The United Special Sportsman Alliance (USSA) collaborated with Adrenaline Ridge, local mentors, and private landowners to host a special youth deer hunt in Bancroft, Wisconsin. This annual event occurred from October 4 to 6 and aimed to introduce ten young hunters, all aged 15 and under, to the cherished tradition of deer hunting.
After the families arrived, they settled into their cabin and joined their mentors for a delicious supper. While enjoying the meal and each other’s company, they discussed the details of the upcoming hunt and encouraged the young hunters by sharing stories and pictures about the deer they had seen on the property. Then, the families returned to their cabin for a good night’s sleep in preparation for their hunt, which would begin early the following day.
Sophia was initially apprehensive about going on the hunt, concerned about whether she could do it well due to her struggles with loud sudden noises and difficulties with strength, balance, tremors, and coordination, her mother Annette shared. Early the following day, Sophia, her mom, and her mentor, Mike Lukas, entered the hunting blind. A few deer appeared in the clearcut, but unfortunately, Sophia shot and missed twice, which left her feeling very disappointed in herself. Annette explained, “At first, she didn’t want to go back out in the afternoon, but she decided to give it one more chance. She waited patiently, and finally, during the last 30 minutes of shooting light, she took the shot and downed an 8-point buck.” Sophia exclaimed, “I can’t believe I went hunting, aimed straight, shot, and got a deer for the first time!”
Dylan and his mentor, Brad Rothermel, set out on Saturday morning after reviewing the trail cam footage together on Friday evening. The hunters heard bucks fighting as early as 6:30 AM., indicating they were close. At 6:57 AM, one of the bucks came into their line of sight but quickly turned away. Brad loudly grunted to mimic another buck in the area, causing the animal to turn broadside and set up a perfect shot. Dylan steadied his hands, lined up the crosshairs with the guidance of his mentor, and pulled the trigger. At 6:58 AM, he texted his mom, who was in a blind at another property with his younger brother, saying, “WE GOT ‘EM!” His mother, Stephanie, added, “This was Dylan’s first deer hunt, second time hunting, and he made a perfect shot to down the 8-point buck.”
Kylee attended the deer hunt with her grandparents and mentor, Kenneth Smith. The hunting stand was filled with joy and excitement when she downed a big doe. Adrian shared that the highlight of his hunting experience was harvesting a doe just four minutes after the hunting season began. He was thrilled when his mentor, Bryan Cullen, took him and his father to see deer for the first time. His father teared up with joy when Adrian bagged the deer.
Remmy, the youngest hunter in the group, sat patiently in the stand with his father and his mentor, Jeff Davis. They only spotted turkeys about a hundred yards away in the field, so they moved to an elevated stand on a different property. While they waited, Remmy quietly observed the nearby squirrels until Jeff announced that three deer had appeared behind the stand. The deer then moved around to drink from a nearby water source. Remmy smiled widely and exclaimed, “I want that buck!” Soon, the buck chased the other deer away and stood still while Jeff quickly helped him get set up with the rifle. With a single shot, the fork-horn buck dropped right in its tracks. He jumped and excitedly said, “Dad, I got it!!”
Abby sat calmly in the hunting blind with her father and mentor, Jon Perrin, waiting for a deer to appear. As the morning unfolded, her father and Jon discussed their plans for the afternoon hunt. Suddenly, they spotted two does that step out into the field. As soon as they got into a good shooting range, Abby took a shot, and the doe buckled up and took off running. After they could not find the deer, Jon’s friend Billy and his dog Daisy tracked it down at 7:30 that evening. Abby said, “The best part of my hunt was seeing all the deer and getting one. I loved tracking with a dog who helped me find my deer.”
Tyson and his mother and mentor, Jerry Ruelle, arrived at a private property at 5:30 in the morning. As dawn broke, Tyson spotted a buck but needed to wait for a doe to appear. After they waited for five hours without seeing another deer, they returned for lunch. At 3:00 in the afternoon, they headed to a different property near a water source. As daylight faded, turkeys appeared in the field, and Jerry spotted four does coming out of the trees but far away. Tyson’s mom noticed four more in the opposite direction. The wind likely carried their scent as Tyson started to move, causing the animals to run away. However, two more does emerged from the cornfield within 100 yards. Tyson steadied his breathing as Jerry turned off the rifle’s safety. Tyson took the shot, successfully hitting the doe, which dropped quickly before the tree line.
Cameron, his mother, and his mentor, Jeremy Moe, were sitting in their hunting blind, watching the landscape, hoping to spot a deer. When a deer finally appeared early that evening, he carefully aimed at it through his scope. The excitement in the blind intensified. Cameron took the shot and later exclaimed, “Shooting my first deer was so much fun! I didn’t expect deer hunting to be this exciting. As soon as I took the shot, I wanted to jump down from the stand and get my deer immediately.”
Chase sat patiently in a shadow box blind with his father, grandfather, and mentor, Jake Wanichek. After a morning without deer movement, they went back for lunch and then returned to the blind for the evening hunt. As the evening progressed, they spotted six deer emerging into the field. Before long, one of the deer came into shooting range, and Jake signaled to Chase that he could take the shot. His father remarked, “Chase was so excited after he took the shot. We waited for a moment and then tracked it for about 20 yards. Jake did a great job helping Chase make a clean shot. It was a proud moment for both dad and grandpa.”
Duber and his dad sat quietly in their stand, accompanied by their mentor, Johl Turzynski, as they watched the sunrise. Duber remarked, “Seeing the sunrise with deer all around us is amazing.” His heartbeat quickened when he spotted a large buck among the other deer. They waited patiently for the deer to come within shooting range. When the moment was right, Johl signaled to Duber that it was time to take the shot. With the crack of the rifle, the 8-pointer went down.
Afterward, they returned to the camp to share their news. Duber’s mother expressed her gratitude, saying, “I was impressed by the generosity shown in fulfilling my son’s wish. It included our whole family, allowing us to camp together and enjoy a wonderful experience while my son bagged a once-in-a-lifetime buck. The mentors were incredibly patient and truly dedicated to helping the kids succeed.”
Congratulations to all the special hunters on their incredibly successful hunt! They bagged three 8-point bucks, a fork-horn, and six does while creating unforgettable memories with their mentors and parents during their time in their blind.
Thank you to Eric Beggs, Marilyn Beggs, Adrenaline Ridge, mentors, landowners, volunteers, and other financial donors for their dedication and participation in making this an unforgettable experience in the great outdoors. God bless!
If you are interested in getting involved, want to donate your 2025 bear license, or know of a deserving youth or veteran, please contact us at [email protected].