Collaboration Call for handicapped hunter

[EZ]

This was a project that I was very proud to be a part of. It started off with a request for "help" from another hunting forum. The fellow, TJ, explained that he was looking for a Wingbone or trumpet as he really wanted to kill a turkey using one of these instruments. The catch was, due to a motorcycle accident 10 years ago, he is a quadriplegic.

He has been hunting with the help of an electric wheelchair and a special gun mount that both operate with a chin joy stick, a blind and help from some very good folks. He has also killed two beautiful longbeards, calling them with a mouth call. Now, he wanted the challenge of using a yelper. I told him I was in!!! I wasn't sure exactly what I was going to build, but I wanted more than anything to help this guy out. We talked on the phone and I found out a little more about him. His optimism was through the roof.

Next thing I did was call my good buddy and callmaker, Lee Bowles, to tell him about the project and get his input. Any one who knows Lee, knows he is wheelchair bound from a car accident many years ago, but he's still a turkey killer and very excited to help out. We figured between the two of us that we could come up with something. We figured a cane yelper would be the easiest to mount. It would have to also have some kind of baffle on the end since TJ could not use his hands. I built a nice sounding Jordan and talked with Lee on what the baffle should be like. He turned a little proto type baffle and I traveled down to his shop to try it out. That was the ticket, so a week later, I went down to his shop and he turned a beautiful Mulberry (that Lee describes as "hateful") baffle and then we made an end cap. I finished the call and baffle with a mahogany stain and epoxy finish.

Lee and I had made plans to get together to clean some Wingbones the next Sunday. Since TJ lived about half an hour from Lee we figured, if it's alright with TJ that we could go down and meet him and present him with his call. I called TJ and it was a go!  After meeting this man and seeing the excitement and appreciation that he had, Lee and I felt truly blessed by our beautiful visit. What an inspiration he was to us with his desire get out there and do it!
We can't wait to get a pic from TJ with a gobbler....God Bless him.

Here's some pics of the call as well as TJ and Lee an TJ and me.

[Sir-diealot]

Love this story, great to see how we all come together as sportsmen/women to help one of our own. You guys came up with a neat little instrument there, hope you will update us on how his season turns out. I would like to hear it one day as well.

[NCbowjunkie]

I've had the pleasure to be beside Tony and Lee at Unicoi and both are great guys. Glad to see the 2 hunt on a project like this. Hope TJ harvests a bird with that call. ? to Lee and Toney  well done

[paboxcall]

 

Nice job you guys, well done! That is a killer yelper you guys designed and built. Congrats to you and TJ! Look forward to reading stories about this call in the year to come.

[KentuckyHeadhunter]

Great story and great job Tony.  Glad you could get Lee involved also. 

[Mathews.1]

Awesome story Tony. People like you and Lee is what makes this sport great.

[sbbow]

Fantastic job on all parts! Great story too


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[outdoors]

That's great ....... 

[Chris O]

I've had the pleasure to be beside Tony and Lee at Unicoi and both are great guys. Glad to see the 2 hunt on a project like this. Hope TJ harvests a bird with that call. ? to Lee and Toney  well done

I agree great job

[greentag]

That's an awesome story and great gesture from you guys,beautiful call too,I bet he can't wait to get one with it..it's great that he still gets after them,and for him to want to make it even more challenging by learning a yelper is great,I hope he gets a big ole limb hanger  with it.

[Sir-diealot]

I've had the pleasure to be beside Tony and Lee at Unicoi and both are great guys. Glad to see the 2 hunt on a project like this. Hope TJ harvests a bird with that call. ? to Lee and Toney  well done

I got to meet them both last August at the The NorthEast Call Makers Summit and I agree, both very nice guys. I already had a yelper from Tony and picked up a nice scratch box from Lee.

[gergg]

Awesome project!

[perrytrails]

Very nice of you both to help him.
As my wife says, your earning your wings

[crow]

This is one of the best turkey call stories I have ever heard.

Great job to you both on designing this call to over come the challenges of how TJ will need to use it.
Beautiful craftsmanship on a great looking call

Best success to TJ in using it to hunt this spring season

Well done

[Jfowler82]

Unreal ! That's is a awesome story and yelper ! I know that thing will sing a tune ! Good luck I hope he bags an old boss gobbler with it !