Philip Mailhiot of Westminster, Mass., in recognition of his dedication to preserving our hunting heritage, received the inaugural Mentor of the Year Award at the 40th annual NWTF Convention and Sport Show.
“It is still not real to me,” Mailhiot said about winning the award. “The most rewarding thing about mentoring new hunters is getting that phone call, email or text from a former student that says ‘I did it.’ They will then pass along the hunting skill they have learned to future hunters. That is the reason I do what I do.”
The NWTF determined this year’s award winners based on how their work strengthens the Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative. Mailhiot’s leadership and volunteer efforts directly support the goal of recruiting hunters. He is the education director of his local chapter with his primary role being lead instructor for turkey hunting programs within the NWTF and partnering organizations, like the Massachusetts Department of Fisheries and Wildlife. He is also a member of the Mossy Oak ProStaff.
Mailhiot spends much of his turkey season taking new individuals into the woods for their first hunts. In 2015, he mentored a young hunter for youth day, two women during the MassWildlife women’s turkey hunt and two additional hunters during an inaugural mentored turkey hunt for adults. Even long after the hunt, Mailhiot keeps in contact with the new hunters, so he can monitor their progress and provide additional instruction.
“Philip is one of our localized, grassroots field staff guys who act as seed planters for the Mossy Oak brand,” said Tim Anderson, Director of Public Relations and ProStaff at Mossy Oak. “He exemplifies what the Mossy Oak brand embraces, which is a pass-it-on mentality. We are so proud that he received the Mentor of the Year Award and are honored he’s on our team.”
Mossy Oak is the official camo of the NWTF. For more information, visit www.nwtf.org.
Over 1000 members strong, the Mossy Oak ProStaff is a group of top outdoors men and women from across the country that act as spokespersons for the brand. Members of our Elite ProStaff are people the hunting community will recognize from their hunting expertise and accomplishments, videos, TV and magazine articles. Our Regional Pro Staff is a group of accomplished hunters who promote Mossy Oak in various regions across the U.S. They also manage a more localized Field Staff in their regions. From event support to retail store grand openings to radio and TV appearances, our ProStaff adds value to the Mossy Oak brand nationally, regionally and locally. For more information, visit http://www.mossyoak.com/prostaff.
