STAFF MEMBERS
Lee Schneider
Hi. I’m Lee Schneider, and I’m the oldest of the gang. I live in Wisconsin and have been involved in the outdoors all my life. My father got me started hunting and fishing at a very young age, and it became an obsession as I got older. I’ve been in the outdoors for almost 50 years, and have been gun and bowhunting for over 40 years. I have spent many hours afield learning about the different animals I hunt, and have been blessed to have many successful hunts. Through the years I have been involved in helping start our local deer management group, planting food plots and testing different types of forage for deer/turkeys, and testing hunting and fishing products. I have been filming my hunts for 9 years now, and have a number of deer and turkey kills on film. I fished professionally for walleyes for 8 years, and fished on Lake Michigan for rainbows, kings, and lake trout prior to that. I also fished muskies for many years, but don’t get out as much as I’d like to for those. I also sturgeon spear on Lake Winnebago during the winter. I was involved in the start up of a program to take kids fishing locally also. Other outdoor activities include four wheeling, predator hunting, and bear hunting. My plans are to take an elk hunting trip out west sometime in the future. I don’t look at a successful hunting or fishing trip by what you bring home anymore. It’s who you share it with and the fun and memories you make while doing it. Through the years I have had the privilege to introduce the outdoors to a number of youth and women, and now am looking forward to expanding that to the physically handicapped as well.
Eric Schmitz
Hey my name is Eric Schmitz and I'm 23 years old. I was born and raised in northeast Wisconsin where I grew up hunting and fishing with family and friends. I've been hunting for 11 years and hunt pretty much every critter I can. Pursuing everything from deer and turkeys to bear and coyotes, I also enjoy small game and upland bird hunting to stay sharp. I'm also learning taxidermy in my spare time. During the off season I like to hit the trails on snowmobiles and ATVs. I look forward to introducing youth and physically disabled people to the outdoors and sharing the experience with everyone!
BRIAN Gilbert
Hello all, my name is Brian Gilbert (41 years old) and I currently live in Wisconsin. I am a huge outdoorsmen and I try to spend every free moment in the outdoors either camping or hunting. I started hunting at a young age hunting pheasants with my dad and family and my hunting addiction just went crazy from there. I love getting other people out in the field and experiencing hunting and the beauty of the land that we take for granted all too often. I’m also a military army veteran, service connected. I have seen the damage first had that our soldiers have experienced not only physically but mentally as well. I believe that getting them out in the field and sharing experiences with them that they may not get to have will help them in their recovery. I know it has for me; it just makes things melt away the day to day problems and the internal/mental pain even if it’s just for a brief moment. I hope to see ya in the woods..
CHeryl LIebe
Hi! My name is Cheryl Liebe and I currently live in Greenbush, WI with my husband Scott, and my sons Shawn and Tyler. I grew up in Sheboygan county and I have to say it has some of the most beautiful scenery in Wisconsin. I am also a volunteer firefighter and first responder for my community. I enjoy turkey hunting and bowhunting with my husband, but my passion is being behind the camera! I currently shoot with a Nikon D3000 and a Canon SX40. I had my first bow at the age of 12, which I still have today. The company that I work for has an annual photo contest where employees are encouraged to submit photos. I am proud to say that I have won the people’s choice award and won the scenery portion twice. A couple years ago my husband purchased a Mathews Mission Craze for me…which had to be pink and black!!! I enjoy being in the outdoors, whether it’s hunting, canoeing or hiking.
Chris Gade
My obsession for hunting started 38 years ago when my grandfather introduced me to hunting.. Since then, I have had the opportunity to harvest 100’s of whitetails, many trophy Eastern turkeys, Canadian black bears, several WI black bears, wild boar, Corsican Ram, and a buffalo. I have also had the opportunity to witness my children harvest all of their first animals. Over the past 25 years, my focus has been to introduce my children into the outdoors and fuel my children’s obsession for hunting. I have focused on teaching them everything I know. To me, taking a child out hunting adds a totally new meaning to a successful hunt and the word “trophy.”
I am a High School Biology teacher in Brillion WI. I have 3 amazing kids that also share the love of the outdoors. This love of the outdoors is what led me to become a Biology teacher. The outdoors is my classroom, so to speak.
