Why I Mentor: Kurt Ratzlaff

This Is Why I Mentor Series 

A series to share, educate, and inspire others with mentoring stories.

We have all had one in our lives…. Someone we look up to. Someone we call when we have questions, concerns, and frustrations. Someone who provides sound and nurturing wisdom. Someone we can expose our true selves to and still feel supported. Someone we can hunt with. Someone we can fish with. Someone we can spend time with. A mentor.

This series is meant to be a way to educate and motivate you to give back to others. It is designed to inspire you to become a mentor. It is a reminder to thank your mentor. Hopefully the advice and stories shared here will leave you nothing short of empowered!

Mentor: Kurt Ratzlaff

OCCUPATION:

Chair of Kansas Backcountry Hunters and Anglers. Kurt Ratzlaff is the Chair of Kansas Backcountry Hunters and Angler and a retired attorney. He is a passionate outdoorsman who loves to hunt, fish, backpack, hike, canoe, snorkel and do absolutely nothing. And he truly loves sharing all of that with others.

HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN MENTORING?

Mentoring has always seemed like a natural way of living to me. I started coaching kids sports when I was in high school and started taking family members on trips while I was in law school in my early 20’s. It just felt like the thing to do and was a ton of fun!

WHAT DOES MENTORING MEAN TO YOU?

Mentoring is a very broad term to me. It can be a formal situation where you sign up for a specific event or it can be just taking some folks out to do something. Or just by the way you lead your life. I truly believe in the power of simply trying to be a good example. Even when you fail.

WHO WAS/IS YOUR MENTOR?

I have had too many mentors to count, so I am incredibly lucky. I had caring parents and siblings that tolerated my oddities. I had a man that lived in a nearby house that told me great hunting stories about faraway lands that made me dream that maybe I could do something like that someday. I had mentors that were coaches, friends, my wife, my kids, in-laws and so many more.

WHY DO YOU MENTOR?

Mentoring is fun! It’s rewarding. Its challenging. Its good, honest work at times. Its just the right thing to do.

HOW CAN SOMEONE ELSE MENTOR?

Everyone is a mentor whether they want to be or not. Face it.  But I can think of no more rewarding way to mentor than through great organizations like Outdoor Mentors!

WHAT IS YOUR ONE PIECE OF ADVICE TO SOMEONE WHO WANT TO BECOME A MENTOR?

My father-in-law, with his own hands, built the house he, his wife and the family they raised lived in. He hung a sign in the garage that said: “Advice not needed. Help or money ok.”  So I have no advice to give. But I do agree that folks should either sign up to help Outdoor Mentors reach its goal, or give money.  Your choice, but do one or the other.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MENTORING MOMENT?

My wife and I have a tradition of a certain graduation present for willing family members when they graduate from high school (although sadly we had to miss out on some while raising our own kids). We take them on a trip outdoors somewhere. Some are not willing, and that’s fine. We still give them a present. But those who are willing are generally treated to an unusually great trip. It just seems to work out that way. Many of those trips have great moments. One of my favorites was when we took a nephew to Rocky Mountain National Park. He had not spent much actual time in the mountains and, at one of the incredible sights, held his arms out in front of him and said, “Where has this been my whole life?” It was a great moment.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE AS A MENTOR AND TRYING TO SHARE YOUR PASSION FOR HUNTING?

Managing the whole field of operations in a mentored hunt is a real challenge for me. Hunting, when done well, involves a lot of moving targets, and I’m not talking about just the animal we are hunting. Though that would probably be enough. Hunting involves all the variables of being outdoors, plus all the moving parts of safety, unexpected worries, expectations, and on and on. But keeping the mood light and everyone safe usually cures most situations.