Hunting with Heroes set for September

The 2019 Hunting with Heroes event is planned for the weekend of Sept. 27 and 28. Ten participants from Arkansas, California, Florida, Idaho, Kentucky and Michigan will come to the Thermopolis VFW for the event, with check in on Sept. 27. Food will be available and there will be some time to visit.

September 28 is the main day of the hunt in Areas 76 and 83, followed by a banquet at the VFW.

Hunting with Heroes is a non-profit organization based in Wyoming that takes veterans who are 50 percent or more disabled on hunting trips. Partnering with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and using their big game donated license program, Hunting with Heroes matches veterans with licenses, provides guide services, rifles and gear, game processing and, if required, room and board.

Hunting with Heroes works with state agencies, landowners and volunteers to offer custom programs designed for the needs of each veteran. Hundreds of veterans participate, hunting antelope, deer and elk in Wyoming; disabled veterans from across the country, including Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, North Dakota, Texas, Utah and Washington. More than half of the veterans are from Wyoming.

People can also help out the program through donating big game tags, allowing access for disabled veterans to hunt on their lands or hosting disabled veteran antelope, deer or elk hunts. There are also opportunities to donate financially or with volunteered time.

Dan Currah with Hunting for Heroes said the hunters enjoy coming to Thermopolis, and many veterans bring their spouses. The 10 coming this year include veterans from the Army, Air Force, and Marines.