Close Menu
North American Outdoorsman
    What's Hot
    Seed environment for a dog paw

    Hunting Dog Training – The Dangers of Grass Seeds

    August 28, 2025

    Being on a Hunting TV Show is a Dream Come True

    August 24, 2025
    Thompson Center Arms rifle

    Thompson Center Arms: History, Firearms, and the Legacy of Innovation

    September 4, 2025
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    North American Outdoorsman North American Outdoorsman
    • Audience
      • North American Outdoorsman
      • North American Deer Hunter
      • North American Bowhunter
      • Crossbow Magazine
    • Authors
    • Partners
    • Newsletter
    Facebook Instagram YouTube
    PREMIUM
    • Hunting
      • Deer Hunting
      • Bowhunting
      • Elk Hunting
      • Bear Hunting
      • Big Game
      • Dogs & Hunting
      • Exotic Hunting
      • Hog Hunting
      • How to Hunt
      • Predator Hunting
      • Small Game Hunting
      • Turkey Hunting
      • Waterfowl Hunting
    • Fishing
      • Bass Fishing
      • Fly Fishing
      • Ice Fishing
      • Walleye Fishing
      • How to Fish
    • Gear
      • Gear Reviews
      • New Outdoor Gear
    • Recipes
      • All Wild Game
      • #eatwhatyoukill
      • Bear Recipes
      • Fish-Recipes
      • Venison Recipes
      • Wild Goose Recipes
      • Wild Hog
      • Fishing
      • Bass Fishing
      • Fly Fishing
      • How to Fish
      • Ice Fishing
      • Walleye Fishing
    • News
      • 2A & Carry
      • Conservation
      • Editorial
      • Women In The Outdoors
    • SWEEPSTAKES
    North American Outdoorsman
    Mossberg SA Series Shotgun
    Home»Featured»A Portrait in Grit and Grace in the Hunting and Outdoor Community
    Featured

    A Portrait in Grit and Grace in the Hunting and Outdoor Community

    How do you accurately describe someone who is as multifaceted as Jana Waller?
    Virginia RaschBy Virginia RaschApril 10, 2025Updated:April 10, 202511 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Telegram Tumblr Email
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

     

     

     

    Sheโ€™s a hardcore hunter, a TV producer, a writer, artist and humanitarian. Sheโ€™s been involved in the conservation arena for 30 years. She considers one of the highlights of her life as the experience of taking disabled veterans hunting.

    This 51-year-old tour de force wears many hats, but the center of her orbit is her love of the outdoors and, of course, family. Jana grew up in the agricultural community of Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. She recently moved from the Bitterroot Mountains in Montana for love; she married John Bair; and her career was more mobile than his was. They now live in the South Salt Lake City area of Utah.

    Even Janaโ€™s hunting is a medley of everything from the mundane to the exotic. Using rifles, muzzleloaders and bows, she has hunted Whitetail and mule deer, elk, bear, bighorn sheep, sika deer, coyote, cougar, pronghorn antelope and javalina. And then thereโ€™s even ostrich, eland and African wildebeest from Africa to add to that list.

    โ€œI’m a huge predator hunter,โ€ says Jana, โ€œand Iโ€™m passionate about bear hunting.โ€ She even pistol hunts with a Magnum Research .429 Desert Eagle and fishes with an AMS bow.ย As a writer, Jana is the western regionโ€™s contributor to Bear Hunting magazine. She also served a term as a Montana wildlife commissioner.

    This Renaissance woman finds true joy in the outdoors, and through hard work, she has created a career in the field that she loves. She credits an early influenceโ€”her dadโ€”for shaping the trajectory of her life.

    Jana
    Janaโ€™s dad mentored his daughter from an early age and fostered her love of hunting, the outdoors, conservation and art.

    The Dynamic Duo

    Never underestimate the bond between a father and his daughter. Jana describes her dad as one of her best friends. He was her first hunting mentor. She can talk about him for hours.

    She was the second of two daughters in the family, and her earliest hunting memory is waiting in the garage for her dad to return from hunting ducks so she could touch and smell them. As a young girl, she sat in his blinds while he hunted ducks and geese.

