Fish and Game's Maiden Hunt Series explores how rewarding it can be for hunters to pass on their passion for the outdoors and shares the stories of new hunters.
Mentoring is woven in the fabric of hunting. For millennia the tradition has been passed down through generations and shared with friends. For the tradition to continue, each generation of hunters are tasked with passing the torch to the next.
Fish and Game's Maiden Hunt Series explores how rewarding it can be for hunters to pass on their passion for the outdoors and shares the stories of new hunters—from completing hunter education and seeking out a mentor to experiencing their first hunt.
Each hunter comes to hunting with a different perspective, background, concerns, and interests. From balancing a love of nature with the emotional experience of harvesting an animal, to following in family footsteps, these short films explore the realities of becoming a hunter and illustrate how hunting is so much more than the harvest.
Over the course of five years, Idaho Fish and Game has teamed up with five brand-new hunters and paired them with seasoned hunting mentors. Our goal is not only help new hunters dip their toe into a new, intimidating outdoor pastime, but document the entire progress—the mental preparation, the pre-dawn hikes up the mountain, and the emotions that come with being so close to wildlife—in a five-part video series.
Check out each episode in our Maiden Hunt video series below or stream the entire YouTube playlist.
Experience nature in a whole new way and embark on a journey with mother and son, Gretchen and Henry, as they take on their first deer hunt. Led by Ted Koch, these beginners learn what hunting is all about in hopes of carrying the tradition forward.
Follow Kori as she takes on her first deer hunt. Led by Katie Oelrich, the two head into the Idaho Wilderness in search of new experiences and hopes of harvesting a deer.
Follow Clara and her father Kurtis as they embark on a turkey hunt into the Idaho wilderness in hopes of a successful hunt.
Origins of food, building resiliency and grit, reflecting on modern life’s leisure: These are just a few perspective-changing experiences Ryan observes as he learns to fill his own freezer with wild game meat. Join Ryan as he embarks on his first ever deer hunt with his hunting mentor.
Follow along as Aubree seeks to experience the responsibility of harvesting her first deer, and how Bill finds he gains more by mentoring a new hunter than he gives.