Born and Raised a Hillbilly<\/h4>\n![\"JW-2\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/JW-2.jpg?resize=450%2C575\")
<\/a>Walker and one of his Appalachian whitetails.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nI\u2019ve lived in Appalachia most of my life. Grew up in a clannish family and was raised by what I\u2019d would call real hillbillies. In fact, the truest hillbilly I know has been my truest friend for as long as I\u2019ve been walking these hills. His name is Johnny Walker.<\/p>\n
Walker was born of German and Scots-Irish decent. His German ancestors were gun makers and the rest were farmers. One ancestor fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War and another run moonshine during the depression. Walker grew up on a farm and grew up hunting. He grew up outside. Four years my elder, he was not so much my mentor as my partner in crime. My feet struggled to fill his footsteps wherever they led, and probably always will.<\/p>\n
All grown up now we still share adventures. Mine have\u00a0ranged worldwide but Walker has mostly<\/em> kept to the rugged Allegheny hills. Like the Germans on his mother\u2019s side of the family, he builds traditional muzzleloaders from scratch. He rifles his own barrels by hand, carves his own stocks from curly maple, and then uses those rifles to out-shoot all comers. He lives on a farm, raises crops, cows, and sheep and, he teaches horse and mules how to act around humans. In fact, Walker has mastered the art of gun-breaking horses. If you want to ride and shoot at the same time, he can show you and your horse how it\u2019s done.<\/p>\nHe knows how to shoot because he was raised as a hillbilly. His grandpa showed him how, his daddy showed him how, and he learned the rest on his own. I\u2019ve had the opportunity to out-shoot some competitive professionals, esteemed gun writers, and even some well-regarded trainers. I don\u2019t brag about those accomplishments. In fact I don\u2019t really consider them much of an accomplishment at all. However, on occasion, I\u2019ve out-shot Walker. Because I’ve seen what he can do with a gun \u2013 on demand when it mattered \u2013 I’ll brag about that.<\/p>\n
But his talents do not just lie in weaponry and husbandry. He is a college educated engineer who ramrodded a pipeline company most of his life. Hard days, hard work, and a damn hard life, where every foot you dig in a day means money in your pocket. A lifetime of driving men who drive big equipment has taught him a thing or two about these hills, he can look at a patch of ground and provide you a geological assessment in minutes.<\/p>\n
To some, all those skills might not seem applicable to modern living. After all, to make it in this modern world many would have you believe all you need is a computer and a smart phone. They don’t even know why a fellow would carry a knife. But, there are still places where a professional, college educated hillbilly is needed. And, when that type of man is needed, no one else will do<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\nNorth to Alaska<\/h4>\n
Through his church, Walker became associated with a Baptist Mission in Kodiak, Alaska<\/a>. On this little rugged island the Mission used to have a sustaining farm but bad times, harsh conditions, and a lack of men with the right stuff, pushed them to the brink. Walker felt a calling to go up there and sort them folks out. And, for the last several years that\u2019s where he’s spent\u00a0his summers.<\/p>\n![\"JW-3\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/JW-3.jpg?resize=950%2C363\")
<\/a>Walker rifling a barrel for a flintlock rifle.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nNot only has he brought leadership, guidance and faith\u00a0to that hamlet of ocean bound hopelessness, Walker has found a place where a real hillbilly can once again make a difference. To ride, shoot straight and speak the truth<\/a>, that’s what Cooper<\/a> advised. A few summers back Walker rounded up horses on that grizzly infested rock and taught youngsters how to ride them. With some help from Mossberg<\/a>\u00a0(God bless ’em.)\u00a0he took them to the range and showed them how to pull triggers. And yes, with his – I\u2019m no better than my word \u2013 credo, he taught them what it means to tell the truth.<\/p>\nSeveral years back Walker quit his job, sold his farm, packed up his stuff, and moved to Kodiak, Alaska. He’s been living there ever since, running the Kodiak Baptist Mission, and doing what hillbillies do.\u00a0Johnny Walker is a real hillbilly. He’s the kind of man companies that operate in the outdoor industry wish they had working for them. He’s the kind of guy gun and outdoor magazines wish they had writing for them. He’s also the kind of guy I like to have as a friend. And, while some folks would have you believe there’s no place anymore for a real hillbilly, Walker is living proof that\u2019s not the case.<\/p>\n
