Tom Petry

I grew up in a small town in north western New Jersey. As a kid I spent my time riding four wheelers, bass fishing the “honey hole” and hunting at every chance I could get. As I grew older, I found a different twist to the sport of hunting, capturing it on film! After I got my first 8mm camcorder for Christmas, I spent every minute I could filming hunts and wildlife in general. I started to develop a love for filming that “almost” matched the passion I had for hunting itself. My friends today would tell you that they have actually had to grab the camera out of my hands and say “after all the years you’ve spent in the tree with a camera, your hunting today”! Little did I know that one day this would actually lead me somewhere. In the year 2001 I was fortunate enough to be introduced to the famous wildlife photographer & videographer, Leonard Lee Rue III, who “took me under his wing” and shared with me knowledge that I could not have gained anywhere else. Soon after, I found myself faced with the opportunity to be a part of an outdoor t.v. show, which of course I took, and helped bring it to the air on The Outdoor Channel in 2002. It was an experience I will never forget and one in which I met a lot of nice people throughout the country, and at each stop learned something new about the industry.

Since then, I have produced 3 successful DVD's in what we called the Turkey Tales series. I have been editing now semi-professionally for quite some time and look forward to continuing to learn each day as well as teaching others what I know about the sport of filming hunts and producing outdoor videos. Now that I have partnered with Greg Hopf to create Drop Tine's Outdoor Realities television series,  I am more excited than ever and cant wait to share with others what we feel will be top quality outdoor T.V..

There are a lot of people that I have to thank for the road that I’m on. My father of course, is the reason I am who I am today. He brought me up with a true respect and love for the outdoors and to me there is no other way. Also, my brother, being a bit older than me, guided me through without allowing me to make any of the wrong decisions as a kid. Finally, my wife Melissa, to whom I have been happily married now for 9 years, she is the reason I have the outgoing, always positive and happy attitude I walk around with each day of my life. I have almost made it a habit now, that each day, I will meet 5 new people, introduce myself and learn something about them.