken numerous muzzleloading world records, including Stone’s sheep, bison, Roosevelt elk, Shirus moose, muskox, walrus, white-bearded wildebeest, Grant’s gazelle, steenbok and many more. He is the first and only hunter to date to complete the North American Super Slam and Ultimate Slam using only a muzzleloader. “Hunting big game is a life changing experience,” explains Shockey. “And while hunting is a big part of the reason for our shows, so too is conservation. We pride ourselves on being responsible hunters and when we are truly in the remotest of regions with almost zero supplies, our hunts are about sustenance and surviving off the land. And as outfitters, when we
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take adventurers on guided expeditions, we only hunt game in seasons and in areas that have been sanctioned.” Of all the places he’s travelled, we asked Shockey to try to name his favourite and surprisingly he names an area close to home. “My favourite place is the MacKenzie Mountains in the Yukon near my home. From my private place I can see the ridge that turns into miles and miles of the most magnificent flat valley. I’ve been to the Himalayas and the high Andes, but in all my travels, I’ve never seen anywhere more beautiful.” There is only one other thing that surpasses his love and admiration for the beautiful outdoors – his love for his family. “I’m extremely close to my son and daughter, Eva and Branlin, who both work with me, and I’m madly in love with my wife, Louise. Family is the most important thing to me and everything else pales in comparison to being a father and husband. For over two decades, the Jim Shockey brand has grown to stand for adventure and exploration, but Shockey also hopes it stands for integrity, honesty, discovery, fearlessness and, above all else, family. You can see what this passionate family man and explorer is all about on his hit show Jim Shockey’s Hunting Adventures now and watch for Uncharted which began airing in July of 2014 on the Outdoor Channel.
THE INVIDIATA TEAM’S
BREATHTAKING YUKON ADVENTURE The moose that live in the Rogue River outfitting territory in the Yukon are the largest antlered game in the world. Tucked between Alaska and Canada’s Northwest Territories, the Yukon is a world-class hunting destination for moose, Dall sheep, grizzly bear, wolf and mountain caribou. Last September, members of the Invidiata Magazine team went on a guided tour with Jim Shockey’s team, travelling exclusive outfitting areas that span 12,000 square miles of some of the very best moose and big game habitat in the world. “This was the most incredible experience of my life,” says Caleb Invidiata. “Jim’s team were expert guides and it was clear from the start that every one of them share his passion for the land and the animals that inhabit the area.” Visit jimshockey.com to learn more about Jim Shockey’s hunting shows and guided hunts.
INVIDIATA THE COLLECTION
