In June “08” my sister Ann called. She said she had a friend who really wanted to hunt turkeys but needed help to be able to go. She wanted to know if the N.W.T.F. and I could help. She went on to say he had Spinabifida and was in a wheel chair. It might present some challenges but he really, really wants to go. I told her that I would have to meet her friend and talk with him but I didn't see why not. I would need some help with this venture and I would get back to her. One phone call to Brian and Julie Johnston is all it took. I called Ann back and told her to relay that things looked good and to set up a meeting.

In September we met in Baxter State Park where I work during the summer. Ann, Jamie and his mom Sally came and stayed at Daicey Pond one of Baxter's accessible camps. Man did his enthusiasm show! Hunting stories and questions all weekend. The first meeting went well; we had made a good decision.

A long winter was coming. Communications went back and forth. The Penobscot Valley N.W.T.F. Banquet was next up and Jamie and his family came and had a great time. You could see the desire to hunt turkey's burning in him. The Penobscot Valley Chapter had been involved in a disability hunt a couple of years previous to this. Through that hunt we had learned of a Disability - Spring Turkey season that Maine's Inland Fisheries and Wildlife administers. This hunt is for disabled hunter's and is by special permit only. The season runs 7 days prior to the regular season for turkeys. The application process for the permit has several steps and takes time. Jamie got right on it and soon had his permit in hand. Brian and I were working on logistics, a place to hunt, what type of gun to use and how to get Jamie into the field. What to use to get him into the field was proving to be a challenge; drive out, use a four wheeler, his regular chair, all seemed to have limitations. Then it happened. In March out of nowhere came an e-mail from Brian Smith, N.W.T.F.'s Maine State Chapter President. The e-mail said that Joe Saltalamachia of Unity College had contacted him. Joe said that in April the Unity College Conservation Law Enforcement Club and the Unity College Archery Club would be having a wild game dinner and would be donating a Renegade All-Terrain Wheelchair to the N.W.T.F.'s Wheeling Sportsmen Program. Brian wanted to know if we could use it for the young man he met at the banquet in February. It sounded like just the thing we needed.

April came around and the snow cleared out, time to pattern the gun. A Remington youth model 870 in 20 ga. with a variable scope was selected. Winchester 3” Turkey Loads in #5 worked the best. Jamie hit the target dead on every shot. It did become evident that we would need a gun rest of some sort.

Unity's Wild Game Dinner was on April 10th. After a very tasty dinner of wild game Brian Smith and the N.W.T.F. delegation were presented with the Renegade Wheelchair. This was a very generous gift to the Wheeling Sportsmen Program. The chair is built in Maine with hunters in mind and is solidly built with Mt. bike technology applied. The Unity clubs had it outfitted with several attachments, a blind, a fishing rod holder and a gun rack. This chair was the answer to our problems. The next time we went to target practice with the gun, Jamie used the chair. The blind proved to be perfect as cover and a gun rest. Every shot was on target again. Jamie was ready. Now all we needed was some cooperating gobblers.

Brian had secured permission for this hunt from a local farmer, John Cummings and scouting was going good. Turkeys were being seen daily with a couple of big toms in the mix. Jamie arrived early on the eve of the hunt, this evening the scouting came up dry. No Birds! On previous trips the birds had shown a pattern of, feeding and strutting in the lower corner of a cornfield. We decided to set up with that in mind and found a good place to set the blind. This location would give us a good view of the entire corner. We set the blind in the brush at the edge of tree the line with a rock wall and the sun will be to our backs. Perfect we are ready and just 9hrs, 36 min, and 25 sec until legal hunting hours.

Beep, Beep, Beep, wow that's the alarm clock, and its 2:45 am. Jamie is up and wheeling to the truck. Anticipation is building. We meet Brian at the gas station and before we know it we're in the cornfield. The Renegade Wheelchair is working perfectly as we move through the cornfield in the dark to the blind. Decoys are set at 20 yards. We are using Carry Lite's Pretty Boy and Pretty Girl, these were chosen because the gobbler has been very aggressive. We all squeeze into the blind. We're ready a few minutes before daylight. Was that a gobble? Then a second gobble comes from way back in the hardwoods. Brian starts to call sparingly. The gobbles are steady, then a few minutes of silence. Brian calls. A gobble back. It's different, he's on the ground. A hen calls, then Brian, another gobble. The games begin. An hour goes by, and then Jamie says “I see him”. There he is 150 yards out, in full strut. The gobbler works towards the corner of the field, strutting all the way with three hens in tow. Then he spots Pretty Boy and he starts coming directly towards our set up. Jamie gets the gun up on the rest. When the gobbler spots Pretty Girl set in the breeding position, the strut turns to a run. The safety comes off the Remington. 70 yards turn to 20 yards. Tail fanned out in full strut. Then down comes the fan, he lowers his head and stretches his neck and braces his feet for the fight. Boom, Jamie fires with deadly accuracy. The gobbler falls to the ground instantly, his anticipated battle never happens. Then silence, shock and in a minute everyone starts to breath again. Reality sets in; the blind is so full we can't get to the door. Out a window, around to the door and out comes a very happy hunter. Respects are paid to this beautiful bird, congratulations, photos and phone calls. Nice bird! We pack up and off to thank the farmer, John Cummings and show off the bird. Then off to the tagging station. Jamie's first turkey comes in at 20 lbs. 4 ozs., 8 3/8” beard, 5/8” spurs. The bird scores 49.5 on the N.W.T.F. scale.

Suddenly, this long awaited hunt is over. Jamie and his mom pack up as we all talk over the hunt one last time. Hand shakes all around and we say good bye. Ya know, we could do it like this next year and then there's this moose permit..............