9/13/07
Local man enjoys ‘shooting’ wildlife from a distance
By Kris Kallies

KRIS KALLIES/Manning Times

Rodney Reed films a flock of geese on the shores of Lake Marion.

Rodney Reed loves shooting wildlife.

However, he prefers a video camera to a rifle.

At 30 years old, the Clemson fan has been capturing wildlife on film since 1997.

“It’s exciting to capture the moment and your experience on film and have it to remember forever,” he said.

After graduating from high school, he started his hobby with store-bought camcorders, and almost 20 years later, Rodney’s hobby has grown into a full-fledged passion.

“I’m not quite able to give up my regular job [of making marble countertops, showers and bath tubs] yet, but I’m hoping one day I’ll be able to film for a television series,” he said. “It’s so much fun to take my passion for the outdoors and turn it into something everyone can enjoy.”

Most recently, he traveled to Peoria, Ill., and shot a documentary on bow fishing for Asian carp in the Illinois River.

“It was pretty amazing. The guys I was with could make a bunch of fish jump out of the water and they’d shoot them with the arrows,” he said.

He plans to return to Illinois at the end of October to film white tail deer. Later this year he is also planning on taking a trip to Pennsylvania to film more deer.

“I can get all the footage I need in about week up there,” he said. “But here, it would probably take me two full seasons to get enough footage for an hour-long show.”

He said out of all the places he’s been, his favorite location was Cades Cove, Tenn., where he filmed white tail deer and bears.

Recently, Rodney has met several influential people in the videography business, including Doug Gardner, who films his own nature show, and is helping him launch his own series: True Life Outdoors.

Gardners’ plans for the hunting and fishing show are to take viewers to locations along the Eastern seaboard for local outdoor recreation activities.

Rodney is originally from Maryland, but moved to Manning 25 years ago and considers South Carolina his home.

He also offers his videography service to the community recording special events.