Why share hunts with strangers or mentor someone

Earlier this year we had an opportunity to share a hunt with some guys that we never met before. Now I know some of you will say "WHAT THE HECK??? THATS CRAZY, DUDE!!!!!"  To tell the truth I might agree with that except for a few things. First off, we planned it around as much saftey as possible. I spoke with the folks personally and made sure they were as sane as any of us that are willing to hunt wild animals can be, and I made them promise not to off me in my sleep. we camped in an accessable area in case of emergency such as injury, or if I had to be honest, if the sherrif needed to be involved.  So with saftey covered as best as could be expected, we made the hunt happen. The first day, one of our new hunting buddies got his very first wild hog, and he did it on public land. He got another one on the second day that was as big a hog as I've seen taken out of those woods. Here's the thing, I didnt really do a whole lot other than tell my new hunting buddy where to start looking and what sign to look for. I told him to keep the wind in his face and keep his ears and eyes open, he did the rest. I think I was as happy as he was about that big ole boar because the whole hunt was my dream and it came true. These things made this adventure a success in many ways, and I still text and talk with those guys these days.

Here's the thing. You never know how you will affect someone's life when you take the time to share the experience of the hunt with them. I got lucky that weekend, I made two new friends and got to see my dream come true. This is a feeling one can never replace. When you  take time to mentor a new hunter or a kid you change lives, theirs and yours. If you take the time to teach a kid how to respect firearms and use them safley, you help prevent accidents, but you also instill confidence in that child and maybe even help fill a gap that will keep them out of jail or worse. When you take the time to teach someone respect for the woods and everything in them, you help protect one of the most valuable resources we have. Sometimes it doesn't go that great, but thats ok too, you see you learned the world isn't perfect. However when it all comes together and that child or inexperienced hunter gets his or her first animal or their thousandth one, that smile on that face is all the reward you will ever need.

Remember this, if you take a kid hunting you won't have to hunt the kid.

God bless you all,

Michael Kenyon

(AKA Vern)