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The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Pheasants Forever are inviting hunters to join the Hunter Mentor Challenge and take someone hunting who has never hunted before or has not hunted in a while.

“When you pay it forward and recruit someone new into hunting, it can be a life-changing moment for both of you,” said Colby Kerber, Hunting Heritage Program manager with Pheasants Forever. 

When Minnesota hunters make a pledge through the Hunter Mentor Challenge to take a new hunter to the fields or forests, they will qualify for a discount code for ALPS OutdoorZ gear and be entered to win a custom YETI cooler.

The program is open to all types of hunting in Minnesota that are legal and in-season — including but not limited to pheasants, grouse, waterfowl, squirrels, deer or wild turkey in the fall and spring. People can participate by taking someone hunting who hasn’t hunted for a few years.

Participation is simple: Hunters visit the DNR page on the Pheasants Forever website where they take the pledge (pheasantsforever.org/MNDNR). After taking the pledge, hunters are asked to take action by mentoring a novice or returning hunter during the season and snapping a picture or short video of the hunting trip. The last step is to submit contact information, a story and a photo or video on the submission page to be entered for prize giveaways. All online entries must be received by June 30.

Visit the DNR hunting mentor page (mndnr.gov/GoHunting/Take-Friend-Hunting.html).