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: Shannon Selstedt

OCCUPATION:

Piston Propeller Hotline Supervisor at Textron Aviation

Co-Founder & Co-Owner of FTAC Academy LLC

HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN MENTORING?

I have been involved with the Outdoor Mentors Group as a mentor for around 15 years now.

WHAT DOES MENTORING MEAN TO YOU?

Mentoring is sharing something that you know and are passionate about with others that have interest in the same thing. Helping them to develop their skills to be successful at what they do.

WHO WAS/IS YOUR MENTOR?

I had two people in my life that were my mentors. It started with my father who introduced me to deer hunting when I first started out. Due to a job change dad was not able to continue hunting very much as he worked nights and weekends. One of my best friends dad took me under his wing and introduced me to bird hunting and taught me everything he knew.

WHY DO YOU MENTOR?

Mentoring allows me to share the things I have learned about hunting and fishing over the years. It is my way of giving back to others. I come from a hunting family and had the opportunity to hunt at a young age. I know that not everyone has those opportunities now days. By mentoring others I am able to introduce others to the outdoors that I very much enjoy spending time in and give others that same experience. I believe as mentors we get as much or more out of these events that the people we are mentoring. Being part of a youth harvesting their first turkey, pheasant, duck or goose, deer, or catching that huge fish and getting to see the reactions of the ones doing it make it all worthwhile. I also gives me great pride to work with new people then hear that they got that first turkey or dropped that antelope at 300 yard dead in its tracks. Being part of that is really amazing.

HOW CAN SOMEONE ELSE MENTOR?

There are different ways to mentor, getting involved with a group like Pass It On is a good way to mentor, but you can also take new people out on your own. Find someone that wants to hunt what you do or fish like you do and take them along with you.

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

The advise I would give to someone that wants to become a mentor is get to know the people you are mentoring and take the time to enjoy the hunting or fishing event with the mentee. They are new and learning how to do what you do. Be patient and most of all have fun with it.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MENTORING MOMENT?

Over the past 15 years there have been so many favorite moments that it is hard to single out just one. I am very proud of the three young ladies that I mentored on rifle shooting. One harvested an 11 point buck with a mane, the other two harvested antelope at 210 and 295 yards. The first match we had I was able to be part of his first deer, turkey and pheasant harvest. The countless number of events I have helped with on pheasant hunts, deer hunts, fishing days, all great moments and each special in their own way.

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

I think one of the biggest challenges with mentoring today is time. We all have our lives filled with “other things” that take up all of our extra time. Scheduling a hunt then getting a follow up hunt scheduled is difficult sometimes.