Sawyer’s Hunt Pushing away from the mindset of “me first” and directing energy toward serving others is a powerful way to make an impact in the world. Serving others can occur on a broader scale or an individual basis. The recent events surrounding Sawyer, a young man fighting a life-threatening illness, and his desire to experience an elk hunt serve as the backdrop for a powerful story of a group coming together to serve an individual. Josh Lewis (Outfitters 4 Hope Colorado Lead Coordinator and Guide) and Blayne St. James (Owner/Broker of St. James Sporting Properties) talk with Garrett Drach (VP of Marketing with St. James Sporting Properties) about experiencing this hunt with Sawyer, and the inspiration they walked away with after his hunt. The Mission of Outfitters 4 Hope Garrett Drach: Hey Josh, could you start off by giving us a 40,000-foot perspective of what Outfitters 4 Hope is, your role within the organization, and then we can jump into the recent hunt that you and Blayne were on? Josh Lewis: Thank you so much for putting this all together. I am the Colorado Lead Coordinator and Guide for Outfitters 4 Hope, which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Our primary mission is to serve children with life-threatening illnesses and the children of fallen heroes, giving them the dream experience of a hunting or fishing trip. We were really blessed with the opportunity to take a kid named Sawyer out on his dream elk hunt recently, and it was great to have Blayne along for the hunt since he facilitated some of this. Meeting Sawyer Garrett: How did that all come to fruition? Give us a little background about Sawyer and how you got to meet him and learn more about him. Josh: Sawyer has a condition called Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2), a genetic condition that causes non-cancerous tumors to grow in the brain, spinal cord, and nerves in his ear canals. Sawyer heard about us through previous hunt articles we wrote, and he was excited about the opportunity to get out and do an elk hunt. The next step was finding a place to hunt. Blayne has been really generous in asking what we need as an organization and how he can help. Blayne got me connected with a property called Buckethead Ranch and the landowners there. He also helped us work with Colorado Parks and Wildlife to apply for their director’s dream tag. Garrett: What was your reaction when you met Sawyer for the first time? Josh: Sawyer and I communicated via phone a couple of times before we got out to Colorado, and you could just hear the excitement in his voice. Fast forward to October, I picked Sawyer up from the airport the evening before our first day hunting, and he was just all smiles. Blayne St. James: Sawyer and Shannon (Sawyer’s dad) flew into Denver, met you guys, and stayed at the hotel outside of Scheels. Scheels supports you guys, correct? Josh: Yep. Blayne: So they got a little bit of a shopping spree at Scheels, which is right down the road from my house. That’s where I got to meet everybody for the first time. You also got a UTV donated to you from another partner, correct? Josh: Yeah, that was Elway Powersports in Laramie. The evening before the hunt, we planned to scout, and we did spot some elk, which was really cool. The next morning, we woke up to a little less than an inch of snow on the ground. We talked about the strategy for the morning over breakfast, said a prayer, and then headed out. The Hunt Begins Josh: That evening, Sawyer was able to see a couple of elk through the spotting scope. The next morning, he only saw a handful of cows, so during that first 24 hours, he just wasn’t around elk as much. Blayne: Mr. Smith (landowner) and I were spotters for the first part of the hunt. Then Mr. Smith joined Sawyer, Shannon, and you, Josh. I’ll let you take it from there. Josh: That afternoon, we went up the ridgeline and were on elk right away. Mr. Smith let out a bugle, and we had a couple of responses at the end of the draw. One elk after another started pouring into this meadow below us. It was spectacular—we were in the aspens, which still had their changing yellow leaves. The sun was setting, and the bulls were following the cows. Shannon and I could hear the bulls bugling, but since Sawyer has lost 50% of his hearing, I kept asking him, “Hey Sawyer, did you hear that?” And he’d say, “No, I don’t think I can hear it,” but he was having the time of his life watching these elk. A bull came out, a nice 5x5, but he hopped over the fence onto a property we didn’t have access to. When Sawyer got eyes on him through his binoculars, he turned to me with a big grin and said, “Josh, I really like that bull.” I said, “Man, that’s awesome, but we can’t take him right now since he’s on the other side of the fence. We’ll keep an eye on him.”  