Nominate the North American Hunting Club (NAHC) Mentor of the Year right here: www.NAHCmentor.com. If you don’t need any more encouragement or info, you need not read any farther. Just go to that website and nominate the mentor who has had the most influence on your passion for hunting. If you need some additional inspiration about who to nominate and more understanding of who can win the NAHC Mentor of the Year award, then read on.

One thing virtually every hunter has in common is that we each had a mentor. I was blessed that mine was my dad, but it could be anyone … a relative, family friend or even a teacher or coach. But if you’re a hunter today, chances are you had a mentor along the way. As much as the world of hunting has changed, that is one aspect that has not. And the hunters of tomorrow need mentors just as much—perhaps even more—than we did!

So, the NAHC has set about to honor today’s hunting mentors. We want your help in recognizing these generous, giving people upon whose shoulders the real future of hunting is being carried. To make this award as meaningful and as pertinent as possible, we’re counting on NAHC members to nominate candidates for the Mentor of the Year award. We’ll select top nominations and post them on a special voting site where you’ll be able to choose the winner.

Major figures in the hunting industry realize the importance of promoting hunting mentorship and are backing this program. The NAHC Mentor of the Year will receive prize packages from sponsors including the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Mossberg, Realtree, Winchester Ammunition, Nikon and more. The winner will be announced and presented with their award at the Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show (SHOT Show) in Las Vegas next January.

To learn how to nominate the great hunting mentors in your life, go to www.NAHCmentor.com.  That’s where you can fill out a nomination form and find out how to make your voice heard by voting for NAHC Mentor of the Year. Nominations are being accepted until September 30, 2011. We’ll need a little time to sort through the nominations. Voting will begin on October 24, 2011, and run through November 27, 2011. Don’t worry: We’ll hit you with some more reminders when the voting phase starts up.

In the meantime, at the very least, take the time to thank the hunting mentor who made you the hunter you are today!