Wess Ringgold, a retired member of UA Local 602 shares his appreciation of the outdoors and the value of union brotherhood with his son Josh, a union firefighter.
Wess Ringgold’s appreciation of the outdoors and the value of union brotherhood started early in life, and he is proud to share it all with his son Josh, a union firefighter.
“I respect and commend any person who gets up every day and goes to work to support themselves and their families regardless if it be union or not…I just feel lucky to be a union member,” said Wess, a retired member of UA Local 602.
He grew up in a family that spent a lot of time in the outdoors camping, traveling, shooting, hunting and fishing. “I tried to pass it on to my kids, and I’m just glad that Josh enjoys it as much as I do,” he said.
When Wess was invited to be a guest on USA’s Brotherhood Outdoors TV show, winner of “Best Combination Show” in the 2011 Sportsman Choice Awards, and given the opportunity to not only experience the thrill of an Iowa pheasant hunt but also bring his son along, he could hardly believe it.
“I’ve been applying for a guest spot on this TV show since USA asked for applications,” said Wess, an active USA member.
The episode takes viewers on an exciting trip to Iowa’s historical and charming Hole N’ the Wall Lodge on a pheasant hunt, at the height of the season. As viewers join Wess and Josh on their three-day adventure, they will enjoy scenic views of amazing landscapes, the sight of the first snow on the ground at dawn and the thrill of birds flying and the dogs in action, retrieving the day’s harvest.
This episode is a collection of firsts for the father-son hunting duo. It’s their first time hunting pheasants together, Josh’s first time on an airplane, and it’s the first time either of them has experienced being on-camera in the middle of a TV show production.
“There were cameras on our guns, our chests and a photographer was with us at all times,” Wess said, adding that he was struck by the realization of what it takes to film a television program. “This was the hunt of a lifetime that I will always remember, and I know Josh will too.”
Tune in to Brotherhood Outdoors Sundays at 11 a.m. ET, on the Sportsman Channel.
