Mission is clear: creating hunters Reality TV star happy to bring

H U N T E R D E V E L O P M E N T

Mission is clear: creating hunters

The First Hunt Foundation, started a decade ago by former national forest chief Rick Brazell, has expanded to 38 states

By ERIC BARKER

OF THE TRIBUNE

Even before Rick Brazell retired as supervisor of the Nez PerceClearwater National Forest in 2014, he knew what his next steps would be.

Although he started small, his ambitions were sky high — he wanted his idea to blossom into the largest boots-on-the-ground hunting mentoring organization in the nation. Eight years later, his First Hunt Foundation is well on its way.

“Our mission is just to create hunters,” he said.

Brazell sees that mission as critical to ensuring hunting survives as a cherished activity and important conservation tool. He points to data that shows the average age of hunters is about 60. In a decade or less, many of them will no longer participate. If they are not replaced, state wildlife agencies dependent on license revenue to manage and conserve wildlife populations will be in rough shape.

Brazell’s program continues to grow exponentially and now operates in 38 states.

“We’ve got over 800 volunteers that are out teaching people and we get four or five more every week,” he said. “We will have over 1,000 in probably six months.”

Brazell, a lifelong hunter, started the foundation out of his home near Kamiah. At first, he catered mostly to local kids who wanted to learn to hunt. But soon, often through the connections he’d amassed during his more than three decade career with the Forest Service, word started to spread.

“I had friends who were hunters

First Hunt Foundation ABOVE: Rick Brazell (center) founded the First Hunt Foundation after he retired from the U.S. Forest Service. The group’s mission is to help people learn to hunt. TOP PHOTO: The First Hunt Foundation now operates in 38 states. The group coaches and mentors kids and adults who are interested in taking up hunting.