Customer Story - JE Wilds

A Utemaster customer who knows what matters.

“Everything has to work and everything has to have a place. If it doesn’t, you waste time and energy, and I don’t have much of either to spare.”  

With a worldwide fanbase that follows along on his hunting and fishing adventures, Joe has built a name for himself in the outdoor community not only here in New Zealand, but across the globe. From hunting some of the most remote places in the country to fishing rugged coastlines for aggressive saltwater species, Joe is living the life most of us can only dream of. 

But it’s not all dreamy. This life comes at the cost of extended periods away from civilisation, reliance on large amounts of specialised equipment, and a lot of time away from family while on the road (and far off it). 

For him, success means controlling what he can when so much is out of his control.

From Handycam to Global Screens

Joe’s story started small. A teenager with a handycam, chasing pigs and deer, making rough-cut hunting clips for himself and a few mates. The production quality might not have been as high back then, but the intent was clear. “I always enjoyed the filming as much as the hunting. It made things harder, sure, but I liked telling the story.” he recalls. 

As he got older, guiding naturally came next. Joe cut his teeth as a professional hunting guide in some of the toughest terrain in New Zealand, leading clients into the backcountry pursuit of game animals. Tahr, chamois & deer, they all taught him discipline, patience, and a deep respect for the hunting process. All through this he continued filming the adventures for clients, honing skills in both hunting & video. 

Like so many of us, the turning point came when COVID hit. Overnight the tourism industry in New Zealand collapsed, and guiding work for overseas clients dried up completely. Joe had no backup plan, and no steady job to fall back on. 

“I thought, well, I’ve got a camera and I’ve got hunts lined up, so why not give this a proper crack,” he says. “It was either lean into the unknown or do nothing.” 

That leap of faith turned into JE Wilds, a global outdoor entertainment brand with a combined total of over 480k subscribers across hunting and fishing YouTube channels, and a fanbase that spread far beyond New Zealand. 

Living in the Chaos.

On screen, Joe operates calm and methodically. Behind the scenes, his life is a careful balancing act of many moving parts. The demands of releasing regular episodes, sponsor commitments, guest appearances, gear testing, and planning trips across the country mean his calendar rarely has empty spaces. 

Back home, the family adds another layer. “When I come back from a week away, the kids are into something new, the house is buzzing, and I’ve got footage to edit. It’s pretty full noise from the moment I get home,” he says. 

Even in the field, chaos can lurk at every turn. Weather shifts without warning, camera gear needs to stay ready, animals appear at the worst angles, and the weight of all the extra gear makes the climbs harder. For Joe, success out here relies on more than finding the perfect animal. 

“You can’t afford to be sloppy out there. If your gear’s a mess, you’ll pay for it. The filming definitely adds another layer of stress, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.” 

Keeping it all together takes more than luck, it takes a system that works as Joe needs it to. 

Systems That Stick 

Every hunt starts with meticulous planning: studying maps, marking routes, checking forecasts, and laying out equipment so he knows where everything is. By the time he’s in the bush, there’s no guesswork left. 

That philosophy extends to his vehicle setup. Joe’s Centurion canopy and ute set-up act as his base of operations, a specialised vehicle and home away from home. Camera gear, hunting kit, camping gear, even space for the family’s weekend bags; everything has a place, and everything can be reached in seconds. 

“I’ve built my ute the same way I approach a hunt. Everything has to work, and everything has to have a place. If it doesn’t, you waste time and energy, and I don’t have much of either to spare.” 

The Centurion canopy gives him the freedom to switch from hunting mode, to fishing mode, then to family mode with ease. One week it is packed with packs, rifles, and camera gear. Next, it’s loaded with tents, food, and bikes. Such a system becomes a powerful way to keep the chaos in check, whether he’s heading for the hills or the beach. 

With so much essential and expensive gear carried at any one time, the full-width access means he can grab what he needs when he needs it, and know it’s secure when not in use. That kind of efficiency and reliability is priceless when your life is lived out of your ute. It means he can get stuff done and enjoy life’s adventures. 

Sharing the Story 

For someone who spends weeks at a time alone in the wilderness, Joe is fully aware of the importance of community. His content brings solitary moments to hundreds of thousands of viewers, turning silence around a campfire into something viewed by many. 

“Sometimes I’ll go days without seeing a person. Then I put the video out and a hundred thousand people watch that week. It’s pretty strange when you think about it that way” he says. 

That connection is part of what keeps him going. He gets tagged in stories of families watching the latest episode with their kids, or messages from people who decided to get outdoors after seeing one of his hunts. Knowing that through the chaos he can inspire others to seek their own adventures is a reward in itself. 

Doing More of What Matters 

Joe Edlington thrives on a life full of moving parts. Guiding, filming, travelling, editing, raising kids, and building a global brand out of the back of his ute. It is a life most people would call overwhelming, but for Joe it is simply the rhythm he knows. 

From the backcountry to the coast, from solo hunts to family weekends, he has built systems that let him tame the chaos and keep chasing the things that matter most. 

This is Joe Edlington. Hunter, father, filmmaker, operator. A man who proves that even in a world full of moving parts, you can bring order to the chaos and come out on top. 

This is Doing More of What Matters with @JE Wilds. 

IT'S YOUR TURN TO BUILD WHAT MATTERS

Let’s face it – keeping your setup under control in the wild isn’t easy. 

But as Joe’s shown us, the right system helps you stay organised, adaptable, and ready for whatever’s next.  

To find out more about the Centurion Canopy head to the link below: 

Centurion Canopy