Any ideas on how to get a wounded Marine on an Elk?

[Rob]

Hi all.

I have a good buddy of mine (Kirk) who is a Marine stationed in Tampa.  Kirk is from the area and comes back to Wa to hunt every year.  He sent me this note today and I thought I would reach out to see if anyone has any ideas on how to possibly help out one of our wounded Servicemen.  I do not personally know Eric, but I do know Kirk quite well and I know he is an honorable and respectable guy.  I am confident if anyone can help him get his buddy set up on a place to hunt this season, that he will be respectful of the opportunity, the land and the people they interact with.  Totally open to other ideas as well if anyone has one.

Kirk will be registering on Hunt Wa and will post to this thread so that folks can connect with him and ask more questions if need be.

Thanks!

-Rob

My Marine buddy, Maj Eric <<Last name deleted>>, was seriously injured this past April when the MV-22 Osprey he was flying crashed.  Both of the crew chiefs in the back of the aircraft were killed.  Eric and his co-pilot survived, although Eric sustained two broken femurs.  Remarkably, although one of his ankles and one of his knees were crushed, Eric is now walking. 
 
Eric's passion is bow hunting.  He's been out to Packwood in the past several times to hunt with Todd and me.  When the accident first happened, none of us were sure Eric would ever be able to elk hunt with us again because of his injuries.  I just talked to Eric earlier today.  I almost convinced him he could hunt with us this season, but we both know he won't be able to make it up and down the hills of Western WA. 
 
Todd and I are already trying to figure out how we can set up some ladder stands or some ground blinds for Eric but that would all be on public land.  Do you think it would be worthwhile to start a thread to see if anyone has access to some private land either in Western or Eastern WA that we could try to set up a blind and hunt for Eric?   Ideally it would be relatively flat terrain so Eric wouldn't have to negotiate any hills.   
 
Let me know what you think, I really think this would be the best therapy for Eric. 

Thanks. -Kirk

[jyerxa]

Well I am kind of a punk hunter nowadays. I just sold my Bows last month. I'll never be able to shoot them again. I only live with lots of back pain. I'm a sailor years gone by. But if he can get into the front seat of my Ranger 4x4 I can take him out to Capitol Forrest and just help with the hunt. I'd like to get one too, but.............. He gets the first two shots. 

[jyerxa]

Well.............. upon further thought. He gets to do all the shooting. I have passed up so many hunting seasons for more important things than myself. I'm not kidding. My back is forked. I can't help with anything if he gets in trouble getting into my truck. 911 situation.

It is up to him. I'll take my camera and be just as happy.

[usmc74]

Semper Fi Eric,
Send me a PM.  Don't know if my area (public) is do-able with your injuries, but lets talk.  I have a multi-season elk this year.

Few years back a buddy broke 1 femur in the spring, he bow hunted the Swakane with a cane and a bow (with success)

[ribka]

I helped a friend with severe MS get an elk last year .

I am gimped up this year but might be able to help.

[ribka]

received pm

Let me start  making calls and see if I can line up some areas

Deer might be a better option as spike elk are few and far between.

Get back to you

[GrainfedMuley]

Rob, that is a very honorable post. I personally would love to help, but I have never hunter Elk and would not know where to even begin. Thanx for putting the word out. This is a great online community and a lot of friendships have come about because of this site. Good luck with this quest. Thank you to all the people that have and are serving for us at home.

[Capt Kirk]

Rob,

Thanks for posting my request to try to get Eric on a elk this season. 

Here's the background on Eric's story and condition.  Eric was the pilot-in-command of a MV-22 Osprey.  Eric and his squadron were attached to a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) and participating in an exercise in Morocco.  Eric and his co-pilot had just dropped off a load of Marines and were departing the area when a gust of wind lifted the tail of the aircraft up and caused the plane to go into a nose down attitudde that they were not able to recover from. 

The two young crew chiefs in the back of the aircraft were killed in the crash.  Eric and his co-pilot survived, but they both were injured in the crash.  Eric broke both femurs.  He's had a number of surgeries and is walking, which is pretty remarkable considering the extent of his injuries.  Eric is as stubborn as an ox and he and his family have a strong faith in God.   He will eventually recover from his physical ailments, he'll never run a marathon or break any land speed records, but he'll be able to walk and climb up a treestand. 

What I am most concerned about is Eric's emotional and mental health.  An investigation concluded pilot error was partly to blame for the crash.  Although Eric's co-pilot was flying at the time of accident, Eric was the pilot-in-command and the mission commander.  When Eric spoke to father on the phone the day after the accident, his first words were, "Dad, I killed two of my Marines."  Even as he was being pulled out of the wreckage by a Marine Gunnery Sergeant, Eric's first concern was for his Marines.  He asked, "Gunny, no-*censored*, how are the Marines in the back?!"  The Gunny's response, "No *censored* sir, one is dead, and we don't know about the other one yet." 

To his credit, the MEU Commander called Eric shortly after the crash and told Eric, "Son, what we do on daily basis is dangerous.  We accept that.  The two Marines in the back of the plane accepted that danger and they died doing what they loved." 

