Missouri Disabled Sportsmen gives disabled hunters a shot at the outdoors.
by Ricki Spargo | rspargo@ruralmissouri.coop
It’s a cold, rainy Missouri day, deep in the woods of Shelby County. Most preteen boys are busy playing video games in the comfort of their heated home, but one young hunter hikes along a muddy path, clearing the way for the tracked wheelchair beside him. Twelve-year-old McLain Scarborough is not your typical preteen. Instead of indulging in normal Saturday afternoon luxuries, McLain is one of seven youth mentors at the annual Timmy “Taters” Smith Memorial Deer Hunt, sponsored by Missouri Disabled Sportsmen.
“There’s nothing else I’d rather be doing today, to be honest,” says the seventh grader. “I love being outside and being able to help people experience deer hunting is so cool. It also lets me spend time with my dad.”
There’s a deer camp just down the road in a shop-turned-lodge that you can hear before you can see. Dozens of volunteers, hunters and mentors sit inside, fueled on coffee and adrenaline from the previous day’s harvest. An impressive 15 deer were brought in from the field. The processing team immediately jumped into action, working quickly to break down the harvest into take-home packs, while also teaching the skill to onlookers as they go. Volunteers scurry around the lodge, checking on slow cookers and refilling drinks. They help zip up coats before the hunters depart and offer a laugh if they return empty-handed.
What initially started as a small hunt for a few disabled hunters has quickly turned into a statewide experience for hunters of all abilities. With 29 hunting events in every corner of the state, Missouri Disabled Sportsmen (MDS) has transformed into a life-changing effort for volunteers and mentors alike.
MDS Board President Pete Eisentrager began volunteering with the organization in 2011. Today, he helps direct the chaos that can happen in deer camp, providing guidance when bullets run low or wheelchairs get stuck. “I’m a huge outdoorsman, but something about this organization has always felt like more than that,” he says. “I’ve seen the tangible impact that we’re able to make right here in Missouri’s backyard. Some of our hunters never thought they’d be able to enjoy the beauty that our state’s outdoors offer. We help make that possible.”
The deer camp is intentionally infectious, with new hunters immediately being accepted as family upon arrival. Volunteers are constantly surveying the building to ensure everyone, no matter their abilities, feels at home. “The deer camp atmosphere is disappearing all over the country. Used to, it was common to get together with your buddies and spend a weekend in the woods,” Pete says. “Over time, we’ve lost that. It’s indescribable to feel the energy in this lodge after a good day of hunting. We’re able to share that energy with people who might not have ever experienced it otherwise.”
Creating this culture in camp isn’t without its challenges. There are sometimes hesitations that can come with introducing hunters of all abilities to new environments. Pete and his team do their best to remove obstacles. The planning process for each hunt is thorough, involving many calls with the Missouri Department of Conservation, landowners and the hunters. Through their years of orchestrating hunts, MDS has acquired several pieces of disability-friendly hunting gear, such as tracked wheelchairs and self-turning blinds. The goal is to provide the best hunt possible, while also giving hunters a taste of the outdoors.
“We have great partnerships with landowners, and we know the land well, so we’re expecting success in the field,” says Pete. “That’s not what we’re here for. It’s the camaraderie, the environment and the family that’s built in deer camp that keeps people coming back. Pulling the trigger is just icing on the cake.”
A successful hunt is summarized not only by the deer count tally-marks on a stained whiteboard at the front of the room, but by the quality of time had together. It takes an army to accomplish that task, but many hands make light work.
“We have volunteers who never leave the lodge. That’s not their priority. Each person in our building has a purpose in being there,” says Rob Gerling, longtime MDS volunteer and director of testing services for Missouri Electric Cooperatives. “This is life-changing not only for the hunters, but for our volunteers as well. Our hunts have grown into something unimaginable, so anyone with a passion for the outdoors or for giving back is welcomed at our hunts.”
For hunter Vincent Houseman, the family atmosphere means more than words can say. “I have anxiety and depression, but they didn’t let that, or my disability, keep me from participating. They just worked around it,” says the 19-year-old. “They carried me to the blind when my wheelchair couldn’t get in there. It really showed me that anyone who has different conditions can hunt and be in the outdoors.”
The hunts are based in education, teaching hunters both young and old about gun safety, animal processing, outdoorsmanship and most importantly, compassion. McLain spends his Saturday afternoon in a wheelchair-friendly blind, mentoring the hunter beside him. They share a bag of snacks and discuss the upcoming football postseason, while watching the woods in front of them for light brown deer.
“The young kids are put in an environment where they are encouraged to interact and assist individuals with mobility impairments. Our goal is to help them become conscious, compassionate adults,” says Pete. “So many people, let alone kids, don’t understand the luxury that is being able to move freely and experience the outdoors. We’re trying to break that barrier, one hunt at a time.”
For outdoor enthusiasts interested in volunteering or hunting with Missouri Disabled Sportsmen, find them on Facebook or contact the organization via email at missouridisabledsportsmen@gmail.com. MDS is a nonprofit and accepts donations at: missouridisabledsportsmen.org/get-involved.