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Turkey hunting inspired Toxey Haas to create Mossy Oak, which is now one of
the most versatile and respected companies in the outdoor industry. Click to Download Photo Courtesy of the National Wild Turkey Federation |
The Invisible Man
An Interview with Mossy Oak’s Toxey Haas
By Shannon Coggin
Courtesy of the National Wild Turkey Federation
Throughout Toxey Haas’ life, his passion for hunting — especially turkey hunting — allowed him to spend time in the woods with his family and inspired him to travel to new locations in pursuit of game. But in 1986, the West Point, Mississippi, native’s obsession with the outdoors led him to a new objective: to become invisible.
“I’d been in the hunting woods hundreds of times throughout my life,” Haas said. “But I knew that to get closer to the animals I’d loved since childhood, I had to find a new way to blend into my surroundings.”
With his mission to become invisible in mind and baggies full of dirt and leaves in hand, Haas asked a textile factory to create a fabric that combined natural elements and colors, which would help all hunters better blend into their surroundings.
Since then, Mossy Oak has become one of the most versatile and respected companies in the outdoor industry — and it all started with turkey hunting.
“Turkey hunting is what inspired me to create Mossy Oak,” Haas said. “A turkey’s eyesight is hard to beat, so I knew once I created a camouflage pattern that turkeys couldn’t see, I could be hidden from all other game.”
Constantly seeking new projects to tackle, this National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) member and $250,000 Life Sponsor tells about his hunting heritage, how to define a hunter’s success and the NWTF:
Why is your relationship and your company’s relationship with the NWTF and its volunteers important?
My heart’s desire is for Mossy Oak to continue partnering with the NWTF because turkey hunting is my passion. I love all aspects of hunting, but if I could only hunt one thing for the rest of my life, I would hunt wild turkeys. I live for spring, and am a huge fan of the NWTF. Seeing the Federation grow into the hunting and conservation advocate it is today makes me very proud.
Why has Mossy Oak committed to the NWTF as a $250,000 Life Sponsor?
As a whole, Mossy Oak believes so strongly in furthering the NWTF’s mission – conservation of the wild turkey and preservation of our hunting heritage – that we made all members of our senior staff lifetime members of the Federation. And because we believe so strongly in passing the love of hunting and the outdoors on to future generations, we made each senior staff member’s children lifetime NWTF members as well.
How has NWTF’s influence changed the outdoor industry?
The NWTF has taught people that to enjoy the sport, you can’t just hunt; you must take care of the resource. By being one of the first organizations to write about how to improve wildlife habitat, the NWTF has shown hunters and landowners that having healthy habitat leads to great hunting. The Federation’s success is a clear example of how and why turkey hunters are great conservationists.
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Mossy Oak makes the pursuit of an outdoors lifestyle a family affair, and made each of the following members of the company’s senior staff and their children lifetime NWTF members. Fox Haas Toxey Haas Neill Haas Daniel Haas Ronnie Strickland Bill Sugg Gregory Sugg Bob Dixon + Wil Dixon Braden Dixon Carsie Young + deceased |
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Your ads seem very family-oriented. What is your company philosophy?
We promote the hunting lifestyle as a way to enjoy the outdoors and spend time with the people you love. For me, this job is a dream come true because I’m able to have my dad and my two boys, who are my best friends, gearing up for hunting season, heading afield and having a blast with me. My dad has always said, “I believe the good a man does lives long after he’s gone.” To me, the good I can do is to get more people involved in the outdoors. To get more people involved, we have to work hard to redefine the idea of success — especially for youth. So many people believe that bagging a trophy buck or a huge tom is the only measure of a good hunting day. But for people who love the outdoors, the real success is simply being able to go outside and enjoy nature.
How did you decide on the name “Mossy Oak”?
When I was starting the company, I wanted to come up with a name that focused on nature and was unique and nostalgic. There is a place on the land my dad and I hunted in Mobile, Ala., called “Mossy Oak.” I ultimately decided to honor my hunting heritage by naming the company after my favorite hunting spot.
Who introduced you to hunting, and what did you first love about it?
My dad, Fox Haas, first took me hunting when I was five, but it seems like hunting has been in my blood since I was in the nursery at the hospital, from the first day I was aware of anything. Early on when I was hunting dove and squirrel with my dad, I was addicted to being outside in the dirt with the critters every day. It just became a part of me.