    โ€œI think my dad wanted a son so badly that he turned me into one,โ€ Jana laughs. โ€œI have a picture from my first day of kindergarten. I’m in a full cowboy outfit: Hat, double holsters, pistols and all.โ€

    When she was in grade school, Jana and her dad went to South Dakota to pheasant hunt. โ€œI walked the fields as one of the pushers,โ€ Jana says. โ€œI was one of the official bird flushers, and I thought that was such a cool role to have. Those moments of my childhood really solidified my loveโ€“not so much of huntingโ€“but my love of nature and being outside.โ€

    Jana picked up a bow for the first time when she was in college, and then started archery Whitetail hunting. One day back then, her dad called and said, โ€œI shot a buck last night, but I canโ€™t find him. You want to come home and help me look?โ€

    She skipped class and went home, which was only 10 minutes away. As they walked the rows of the cornfield, Jana spotted the buckโ€™s tracks from the drag marks in the mud. She found the buck, and yelled to her dad, who was elated.

    โ€œIโ€™ve never seen him more excited,โ€ she recalls. ย โ€œHe was jumping up and down. I remember literally thinking, โ€˜I want that. I want to feel that.โ€™โ€

    That experience began her kinship with the land and its creatures, and that would lead to a career.

    jana
    With an abundance of talents, Jana Waller is a true Renaissance woman and role model.

    Bringing That Love to TV

    ย 

    Jana worked in the financial industry and in outside sales for 15 years before breaking into the outdoor industry, both in front of the camera and behind it. She has made the shift from network shows to digital TV because she sees the immense potential of it.

    Currently, Jana is the host and executive producer of Skull Bound Chronicles, an on-demand channel appearing on CarbonTV. Her show features the adventures of hunters and fishermen and their conservation work from around the world. With over 4.5 million views, she also portrays her own hunts, her conservation initiatives and her artwork.

    โ€œI hardly ever hunt anymore without a camera,โ€ she said.

    โ€œOne of the reasons why I love CarbonTV so much is that itโ€™s owned by hunters,โ€ she says. Janaโ€™s series, โ€œSkull Bound TV,โ€ has its own FAST channel on the CarbonTV platform, which features all of her previous episodes from network television. The popular streaming video platform is moving the bar as one of the first digital platforms to start FAST channels.

    jana
    With a heart full of grace, Jana helps combat veterans recover from their traumas by taking them on hunting trips.

    All-Veterans Season

    Compassion runs deep as a motivator for Jana, as her close friend Jules McQueen describes.

    โ€œJana has a deep connection to people who are in service to others,โ€ says Jules. โ€œShe is the only person I know who cries when the national anthem plays. And it’s not for show, I’m usually the only one who notices. She devoted an entire season of her show to veterans, and she has given much of her life to that cause. Everyone thinks that it’s Jana who is blessing others by taking them on epic trips. But she has been blessed by each person she’s taken into the field, and she’s learned so much about life from their stories. โ€œThat’s the real beauty of it,โ€ she says.

    The genesis for Janaโ€™s work with veterans began when she met Bo Reichenbach, a double amputee Navy SEAL, through a fundraiser in Missoula, Montana. She asked him if heโ€™d like to go on an elk hunt. It snowballed from there.

    Pulsar Thermion 2 LRF Scope

    The 2022 season of Skull Bound Chronicles features all-veteran shows. ย Thatโ€™s the showโ€™s fourth season. Jana says all the participants were combat veterans and many of them were amputees. Some had been hunters previously, and most of the hunts were for elk.

    Jana shared mountain time and campfire time with the combat vets. Itโ€™s clear that she appreciates what theyโ€™ve been through and the challenges of their lives now. ย It has made my life so much richer because I appreciate where I live. I appreciate my freedoms more than I ever have before. I appreciate my own health,โ€ she says. โ€œThere are so many things that we take for granted, and these veterans have opened up my eyes to that. My favorite moments in the field are with these combat veterans, because itโ€™s not just appreciating the hunt, itโ€™s literally that they have changed my life.โ€

    jana
    Of all her time in the field, Jana says her hunts with veterans are the most memorable. โ€œTheyโ€™ve changed my life,โ€ she says.

    Art, Conservation Merge

    Jana and her dad also share their love of art and painting. Again, thanks to her dad, Jana now creates unique and dramatically decorated animal skulls.

