Tanner Kneese is totally on board with Stewards of the Wild (SOTW). He was one of the first members of the Austin chapter, was one of the first mentors for the mentored hunts organized by SOTW and has volunteered on close to 20 different hunts over the last five years.
Stewards of the Wild is Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation’s conservation leadership program, with chapters around the state. Tanner joined the Austin chapter of Stewards of the Wild as soon as he found out about it.
“I grew up in Kerrville and my family are typical Hill Country folks,” said Tanner. “We killed deer, we made sausage and jerky, and we hunted pretty much every weekend during deer season. When I came to college in Austin, I realized that not everybody has that experience.”
He was thrilled to find an organization where he could socialize with like-minded people.
“There’s not much of a hunting community in Austin, so it was great to get involved with Stewards of the Wild,” he said. “The folks I met through Stewards aren’t just hunting-minded or fishing-minded. They’re outdoors-minded people, and they care about conservation. When Matt Hughes told me about the mentored hunts, I thought it was a great idea. I’m at that age now where I want to give back, so when Matt asked if I would help, I was all in.”
At the time, Matt was managing the Stewards program for TPWF. He is now with Texas Wildlife Association’s Adult Learn to Hunt program and works closely with current Stewards Manager Katie Spurgin to deliver mentored hunting experiences for members across the state.
Tanner joined a group of Stewards last September for a hunt at La Ceniza Ranch near Uvalde. He mentored a new hunter and met up with another Stewards mentor, Louie Sanchez. Tanner was Louie’s mentor on his first big game hunt several years ago. Louie was so inspired that he continued his hunting journey, went through huntmaster training, and is now a mentor himself. Tanner and Louie have become close friends; the mentored hunts provide welcome opportunities to spend time together.
“It’s always fun to be around the folks that Louie mentors — it’s almost like I have a grandchild mentee,” said Tanner. “Passing along the hunting heritage used to be father to son, from one generation to the next. It needs to be more horizontal now. If you know how to hunt and want to ensure the future of hunting, you need to share it with others and grow it horizontally.”
Tanner said he will continue to volunteer for the mentored hunts for as long as he is able. A few weeks ago, he participated in the annual Stewards of the Wild dove hunt in Albany, and he said it was a great experience for all.
“It has grown into a real community, that’s probably the coolest thing about it,” said Tanner. “Once folks get a taste of a high-quality hunting experience, they want to continue the journey, and they want to share it with others. The mentored hunts depend on volunteers, and we’re never lacking for folks who raise their hand to help.”
Read more about the Stewards mentored hunt program in Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine. The November 2024 issue will feature an article about last year’s hunt at La Ceniza Ranch.
