Mike Jahnke
Growing up in West Bend, WI, Mike Jahnke was introduced to hunting at an early age by his father, Wayne. At the age of six he began tagging along on hunts with his dad and two brothers until he could finally hunt at the age of twelve. After his first year hunting he was lucky enough to shoot a deer with both, gun and bow. His parents purchased a video camera for family events; however, Mike put it to better use and took it along to film his very own hunts.
Ten years ago, Mike had the opportunity to meet Pat at Bluff Country Outfitters. Shortly after that he knew he wanted to get into the industry. In January 2000, Mike lost one of his hunting partners- his brother Jeff, to a snowmobile accident. Jeff was incredibly supportive of Mike’s dream and after his death Mike knew he truly had to pursue it. His path then begun in March 2000 when he landed a job managing a sporting goods store in Madison, WI. In three short months he moved onto Little Jon’s Archery working in the proshop and distributorship. From this experience, he met many people involved in the hunting industry where he then moved on and joined Hunter’s Specialties field pro-staff in 2004. He then quit his full time job to become a full time dad and also pursue his goal of having his hunts captured on film. He received his first break in 2006 when he was offered a position on a show called “Beyond the Hunt,” where he spent three seasons.
Although the last ten years have been full of many ups and downs, Mike wouldn’t change a thing. He is very appreciative for this great opportunity to be a “Driven TV” team member. Mike thanks his Mother and Father, his wonderful wife, Renee, and their six children: Katie, Brett, Trent, Clarice, Luke, and Trevor, as well as his granddaughter Taylor for they all make sacrifices when he is away on hunting trips. Mike’s love for his family and his passion for filming big Whitetails is what keeps him “Driven.”
