History

THE FIRST HUNT, CALLED THE PICKAWAY COUNTY DISABLED VETERAN’S HUNT, TOOK PLACE ON OCTOBER 9th AND 10th IN 2010.  THE INITIAL HUNT WAS A TWO DAY EVENT AT DEER CREEK STATE PARK. HUNTERS AND VOLUNTEERS MET ON FRIDAY EVENING AT THE DEER CREEK ARCHERY RANGE FOR A SHOOTING CONTEST AND A MEAL. ON SATURDAY TEN DISABLED VETERANS THE PARTICIPATED THE FIRST HUNT AND ONE DEER WAS HARVESTED.

THE SECOND YEAR WAS EXPANDED TO TWO AFTERNOON HUNTS AT THE GABRIEL FARM ON THE SECOND WEEKEND IN OCTOBER.  THIS NEW VENUE PROVIDED THE OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE OUR MEALS, PROGRAM AND LOTS OF COMRADERY INSIDE THEIR DECORATED BARN. THE HUNT WAS MOVED TO THE FOURTH WEEKEND IN OCTOBER OF 2014 AND HUNT OPPORTUNITIES WERE EXPANDED WITH THE ADDITION OF THE CHRIS MULLINS’ FARM IN 2016 AND THE DAVE DUMM FARM IN 2017.

ON SATURDAY HUNTERS AND VOLUNTEERS SIGN IN BETWEEN 11:30 AND 12. THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EAT LUNCH, GET ACQUAINTED AND THEN GO TO THE ARCHERY RANGE FOR PRACTICE AND SHOOTING COMPETITION.

A PRE-HUNT MEETING TO REMIND EVERYONE ABOUT SAFETY, SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS, DISCUSS BLIND ASSIGNMENTS, GUIDES, AND TRANSPORTATION TO THE BLINDS. HUNTERS ARE TRANSPORTED TO THE PRE-SET BLINDS FOR THE AFTERNOON HUNT AND THEN PICKED UP AT DARK AND RETURNED TO “THE BARN” FOR A MEAL AND A PROGRAM.

THE PROGRAM FEATURES THE PRESENTATION OF SHOOTING AWARDS, FIRST DEER KILL AND LOTS OF THANK YOU’S. THERE ARE TWO LOCAL TAXIDERMISTS ON BOARD THAT HAVE GENEROUSLY AGREED TO DONATE TWO BUCK MOUNTS FREE. THEY PRESENT MOUNTS FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR TO THE LUCKY HUNTERS AND THE EVENING CONCLUDES WITH SOME DOOR PRIZES.

ON SUNDAY THE HUNTERS AND VOLUNTEERS RETURN TO THE FARMS AROUND 2:00 AND ARE TRANSPORTED TO THE BLINDS BY 2:30. THEY ARE PICKED UP AROUND DARK AND BROUGHT BACK TO “THE BARN” FOR ANOTHER MEAL AND A PROGRAM. PLAQUES FOR THE LARGEST BUCK AND LARGEST DOE ARE AWARD AT THIS TIME. REMINDERS ABOUT THE DEER CREEK HUNT ARE MADE.

THE ALL DAY HUNT AT DEER CREEK STATE PARK STARTS AT 6:00 A.M. AT THE HORSEMAN ’S STAGING AREA ON THE SECOND SATURDAY IN NOVEMBER.  EVERYONE CHECKS IN, RECEIVES ASSIGNMENTS AND HEAD OUT TO THE BLINDS BY 6:45.

DOUGHNUTS, COFFEE, JUICE, AND FRUIT ARE PROVIDED FOR BREAKFAST AND LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED AROUND NOON.  HUNTERS AND VOLUNTEERS WILL RETURN TO THE BLINDS SHORTLY AFTER THE MEAL, PICTURES, AND ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS ARE MADE.  THE SAME THREE HARVEST PLAQUES WILL BE AWARDED AT THIS HUNT. THERE ISN’T AN EVENING MEAL.

THE HUNT HAS GROWN FROM TEN THE FIRST YEAR TO OVER 40 IN RECENT YEARS.  EACH AND EVERY YEAR THE HUNT IMPROVES, EITHER IN PARTICIPANTS OR HUNT OPPORTUNITIES.   THE COORDINATOR FEELS WE CAN ACCOMMODATE ANY VETERAN’S DISABILITY.

MANY PEOPLE HAVE HELPED MAKE THIS HUNT WHAT IT IS TODAY.  INDIVIDUALS, CLUBS, AND ORGANIZATIONS HAVE DONATED THEIR TIME, EFFORT, EQUIPMENT, FOOD AND  THROUGH FINANCIAL DONATIONS.  A LOGAN ELM HIGH SCHOOL CLASS BUILT 8 PERMANENT BLINDS TO ACCOMMODATE THE WHEELCHAIR VETERANS, A PICKAWAY ROSS VOCATIONAL FOODS CLASS PROVIDES A PORTION OF THE SUNDAY EVENING MEAL  A FRIEND HAS PROVIDED THE WOODEN PLAQUES FOR ALL AWARDS AND A BOY SCOUT BUILD A PERMANENT BLIND AS HIS EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT.

OVER 100 VOLUNTEERS HELPS MAKE THIS EVENT POSSIBLE AND SUCCESSFUL.