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Wounded Warrior
Wild Turkey Hunt

The Kentucky State Chapter and the Shelley Nickell Chapter hosted a two-day event and turkey hunt for members of the Wounded Warrior Transition Battalion from Ft. Campbell, Ky., April 21 and 22. Eight members of the Wounded Warrior Battalion and two wounded veterans participated.

The event kicked off with a meet-and-greet social and dinner at the Smith Farm Hunting Lodge. More than 70 NWTF members, fish and wildlife officers and volunteer guides were there to offer a warm welcome.

Chapter member Rob Spedding (a 101st veteran) and Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Collins presented an NWTF veteran pin to all attending veterans. And each member of the Wounded Warrior Battalion was presented with a cap made for the event.

Veteran Jeff Wendell, owner of Visual Taxidermy, offered to each hunter a gift certificate for a free mount of any birds harvested.

The next morning, Steven McNeal bagged the first bird of the hunt. It was his first gobbler. John Smelley also took his first bird that morning.

Wounded Warrior Daniel Dickerson, of Brunt Hills N.Y., checked in without a bird but said it did not matter. “This was just one great morning,” he said. “I did not get a bird but I heard one gobble. I’ll get one next time.”

Dickerson referred to the hunt as “camouflaged therapy.”

Another soldier said he has never seen such outpouring from a community who cared so much for their healing.
Everyone convened at the American Legion in Burna for lunch, where members of the Wounded Warrior Battalion were presented certificates declaring each of them an Honorary Kentucky Colonel. They also received an NWTF circle flag pin, a veteran’s pin, a knife, and a special edition hand painted feather by Melissa Ball. The feather had an eagle and 101st painted on it, which is the insignia of the Ft. Campbell unit.

Hunters who didn’t bag a bird that morning headed back to the woods for another chance, while the others took it easy by wetting their lines for crappie. — Pat Williams

Dear Shelley Nickell Chapter, I want to thank every one of you that had a hand in the Wounded Warrior turkey hunt. It was a trip I will never forget. It was amazing to see all the people standing in front of the lodge to greet us when we pulled up. You made me feel so welcome. I understand many of you took off work to be there and all of you gave up your precious time. Thank you. Also thank you for the meals. They were great, but made me want to take a nap after lunch. We have a saying in the Army that “if you want to get a soldier to do something, just feed him.” You could have asked me to do anything after those meals. And to Mark Marshall, Michael Joiner and William Joiner, thank you for being such great guides. I enjoyed listing to you call and learned a lot. This was a day that I will never forget for as long as I live. God bless each of you! Sgt. Jesse D. Ordunez Wounded Warrior

Porter Wagoner Conservation Cup benefits Wheelin’ Sportsmen

This June, the gorgeous Gaylord Springs Golf Course in Nashville, Tenn., was the setting for the Second Annual Porter Wagoner Conservation Cup to benefit Wheelin Sportsmen NWTF. The four-man scramble tournament drew golfers from all over the Volunteer State. Gaylord Hotels, Bass Pro Shops, Jeanette Rudy and the NWTF Tennessee State Chapter sponsored the event. Several members of the Porter Wagoner family were present to represent the country music celebrity who was a friend and supporter of the Federation.
— Brenda Valentine, NWTF spokeswoman

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