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Caring by Profession, Bowhunting by Passion

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Kellen N. from Granbury, Texas

Kellen is a Registered Nurse, dedicated family man, and passionate hunter, bowhunter, and photographer. His work schedule gives him the freedom to spend plenty of time pursuing the things he loves most—and he doesn’t take a minute of it for granted. Married to his wife of seven years and dad to a two-year-old daughter who has him wrapped around her finger, Kellen believes the best adventures are the ones shared with the people you love. Whether he’s chasing elk in the mountains, spending time behind his bow or camera, or loading up the truck for a family adventure, he’s always looking for the next opportunity to get outside and make the most of it.

Kellen N. from Granbury, Texas

There are a lot of truck bed accessory options out there. Ultimately, what drove you to DiamondBack?

Kellen: DiamondBack immediately caught my eye when I began shopping for bed covers. I wanted something that was “bulletproof”. It needed to keep the weather and sticky hands out. Being able to mount my tent and haul whatever I need to on top of it as well really sold me. Eliminating to need to haul a trailer on most hunts was the goal.

While we may all dream 24/7 about that one spot, or our next outing. On a typical day, where would we find you?

Kellen: On a typical day, you’d probably find me at the archery range, shooting my bow and getting ready for the next hunt or the next shoot. If I’m not behind my bow, there’s a good chance I have a camera in my hand, working on content or taking photos for various projects.

You’re headed out on a weekend trip. Where are you headed?

Kellen: I’m probably loading up the truck and heading west for the mountains. Whether it’s a hunting trip, a scouting weekend, or simply getting my family out somewhere to enjoy the outdoors, I’d rather spend a weekend outside than anywhere else. Most trips for me involve a bow, a camera, and way more gear than I probably need but that’s half the fun.

Tell us about your favorite gear and gadgets that cost under $100.

Kellen: I will give you three things under $100 that I don’t think I could function as a western bowhunter without.

OnX Elite. Their mapping software gives you the full toolkit for planning and executing hunts. Knowing where you stand is key. You’ll get detailed land ownership and topo maps, offline maps, and tools that help you make smarter decisions in the field. If you’re serious about hunting multiple states and want to spend less time piecing information together and more time actually hunting, On X puts everything you need in one place and gives you the confidence to go for it.
SEVR Broadheads. These are always my go-to broadheads for any hunt. I have had nothing but good experiences with them. From practice confidence to blood trails, it checks all the boxes.
Argali Elite Dream Pillow. Good sleep in the backcountry is super important to me. There is nothing harder than doing back to back to back 8+ miles days in the mountains on bad sleep. Do yourself a favor and invest in the best backpacking pillow I’ve found.

What is one piece of gear you’ll never hunt without?

Kellen: I would never go on a hunt without my Marsupial Gear chest pack loaded with all of my essential bowhunting items. The Sig Sauer Zulu6 image stabilizing binoculars have been nothing short of a game changer. In this I also keep my rangefinder, my release, wind checker, EDC knife, and Elk reeds. If I forgot my chest pack at camp, I would absolutely have to turn around for it.

Give us an inside look at your bed setup. What are some things we could always count on finding underneath your DiamondBack?

Kellen: I keep my bed setup fairly simple. I use the Smooth Black HD Cover. This allows me to put pretty much as much weight as I would ever need to on top of it without any worry and it is as solid as can be. I have two DiamondBack lights underneath so I can see everything in the dark. I have replaced the stock tailgate cover with a XTR Offroad Trailgate panel. This gives me a flat workspace with cupholders just for better utilization of my tailgate. If I need for rooftop tent, I’ll throw the Yakima Skyline rack on and go! It’s a pretty simple yet very functional setup.

Tell us about one hunt that you’ll never forget?

Kellen: A hunt I will never forget is my Arizona Coues Deer hunt this last January. Getting a Coues buck with a bow is often talked about as the hardest tag out west to fill. This hunt is one of the most unique hunts out there in my opinion with the desert country these deer live in. There really is nothing better than setting out a goal to do something all by yourself and getting it done. That is exactly what this hunt was. Year after year I learned about these deer and finally put it all together. I watched these bucks do their thing for four days before finally making my move and ended up arrowing a buck at 45 yards and watched him tip over in sight. A good friend then helped me quarter him up and pack him off the mountain to the truck. The cherry on top is how great the meat is. To this day it is still the best wild game meat I’ve ever had. That hunt absolutely filled my cup to the top and I cant wait to do it again. I am currently on my archery Elk hunt in Colorado and I hope I have another story to tell with this one. At the end of the day, for me it’s just all about being out there. Time away in the mountains to just reset your gears is good for the soul and I will always have my camera with me to help tell the story.