Jordan Jager
Jordan suffers from Cerebral Palsy yet bared down and put a great shot on this buck. Well today we completed our 3rd "wish" so far for this season with a 100-yard blood trail on a great 7-point. I'm way to tired to tell the story tonight but I promise to post it tomorrow some time as I actually got to be present at this hunt. The picture's not the greatest because it was after dark when we found the deer but I still think you can see the smile on 15-year-old Jordan Jager's face. Thanks to Paradise Lake Ranch and Jordan's guide Dave for a wonderful hunt.
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Josh Kittle
15-year-old Josh Kittle who suffers from Cystic Fibrosis had one wish, he wanted to have a chance to hunt with Ted Nugent. Benefit4Kids was able to make Josh’s Outdoor Wish come true. As the leaves turned their beautiful fall colors Josh and his dad headed out for a weekend of hunting with Ted at his ranch in Jackson MI. Josh’s dad wrote to us and said, “The greatest thing this trip gave us, is hope. Josh now has something worth fighting for and there is no amount of money in this world that can buy this. Steve, bless you and your organization, you have put more fight in one young mans life than I thought was possible.” Mark Austin's Wish Hunt
It all started with an e-mail sent out to 25 people at the most. “Dear friends and family, I am in need of a favor. My son Mark is in need of a smile. As many of you know, Mark suffers from a rare immune deficiency. While Mark may look well on the outside, on the inside he is not.” This e-mail message, sent out by Autumn Austin was a simple request. To send a card wishing her son well, all to arrive on the same date so Mark would know he was being thought about. It was no coincidence that Autumn had planned for the cards to all arrive on the same day as Marks appointment with one of his doctors at the U of M Medical Center. Autumn knew that the doctor was going to tell Mark that he was going to have to keep taking chemotherapy for another year and was hoping to cheer her son up just a bit. What Autumn didn’t expect, was what was about to happen after her e-mail hit the desks of some of our fellow bowhunters, both of whom are members of SCI Bowhunters Chapter. Two brothers, Bob & Neil Easterbrook took the bull by the horns and got busy writing this request to hundreds upon hundreds of people on their e-mail lists including Detroit rocker Ted Nugent, who posted the message on his web site. From there, it spread to other hunting web sites. On the day of Marks appointment, Mark returned home to literally boxes of cards and well wishes from all over the world! Cards have come from every single state and countries such as Japan, Finland, England Norway, Canada, and even Africa. One of Mark’s most prized postcards came personally from Ted Nugent, who referred to Mark as his “Spirit of the wild bloodbrother” To date, Mark has received almost 2,500 cards, letters and packages in the mail, thanks in large part to the efforts of two outstanding people that went the extra distance to make a child smile. Since then, a lot has happened. Aside from all the cards and letters from hunters around the world Mark’s family was contacted by B4K (Benefit for Kids). Steve Pray, founder of B4K invited Mark and our family out to one of the archery shoots that they put on in order to raise donations for their fine organization. The archery shoot was hosted by Huron Point Sportsman’s Club. To our surprise Mark was called up to the front stage during the auction part of the program where he was introduced to everyone in the room. It was then that Steve Pray handed Mark a brand new compound bow complete with arrows! Mark was all smiles! But Steve wasn’t done. He still had a few tricks up his sleeve. Steve hit Mark and our family with the news that B4K was donating a Buffalo hunt to the young aspiring hunter. Talk about being speechless! Mark nor our family could believe what we were hearing! Steve Pray and the B4K members made all of the arraignments. They met us at our hunt destination early one fall morning. Our gear was checked, camo donned and we were on our way. Needless to say, we quickly learned that hunting buffalo isn’t as easy as we thought it would be. Mark and our small group hunted hard. By noon we had covered a lot of ground and were still batting zero. We had spotted a nice buff several times but were unable to stalk close enough for a good shoot without the animal spotting us. By late afternoon I think everyone in our group was starting to show the effects of fatigue. As luck would have it, our guide Ed spotted our prey in a heavily wooded area. A slow, belly crawling stalk to within an estimated 60 yards was the best we could do. Mark carefully set-up for the shot. The shooting sticks he had brought along were pushed into the ground and he quietly rested his scooped 20 gauge slug gun into position. After what seemed like an eternity, Mark took the shot. The huge buff took three steps forward and looked our way, steam coming out of his nostrils! By the look on our guide Ed’s face I could tell we should be doing something other than just laying there. I think both Ed and I leaned over at the same time to tell Mark to shoot again, but he was already working the bolt on his gun. A quick second shoot put the buff down for keeps. You talk about a happy