Rural Missouri - January 2024 - 42

photos courtesy Matt Miles
Left: Doug would have been content with just getting back in the woods, but came away with a young doe he shot just before dark. His mentor,
Matt, did the tracking, field dressed the deer and had it processed for Doug. Right: Doug's weathered hands contrast with the thick coat on the
doe. His success in the woods, and the success of others involved in the senior hunts, proves you are never too old to hunt.
the Missouri Department of Conservation, the Missouri
Baptist Homes held its first senior hunt in September
2022 with the Arcadia Valley campus. Two other homes in
Ozark and Ashland also hosted hunts. No one got a deer,
but it didn't matter.
" We had one gal, this deer popped up 30 yards from her
and she was so excited she started clapping. Well, that
was the end of the deer. But it was delightful. Everybody
was having such a great time, " Rodney says.
He tells about a retired pastor who lives at the Arcadia
Valley home. The man had lost his wife and had given up
on life. He had to be talked into joining the hunt. " He said
through this event God showed him that he brought him
here to live and not die. And now he's leading weekly Bible
studies. He going to the pond every weekend. He's organized
fishing trips. This is reactivating seniors. "
In 2023 the Tri-County home in Vandalia joined the
program. The goal is to get all nine homes involved while
building on the lessons learned in past hunts. " Last year
was kind of extemporaneous, " Rodney says. " This year
we've had dozens and dozens of volunteers coming in,
and they've helped us put in food plots. They've helped us
organize some burns and invasive weed control and with
doing a little better blind placement. So, it's a growing
event. And that's fascinating. "
One of those who offered to help is Matt Miles, a Webster
Electric Cooperative member who lives near Fordland
on a beautiful piece of Ozark woodland complete with
native grass pasture and a spring that runs out of a cave
to form a trout pond. Matt read about the senior hunts in
Missouri Conservationist and quickly invited Rodney out to
his home to see how he could help.
" When I showed up at his house I realized this is Matt
Miles, the wildlife photographer, " Rodney says. " I followed
his photography for years. What he wanted to do is help
the residents have a high probability of success. "
42 RURAL MISSOURI | JANUARY 2023
Matt's land is managed for deer and other wildlife. He's
photographed everything from black bears to bobcats
there, and knew it teemed with deer. His plan was to host
a one-on-one hunt.
" We're really blessed to have this place, " Matt says.
" And I want it to be a blessing to others. Whether it's
someone of Doug's age or some youngster who is just
starting out, I just thought it would be neat to mentor
people here on this property. "
Thanks to volunteers like Matt, the 2023 senior hunt
was successful in more ways than one. On Nov. 20-21, the
Ozark campus held its senior deer hunt with Doug and
three other hunters taking part. Doug had already filled
his any-deer tag, so could only hunt for does. Unfortunately
for Doug, he saw 18 bucks, some from as close as
25 yards, but no does.
However, the other three hunters, including one 94
years old, took deer that day. Other hunts took place in
December with the Vandalia and Ashland campuses. One
hunter told Pam Workman, Ozark campus administrator,
" This is the happiest I've been in years. "
Rodney says Baptist Homes is committed to continuing
the senior hunts. He tells of one resident who
returned from a hunt and went door to door telling of her
experience. That led to an indoor hunt using Nerf guns.
" The laughter in that building was just contagious, " he
says. " Everyone was getting involved, the staff and the
residents. There was not a dry eye as the
seniors realized 'we're living.' "
Fordland
For more information about Missouri
Baptist Homes Healthcare Ministries,
visit www.bhhm.org or call
866-454-2709. You can learn more
about the National Deer Association
at www.deerassociation.com.

http://www.bhhm.org http://www.deerassociation.com

Rural Missouri - January 2024

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