A Moment To Remember Josh: About 45 minutes later, the bulls below us got closer, within 150 yards, and one bugled really loud toward us. Sawyer turned to me with a big grin and said, “I heard that one.” That was a moment I had been hoping and praying for—that Sawyer would get the chance to hear a bugle despite his hearing loss. Suddenly, the elk sprinted out of the meadow. A couple of spikes and cows had come down on the other side of the hill and chased the herd off to another property we couldn’t hunt. Within minutes, all the elk were gone. We were packing up when we saw an elk walk into the meadow. I grabbed my binoculars and said, “You’ve got to be kidding me.” It was the 5x5 bull Sawyer liked, walking back out alone. He approached the fence, walking directly toward us. Sawyer had him in his scope as he closed the distance to 200, 150, and then 125 yards. Mr. Smith gave him the green light, saying, “If this is the bull you want, he’s a good one. You can take him.” Sawyer lined him up and made a perfect shot. The bull ran behind the trees, but we heard Mr. Smith yell, “He’s going down!” The excitement on that hillside was incredible. The sun was setting, and bulls were bugling in the distance. It was a surreal moment. All the other volunteers and guides joined us to celebrate, take photos, and share in the hugs and smiles. It was a truly unforgettable experience.  Reflections And Gratitude Blayne: The excitement on everyone’s faces was unforgettable. Back at the lodge that evening, we spent the next day relaxing. The conversations during that time were really meaningful, deepening relationships and sharing stories. Josh: That’s the heart of this ministry. It’s about creating a space where families can open up and build lasting relationships. These kids get a chance to forget about the challenges they face daily and enjoy being the center of attention for an incredible experience. Garrett: Josh, you did a great job articulating the mission and message. Do you and Blayne have any final thoughts for Sawyer and Shannon? Blayne: Shannon, if you’re reading this, know that you and Sawyer are lifelong friends. This experience was life-changing for me, inspiring me to think about how I can make a greater impact. Josh: Sawyer and Shannon, it was an honor to be part of this hunt with you. Sawyer, your determination and character have changed my perspective on life. This experience was orchestrated by the Lord, and it’s a testament to His love for these kids and families.  A Message To Readers Garrett: Josh, where can people find more information or get involved? Josh: Visit our social media channels to hear more stories and learn about us. You can email me at josh@outfitters4hope.org if you have ideas, questions, or want to donate time or resources. Garrett: Josh and Blayne, thank you both for your commitment. Looking forward to what the future holds! For more information: Josh Lewis: josh@outfitters4hope.org | https://outfitters4hope.org Blayne St. James: blayne@sjsportingproperties.com | (855) 711-7577

Blayne St. James [Owner/Broker of St. James Sporting Properties] discusses his exciting Tanzania archery and rifle hunt; with Ty Martin [Vice President of MOA Rifles], and Garrett Drach [VP of Marketing- St. James Sporting Properties].  They talk about the impact of Blayne's .375 MOA Rifle, crazy Leopard encounters, and how wild and free range Tanzania wildlife remains.   [CLICK THE PLAY BUTTON BELOW TO LISTEN] [audio mp3="https://stjames.cdn.realstack.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SJSP-Podcast_EP1_TyMartinMOARifles_07.25.2024.mp3"][/audio] For more information about this episode, contact: Blayne St. James- blayne@sjsportingproperties.com [970-596-6089] Ty Martin- ty@moarifles.com [406-868-2864] moarifles.com  

New Mexico has lots of opportunities for landowners to secure hunting tags.  Many of our clients have decided to purchase hunting properties in New Mexico, that they initially didn't consider, after we helped to educate them on the benefits and advantages these landowner tags. Our conversation with Blayne St. James, Jay Platt, and Darrell Fisher details: How the New Mexico landowner tag systems works Ways landowners can use and increase their tag allocations How the New Mexico and Colorado landowner tags are similar and different Click the play button below to listen. [audio mp3="https://stjames.cdn.realstack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/NMPrivateLandTags_2024_FINAL.mp3"][/audio]   To contact us for more information: Blayne St. James [Owner/Broker]: Licensed in NM, CO, MT, WY, UT, KS, NE blayne@sjsportingproperties.com // 970-596-6089 Darrell Fisher [Broker]: Licensed in NM, CO darrell@sjsportingproperties.com // 719-252-8244 Jay Platt [Broker]: Licensed in NM / Owner of G3 Outfitters in NM, AZ jay@sjsportingproperties.com // 575-740-3243