December Deer Hunt
Posted by Geni Payne on 10 Dec 2007 at 4:46 pm | Tagged as: Campers, Contributors, Nature, News, Outdoor Education, Therapeutic Recreation, Weekends, Winter, hunting | Printer/Text Reader Friendly Version: Print This Post
The first of two ASCCA Family Deer Hunts for hunters with physical
disabilities was held November 30 – December 2. It provided an opportunity for 5 hunters to visit camp for the weekend and hunt in a barrier-free environment. Each hunter was matched up with a hunting guide for the weekend’s activities.
The hunters arrived Friday afternoon and relaxed in their lodge before dinner. After dinner, the hunters got a refresher course in gun safety by local Hunter’s Education Teachers and the Tallapoosa County Game Warden. They finished the evening with a bon-fire and card games.
After breakfast Saturday morning, the hunters and their guide partners competed in a shooting sports competition. During the contest, each hunter/guide duo was scored in several events to find the “best shots†of the day.First they competed in archery. Each team had 10 arrows (5 for the hunter, 5 for the guide) to rack up as many points as possible on the archery target. Next, the teams competed in sharp shooting 22 rifles. Again, each team had 10 bullets to get as many points as possible on the rifle target, and 
then the guide was given one last bullet to try for a “lucky†shot on a coyote target 40 yards down range. The last competition of the morning was Skeet Shooting. The teams had 20 clays each (10 for the hunter, 10 for the guide). Each clay broken counted 5 points. All the scores were tallied, and in a very close race, Heath Butler and his guide Jeffery pulled out the win. After the competition, even our Camp Director Matt Rickman got in on the fun and took down a couple of clays.
Lunch and then a brief rest period preceded the first hunting session. We were all hoping 
for a “trophy buck†to step out on the green fields, but only a few does came out. The next morning started out by all the hunters getting out in the woods before dawn. Our let-down of the previous day was not to be Sunday’s fate. Around 8 AM that morning, shots rang out from Heath Butler’s stand. He got a buck! Not only did Heath and Jeffery win the shooting competition, they also got a deer. After l
unch on Sunday the hunters went out for a final hunting session, but the deer proved too elusive. Even the elusive deer didn’t seem to dampen the hunters’ sprits. They all said that they had a great time and hope to make it again next year.
This was my first hunting weekend here at camp, and I truly enjoyed every moment of it. The hunters and their families were great and I wish each one of them could have gone home with a buck.
Weekends like these would not be possible without dedicated volunteers, and we at Camp ASCCA’s Family Deer Hunt have the best. The volunteers who give their time and effort to this program are wonderful! Thank you so much for all you do! Now I’m so excited about the January Hunt, it can’t get here fast enough.
Did you know that Camp ASCCA is in Facebook? If you are too, please go on over and “Friend” Camp ASCCA and join the Camp ASCCA Facebook group, too.
