New Year Giving

ARTICLE BY DAN CHASON

I am a blessed man.   I have food on the table, a good job, good friends, healthy kids and grandkids and thankfully, good personal health.  I am not blessed with wealth or gigantic stock holdings but I do have the blessing of good places to hunt and fish.  I am not alone in this as I also am fortunate to have associates and friends who are blessed and share some of these outdoor blessings with me.

I started hunting the main property I call home over 26 years ago.  My sweat equity has been taxing but the rewards to me today are still enjoyed but my ambitions and goals have changed.

I see fellow outdoor enthusiasts that work very hard to assure that they enjoy similar pleasures.  There is nothing like the reward of a string of ducks or a good deer harvested after putting in the work required to be successful.  However, I don’t see something that is much more rewarding than a personal success when hunting or fishing.

About a month ago, I received a call from Craig McCarty, an old friend and fellow duck guide from Dallas.  Craig is active military and is also a part of the Combat Warrior organization.  This organization organizes and puts on hunts for our soldiers who have fought in combat all over the world.  Craig had a soldier who was battling terminal cancer and needed a place to entertain this soldier and his team who he battled with in Afghanistan and Iraq.  I called my landowner, Bibb Franklin, who readily approved and within two weeks, the team of eight soldiers and friends arrived at our camp.

Another phone call to my friend, Master Louisiana State Trooper and SWAT team leader, Clint Martin was received with open arms.  Clint and Craig arrived to assist and the hunt was on.   Both of these men took off work and juggled their schedules.  You would think that this is not the best way to burn vacation days but I can tell you from a personal standpoint, the reward all of us received far exceeded any monetary loss or work done for this group of warriors.

It is easy to be self serving and look at all the work that was done to prepare my place to hunt.  Our tractor work, track hoe work and the labor intensive preparation for just getting ready encompasses many hours and days of working in hot temperatures battling the elements, mosquitoes and creepy crawlers.  The anticipation of the season approaching is delayed as our focus turned to the folks that were coming to hunt and seeing that they had a trip to remember.

The first guests of the season were a group from Florida.  Not a “guide trip” that paid big bucks but again a group of law enforcement professionals that had never been anywhere outside of their area to hunt.  Again, a free trip to enjoy our blessings to be shared with friends of like minds and same professions.  The Sheriff and his staff enjoyed a great hunt and the reward we received as a guide team was that of pure enjoyment and friendship as we all shared our “war stories” and shared our love of hunting.  The food was exceptional and the relationships forged there will be one that will stand the test of time.

When our warriors arrived two weeks later, the timing was not the best it could be.  The weather had warmed and deer activity was not optimum.  Our ducks had still not shown up and we placed them in premium stands for the best chance to take a deer.  I sat in the stand with Jared and we talked about family, friends and his fight with a dreaded disease.  This was his second battle with cancer and it brought back hurtful memories to me personally as I remember the battle that my brother lost with cancer only a year ago.  Jared is married, has 4 young children and to him this is the hardest battle he has ever fought.  As a Special Forces soldier, he has been there in the heat of war and seen good men die.  To watch this man and hear the optimism and desire to live is something I will never forget.  As we visited and the shadows of dusk approached, we sat and listened to the whistle of the wood ducks and enjoyed all of the critter action we witnessed.   I left there with a new perspective.  I had not only made a friend, I had solidified in my mind that this is why I love the outdoors.  Sharing what I have to those who need it the most.  This memory is one I will never forget as long as I live.  

I have shared this to make one very important message to my fellow hunters and anglers. There are many of you who have much more than I have in terms of hunting areas or fishing holes.  I encourage you to think about giving back.  Whether that is through hunters feeding the hungry or a phone call to a veteran to join your trip.  I’ve done many of these trips and quite frankly, I get more rewards back than I have ever given.  Treat a veteran, a kid or someone less fortunate with what you have been blessed with and change the course of your future.  These proud military and police veterans have granted us the freedoms we enjoy.  There are kids out there who need direction and be taught what we take for granted.  When you begin to share and give the rewards you get back far exceed the thrill of that big buck, big bass or slab crappie.  Give.  Give until it hurts.  Once you do it you will begin not only a new year, but a renewal in your soul.  

*To share your part of the outdoors with a veteran, kid or LE professional, email Dan at [email protected]