Florida PVA-ORHF Hunt Tests Veterans' Shooting Skills
Deer and fast-flying quail challenge four recuperating veterans

Northeast Florida—Combine acres of prime north Florida wild habitat that’s tended by a quality wildlife management program, some great guides, wonderful hosts, four recuperating soldiers and a handful of good bird dogs…and you have the recipe for a great PVA-Outdoor Recreation Heritage Fund (ORHF) hunt.

In December, CW3 (ret) Apache helicopter pilot Bryan Callan, joined PVA’s General Randy West, USMC (Ret.), SSG James Takes (National Guard), SGT Charles “Chuck” Bell (Ft. Bragg) and SGT (ret-Walter Reed ) Jeddah Deloria on a combination quail and deer hunt on some of the best preserved habitat in northeast Florida. Property owners have in recent years hosted two hunts a year, as their way to say thank you to those who serve the country. Their other hunt is a spring turkey and wild hog hunt.

The troops were treated like the heroes they are, as they hunted deer from comfortable shooting stands and houses, and flushed covey after covey of bobwhite quail behind some excellent bird dogs and their handlers.

The event was topped off by a surprise invitation on the last evening to attend the NFL’s Colts vs. Jaguars game that everyone thoroughly enjoyed. The lead changed hands 10 times, with the Colts coming out on top in the last minutes of the game, winning their 14th straight.

During the two days of hunting, all four vets had opportunities to take a deer and everyone bagged a few quail. And, everyone missed a few quail, generating the friendly harassment and camaraderie the troops always seem to enjoy. Callan connected on the only buck taken on this hunt--a nice 6-point buck.

Gen. West said, “Sometimes when you pick up these young heroes for a hunt there’s a spark missing from their eyes. But when they leave they’ve got it back. They find out they can still get out and hunt and be successful like they always wanted to be. It’s not only good for their morale; it’s therapeutic for their recovery.’

PVA’s-ORHF hunts are organized to help rehabilitating troops enjoy the outdoors, while they interact with fellow vets and hosts committed to helping them heal and re-establish connections with activities they used to enjoy. In some cases, participants discover a new interest; many unlock new abilities. The experience routinely reveals they are more than capable of participating in activities some thought were not possible following their injuries…even if it requires someone lending a hand.

One of the good things about the ORHF outings is that there are always people there who are more than willing to lend whatever assistance is needed, so participants can get involved to the greatest extent possible.
Sgt. Deloria observed, “I’m a right handed shooter but was blinded in my right eye and had to learn to shoot left-handed. This took away those boundaries and helped me press on. The quail hunting was awesome, it was really fun; little tiny birds moving faster than you can imagine…and any which way they want. I expected 2-3 birds to get up but 10-20 got up under our feet and one flew right at me, I didn’t know what to do. But after seeing 20-30 birds, as a group, we started laying them down and got into the groove.”

Saying that he was new to hunting, Deloria, thanked PVA and the hosts for everything. “I had lots of questions but the staff was really friendly and they knew all the answers to all my questions.”

Sgt. Bell was a hunter back in Missouri but was impressed with the quality of both the quail population and the dogs. Having just had surgery on his foot, he was quick to mention how everyone accommodated his ability to move around and fully participate in the hunt. “If you ever get a chance to go on one of these hunts, you better take it. Especially for some of our buddies who have been shot up and such, the folks here really accommodate you. It’s good to get out a walk a little in the woods. It will lift your spirits like you wouldn’t believe.”

Finding it hard to stop smiling after bringing his buck to camp, and undergoing the traditional initiation of a first time, successful deer hunter, Callan summarized his feelings about being involved in the hunt. “It’s not combat but it’s nice to experience that camaraderie again and exercise some teamwork. It’s therapeutic and it’s nice to be around the guys again.

Getting that buck was definitely a confidence builder. The second buck I saw was a more challenging shot and even though we pushed it right up until the last minute, it was an exciting and wonderful hunt. This kind of activity promotes independence and builds confidence.”

For other vets who might be interested in participating in PVA-ORHF events, Callan added, “Take full advantage of it, it’s a wonderful experience. What touched me most was other people’s generosity. It’s nice to see that people really want to help out…people whose hearts are in the right place.”

“The hunt was absolutely amazing,” SSG Takes, who had slacked off hunting when he joined the Army six years ago, said. “I couldn’t even fathom that this trip was going to be this great. It’s been the experience of a lifetime. The people here are the kindest people who will do anything for you. They go out of their way to make sure the soldiers have an amazing time. And this hunt brought back all those memories that made me fall in love with hunting so long ago.”

Commenting on the value of the PVA-ORHF outings, Gen. West said, “We try to get to Walter Reed and Bethesda [and other military hospitals and wounded warrior barracks] to meet all our severely wounded returning heroes and find out if they like to hunt or fish, or get outdoors. As soon as the doctor says they’re well enough, we try to get them out at least once. Our challenge is to not miss any of them that want to participate and the more people we have to invite us to come hunt and fish on the land they have access to, the more wounded heroes we can take.”

Injured military veterans interested in participating in future PVA-ORHF events can contact local transition units or PVA chapters. They can also log on to http://www.pvaheritagefund.org/.

Individuals who would like to help create more opportunities for wounded heroes to enjoy the outdoors can contact PVA-ORHF National Program Coordinator, Lt. Col. Lew Deal, USMC (Ret) at Lew4Vets@aol.com, (202) 371-6692 or National Marketing/PR Coordinator, Chris Chaffin at Chris@ChaffinCommunications.com, (321) 729-0280.

PVA-ORHF is currently conducting “Operation: 100,000 Patriots” a program that allows anyone interested in helping create outdoor opportunities for America’s wounded heroes to donate just $20.00  by clicking on the “Donate now” icon on http://www.pvaheritagefund.org/.

In addition to their very active involvement in promoting research to help improve treatment for traumatic injuries and helping to empower vets as they transition back into a successful post-service life, PVA also conducts a variety of outdoor activities for injured heroes, including trap shooting and bass fishing circuits, wheelchair games, hand cycling, wellness/fitness programs and more. PVA also helps injured vets in areas of disability rights, veteran’s benefits and medical services, while playing an active role in veteran’s and legal issues. To get involved or to learn more log on to www.pva.org.