Willowpine Outdoors Prostaff Spotlight - Mark Spears (Tooter)!

We're excited to spotlight our good friend Mark Spears (Tooter) of the Willowpine Outdoors Prostaff! 

Name: Mark Spears (Tooter)

Location: Cloverdale, IN

Position: Willowpine Outdoors Pro-Staff (Waterfowl, Fishing, Deer, Turkey)
Other Prostaff Positions: Fieldstaff Gumbo Calls, Out Yonder Outdoors (Wildlife Control Specialist)

Organizations You Belong To: Ducks Unlimited & Delta Waterfowl
Favorite Critter to Hunt: DUCKS!

Favorite Fish to Catch: Crappies, Walleye, and Big Cats

Favorite Type of Duck Call: Pure Duck (Double Reed), Duck Commander Diamondwood (Double Reed)

Favorite Goose Call: Tim Grounds (Triple Crown), I also like Lynch Mob Calls 

Favorite Fishing Rod Company: Shakespeare Ugly Stik

Favorite Fishing Reel Company: Shimano

What Brand of Decoy do you Use: GHG, G&H, Real Geese

What Brand of Gun do you Prefer: Benelli SB2, Good ol’ Remington 870 

What Kind of Bow do you Shoot: Bear

What is your favorite thing about hunting and fishing? 

Being one with mother nature, and enjoying all the beauty she has to offer. It also gives my daughter and I some really great bonding time doing what we both love! 

Tell us about your best days in the field for hunting and fishing....

Waterfowl: So many to list! One that sticks out is the day I was hunting solo on white lick creek. It had rained, and the water was too high to even attempt a hunt. Against my better judgement I decided to give it a shot. I tucked up in some flooded timber and put out ol' mojo.  Because the water was so swift, I actually had to tie my few mallard decoys to my mojo pole, the normal decoy weights just wouldn't hold.  

Several ducks had flown over without even giving me a second look, I decided the creek was just too swift for them to land. I told myself five more minutes and I'm outta here. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a beautiful mature drake pintail lands 15 feet from me! I spun around, raised my gun as he flushed, and BOOM.... my first bull sprig hit the water! With the strong current, I had to dive into the swift water after him! My bird and I ended up a good ways down creek before grabbing a log and crawling to safety (crazy...YES, but well worth it!!!) 

Fishing: I'd have to say two years ago when my brother and I got on a hot spot for walleyes, we both caught our limit in less than an hour or two, and all the walleye were in the 7-12 pound range!!!

How'd you get started in the outdoors, and why do you maintain the lifestyle?

Well it all started long ago, I believe I was around the age of 6, I remember tote'n that ol' RED RIDER on my hip while walking down the railroad tracks next to my Grandpa. We were trying to bring home a few rabbits for supper. He'd let me shoot first, and then he'd say "If you miss, I'll back you up." We never said who shot the most when we got home, but Grandpa would always say "WE did pretty good!"
As I got older my interest in the outdoors grew into an obsession. I started really wanting to go hunting and fishing every chance I could get. What started out just being fun and a hobby, turned into a lifestyle for me. It is a passion and way of life that has shown my family and myself that nature has so much to offer. 

These days you can mainly find me in a marsh somewhere, talkin' to the duckies! My soul addiction is truly waterfowl hunting. I just get such a rush when I hear a big ball of greenwings or divers above my head. Just watching as they buzz around with their jet engines on, just screaming over my head, and waiting patiently as they prepare to make their first and LAST turn! There is nothing else like that.

I have been so fortunate to have a daughter that has the same interest as me in the outdoors. It has been a blast teaching her to hunt. The feeling of seeing that first TOM, or that BIG BUCK, or shooting that first pheasant, all things that are great memories for her and I! I enjoy the outdoors more today than I ever have before!

Check out Tooter on  Facebook.