Kinfolk Hunting Collective a first step for new hunters in New York

Voorheesville, N.Y. — Kinfolk Hunting Collective, a New York-based non-profit, has emerged this year as a growing force in the world of outdoor education, mentoring new hunters and outdoor enthusiasts with a mission that blends community, inclusivity, and stewardship of the land.

Co-founded by Brandon Dale, Greg Whalin and Timothy Clark, the organization, which officially received its non-profit status earlier this month, positions itself not just as a hunting organization, but as a community-building collective aimed at those underrepresented in traditional hunting cultures.

“Kinfolk Hunting Collective started as an extension of some of the work we had been doing earlier, such as mentoring and introducing the next generation of hunters to the outdoors,” Dale said. “We wanted to recognize after doing these programs for several years, that there is a much higher need for people that don’t traditionally hunt, for a space to open up and come together to learn how to fish and hunt, and ultimately my best vision for this is to train people to be the next generation of hunter-conservationists.”

The core belief of the young organization is that learning to hunt is not only about acquiring a skill set, but about connecting with food sources, forging bonds with the land, and finding a circle of peers who share a passion for the outdoors.

Currently, most of the participants are based in the Greater New York City area.

“I think that in and of itself is really important,” Dale said. “So many people who live in a city don’t think they have access to, or think they shouldn’t have access to, or can’t connect with nature in a deep and meaningful way.”

Kinfolk’s stated mission seeks to shift this narrative by lowering barriers to entry, whether those barriers are logistical, cultural, or social.

“Kinfolk Hunting Collective is really trying to bridge that gap for people that didn’t come from a traditional hunting family or background,” Dale said. “We are trying to build off the idea that everyone belongs in the outdoors. Here in New York we are trying to build a community that is shaped by mentorship, safety, love for the outdoors, and outdoor education.”

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The organization has started strong. Just this year the group has hosted several events, including a Long Island rut deer hunt, a late season crossbow hunt, tree climbing 101, waterfowl hunting 101, fly-fishing basics, a hunting and conservation trivia night, and more.

The most recent event was the late season crossbow deer hunt, which took place Dec, 12–14, near Voorheesville, in the Albany region. This event was designed to be a first experience for a new hunter. Mentees were paired with mentors for a weekend of hunting from ground blinds. The goal was to provide a comprehensive, welcoming, and empowering introduction for the brand-new hunter.

Lauren Tonti, a mentor for the event said none of the mentees shot a deer during the hunt, but one of the organizers did.

“That gave the mentees the opportunity to learn to field dress, skin and butcher,” Tonti said. “And I got to give the field dressing training, which is my absolute favorite thing to do! Sitting in the freezing cold all weekend couldn’t be more worth it.”

Now that the organization has launched, it is all about building a strong base for the organization. Kinfolk Hunting Collective is seeking sponsorships, donations, and mentors for future events.

To connect, contact Brandon Dale at brandon@kinfolkhunting.org.