| Author | Message | ||
     Ussa Member Username: Ussa Post Number: 539 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 70.41.56.150  |
 By Brian DeNealGuide Dave Charles speaks to Isaiah Mays, 7, of Harrisburg, preparing him for today's hunt. Youth gathered for pizza distributed by Girl Scout Troop 202 and learned the rules of the hunt at Carrier Mills Village Hall Thursday. By Brian DeNeal Daily Register Fri Oct 24, 2008, 01:02 PM CDT Carrier Mills, Ill. - Isaiah Mays is a seven-year-old Harrisburg boy with a hypoplastic left heart. He has undergone multiple open heart surgeries following the reconstruction of his lower left ventricle which did not develop properly. Mays has undergone a lot for a child and maintains steely resolve. Tomorrow he is going deer hunting for the first time and is confident he will get his deer. "It's going to be dead," Mays said. Mays and the other 11 children gathered at the Carrier Mills Village Hall Thursday listened to the speakers as they explained the rules for the sixth annual United Special Sportsmen of America Sahara Woods deer hunt. USSA founder Brigid O'Donoghue photographed and videotaped as Sahara Woods Site Superintendent Eric McClusky and Illinois Conservation Police Office John Williamson explained the protocol for next few days. There are 50 deer permits available to the 12 children. Williamson said only two bucks per child could be taken. McClusky hopes the youth will help thin the herd at Sahara Woods Fish and Wildlife Area which has not yet opened to the public. "If you shoot a deer and there's another one, then you shoot him, too," McClusky said. "There are plenty of deer. But once we shoot 50 deer, we have to stop." The record for the event is 23 deer. "I'll tell you what. If we shoot 50 deer, I'll buy ice cream," McClusky said. O'Donoghue and Jim McFarlane of the Illinois Bowhunters Society organize the event matching disabled children up with skilled hunting guides to provide the children what for some is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. "He's told everybody at school, told my sister and everybody. He's anxious to go on this trip," Michelle said of Isaiah. Isaiah went fishing for the first time this summer at Rend Lake in another charitable children's event. "Brigid called and asked if he would be interested. He has really been fascinated with the idea of going to get one of those," Michelle said. And if he does then Michelle will have a new type of meat to figure out how to cook. "I'm going to have some deer meat, I guess," she said. She spoke to Isaiah's therapist for advice on preparing the meat. Isaiah is interested in one type of deer processing method. "He's very excited. He wants to try deer sausage," she said. Isaiah's guide, Dave Charles, is ready to get going. This will be Charles' fifth year guiding for the program and he is confident Isaiah will see some deer. "Last year we hunted the same blind and a lot of deer came through," Charles said. Charles lives south of Carbondale and is a former Illinois Conservation Police officer. "I'll be coming back every year as long as I can because it really does help the kids," Charles said. Last year he guided a quadriplegic boy from Tennessee who had broken his neck playing freshman football. "He got two deer and had the opportunity to get a third, but said 'I've got two and that's all I need to do.' He let the rest go by," Charles said. The ultimate goal is to lift the spirits of the youth. "He killed two deer in a couple of hours. To do things like that you realize how much people can do even if they think or other people think they are disabled," Charles said. The forecast for Friday is rainy. Charles said some kids will stick out the rain, knowing the deer will not mind it and some will prefer to go in early. Charles anticipates Isaiah will remain in the blind for a while and will learn a lot about Charles' 27 years as an Illinois Conservation Police officer. "I can tell stories for a long, long time," Charles said. In previous years the children and their families stayed at a Harrisburg hotel. This year John and Dee Rader have made the Oxford Church Camp in Rudement available for housing until Sunday, saving costs to the program. After eating pizza, learning the rules, taking their deer permits and receiving a gift bag of hunting accessories the families went to the church camp to rest. They will rise before dawn for the first day of the hunt. -- DeNeal receives e-mail at bdeneal@yourclearwave.com. | ||
| Bob_barron Member Username: Bob_barron Post Number: 341 Registered: 03-2003 Posted From: 206.125.156.220  |
Well now my feelings are hurt! I e-mailed you @ biotec@ceas.coop on Oct 7th asking if you were coming and got no response. I wanted to help with scent kits again. Please give me a yell next year!  | ||
| Ussa Member Username: Ussa Post Number: 544 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 70.41.56.150 |
Hey my good friend Bob, I never received your email or I would have called you. Were your ears ringing over the weekend??? One of the guides asked about your “Yes-Yes-Yes” and then he reminded me of the "gift" you sent me at the past IL dream hunt. Gifts like that show true friendship-if you know what I mean?? The hunt is always the 4th weekend in October, put us down for 2009. Take care and God bless you. Brigid O’Donoghue | ||
| Bob_barron Member Username: Bob_barron Post Number: 342 Registered: 03-2003 Posted From: 206.125.156.210 |
My 10 year old grandson Hunter shot his first the during Illinois youth gun hunting season. Couldn't have asked for a better first. Perfect hit, done quick. First day of season hunting with grandpa IN granpa's new tree house! Nothing better than the look on their faces.  |
