THE FOWLFIGHTERS

Dirk Lewis

Dirk’s father has always loved the outdoors and lucky for him, at the age of 8, Dirk convinced his dad that he was ready to go hunting. His dad would take him rabbit hunting and they started trapping muskrats. “I loved every bit of it!” As he grew older, his father introduced him to deer hunting and that became a real passion for him. Over the years, he has tried his best to hunt whatever he could, whenever he could! Dirk’s waterfowl career started when was hired by the Greenville Fire Department in 2001. “I was invited on a goose hunt, and guess what, I was hooked! Since then, I have hunted all types of waterfowl, but the Honkers are my favorite. “

“I have a great family!” Dirk’s family consists of his wife Liz, two daughters Leah, and Ripley, and his buddy HAMMER. Both of his daughters love hunting, but turkey hunting is their favorite. “All of my girls love to fish and camp, so that is what we spend the summer doing.” Dirk would like to thank his wife for being so supportive of his passion for the outdoors.

Dirk started in the fire service as a volunteer firefighter in 1991, he knew immediately that the fire service was going to be his career choice. He attended the Ohio Fire Academy in 1992 and started testing to get a career firefighting job. He was hired in 2001 by the Greenville City Fire Department.

In 2010 Dirk was one of the original founders of “The Fowlfighters”

Chip Fashner

Chip has been hunting waterfowl since 1981. He has been blessed to hunt many different areas of the country including Canada. Some of his best experiences have been in Southern Illinois, North Dakota, and Saskatchewan Canada. He has also hunted Michigan, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, and Arkansas. “ I have a passion for feathers, and have been blessed to hunt allot of different areas for ducks and geese, with some really great friends” He has been chasing turkeys primarily with his kids and brother in law since 1993. He has hunted in Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio.

Chip is married with two children; Zach, and Cassie. Both of his children have hunted with him since they were ten years old.” My wife, Amy is a blessing and allows me to spend all the time I desire in the outdoors. We hunt turkeys in the spring, fish for walleyes all summer, start with doves in September and end with geese in January. He says his passion for feathers is because of his retrievers. His current best hunting partner HRCH Super Storm is a testament to that. “I have been training retrievers since 1985, they are the reason I love to hunt doves, ducks and geese.”

Chip was hired by The Greenville Fire Department in 1990. He was promoted to Captain in 1993. “Firefighting is like the family business; my father, brother, grandfathers and two uncles were all members of the fire service.”

In 2010 Chip was one of the original founders of “The Fowlfighters”

Jeremy Brandenburg

Jeremy started hunting at the eager age of 9. He hunted throughout his childhood years with his brothers and step father, mainly deer, rabbit and they occasionally fishing. He started waterfowl hunting in 2006 and immediately fell in love with it. “I could sit and call ducks and geese for hours and not care about shooting, to me it is all about getting the birds to decoy.”

Jeremy is married and has three kids. “I do not unfortunately, for me, have any kids in the fields- although I share many other things (sports) with all of them”. As they grow older he hopes to instill all that the outdoors has to offer. It may not be behind a gun, but be in support of conservation.

Jeremy started his fire service career as a volunteer in 1996 with NMVFD. In 1999 he became a paramedic for Greenville Rescue and has since been involved indirectly with the fire service through them. In 2008 he was given the opportunity to become part of the Greenville Fire Department fulfilling his goal of becoming a fulltime firefighter/paramedic.

In 2010 Jeremy was one of the original founders of “The Fowlfighters”

Brad wilcox

Brad began hunting at the age of ten with his dad and grandfather. He mainly hunted small game. After getting hired at the fire department, he began hunting ducks and geese. He classifies himself more of a “duck hunter” than goose hunter. “it’s something about watching ducks work, that gets my blood pumping”. Later the guys from the station introduced him to hunting turkeys. “I’m glad we hunt turkeys in the spring, because I believe it’s my overall favorite!

Brad started the fire service in 1992 at a small volunteer department. In 1997 he was hired full time with Greenville.

