Not everyone who becomes a bird hunter grows up in a hunting family. For Joe Palmer, it started with a Scoutmaster who took the time to introduce a 13-year-old kid to Hunter’s Ed and his very first bird hunt behind dogs. That experience stuck. Even though he didn’t hunt much again until he turned 18 and bought his first shotgun, the spark was there for Joe. 

Today he’s the co-owner of Bird Hunter Supply, a business that’s been around for over a decade. After ten years of simply selling products, he and his wife realized something was missing: purpose. That realization led to a major shift in the company’s mission. Now a portion of every purchase is donated to a conservation organization chosen by the customer—at no additional cost—helping ensure the future of bird hunting and wild places.

He and his wife are raising four kids in Idaho, where upland hunting opportunities are abundant. Three of their kids already love chasing birds alongside their parents, and the family has made a tradition of it. In fact, the first bird each of his kids—and even his wife—ever harvested was a sage grouse. Between sage grouse, sharptails, ruffed and dusky grouse, Huns, pheasants, and plenty of ducks and geese, bird hunting has become more than a pastime—it’s a family way of life.

Topics Covered:

• ​Joe's introduction to the uplands
• ​Reimagining his business to conserve upland habitat
• ​The joys of hunting with his family
• ​Introducing hunting to kids in a thoughtful way
• ​Why sage grouse are special to Joe

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