The  (MI) Bay City Times February 8, 2008 A passion for hunting Author: Mike Spencer Section: OUTDOORS Page: C3 Tyler Andrzejewski wears his passion on his sleeves - camouflage - and it carries over into the interior of the bedroom he designed. The 15-year-old Williams Township youth can no longer disguise his true love - hunting and fishing. "Tyler's found his niche," said his mother, Chris, after learning her son was inducted into the Michigan-based Team Shock youth hunting program. Andrzejewski is among a dozen active youth members with Team Shock Outdoors, a group of hard core adults and youths with a passion for hunting and fishing. "We're all one big family and we all love to hunt," said Andrzejewski, who is learning quickly how to handle a camera. "Not all the members are as passionate about hunting as Tyler," said Kevin Cox, CEO and founder of White Cloud-based Team Shock. "He's one of the few that just can't get enough." Team Shock has produced two hunting DVDs - The Impact Volume I and Volume II. Andrzejewski is on the latter DVD to be released in July, even though he did not have a successful hunt. "The pre- and after-hunt interviews, those are cool," said Andrzejewski. And there's a good chance that his next outing, a wild boar and turkey hunt this spring, will air on Team Shock's "Cut the Bull, Shut Up and Hunt" television program, which premieres June 30 on The Sportsman Channel. "Whether Tyler is on the TV show depends on how well he does this year during turkey season," said Cox. "Tyler had some accuracy issues this fall and missed a couple of times ... the pressure got the best of him." Andrzejewski, a member of Team Shock's Youth Gone Huntin' Program, went on four different hunts. He saw a lot of deer, but he missed a couple of shots. "On the first one, I just blew it," said Andrzejewski. "I don't like to miss, but it was my first time hunting with a cameraman. "The whole shot has to be on video. You have to watch what you're doing. You have to get them at the right shot, the right angle. If the cameraman doesn't have a good angle, you can't shoot. If you have a good shot and he doesn't, you can't shoot." Andrzejewski, a Bay City Western High School sophomore, already has bagged a number of nice trophies that many hunters never get and he's not even in his prime. He's got head mounts of an 11-point buck and two eights he shot in 2005, 2006 and 2007. One of the eights and the 11 were shot with a gun. Andrzejewski also bagged a button buck in 2004, a 3-point in 2005, a doe in 2006 and a 4-point and a doe in 2007. He also has feathers mounted on the wall from one of his four successful turkey hunts. "It's a work in progress," said Andrzejewski of his room, which he started designing a year ago. "Tyler is very accomplished for his age," said Ted Harpham, a Team Shock pro staffer and national sales manager for Darton Archery. "He's killed some real quality deer. He takes ethical shots and has demonstrated a real passion for the sport." Harpham is the guy who got Andrzejewski hooked up with Team Shock. The two were discussing the right bow for Andrzejewski last August during a sales event at Frank's Great Outdoors in Linwood. After a couple of hours, Harpham fitted Andrzejewski with a Darton AS 300. "Tyler's just a kid, but he fit right in with our pro staff," said Harpham. "Hunting and shooting archery is on his mind all the time.. "I also give a lot of credit to his parents. His mom takes him all over the state, and with a smile, to hunt." Andrzejewski, who didn't know anything about the Michigan-based Team Shock, came back the next day to talk with Cox, who invited Andrzejewski to a youth year-end party in September. "I thought it was pretty cool," said Andrzejewski. "It's Michigan hunting at its finest. "I'm lucky to be on the team." Andrzejewski, who got booted out of a beginner's archery class at 6 because he was too good, also attended the Team Shock banquet last weekend in White Cloud. This winter, Andrzejewski has been busy hawking "The Impact Volume I" at outdoors shows this winter and trying to find sponsors for the wild boar and turkey hunt. Each youth has to raise a total of $500 for the hunts, Cox said. Sponsors will be recognized on the hunt at Cheboygan's Woods Edge Ranch. I think boar is going to be a big challenge," said Andrzejewski. "If you don't have a good shot, you better be able to run up a tree." Andrzejewski prefers a bow and arrow as his weapon of choice. "I like it a lot more than gun hunting," said Andrzejewski. "I can go out any day and shoot a deer with a gun, but it takes a lot more effort with a bow." Cox started Team Shock four years ago with an adult team of shooters, mostly childhood friends. A youth team, for 17-and-under kids, was added two years ago. "We never had any kind of mentoring or guidance when it came to hunting," said Cox. "A lot of us had to learn on our own." The program is open to all youths, who can demonstrate shooting skills and a love of the outdoors. For more information on Team Shock or its youth program, go online at www.teamshockoutdoors.com. "I would never tell a youth that they could not be a part of the program," said Cox. "The level of their involvement is up to them, as long as they do well in school and put that first. "But they have to have a passion for hunting and not just getting the free stuff and to go on hunts." Cox's Cut the Bull, Shut Up and Hunt TV show, which will run through Dec. 28 on The Sportsman Channel, will have 13 original shows and 13 re-runs. They will air on Mondays at 4:30 p.m., Wednesdays at 1 p.m. and Sundays at 5:30 a.m. "We were watching a lot of hunting DVDs and TV shows and realized they're just bull," said Cox. "We're fighting back. We're cutting the bull. "If it's a bad hit, it's a bad hit show. We'll show reality and what's it's like to sit for three or four hours or a week without seeing a deer. I don't want it to be a drama season. If I wanted that, I'd get married." Andrzejewski's love of the outdoors is not hereditary. His dad, Rob, hunted once with Tyler but fell asleep and wasn't invited back. His mother, Chris, takes him to all his Team Shock events and related-activities, but does not hunt or fish either. "I am not a hunter," said Rob. "But I'm so proud of Tyler." "It's in his blood and I don't know how it got there," said Chris. "A lot of people don't understand Tyler's passion for hunting and fishing. People think you have to be into other sports." Andrzejewski grew up watching The Outdoor Channel on Saturday mornings. "As a little kid, Tyler would walk around the house doing a turkey call by hand," said Chris. "The sound he makes is amazing. "But I'd tell him to cut it out because there are no turkeys in the house." And least not until Tyler goes on his May turkey hunt. Copyright, 2008, The Bay City Times. All Rights Reserved. Record Number: 43826340 .