    Years ago, her dad returned from a trip to New Mexico with a photo of a painted ram skull in an antique store. Jana put her painting skills to work and started on her European Whitetail skulls. Then she started adding beads, crystals, arrowheads and other semi-precious stones.

    She uses skulls from animals she has hunted, ones she buys online or those of her clients. Species include deer, longhorn steers, and buffalo. Many of her decorated skulls are donated to nonprofit conservation organizations and are auctioned off for fundraising. โ€œI just beaded up a replica skull of a mule deer that raised $14,500 at the Hunt Expo this last February,โ€ she says. โ€œEvery dollar goes to the Mule Deer Foundation.โ€

    Thatโ€™s the largest amount one of her pieces has garnered to date. They go from a couple of hundred bucks at a small gathering to several thousand dollars, which is average. The relationship between Janaโ€™s artwork and her hunting reflects her conservation ethic. โ€œMy artwork is just another way for me to express my gratitude for wildlife and my love of the hunt,โ€ Jana says. โ€œItโ€™s also a way to protect hunting and habitat.ย  She says she has raised over $98,000 through her artwork and donated to hunts.

    โ€œIโ€™ve been involved in conservation for over 30 years,โ€ she says. Jana currently holds membership in nine conservation groups, including being a life member in four of them. Her favorites include the Mule Deer Foundation, Sportsmenโ€™s Alliance, Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife, National Wild Turkey Federation, and American Bear Foundation.

    jana
    With an abundance of talents, Jana Waller is a true Renaissance woman and role model.

    Conserving Heritage for the Future

    Through her TV show and her conservation work, Jana is dedicated to protecting and conserving animals, their habitats, and North Americaโ€™s hunting culture. ย โ€œWe have the best conservation model in the world. Clearly, by protecting hunting, we are protecting animals,โ€ she says. ย โ€œIf we want to keep this hunting heritage, we have to pass it along to the youth, to the moms, to all these other subgroups.โ€

    Janaโ€™s life work lauds the rewards of hunting. ย โ€œI donโ€™t think anything else in life delivers the spectrum of emotions like hunting does,โ€ she says. ย โ€œThat beautiful, breathing creature is giving its life to sustain mine.โ€

    She describes all the positive emotions she experiences through hunting, like the thrill of getting your animal and the appreciation and pure joy of being outdoors. She admits there are some negative emotions of frustration and sadnessโ€”to a degreeโ€”in taking the life of an animal. She describes the physical challenge of putting in 15 miles a day and packing out a bear on her back several miles.ย  It can be exhausting, she admits.

    So, how does Jana stay in shape, given her self-description that she was an โ€œathletic klutzโ€ as a kid?

    โ€œI donโ€™t train for a specific hunt, but I work out three to five times a week to stay healthy,โ€ she says. ย That includes weightlifting and cardio work to help make her ready for a hunt at the drop of a hat. She describes a recent mountain lion hunt, where the party went straight up a mountain for three hours.

    A Woman in Hunting

    Jana doesn’t spend much time tooting her own horn, but this successful woman has received numerous awards over the years. Two that mean the most to her were the โ€œ

    Communicator of the Yearโ€ from the National Wild Turkey Federation in 2015, and the โ€œDistinguished Alumni Awardโ€ from the University of Wisconsinโ€“Whitewater for promoting women in the outdoors and conservation. Thatโ€™s where she received a degree in public relations. This has been such an incredible 13 years of my life being in the hunting industry,โ€ she says. โ€œI feel super lucky to be a woman in the hunting industry and to have the opportunity to share my passion for the hunt and our sustainable lifestyle.โ€

    Jana admits, โ€œPeople ask me, โ€˜Whatโ€™s it like to be a woman in the hunting industry… is it tough?โ€™ โ€œJana laughs and responds, โ€œIโ€™ve had more doors open for me because I am an older woman in the hunting industry. I have credibility. I have time in the field. Women are so important to the promotion of hunting as a healthy, viable sport because they break the stereotype of men with guns.โ€

    Grow New Hunters Organically

    To a large extent, Jana Waller is who she is today because of her fatherโ€™s unfaltering mentoring and encouragement.

