Mountain Men just wrapped its 14th season, and for longtime fans, this one hit different: Tom Oar, the show’s most recognizable face, is calling it quits. Two other cast members never got the chance to say goodbye. Here’s who’s still out there living off the land, who’s moved on, and what actually happened to the ones who didn’t make it back.
| Show | Mountain Men |
| Network | History Channel |
| Premiered | 2012 |
| Seasons | 14 (Season 14 premiered September 3, 2026) |
| Original cast members still on the show | Tom Oar (final season) |
| Cast members who have died | Preston Roberts (2017), Jason Hawk (2025) |
Who’s Still on Mountain Men Now
The current lineup has grown well beyond the original four cast members. Recent seasons have featured Tom Oar (trapping and hide-tanning in Montana’s Yaak Valley, now retiring after Season 14, more on that below), Mike Horstman (bear-hunting guide on Kodiak Island, Alaska), Jake Herak (mountain lion hunter in Montana), Marty Meierotto (Alaska trapper, an original cast member who stepped back for a few seasons and later returned), Paul Antczak, Bret Bohn, Ivy O’Guinn, and Lauro Eklund. More recent seasons have also introduced Chance and Soraya Painter, a fur-trapping couple in Alaska.
Founding cast member Eustace Conway, who ran the Turtle Island Preserve in North Carolina, has appeared on and off since Season 1 and has been credited in recent-season cast listings as well, alongside longtime castmates Harry and Kidd Youren.
Cast Members Who Have Left the Show
- Rich Lewis — a mountain lion hunter who appeared in the show’s early seasons, Lewis said in Season 6 that he was “getting too old” for the work and did not return for Season 7.
- Harry and Kidd Youren — the father-son pair appeared primarily from Season 8 through Season 12.
Mountain Men Cast Members Who Have Died
Two people featured on the show have died. Their passing was real, confirmed, and widely reported, unlike some of the unverified “cast member death” claims that circulate about other reality shows.
Preston Roberts, a friend of Eustace Conway’s who appeared on the show, died on July 24, 2017, from complications related to cancer. He was 60.
Jason Hawk, the master blacksmith who appeared on the show from Season 5 through Season 9, died on January 28, 2025, at age 50, after a battle with cancer.
More on Tom Oar
Tom Oar is the cast member people search for most, partly because of persistent (and false) rumors that he’d died. He hasn’t: he’s retiring after Season 14 for health and family reasons. Read the full story, including what History Channel has actually confirmed, on our Tom Oar Obituary: What’s Actually Confirmed page, or get his full biography and rodeo-to-Yaak-Valley backstory on our Tom Oar Mountain Men page.
FAQs
Is the original Mountain Men cast still on the show?
Mostly not. Of the earliest cast members, only Tom Oar and Eustace Conway have remained connected to the show through recent seasons, and Tom Oar is retiring after Season 14.
How many Mountain Men cast members have died?
Two: Preston Roberts (2017) and Jason Hawk (2025), both from cancer-related illness.
Is Tom Oar still on Mountain Men?
Yes, through Season 14, which is his confirmed final season. Full details are in the section above.
What happened to Rich Lewis from Mountain Men?
He left the show after Season 6, saying at the time that he felt too old to keep doing the work.