Eric is receiving great care for both his physical and pyschological injuries.  As I said, he will recover as best he can from his physical ailments, however I suspect the loss of the two young Marines will haunt him for the rest of his life. 

Sarah and I flew up to DC shortly after he was medevac'd to Bethesda National Military Medical Center in April.  Back then, seeing both of his legs immobilized in casts and contraptions, there's no way anyone would have even suggested the possibility Eric would be able to go out West to elk hunt this season.  Sure Eric and I talked about whitetail deer hunting at his parent's house in late October, early November and he even demonstrated that he could make a bowstring pulling motion while he was in his hospital bed - but we both knew there was no way he would be able to climb up and down the hills of Western WA this coming season. 

I talked to Eric last Friday and I asked if he would be up for coming down here to FL for a hog hunt.  He wasn't sure because he has another operation scheduled for tomorrow, Monday, August 20th.  So he asked me how September looked and I reminded him that I was heading out to WA for our annual archery elk hunt.  As we were talking I recalled there was an outfitter on the Olympic Penisula who runs some elk hunts over foods plots and puts out bushels of apples to attract the animals into the stand locations. 

in the past, Todd and I have actually set up some treestands on travel routes but those areas would not be accessible to Eric with his current limited mobility.   And that is what prompted me to ask you to solicit help from the online community. 

I can't help Eric with his physical ailments but I can try to help Eric do what he loves to do, bowhunt.  Hopefully by getting him back out to do his passion, whatever burden he is bearing will lessen. 

What I hope to find is a piece of property that is relatively flat where we can set up a treestand or ground blind overlooking a waterhole or wallow, or travel route.  I am not asking for a handout, I am more than willing to pay a reasonable fee for access to a piece of private property.  Todd and I can get Eric there, although we have both locked in our work vacation schedules so we are looking at the first week of archery elk season. 

Thanks again for starting this thread and to all the people who have already expressed a willingness to help get Eric on an elk. 

Kirk

[CoryTDF]

We have a camp in Eastern Washington full of pretty much all vets. Army but we can handle a Marine ego once in a while . Anywho we have one ladder stand up already and I have two ground blinds that can be put out. There are several water holes that would be great for this. I'm more of a walker myself but I would have zero problem getting a few stands set up. as with all hunting I can’t guarantee success but there are elk, bear, cougar, deer, in the area and it would be a great start. PM me if you want to talk more. All the areas can be reached by 4 wheeler or truck. And as far as payment/fee is concernned that was paid the day his right hand went up. Happy to help out servicemember any time any place.

[Battle Ready]

First of all...SEMPER FI to that devil dog. I too am a wounded Marine..although I get around well. Do what ever it takes fellas...Overcome adapt and improvise...he did.

I dont have any good places anymore, but if I did, I would do it faster than a Leather neck on a climbing rope...ooh rah.

[ThePascoKid]

Have you thought about contacting Camp Patriot, this is pretty much what they do.

[SemperFidelis97]

I would also like to throw in a good old Semper Fi to a fellow Marine who is going through a hard time.  I know we have a lot of guides, and outfitters on this site is there one that may take this guy on if we could put some money together as a community to help pay for it?  I for one will be more than happy to donate to the cause if it means getting this guy a quality experience that will not put further strain on his body. 

[Rob]

Hi all, thanks for the replies, Sorry for being so late to get back to people's PM's and this thread.

My laptop chrashed over the wekeend and I was not able to get it back online until late last night.

I have forwarded all the PM's recieved thus far to Kirk (Capt Kirk).

Thanks for all the great response to this thread, I knew the Hunt Wa community would try to help out one of our men in arms if possible!

[PlateauNDN]

Semper Fi Devil Dog for making every attempt to help a fellow brother.  I'd be more than willing to assist as far as offerings to get an outfitter or guide for the Devil Dog but majority of the areas I hunt eastside are mountainous terrain and would be very stringent on this Marines injuries.  There are areas to drive around in and set-up but it doesn't sound like this Marine would enjoy road hunting but, I'd be willing to assist with a pack-out for a fellow Marine and what ever we can do to make some memories and an enjoyable experience.

[jackelope]

 

[SemperFidelis97]

 

[Labs07]

I would talk to a wounded warrior program manager in the area the service member is in and ask them about some avialable resources.

[baker5150]

Not to hi-jack a thread, but why don't service members get an advantage in tag drawings?  Maybe a point for each year served    IMO they don't get enough benefits for what they have done for our country. 

 

[Capt Kirk]

Unfortunately Eric will not be able to hunt during the archery elk season.   His Dr's believe the risk of infection and further injury are too great at this point. 

Thanks to everyone who volunteered to help or provided information to try to get Eric on an elk this season.

I hope everyone has a successful hunting season! 

[Woodchuck]

How about rifle season? I know you said bowhunting is his deal but any time in the woods is therapy for me.

[Capt Kirk]

I can ask him but I won't be able to join him for rifle season. Therefore, someone else would have to do all the logistics, get him to and from the airport, provide lodging, etc.