<\/a>I\u2019ve lived in Appalachia most of my life. Grew up in a clannish family and was raised by what I\u2019d would call real hillbillies. In fact, the truest hillbilly I know has been my truest friend for as long as I\u2019ve been walking these hills. His name is Johnny Walker.<\/p>\n
Walker was born of German and Scots-Irish decent. His German ancestors were gun makers and the rest were farmers. One ancestor fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War and another run moonshine during the depression. Walker grew up on a farm and grew up hunting. He grew up outside. Four years my elder, he was not so much my mentor as my partner in crime. My feet struggled to fill his footsteps wherever they led, and probably always will.<\/p>\n
All grown up now we still share adventures. Mine have\u00a0ranged worldwide but Walker has mostly<\/em> kept to the rugged Allegheny hills. Like the Germans on his mother\u2019s side of the family, he builds traditional muzzleloaders from scratch. He rifles his own barrels by hand, carves his own stocks from curly maple, and then uses those rifles to out-shoot all comers. He lives on a farm, raises crops, cows, and sheep and, he teaches horse and mules how to act around humans. In fact, Walker has mastered the art of gun-breaking horses. If you want to ride and shoot at the same time, he can show you and your horse how it\u2019s done.<\/p>\n He knows how to shoot because he was raised as a hillbilly. His grandpa showed him how, his daddy showed him how, and he learned the rest on his own. I\u2019ve had the opportunity to out-shoot some competitive professionals, esteemed gun writers, and even some well-regarded trainers. I don\u2019t brag about those accomplishments. In fact I don\u2019t really consider them much of an accomplishment at all. However, on occasion, I\u2019ve out-shot Walker. Because I’ve seen what he can do with a gun \u2013 on demand when it mattered \u2013 I’ll brag about that.<\/p>\n But his talents do not just lie in weaponry and husbandry. He is a college educated engineer who ramrodded a pipeline company most of his life. Hard days, hard work, and a damn hard life, where every foot you dig in a day means money in your pocket. A lifetime of driving men who drive big equipment has taught him a thing or two about these hills, he can look at a patch of ground and provide you a geological assessment in minutes.<\/p>\n To some, all those skills might not seem applicable to modern living. After all, to make it in this modern world many would have you believe all you need is a computer and a smart phone. They don’t even know why a fellow would carry a knife. But, there are still places where a professional, college educated hillbilly is needed. And, when that type of man is needed, no one else will do<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n Through his church, Walker became associated with a Baptist Mission in Kodiak, Alaska<\/a>. On this little rugged island the Mission used to have a sustaining farm but bad times, harsh conditions, and a lack of men with the right stuff, pushed them to the brink. Walker felt a calling to go up there and sort them folks out. And, for the last several years that\u2019s where he’s spent\u00a0his summers.<\/p>\n Not only has he brought leadership, guidance and faith\u00a0to that hamlet of ocean bound hopelessness, Walker has found a place where a real hillbilly can once again make a difference. To ride, shoot straight and speak the truth<\/a>, that’s what Cooper<\/a> advised. A few summers back Walker rounded up horses on that grizzly infested rock and taught youngsters how to ride them. With some help from Mossberg<\/a>\u00a0(God bless ’em.)\u00a0he took them to the range and showed them how to pull triggers. And yes, with his – I\u2019m no better than my word \u2013 credo, he taught them what it means to tell the truth.<\/p>\n Several years back Walker quit his job, sold his farm, packed up his stuff, and moved to Kodiak, Alaska. He’s been living there ever since, running the Kodiak Baptist Mission, and doing what hillbillies do.\u00a0Johnny Walker is a real hillbilly. He’s the kind of man companies that operate in the outdoor industry wish they had working for them. He’s the kind of guy gun and outdoor magazines wish they had writing for them. He’s also the kind of guy I like to have as a friend. And, while some folks would have you believe there’s no place anymore for a real hillbilly, Walker is living proof that\u2019s not the case.<\/p>\nNorth to Alaska<\/h4>\n
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