TAIL ANNIHILATORS

MEET THE TEAM

Captain Craig "BigMac" MacPhee

My name is Craig MacPhee. I was born and raised in Michigan, where I grew up hunting and fishing along the banks of the Grand River by Portland. My dad always took the time to take me hunting and fishing as a kid. At the time, I sometimes took it for granted but there’s not hardly a day that goes by where I don’t wish we could do it one more time. I got in to waterfowl hunting at 21 years old with my buddy Ed. We pooled what decoys and equipment we had together and shared quite a few hunts together. We weren’t always successful, but it laid down the foundation for my love for waterfowl hunting. Over the years, and a career change later, I got my United States Coast Guard Charter Captains License. This eventually led to competitive tournament angling where my greatest feat was winning Lake Ontario’s Largest fishing tournament with my team twice. I’ve always been an entrepreneur so to speak and had had dreams of doing what I love full time. My wife and family have always supported my dreams as long as the bills got paid. We have been very blessed by the good Lord to always find a way.

Jumping into this hunting and fishing industry full time has been a big commitment. Sometimes a lot bigger than I ever imagined. From 2006 when I booked my first fishing charter, till now, I have continued to take notes along the way and never stopped trying to learn. The little details are what I have chosen to focus on. I try to treat everyone the way I want to be treated and greet everyone with a smile and handshake when I can. From calibrating each line counter reel to having exactly 11 decoys 6ft apart can sometimes make the difference between catching and harvesting, or just wishing we were. None of our success would be possible without surrounding ourselves with the right good people. My family, our clients, our guides, and a few fellow Captains are some of the best people I know. More than 90% of our business comes from repeat clients and referrals. That speaks volumes to me about our circle. We are forever grateful for each and every one of you and will never take it for granted.

Going forward I hope you all can have the best season possible, and I look forward to the opportunity to be a part of it if I can. God Bless you all.

- Captain Craig

Captain Craig MacPhee

"BigMac"

My name is Craig MacPhee. I was born and raised in Michigan, where I grew up hunting and fishing along the banks of the Grand River by Portland. My dad always took the time to take me hunting and fishing as a kid. At the time, I sometimes took it for granted but there’s not hardly a day that goes by where I don’t wish we could do it one more time. I got in to waterfowl hunting at 21 years old with my buddy Ed. We pooled what decoys and equipment we had together and shared quite a few hunts together. We weren’t always successful, but it laid down the foundation for my love for waterfowl hunting. Over the years, and a career change later, I got my United States Coast Guard Charter Captains License. This eventually led to competitive tournament angling where my greatest feat was winning Lake Ontario’s Largest fishing tournament with my team twice. I’ve always been an entrepreneur so to speak and had had dreams of doing what I love full time. My wife and family have always supported my dreams as long as the bills got paid. We have been very blessed by the good Lord to always find a way.

Going forward I hope you all can have the best season possible, and I look forward to the opportunity to be a part of it if I can. God Bless you all.

- Captain Craig

Toby MacPhee

Hey there, I'm Toby MacPhee! Since I was young, I've had a passion for the great outdoors and the thrill of the hunt. I've been honing my skills in hunting and fishing since I was just 3 months old being strapped to a seat on my dad’s boat. It’s been a lifelong love affair ever since. Duck hunting is my ultimate calling, and I took the plunge into the world of duck hunting at the age of 14. From that moment on, there was no looking back. There’s nothing that I love more than chasing White-Wing Scoters in a layout boat. There's something truly special about the camaraderie in the tender boat and the rush of the layout that keeps me coming back for more. When I'm not out on a boat, you can find me in one of two places. That is channeling my precision and focus on archery, or on the turf, playing college football for Ferris State University. I'm a total bow-hunting enthusiast, and there's nothing quite like the challenge and satisfaction of taking down a game animal with a well-placed arrow. I love going out in the woods and chasing whitetails and being able to take that animal home and have him for dinner.

Away from hunting and fishing, as a defensive end for Ferris State University, every day goes into me perfecting my craft to be the best player I can be. From 5 am workouts to running bags and everywhere in between, I am always trying to better myself to become the best.

Whether I'm out on the water, perfecting my aim on the archery range, or dominating on the gridiron, one thing's for sure – I live for the thrill of the chase and the rush of competition. I look forward to sharing my passion with all of you when I can.

- Toby

Toby MacPhee

Hey there! I'm Toby MacPhee, a 21-year-old with a passion for the great outdoors and the thrill of the hunt. I've been honing my skills in hunting and fishing since I was just 3 months old being strapped to a seat on my dad’s boat. It’s been a lifelong love affair ever since. Duck hunting is my ultimate calling, and I took the plunge into the world of duck hunting at the age of 14. From that moment on, there was no looking back. There’s nothing that I love more than chasing White-Wing Scoters in a layout boat. There's something truly special about the camaraderie in the tender boat and the rush of the layout that keeps me coming back for more. When I'm not out on a boat, you can find me in one of two places. That is channeling my precision and focus on archery, or on the turf, playing college football for Ferris State University. I'm a total bow-hunting enthusiast, and there's nothing quite like the challenge and satisfaction of taking down a game animal with a well-placed arrow. I love going out in the woods and chasing whitetails and being able to take that animal home and have him for dinner.

- Toby

Jordan Cohen

As a descendant of the world-renowned author and avid hunter Ernest Hemmingway, the love of the outdoors runs through my blood deeper than the waters of Lake Superior. Since I took my first steps, fishing has been a huge passion of mine. From fly fishing to offshore trolling, I love it all. Lake St Clair is a second home to me. Lake Huron and the Saginaw Bay are fiercely fighting to take that honor. I took my first shot at a duck while I was in high school. Since then, all else has fallen to the wayside as soon as our waterfowl season begins. I have continued to hone my hunting skills along the way have but have found my true passion in the waterfowl world to be the camaraderie.

Captain Craig and I met when I booked a hunt, which lead to a great friendship and a deep desire to learn about his trade. As my career path shifted, I gained a more flexible schedule. I knew that I wanted to spend that time out with the Tail Annihilators helping Craig and his clients hunt the birds of their dreams! Guiding to me is every bit as fun as hunting. Some days even better! I truly cherish the time I get to spend teaching, helping, and watching others smile as their trophy longtails and other waterfowl hit the water. After the hunt or day of fishing, I enjoy spending time with my wife and daughter, watching hockey, and spending far too much time trying to become the next Eddie Van Halen.

I look forward to the opportunity to hunt and fish with you all every chance I can.

- Jordan

Jordan Cohen

I look forward to the opportunity to hunt and fish with you all every chance I can.

- Jordan

Reed Fitch

I’m Reed, and I was born and raised in Midwest Michigan. My obsession for chasing game with wings was introduced to me as a family tradition at the age of 4. It’s in my blood. Season after season I strived to learn everything I could from those in my family, but I needed to know more, chase more and kill more! My mission in life has been to harvest every single game bird within the continental US. I’m almost there!

Each season I plan and pack in as many hunts from coast to coast and border to border as I possibly can. As my dreams come true, I’ve discovered that I get as much joy helping other hunters obtain their dreams as I do reaching my own!

- Reed

Xena

Last but certainly not least, we have our amazing retriever, Xena! Every outdoorsman needs a trusty dog by their side, and we can confidently say that Xena always gets the job done! She is a huge help with every hunt, and she loves being around all of our new and returning hunters! We are very lucky to have such a well-trained and well-behaved dog to assist us every trip. You might even catch her hanging out with us on a fishing trip.

Thanks Xena!