By Jeff Merrill
It's been a long 22 years since a diving accident left me disabled in May of 1986, leaving a C5-C6 quadriplegic. I was 19 and an avid outdoorsman. I hunted, fished and spent every opportunity in the great outdoors. Finally in the fall of 2007 my quest to start hunting again became a reality. A person may not think it would be that difficult to hunt, but once in an electric wheelchair it becomes quite an under taking. However, by being blessed with the help of my uncle and some adaptive equipment from BADF my dream became a reality.
The possibility of this hunt began when my uncle and I saw some deer on my family's property in the summer. The area we hunted is on the backside of the property near an old chicken coop and burn barrel my grandfather used when he was alive. It is a natural corridor through a small field with everything a whitetail needs including food, water and plenty of surrounding cover. My uncle and I began watching the deer closely trying to figure out the best way to approach them and get close enough for a good shot with my Horton crossbow.
We finally had a plan and decided to use a ground blind where we had seen a few does and a small buck. The blind was placed close to that old burn barrel next a tree and some brush. It blended in perfectly. We left the blind in place for a couple of weeks to allow the deer to get accustomed to it being there. While we continued to watch the movement of the deer, we noticed late one evening that there was a nice 8-point buck with light colored antlers and another buck with darker antlers. The bucks would come out with the does into the area we were going to hunt. We watched the deer for almost two weeks.
We finally decided to take a chance and put me in the blind while my uncle watched from a distance behind me. It was early in the afternoon on Oct. 10, 2007. The time was around 2 p.m. as I settled in my blind and got ready. With little activity, just some birds and rustling of the leaves, I realized what it was that I had been missing. It was the simple smell and sounds of being in the woods that I missed.
Nearly two hours had passed as I regained my senses. I noticed some movement headed my way. It was a doe and two fawns feeding their way toward the clearing I was set up on. I watched them for nearly 15 minutes and suddenly there it was - that nice 8-point buck. I checked my cell phone and it was only a little after 4 p.m. The buck was early and I was happy. The buck fed for about 15 minutes which seemed forever at about 27 yards away. The buck did not give me a good shot because it was feeding toward me. Then it turned around and started walking away. I thought it was over.
Then the buck surprised me when it stopped and started feeding again at 32 yards away. The buck turned broadside and I settled the sight in on its vitals and pulled the trigger. I wasn't sure if the arrow connected or not until I saw the fletching sticking out of its side.
With my heart pounding and the rush of the hunt flowing through my veins again, I felt more alive at that moment than I had in 22 years. The next thing I knew my uncle peeked in the blind and congratulated me. We sat and waited a little over 30 minutes and my uncle went in pursuit of my buck. About 20 minutes later he came back with my prize. The buck ran farther than we estimated. It was about 80 to 100 yards away, but the deer was down and I had fulfilled my dream of 22 years.
I need to thank BADF Disabled Hunter Services, Horton crossbows and especially my uncle for his hard work and dedication in helping me return to doing what I love most, hunting. I think my uncle got as much pleasure out of this experience as I did.
Jeff Merrill
Nortonville, Ky
For more information about BADF, contact Beth Gregory at 1-800-240-3337 or bgregory@buckmasters.com.
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