Josh Bessette

Experts come from all walks of life, and here at ExpertVoice, we love getting to know the people behind the profiles. Recently, we connected with Josh Bessette from Grand Coulee, Washington, by way of Shiocton, Wisconsin. Josh, who works for the Bureau of Reclamation, has been sharing his expertise on ExpertVoice since 2016.

What do you do for a living?

For a job, I work for the Bureau of Reclamation helping run the Apprenticeship Programs at Grand Coulee. For living, I play outside. I love expeditionary trips; whether stickbow hunting in the wilderness or extended paddles exploring island chains, the more nights in a row the better. I also try to bring the experiences I had growing up with a Tom Sawyer/Huck Finn lifestyle to my children. Bringing them opportunities to connect to the wild and animals has been very fulfilling.

What are your hobbies outside of work?

Archery. I absolutely love flinging arrows. I love the feel of steel on stone when I sharpen broadheads, waxing the bowstring, the smell of Ferr-l-tite and a propane torch, everything about the process centers me. I am a voracious reader and study a little bit of everything. Kayaking and coyote hunting have filled a lot of my “free time,” and lately my son has taken to shotgunning, so I have enjoyed learning the art of Sporting Clays and Skeet. A year ago, I volunteered as a coach for the Youth Shooting Program at our local Sportsman’s Club. I also have an old (1968) Westerasmaskiner Snow-Trac that I am restoring.

How has ExpertVoice helped in your line of work and in your hobbies?

I’d be lying if I didn’t say the discounts are one of the biggest immediate benefits. I would either use lesser gear, make my own, or do without if it were not for some of the cost offsets. I have always been selective and deliberate with my gear choices and have really leveled up because of some of the offerings from manufacturers and ExpertVoice. The reviews are also a huge help in selecting the right gear. Many e-commerce sites have reviews by bots, or the review never goes beyond the unboxing. I love having a platform that users go to for reviews and seeing the gear in use, especially hard use.

What are some of your favorite brands on ExpertVoice? Why?

Ariat has an awesome ExpertVoice community, always shows so much support, and has such positive interactions and bomb-proof offerings. Outdoor Research makes great gear, and I find it fits me well. I destroyed my back in my mid-20s and have become a fan of Mystery Ranch. My Longbow pack is still my go-to for most 2-3 day hunts. With the volume of shooting my son does, MEC has allowed us to maintain our supply of shotgun shells. I carry a couple of Case Knives in my kill kit, and always have one in my pocket, and still have the first jackknife I got from my Grandpa.

Thanks to Josh for sharing his time and valuable expertise with us. To see more of what Josh has been up to — including his certifications in over 200 brands and 24 product recommendations — check out his ExpertVoice profile.