Northwoods Whitetails

Lanny Benoit, Timmy Bolduc, and Glenn Bombardier

Lanny Benoit needs no introduction to the Northeast hunting community. Lanny is a legend in the art of deer tracking and is considered by many to be the greatest buck tracker alive. For 50+ years he and his family have been passing along their traditional expertise in deer tracking through books, videos and seminars. Lanny and the Benoit family have inspired thousands of Norrheast hunters in search of the biggest buck of their lives. 

After an extended period of time away from the seminar stage, Lanny has teamed up with two hunters he has mentored for many years…Timmy Bolduc and Glenn Bombardier. Like countless others, Timmy and Glenn were greatly influenced by the Benoit family. They both attended the Benoit Deer Tracking School in the early 2000’s where Lanny quickly recognized their passion for deer tracking and unmatched willingness to learn. Timmy and Glenn were both successful hunters in their own right but when Lanny became their mentor, the switch was flipped. They hope to inspire the next generation of trackers by passing along the information that the Benoit family was so graciously willing to share.

Seminar - Deer Hunting Experts Q&A

Mike Frisbie

Hunter and Naturalist

Hunter, hunting mentor, naturalist, and volunteer hunter education instructor Mike Frisbie will narrate his captivating game camera footage of Vermont deer throughout the year. From playful fawns to grunting bucks, these videos offer a glimpse into the life of the animal that is an obsession for so many Vermonters.

Seminar - A Year in the Life of a White-tailed Deer

Bobby Hart

Owner of Hart Custom Rifles

Bobby Hart was born into a family tradition of custom gun builders and gunsmiths. He has now taken over the lead role from his father, Wally Hart, at Robert W Hart& son, inc. as a 4^th generation custom rifle builder since 2001, when Wally retired. Located in Nescopeck, Pennsylvania, this small, family run business is known worldwide to the hunting, shooting, military, and law enforcement industries. Bobby has retired from bench rest shooting & now training long range shooting and working with Television shows to expand their capabilities along with running Robert W Hart to design new long-range rifles.

Some of Bobby’s credits include:

Bobby Hart was awarded the “2023 American Outdoor Sportsman of the Year”. And in 2024, he will be inducted into the Legends of the Outdoors Hall of Fame.

Shooter for the NRA. Pro Marksman and Marksman First Class

 5 Time Jr. Bench Rest Champion

1986- 300 YD Heavy Varmint Champ

2000 – 1000 YD World Open Championship Light Gun

2001 – IBS 1000 YD International Championship High Score

Bobby has retired from bench rest shooting & now training long range shooting and working with Television shows to expand their capabilities along with running Robert W Hart to design new long range rifles.

As a member of the Varmint Hunters 1500 Yard Club, Bob is extremely passionate about the hunting and shooting industry. His goal is to promote and excel in the industry. Bobby’s motto is “Take a Hart on the Hunt”. As he puts his heart into making it possible for the customer to make “the shot of their Lives!” Bobby specializes in Long Range Shooting and Hunting, Custom Rifle Building, and reloading. He also offers an “Accuracy Package” that has been proven to greatly increase the accuracy and reliability of many factory rifles. This combined with a Hart designed Muzzle Brake ae a few of the general gunsmith procedures done in-house. He currently has a couple of Long-Range Hunting Videos and is involved in holding long range shooting seminars and offers a Long-Range Shooting School.

Bobby has shot over 13 Groundhogs at over 1000 yards. His longest hit was an Elk at 1900 yards. He also has filmed a number of shots, including African trips with 60” Kudu at over 500 yards. He has shot with and involved with industry names like Allen Treadwell, Pat Reeves, Keith Powell (Sportsmen of North America), Bob Foulkrod, Jerry Martin, Brenda Valentine, Brenda Valentin and Bob Walker to just name a few.

He has been doing Seminars since 1996 and the industry follows him. Bobby is very passionate about doing seminars and has a wealth of knowledge in the hunting & shooting industry. He also loves to get youth involved in the outdoors as well.

His goal is to promote and excel in the industry. Bobby’s motto is “Take a Hart on the hunt”, as he puts his heart into making it possible for the customer to make the “shot of their lives”.