    โ€œHe let me shadow him in the field,โ€ she says. And that experience comprises her advice to men who want to get their wives or children out hunting: โ€œLet them shadow you.โ€

    โ€œMy dad signed me up for a hunter safety class when I was 12,โ€ Jana says. She often gets messages from men who say their daughters or wives were inspired by Skull Bound Chronicles to take a hunter safety course and to start hunting.

    โ€œNowadays, you go into a hunter safety class and itโ€™s 50/50 girls to boys, which is awesome to see,โ€ she says. โ€œIโ€™ve seen a huge shift in that ratio in the last half-decade.โ€

    Shadowing goes beyond being outdoors together, she contends.

    โ€œWhen I was young, my dad took me to Ducks Unlimited and Pheasants Forever banquets,โ€ she says.ย  His conservation ethic sparked his daughterโ€™s subsequent conservation ethic years later.

    Jana recently attended a banquet of the Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife (where her husband is an auctioneer). She applauds the special activities for kids at these events, including games and prizes. โ€œThe kids know they belong there,โ€ she says, โ€œand they can see the excitement.โ€

    Per our affiliate disclosure, we may earn revenue from the products available on this page.

    August 2023
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous ArticleAlone, But Not Lonely
    Next Article CarbonTV and an Interview with President and CEO Jules McQueen
    Avatar photo
    Virginia Rasch

    Iโ€™m a freelance writer and editor who grew up outside as a naturalist. My first report in grade school was on birding. For another one, I cut out photos from my dadโ€™s hunting and fishing magazines and wrote about the camouflage of birds, mammals and fish. I studied biology and received my terminal degree in the Field Naturalist Program at the University of Vermont. My summer hobbies include hiking, biking, gardening, and wildlife and bird watching. In winter, I like to cross-country ski and quilt, but my favorite adventure is to strap on snowshoes and track wildlife. Iโ€™ve lived in many places across North America, from New England to southeastern British Columbia, and I currently reside in Quebec. One of my favorite quotes is this: โ€œI would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, than to be crowded on a velvet cushion.โ€ ~Henry David Thoreau

    Related Posts

    Being on a Hunting TV Show is a Dream Come True

    August 24, 2025
    Thompson Center Arms rifle

    Thompson Center Arms: History, Firearms, and the Legacy of Innovation

    September 4, 2025
    Hunter with tree squirrel hunting gear and his dog

    Squirrel Hunting with your Gun Dog

    August 12, 2025
    Mossberg 500 Slugster Review

    Mossberg 500 Slugster: A Detailed Review, Honest Opinion, and Specs

    September 2, 2025
    how to elk hunt

    Ultimate Guide to Elk Hunting: Gear, Tag Applications, and Key Tactics

    August 12, 2025
    Hunter education in the field

    Learn How to Hunt

    May 28, 2025
    Mossberg SA Series Ad
    Don't Miss
    Seed environment for a dog paw
    Dogs & Hunting

    Hunting Dog Training – The Dangers of Grass Seeds

    August 28, 2025By Scott Haugen6 Mins Read

    Early summer may seem like the most dangerous time for grass seeds and dogs, but…

    Being on a Hunting TV Show is a Dream Come True

    August 24, 2025
    Thompson Center Arms rifle

    Thompson Center Arms: History, Firearms, and the Legacy of Innovation

    September 4, 2025

    Top Eight Topwater Bass Fishing Lures

    August 12, 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Be the first to know about new issues, premium industry gear discounts, access to exclusive content, & more!

    Stay In Touch
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
    Mossberg SA Series Shotgun
    Recent Articles
    • Hunting Dog Training – The Dangers of Grass Seeds
    • Being on a Hunting TV Show is a Dream Come True
    • Thompson Center Arms: History, Firearms, and the Legacy of Innovation
    • Top Eight Topwater Bass Fishing Lures
    • Squirrel Hunting with your Gun Dog
    Quick Links
    • Sweepstakes
    • Authors
    • Partners
    • Advertise With Us
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    Useful Tools
    • Join Our Newsletter
    • Save On Gear
    • Where to Hunt
    • Where to Shoot
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Affiliate Marketing Disclosure
    © 2025 Outdoor Specialty Media. Designed by Crossroads Marketing.
    • North American Outdoorsman
    • North American Deer Hunter
    • North American Bowhunter
    • Crossbow Magazine

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.