The United Special Sportsman Alliance (USSA) and Adrenaline Ridge, comprised of dedicated mentors and generous landowners, hosted a youth deer hunt for eleven exceptional kids with diverse abilities in Bancroft, Wisconsin. This annual event provides young hunters aged 15 and under with the opportunity to embrace the tradition of deer hunting while creating lasting, meaningful experiences in nature.
After settling into their cabin, the families gathered for a delicious dinner with their mentors. They discussed the upcoming hunt and shared stories and pictures from their trail camera, showcasing the deer on the property. Later that evening, they returned to their cabin to ensure a restful night’s sleep in preparation for the early morning hunt.
At 6:40 AM the following morning, ten-year-old Derek was the first to bag his deer. He exclaimed, “I couldn’t believe I had my deer down in just a few minutes! My mentor, Jim Perrin, taught me how to shoot, track my deer, and field dress it. My favorite part was making a good shot!”
Scarlett, who is 11 years old, was hunting her father and their mentor, Mike Lukas. They observed several does and a small buck passing through the food plots before legal shooting hours. Finally, two does entered a suitable range for Scarlett, and she took her first deer with a well-placed shot at 7 AM. The deer ran about 20 to 30 yards before it fell. Her father noted that Scarlett’s favorite part of the deer hunt was how friendly, loving, and genuine everyone was. She learned that when rifle hunting, it’s essential to always wear orange, be patient, and make a good ethical shot.
Fifty-five minutes into the hunt, nine-year-old Deacon James, accompanied by his mentor, Kenneth Smith, successfully shot a doe. Initially, they had difficulty tracking it, so they returned to their hunting blind about an hour and a half later to search again. They found some blood but ultimately lost the trail. Deacon’s mother, Jill, suggested, “They called in a dog named Daisy, who found the deer right away.” She added, “His favorite part was shooting the deer. He tells me almost every day, ‘I shot a deer!'”
Meanwhile, twelve-year-old Ian and his mentor, Bryan Cullen, were sitting patiently in their hunting blind, observing the landscape and hoping to spot a deer. After a while, a deer emerged and began grazing, gradually getting closer to the blind. At 8:25 AM, the excitement in the blind grew as Ian took his shot and successfully bagged the deer. For Ian, getting the deer was the best part of his hunt.
With three does down, eight eager hunters and their dedicated mentors returned to the field, hoping to bag a deer during the evening hunt. Shortly after 5 PM, William, who had just turned 10 the day before, successfully shot his doe at 5:02 PM with the help of his mentor, Jake Wanichek. His father said, “He was very excited after shooting the deer and watched it quickly drop. After they loaded the deer onto the four-wheeler, he got to drive it. His favorite part was shooting the deer, and he learned to be patient while aiming.”
Masyn, who is 14, shared that his mentor, Jerry Ruelle, provided him with valuable hunting advice: “Stay calm when you are about to shoot, stay quiet, and don’t fart or snore.” At 5:56 PM, he successfully bagged his button buck and was jumping with excitement, eager to get down from the stand and check it out. His mother remarked, “I have never seen him this excited and happy in a long time.” Masyn also mentioned, “I learned from Jerry that practice makes perfect and that you have to wait and bring snacks.”
Pete, also 14, said, “We saw a lot of deer, and I managed to get a shot at a buck in the morning, but I missed. That evening, I went out with my mom and my mentor, Johl Turzynski. We spotted several more deer and thought the hunt was coming to an end for the night, but then Johl noticed a buck walking out. It was almost dark, but the buck stayed still, so I took the shot. He was about 70 to 75 yards away. We tracked him about 10 to 15 yards from where I shot him until we found him.” Pete remarked that his favorite part was the hunt itself, and he learned from Johl how to convince his future wife to allow him to go on a hunt in Africa.
Dustin, 8 years old, sat in a hunting blind with his mentor, Jarrett Morgan, watching the sun set in the west as they hoped to spot a deer. Before long, a deer came into shooting range, and Jarrett signaled to Dustin that it was time for him to take the shot. Once the deer dropped, Dustin was filled with excitement and could hardly believe he had gotten his first deer! He kept asking Jarrett, “Did I really get it?” That day, Dustin learned alot from his mentor, especially the importance of patience while waiting for a deer to appear in the blind. It was an experience he would never forget.
Before daybreak the next morning, Thorn, his mother, and his mentor, Allan Zinda, entered the blind. After failing to spot a deer on Saturday, they were awestruck to see nine does in three different fields. Almost an hour after legal shooting time began, three does walked across the field in front of them, and everything grew quiet in the blind. When the moment was right, Allan signaled to Thorn that it was time to take the shot. With the crack of the rifle, the doe went down. Thorn exclaimed, “I got one, Mom! I got one!” Allan added, “Great job, Bud!” They exchanged high-fives and savored the moment, with smiles on all their faces-Thorn’s was the biggest of all.
On early Sunday afternoon, 12-year-old Luke, accompanied by his father and their mentor Jeremy Moe, headed to the deer stand, hoping to get a deer during the last part of their hunt. Soon, they were amazed to see over twenty deer appear in the clear-cut. Around 5:00 PM, a doe came into shooting range, and Luke made a perfect shot, hitting it through the lungs. After the successful hunt, Luke exclaimed, “My favorite part of the hunt was getting my deer. I learned from Jeremy not to give up just because you don’t see any deer in one spot.”
Congratulations to all the special hunters for successfully bagging two 5-point bucks and nine does, as well as creating lasting memories in the blind. A big thank you to Eric Beggs for hosting the event, along with the mentors, private landowners, volunteers, and financial donors whose contributions have been essential in helping fulfill the dreams of these remarkable young hunters. God bless!