The Hunt of a Lifetime 2005—Brian & Carrie bag their game at Sycamore Creek Ranch.

You never know when the occasion might strike that you will have an opportunity to help someone have the experience of their life, but when it comes....jump on it. For me, it started with a casual conversation while sitting in a blind overlooking the beautiful South Texas landscape. A client mentions to me that he has a friend who lives in Austin, Texas and has not one, but two children with Cystic Fibrosis. The mother was apparently looking for a place for her son to harvest a Whitetail Buck for Christmas. I remember thinking, "how could I possibly charge this family to hunt at our facility?" I knew we could manage the lodging and trophy fees but it was going to take a lot more than that, to put it together. I asked my friend to give me some time to check into an organization that I had heard granted Hunting Trips to children with life threatening illnesses. I asked around and shortly was put into contact with the Hunt of a Lifetime nonprofit charity, which arranges and pays for dream hunting and fishing trips for boys and girls 21 and under with a life threatening, critical or terminal disease or sickness. I immediately made contact with Tina Pattison the President and Founder of the organization. Hunt of a Lifetime was started after Tina, a mother of a terminally ill child who wanted his last wish - to go moose hunting in Canada - to be granted through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. But the foundation had come under fire from animal-rights groups and discontinued making hunting a part of its program.

Tina suggested that I have the mom, Donna Chandler complete an application for both children on-line at www.huntofalifetime.org and submit it to her for processing. To my amazement, this organization not only stepped up to help facilitate this hunt but also reached out to a number of their sponsors including Savage Rifles who gave both children a gun with scope, Red's Indoor Range in Austin sighted in the guns and gave them ammunition for the hunt, clothes and boots were provided by Cabela's, taxidermy was provided by Realistic Taxidermy in Castroville and the meat processing was donated by The Buck Stops Here in Austin.

Because it was necessary for them to complete the hunt while both children were on their Christmas break, my husband and I were not able to attend but these two kids had the "Hunt of a Lifetime" at Sycamore Creek Ranch. Twelve year old Brian not only succeeded in taking his first big 8 pt. whitetail management buck, but also harvested an axis doe and Texas bobcat to boot! His older sister Carrie was on the prowl for a management aoudad and unfortunately did not get her game but was able to also harvest an axis doe.

To make a donation, to request a trip or for more information, write:

Hunt of a Liftetime
6297 Buffalo Road
Harborcreek, PA 16421

or call 814-899-5682 or toll free 866-345-4455.