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Title: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: Circle C on March 02, 2009, 04:15:46 pm In mid January there was a post on ETHD about some wounded solders with the Wounded Warrior Project that would like to go on a hog hunt with dogs during contest weekend. After talking to the coordinator a few times, we were able to get things all setup for the hunt. Team ETHD was going to take 4 wounded soldiers (along with one of their girlfriends) on the Saturday of the TDHA contest hunt in hopes of showing them a time they wouldn't soon forget. We arranged through some contacts to have each soldier set up with a mag light and Buck 119's along with a personalized granite plaque to commemorate the hunt.
We met the soldiers in Flatonia at 6:30 am, then headed out to the ranch. The ranch manager was there waiting with extra UTV's and once we all got situated, we headed toward a hardwood bottom with a nice flowing creek. Not 5 minutes into the hunt the dogs opened up. Knowing we had swine bayed in the creek, we sent the catch dogs in and covered the short distance to the bay with a couple of the soldiers. The other soldiers were driven in the mule right to the edge of the creek looking down on the bay. It was totally perfect for getting all of them a front row seat at an awesome bay and catch of a really nice fat sow. The guys were stoked. They helped us winch the sow up the steep bank and get her set up for photos. We took some pictures, then hunted in the cold and wind for a few more hours until lunchtime. While the high wind and cold made the rest of the morning hunt unproductive, the Ranch Manager's wife had a huge spread of barbeque, homemade swine sausage, beans, tater salad, cookies, and brownies waiting for us at the main house. There was a crowd of folks there for the party including a rival team of contest hunters (good friends of ours), and lunch was amazing. We had an awesome time with the guys from Wounded Warrior Project. I know nothing we could ever do would be enough to thank them for their service and sacrifice, but we hope that they got a sense of our gratitude. We surely wouldn't be able to hog hunt and enjoy our freedoms over here if it were not for them, and it really meant a lot to all of us to have the opportunity to take them out on a hunt. Before they left, each of the soldiers got to stick a hog. After quartering out and filling a couple of coolers, the guys headed back to San Antonio and we headed out for another round of high wind hunting. Here are some pictures of the Solder's hunt. Creek Sow and Soldiers (http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p204/ccoughran/DSC_0265.jpg) (http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p204/ccoughran/DSC_0273.jpg) Group photo taken during the lunch break (http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p204/ccoughran/DSC_0390.jpg) Closeup of the granite plaque (http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p204/ccoughran/DSC_0356.jpg) Hogs being quartered for the soldiers to take home (http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p204/ccoughran/DSC_0399.jpg) Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: BMichalak on March 02, 2009, 04:37:04 pm that is a neat little program yall got goin on there! shows a lot of respect towards out soldiers!
Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: catchrcall on March 02, 2009, 05:08:22 pm What can I say guys..... It's folks like you that make doing what we do worth it. Thanks for showing these soldiers a good time
Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: Dirtydog on March 02, 2009, 05:48:17 pm GREAT JOB GUYS !
Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: hank on March 02, 2009, 06:20:09 pm That is awesome!
Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: Black Gold on March 02, 2009, 06:36:00 pm WELL DONE!
Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: cody1offroad on March 02, 2009, 06:42:56 pm im a member of the wound warrior project and thank you guys for that alot time there is not many guys willig to do stuff like that for us we really apreciate that kinda stuff i know alot of the guy in my wounded warrior just sit around and that makes stuff alot worse because are wounded warrior have a very high suicide rate because they just sit around thinking of there injury. thank you guys very much
Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: Mike on March 02, 2009, 07:34:04 pm I would like to send out a big THANK YOU to Chris and Mandi for setting up this hunt and getting those plaques made for the soldiers. It brought a tear to their eyes and ours when we presented them. I'm very honored to have been a part of this and look forward to the chance to be able to do it again.
Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: Sean on March 02, 2009, 07:48:07 pm great job guys and gals! those plaques are reallly nice, and i'm sure this hunt meant a lot to them. really great to see stuff like this, we owe so much to those young men.
Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: doublel on March 02, 2009, 07:51:42 pm great hunt
Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: matt_aggie04 on March 02, 2009, 07:53:23 pm I would also like to thank Chris and Mandi for setting this up. There were so many people willing to help and all of those efforts combined to make a day for the soldiers. It is awesome the way the hunt worked out so that all the hunters could see the catch and all the action. I am looking forward to doing this again as well, these guys were all very appreciative. It is hard to put into words how much I appreciate their sacrifice. I was talking to our friend Ben at lunch on Saturday and he put it best when he said their loss is our gain and that is very true, freedom is not free.....
Matt Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: Clay on March 02, 2009, 07:56:52 pm Heres some action pics of the sow.
(http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k226/clay1_2006/018.jpg) (http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k226/clay1_2006/020-2.jpg) (http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k226/clay1_2006/021.jpg) Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: clint on March 02, 2009, 08:00:55 pm Thats very special there... congrats
Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: muleman on March 02, 2009, 08:44:43 pm thats cooler than a box fan! way to go guys!!
Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: Clay on March 02, 2009, 09:00:48 pm Im glad chris and mandi set this up it was very awesome geting to watch those guys stick there first hog after all they gave im glad i could be a part of it.
Matt.... Did you notice we have the only off colored dogs ??? maybe next time we can get some hair dye ;D Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: matt_aggie04 on March 02, 2009, 09:06:33 pm Yeah thats all right, them yella dogs still work every now and then though ;)......and I did have one black dog in the mix ;D That picture of me mid slide down that bank turned out pretty neat.
Matt Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: mex on March 02, 2009, 09:08:45 pm Great job guys!
Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: dabutcher on March 02, 2009, 09:21:03 pm that's awesome guys. it was nice meetin ya'll this past weekend. keep up the good work.
Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: Circle C on March 02, 2009, 09:28:15 pm Dang Clay,
Those pictures are making me cold again just looking at them ;D Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: Clay on March 02, 2009, 09:34:52 pm Ya you looked cold from high up on that creek bank ;D
Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: cody1offroad on March 02, 2009, 10:01:40 pm There a hole unit of those guys up here in oklahoma about a 150 them and i know alot of them would love to go. would definately like two take some of them would any of you guys in oklahoma be interested in that
Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: Cull Buck on March 03, 2009, 06:49:16 am Way to go guys. That's something those soldiers will never forget.
Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: got2catchem on March 03, 2009, 08:32:09 am Good job guys (and girls). I know those soldiers appreciated it.
Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: aladatrot on March 03, 2009, 11:56:47 am i know alot of the guy in my wounded warrior just sit around and that makes stuff alot worse because are wounded warrior have a very high suicide rate because they just sit around thinking of there injury. Cody Offroad, I know three of the guys we had with us may have had a little more time to get used to a new way of doing things, but you really couldn't tell in hunting with them that they had an injury (one was apparently not quite comfortable hiking through the woods on his legs yet so opted for the chair). I went with Daniel through the woods to the bay, and I actually had to keep up with HIM! Not that I would wish a catastrophic injury on anyone, but it seemed to me from meeting and hunting with these guys that they were "I can do anything" guys before their injuries. Although they've had to adapt, they are still of that "I can do anything" drive and it shows in their abilities. I hope that we can build a relationship with the Wounded Warrior Project and get guys in the woods on hogs all over the state(s). Cheers! M Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: Bump on March 03, 2009, 01:15:31 pm That is a nice thing you guys and the rancher did. Those Vets cannot be thanked enough. Nice pictures as well!
Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: longshot on March 03, 2009, 01:33:41 pm GOOD JOB GUYS and GALS!!!!!
Longshot Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: jls41 on March 03, 2009, 03:17:31 pm OUTSTANDING job to you all!!! Wished I could have cut loose to swing by and sorry I missed it. Maybe I can make the next one!! Thanks also for letting my son Ben tag along!! He is STILL talking about it!!!
Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: Circle C on March 03, 2009, 08:57:52 pm JLS,
Here is a pick of your men and their trophy hog "Wilbur" ;D (http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p204/ccoughran/DSC02578.jpg) Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: slimpickins on March 04, 2009, 08:37:31 am :D I had forgotten about that picture. Man, we look GOOD!
Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: jls41 on March 04, 2009, 10:38:24 am I knew I should have gone!!! ;D
Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: craig on March 04, 2009, 12:19:17 pm There a hole unit of those guys up here in oklahoma about a 150 them and i know alot of them would love to go. would definately like two take some of them would any of you guys in oklahoma be interested in that Cody i may be putting my neck on the line to try and follow a show like Chris and Mandi put together but i would try to help put something together for the guys in oklahoma, send me a pm. Chris my hats off to you guys for putting a hunt like that together. Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: cody1offroad on March 04, 2009, 10:55:04 pm well since im a member of the wouded warrio project im friend with alot of the guys in the unit and such and im taking a few of them this weekend there from arkansas but here at fort sill in oklahoma there always thalking bout there razorbacks but if it goes good im going to start taking them out regularly
Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: Furflys on March 05, 2009, 07:58:48 am You will never know how a few hours of your time effects these guys. It shows them that WE (people of the USA that they fight for) care. When they went over seas to fight they did not think twice. Why should we, when it comes to showing them a good time and that we care. My hat is off to all of you!!!
Title: Re: Wounded Warrior Hunt Post by: aladatrot on March 05, 2009, 11:37:16 pm Craig,
I don't think they just have to go on a dog hunt if the terrain up there is just inhospitable. We were asked about getting some guys set up in stands where they could get a shot at a hog. We just weren't able to accommodate that type of hunting. I'm certain that if you had access to some property with stands and feeders with hogs you'd have some pretty happy guys on your hands. Just an idea Cheers M PS I tried to sell my colt Cooper a few weeks ago, but chickened out. I figure Coop will just have to earn his long ears. cheers m |