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An offer as well as a request for some help.......

5K views 11 replies 7 participants last post by  YankeeHunter 
#1 ·
OK guys, here's the deal. (already cleared with huntingpa admin)

We would like to offer a 6 day bowhunt for a trophy whitetail on a private 600 acre lease in Brown County Illinois to a deserving combat wounded vet. We can provide the semi guided fair chase hunting in a very good area and housekeeping accommodations nearby (valued at around $1400). Licenses, travel, food and incidentals would either need to be provided by the hunter or better yet, it would be great if some other huntingpa sponsors and members could help us rally a fundraiser to take care of that end of things.

If the disabled vet wants to bring an able bodied hunting companion, that person would pay like the rest of us. PM me with questions about the hunting and facilities.

Our only goal here is to give a little back to someone who has given so much to us all.

We are also seeking help in finding eligible vets and then selecting the lucky guy (assuming, and hoping we have more than one candidate) we kind of feel some favor towards PA vets and toward those who are were more recently
on active duty hoping to seek out a serviceman who might not otherwise be able to afford a hunt like this

To keep things legal with the Illinois DNR we operate as outfitters, licensed and insured, but we are actually a very small hobby operation running things more like a club and we do have some limitations as to what disabilities we can handle.

Sorry to say that we are not equipped for a wheelchair bound or paraplegic hunter. We can help a guy with some mobility limitations getting around but the accommodations we have available just aren’t adequate for a wheelchair bound or otherwise severely challenged person. (hopefully, some day.......)

Illinois does allow crossbow permits for folks who need to go that route with rules similar to what we had in PA for years (gotta do their paperwork though)

It may not be too late to make this happen for 2010 but it’d have to come together pretty fast. 2011 is probably more realistic

At this point, we are also looking for suggestions from HPA members as to how we ought to handle the selection……….

Thoughts and ideas guys??????
 
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#3 ·
Pass the word guys! Help us help a vet!!

Combat wounded vets, PM me with some brief details as to how and when it happened and let us know any special needs you might have. Out goal is to randomly choose from the vets with the most substantial injuries but whom we are still capable of giving a quality hunt.

Non vets: Got someone you'd like to nominate? Let us know! PM us with his info!!!
 
#5 ·
We'll be neighbors! Our lease is near Mt Sterling very close to Siloam Springs and the Girl Scout camp.

Our wounded warrior hero has been located. He got the news last night. I will be posting his story along with some thank you's to some very generous businesses and organizations who have come forward to offer their help to make his hunt the best it can be. The outpouring from the local hunting community has been nothing short of overwhelming! More details will follow soon!
 
#6 ·
Well, we found a deserving Vet right in our own backyard.

His name is Joe Jenkins. He was shot in the neck in Iraq paralyzing him from the chest down. As a complication to his injuries, three subsequent strokes have cost him the use of his right arm as well. He is able to use a crossbow mounted on his wheelchair.

We were worried at first about being capable of handling a wheelchair guy but Joe's brother Jim assured us that he would do whatever it took to help us overcome the hurdles even offering to Carry Joe in on his back if necessary. After a couple of conversations with brother Jim,
I met with Joe and his brother last week and gave him the news. After think quite a bit about the whole thing, I also decided that families pay a huge price picking up the pieces when their loved one comes home injured so we extended the offer to include Joes brother.

So their hunt and lodging is taken care of. I got on the phone and the net just to see if we could get them some help for travel, tags etc and this is whats developed so far......

I called a friend and fellow hunter at Dicks looking for a little help and boy did they step up! Dicks Sporting goods and their suppliers (list to follow) are GENEROUSLY providing a crossbow, Scentblocker clothing, blind and " everything he needs to kill a deer."

I told a friend and fellow lodge brother about our vet and was told less than 10 minutes later that the PA Masons will reimburse him for his deer permit (about $400)

I called Hutch's Taxidermy in New Stanton and Hutch didn't even let me finish my sentence before he said " I'll mount his deer for free"

Last night another friend out in Illinois visited his State Senators office and told Joe's story and walked away with the assurance of a complimentary tag courtesy of the Illinois DNr director.
There are also signs planned honoring and welcoming Joe along the route he will take as he gets into Brown county.

On top of all that, several of our regular hunters have offered their support and their cash to help these guys!

I am one of those guys who doesnt often shed a tear but all this support from my fellow hunters for this guy has choked me right up several times lately!!!
 
#7 ·
TALK ABOUT A WAY TO MAKE A FULL GROWN MAN CRY. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING FOR MR. JOE JENKINS. I WISH TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THAT HAVE HELPED HIM MAKE A HUNTING DREAM COME TRUE. THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST THING'S I HAVE READ ON THE FORUM'S IN A LONG WHILE. YOU HAVE MY SALUTE AND THANK'S.

JWE
 
#9 ·
Thanks guys but there aint nuthin we can do to thank this man enough for his sacrifice.

I do have one request for ALL HPA members..... Please, everyone, pray and ask all your friends to pray for a safe and successful hunt for our hero!!!
 
#10 ·
Just read this post for the first time, not often in a lot of the sections. What you are doing is awesome. If you decide to do anything similar next year, let us know. My father is very active with Vet's groups in Pa. and he and I are both memebers of Parker City #521. My buddy's Dad is DDGM for our area. I am sure we could help out.
 
#11 ·
Thanks Chumley.
Would like to do it every year or two. We are a not for profit and run things like a club so its a matter of being able to keep it going financially but we plan to do it as often as we can afford to. If this years reaction from everyone is any indication, we'll be doing it regularly!
 
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