Rural Missouri - March 2025 - 24

RM | OUTDOORS
BEYOND
THE HUNT
Missouri Disabled Sportsmen gives disabled
hunters a shot at the outdoors
by Ricki Spargo | rspargo@ruralmissouri.coop
I
t's a cold, rainy Missouri day, deep in the woods of
Shelby County. Most preteen boys are busy playing
video games in the comfort of their heated home, but
one young hunter hikes along a muddy path, clearing
the way for the tracked wheelchair beside him. Twelveyear-old
McLain Scarborough is not your typical preteen.
Instead of indulging in normal Saturday afternoon luxuries,
McLain is one of seven youth mentors at the annual
Timmy " Taters " Smith Memorial Deer Hunt, sponsored by
Missouri Disabled Sportsmen.
" There's nothing else I'd rather be doing today, to be
honest, " says the seventh grader. " I love being outside and
being able to help people experience deer hunting is so
cool. It also lets me spend time with my dad. "
There's a deer camp just down the road in a shopturned-lodge
that you can hear before you can see. Dozens
of volunteers, hunters and mentors sit inside, fueled
on coffee and adrenaline from the previous day's harvest.
An impressive 15 deer were brought in from the field. The
processing team immediately jumped into action, working
quickly to break down the harvest into take-home
packs, while also teaching the skill to onlookers as they
go. Volunteers scurry around the lodge, checking on
slow cookers and refilling drinks. They help zip up coats
before the hunters depart and offer a laugh if they return
empty-handed.
What initially started as a small hunt for a few disabled
24 RURAL MISSOURI | MARCH 2025
hunters has quickly turned into
a statewide experience for hunters
of all abilities. With 29 hunting
events in every corner of the
state, Missouri Disabled Sportsmen
(MDS) has transformed into
a life-changing effort for volunteers
and mentors alike.
MDS Board President Pete
Eisentrager began volunteering with the organization in
2011. Today, he helps direct the chaos that can happen
in deer camp, providing guidance when bullets run low
or wheelchairs get stuck. " I'm a huge outdoorsman, but
something about this organization has always felt like
more than that, " he says. " I've seen the tangible impact
that we're able to make right here in Missouri's backyard.
Some of our hunters never thought they'd be able to enjoy
the beauty that our state's outdoors offer. We help make
that possible. "
The deer camp is intentionally infectious, with new
hunters immediately being accepted as family upon
arrival. Volunteers are constantly surveying the building
to ensure everyone, no matter their abilities, feels at home.
" The deer camp atmosphere is disappearing all over the
country. Used to, it was common to get together with your
buddies and spend a weekend in the woods, " Pete says.
" Over time, we've lost that. It's indescribable to feel the
energy in this lodge after a good day of hunting. We're able
to share that energy with people who might not have ever
Rural Missouri - March 2025

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