History Channel’s “Mountain Men” is one of the longest-running outdoor-centered TV shows out there. The main reason for its success is that the show’s cast is unforgettable and inspiring, as it’s formed by men and some women, whose craft and desire to live differently and under their own terms is never-ending.
Since the show’s premiere in 2012, several cast members have come and gone, with only a couple of them remaining in there for the long term. That has inevitably led the audience to not only wonder what the current cast does when they’re not on screen but also what happened to those who left, what they did after, and whether they’ll come back to TV.
So, where is the cast of “Mountain Men” now? Keep watching to find out!
Eustace Conway
As one of the longest-running stars of “Mountain Men”, it’s unsurprising that Eustace Conway has gained a lot of fame and admiration from his audience. The man is based in the Blue Ridge Mountains, in North Carolina, where his Turtle Island Preserve also functions.
The preserve offers camps and programs with educational, environmental, and self-growth purposes. From kids to the elderly, the Turtle Island Preserve’s workshops focus on improving many skills helpful in everyday life and survival situations, such as worksmithing, knife making, hide tanning, tracking, and many others.
However, many people would be surprised to find out that Eustace gave up control of the Turtle Island Preserve in recent years, though it’s still deeply involved with it as its founder. The preserve was affected by the Helen Hurricane in late 2024, leading the non-profit to ask for donations.
Besides Turtle Island Preserve, Eustace owns an Airbnb rental service. The several cabins that are part of his property are decorated by Eustance himself, who also takes it upon himself to personally greet his clients.
Marty Meierotto
Marty Meierotto is a definite fan favorite from “Mountain Men”. He originally appeared in the show from seasons one to eight, then left to spend more time with his family. Around the same time, Marty retired from his decades-long work as a smokejumper and pilot at the Alaska Fire Services.
Later in 2024, Marty returned to the show during the 13th season. This time, he wasn’t alone in his adventure, as his daughter Noah took it upon herself to follow him on his survival steps.
That said, it’s unclear what exactly led Marty and his family to return to TV, though the fact that his daughter is now a teen could have influenced him to deem the media environment safer for her than it was when he left. Either way, the audiences were ecstatic to see Marty returning after so many years.
While getting updates about Marty’s life is impossible given that his Instagram account hasn’t been updated since 2020, his daughter Noah is very active on the platform and keeps her followers up to date with her life, including when she won a track competition in 2023 and later matriculated from high school in 2025.
Tom Oar
There aren’t enough words to describe the impact Tom Oar has had on the “Mountain Men” audience. Tom is a man of action through and through, as his background includes traveling around the country and being a rodeo cowboy who retired in the early 1980s after suffering a terrible bull attack during a show.
Then, in his late 30s and with his life plans changed overnight, Tom and his wonderful wife Nancy moved to Montana in search of a new beginning. They had been there before, so packing their belongings to establish themselves in the nearby areas of the Yaak River came naturally for them.
Fast forward to our times, Tom and Nancy are still living in an off-grid cabin in Montana’s mountains, though life hasn’t always been smooth for them. In 2022, Tom experienced several heart-related issues, which required doctors to monitor his heartbeat while still in treatment. Tom recovered from that and later returned for two more seasons of the show.
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Unfortunately, it’s hard to get an update about Tom’s life given his lack of social media accounts. However, his fans would love nothing else than for Tom to return to the show for many more years to come, as he’s the epitome of what the show represents for many.
Jason Hawk
Located in the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas, Jason Hawk became a fan favorite for his calm personality and great bladesmithing skills. He was also a committed family father, with his wife Mary also gaining the favor of the audience throughout the four seasons they were in the show.
Shortly before Jason stopped appearing in “Mountain Men” in 2021, he announced that he was suffering from cancer. In the months before that, Jason went to the doctors after experiencing severe pain for around a year, only to find out there was a malignant tumor, and thus was diagnosed with cancer.
Given that Jason was no longer in the show and was unable to keep working in bladesmithing due to his illness, he was in a tough financial situation. His family set up an online funding campaign to help afford the costs of his four-month-long chemotherapy, getting over $46,000 from it.
Although the money collected was far from what the funding campaign’s goal was, he and his family were strongly supported by his followers online. Unfortunately, his recovery didn’t last long. In 2024, he found out that the cancer had returned after going to the hospital to treat his stomach pain.
Another funding campaign was set by his family back then, but sadly, Jason passed away on 28 January 2025, after choosing to stay in a hospice during his last days. A memorial was celebrated in June of that year, following the wishes of Jason.
It’s truly sad to see such an amazing artist and person like Jason go, especially for those who grew fond of him during his time on “Mountain Men”. Fortunately, the show also gave him the chance to show the world what he was made of, as well as how much he loved his craft, family, and nature.
Jason and everyone who has appeared in “Mountain Men” have taught us a lot about setting our own paths in life while doing what we’re passionate about.
