Shannon Kollmeyer grew up with a connection to the outdoors that would shape the rest of his life. He began hunting at age twelve, an experience that sparked a lifelong pursuit of wild places and wildlife. Those early years in the field laid the foundation for the fieldcraft, respect for animals, and conservation ethic that would define his approach to hunting and the outdoors.
The Author
Shannon L. Kollmeyer
Author · Hunter · Conservationist · Real estate professional · Ranch and farm developer · Wildlife advocate
About the Author
Shannon Kollmeyer, born in 1943 in Springfield, Missouri, is a lifelong hunter starting at the age of 12 with a 22-long rifle and local woods full of bushy-tailed squirrels near his home in River Falls, Wisconsin. He progressed into big game hunting when his family moved to Washington State. He hunted and fished his way through high school, spending more time in the duck blind, chasing pheasants, and stalking deer and elk than in the school library studying. Shannon graduated from Washington State University with a bachelor of arts degree in economics in 1966, and completed his MBA at the University of Washington in 1973.
Real estate was his chosen profession, and it allowed him to spend much of his time outdoors, buying and selling ranches, farms, and developing vacant land. He always has been alert to finding exceptional hunting grounds. Of course, this was all work! Developing land for human occupation and protecting habitat for wildlife was a constant balancing act in his work. He has been involved in numerous waterfront, residential, and commercial projects over the years. He also owned and managed orchard properties in the Chelan, Washington, area since 1976. In 1986, he helped organize North Cascades National Bank and served as a board member for 25 years. He served on the Chelan County Board of Adjustment for 6 years and held various positions with the Spokane Diocese of the Episcopal Church and St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Chelan.
Conservation of our wildlife resources is a priority in his life. He initiated the local Ducks Unlimited chapter in Chelan, Washington, his present hometown. He is a life member of Safari Club International, a member of the NRA, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Pheasants Forever, and worked with the Mule Deer Foundation in its infancy. Over the years, he has developed “ranching for wildlife” concepts on properties he owns or has owned, demonstrating that wildlife and ranching and farming can coexist and thrive.
In Living on the Edge, Adventures of a Hunter, the author describes the details of hunting adventures spanning over 40 years in chronological order starting in 1973. His quest for adventure has taken him over much of the world from polar bear hunting near the North Pole, dangerous game hunting in Africa and North America, and alpine hunting in New Zealand’s Southern Alps. The stories represent the taking of 50 species of game animals with over half qualifying for record book status. The work includes about 300 photographs interspersed in the text.
Most of the adventures can be found in the typical hunter’s bucket list and offer encouragement to those that want to participate in these unique experiences. With sound planning and determination, an average hunter can still follow in the footsteps left by others and reap the benefits enjoyed by those of an earlier time. The people and faces have changed, but the places and animals are the same.
