This is a story that should make you slow down and think about what is truely important in life.
Enjoy.
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So, as I start this 2011 hunting season (or continue it), it really becomes less and less about the deer. I received an email speaking of a man named Marty who was placed on hospice with 4-6 months to live and wanted to shoot a buck to put on the wall for his wife to remember his love for the outdoors. In the process, he hoped to shoot a doe or two to fill the freezer and provide for his family.
Marty has his lower leg amputated due to an infection, then lost his eyesight due to an allergic reaction with the anti-biotic, and now has kidney and heart failure.
I was very blessed to spend a full day with Marty, Jon (guide), and a filming partner of mine in the blind for an evening hunt. Our editors edited this up very quick as there is more to the story, but we hoped this may put your season in its proper place in the grand scheme of life...
I hope this encourages and touches you the way his story has changed me in the short time I spent with him. We feel his story needs to be told and by video we hope his legacy lives on for some time....
If you have time please read the following story and watch the video...
A SERVE OUTDOORS HUNT WITH MARTY JAMES
Marty's Hunt Watch the Video story...
As told by his guide...
Part 1
The start of the 2011 deer season will be one of the most memorable hunts that I ever experience. The story of this hunt began in January of this year during our annual Serve Outdoors banquet. Matt Johnson, president of the Des Moines River Valley Chapter of Serve Outdoors, agreed that I would guide Marty" The Blind Bean" James during the disabled person deer hunt in September. Matt has guided Marty for three years on deer and turkey hunts. They have been successful in harvesting both. I wanted an opportunity to get to know this man better and provide him with a deer hunt. Marty and I began making plans for his hunt in August. We decided to plan the hunt for September 18th-20th.
Marty came to target shoot in August. I must admit that I was skeptical. The unknown challenge of shooting with a blind person left me wondering how this would work. We met at a local Sheriff's shooting range on a hot August morning. Marty and I started shooting from forty five yards. As we shot a three shot group, it became apparent that the scope needed an adjustment; the shots were going to the right. Adjustments were made and another three shot group was fired from his Savage 20 gauge. I was pleasantly surprised as we placed the shots four to six inches apart in the center of the target, good enough to hit the vital areas of a whitetail. We moved to 65 yards and the groups became less accurate. I was trying to sight the scope for Marty from the inside of his shooting shoulder. I later learned that the scope on his shotgun was a designed for a handgun. In talking with Matt, he advised that I should sight the scope from behind Marty's shoulder. I later discovered this to work very well. Marty and I had lunch together. He explained his misfortune of going blind. He went to the hospital in June of 2003 for an infection in his foot. Marty is diabetic and the infection was worse than realized. A decision was made to amputate his left foot. What followed completely changed his life. Marty was given penicillin to speed the healing process. Marty was allergic to the penicillin and it caused him to go completely blind.
After spending just a few hours with Marty, I was humbled. Here is a man who suffered a life changing event, but came away with a new outlook on life. I was so inspired by his attitude and spirit. I was very excited about the upcoming hunt with Marty.
Marty and I continued to talk and make plans for the three day hunt. I decided to ask Marty if he would be interested in having his hunt filmed by Outreach Outdoors. Marty agreed. I made contact with Matt Strayer of Outreach Outdoors and asked he if would be interested in filming Marty's hunt? Matt agreed and said that he would love to film the hunt. As the calendar turned closer to September 18th, Matt Strayer asked if Matt Thede of Outreach Outdoors could tag along and film also? Both Marty and I agreed to have Matt Thede join us.
Two weeks before the hunt, Marty called and advised that his health had taken a turn for the worse. He had been placed in Hospice care and advised that he may have four to six months to live. Marty was going to undergo a blood transfusion on the Wednesday prior to our hunt. His heart and kidneys are failing. His heart is operating at about fifteen percent and he has very low oxygen amounts in his blood. Marty remained determined to come deer hunting but placed a challenge on me. He advised that he would like to harvest multiple deer. He would like a buck to be mounted for his wife Melody, a lasting memory. More importantly, he wanted to provide her with plenty of venison for the freezer.
Finally, September 18th arrived. Marty, Melody, Matt S., Matt T. and I met at the farm prior to the evening hunt. Marty and I each completed our pre-hunt interviews. Marty informed Matt Thede that he would like a fourteen point buck. Marty's equipment was unloaded and placed. We sat up a table for some target shooting. Our first shot from fifty yards was placed in the center of the target. The target was moved to seventy five yards and again placed in the center of the target. We agreed that our
shooting was good enough to kill a deer. Marty and his hunting equipment were loaded into the Polaris Ranger. We were off to the hunting blind.
