Nevada's Baker fulfills dream on Dog Soldier TV

Tuesday, August 16, 2016
Heath Baker, with his young son Beau, after completing a bow hunt in Stotesbury. (Submitted photo)

One passion is ending for Nevada's Heath Baker while another is kicking into high gear.

Baker, 28, recently retired from football, having spent the past seven seasons with the Joplin Crusaders of the Central Football League. Baker, however, is now transferring his time and energy into "Dog Soldier TV," which airs on the Sportsman Channel.

Baker, who films coyote and deer hunts locally and out of state, has appeared on numerous episodes of the show over the past couple of seasons. Baker's previous accolades in coyote hunting caught the attention of show creator Steve Criner, who invited him to join the cast three years ago.

Baker said his role on the show is more prominent than it was in 2014.

"Within the past year they hooked me up with thousands of dollars in camera equipment and turned me loose," he said. "My part on the show is growing and growing."

Baker said that he knows many area cattle-farmers who allow him to hunt on their property for the purpose of killing coyotes.

"They don't want coyotes because they'll kill their baby calves," he said. "I do a lot of hunting on local farms, which I'm grateful for."

In addition to 550 family-owned acres in the vicinity of Stotesbury, Baker said he hunts on a friend's 20,000 acre spread in Arcadia (Kan.), near the Missouri state line, about 18 miles north of Pittsburg, Kan.

Other local areas that Baker frequents, include Deerfield, Walker, Sheldon, Schell City, and Milo.

"I also go out to Colorado twice a year to hunt," he said, "on a 40,000 acre private ground," adding that he meets up with show co-star Jason Steerman and hunts coyote for seven days while residing in a cabin.

Baker said one of his crowning achievements while hunting was killing a coyote with a .223 rifle from a whopping 468-yards out.

"I don't miss very often," he said.

Baker said he is excited about the upcoming fourth season of Dog Soldier TV, which airs in December.

"I have some really good stuff that's going to air," he said. "There's a whole bunch of kills we filmed from Milo and a lot from Deerfield."

In a previous interview with the Daily Mail, Baker said Dog Soldier TV has helped him realize a childhood dream of hunting on TV. Baker said he and his best friend, Nate Uttinger, got their start in coyote hunting under the watchful eye of Nate's dad, the late Jeff Uttinger.

"Jeff's the one who got my love for coyote hunting started," Baker noted.

Baker said more than a decade ago he told Nate that he one day wanted to hunt coyote on TV.

"He kind of chuckled at me when I said that," Baker fondly recalled. "Then he texted me after that first episode aired (in 2014), and said, 'Dude, you did it.' And he told me he was proud of me, which was kind of a sentimental moment."

Baker said what you see on the show is 100 percent authentic, as he doesn't fake anything for the camera when hunting.

"I think sometimes when you watch these TV shows you see these guys try to be something they're not," he said. "When I'm on camera I don't care how goofy I look. What you see from me is real. I get excited. Every time I shoot a coyote on film and they pan that camera back to me, I'm like a kid in a candy store.

"In my opinion that's what makes a TV show good. When you get to see who the person actually is. And the people that know me, they don't see anything different whenever they watch an episode that I'm in. Besides being a dad, coyote hunting is my passion, truly."

As for his other passion, the game of football, Baker said it was time to move on from the game he loves in order to focus on raising his two young children, Beau (19 months), and Kenadie (two months).

"I've always kept myself busy," Baker said, "I'm a busybody. But raising children is a big change. One was a big challenge and two fills up my schedule. My No. 1 priority is to raise my kids and be the best dad that I can be."

Baker, a running back, added that he enjoyed every moment playing for the Crusaders, winning four CFL conference championships in addition to a national championship.

"This was definitely my last rodeo," he said.

Baker is a licensed therapist at Heartland Behavioral Health Services in Nevada.

"It's a very gratifying job," he said.

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