I was honored to take out one of our Wounded Warrior veterans to the range. Eric Statler is a quadriplegic who is paralyzed from the neck down. We took him to sight in his deer rifle at the Sedalia Rod and Gun Club.

Statler has a mechanical apparatus that mounts to his wheelchair. With the help of the Warrensburg VA home, who had heard about our special needs hunt, arrangements were made through the VA and WILS organization to get him to the Rod and Gun Club to set up and sight in his rifle.

With the help of Keith Roland, landowner and good friend to MO-Kids outdoors Dan Vott of Whitetails Unlimited, my father Harry Hoffert and myself, we installed the equipment and sighted his Remington 243. On his third shot, he was shooting a clay pigeon at 100 yards. We could feel the excitement from everyone around as he shot and hit the clay pigeon.

We will be taking Statler on his first deer hunt since his accident on opening morning this Saturday. We are humbled by the accomplishments of this man and the desire that he has to continue being involved with outdoor activities. After being a part of this, there are really no words to explain how it feels to be a part of this and the excitement for the hunt.

With the technology available today, it is a fact that there are no limitations for anyone who wants to do anything. We have truly been blessed with the ability to hunt with eight wounded warriors this year, seven coming from Fort Leonard Wood on Friday, Nov. 16 to hunt on the following Saturday and Sunday, which I believe is the first Wounded Warrior project like this in Pettis County.

We will have a meet and greet at the KIX 105 studios with the Wounded Warrior veterans on Saturday, Nov. 17. Times will be announced next week and on the blog. Please come out and support those who have gave so much for us and asks for so little. Until next time, thank you to everyone who has made this project a success and made it possible. Thanks from Huntin’ n’ Fishin’ with Harry and everyone associated with MO-Kids Outdoors.

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