The United Special Sportsmen Alliance (USSA) hosted its 23rd annual Illinois Dream Hunt from October 10th to 13th. Seventeen special kids and their parents traveled from six states to Harrisburg for the chance to hunt trophy whitetails in this highly sought-after hunting area.
The success of a deer hunt typically depends on thorough planning. To achieve this, the mentors, landowners, and volunteers conducted extensive preparations, which included planting food plots, scouting the area, setting up trail cameras, and positioning hunting blinds in strategic locations where deer had previously been observed.
In the early afternoon, families began to arrive at Camp Oxford. After settling in, the kids participated in target practice with their mentors. Following a delicious dinner, they attended a general hunter refresher course. Each child received a deer hunting license, a backpack with an orange hat and vest, hunting accessories, an award, and a warm blanket. After enjoying fellowship around the campfire, everyone went to bed in preparation for an early morning hunt.
Before sunrise on the opening morning of the deer hunt, Theo sat quietly in the blind with his mentor, Brian Walker, patiently waiting for a deer to appear. As the first light of day broke, a doe stepped into view. It didn’t take long for the deer to come within range, and Theo made a perfect shot, bringing the deer down. He excitedly exclaimed, “My favorite part was bagging my first deer. Hunting is a fun experience! Brian taught me about trigger discipline, and that jackrabbit calls sound funny.”
Mentor Dalton Brownfield shared, “This is my eighth year helping out, and I had the opportunity to guide my first young hunter who wanted to harvest his first whitetail deer. My new hunting buddy, Erik, tagged out in the first 15 minutes of the opening morning hunt. The excitement was incredible, and we created lasting memories together.” Twelve-year-old Erik added, “I had the best time on the Dream Hunt with Dalton! Getting my first deer was amazing!”
Ten-year-old JR and his mentor, Chris Spanel, sat quietly in the blind, patiently waiting for a deer to appear in the field. Eventually, a nice doe came into view. JR expressed, “I felt a lot of emotions when I got my deer—kind of sad and kind of happy—but I was proud!” He added, “Getting the deer was my favorite part! I learned that you have to aim for the top half of the deer, and how to be safe with the gun.”
James, who is 9, said, “We got into the stand, and I slept for most of the time. Then my dad woke me up because a buck had come out. He kept moving, and I couldn’t get a good shot; I thought he was going to get away. My dad grabbed me by the shoulders and told me to calm down and breathe. After taking a deep breath, I saw that the buck was broadside. I said, ‘He’s broadside!’ and took my shot. He didn’t run far, and I was so excited! I am also so thankful!” His favorite part was harvesting his buck and learning from his mentor, Britt Martin, that it’s okay to feel nervous and excited about harvesting a deer, because that’s what it’s all about!
Sydney, 11, said, “The doe crossed the field and came within about 10 yards, but I couldn’t spot it in my scope. After walking away, the doe returned a little while later, this time at a distance of about 30 yards.” With insightful guidance from her mentor, Shannon Rome, Sydney took a precise shot, dropping the deer instantly. She added, “My favorite part of the hunt was observing the deer in the field. I also learned the importance of using a red light to avoid spooking the deer in the dark.”
Duke, 12, said, “Two deer snuck in from behind me. We had to stay very still until they passed on my right. Once they cleared, I lined up my shot with my crossbow, and the doe was about 11 yards away. With a deep breath and a prayer, I pulled the trigger and succeeded. On Saturday at 6:10 PM, we found the deer 50 yards from where I shot it. My mentor, Gabe Willard, taught me about using crossbows safely and effectively, including the features of a scope and the best times and types of deer calls to use.”
Jostlyn, 12, spent the morning of her first hunt with her mentors, Robbie and Stacey Pruitt, without seeing any deer. While enjoying their time in the ground blind, she absorbed valuable advice about hunting. A few hours into the afternoon hunt, a deer appeared in the clearcut ahead of them. Jostlyn waited patiently until the deer was within range, aimed carefully, and soon bagged her first deer.
Seven-year-old Ralston shot at a buck on the opening day of the hunt and trailed it for 75 yards before losing track of it. Although he felt frustrated, he was thrilled the next day when he successfully shot a doe and found it. Ralston shared, “The best part of the hunt was getting a chance at the buck and learning from my mentor, Randy Harris, how to successfully hunt from a ground blind instead of a tree stand.”
Lucky, who is 10 years old, and his mentor, Allen Jones, returned to their stand on Sunday afternoon. After some time, a buck appeared in the field. Allen instructed Lucky to remain very still and to use binoculars to get a better view of the deer. He then asked Lucky if he wanted to take a shot at the buck. Filled with excitement, Lucky responded, “Yes!” Allen carefully lifted the window of the blind, and when the deer came within shooting range, Lucky steadied himself and released the arrow. The arrow soared through the air, hitting the 4-point buck in just the right spot.
Mentor Sean Miller and Lily’s dad spotted a couple of turkeys in the field and asked Lily if she could see them. Looking through the binoculars, she replied, “Yeah, I see them.” Then she asked, “Where did they go?” Sean and her dad said, “The turkeys are still there.” Lily clarified, “No, not the turkeys—the deer.” They responded, “What deer? There aren’t any deer.” About five minutes later, a deer appeared, and Lily lined up her shot with the first doe that presented a perfect broadside angle. She took the shot, and the doe dropped right in its tracks. Lily then assisted with field dressing and helped haul her deer out. Lily added, “I also learned from Sean how to put colored stickers over bullet holes after each round when doing target practice, so you can separate each shot from each round.”
Derek, age 12, and his mentor, John McClusky, were sitting in their blind when five does slowly emerged into the field in front of them. As the deer grazed, no buck appeared. With the sun beginning to set on the horizon, they decided to go for one of the does. Derek aimed his scope at the doe in the center of the group, and when he pulled the trigger, the deer dropped in its tracks. Derek said, “I enjoyed the actual hunt, meeting new people, shooting the gun, and the overall experience. It taught me how important patience is and how crucial it is to hit the deer in the right spot.”
The hunt was a success, with 15 out of 17 special hunters successfully bagging a deer. This event provided children with an opportunity to learn about hunting while also fostering an appreciation for nature and wildlife conservation. We extend our gratitude to the dedicated mentors, landowners, volunteers, Camp Oxford Youth Camp, and the Illinois DNR for their support. Additionally, we thank the USSA’s donors and local sponsors for their ongoing financial contributions.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to USSA’s Southern Illinois Representative, Mike Stone, his family, and the Illinois Dream Hunt Committee for their dedication to USSA’s mission of providing free hunting trips to children with disabilities and life-threatening illnesses. God bless!
The Illinois Dream Hunt 2025 was dedicated in memory of Jeff “Weeze” Seets, who cherished interacting with kids and families. He would arrive by 3:30 AM to cook breakfast, ensuring that the mentors, parents, and hunters had a hot meal before leaving the camp. Jeff was always ready to lend a hand wherever he was needed. Surely, Jeff was smiling down from Heaven, watching over the hunt from above and sharing in the joy.