Customer Spotlight: Jason Engemann

Today we’d like to celebrate fellow Sugarmaker and Nature Photographer, Jason Engemann of Missouri. We are grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Jason and feature his talents in the Smoky Lake 2026 Tapping Catalog. His photos are so intriguing that we were curious to learn more about the stories behind them.

Interview with Jason Engemann

1. Do you recall the day you took this Barred Owl photo? Can you set the scene for us? 
   • I took the photo on December 2nd, 2023. I arrived at the blind late, about 11 am. The overcast conditions allowed for decent shooting light for that time of day. This was my third trip to the blind to photograph a pair of very cooperative Barred Owls.
      
2. Do you have a lot of Barred Owls in the sugarbush that you tap? 
   • Yes, I think the mature trees of a sugarbush are perfect habitat for Barred Owls, who prefer to nest in tree cavities.
     
3. Do you see/hear them a lot during maple season? 
   • Yes, I certainly do. I often have to do my sap collecting in the evenings after work, which happens to coincide with the Owls most active time of the day. About 3 seasons ago, my son was helping me collect sap just after dusk and we noticed an owl land about 50 yards from us. I told him to turn off his head lamp and be still… about 3 minutes later the owl’s mate must have landed next to him and they preceded to perform the most amazing duo calls that I’ve ever heard.. for a full 5 minutes! My son still brings up that moment and will probably remember that the rest of his life.
     
4. What made you develop such an appreciation for these birds? 
   • I feel fortunate growing up on a family farm, .with plenty of acres to roam, my appreciation of nature was developed at a young age. For Barred Owls specifically, I think what started my interest in them was their unique call that I heard growing up. Living in an area with a good population of Eastern Wild Turkey, the Barred call often triggered a turkey gobble, which also added to the mystique of their call.
      
5. Any other background you want to share? Any other interesting observations you have made while photographing? 
   • I have filmed an owl regurgitating a pellet! I didn’t know what it was or that they had a name for it. For those that don’t know, a pellet is undigested parts of their food such as hair or bones, that are regurgitated through the beak. Here’s a LINK TO THE VIDEO I took.

In every image he captures — and every drop of syrup he makes — Jason reminds us what maple producers across the country already know: that the sugarbush is a living classroom, a place of patience, discovery, and connection.

Thank you, Jason, for sharing your love of the land, your photography, and your maple journey with the Smoky Lake community.