Questions
The things people actually ask.
Straight answers, including the ones we’d rather you knew before you got in touch than after. If yours isn’t here, write to us and we’ll add it.
For parents and guardians
Bringing a
Does it cost anything?
No. There is no cost to the family. Removing the cost barrier is the entire reason Range + Keep exists.
A fully outfitted, guided youth hunt runs roughly $2,500 once you add up outfitter fees, tags, vehicles and fuel, gear, ammunition, and trophy costs. That number is exactly why a kid without a hunting family never gets a first season. Donors and sponsors cover it so the family doesn’t have to.
Does a parent or guardian have to come?
Yes, every time, without exception. Any child or teenager attending a Range + Keep outing must be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian for the duration.
Not dropped off, not signed over — present. It protects the young person, it protects our mentors, and it removes any question about what happened in the field. If that doesn’t work for your schedule, it doesn’t work for us either, and we’d rather say so up front than surprise you later.
Who will be with my child in the field?
Right now, our founder. Range + Keep is deliberately small: Matthew D. Gomez is the mentor on every hunt, helped by his teenage sons, and you’ll be there too.
As we grow, every additional mentor is vetted personally before they are anywhere near a young person — and new mentors come along on an outing before they ever lead one. We would rather run a handful of hunts and know every adult in the truck than grow quickly and hope.
How old does my child need to be?
There’s no fixed cut-off. Readiness matters more than a birthday — attention span, ability to follow instructions under pressure, and genuine interest count for more than age.
Tell us about them and we’ll talk honestly about what they’re ready for. Sometimes the answer is a range day and a conversation rather than a hunt, and that’s a perfectly good first step.
My child has never hunted or shot before. Is that a problem?
That’s who this is built for. Plenty of kids grow up hunting because a parent or grandparent took them; the ones we exist for don’t have that person.
Nobody goes to the field unprepared. Firearm safety, hunter safety certification, supervised range time, wildlife identification, and hunting ethics all come before a season starts. The field is where you apply what you already learned, not where you learn it.
What if my child doesn’t want to shoot, or doesn’t take an animal?
Then the day still worked. We measure a successful outing by whether a young person learned something, gained confidence, developed respect, connected with a mentor, and wants to come back — not by whether anything was harvested.
Passing on a shot that isn’t right is a lesson in itself, and it’s one we teach deliberately. A child who decides hunting isn’t for them has still spent a day outdoors with an adult who took them seriously.
What gear does my child need to bring?
Ask us before you buy anything. Gear, ammunition, and safety equipment are part of what donations and in-kind sponsors cover, and we’d rather outfit a young person properly than have a family spend money they didn’t need to.
Weather-appropriate clothing and boots that already fit are the two things worth sorting out at home.
What happens to the animal afterwards?
The young person is part of all of it — recovery, field dressing, and processing. This is the stage the outdoor industry tends to edit out, and it’s the one that changes a young person the most.
Understanding where food comes from and being accountable for the whole animal rather than just the antlers is a core part of what we teach.
For prospective mentors
Giving your
How do I become a mentor?
Email info@rangeandkeep.com and tell us who you are, your hunting experience, and why you want to do this.
There’s no application form on this site and that’s deliberate. Our founder reads every message personally and follows up. It’s a conversation, not a checkbox, and it takes as long as it takes.
What are you looking for in a mentor?
Someone who hunts ethically, is patient with young people, and can give real time across a season rather than one weekend.
Technical skill matters less than temperament. We’re introducing kids to something that carries real responsibility, and the adult beside them is the whole program.
How long does the process take?
Longer than you’d probably like. Adding mentors is the slowest, most careful thing we do, and we’re not in a hurry to change that.
Nobody leads a hunt on day one — you’ll come along on an outing alongside our people first, and we’ll see how you are with a young person before anything else happens.
You said you need funding more than volunteers. Why?
Because it’s true, and we’d rather say it than collect a volunteer list we can’t use.
At our current size the constraint isn’t willing adults — it’s the money to put kids in the field at roughly $2,500 a hunt. Funding is what turns a handful of outings into a season, and a season into a program with more mentors in it. If you want us to reach more kids, that’s the lever.
For donors and brands
Where the money
Is my donation tax-deductible?
Yes. Range & Keep Initiative is an IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) public charity, EIN 41-3495612. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law, and you’ll receive a receipt by email immediately.
You can verify us independently through the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search.
How much of my donation actually reaches the program?
All of it. We use Zeffy, which charges nonprofits nothing — no platform fee, no card processing fee.
Most donation tools take roughly 3% before a dollar reaches the organization. On a $2,500 gift that’s real money, and it stays with the kids. Zeffy makes its money by asking donors for an optional tip at checkout, which you’re free to decline.
Can I donate gear instead of money?
Yes, and often it’s more useful. Optics, ammunition, hearing and eye protection, knives, packs, and field tools go straight into a young person’s hands.
In-kind donations are deductible at fair market value. Email info@rangeandkeep.com and tell us what you have.
I have land. Is that useful?
Enormously. Land access is the constraint nobody talks about, and lease days, ranch access, or a standing invitation does more for us than almost any cheque.
If you’ve got country and you’re willing to let a kid learn on it, write to us.
My company wants to sponsor. Where do I start?
Email info@rangeandkeep.com and we’ll send you the details.
Cash and product both work, and in-kind gear is valued at MSRP. Sponsorship is built around one number: roughly $2,500 puts one young person through a complete guided hunt.
Where do you operate?
We hunt nationwide. Range & Keep is headquartered in League City, Texas — that is where the corporation, the bank account and the paperwork live — but the hunts are not limited to Texas. We go where there is a vetted mentor, access to ground, and a young person who wants to be there. If that describes your state, it is in range. Write to us and tell us where you are.
Didn’t find your question? Ask it.