That first show I did for 3 years only aired in Canada and was called “Wild TV.” Jim and I had stayed in contact and remained close, personal friends. One day out of the blue, Jim called me up and said, “I hear you’ve been trying to get in contact with the people at the ‘Outdoor Channel.’” I said, “Yes, I have. I’ve been working hard on my TV production, and I’d like to get into the American side of the television industry.” I told him in the Canadian market I found out I couldn’t make a living solely doing outdoor television in Canada. Jim told me, “I think I can help you there. If you’re still interested in marketing your show, maybe we could get you some good air time and some sponsors. Then you could take what you know and what you do and get your show on down in the States.” And that’s exactly what Jim did for Kelsy, my wife, and me.
Gregg Gutschow, Jim’s marketing manager, was my business manager for 3 years too, and he was a tremendous help. I had started the television show in 2008, and Kelsy was my co-host as well as my friend. We got engaged in 2009 and were married in 2012. Gregg Gutschow had come on as our business manager in 2011. We first started airing our show on the “Outdoor Channel” in 2012 and came onboard as Mossy Oak Pro Staffers in 2011. Our show, “Live 2 Hunt with Cody and Kelsy Robbins” has evolved over the years, and now we do 40-percent of our shows on whitetails, 40% of our shows on mule deer hunting and 20-percent of our shows on elk and other big game. Our shows run for 26 weeks during the 3rd and 4th quarters on the “Outdoor Channel,” from July 1st - December 31st each year. We scout and hunt from August 15th until April 1st. Then we’re traveling doing guest speaking, helping our sponsors with marketing and attending industry shows and consumer shows.
In 2011, I was fortunate enough to take the world’s record, archery mule deer that grossed 294-2/8-inches. That was a buck I’d been watching and had trail camera pictures of for 4 years. In July of 2011 when I first saw him, I knew he’d probably be the biggest buck I’d ever take. I watched him from afar and with my trail cameras all summer long. Archery season opened in Saskatchewan on September 1st. However, I spooked the big buck and didn’t get a shot at him. I saw him again on September 2nd and couldn’t get a shot at him. But I finally took him on September 3rd. That buck was on private land that wasn’t posted, and where I live if the land’s not posted, the public can hunt it. What’s really funny is the property was owned by my dad, but never had been posted. I’d never taken a deer off that land. Where my dad’s ranch is located is not considered good mule deer country. I found that buck on property adjacent to my dad’s property, but on that third day when I took him, he was on my dad’s property. When we took pictures of the buck where he fell, you could see my dad’s log home and hip roof barn in the background.
I had found this buck on that third day, bedded in a spot that was so thick I’d never hunted it. I knew I had to leave in 2 days to go on a moose hunt, and that time was running out for me to take this big buck. I convinced my wife Kelsy to climb up into a skinny, rickety tree, so she could see down into the brush and hopefully spot his antlers. I decided to stalk the buck. I’d look back at Kelsy, and she’d direct me either to the right or left where she saw the buck’s antlers. I was sneaking down a path that the cattle had made, and about 20 yards from the buck, I could see him bedded-down. My cameraman Shane Hunter, my best friend, was right behind me. I could tell that the buck was asleep, so I waited for him to wake up and then stand up. He stood up, stretched and started feeding on the brush around him. At 18 yards, he put his head behind some brush. That’s when my cameraman and I stood up, and I took that monster buck with my bow at 18 yards. He grossed 294, and his world’s record score was 288 on Pope & Young. Boone & Crockett wouldn’t accept my buck’s score, because his antlers were in the velvet.
