Eleven-year-old Arron, who has a disability, completed his hunter safety course and eagerly anticipated his first hunt. His parents submitted a USSA application, listing elk as his top choice. The United Special Sportsman Alliance quickly responded, calling his father soon after to offer Arron an antlerless elk hunt.
His father, Ruben, said, “When I learned about Aaron’s hunt, I mounted a scope on a BB gun, and Aaron practiced shooting Coke cans after work. As he improved, he moved on to a scoped .22 rifle at 100 yards using a white-painted barrel as his target. Once he showed progress, he fired a few shots with a .308 rifle. Our final practice session on Thanksgiving had Aaron shooting at a distance of about 175 yards.
Arron and his parents arrived at the Valles Caldera National Preserve early Friday morning to attend the required hunter orientation class. Their guides sent them a text message with a specific location where they had seen elk, so they set out to scout the area. Afterward, they checked into the La Cueva Lodge and later met their guides, Josh McDonald and Shawn Amburgey Cladera.
The following day, they began their hike up the mountain at an elevation of 8,153 feet, starting one hour before sunrise. As they ascended, they stopped periodically to glass the large area within their mile-and-a-half climb. When they reached an elevation of 9,209 feet, they spotted the massive herd of over 100 elk in the distance. Everyone was excited, especially Aaron.
“I enjoyed watching the elk run and hearing the cow calls, but I had to be very quiet,” Arron recalled. “My guide and dad told me to keep noise to a minimum while walking through the snow. We crawled closer to the elk so they wouldn’t see us.” Once in shooting range, Arron added, “I was worried the elk would run before I could take my shot, but the guide whistled, stopped the elk, and I made a 220-yard uphill shot.”
“Aaron was so excited when he saw the elk and even more excited when he shot it, said his mother, Tina. When he took the shot, he turned to look at his dad and me and asked, ‘Did I get her?’ And when I didn’t see her run off with the rest of the elk, I knew he did.”
Ruben added, “This was a wonderful experience to be there for Arron’s first hunt alongside my wife and Arron. Witnessing how all the practice and dedication Aaron put into this moment came together was an indescribable feeling. Josh and Shawn are incredible people who taught both Arron and me a lot. They were very patient with Arron. I also want to thank everyone who made this possible. I will forever be appreciative.”
Congratulations to Aaron on the success of his first hunt and for creating wonderful memories with his parents and guides. A heartfelt thank you to Josh McDonald and Shawn Amburgey Cladera, as well as the financial donors of USSA and the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, for their invaluable support in making these hunts possible. God bless!