NEW BERLIN, WI (June 19, 2015) – Cancer. The loss of a leg. Childhood abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These are challenges four hunters – Chad Hall, Rick Carone, Kelsie Burford and Patrick Scrogin – must wrestle with as they embark on another life-altering journey during the 12-episode Sportsman Channel saga Sheep Shape exclusively premiering on Thursday, June 25 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT.
By finding solace in the great outdoors, these daring hunters continue to reflect and attempt to overcome personal obstacles while on a high mountain hunt for sheep, mountain goat, bear and caribou. Hunting locations including: Alaska, the Yukon and Northwest Territories serve as the backdrop for this rugged and unforgiving test of endurance, stamina and will to overcome. The terrain is tough, but the hunters will train to prove they are tougher.
Co-produced by Reel Wild Creative and Rusted Rooster, catch a sneak peek of the Sportsman Channel original series here: http://www.thesportsmanchannel.com/shows/sheep-shape/ and tune into the season premiere of Sheep Shape, featuring back-to-back episodes, Thursday, June 25 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT exclusively on Sportsman Channel.
“Sportsman Channel’s Sheep Shape stays true to our viewers’ passionate outdoor lifestyle,” explained Mitch Petrie, vice president of programming for Sportsman Channel. “The show also brings aspects of unexpected life challenges and ultimately creates compelling television that hunters and non-hunters will find relatable.”
Four hunters battle separate life challenges. Together, with the help of their trainers and coaches, they will work to accomplish one common goal: dominate a North American high mountain hunt. The physical requirements of the hunt are brutal, but the mental and emotional obstacles these hunters will face, at times, far outweigh the physical.
High mountain hunts are not for the weary. And training must be taken seriously. The hunters will hit the gym and go into the field to prepare themselves for the most challenging hunt of their lives. The terrain is taxing but the emotional and mental obstacles the hunters will encounter could make or break their hunting success. Viewers will witness the struggle between personal life challenges – including cancer, war injuries, childhood abuse and bullying – and the fight to defy the odds and conquer fear on a hunt of a lifetime.
“High mountain hunts aren’t just about the harvest – it’s more about the blood, sweat and tears it takes to get to that mountain peak – to hike through that shrouded valley,” said Burford. “It’s about knowing, despite whatever challenges you may be facing in other aspects of your life, you are more than capable of accomplishing a grueling training regimen, or a hunt you’ve been dreaming of for years.”
For a closer look, meet the hunters:
Chad Hall (St. Petersburg, Fla.) – At 19 years old, Hall was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer. The disease caused his knee to be completely replaced and he lost parts of his quadricep muscle, femur and tibia. The replacement resulted in having to learn to walk again with more than 1,000 days of physical therapy and a few more surgeries under his belt. Hall never looked back and has set his sights on training for one of his lifelong dreams – to hunt wild sheep.
Rick Carone (Cary, Ill.) – After playing four years of professional baseball in the Chicago White Sox minor league organization, Carone became heavily involved in the outdoor lifestyle. In 2014, Carone’s life was turned upside down when he was diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer. His fight against the disease has become powerfully inspirational and the entire outdoor industry has come to the prayerful aid of this outdoorsman.
Kelsie Burford (Helena, Mont.) – Having dreamed of playing college basketball, Burford experienced sexual abuse and bullying as a child that took her dream away. She has battled PTSD, suicidal thoughts and depression before reaching this point in her life. For half of her life she let others dictate her life and let them win. Meeting Johnny (her husband) and hunting has empowered her to pursue her athletic abilities in a way she never thought existed.
Patrick Scrogin (Cibolo, Texas) – While serving as an Army Chief Warrant Officer in Iraq, engine failure caused Scrogin’s helicopter to hurtle toward the ground. In the six seconds it took for the helicopter to touch down, Patrick leveled the aircraft out of a 75-degree bank turn and saved his and his co-pilots’ lives. Though he had nine fractured vertebrae, an above-the-knee amputation, a crushed pelvis, nerve damage and a partial amputation of a middle finger – Patrick was ready to get back in the air to learn how to fly with a prosthetic leg.
“What struck me about Chad, Kelsie, Patrick and Rick, is their ability to take the cards they’ve been dealt, and really work to achieve something they’ve all wanted to do for years,” said Chase Reatherford, lead editor for Sheep Shape. “Capturing their ups, downs, and everything in between will hopefully give viewers – people who may be dealing with similar challenges – the confidence to say ‘I can do this,’ and a glimpse into what it takes to pull off a hunt of this caliber.”
About Sportsman Channel: Launched in 2003, Sportsman Channel/Sportsman HD is a television and digital media company fully devoted to honoring a lifestyle that is celebrated by millions of Americans. A division of Outdoor Sportsman Group, Sportsman Channel delivers entertaining and informative programming that showcases outdoor adventure, hunting and fishing, and illustrates it through unique and authentic storytelling. Sportsman Channel embraces the attitude of “Red, Wild & Blue America” – where the American Spirit and Great Outdoors are celebrated in equal measure. Sportsman Channel reaches more than 36 million U.S. television households. Stay connected to Sportsman Channel online at thesportsmanchannel.com, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
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Greshko risks driving onto muddy roads to reach a location he has never shed hunted before. The unpredictable weather brings sheets of snowfall and after deeming the remainder of his trek too dangerous, he decides to head home. The spring snow takes its toll on the roads, and Iron Man’s vehicle won’t budge in the mud – leaving him stranded.
When the Taliban began to retreat from Sangin, one of the most dangerous cities in Afghanistan, they left behind hidden explosives, in hopes of stinting U.S. troop numbers. Marine Cpl. Jose Armenta and his K-9 partner Zenit are called to ensure the safety of their fellow soldiers while setting up a patrol base in the area. The brave team discovers and eliminates multiple IEDs on their mission. But danger continues to lurk in all corners of the city, making the discovery of every threat nearly impossible – a fact the team would soon learn when Cpl. Armenta steps on an IED.
NEW YORK – (June 3, 2015) – Just in time for spring and summer fishing fun, Outdoor Sportsman Group – Integrated Media today announced the launch of Rigged & Ready Powered by RAM — an innovative new online program aimed at putting anglers onto the hottest places to fish this season.
On Dec. 26, 2014, Brian “Pigman” Quaca nearly died in a horrific automobile accident on a snowy road in Colorado. The violent crash left Quaca critically injured, with devastating injuries that included 11 skull fractures, bleeding on the brain, cracked ribs and blood in his lungs. In this two-part episode, Pigman and his dad, Dap, go into great detail about the circumstances surrounding the accident, Quaca’s fight for his life and the numerous obstacles he has overcome – including severe nerve damage and significant vision loss.
Episode One takes viewers on a dangerous and highly-charged patrol to apprehend a suspected drug dealer. Shadow, a Dutch Shepherd trained as a narcotics detection dog, is on the case. Shadow’s handler, Officer Mark Rand of the Indianapolis Police Department, witnesses the fierce dog engage the suspect. The process, a seemingly routine procedure and apprehension, suddenly went wrong when the suspect began hurtling down a dangerously steep hill, Shadow in tow. Officer Rand knows his K-9 teammate was tough, but training back at the station couldn’t prepare the dog for a potentially lethal fall.
Talk about a cliffhanger!
