Military veterans take aim at deer

SPRING VALLEY, Wis. – Seven U.S. military veterans took to the woods at the Eau Galle Recreation Area, near Spring Valley, Wis., with hopes of harvesting a trophy deer Dec. 13.

Carrying 12-gauge shotguns and clothed with blaze orange, the veterans marched out to their respective locations scattered throughout the park with their guides. They were all there as a part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District’s third annual deer hunt at the recreation area on the western side of Wisconsin and 45 minutes east of St. Paul, Minnesota.

The one-day hunt started in 2011 as an idea to pay tribute to veterans while also managing the area deer herds to ensure the numbers were balanced with the available resources, said Kelli Phillips, Eau Galle Recreation Area park manager.

Although one of the goals was to harvest a few deer from the park, early morning fog and unseasonably warm weather proved difficult for the veterans to harvest any deer, said Phillips. She said despite the weather, the main goal was still achieved. “We were able to get veterans together, connect them with other vets and let them know they are not alone while honoring their service and sacrifices they’ve made to support the United States,” she said.

Louis Goldstein, Wounded Warrior Project alumni coordinator, said the event was really about honoring veterans for their service while empowering them to know they are not alone. He said the Wounded Warrior Project fireman’s carry logo explains a lot about what the organization represents. “Sometimes you are the guy carrying your battle buddy through tough times,” he said, “and sometimes, you need your battle buddy to carry you.”

The support for the veterans was evident by the number of people attending the dinner the night before the hunt, said Phillips. Representatives from Cabelas, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, other Corps of Engineers employees, veterans and friends attended the dinner. All of them thanked the veterans that were hunting. The Cabelas staff donated gift bags to each of the participants as a way of saying thanks for the veterans’ military service.

“At the end of the day, the hunt is all about thanking those that give us freedom,” said Phillips. “We’re already planning how to build on the success of this year’s event and make it better next year.”