AUSTIN, Texas – Join the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance (ADWA) in Alabama – starting on January 15, 2009 through January 18, 2009 – for what promises to be a great way to start off the new year at the Outdoors Without Limits (OWL) Ultimate Adventure Deer Hunt. There are a few open participation opportunities left, and will be filled during a final drawing January 4, 2009. Please register for the drawing now by calling the OWL national office at 706.788.9878.
OWL’s Troy Chapter will host the hunt, consisting of approximately 100 disabled participants and their non-disabled guides in the deer woods surrounding Troy, Alabama. Approximately 31 different landowners will be supporting the hunt as well, by hosting approximately one hundred hunting teams. A scheduled mandatory safety meeting is held before the first hunt for participants, guides and landowners. Participants must also complete shooting exercises at the firing range before the first hunt. “We place safety first and foremost. With a hunt this big you certainly can’t be too careful, you have to take the extra step with every detail. For example, our guides carry our participant’s guns to and from the hunting location,” says Kirk Thomas, Founder and CEO of OWL.
The events, to be held on different days of the event, include a ‘Kick-Off Dinner”, a ‘Welcome Party Dinner and Dance,’ and an ‘Appreciation Dinner’ honoring the event’s partners, participating land owners, guides and volunteers. “Knowing Kirk, the food will be good – he doesn’t do anything small,” says Annie Jones, ADWA Director of Operations. “It’ll be the same with the hunt.”
After a hunting accident, Kirk Thomas was confined to a wheelchair in 1992, yet it hasn’t slowed him down in the least—in fact, it has done the opposite. In 1996 Thomas founded the Wheelin’ Sportsmen program, and his dedication to helping people has brought him celebrity status nationwide. “A lot of people find out about OWL through word of mouth, but also on commercials the Pursuit Channel generously runs for them, which helps to bring awareness to Kirk’s program,” add Jones. “Kirk is bigger than life, and is the only person that can bring our office to tears by laughing so hard. He’s inspiring for sure.”
“Mike and Todd Swindall, the Troy chapter, all the volunteers, the participating landowners, guides, and partners that are stepping up to help make a difference—these people are my heroes and the medicine I need to keep me pushing on. Without them OWL or the Ultimate Adventure could not and would not be able to offer the opportunities associate with the event. After all, this is all that’s important,” said Thomas.
To learn more about Outdoors Without Limits, please visit www.outdoorswithoutlimits.net . To volunteer to help or make a donation to the OWL program or to the 2009 Ultimate Adventure Deer Hunt, please call 706.788.9878. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to the growth of the deer and wildlife industry, and to help educate consumers and the youth on the conservation issues which affect deer and wildlife as well as the industry. For more information on the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance, call 877.331.8607 or visit www.deerwildlifealliance.org .
