Our Ultimate All-Girls Hunt was held down east in beautiful Chowan County again this year on October 30th — November 1st.  This is an annual National Hunt put on by Hunters Helping Kids Inc. hosted by the Albemarle Area Hunters Helpings Kid Chapter.  A lot of effort goes into the planning and preparation for this event and the planning began in 2008.  Thank you chapter members and sponsors!

 

The girls (6) came from upstate New York, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee with a couple from North Carolina.  All winners were drawn from the National Ultimate Hunt pool of applications.  The excitement on the faces of the girls as they arrived at the Hunt Headquarters on Friday spoke for itself.  During the evening hours on Friday, the girls met their guides, received their clothing and guns.  They also received a safety orientation and a very informative program from North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Biologist Chris Turner.  The girls were then able to practice with their rifles and gain confidence with them anticipating the next morning’s hunt.

 

On Saturday morning at 5am, everyone met prior to going to the stands.  Juice, coffee and danish were enjoyed and then it was off to the woods.  Reports began to come in that the deer were not moving that morning.  All of the girls came back with stories of seeing some but no one had scored.  However, no girl reported any dismay, but only pleasure of being in the outdoors and seeing nature at its finest.  Everyone returned for a hearty breakfast and then back to the motel for some rest.  Saturday afternoon brought everyone back to the headquarters for lunch and a program by Regional Hunter Safety Specialist Daniel Denton of the NCWRC who gave everyone the opportunity to shoot skeet with a shotgun. All of the girls participated and with not too bad shooting skills.  After the skeet shooting, it was off to the woods again.  Reports began coming in via cell phone.  Eddie reported that “we have a buck we’re loading.”  YEA!!!!!  Wingnut reported two does from Jeff’s stand.

 

Everyone gathered in front of Leon’s with great anticipation as the trucks came in.  Wingnut pulls up with horns sticking up over the side of his truck bed as a cheer went up when he stopped and the horns were seen.  Yeah, he got me with a set of horns about 15 inches wide, duct taped to a doe’s head.  It was fun and you have to know Wingnut.  The hunt was a big success as was evident by every girls’ emotion and the gratitude shown to us by the parents and the girls.  The total deer taken was 1 buck and 2 does, hoorah for Nicole and Sasha.  Everyone took something home with them in the experience of sharing with us, Hunters Helping Kids.

 

Special thanks to our sponsors, land owners, Chris and David from the NCWRC, Leon Nixon’s Catering, and most of all our Chapter members.  We made this national hunt a success because of all of you.  Please check out the pictures by clicking here.

 

Tommy Castelloe

Albemarle Area Hunters Helping Kids

Hunters Helping Kids, Inc National Board Member