kid! Our son was on cloud nine for days! Steve and his pals from B4K are also having Mark’s buffalo mounted for him. Mark already has a spot picked out on his bedroom wall (I’m not so sure mom had the same spot in mind). Proof once again, that bowhunters (and all hunters alike) are more than just hunters. These are people that care about others. These are people that make a difference. These are people that put their money where their mouth is. On behalf of Mark, our family would like to give their heart-felt thanks to Steve Pray and Benefit for Kids and also to the Huron Point Sportsman’s Club. Without you, none of this would have been possible. A quick update on Mark. A few months ago, the doctors told us that Mark is in remission. He is in the process of being weaned off of the chemo drug he has taken every Friday for over two years and will be completely off by the end of September. We would like to think that the outpouring of love by fellow hunters has greatly contributed to our son’s recovery. Words cannot express our gratitude. Steve Pray and B4K has touched our hearts and our lives in a way that very few humans have experienced. Thank you Steve. The Austin family B4K Notes: Mark’s hunt was donated in part and held at Paradise Lake Ranch in North Branch Michigan Mark’s mount was donated by the Huron Point Sportsman’s Association’s Heritage Days Fund I was just sitting here in my deer stand remembering the first time I took Amy hunting with me. She was only four years old, but already she loved being outdoors and being with Dad. I could hardly go squirrel or rabbit hunting and not have Amy with me. Amy would sit for hours and watch her Mom and I shoot our bows and anytime I would shoot the guns you could bet your best bird dog that she would be right there with me. Her first real hunting trip was at the age of six and she was instantly in love. She sat with her Mom her first evening hunt and sat as still and quiet as a church mouse.
Over the next few years Amy became very proficient with a bow and took her first deer at the age of twelve. Man that kid could shoot, double lunged it at twenty yards. I don’t believe a dad could be any prouder than I was. Amy loves spending time with her Mom and I and would rather go hunting at her spot than go shopping with her friends. Her spot is very special to her, she and her Mom hunt the big maple at Wills together every chance they get. My thoughts move ahead to opening day of bow season 1995 and everyone is seeing deer. Amy and her mom have seen 31 deer at the big maple in the morning but have passed on several waiting for the right shot. Like so many hunts before they are hunting their special tree together. " Four eyes are better than two " Amy always says. At age fourteen Amy can outshoot every guy in camp including Dad and loves to prove it. That evening the shot was right and Amy took her second deer with another perfect double lunger. Just one week later only a few miles away Amy’s cousin Candise would follow in Amy’s footsteps and get her first deer her very first year of hunting. Amy is very out going and happy go lucky and although Candise is shy and quiet the exact opposite of Amy, they are drawn together by their love for the outdoors. Candise, like Amy strives to be the best archer she can be. Candise shoots in tournaments and 3D shoots across the state and is a pleasure to watch. Candise loves to shoot her bow and hunt with her dad Eric. Wherever you see Eric, you can be sure that Candise is close by. Amy and Candise both love animals but also understand that they must be hunted to manage them or Mother Nature will do it herself. They both understand that respect for the animal you are hunting is the most important part of hunting. They both know that you do not take a shot unless you are confident you can make a quick clean kill. They both understand that you owe that to the animal you are hunting. They are both the type of hunter any father would be proud of. Now I think ahead to opening day 1996 and I am at the big maple at Wills with Amy’s mom. I feel like I should be at my spot in the back of the property, but not today. As I look over at the plaque that Amy’s Grampa put up, I remember why I am here and not Amy. You see in April of 1996 we lost Amy at age 15 and Candise and Eric at ages 14 and 34 in separate tragedies just one day apart. I know that Amy is in a better place now, but I cannot imagine her wanting to be anywhere else but at her tree. However, I do know that her and Candise are in good spots and are seeing deer because Eric is with them. God must have needed the herd thinned out because he took three of the best in April of 96. Amy’s mom still hunts the big maple at Wills and I am sure sometimes Amy is hunting there with her. I think about Amy all the time especially when hunting and I’m glad I had the time with her that I did. I only wish we had more time together but wouldn’t trade what we had for anything. I guess the whole point of this is that if you have a son take him hunting, but don’t sell your daughters short, they may just outshoot you. Take your wife hunting and she may become your best hunting buddy. But most of all do it now because we all think we have plenty of time to do it later. But sometimes, for some people, in the blink of an eye, tomorrow never comes. |
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