About Mike

Hometown: Ruckersville, Va.
Hometown Chapter: Central Virginia Chapter, Gordonsville
NWTF Involvement: Mike has been an NWTF member for 10 years and is the Virginia Wheelin’ Sportsmen coordinator. When not working as a technical advisor, Mike enjoys hunting, fishing and spending time with his family.

Q&A with Mike Deane

This self-described average country boy credits his parents for his love of the outdoors and volunteerism, and he credits Wheelin’ Sportsmen with giving him some of his best friends.

NWTF: How did you start guiding for Wheelin’ Sportsmen outreach hunts?

Mike Deane: I am just a guy who likes to hunt, so I had never done the guiding thing before. But I work with Robin Clark, NWTF Virginia State Chapter president, and when he found out how much I love to hunt, he asked me to guide for one of his turkey hunting events.

The hunter I teamed up with on the first hunt had been injured in a motorcycle accident and was an amputee from the knee down. After we made it to our hunting location, I made an owl hoot, and as if on command, we got hammered. I thought to myself, “I hope he is impressed, because I am shocked!” I gave the bird a few calls, it responded, and all of a sudden, I was a heck of a guide! I don’t know how long it actually took, but this bird came in on a string just like he had read a script. And once it did, my hunter did his job and dropped the hammer on the bird.

What really got me was, for a split second out of excitement, the hunter started to jump up; he had forgotten his disability and had to regroup. That struck a nerve with me, and I realized that this guy was a hunter just like me. We admired his bird and high-fived each other. From that day forward, I have been hooked.

NWTF: What motivates you to donate so much of your time to Wheelin’ Sportsmen events?

MD: Seeing how happy the participants are just to get out and do things that you and I take for granted every day. We held a fishing event for a retirement home last year. I asked a few of the ladies if they were ready to fish, and they said, “Nah, we just want to sit back and enjoy the beauty of this place.” So the bottom line is, some of these participants are just glad to get outside and get a breath of fresh air.

NWTF: Do you have a special memory from a Wheelin’ Sportsmen NWTF hunt?

"When you help people get back to the outdoors, you can’t help but benefit from it. You learn what patience really is and realize just how many things we take for granted."
— Mike Deane

MD: I guide for this one guy, Blake, who will always be special to me. One particular morning, for whatever reason, I could not buy a gobble. But every other creature in the area that could fly, crawl or walk came by our blind. It was late morning when a turtle walked by the blind and without missing a beat, Blake said, “You can call everything in except a turkey, can’t you?” I got the biggest laugh out of that! I finally got to connect on a bird with Blake last year, and up to this point, it is my most special bird.

NWTF: What a great story! What benefits do able-bodied hunters get from helping people with disabilities get back outdoors?

MD: I am just your average country boy who had two awesome parents who taught me to respect and help others without always expecting something in return. But when you help people get back to the outdoors, you can’t help but benefit from it. You learn what patience really is and realize just how many things we take for granted.

No matter how much time you volunteer, I promise it will be appreciated. And you meet so many great people; I have met some of my best friends through the Wheelin’ Sportsmen NWTF program. For me, this has been a truly rewarding experience. — Melanie Swearingen