Celebrating Decades of Hunting Adventures with “Cuz” Strickland of Mossy Oak on Outdoor Channel
June 6, 2024
2024 Marks Outdoor Channel’s 30th Anniversary
DENVER (June 6, 2024) – Outdoor Channel continues to celebrate its 30th anniversary by spotlighting significant programming that has made a difference to the outdoor industry and its viewers. Today, Outdoor Channel highlights the legendary Ronnie "Cuz" Strickland of Mossy Oak. The past decades have shown audiences the evolution of Mossy Oak programming from the opening musical notes of “Hunting the Country” in the 80s to today’s “Gamekeepers of Mossy Oak,” with spin-offs and one-off programming in-between.
Ronnie "Cuz" Strickland, a veteran in the outdoor industry, shares his unique perspective on outdoor programming, how it all began and where it is headed next. Reflecting on his early days with only three black-and-white channels, Cuz remarks on the profound impact the Outdoor Channel has had on the industry. "The first program I watched was 'The American Sportsman,' which focused mainly on fishing and waterfowl. With the introduction of the Outdoor Channel, the gates opened for a channel dedicated to hunting and fishing, including whitetails and turkeys. It was an incredible time to be a hunter," says Strickland.
Cuz recalls the "wild west" days of outdoor production in the 80s and early 90s, where there were no resources for instruction on critical elements like audio or white balance. But his goal was to ensure each Mossy Oak production had an episode title and thought put into a storyboard. “As far as ‘Hunting the County,’ TV series, I’m very proud of that whole run but I think the show really hit its stride in the late 90s when each episode had a title and a great story line. It was sometimes about the hunter or the guide or maybe the location, but very seldom about just the hunt. Episodes ‘Afternoon on the Handles’ or ‘The Gar Hole’ are still good examples of story telling to me,” he explained.
Speaking of telling stories, Strickland continues with that thought when it comes to hosting special guests on the shows over the years. “We had some professional athletes, actors and so on, but my fondest memories are from average people who were in camp with us. There were kids, moms, old guys, young guys… they all were special and made for good TV. People love stories and the best ones always came from unexpected sources. Everyone – and I mean everyone – has a story, you just have to look for them,” shared Strickland.
Strickland took his part in the storytelling process seriously. With goals of equal parts entertainment mixed with wildlife conservation education, Cuz said he was proud of his staff then and now. “A personal goal for me was simple, If a person is watching our show and his wife is sitting there or another person who is not a hunter, both should be entertained,” he explained.
Reflecting on the importance of a national cable network, such as Outdoor Channel, Strickland said he appreciated the coverage provided to Mossy Oak, their brand and mission. “TV brought Mossy Oak to a national audience at light speed..it made our message relevant to the masses and we were then – and still are – very grateful for that,” he shared.
About Outdoor Channel: Outdoor Channel has been taking viewers across America and around the world on unparalleled adventures since 1994. Dedicated to the outdoor lifestyle and conservation, the independent cable network is a division of Outdoor Sportsman Group and provides a complete spectrum of riveting hunting, fishing, shooting and adventure entertainment. Outdoor Channel is the largest outdoor TV footprint in the country and is available in more than 50 countries internationally. Outdoor Channel can be viewed in HD and is accessible by broadband and mobile platforms. For program times and other information, visit www.outdoorchannel.com. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
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