Who have you introduced to hunting?
Through the grace of God, Mossy Oak is a brand and an enterprise that has helped introduce countless people to hunting and the outdoors. To me, it isn’t important to keep count; it’s more important for us to keep doing it.
You’re an icon in the outdoor field…what makes this business so special? What do you love about your job?
I don’t think of myself as an icon. There are a lot of people responsible for my success and Mossy Oak’s success, so I have a tough time being referred to as an icon. But I do realize that the Mossy Oak brand has a great presence in the outdoor industry, and I feel a huge sense of responsibility to set a positive example. I love my job because it’s given me the freedom to get outside and hunt, and to spend time with the people I love. It’s gift I can never repay.
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*Annually, America’s 12.5 million hunters spend $459 million on hunting apparel alone. Mossy Oak licenses its brand and patterns to more than 750 product manufacturers. After getting its start more than 22 years ago, Mossy Oak has manufactured 18 camouflage patterns. Mossy Oak and its subsidiaries have 150 employees and 514 Pro Staff members. *Hunters spend an average of $1,992, and 18 days pursuing their sport each year. Mossy Oak Properties, America’s Land Specialist, operates more than 100 offices in 10 states, and supports more than 250 land brokers and agents. Mossy Oak Nativ Nurseries offers at least 10 specific oak tree varieties, which are all hand-selected and hand-grown, in more than 400 home improvement stores. *Numbers courtesy of “Hunting and Fishing: Bright Stars of the American Economy,” provided by the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation – www.sportsmenslink.org. |
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Click on Mossy Oak Logo to Download Click Here to Download Text |
What’s the principle behind why camouflage works?
Plain and simple, camouflage is meant to make a person one with nature so that they become undetectable. Mossy Oak encourages being one with nature, which is the mentality of being a great hunter.
How many times do you re-visit a camouflage pattern before finalizing it?
We work to create excellent products, and sometimes that takes years. Sometimes we re-tool or revise a pattern for three or four years before the pattern is made available to customers. From beginning to end, everyone on the Mossy Oak team looks at the pattern and offers their input.
Tell us about the advantages of Mossy Oak’s latest product(s).
We try to create patterns that are different from anything else on the market, and that hunters can trust to make them undetectable. Consumers want camouflage patterns that are highly effective for all pursuits, and the new Mossy Oak Treestand pattern delivers. As far as I’m concerned, this pattern is the most effective woods and timber pattern on the market.
What are some of the most recent advancements that give today’s hunter an edge?
Leaf-cut products offer hunters — especially turkey hunters — an advantage because leafy suits really help hunters blend into their surroundings. Turkeys can’t smell, but they have keen eyesight. If you can beat their vision, you can gain the upper hand.
Why is turkey hunting so special and addictive?
It all stems from the magic of that awakening of the earth during the springtime. Everyone is part of nature whether they hunt or not, but as a hunter, the one-on-one connection of vocalizing with a turkey is special. Being outside for the rebirth of the world in the spring, with fresh grass growing and cool spring air is just amazing, and it never gets old.
Which state/province has the toughest turkeys to hunt and harvest?
Mississippi and Alabama, which are right near home, have the hardest terrain to harvest a turkey. Turkeys in the South are very cautious, mysterious and hard to call in because they have withstood such intense hunting pressure. Plus, the low, hilly terrain here encourages turkeys to congregate in the valleys, which makes getting a clean shot really tough.
How important is good calling to harvesting a bird? Are there other factors that are just as important?
My dad says, “Knowing the lay of the land is number one,” and I have to agree. Being familiar with where you are, knowing the potential obstacles between you and the birds and knowing their habits are vital. Even the greatest turkey callers of all time are nothing but another hen when they walk into the woods. I’d rather have a simple push button call and be in great turkey terrain than be the world’s best caller in a turkey desert.
What do you still hope to accomplish?
It’s hard to put a time limit on life by saying exactly what I want to accomplish in the next five or 10 years, but I want to continue pushing to get hunting, conservation and the outdoor lifestyle to a stable place. The rest of the world doesn’t always encourage the outdoor lifestyle, but if grounded, habitat-conscious organizations like the NWTF keep working, all outdoor enthusiasts will benefit.
