Joe grew up in Northern Michigan and was actively involved in team sports, the outdoors, and fishing. He fell in love with hunting on an out of state Wyoming mule deer and antelope rifle hunt in 2010. In 2014; he picked up a new Hoyt bow and became emersed in attempting to locate mature whitetail bucks in his home state of Michigan. Joe has been serving the county he grew up in as a deputy sheriff for the past 23 years. He is a field training officer for his department and a cell team leader as a member of the Northern Michigan Mutual Aid Emergency Response Team. He has been assigned to ERT for the past 19 years. In his off time; he enjoys spending time with his two sons and wife who is his best friend and biggest supporter. Joe enjoys hunting, fishing, multiple day backpacking/river trips, Jiu Jitsu, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Joe met Dan when Dan was hired on with the department in 2019. They quickly grew a bond and friendship. Joe was introduced to Jay when he and Dan accompanied Jay on a Missouri whitetail rifle hunt in 2021. Since then; Joe, Dan, and Jay have continued the tradition of out of state hunts with one another. This is how the idea of Hike Hang Hunt was created.

Dan grew up in Southern Michigan beginning his hunting adventures at the age of six, coon hunting with his grandfather. By 11 years old, he was bowhunting with his father and attending deer camps in Northern Michigan. Dan relocated to Kentucky in 2010. He spent time hiking the hills of Kentucky, trout fishing, backpacking the Red River Gorge, competing with his hounds in the AKC, and chasing whitetail deer. This period of Dan's life deeply engrained a love for the same passion of the outdoors that he carries today. Dan found himself striving for something more, a hunger to serve others and our country. In 2015 Dan enlisted in the US Army where he met Jay. Both fierce competitors, they initially held animosity toward one another. After a short time, they would learn that they shared many of the same passions in life. Over the next six months, Dan and Jay grew an unwavering bond that holds true to this day. In 2018 Dan relocated to Northern Michigan where he met his best adventure partner to date and now fiancé. He attended the police academy and hired on with the Sheriff’s Office where he met Joe.  Dan and Joe quickly bonded over everything outdoors. They spent much of their off time in the woods; fishing, camping, and hunting. Jay invited Dan out for another Missouri whitetail hunt in 2021. Dan knew that Jay and Joe had to meet. That November, Dan and Joe travelled to Missouri to hunt with Jay. A week of hunting in Missouri proved to be the foundation of their lifelong friendship, solidifying the trio as a hunt group. What a hunt it was! After the past few years of traveling state to state with one another; Dan, Jay, and Joe founded Hike Hang Hunt, an avenue to share the amazing experiences they have been so blessed to have enjoyed with the rest of the world.  

Jay grew up in northwest Missouri on a small farm town. This small town living carved his love for the outdoors. As a kid, Jay spent most of his time hunting and fishing with his family. At the age of 14, Jay purchased his first bow and immediately fell in love with bowhunting. Jay was an active teenager participating in any sport possible. At 19 years old, Jay joined the military where he met Dan and discovered they had a common love for the outdoors. Jay did a 15-month deployment overseas with the military. After returning, Jay moved to Kansas City, Missouri and joined the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department. Jay currently resides in Kansas City with his fiancé. Jay and his fiancé spend most of their free time hunting, fishing, or doing hiking trips with their dog.