Cast Outdoor Adventures desire is that YOU feel like you’re a part of our family.
Meet David Hicks, one of the guides and owner of Cast Outdoor Adventures. Along with the help and support of his family, he is honored to be able to guide you on an adventure made just for YOU.
After growing up in Texas, a stint in the marines exposed him to the wilderness in Alaska. David is a Marine Corps combat veteran that has served eight years active duty with honorable discharge.
Ely is known for being the next best thing to living in Alaska, so they found their way here. David and Heather Hicks homestead in Ely, Minnesota now where they live off grid, homeschool, and raise their two sons Cade and Hunter.
His degrees are in Fisheries and Wildlife Management from Vermillion Community College and Environmental and Outdoor Education from the University of Minnesota.
His focus has been reaching out to adjudicated and marginalized youth through a variety of experiential-based education models. His previous pastoral ministry at a small reservation church in northern Minnesota focused on at-risk youth outreach.
Over 600 days of winter camping experience and it is by far his favorite time to be out in the wilderness.
David is passionate about teaching but also enjoys spending time with his family (huskies included), scuba diving, going for hikes in the mountains, shooting his bow, fishing, pottery, hammock camping, and traveling to new places.
As for a future dream? He would love to meet culinarily rule breaker Guga and sample one of his Sous Vide Wagyu steaks.
This is Peter Johnson, the other half of the guides at Cast Outdoor Adventures.
Peter was born in Ely, Minnesota and spent his developmental years exploring its surrounding woods and waters, literally and figuratively immersing himself in the outdoors, as often as he was able. After spending his teen years living in Wisconsin, summers were spent back in Ely, working summer jobs in surroundings he missed dearly. Upon completion of high school, he moved back to Minnesota to attend college. During this time, summers were spent guiding outdoor adventure trips and interning at the International Wolf Center, where he met his future wife, Tara.
His degrees are in Biology and Environmental Studies from Bethel University.
His passion for biology and art led to involvement in the taxidermy field, focusing mainly on creating replica fish and other aquatic life. He spent nearly a decade in the commercial taxidermy industry, creating display pieces for stores, museums, and individuals. He earned many awards and accomplishment, along with the coveted North American Champion at the National Taxidermists Association Convention. When Covid-19 hit, it caused him to make a change in his direction.
Peter’s priority is to create a safe and healthy home, filled with faith, love, patience, and grace. Second to that is providing them with outdoor experiences to last a lifetime.
Extending these outdoor experiences to others, helping them to be confident and comfortable outside, enjoying the marvelous place he and his family call home is a passion for Peter.
“An individual may be comfortable, but he or she may be missing out on a richer life experience, without even knowing it. ”
More info about the families behind the guides.
Heather is a registered nurse. She currently manages the homestead which includes raising chickens and caring for 33 hungry dogs. She loves spending time in her garden and escapes there to get her creativity flowing.
She loves all thing handmade which includes the building of their home by hand, making lotions, goat milk soap, and soy candles. She’s enthusiastic about cooking fresh and would love to see the family eat fresh all year round. Thus, her current project is finishing up a greenhouse that attaches to their home. This will also serve as a passive solar system as they live off grid. It is Heather’s dream to visit Iceland.
Cade, their oldest son, enjoys nature, reading, animals of all kinds, and spending time with family and friends. His favorite sport is soccer and he loves a good meatball sub.
Hunter also enjoys nature (these boys really don’t have a choice). One of his favorite pastimes is cooking for his family. He enjoys golfing, swimming, gaming with his friends, and kneeboarding. When he’s not tending to the animals you will usually find him on his fat tire bike.
Peter’s wife Tara is a first grade teacher in Ely. She is passionate about her faith, being a mom, teaching young minds, gardening, camping, and spending time with her family. Tara also has experience as a guide and recognizes the value in pushing comfort levels, acknowledging the personal growth this promotes. She enjoys time in the garden, with soil on her hands and feet and overnights in the wilderness, gathered around a fire with friends and family.
Madeline and Olivia, Peter and Tara’s daughters are very much like her, only smaller. Madeline’s favorite things include the following: good books, cucumbers from the garden, blue cheese, art projects, cross country skiing, biking, swimming, friends, and fishing and camping on Basswood Lake. Olivia’s favorite things include: art projects, swimming with the cousins, catching toads with Sadie, skating with Fiona, sardines, blue cheese, green olives, cross country skiing, biking, and camping.
