# Taxidermists finish hunt by ill teens



## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

Taxidermists finish hunt by ill teens at annual Ultimate Sport and RV show

http://www.mlive.com/outdoors/index.ssf/2008/03/taxidermists_finish_hunt_by_il.html

03/14/08 By Howard Meyerson

The dreams of two young men will be realized this weekend at the 63rd annual Ultimate Sport and RV Show.

That's where 14-year-old Brandon Woodman, of Milan, will get to watch master taxidermists mount the moose he shot in British Columbia. It is where 18-year-old Matt Frey, of Smith Creek, will see his Rocky Mountain elk take shape once again.

The two active displays will be part of the juried show on display by the Michigan Taxidermy Association which has its annual state competition at the sport show.

Even better for the two lads is the would-be $2,500 tab that will never materialize. MTA members are donating their time and materials to the boys who each suffer from life-threatening conditions.

"We like being able to help people who are misfortunate," said Ken Onken, of Fennville, the past president of the MTA. "This is our fourth year working with the Hunt of A Lifetime Foundation. This year is even better because we have two big pieces."

Onken is referring to the Erie, Pa.-based non-profit organization formed in 1999 to provide special hunts at no cost to young men and woman with serious illnesses. Woodman and Frey are two of 77 youngsters from around the U.S. who were given a hunt in 2007.

The foundation picks up the tab for each young hunter and his parent.

"It was a great experience," said Larry Woodman, Brandon Woodman's father. "He absolutely loved it.

"He got to do it with another cancer patient from Indiana. They both got moose. They were hunting in British Columbia. It was awesome."

Dale Frey, who flew to Denver with his son, Matt, so he could hunt elk, said it was the first time he had flown anywhere with his son.

Matt Frey lives with an inoperable brain tumor. The pair learned of the foundation in a Field and Stream magazine article.

"We called and they progressed and did a super job," he said. "They went above and beyond, even to the point of having a separate cook at camp for Matt."

Matt Frey said he never thought something like that hunt could ever happen.

"Once I got the elk, I was so happy," he said.

Ted James, the Michigan Regional Ambassador for the Hunt of A Lifetime Foundation, said, "Every kid that comes to us and meets the criteria gets to go."

The organization formed after another nationally prominent "wish organization" buckled to pressure from anti-hunting groups and would no longer offer hunts as an option, he said.

"Not every kid wants to go to a Super Bowl or get Mickey Mouse ears," said James, who got involved with the foundation after his son TJ was diagnosed with cancer in 2000. His other son, Aaron, has Type I juvenile diabetes.

"My son TJ wanted a hunt and the Make A Wish Foundation told him no. My brother-in-law ran across Hunt of A Lifetime Foundation and it ended up both boys went on Hunt of A Lifetime trips.

"Both went to Alaska, shot grizzly bear and made the Boone and Crockett record book."

What James saw after that inspired him to get more involved. There are no paid positions in the foundation, he said. Everyone involved is a volunteer and every cent raised each year goes to pay for hunts.

"I saw what it did for my boy, particularly TJ," said James. "How it gave him something to look forward to and keep fighting. It seemed like a the natural thing to do, to work with these kids."

The MTA live taxidermy display will continue through the weekend. The public is invited to watch taxidermists put the animals together. The mounts will be almost ready for delivery on Sunday, according to Onken.

"Everything will be done except the finish work and epoxy, painting and grooming, " he said. "Then they will go to a taxidermy studio to be fished before going to the boys.

The taxidermy display can be found on the third floor of DeVos Hall. It is one of hundreds of booths at the show presenting the newest in fishing gear, hunting products, outfitters from around the country and more than 100 hours of clinics by professional anglers and hunters.


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## Ebowhunter (Apr 5, 2000)

Thanks for posting this Tom!

I was unable to compete this year but I went over on Saturday and helped some of the best in the world assemble these two mounts. 

What I learned was more than worth the over-priced gas and food. The two young men spent most of the day watching our every move.

We as sportsman need to make ourselves available for these projects more often.

This, hunter recruitment, and environmental maintenance (I feel) are our main weapons against anti-hunters.

What a positive message!


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

I was at the show for two days and watched some of the work in progress. We probably just didn't recognize each other. That happens often with a Internet network as large a this site. Thank you for your help as your artwork is far beyond my talents. Each person does a bit of what they do best. Combined our outdoor cohorts can do so much to make the world a bit better place to live.


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