BE A MENTOR AND RECRUIT THE NEXT GENERATION OF HUNTERS
June 18, 2025Posted by derrek.sigler
I asked award-winning outdoor writer and photographer Mark Kayser about what he saw as one of the biggest challenges facing hunting as a whole. His response is what follows.
The pandemic years saw an increase in hunting activities, but is that boom enough to keep hunting in the forefront for generations to come? Odds are no. An increasing urban population, a decreasing engagement in rural activities, nonstop firearm limitation legislation and a loss of hunting areas as private wildlife management explodes all are signs that hunting is in for a long fight. But you can help new hunters.
So, what is the solution? You are the solution. Be a mentor. It falls upon you to create the next generation of hunters. Good for you if you already have led your own children into a shooting and hunting lifestyle. That’s a strong start, but by taking the next step and being a mentor while your children are engaged in activities or after you become an empty nester makes a difference. Being a mentor to new, young or even older interested parties is the road to recruiting the next generation of hunters. Do you need help? The following ideas offer pathways for you to become a hunter recruiter.
VOLUNTEER
Getting kids out shooting is a fun and worthy pastime. Yes, it is a time commitment, but you will find it to be very enjoyable and make memories that last a lifetime. Photo by Mark Kayser
Can you give up one evening a week? If so, become a volunteer at any number of shooting sports programs. These youth and new hunter courses teach interested individuals about shooting, hunting, and outdoor skills. Organizations such as 4-H Shooting Sports, the Boy Scouts of America and of course statewide hunter safety qualification classes provide youth, and new hunters with a well-rounded immersion in the shooting experience. Most provide local, scheduled practice and even competitive matches.
As a veteran of more than a decade of mentoring at 4-H Shooting Sports, I know that having extra responsible adults around while shooting classes are underway ensures safety. Your help is needed in checking out firearms, disseminating ammunition and observing to guarantee a safe shooting environment. For even more involvement, consider taking a certified NRA shooting instructor course. It’s a great refresher and worthwhile investment to recruit a new hunter.
HAND-ME-DOWN GEAR
Did you know you can let others use your suppressors by adding them to your trust? Learn more here. Photo by Mark Kayser
Lack of gear becomes a major obstacle for many new hunters. If you have decades of hunting experience in your rearview mirror you likely have decades of old hunting gear gathering dust. Dust it off and consider donating it to an interested mentee. Although donating or even selling a firearm at a bargain basement price may be a paperwork hassle, new hunters always need other basics.
Do an inventory of your gear room and consider donating gear you have upgraded and have not touched in years. Gently used gear such as a binocular, hunting clothes, hunting boots, backpacks, decoys and game calls all would be appreciated by a new hunter. A binocular donation alone would benefit several hundred dollars of savings to help a new hunter.
Again, look to interested neighbors and reach out to the various organizations that help to train new hunters safely in firearm usage. Over the years my neighbor boys have shown an interest in hunting. More than once, I have taken a Hefty bag and filled it to the brim with turkey decoys, camouflage jackets and turkey calls to get them started down the road without costing them any more than a hunting license.
TAKE SOMEONE HUNTING
This one is a no brainer. Take someone hunting. If you strike out on volunteer options, be a pioneer. You do not need to mentor in an official program either. Single-parent children, the neighbor kid next door or even an interested adult neighbor are great candidates waiting in the wings to learn. Get permission and offer to take them along on a hunt, or to the range to immerse them in the excitement of shooting.
Most states now have mentorship hunting programs that allow new hunters to actually hunt alongside an adult. Take advantage of that opportunity since many don’t require hunter safety certification first. It’s great that states are adding programs to help connect seasoned and new hunters in easy-to-use hunting training.
Once you do decide to take someone hunting, have a plan. Schedule the hunt on a day forecast to be seasonally nice. Outfit your mentee with proper gear. Use a suppressed firearm to reduce the shock of a gun blast (also to save everyone’s hearing). And attempt to make the hunt engaging by using game calls or hunting in a game-rich environment.
SHARE THE BOUNTY
Wild game on the grill? Yes, please! Want to get someone really excited about hunting? Feed them wild game! Photo by Mark Kayser
Finally, whether you take that new hunter on a hunt or just rummage through your freezer, share the bounty. Wild game, when handled and processed with care, is delicious. Sharing any extra wild game you acquire is yet another way to complete the recruitment of a new hunter. Young people are even more likely to try wild game as it’s a source of organic proteins free of steroids and chemical boosts.
And take a close look at a common wild game offering, the whitetail deer. A single deer can provide more than 50 pounds of deboned, lean meat. Venison has 50 percent less fat than beef with virtually no carbohydrates. Venison is high in protein and ultra lean making it a great alternative to other lean proteins like fish, or chicken. Plus, it has less cholesterol than farm-raised chicken or turkey with up to 7 percent fewer calories than beef. These benefits and a host of mineral and vitamin benefits make wild game a game changer in anyone’s diet.
Practice shooting all the time. It is the best way to be ready when the time comes, so you can bring home delicious wild game. Photo by Mark Kayser
A sound way to introduce someone to wild game is to invite them over for a meal. Tell them it is wild game or surprise them, but craft a delicious meal as a way to sell them. And when you explain that many species, such as whitetail deer, elk and wild turkey are thriving under modern wildlife management, it’s an easy sell to get the hunting interest sparked.
These options and more await you. You will need to sacrifice time, but your mission to recruit new hunters is important and full of reward into the future.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is a lot that goes into being a hunter and a shooter, and even more that goes into helping to recruit new hunters and shooters by being a mentor. It is worth every bit of it, though. - Editor
Using a suppressor helps with new shooters because it does several things. It protects hearing for both the teacher and the shooter. It also helps reduce the flinch often associated with new shooters who worry about the recoil associated with the blast. When a new shooter is more accurate right out of the gate, it builds confidence.
Hunting and shooting is a year-round activity. Hunters will find increases in accuracy, confidence and ability if they practice with their hunting rifles as much as possible, not just before a hunt. Target and competition shooting is something that has to be done often to get better at, too.
The best way to get someone to give you venison or other wild game meat is to buy them a new hunting rifle. That's what works for me, at least. You pay for a new rifle for me, and I'll bring you a bunch of meat.
There are a lot of factors that make it harder to recruit new hunters, but the biggest one that we can see is time. Getting someone to commit to taking the time to hunt and learn all of the aspects that go along with it means a serious time commitment not just from them, but your time as well. Take the time, show your enthusiasm, and make the process fun.
You should shoot as much as you can. I know it means time and money, as ammo isn't as inexpensive as it used to be, but it is fun and a worthy way to spend some time outdoors doing outdoors things. As a hunter, I can tell you that my next hunting season starts the moment the current one ends. I enjoy the prep work as much as I do the hunt. You can, too!
If you have a trust and add that person to your trust, you can let them use your suppressor when they are not directly with you. It is a great way to let someone experience hunting with a suppressor and is perfectly legal.
About the author
To many of you, Mark Kayser needs no introduction. An acclaimed outdoor writer, Kayser has written for most major hunting publications including American Hunter, Outdoor Life, North American Whitetail and many more.
He is also a regular guest on the Deer & Deer Hunting podcast, and on many hunting television shows. He is based in the heart of big-game hunting - Sheridan Wyoming.
While many suppressors can be used on several different caliber firearms, we have some specific models that can make your shooting more enjoyable. Pick the caliber that you have in mind. If you don’t see your caliber, pick one close to it to see our recommendations.