Being actively involved in my community is important to me. I have introduced 1000’s of kids to outdoor activities. Whether it be fishing, hiking, hunting, canoeing, bird watching, ATV riding or archery. For the past 20 years, I have taught a fishing class where I take 60-100 elementary kids out fishing for 3 weeks. I also teach an archery class to elementary kids during our summer school.
I also started up and coach the Brillion High School fishing team. We compete in tournaments with 65 other highschool teams through WIFA (Wisconsin Interscholastic Fishing Association). Many of these future outdoorsmen and women have never even touched a fishing pole , so I have a great opportunity to make a positive impact on them.
The trophy is all about the experience and who you are sharing it with. I am a hunter who realizes what hunting is really about. You can't always get it on video, but you will always make memories. Hunting is about the impacts that I can make on others and the future generation of outdoorsmen and women. Hoping to touch some lives for a lifetime along the way.
Take a deep breath, relax and enjoy the outdoors..
Parker Gade
Hi, my name is Parker Gade and I am from East central Wisconsin! I have lived in Wisconsin my whole life, and am 20 years old. I have been an avid outdoorsman since I was 11 years old, but have tagged along with my dad Chris Gade in the outdoors since I was able to walk. He has taught me all I know about the outdoors and how to be a good responsible and ethical outdoorsman.
I was fortunate enough to win a learn to hunt bear program when I was 11 years old and it hooked me on the outdoors. Since that day on August 27th of 2013 I have been hooked for life. In my free time I do a lot of hunting, fishing, and just about anything else in the outdoors. I pretty much live for the outdoors and look forward to every moment I get to spend in it.
Right now I am current a Junior in college and going to school for Supply Chain Management at UW-Oshkosh. I plan on getting my bachelors then getting a job in that field. I think the thing I love most about the outdoors and hunting and fishing in specific is the constant challenge and camaraderie that ties into it.
You constantly are working to improve and fine tune things to better yourself and that can be very fun and rewarding, giving a very enjoyable feeling to yourself and others who share the same passions. Being outdoors is what makes me happy that is why I love sharing it with others! Recently I started helping coach a high school fishing team with my dad which I look forward to this year, and I can’t wait to share some good memories with kids!
Shawn Barber
Hi, my name is Shawn Barber. I was born and raised in Sheboygan County near the Kettle Moraine Forest. My first experience hunting was with my dad at the age of five. My dad, along with our black lab Jordan, took me along pheasant hunting. Ever since then I've always been doing something in the outdoors, whether is turkey, deer, pheasant, predator or duck hunting. I shot my first turkey and buck at the age of 12. My biggest deer was a 6-point buck. My favorite part of the year is when duck season opens. As you can tell my true passion is duck hunting. If I'm not out wading in the water, I'm out looking for the next place to duck hunt.
Zach Haas
My name is Zach Haas, I grew up in and around Wisconsin my whole life where my father, Dan Haas, taught me everything there is to know about being an ethical and responsible outdoorsman. I currently live in Rosendale, WI with my beautiful wife Hailey Haas and my two wonderful children Wyatt and Summer. I grew up on a small horse farm in the country with my parents on the outskirts of Eden, Wisconsin. I graduated from UW-Stevens Point where I obtained a bachelor degree in biology and water resources. I used my degree to become the Director of Operations and Senior Aquatic Biologist at Wisconsin Lake & Pond Resource LLC, which is a private pond and lake consulting firm based in Eldorado, Wisconsin. In addition I operate my own land management business, CreekBottom Land Management where I consult hunters across the midwest on how to improve their properties for wildlife. When I get free time I enjoy hunting. fishing, spending time with my family, indoor/outdoor archery, and of course land management.
Anytime I hit the woods to film I strive to show the true side of hunting. With every up comes many downs which all help shape us as hunters. Through my film I want to show everybody out there that hunting isn't just about shooting that huge buck every time. If you shoot a mediocre buck, but are proud of it, then you shouldn't look down on yourself but rather enjoy the opportunity and learn on how to improve your success through proper deer and land management practices. The enjoyment you get out of the sport and the fun you have with your hunting and fishing friends is the best part about being outdoors and I want to make that my focus to Boot-trac Adventures viewers and fans!