Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Some pictures

Here are a picture of a disabled fishing trip, 2 disabled hunts, my moose and a freak deer whos one horn goes down and across his face. THANK YOU VETS FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR US ALL. <BR>Olefishhttp://photos.lycos.com/s.asp?r=tfgj8stjee94j3cfgdrbao19k0_271443

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This is the sory of the picture Bob and Wayne The drive home in 1996 would be long after the weeklong hunting trip to Jackson. It had snowed and the roads were like glass but December elk hunts are suppose to be cold and snowy. Most the elk were already on the feed grounds and the ones that lingered were either on the river bottom or hanging back were you needed horses to reach them. The truck was empty of meat but the heart and soul were full of the wonder of the hunt. <BR>No body really knows what happened to Bob but another hunter found him under his truck, with only a hint that maybe life lingered in that frozen mangled body. Retrieving the lifeless body was time consuming and the medics new that was something they did not have to spare. He was airlifted to Salt Lake in an unconscious state with no brain activity. His family gathered to see him, unbelieving that this was the man who had left them only days before. A man that had his own business, loved being outdoors for any reason and a man who loved his family above all other things. He lingered for 55 days and then he began to wake not knowing whom or where he was. For months he lingered in a black hole that made him become angry and frustrated. Not being able to walk, eat or care fore himself diminished his willingness to go on with what he now had to call life.<BR>Bob moved to a new rehabilitation program that began to push him to stand, walk, feed and care for himself as much as possible. He started to become able to verbally express himself in two word statements that indicated he would become more involved in the decisions regarding his life. He started showing interest in his family, friends, fishing and hunting adventures. So when I asked Bob if he would like to go deer hunting with me last week he just nodded his head and smiled. Our first step was to go to the rifle range and figure out what he would need to be able to fire a gun and make a good clean kill. I took my entire home made adaptive equipment box of shooting rest, a camera tripod rest, an sr77 rifle rest and lots of pads, duck tape pvc pipe and tie straps. My friend Todd helped me start with a rest and my 22 rifle. Bob was very slow at finding the target and firing the shots but they all were within 1inch at 25 yards. So we set him up with my 257 Roberts. Bob could not find the target in the scope and found it very hard to position his head on the stock. We tried several different pads and positions but nothing seemed to work. I had my 358 win Lone Eagle handgun in the truck and within 5 minutes of making adjustments Bob was feeling that he could hit the target. I set a deer archery target at 50 yards and told Bob to put one through its heart. He settled in and aimed for a long time and at the boom of the hand cannon he just turned his head and smiled at me and then nodded. The 200-grain bullet had hit the heart area dead center. I moved the target to 75 yards and he repeated his first shot. The only time the smile left his face was as he concentrated on making a good shot. Just one more shot at 100 yards to see if he was able to visualize the deer&#8217;s body at that distance and he did not let us down. <BR>I picked up Bob and his driver on the day of our hunt just after the snow stopped falling and the morning stairs began to show through the clouds. The ground was covered in 3 inches of wet heavy snow that would surely turn into mud by midday. Our spot to hunt was on the creek bottom to the south of the ranch house were lots of does and young bucks like to feed and bed down. It was evident from the start that the rest we had used would not work because it was to wet and cold for us to sit and ambush a buck on this day. I went to the shop at the house and turned my passenger side mirror into a rest/bench by turning it upside down, attaching a peace of plywood with tie straps and drilling holes in the plywood for the rest that Bob had used at the range. The deer were still feeding and we got in position for a shot. There were 3 small bucks and Bob could not figure out which one to shoot before they wondered off through the trees. I knew were they would be bedding down so we repositioned ourselves for another try. After about 30 minutes 2 of the bucks came into view and started butting heads and playing in the sunshine that was warming the morning air. One of the bucks lies down and the other stood by him next to a cottonwood tree. Bob positions the rest of the hand cannon and prepares to take his first shot at any game animal since his accident when the 2 bucks switch places. He is ready so we slip a 358 down the tube cover our ears and weight and weight as Bob tries to make the shot. When we least expect it he pulls the trigger and as the 358 booms and jumps in his hand the buck goes down. The shot had taken the deer through the heart at 97 yards doing just what Bob wanted, not to make it suffer. After pictures, hot coffee with home made cinnamon rolls at the ranch house Bob tells his story to other hunters that come in to warm up. I got the feeling that the coffee and rolls may have warmed their stomachs but the their heart and souls Bob took care of. After Bob left the ranch some of the thoughts on what defined a trophy buck seemed to have change for some of the other hunters. Bob has to be who is today and go on with life but with each new success some of yesterday comes back to life. Olefish

Thank you for sharing your story. I have a friend who was pearlized 25 years ago. We were hunting partners before his accident and we are hunting partners today. He has taken several deer from the passenger side of my truck.

Wayne, great story and pictures. Just goes to prove the heart of a hunter never really dies, no matter what the hunter is up against. Your selfless dedication to your cause has brought a new awareness to many about how important these outdoor activities are to many of us to rekindle our spirits after difficult times. Keep up the good work!- Sheister

Wayne-Sure enjoyed your stay with us and the elk hunt with you. You are doing the public a great justice with your work with the handicapped and it is appreciated by all. Yer cooking is the greatest too by the way.....Sure had a great time with ya OLEFISH and we will do it again sometime soon. Bear had a great time camping with you also. Stay in touch all my elk hunters are gone now waiting for some snow. Talk to ya soon. bcat