As we get to the last stretch of trail that leads to the blind, Janis decides he's going to try a scent drag. He pulls out a weighted strap that is soaked in doe urine – "This really stinks," he says – ties it to a string and drags it along the ground behind him until we get to the blind.

It's mating season for deer, so it might help attract a buck, but there are no guarantees. Nothing's guaranteed in hunting, Janis reminds the newcomer. It's all part of the challenge.

"It's hard to shoot a big buck," he said. "A lot of people have pictures of bucks, and I have pictures of bucks. You try and pattern them and guess when they're going to come in, but they're smart."

He got a buck last year, a 9-pointer in western Wisconsin's Buffalo County, the biggest one he's ever shot. The successful excursion was featured on a TV episode of "Driven with Pat & Nicole" on the Outdoor Channel and on the cover of Badger Sportsman magazine.

He hunts other game on occasion, shooting a turkey (10-inch beard) last spring, but deer are his favorite pursuit. So the obvious query is posed – which is the bigger thrill, catching a Hail Mary touchdown pass in an NFL playoff game, or shooting a big buck at close range with his bow?

"I've gotten that question before," said Janis, a fan favorite already in his brief Packers career. "Obviously scoring a touchdown in the NFL is something not a lot of people get to do. That has its own special meaning behind it. That was obviously something I'll remember forever.

"But on a consistent basis, to be able to see deer and shoot big bucks, that's something that takes me back to when I was younger and helps me remember my dad. That's what I kind of connect with in the woods."

Janis' dad died six years ago, during the budding star receiver's second year at Saginaw Valley State. It was the most difficult thing he's ever dealt with, but hunting was, and still is, a way to cope with the loss.

"That's one of the reasons I like to hunt as much as I do," he said. "I feel like when I'm out in the woods, it makes me reminisce and think about him, and it makes it kind of feel like he's still around."

That's not all. The rigors of pro football relax for nobody, and the daily intensity of meetings, playbooks and practices can consume anyone. While Janis loves the sport and his day job, having another outlet is invaluable to escape his pressure-packed priority.

"Just being outside … there's so many stressful situations in the real world," he said. "When you get out here, it's quiet.