For the fifth consecutive year, Colorado Parks and Wildlife is encouraging hunters to take a friend hunting. As a reward for hunters sharing their expertise and love of hunting, CPW created a contest for mentors who take the time to pass on their knowledge, with prizes for the mentor as well as the mentee.
“I often run into people wanting to hunt but they just don’t know how to start. Most of them just need a mentor to help out,” said CPW Hunter Outreach Coordinator Bryan Posthumus. “It is so easy to ask your friends, co-workers, or family if they want to hunt and help them get started. Quite a few started out small game hunting. Many of the hunters last year are planning on hunting with their new hunting buddy this year.”
Hunting has several barriers that can make getting started difficult. Equipment can be expensive and knowledge is hard to obtain. Taking your friends hunting can reduce those barriers by allowing you to share equipment and pass on the knowledge that only experience can teach. For new hunters, getting started can seem overwhelming. Encouraging a hunter to take you with them and show you the ropes can help you get started. With CPW’s Take a Friend Hunting Contest, you can win a variety of prizes that will help you in future hunts.
How it works
If you are a hunter, take a friend hunting! If you want to learn to hunt, encourage a hunter to take you with them! Then submit a photograph and brief story of your time in the field for a chance to win a variety of hunting related prizes. Submissions will be judged by their ability to inspire and are due by February 28, 2024.
To be eligible to enter:
Hunters must commit to mentoring an eligible new or former hunter in Colorado on at least three separate occasions. The occasions may involve any part of the mentoring process including scouting, testing/purchasing hunting gear, sighting in/practicing with hunting firearms/archery equipment, or game processing and game cooking. At least one occasion must be taking the mentee hunting. Mentor and mentee must be at least 18 years of age.
Mentors must:
- hold a valid 2023 Colorado hunting license.
- have held a Colorado hunting license in at least 3 of the last 5 years (2018-2022).
Mentees must either have:
- never had a hunting license until 2023,
- only had a hunting license in 2022 (e.g., a second-year hunter) or
- not had a hunting license in the past five consecutive years (i.e., since 2018).
Contest participants must follow all applicable Colorado hunting regulations; this includes possession of all appropriate licenses. Employees of Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and their immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings and children) and household members of each such employee, are not eligible.
Prizes
Prizes will be awarded at the end of March to winners of the photo/narrative competition. There will be multiple winners selected for a variety of prizes. Prizes include binoculars, trigger sticks, butcher kits, game calls, range finders, gift cards and more.
All prizes are non-transferable. No substitution may be made except as provided. The winner is responsible for all taxes and fees associated with prize receipt and/or use. Please check the CPW website for more details and an updated list of prizes!
To learn more, see the official rules and find out more about how to Take a Friend Hunting in 2024.
(Photo source: Colorado Parks and Wildlife)