It started with a climb, 2x4 steps nailed into a white oak on the family farm in Kentucky. At just four years old, Jed sat bundled in blankets beside his father, watching the woods in silence as the November rut unfolded around them. He didn’t carry a rifle that day. “My Dad was there with me, wrapping me in thick blankets to keep the chilly November nip at bay,” he remembers. “He was hoping to catch a big buck cruising.”
That old stand is gone now, long reclaimed by nature, but the oak still stands—and so does the memory. “I do know for certain my young life changed forever that frosty day,” Jed says. “I have hunted every year since.”
A Legacy Passed Down
Raised in Owensboro, Kentucky, Jed Conklin grew up learning from a father who balanced quiet patience with deep reverence for the land. The connection wasn’t only about filling tags—it was about time together, and the stories that came from it. One early memory stands out: “I remember one warm November afternoon when I was about 6-years-old. We are sitting on the ground and I am laying in his lap while the sun warms my face and he gently runs his jersey-gloved hand through my hair,” Jed recalls.
Then, everything changed in a moment. “I’m fighting sleep when he jolts up, rolling me off his lap, and throws up his Ruger M77 .300 win mag to his shoulder. I’m quick enough to get up and peer over the surplus military netting he used for a blind to watch a big buck dogging a doe through the timber.” His dad tried everything he could to find a shot, but the buck got away. “I still remember the smell of that glove and how absolutely amped my Dad was with the encounter.”
Moments like that left their mark—and over time, knowledge began to sink in. From terrain and tactics to emotional presence in the woods, Jed learned what it meant to truly belong outdoors.
The First Whitetail
Jed’s first successful whitetail hunt came during a youth weekend at Land Between the Lakes when he was 11 years old, and, as is to be expected, mistakes were made and lessons learned.
After a slow, frosty morning in the Kentucky woods with no deer in sight, Jed and his father climbed a ridge and picked separate trees to settle against. Jed had just gotten warm again when a young buck appeared below. His dad, just 20 feet away, was fast asleep. “I whisper to Dad but he is still snoring,” Jed recalls, “loud enough I am sure the buck can hear him as he continues walking 75 yards below us.” A louder hiss finally woke his dad, who motioned for him to shoot.
Jed let it fly. “I slap the trigger and run the bolt on my open-sighted .243 until all my rounds are just spent brass in the leaves,” he says. The buck stood, unmoving. His dad tossed him more ammo. Jed reloaded and shot again—this time dropping the deer.
“When I kneel to touch the three-pointer, I am awash in the childhood excitement we spend our later years wishing to catch again.” It was a moment of pure exhilaration, and one that sealed a lifelong bond between father, son, and the hunt.
The Kentucky Connection
Jed’s approach to whitetail strategy is deeply rooted in the land his family has stewarded since the 1970s. Back then, their farm held few, if any, whitetails, with cattle and tobacco dominating the landscape. Over the decades, they transitioned the property back toward habitat. “We are working with foresters and a biologist to restore the native grasses and forbs by reopening our prairies. We are restoring the oak savannas and we are reintroducing fire to the landscape.” The result? A living classroom—one shaped by timber, fire, and whitetail behavior.
Waiting on the Right Moment
During Kentucky’s peak rut, Jed relies on years of experience and careful wind management to set the stage. “If everything in my gut says this could be the day,” he says, “then I will be there from dark to dark.” From pinch points to saddles, Jed stakes out high-conviction spots where mature bucks are likely to move between doe bedding areas. But just as importantly, he waits for the right conditions. “Sometimes not hunting the most obvious spot is the best approach.” There are some places you just can’t get into without spooking deer.
Jed Conklin patiently scans the Kentucky landscape for whitetail deer.
Carrying the Legacy Forward
Now a father himself, Jed looks forward to what’s ahead. “When my children begin hunting this year,” he shares, “I expect my proudest hunting moment will happen then.” Just as his own father passed on the rituals of the woods, Jed is preparing to pass down the knowledge, patience, and values that shaped his life.
Trusted Tools in the Field
Two knives travel with Jed through every season: the ultralight Altitude, strapped to his bino harness, and the Taggedout®, in his pocket year-round. When it comes to field processing, Jed counts on the Altitude: “The knife is great. It is ultra-lightweight, damn sharp and the drop point makes it a great knife for processing game in the field.”
The Taggedout handles everything else. “From gutting deer, spreading peanut butter, doing minor surgery, and anything in between, I know it will be sharp and ready.”
What matters most? Trust in the gear, and the story it carries. “My dad recently passed down his hunting knife to me. It is as good as the day my mom bought it for him 50 years ago... I always have a Benchmade on me and I know one day I can pass my Dad’s knife and my Benchmades down to my kids.”
Jed Conklin pictured holding the Taggedout® Orange Grivory® hunting knife.
Field Notes from a Whitetail Hunter
Jed’s years in the woods have taught him what matters most. “If you want to hunt whitetails for the first time, get a legal firearm… Dress warm enough to stay comfortable… Find a tree wider than your torso and sit down against it.” When the time comes to invest, he advises focusing on knives and optics built to last.
Beyond gear, he hopes more hunters embrace their role as caretakers. “As hunters, we have long been the stewards and protectors of wildlife and habitat,” he says. “Enjoy the hunt, the wildlife, and the restorative powers of sitting quietly surrounded by the natural world. And know that, as a hunter, you are helping to protect it all.”
Inspired by Jed’s story? Every hunter carries a story, as do the tools they trust to see it through. Benchmade hunting knives are built to perform, season after season, with quality that can be passed down just like the stories we tell.