For two decades, the United Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) has organized an annual learn-to-hunt turkey hunt in Junction City, Wisconsin, bringing together youths, veterans, and adults — many living with physical disabilities or special needs — for a weekend that goes far beyond the hunt itself. Built on a foundation of volunteer spirit and community generosity, the program pairs each novice hunter with two experienced mentors, giving participants not just a chance at their first turkey but memories and connections that last a lifetime.
The day before the season opened, thirteen novice hunters—two adults, two veterans, one active-duty soldier, and eight youths—gathered at the Meade Wildlife Center alongside their experienced mentors. After completing classroom instruction and field training, the group was ready to head out well before first light the following morning. In the quiet hour before dawn, the hunters set out with their mentors and family members, making their way to blinds on private property. Buzzing with anticipation, many were hoping to call in their first gobbler. Once settled, they watched closely as their mentors worked through an array of turkey calls, coaxing the birds in from the surrounding woods.
The morning wasted no time. Guided by mentors Jeff and Travis, veteran Charlie was the first to seal the deal, tagging a gobbler at 6:50 AM — his bird weighed 22.5 lbs., with an 8.75-inch beard and 1-inch spurs. Just ten minutes later, AJ — mentored by Zack and Abe — tagged a tom of his own: a 21-lb. bird with a 10-inch beard and ¾-inch spurs.
Blake, 14, described the action from inside the blind: “Bill and Russ were working the turkey calls and had decoys set out. The turkeys started coming in, and I spotted two toms in the back. I watched them, waiting for a clear shot — they kept turning away — but then one moved into a good spot, and I pulled the trigger. I felt great. I’ll definitely turkey hunt again. It’s a lot of fun, and now I’ve got something to brag about.” Blake’s gobbler weighed 20.5 lbs., with a 10-inch beard and ¾-inch spurs.
Russ, a mentor since the hunt’s first year, recalled how the morning unfolded: “We got out there around 5:30, got Blake into the blind, and had his shooting apparatus all set up. It took a while, but we could hear them gobbling. Then we saw the turkeys — about 30 of them — come running into the decoys at around 30 yards. We waited for them to spread out, and Blake laid his tom down.” Glancing down at Blake with visible emotion, Russ added, “What has kept me mentoring since the hunt began is the hunter. It’s a really good feeling to help somebody who can’t do it on their own. It’s a wonderful feeling that lasts all the way until next year’s hunt.”
Blake’s dad, BJ, noted that his own father built the custom gun vice Blake used to pull the trigger — a true family effort to make the day possible.
Grant, an Army veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan with just one year left before retirement, attended the hunt alongside his 8-year-old daughter, Chloe. “We got to the blind early — it was still dark, and the ground was frozen,” Grant said. “We got the heater going and listened to the birds sounding off in the trees for about 15 minutes before we slipped inside. My mentor Mike started working the slate call, and the birds answered back and gobbled.”
Then came an early heartbreak. A single tom stepped out just 10 feet from the blind — and Grant shot over it. The bird fanned into a full strut and walked away. Mentor Mike kept his composure, reassuring Grant that the birds might circle back.
Thirty minutes passed. Mike kept working the slate, but the woods had gone quiet. Then they heard hens in the distance — a sure sign the flock was moving back in. “Two jakes ambled out in front of us, then the hens appeared about 15 yards out,” Grant recalled. “Mike told me to wait. Then, behind the hens, a tom came out strutting right in front of the jakes, cut in front of them, and I had to wait for the jakes to clear. When the tom turned and came out in full strut, I pulled the trigger, and he went down. It was pure elation — it was awesome!” His turkey weighed 23 lbs., with a 9½-inch beard and ¾-inch spurs.
Grant reflected on what the experience meant beyond the harvest: “Just sitting there with my daughter, grounded in nature — no phones, no screens, no city noise — watching animals and listening to nature all around you. Being immersed in all of that is huge. It’s therapeutic in itself. And then sharing the camaraderie with everyone afterward — that’s what makes this hunt something special.”
At 10:00 AM, Patrick — mentored by Kris and Zach — rounded out the morning by tagging a tom weighing 17½ lbs., with a 4-inch beard and ¼-inch spurs. In all, five toms were tagged before the morning hunt came to a close — a strong start to what would be a full day of action.
The afternoon hunt took off with a bang when 8-year-old Dustin — mentored by Bob and Dustin — tagged a tom at 12:57 PM weighing 22½ lbs., with a 9-inch beard and ⅞-inch spurs. Beaming as he held up his turkey with its feathers fanned, Dustin said, “I had to wait a while for my mentor to call in my turkey — but I felt good when I shot it, and even better when I saw it go down.”