The hunting blind was placed in the edge of standing corn overlooking an open meadow. A Cuddeback trail camera on a nearby scrape revealed that some bucks were making daylight appearances at this location. Marty was positioned in the blind to shoot in the direction of the scrape. The group was settled into the blind around 5:15 PM. I advised Marty we would see the first deer around 5:50 PM. Sure enough, almost to the minute, a spike buck appeared in the open field. Around 6:20 PM, a small ten point buck crossed the field in front of us. Another ten point buck and a doe crossed in front of us shortly after. A decision was made to pass both of these bucks as I thought we would see a more mature buck based on trail camera pictures. As it turned out, I was right. Around 6:50 PM, a mature ten point buck appeared in the tree line sixty five yards away. He was feeding on acorns but became very alert as he heard or saw something from the blind that he did not like. The buck was within shooting range but I made a decision to let him step into the open field for an open shot with the camera and gun. Unfortunately, the buck realized something was out of order in his kitchen and chose to vacate the area. We were pretty dejected...
However, around 7:10 PM, a doe began working her way towards us. She was walking in the open field towards the scrape that was sixty five yards away. Marty and I and positioned ourselves and began to take aim. As she walked in front of the trail camera it flashed. She was walking into the timber as I told Marty to "take her". As I said this, Matt Thede said wait. He was transitioning the camera from one shooting window to the next. Matt Strayer was focused on Marty and I with another camera. The doe kicked out her hind legs and ran into the woods. I advised that I thought she was hit but would wait a few minutes before tracking her. The doe was recovered fifteen yards inside the woods. Marty was successful in harvesting a doe, congratulations were offered to Marty for a job well done. Post hunt interviews were completed. Marty advised both Matt's that he and I were going to sleep in the blind so we could get the big buck, "Mr. Macho Man". The deer was loaded and taken to the Milton Locker to be processed for Marty and Melody.
Part 2
Marty and I decided to sleep in on Monday morning as we got to bed late. We had time to waste before the evening hunt, some fishing was in store. John Hamstreet and Raymond Morris met us at fishing pond. Marty made several casts and finally decided to quit fishing. He thanked John for taking him fishing at a pond with no fish. As we passed through Keosauqua, Marty decided that he wanted to purchase another antlerless deer license at Troublesome Creek Outfitters. He enjoyed shooting the first doe so well that he wanted to shoot another.
Matt Johnson met us for the evening hunt. Matt was going to be Marty's guide as I filmed the hunt. The deer were active and moving well on this evening. We had three bucks feed within 170 yards only to leave the field without a shot opportunity. We later had three young bucks, spar(play fight) in front of us for a lengthy amount of time. Marty could hear the clicking of their antlers from ten yards away. Marty decided as the evening hunt ended, that he would like to sleep there. I advised we will get up early in the morning and go to the blind.
The alarm sounded at 4 AM. Marty was awakened. He was excited to go to the blind. We were seated and positioned by 4:30 AM, nearly two hours before sunrise. I took advantage of the darkness and rested my eyes. As the morning sun appeared on the horizon, I could see some deer moving in the standing corn. Marty was excited, but waited patiently as I would provide him a play by play with a verbal description of our surroundings. A buck slipped past us to his left as we were watching to the right. As the morning progressed, I became less confident about seeing more deer. Marty asked me to say a prayer for us. Shortly after the prayer, around 7:40 AM, a doe appeared and was coming towards us on our left. I had rearranged Marty's shooting position to shoot to his left. We took aim and I stopped her with a bleat, a 45 yard shot was fired and she ran off. I told Marty that I felt as though he made a good shot. As we discussed the shot, a spike buck appeared to our left. As I began to watch him, a bigger buck appeared to our left. I told Marty, “there is your buck". We quickly took aim and fired a shot at the buck in nearly the same spot as the doe. The buck bolted away as though he had been hit. Marty asked if we rushed the shot? I agreed that we did, but had to as the buck was nervously looking at us. I told Marty that I would wait thirty minutes before tracking. Shortly after saying this, I heard a crashing noise in the direction from which the buck ran.
Again, Marty asked for a prayer before I began the search. As I walked to the spot of where both deer were standing, I found no sign of tracking evidence. I walked the direction the buck ran and watched the ground for blood or hair. Nothing. How could it be? I was sure he hit the buck. I continued to walk the ditch that the buck ran into. I was watching the ground in front of me for tracking evidence and looking to the center of the ditch for the buck. As I came to the area of the crashing noise, there he laid on the ground. A ten point buck, my prayer was answered and Marty's wish was fulfilled. I was overcome with joy and let and a celebratory holler. I began a body search for the doe on the other side of the ditch. Sure enough, she laid in the open field. Marty now has plenty of venison for the freezer.
Matt Johnson came to assist with a very lengthy photograph session. Again, the deer were transported to the Milton Locker to be processed by Wayne Smithburg. I later heard Marty retelling his story to Serve Outdoor guide, Cork Baetty. Marty said, "I shot the doe and the buck came to see what was going on. I showed him what was going on."
On behalf of the hunters and guides, thanks to the donors of Serve Outdoors for your support. Thanks to the landowners for kindly providing your farms for us to hunt.
In spending three days with Marty, I was humbled by his attitude of determination. I walked away with a new appreciation for every day of my life that I have good health. I am truly inspired by his spirit for life. This will be one of the most memorable hunts of my life. Thanks Marty.
You can learn more about Marty and his specialty coffee company, “The Blind Bean" by going to his website at http://www.theblindbean.com
God Bless