Interview: Scott HunterFishing, life, gear, and sewing.
Can You Say Recycle?Program makes Casper a better place to live .
ISSUE 14
STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSE’S
MOUTH.
M A G A Z I N E307
MavenHere’s to those who do.
+WILD MAN: BIG LOST MEADERYMUSIC: THE LIBBY CREEK ORIGINAL WYO/COLO BEER COLLABORATION
COMIC ARTIST: CHAD BLAKELY
in thisissue
Edition Details
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Cover shot: by Becca Skinner. www.beccaskinnerphotography.com
Jim MacKearneyChief Financial Officer/Advertising
Dave CastlePublisher/Public Relations
Dustin NealEditor/Creative Director
+Active: Fly Fishing, Vedavoo Gear Style
+ Tapped In: Big Lost Meadery: Wild Man Mead
Border War Collaboration Beer
+Art: Pop Fiction: The Art of Chad Blakely
+Kurt Box: Double Ewe! Why? Oh.
+Maven: For Those Who Do
+Music: The Libby Creek Original
+ Casper Curbside Recycling: Work Worth Doing
+ Parting Wind
Co-Conspirators
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Going From Vedauwoo to Vedavoo
Wyoming has been inspiring creators to craft their product here for a long time. There is something alive in the west that breathes hard work and ingenuity into those who live here. We had a chance to chat with Scott Hunter, the creator of Vedavoo, a gear company that build bags and packs for fly fishermen, and others who live on the road less traveled.
Hey Scott, thanks for chatting with us. How has things been going with Vedavoo? I never dreamt that I’d run a sewing machine when I grew up - but that’s exactly what I do. Every day I come down to my workshop, and I cut, prep, and build bags and packs. It’s humble, but I’m proud. Everything is Hand Made to order in the USA - and everything I ship is our best. So are you originally from Wyoming? I was born in Casper, did my undergrad study in Laramie, and moved to Lander/Riverton after UW. But Casper’s “home”.
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Scott HnterCreator of Vedavoo Photo by Adam Amick
What is your favorite kind of fishing? I’ve always been an angler. I grew up camping in Wyoming and the Black Hills with my family, and my dad and I had some of our best moments with a rod and reel in tow. But I developed a real passion for fly fishing after I graduated from UW. After moving to Lander/Riverton, I spent a lot of time on the Popo Agie teaching myself how to fish a fly, and I caught my first trout here. I also used to backpack into the Wind Riv-ers quite a bit - and loved it for the opportunity to fly fish in the remote wilderness. Pristine and beautiful country - and fishing that truly cemented my passion for it. After that I was hooked, and have had a fly rod in hand since that time. I just wish I’d spent more time on the Reef while I was still living in Casper!
What inspired you to go with your company’s name?
While I was at UW in Laramie, I spent a lot of time in Vedau-woo. Hiking, camping, climbing, mountain biking... and fly fishing! To me, it will always be a special place with lots of memories. So when I started the company, I wanted to give it a name that really stood out in the crowd, but had a base (as I did) in the mountains of Wyoming. Vedauwoo was a perfect fit. I started out with the correct spelling, but no one could find the website... so I had to change it to an easier to spell variation, but those who’ve spent time off Happy Jack know what I have at heart.
What’s one place in Wyoming you haven’t fished yet that you look forward to fishing?
Wow. That’s a tough one, because I’ve fished a lot in the Cowboy State. Though I’ve fished a ton in the Winds, I’d still have to claim them at the top of my wish list. So many waters up there yet unexplored, and I have a ton of respect for Finis Mitch-ell’s work to make it such a paradise for outdoorsmen like me. I’ve caught some beautiful fish up there... but still would love to catch a big Sierra Golden. I’ve had a many to the net, but still seeking the big one! What was your first prototype like, and what were some of the struggles you had dialing in your product?
In the beginning, I had ideas for how to make better packs, but I didn’t have the skills to turn ideas into tangible gear. Those early days were really hard, because I was so reliant on outside forces to realize my dream and because it was so expen-sive. After that tough first year, I had two awesome conversations - the first with Wayne Gregory (Gregory Packs) and the second with Yvon Chouinard (Patagonia). Both had similar guidance - “if you can’t build it with your own hands, you have no business being in business.” I took those words to heart.
With little more than $700 left in the company account, I bought a used sail-mak-ing machine off Craigslist for $300, bought another $300 worth of materials, paid the website up for a year, and (with a $12 safety net) went to my garage to teach myself how to build packs. That second year was really hard as well... but exactly what I needed. I struggled through, and my early work was really rough, but I ulti-mately was able to refine my craft, and learn how to personally turn my ideas into something real. Things have come a long way since those early days, but those foundations have made our success possible.
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“IF YOU CAN’T BUILD IT WITH YOUR OWN HANDS, YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS BEING IN BUSINESS.
Photo by Adam Amick
