Annual wounded veterans hunt culminates Saturday at Chehaw concert

LEESBURG — The 3rd annual Wounded Veterans Outdoor Network of SOWEGA hunt, conducted specifically for wounded veterans, got off to a chilly and laid-back start Thursday in Leesburg. A group of 21 veterans — along with volunteers, hunting enthusiasts, supporters and event organizers — got together for an informal meet and greet at Griffen Lumber around noon, before beginning a weekend of outdoors activities.

“This is our third year,” event organizer Chad Gunter said Thursday. “We have 21 veterans that are participating this year. We like to keep it a relatively small group, because we’ve found if you have to many participants, you can’t spend the time with them.

“So, we have limited it to about 20 or 21, and these guys are great. Some of them have already been doing stuff with us this morning. They were just so excited and wanted to help and hang out.”

According to Gunter, the program has been a big hit with both the veterans and local plantation owners.

“We have had at least five plantations ask to be involved next year,” Gunter said. “It’s amazing and the veterans love it. The ultimate goal of this whole thing is that we are blessed with wildlife resources here in South Georgia and you have a lot of these plantations who are having to manage their herds and the hunt can help.

“Since these guys love what they are doing and enjoy the outdoors so much, we are trying to take this hunt, have a vetting process, and let these guys come in here from the beginning of deer season to the end of deer season. Let them come in turkey season or let them come hunt hogs. It has been a great success and now many of these plantations are starting to ask us for hunters.”

According to Gunter, Thursday was “sight-in day” during which time the hunters could get their gear ready and get to know each other.

“We are not actually hunting today,” Gunter said. “Today is basically sight-in day. The guys are going to go to my farm. We are going to be sighting in rifles. We have a fire set up for them and expect to have just a bunch of good camaraderie where everybody can get to know each other. From there we will take them to Chehaw, where they are staying. We have campers set up for the guys. Tonight we will bus them over to River Pointe where we have a lot of special things planned, including some mounts from last year’s hunt and even a fully trained $27,000 PTSD dog for one of the vets. It is going to be great. There will not be a dry eye in the crowd tonight.”

During the hunt, according to Gunter, all of the animals taken in the hunt will be processed and the veterans take all the meat home.

“The guys take every bit of the meat home,” Gunter said. “It is all processed and packaged. Nothing is wasted.”

The main event of the weekend long program is Saturday night at Chehaw, Gunter said, when two bands will entertain the group of hunters and supporters, during which time the participating veterans will be introduced.

“We are going to introduce these guys Saturday night in between the two bands that way folks can know who they are and where they served,” Gunter said. “We have the band UBL playing first and then we have the band ELI from Tallahassee performing and they put on a phenomenal show.

“We are hoping to get a lot of donations that will help support this program and keep it moving forward. It’s going to be cold, but we will have a big 40-by-60 tent with heaters and we also have all of the food trucks around Albany coming. Pepsi is coming to do a Pepsi challenge. There is going to be a lot of fun had. I just hope everyone comes out and supports this great event.”