In 2010, Brad became a partner in “The Fowlfighters”

Gene Maher

Hunting for Gene started before he can remember. He has always been able to remember his dad taking him rabbit and squirrel hunting. His first deer came at the young age of ten, and he has been deer hunting ever since. Twenty-plus years of it have been with a bow.Gene caught the turkey fever in 1993, it still gets him every spring. He gets to chase gobblers in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio.

He has only been Waterfowl hunting since 2006 and he enjoys every minute of it. His first waterfowl experience was in 2006, when “The Fowlfighters” invited him on a trip to North Dakota, he has been hooked ever since. Gene has been lucky enough to travel to South Dakota for Pheasant , and Michigan for ruffed grouse. Between all of that, he still makes time to Dove hunt, shoot crows, and fish with his kids.

Gene Is married with two children; Haley, and Jacob. Hayley's outdoor career is highlighted by her BB gun and numerous feathers she picks up outdoors. She doesn't mind Gene hunting, as long as he does not hurt anything (they are working on that). Jacob's outdoor career is highlighted by a three-plus pound Large Mouth Bass he caught last summer. Gene can't keep that boy away from the water!

Gene’s wife, Amy (God bless her), knew what she married into. She understood Gene lives to be outdoors and sometimes she TELLS HIM TO GO OUTSIDE!!! ( and stay there )

Gene has been in the fire service since 2002. He started as an auxiliary member for the City of Greenville. Next, he joined New Madison Volunteer Fire. In 2006, He finally found his home at Greenville City Fire as a full time firefighter.

In 2010, Gene became a partner in “The Fowlfighters”

Shawn Brandenburg

Shawn began hunting when he was nine years old, his step father enrolled him into a hunter safety course and the obsession began. “We mostly hunted rabbits, and deer, it was a family thing”. Shawn hunted with his twin brother, his older brother and his step father. It wasn’t until he was hired at the fire department that he started hunting ducks and geese. After a few years the guys introduced him to turkey hunting. “This is when I really feel the true passion for hunting kicked in for me”.

His passion for the fire service started while he was in high school, two of his closest friends were firefighters. As Soon as he graduated, he joined the local volunteer fire department. That kicked off his career in the fire service in 1996. “I knew then that I was going to pursue becoming a career firefighter”. Shawn was hired by the City of Greenville Fire Department in 1999. In May of 2011 he was promoted to Lieutenant

Shawn has a wonderful wife, an they have 4 great children, with the last one being born in Nov. 2010. He has started introducing his two oldest children to the outdoors. “The times I get to spend with my kids in the outdoors are the most precious of my life.”

In 2010, Shawn became a partner in “The Fowlfighters”

Troy Wombold

Troy started hunting with his Father and Grandfather at the age of 10. They would take him rabbit and squirrel hunting and the occasional duck hunt. He did not really get into wing shooting until he started with the fire department. He has developed a passion for waterfowl hunting. The friendships you build thru the fire service and thru hunting are second to none, according to Troy.

He is married to a wonderful lady, Linda. He has 2 children, Lacie, and Joshua. His fire service career started in 1992 as an Auxiliary member for the City of Greenville. In 1997 he was hired full time. In 2007 Troy was promoted to Captain. His family has been very supportive of his career and hunting interests.

In 2010, Troy became a partner in “The Fowlfighters”

Russ Thompson

Russ has been hunting since he was nine. He enjoys everything from turkeys in the spring, deer in the fall and waterfowl in the winter. His waterfowl seasons should be even more enjoyable than usual as his new lab Chance will be in the field with him. While waterfowl hunting around his home is great, Russ enjoys the memory’s made while traveling to some of the great water fowling destinations. He has been fortunate enough to hunt North Dakota and Saskatchewan, Canada. “My most fond memories are of the days I have shared with my daughter in the spring turkey woods” He has also been fortunate enough to hunt gobblers in Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio.

Russ is married with three children; Lauren , Matt, and Sara. His lovely wife, Christina supports his hunting, especially when It involves the kids. Lauren loves to turkey hunt and has accompanied him since she was ten. Matt has found his passion to be deer hunting. Hunting is not Sara's thing...”but I still love her. “

Russ was a member of the United States Army Military Police for nearly ten years. He was hired full time with the City of Greenville Fire Department in 2002. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in May of 2011.

In 2010 Russ was one of the original founders of “The Fowlfighters”