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     Ussa Member Username: Ussa Post Number: 578 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 70.41.56.150  |
 Josh Sanns of St. James bagged a trophy buck on a Texas hunt arranged through the United Special Sportsman Alliance. USSA helps ‘wish hunt’ become reality 12-year old with heart condition bags 17-point buck By John Cross Free Press Staff Writer ST. JAMES — Most deer hunters spend a lifetime chasing whitetails and never get a wall-hanger trophy buck in their cross-hairs. But with only one deer hunt under his belt, 12-year-old Josh Sanns is already way ahead of the game. These days, a bragging-sized whitetail buck mount — all 17-points worth and fresh from the taxidermist — now gazes across the living room of his St. James home. The youngster bagged the 17-pointer while on a Texas “wish hunt” in early January. But we need to back up a bit. Like many youngsters his age, he has a keen interest in hunting. But unlike most youngsters his age, he was born with a congenital heart defect that precludes him from participating in physical activities, including hunting. “His best friends hunt and he wants to hunt but because of the serious heart problem, he can’t do a lot of the physical activities other kids do,” Michelle said. Opportunities to connect with the great outdoors was further stymied by the fact that Michelle, a single mom, had no hunting friends who could take the youngster afield with them. But on a whim, she was surfing the Web for ‘wish hunts” that enable youngsters with serious disabilities or diseases to experience the sport when she discovered the Wisconsin-based United Special Sportsman Alliance and contacted them. Founder and president of the non-profit organization, Brigid O’Donoghue, agreed that a hunt could be arranged. What’s more, by sheer coincidence, she had recently been contacted by a Madelia trucking company owner, Kevin Blickem about giving Josh a few shooting lessons before he took his trip. “He heard me on a trucker’s radio station asking for truckers who would be willing to use their trucks to publicize the USSA and gave me a call,” Donoghue said. “I did a map check and discovered he was only 15 minutes away from where Josh lived.” Blickem spent a few sessions with Josh, who had never fired a gun, in October and November to polish his shooting skills. Originally, Josh’s deer hunt was scheduled for Wisconsin, but extremely cold weather — weather that could aggravate his heart condition — put that hunt on hold. Donoghue then arranged for a Texas hunt. And by another coincidence, a woman whose husband, an enthusiastic hunter, had passed away, had recently made a memorial contribution to the USSA. |