Seminar - Long Range Shooting

Ken Hammel

Owner of Mountain Hollow Game Calls

Ken has been a whitetail hunting fanatic since the age of twelve. He has over forty years of experience hunting the North American Whitetail Deer. Ken has harvested over twenty Mature Whitetail Bucks scoring from 130 to his biggest 189 7/8 inches on the Boone and Crocket Gross Scale, four of which are over 170 inches, all on public land. Ken is a nationally known caller and hunter, and has hunted across the United States and multiple Canadian Provinces. Ken's passion for the outdoors has driven him to the success he has had throughout his years of hunting. His company, Mountain Hollow Game Calls, is celebrating over 40 years in the outdoor hunting industry. Ken is looking forward to the Yankee Sportsman's Classic, and talking deer hunting with other hunters at several of the deer calling seminars he will be presenting.

Seminar - Grunting, Rattling, & Scent Strategies

F&W Commissioner Chris Herrick

Chris Herrick is an outdoorsman who spent the majority of his career fighting fires and working in public safety. When he is not at work, he is hunting, fishing, and hiking with his dog. Chris Herrick was appointed to his position as Commissioner of the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department in fall of 2021 by Governor Phil Scott.

Seminar - F&W Department Q&A

Bob Howe

Master Maine Guide; Owner, Pine Grove Lodge

Meet Bob Howe, owner of Pine Grove Lodge, a Registered Maine Master Guide since 1976, owner of Maine Guide Snowshoe & Furniture Company, and author having written a children’s book called Orlin the Oak. Bob also formed the very first VA approved Maine Guide’s Veterans Program to teach veterans how to make guiding a full time job, and has taught hundreds of men, women, and children a tremendous amount about nature and all who live in it. His knowledge about hunting & fishing is immense, the details he shares with his guests leaves them feeling like there’s nothing he doesn’t know about the outdoors.

Don’t miss the chance to meet him, and watch his presentations on Coyote Hunting over Bait, including important tips on how to set up your coyote bait, what to use, where to place it, shack info, staying warm, what not to do, and more. His Snowshoe Hare Hunting presentation will include details about raising and training dogs, proper care of dogs, equipment needed, working in different snow conditions, scenting, and many details about the biology of snowshoe hare and their habitat.

Founder, Bob Howe, began taking veterans on fishing excursions when he was 20 years old in 1976. He would stop by the local VFW and offer rides and fishing tackle to the members. For many years, he would invite veterans on free fishing and hunting trips. In 1998, he and his wife bought Pine Grove Lodge & Cabins in Pleasant Ridge, Maine. From that point on, he invited veterans and their families, among other heroes, to come stay for free and would provide free guide service as well. The program grew to include many volunteers and coordinated events which provide opportunities to hundreds of participants each year. Pine Grove Programs is now a licensed 501c3 and 100% of the proceeds go to providing veteran events.

Seminar 1 - Hunting Snowshoe Hares

Seminar 2 - Hunting Coyotes Over Bait

Paul Noel

Paul is a member of the Fish and Wildlife Board representing Orleans County along with being a voluntary Hunter and Trapper Educator for the VT Fish and Wildlife Department. He has been a trapper/hunter for almost 60 years and has devoted his life to promoting ethical hunting and trapping behavior. He will be discussing the new trapping rules recently enacted by the F/W Board. Paul was raised in the Adirondacks and now roams the woods and waters of the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. He is a member of the VT Trappers Association, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Trout Unlimited, and National Wild Turkey Association.

Seminar - VT's New Trapping Rules and Regulations

Captain Matt Trombley

Owner & Captain, 3rd Alarm Charters and Guide Services

Captain Matt Trombley has been guiding the waters of Vermont & New York for 15 years. He runs his business, 3rd Alarm Charters and Guide Service, year-round on Lake Champlain & the lakes of Central Vermont. Open water or ice fishing, he & his son, Logan, offer something for everyone all year long. Capt. Matt operates two vessels, a 21ft Lund for his spring & fall trips and his 28ft Baha Cruisers Charter boat, available for trout & salmon trolling trips from Memorial day to Labor Day. Captain Matt is the President of the Vermont Outdoor Guides Association & has been on the board of Directors for the last five years. He is very active in promoting Vermont's Fisheries, Tourism & Outdoor activities! A life long Vermonter, Matt prides himself in educating every customer on Vermont's heritage, Outdoor offerings and his passion for the Green Mountains he calls home

Seminar - Trout & Salmon Trolling Tactics, Spring & Fall

Captain James Vladyka

Owner and Operator of Fish Hounds Outdoors

Helps educate customers and promotes the great sport of fishing and Waterfowl hunting by hosting seminars and free youth clinics. Fishing and Waterfowl hunting is where his skills excel, his goal is to help you learn as much as possible. Spend time with him and you will leave the lake or the field with a better understanding of how to achieve your goal!!

