Thanks everyone. I appreciate the compliments, but in comparison to what these people have gone through, my small effort doesn't even compare. However, if all you have to offer is one small moment in their lives, then share it and spread some joy.
I challenge all of the old gobbler teams to take a veteran hunting. I know there are vets on our teams, I think we should honor them and highlight them. Heck I'd add an extra point to every team score for each vet on your team if I could change the rules, even if it cost our team the top spot.
I will share a little tid-bit. The hunters I have guided have all been wounded in action, some multiple times. They are generally very humble and don't talk about it much. I do ask if they want to share and they usually do to an extent, some more detailed and some not so much. I had a poignant moment today has I gave my hunter and another hunter a ride back to their cabin. We had a little mix up where one of the other teams got too close to myself and my hunter when we were working a bird ( not their fault as it happened the bird was on the boundary and drifted back and forth on both our assigned territories). They finally got to close and made me uncomfortable and I made the decision to stop the show and put safety first, so I yelled out "Hunters here", and blew up the chance to get a bird. I think it made the other guide mad, but the vet understood. The hunt director supported me on safety. As we were discussing it in the truck I told them I was super sensitive to the safety issue, because I had been shot and almost died in a turkey hunting accident. Instantly the mood change in the truck. As I told them the story of how I fought for my life and the med flight and all They just nodded and confirmed similar feelings. Suddenly, I was a brother and they knew I know the other side of their story in recovery and life long emotions. Once your inside the protected circle, the strong face comes off you see the pain is always with them. Sure they have mastered it and healed a lot, but there's a part that never leaves. Pat a man on the back and give him a hug and he'll say thank you, but spend a day with him and give him your heart and he'll love you. Sometimes it's just not enough to only say thank you for your service, you got to walk a mile in their shoes'.
