My journey with woodworking started young, thanks to my grandpa, who had me working on small projects in his shop. For years, it stayed a hobby, something I did for home projects and small builds. That changed when my wife and I started a wedding rental business, where I began building tables, bars, and backdrops.

At the same time, hunting and the outdoors have always been a big part of my life. It’s more than just time in the field, it’s tradition, patience, and the stories that come from each season. That passion naturally carried into woodworking, especially as I thought more about how those moments should be remembered and passed down.

From there, things grew. in late 2024, I launched Lost Woods Customs with the goal of creating a more intentional way to display Euro mounts—drawing inspiration from the inlay pattern work my grandpa used to do. That foundation of craftsmanship, combined with a love for hunting and the outdoors, is at the heart of every plaque we build today.

I’ve always gravitated toward barnwood. It brings its own color, texture, and character, which means no two pieces are ever the same. And honestly, skipping the painting and staining doesn’t hurt either.

A big part of why this matters is the idea of passing it on. Whether it’s a first deer, a hard-earned elk, or a season you’ll never forget, those memories deserve more than just storage, they deserve to be displayed, shared, and eventually passed down to the next generation. Our hope is that the pieces we build help carry those stories forward to your kids the same way hunting has been passed down in our own family.

Outside the shop, I’m a husband and dad first. My wife runs Patina Rental and Design, our wedding rental business, while also keeping up with a full house of boys, including our two energetic German Shorthaired Pointers. Somehow she makes it all work. Our boys are starting to spend more time in the shop too, when sports and school allow and we love seeing that same curiosity and hands-on mindset get passed down.

We’ve also partnered with Prized Possessions, exclusively using their medium game hook on all deer plaques. For larger mounts, we offer an upgrade to their SkulLok system, which allows for angle adjustment, side-to-side tilt, and better display options for elk with uneven or broken antlers.