Mentor Information

Thank you for your interest in being an OMM mentor! We’re doing three separate hunts, one each for elk, deer, and antelope. Here’s some essential info:

THE MENTOR’S ROLE: Your primary role is to simply be a man your assigned youth feels comfortable with in discussing Christian masculinity. There is no “one on one” curriculum; rather, everyone participates in the nightly Campfire Talks. While out in the field, you’re encouraged to talk to the boy about what was discussed the night before. YOU DON’T NEED TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HUNTING! We have skilled guides who will lead you and the youth on your hunting adventure.

WHOM YOU WOULD MENTOR: Every boy has a mentor with them throughout the hunt. Most boys bring a mentor with them, be it their father, relative, or family friend. Each year, however, we have a few boys in need of a mentor: that’s YOU! These boys often come from broken homes, live in a single-mom households, and generally lack a father figure in their life. Prior to the hunt, we’ll link you, your guide, and your youth up in the hopes the three of you can get to know each other before the hunt. Single moms understandably often want to talk with/meet their son’s mentor before the hunt.

HUNT OVERVIEW/DATES: All hunts are four days long.

Day 1: Arrival, camp setup, range ops, hunt area orientation, hunt class for youth/mentors, and Campfire Talk 1 (see our web page for more info on the talks).

Days 2 & 3: Hunt hard all day with Campfire Talks 2 and 3 at night.

Day 4: Hunt in the morning, camp tear down, departure at noon.

Antelope Hunt: October 12-16th (Thursday-Sunday) in Peyton, CO

Deer Hunt: October 27-30th (Friday-Monday) near Craig, CO

Elk Hunt: January 2024 (exact dates are being finalized with the landowner but the hunt will likely be Friday thru Monday) in Peyton, CO. We’re shooting for Martin Luther King weekend (JAN 12th-15th) to minimize work/school days missed.

LOCATIONS: The elk and antelope hunts will occur on 80,00 acres of private land leased exclusively by Tri-State Outfitters. We’ll base camp out of the lodge in Peyton and hunt the seven properties in the Larkspur/Kiowa/Peyton area.

The deer hunt occurs in Coal Bank Gulch State Wildlife Area in Hayden (near Craig). This SWA is reserved for youth with mentors; it’s 800 acres of grasslands, rolling hills, and one major ridge separating two grass bowls. We’ve hunted it for five years now, and it’s a great place to teach boys to hunt! We typically see 100-150 deer daily, and our harvest rate is around 75%. We base camp out of Yampa River State Park, which is about 5 minutes from the SWA.

BASECAMP: Basecamp will be identical on all three hunts. One massive wall tent is used as the eating/gathering area, one is for youth/mentors, and one is for guides/support staff. We provide cots and all meals for everyone, including you. We have electricity at all the sites so we’ll have electric lights and heaters.

HUNT TEAM ORGANIZATION: Every youth has a mentor and a guide assigned to them for the duration of the hunt.

YOUTH MARKSMANSHIP REQUIREMENT: All youths are required to be proficient shots. We require them to be capable of shooting a 3-inch group at 100 yards with a scoped rifle. While it’s not your responsibility to ensure the boy’s a proficient marksman, being part of their learning to shoot is a great way to get to know them.

REIMBURSEMENT: We’ll reimburse your gas costs to and from your house up to $400.

BOOK REQUIREMENT: Our Campfire Talks are discussions based on the book, “Wild At Heart” by John Eldredge. EVERYONE on the hunt participates in these discussions; as a man who went thru the development challenges the young men are facing, your input is critical. You’ll need to read or listen to the book before the hunt.

CAMPFIRE TALKS: Each night we conduct a 1-hour campfire talk based on the book “Wild At Heart.” The talks are designed to help the boy begin to answer 4 questions:

1. What does it mean to be a man?

2. How do I become one?

3. What does a woman need in a Godly man?

4. How do I become truly alive?

While we know the boys won’t be able to fully answer the questions in the 4-day hunt, our goal is to plant the seeds for self-discovery within them and provide them a tool in answering them (the book).

GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER: Before the hunt, every guide/mentor/parent/guardian receives the others contact info. You’ll be highly encouraged to “get to know” them before the hunt. Meeting at a coffee shop, Zoom, and phone calls are just a few ways this can be done. Shooting together in training the boy to shoot is a great bonding experience! Additionally, we’ll do a BBQ in Monument, CO on Oct. 7th to get to know each other. We’ll do ax throwing and archery with prizes for the deadliest shot with ax or bow!

VALUES: OMM’s an unabashedly Christian ministry with conservative Christian values. We believe the Bible is the literal Word of God and is the indisputable guide in how to live one’s life. Additionally, below are OMM’s Core Beliefs. We respectfully ask you to only apply if your values and beliefs align with ours. We believe:

* Boys need a guide on the journey to manhood

* Masculinity is bestowed by a man or a group of men

* While men and women should be valued equally, God made them differently. Men and women have distinct God-ordained roles.

READY TO JOIN US? We ask you to first pray on the decision. If you feel the Lord pulling on your heart to serve these young men, here’s the link to the quick application form we ask you to fill out (they help keep us organized). PLEASE SUBMIT THE FORM BY APRIL 1ST. Feel free to volunteer for more than one hunt! If so, please tell us which hunts you would like to support on the application.

Click HERE to apply.

Thank you! It takes a brotherhood of men to help guide teens into Christian manhood – we deeply appreciate your investment in these boys.