Mentor Marlin set the scene for Sawyer’s morning hunt: “On the way to the blind, we spotted some albino deer on the side of the road and shone our lights so Sawyer could get a good look — a magical start to a wilderness morning. We got into the blind, and things were going really well. Then, later, more albino deer came back out alongside some whitetails. Then, about 30 to 45 minutes in, four toms came across roughly 20 acres, moving like they were all on a string. Sawyer took his shot and missed — but that’s hunting.” The group regrouped at the Meade Wildlife Center and came up with a new game plan.
For the afternoon, they moved locations, adjusted Sawyer’s firearm, and headed to a blind where Mentor Mike had seen heavy turkey activity. After a patient wait, the jakes came in with hens, and Sawyer connected on one.
Sawyer summed up his day with quiet pride: “I felt good when my parents told me I was going hunting for the first time. I was nervous and cold in the blind — but when I got my turkey, I felt really good. I took it down!” Sawyer’s jake weighed 18 lbs., with a 2-inch beard and ¼-inch spurs.
Sawyer’s father, Mike, said: “This is a program that every family with a special needs child should try to get involved in.”
Johnny, an 18-year mentor with the hunt, knew from experience that patience was the key to Jacob’s day. “The morning started the way I hoped — the birds were gobbling right where I wanted them,” he said. “But when they flew down, they went the wrong way. We saw around 20 hens and one jake, but nothing cooperated. I told Jacob to be patient.” After lunch, Johnny trusted his instincts and brought the group back to a spot he knew well. It paid off immediately — a flock with two toms appeared, though they quickly slipped back into the woods. Then a second flock arrived: 10 hens and two toms. Johnny and his son Jack worked the calls, the birds gobbled back, and just as the tension was building, Jacob’s father tapped Johnny on the shoulder. “Look in front,” he whispered — and there were three large toms walking straight into the decoys.
Jacob didn’t hesitate. “The turkey came right to us,” he said. “I picked out the one I wanted and shot it. My favorite part was shooting my tom.” His turkey weighed 23 lbs., with a 9¾-inch beard and ¾-inch spurs.
When asked what keeps him coming back, Johnny said, “This whole weekend is my favorite part — I get a bigger kick out of it than the kids do! I started a tradition early on: every time one of my hunters tags a turkey, I take a wing feather. This one is number 22.”
Thomas and his mentors, Ryan and Jerik, had around fifty birds come out in the field that morning, but Thomas wasn’t quite comfortable with the gun yet and couldn’t connect. After lunch, the group headed back to the blind for another try. “We had four jakes as we were walking in, and then three more showed up,” Jerik said. “He was able to harvest this one.”
Thomas, grinning as he looked down at his bird, put it simply: “The best part of my hunt was sitting in the blind — and then getting my turkey.” His jake weighed 15½ lbs., with a 3¾-inch beard and ¼-inch spurs.
Ryan, grinning just as wide as his hunter, revealed there had been a little extra motivation in the blind: “We had a bet with Thomas — if he shot a turkey, we’d buy him Mullins’ deep-fried cheese curds.”
Eliza’s morning hunt required a quick adjustment. “We saw a lot of turkeys, but they were 50 to 60 yards out — too far for a clean shot,” she said. “So we moved the blind up a little.” The patience paid off. Late in the afternoon, the birds returned to their favorite corner and stepped right into the open. Four toms rushed in to challenge the jake decoy, and three more followed close behind. When mentors Jess and Jeremy told her to pick one, Eliza locked her dot on a bird and waited. “As soon as he popped his head up, I pulled the trigger.” Her turkey weighed 23 lbs., with a 9½-inch beard and ¾-inch spurs.
Eliza’s mentor, Jeremy, has been with the hunt since 2009, and his sister, Jesse, joined in 2021 — a true family commitment to the program. Jesse reflected on what makes each hunt special: “Every hunt is unique. Each kid or vet brings their own personality and their own story to the table. Eliza was such a hoot — so fun, so talkative and outgoing. We loved every story she shared.” Jeremy added, “You do what you can and try to teach them a little about hunting — but really, it’s the experience that matters most. That’s what we look forward to every year.”
Derek and his mentors, Anthony and Mike, had gone the entire morning without connecting on a bird. With only a few hours of daylight left, the pressure was on — and then the blind came alive. “We spotted five toms, and after a while, three of them came in and began circling the decoys, purring at them,” Anthony said. That’s when Derek took over. “The turkeys attacked the decoys,” he said. “I waited for a good shot — and dropped it right where it stood.” Derek’s turkey weighed 21½ lbs., with a 10½-inch beard and 1¼-inch spurs. When asked how he felt, Derek smiled and said he was happy. Anthony said it best: “We have pictures of the tears of joy on his face.”And with that, the last gobbler of the weekend had fallen — a perfect ending to twenty years of making dreams come true in the Junction City Hunt.
Congratulations to each of this year’s hunters — may your first turkey be the first of many. A heartfelt thank you to the mentors, volunteers, donors, and landowners whose generosity and dedication make this hunt possible year after year. As Derek mentors put it best: the tears of joy say it all. God bless!