Tensas Parish native Chuck Jones was recently inducted into the Legends of the Outdoors Hall of Fame during a ceremony held at the John A. and Genny Morris Conservation Center in Springfield, Missouri. Born into a family of outdoorsmen, Jones would spend his formidable years running the Mississippi River in a small aluminum boat, chasing the deer, ducks, turkey and fish he grew to love.
In 1987, Jones would join Primos Hunting Calls as a cameraman, becoming responsible for much of the early hunting video used on “The Truth About Hunting” video series. According to company founder Will Primos, Jones had a gift for being able to get close to animals.
“I grew up hunting and fishing my entire life and thought I was pretty good at it,” he said. “Then, I met Chuck Jones and discovered that there was an entirely different level of hunter out there.”
Jones would then make the move to Georgia and join the production team at Realtree where he was again responsible for collecting some of the most legendary hunts ever captured on tape. While at Realtree, Jones worked with celebrities such as Dale Earnhardt, Wade Boggs, Jeff Foxworthy and many others. But it wouldn’t be until 1994 that Jones would find his true home in Cadiz, Kentucky, serving as Executive Producer for Knight and Hale Game Calls.
For 13 years he would run both the video and television services for legendary outdoorsmen David Hale and Harold Knight. It was at Knight and Hale that Jones transitioned from behind the camera to in front of it, becoming a nationally known personality himself, educating an entire generation of hunters on how to be more successful in the woods.
Growing up in Louisiana
After retiring, Jones would be lured back into the business for a brief stint with Woodhaven Custom Calls where he returned to his roots, working behind the camera. Today, Jones is a highly sought-after consultant who works primarily with Legendary Gear.
During his acceptance speech, Jones thanked many of the people who helped him make a living in the outdoors, including Will Primos, David Hale, Harold Knight, Bill Jordan and others, but it was his words about growing up in Louisiana, around a multitude of world class hunters where his words rang most sincere.
“My dad, Whitt Jones, was always encouraging me to hunt and fish,” he said. “My family, which included several uncles, were always teaching me the ways of the wild, always helping me learn how to become a better outdoorsman.”
In addition to his family, Jones also had high praise for the late Larry Rogers of Gilbert, La.
“Larry Rogers was the single best deer hunter I ever saw in my entire life,” Jones said. “The time he took with me and the things he showed me absolutely played an important role in any success I ever had in the woods.”
The Legends of the Outdoors Hall of Fame includes members such as Toxey Haas, Ronnie “Cuz” Strickland, Will Primos, Bill Jordan, Hank Parker, Michael Waddell, Kevin VanDam and many others.
Simply stated, Chuck Jones helped inspire the second generation of outdoor videographers and producers, this writer included, and for that I am eternally grateful.
