Tallahassee.com/outdoors
January 23, 2009 Disabled hunters enjoy time in the woods Annual Wheelin' Sportsman Deer Hunt a big hit Column by Jerry Gerardi DEMOCRAT CORRESPONDENT It might have only been 18 degrees as the group of hunters and helpers wolfed down a hearty breakfast under the open dining canopy, but no one seemed to mind. Instead there was excitement in the air as 18 disabled nimrods made ready for a morning of whitetail deer hunting in the frosty woods. They were taking part in the 5th Annual Paul Faircloth Sr. Memorial Wheelin' Sportsman Deer Hunt on the Amos Davis Plantation near Chattahoochee. The event is a special hunt provided on private lands for critically ill and disabled children and adults. Hunters come primarily from Florida and Georgia, but in years past have hailed from as far away as Minnesota, New Mexico, South Carolina and Alabama. Participants are provided with meals, hotel accommodations, travel expenses, trail dogs and a person to help them during the hunt. Russell Smith started the hunt in honor of his uncle, killed in a farming accident. "This memorial is in my uncle's honor," said Smith. "In the last couple of years the Wild Turkey Federation Lake Seminole Spurs has taken over as the main sponsor, and 40 or so local sponsors have signed on too." This isn't a cheap event, and all the sponsors, plus an army of volunteers make it all possible. Nine deer (five bucks, four does) were taken during the 2-day event, and many more were seen and missed. Ray Krolikowski of Hilliard dropped a nine-point buck last year, but this time only saw one doe. Krolikowski, a quadriplegic, uses a special gun mount on his wheel chair and fires it with a mouth-operated mechanism. "When I'm set up it's pretty much like a gun turret," he chuckled. "I sip and it shoots." His eyes twinkled as he described touching off a round from his 300 Short Magnum rifle, then laughed some more. Chad Gerlaugh did get a deer, a fine eight-point buck, that he dropped with a single shot at 70 yards. This was the fourth hunt that Gerlaugh, from Pinellas County, has participated in. "So far I've gotten three bucks and a bobcat hunting here," he said. "I got this one today just five minutes after I got into my blind." An avid hunter, Gerlaugh said he's already looking forward to next year's hunt. Crawfordville hunter "World Famous" Mike Terranova laughed out loud when asked how he did. "I would have done fine, but my friend here loaned me a rifle with a crooked barrel," he said. Everybody at his table eating lunch laughed ... except his friend. "I did not," he protested. "I've shot that gun three times and killed something every time. It's Mike's fault." More laughter. For his efforts, Terranova lost his shirttail (as did five other shooters), a tradition among deer hunters when a shot is missed. Mike Brookins of Green Cove Springs also lost his shirttail. "I missed two does because my trigger messed up," he said as he looked me square in the eye. Then he grinned. Someone else said he missed a shot because his scope fogged up in the heat (18 degrees is heat?). The excuses were very creative. Last Saturday I saw people in the woods without limbs, on crutches, in wheel chairs, terminally ill, paraplegics, quadriplegics, young and old, and they were all having a good time, laughing and smiling. And the thought came to mind that the rest of us need to quit our bitchin' and make the best of what we've got. For more information about participating next year as a hunter, sponsor or volunteer, call Russell Smith at (229) 248-1281.