Wisconsin - (Visit the Adaptive Sportmen Site for info on various hunts in Wisconsin)

Our 5th Annual "Special Hunt for Hunter’s with Disabilities" in Willard, WI, was a great success. During the week of October 4 - 12, 2003, 49 Clark County landowners and 30 helpful guides created lasting memories for 39 disabled deer hunters. Thanks to the dedicated help of numerous guides and assistant’s, the participants ended the week with 43 deer; 6 Buck, 27 Doe and 10 Yearlings from 5,100 acres of privately enrolled property. With the availability of Unit 58 Bonus Tags, twenty-seven of the 39 hunter’s harvested deer, 6 of whom got triples and four got doubles.

The hunt also had it’s misfortunes, as all hunts do. 12 of the 39 hunters returned home with empty tags. But not from lack of effort on their parts. 8 missed shots and 2 hit deer that couldn’t be found with the Saturday evening rain. Though in percentage of fulfillment and joy, the hunt was 110% successful. For many of the hunter’s the size and shape of deer didn’t matter. They were satisfied enough by the opportunity to enjoy Mother Nature and to be part of a "camp". For most, this event would be their only chance to go hunting this year.

Each year there are a handful of new hunters arriving with new challenges and familiar apprehensions. By the time they leave they are counting down the days until next year with new hopes, a rekindled spirit and full of self esteem. The simple task of walking into a woods or climbing a tree is taken for granted, until you find yourself blind or confined to a wheelchair or required to use crutches for mobility. The hunter’s disabilities ranged from high level paralysis to amputee to blind. Blind since birth, new hunter Brent Harding of Algoma, wasn’t sure if he would be able to enjoy a sport that most Wisconsinites take for granted. With the caring aide of his father Burt and the relentless help of guides Kendal Durham and Kevin Oldham, Brent managed to harvest a yearling on October 5th and returned to harvest a nice 10 point buck on the last evening of the hunt on land enrolled by Joe Trybula of Willard. To see the smiles and feel the exhilaration of participants like Brent and his father is enough reward for the guides and landowners to take time out of their hectic fall schedule and personal hunting aspirations to enabled these, sometimes total strangers, enjoy the great outdoors. You can view pictures of this years hunt and many new photo’s of the resort on its web site at www.sunsetpinesresort.com. Or Email Dale for more info. See pics below!