By: Randy Tucker
Photos by author
They’ve been there as their friends and fellow soldiers; sailors and Marines gave the last full measure of devotion. They return to civilian life with scars from their service, some visible, and many more that are unseen.
In the case of the aging veterans of Vietnam, they never got any parades, accolades, or thanks for their sacrifice, instead, they were scorned, ridiculed, and largely ignored by the nation they served when duty called.
Hunting with Heroes Wyoming is an organization that aims to help those that served and came home with physical and mental injuries that have left them disabled. The mission statement of this volunteer organization outlines its purpose.
At Hunting with Heroes Wyoming, it’s our mission to give back to our nation’s disabled veterans by honoring them with unique hunting, fishing, and other outdoor experiences. We offer a progressive healing environment where disabled veterans are welcome and supported – a community where they can discover hope again, no matter what battles they continue to fight physically or emotionally. We’re here to save lives.
In the Fremont County Chapter, there are dozens of volunteers who make the process of getting disabled veterans with volunteer guides and donated licenses in pursuit of pronghorn, deer, and elk.
Fremont County, Wyoming is a haven for big game. From the deserts of the eastern portion near Lysite and Lost Cabin to the agricultural areas around Boysen Reservoir and Bass Lake, to the foothills of the Wind River Range, volunteer guides set out with vets for a once-in-a-lifetime experience hunting animals that many people only dream of.
Shawn Steffen, owner of Non Typical Oilfield Services and Logistics, is a master behind the scenes. Steffen provides vehicles, purchases accommodations, and provides meals and any other items veterans may need for a successful hunt.
His work with a pair of young guides, Brian Tucker and Trapper Bradshaw of Riverton, provides veterans with a chance to hunt the apex American big-game animal, elk.
Tucker is the national sales manager at Hi Mountain Seasonings in Riverton, and Bradshaw is a lineman at High Plains Power. Both are avid hunters and enjoy taking veterans to the challenging foothills and mountain slopes above Bonneville and Lysite, Wyoming on Copper Mountain. They both hold a special place for Vietnam veterans.
When the veterans arrive in Fremont County, it’s not just these three men who take care of their needs and get them on game, the entire rural community near the small town of Shoshoni takes part.
Hunting season coincides with football season, and Shoshoni athletic director Max Mills honors the veterans each fall as honorary captains at one of the Shoshoni Wranglers’ home football games. The veterans don Shoshoni football jerseys, take part in the coin toss, and always receive a standing ovation from both the Wrangler fans and the visiting team.
Local fire halls are often the location of dinners honoring the veterans with standing-room-only crowds.
Over the years veterans in wheelchairs and those who are barely able to walk have taken elk thanks to the efforts of the Hunting with Heroes organization. Those that are younger, physically strong, and outwardly unfazed by their wartime experiences perhaps benefit more from the outpouring of respect and devotion the community gives them as they try to fill tags.
The entire hunting process is done with donated licenses. In Wyoming, thanks to a law passed by the Wyoming State Legislature, a Wyoming resident can donate any big game license to a military veteran.
Many people apply for tags in the Copper Mountain area for elk and then donate them, and many more ranchers and farmers donate their landowner tags for pronghorn, muley, and whitetail deer. The veterans take these licenses and hopefully fill their tags.
Even when a veteran doesn’t harvest a deer, elk, or antelope, the adventure, camaraderie, and friendship is life-changing, a catharsis of sorts.
If you’re interested in helping this organization, here is their website:
https://huntingwithheroes.org/
Randy Tucker is a retired history teacher and freelance writer from western Wyoming. He has a lifetime of experience in farming, ranching, hunting, and fishing in the shadow of the Wind River Mountains. Contact him at [email protected].