Meet The Editor
Hello,
My name is John J. Radzwilla. I am an entrepreneur, a husband, a father, an outdoorsman and a businessman. I have an immense passion for the outdoors, adventure, and travel. That same passion is equal to my never-ending desire to learn and share my experiences with others.
I grew up as many young men do in a semi-suburban town. I wasn’t rich, but I wasn’t poor. My father passed away when I was 7 and I was raised without a dad. My mother did the best she could, but was far from an “outdoorsy” person. I grew up around the outdoors though, spending countless hours in the woods, mountain biking by myself, but never hunted, and only fished when my uncle would take me to Maine. I went to college, moved to a big city, and began my life. I headed down the path many young middle-class Americans take.
During that time I learned a lot about myself: I am not cut out for corporate America; I do enjoy the finer things in life, but don’t need them to be happy, and that I would never let the good be the robber of my best. I also learned that it takes all kinds to make this world work; about the value of a dollar and the hard work it takes to earn it; the difference between being rich and being wealthy; to only take advice from folks with whom I would trade places with; to be the sheepdog and not part of the herd, and that God will do his part if I do mine.
I didn’t start my journey as an outdoorsman until later in life. It was that same big city that returned me back to the wild. I quickly realized that the city was changing me and I wanted less hustle and bustle – though now I have the discretionary income to take the outdoors to a new level. At the same time, I met a wonderful woman who today is my wife. She, too, was far from the “outdoorsy” type, but my journey influenced her, also. Together, we began to learn about hunting, fishing, and conservation.
Today, I am the Editor-in-Chief of Hook & Barrel magazine– a celebrity-based lifestyle magazine for the modern outdoorsman. My wife and I are obsessed with exploring the planet, experiencing different cultures, trying new foods, seeking new perspectives, and of course, tying it all back to the outdoors in one way or another. I am a jack-of-all-trades, but a master of none. Ask me my favorite hunt or fish to catch and I’ll respond “any that get me outside, with a cold beer in my hand, and in the company of good friends”.
That is why I started Hook & Barrel: to share the lifestyle of the outdoors and the many faces, places, and flavors it provides for us all. Our publication focuses on hunting and fishing, and promotes outdoor culture through articles on celebrities, food and drink, style and trends, fitness, music, travel and adventure.
Enjoy!
Have a blessed day –