Catman's videos take viewers on the adventure

Every day, Franklin’s Jonathan “Catman” Boehme takes thousands of people from across the country hunting and fishing.

That is, representatively.

Boehme has been publishing self-recorded outdoor videos on YouTube for 14 years and his fan base has grown steadily; some of them have been viewed by over two million people.

“It started as a hobby,” says Boehme, 32. “I took a camera with me when I went fishing and hunting, filmed a few scenes and put them on YouTube. My first video in 2010 was about hunting shed antlers. From then on, it really took off.”

Boehme posted some of his early videos on a catfishing forum, which earned him his nickname “Catman.” The archived videos can be viewed on YouTube under “Catman Outdoors.”

Over the years, Boehme has produced hundreds of videos and gained a nationwide following.

“I'm getting responses from all over the U.S. and even some other countries,” he says. “It's pretty amazing.”

“Catman is the best hunter and fisherman I've ever met,” says Barry Stricklin of Nashville, himself a well-known big game hunter and former outdoor radio host. “I've been watching his videos for years.”

The videos range from 10 to 30 minutes long and include all kinds of hunting – deer, turkey, wild boar, squirrel – as well as fishing of various kinds. A recent video is about bowfishing for silver carp. He brought home several hundred pounds of the invasive fish and donated them to a landscaper friend for compost. He also shares his favorite wild game recipes and offers cooking tips.

His two most viewed videos featured an autumnal deer hunt and – interestingly – an owl. Both attracted around two million viewers.

“I couldn't believe the owl video was getting so much attention,” says Boehme. “It glided down and landed on top of me. I called out to it and it called back. I filmed it for a few minutes and those few minutes were viewed over two million times.”

Boehme grew up hunting and fishing in Middle Tennessee. Most of his videos are shot in Tennessee and Kentucky, with occasional trips to neighboring states. They feature nonstop action accompanied by audio commentary – sometimes whispered as a deer or turkey approaches.

“I want the audience to feel like they are with me,” says Boehme.

Boehme is single and works part-time for UPS “to pay the bills.” The rest of his time is spent outside with his video camera. He has a few sponsors and the videos generate some advertising revenue.

He hopes to one day turn his hobby into a full-time career.

“There is no place I like more than being in nature,” he says. “I like sharing my experiences in the videos and hope that viewers enjoy them as much as I do.”