Capt. James has been fishing the North East area his entire life. Since 2000 he has specialized in guided fishing trips targeting White and Black Crappie, Yellow Perch, Sunfish, Pike, Bass, Walleye, Salmon on lake Ontario and Striped Bass on the Hudson River. In 2010 James host a tournament series called the Champlain Valley Hardwater Tournament Series. He also does public speaking to help promote products he uses and believes in. James has also designed his own twin tailed soft plastic bait the “Jamei” from MakiPlastic James has had the pleasure of working with Dave Genz the past 2 decades helping to educate the North East on the modern ice fishing system. James has appeared in magazines such as Crappie World, In-fisherman, Field and Stream, Cabelas Outfitter Journal, Fur Fish & Game and F+W’s Ice Fishing magazine ( as one of four hot spot destinations along the Ice Belt) Crappie Now, ODU Magazine and Vermont Magazine James has also hosted an episode of Ice Team TV (Connecticut River Monsters) He has worked with Vermont’s Outdoor Journal and host Lawrence Pine filming on Lake Champlain and just recently finished up a few episodes with Off athe Beaten Path Media. James has put his fishing skills against some of the top fisherman in the country by participating in the Professional ice fishing circuit and National Qualifiers. In addition to being an Ice Team Pro he is also a Pro Staff member for Clam, Vexilar, Dakota Lithium, Lowrance, Hydro Glow Fishing lights, Mr.Heater, MakiPlastic, Drake Waterfowl, Tanglefree Waterfowl and AMS Bowfishing.

Seminar 1 - Bow Fishing

Seminar 2 - Fishing Stripers on The Hudson

Seminar 3 - Ice Fishing Tips & Tactics

Nick Campagna and Izaak Young

Nick is a registered Maine and Vermont hunt guide specializing in moose and deer hunting. Nick has been hunting the mountains of the northeast since he was old enough to follow his dad. Growing up and hunting the green mountains and the Adirondack mountains where he found success, he eventually moved east and began hunting New Hampshire and eventually Maine. Along with the allure of big logging country and daily encounters with moose, books by Larry Benoit and Hal blood inspired him to stretch out on his own into new wilderness. Nick has thrived in this logging country, when he’s not tracking whitetail deer, he’s guiding moose hunters and picking up moose antlers. Nick has tracked bucks over 200lbs in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, and loves to help others fulfill their outdoor dreams.

 Izaak started hunting when he was 6 with his dad. He hunts public land all over the northeast and specializes in mountainous terrain. Tracking and still hunting is his preferred method but he also love to bow hunt and will sit if need be.

Seminar - Locating and Tracking Mountain Bucks

Rodney Elmer & Mountain Deer

We are a New England hunting family that loves tracking, while including our friends and virtual family, filming our adventures and sharing our experiences on our YouTube channel. We hope to inspire others to fall in love with the outdoors, develop and expand their skills while having fun in all the curve balls that the landscape and weather throw at our deer seasons. A love of family, sharing, filming and self development in outdoor skills can be found on our channel along with lots of laughs and camaraderie.

Our seminars are always packed with real world examples blended with visual aids, films, and personality. We love meeting everyone and look forward to sharing more with you.

Seminar 1 - Calling Whitetail Deer

Seminar 2 - Hunting Clear Cuts

Seminar 3 - 2023 Deer Season Recap Video

The Vermont Trappers Association Film Presentation:

"Trappers, Stewards of the Wild" - a Mt. Mansfield Media Production.

Larry Martin and the Vermont Trappers Association will debut a new, Vermont based outdoor film, "Trappers, Stewards of the Wild", in the Bissonette and McEwing Room with two showings at 12nn on Saturday and 12nn on Sunday.

This high powered documentary comes at one of the most critical points in the history of Vermont's Outdoor Community and our efforts to contribute to the health and well being of our state's wildlife populations. The general public often misunderstands trapping and improving public awareness will help them understand why what we do is so important. 

The injustices created by misinformation from those with an anti-trapping agenda are well documented, and this film is a fresh opportunity for the public to learn the overwhelming good that Vermont's Trappers provide to our wildlife. With it, we will expose every aspect of how Trappers serve science, the communities they live in, and the wildlife itself. By informing fellow citizens of the leading role trappers play in maintaining healthy populations while mitigating disease and conflicts, we hope you will come to see the value this small but important set of your neighbors plays in the mosaic of Vermont’s landscape. 

This will be a fun, in depth look at an activity that many have strong views on, but few know the intricacies of, so join us for the premiere showing of “Trappers, Stewards of the Wild”.

Rainforest Reptile Shows Inc.