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We’re relics—old-school adventurers who make no apologies for who we are. We’re men of global experience with the confidence to explore the uncharted places. At first light, we’re masters of logistics; by sundown, we’re whiskey-fueled philosophers by a campfire.
We’re gearheads, too. We like the best of everything and if we can’t wear it out or break it then nobody can. We’re handy with guns, knives, tents, backpacks, boots and everything in between. We’re constantly looking for the next piece of kit to enhance everyday life or make the next adventure a better experience.
But we don’t journey alone. We include our audience in everything we do. We offer our perspective and learn from theirs. We bring readers, listeners, watchers and followers into our conversations and give them a chance to become storytellers through our brand. By creating rich content across platforms in print, online, film, social media and on the Field Ethos podcast, we’re bringing back a forgotten lifestyle to those who refuse to conform.
We are Field Ethos.
Most people see me as a businessman, a figure in the political world and a family man. While I certainly love all of these things I also felt the need to work on a passion project in the world of hunting, fishing and adventure. Myself along with several friends launched Field Ethos Journal as a small business dedicated to telling the stories of time in the field. Our brand focuses on the things that truly matter to us: the places we go, the people we meet, the cultures we experience, the adventures that lie in wait for anyone willing to take a step into the unknown and the global successes of conservation that preserve all of these things for generations to come. I hope you’ll follow along and even take part in what we’re doing. Life’s greatest adventures are ahead of us all.
I hunt adventure and experiences. Having devoted a significant portion of my life to the front lines of conservation, environmental protection and my own outdoor pursuits, I’ve become more and more concerned with the modern narratives influencing the next generation of sporting men and women. Field Ethos is in response to these things. We’re dedicated to the bigger picture of it all -the relationships we form, the amazing places we go and our responsibility to tell the unapologetic truth about who we are as sportsmen. Thanks for taking part in this project and I invite you to contribute your own stories to the Field Ethos brand.
Having spent most of my life hunting, it is tempting to give the “Standard Outdoor Braggadocio” bio, i.e., “I’ve hunted 42 states, every Canadian Province, every continent and Africa.” More than most are lucky enough to experience in ten lifetimes. But that form of ego-masturbation is not interesting to anyone other than yourself. What is interesting, and what I have found makes an adventure and creates life lessons, is the unscripted weirdness that happens simply because you were there…such as spending a night in a Botswana jail cell or getting held up at AK-point by Mexican drug smugglers. Or getting drunk on Tusker beer somewhere east of the Amboseli plains before wrestling a Masai warrior for five bucks. Final Schoby life lesson: No matter how tempting it seems, don’t wear a tux and a custom kilt while stalking stags in Scotland…the locals don’t approve.
I love high-end tequila, expensive guns, and the best food money can buy. I also relish my Texas background and cherish the simplistic lifestyle that rural America brings. My 9-year NFL career, mostly with the Carolina Panthers, brought many ups and downs, including playing in Super Bowl 50 and being voted team captain. My wife always made sure every bye week could be filled with an epic hunting adventure on my short mid-season getaways. Midwest bow hunting and recreational land development is my unrivaled passion. The complete process involved in growing free range Boone and Crockett whitetails, and raising my boys in this environment, holds a special place in my heart.
I’m a lifelong outdoorsman, and I’ve been hunting and fishing since I could hold a rod or shoulder a gun. From tarpon fishing in the Keys, to elk hunting in the West, to fly fishing in Alaska, bowhunting in Botswana, and spearfishing in Montauk, I’ve made some incredible memories, but I’ll always enjoy deer and duck hunting on my native Long Island, New York, the most. I’ve spent 25 years in the outdoor industry. After college, I worked as an editor for Outdoor Life / Field and Stream Magazines, Harris publications and Petersen’s Bowhunting Magazine. I then started Eders Archery and BowhuntingOutlet.com which have become two of the largest retailers of archery and bowhunting equipment in the world. Four years ago, I founded Droptine Spirits – a line of bourbon and vodka for outdoorsmen. Of all of my business endeavors, I am most excited about Field Ethos. It is a true honor to be able to share the stories, the cultures and shared dreams that outdoorsmen seek. We hope to make Field Ethos a home for both the accomplished and aspiring outdoorsman.
How you live life is a choice. I could be forgiven if I chose to live an average life. I'm from an average sized town, of average height, weight, foot size, jock size... But there's no glory in being average. The adventures I have, the company I keep, and the experiences I treasure are all extraordinary. Which is why I am so proud to be part of Field Ethos, the last bastion of exceptionalism celebrating those who live an iconic life. We choose to make the fantastic our ordinary; and make it attainable to you. If you join us on this journey, expect to be entertained, challenged, and encouraged. We are not for everyone. But for everyone that is for us, there is no greater collection of uncommon living.
Jeff Johnston took up arms--rifles, pistols, shotguns, swords and chinese throwing stars--at a frighteningly young age, not so much due to his natural fascination with these implements of death as from necessity: You see, Jeff spent the majority of his childhood trying to keep from getting stuffed into trash cans. To this day he’s still small and squirrelly, but the SOB can shoot. He hunts a little too, choosing whitetails with a bow, squirrels with his dog Jones, or Cape buffalo when someone will take him, because there’s no way he could afford Africa on his meager outdoor writer’s salary. To Field Ethos’ otherwise celebrity staff, Johnston lends an element of average Joe. When he’s not tied to his desk like a filthy zoo animal, he can often be found hopelessly snagged in whatever lake he’s currently drinking on. “I’m damn happy to be part of Field Ethos’ team,” said Johnston after taking the Editor-in-Chief job, “because Black Rifle Coffee wouldn’t hire me.” At any rate, we dare you to try to outshoot, outspell, or stuff Jeff in a trash receptacle. We tried once … and almost failed.
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