In November of 2011 we hosted three Michigan National Guard Veterans to a deer hunt at our North Camp on Beaupre Creek in Saskatchewan.  Sergeant Derek VanBuren and Specialist E04 Jon French were both injured in the same attack by an RPG on their vehicle in Afghanistan.  Brig. General James Anderson (Retired) was instrumental in helping us locate these two deserving soldiers and paid his own way to accompany them on this hunt.

Sgt. Derek VanBuren was the Team Leader on a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle on Patrol in Afghanistan.  Sgt. VanBuren is an avid hunter from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.  Although he had hunted extensively most of his life, he had never shot a Whitetail deer worthy of mounting until this hunt.  Derek shot this deer early in the morning of the first day.  He stated he knew this deer was the one for him to hang on his wall.

Specialist E04 Jon French was actually a Sergeant by the time we made this trip (Congratulations Jon!).  John was the gunner on Derek’s MRAP when the RPG hit.  Jon is also from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and since he and Derek are both in the same National Guard Company, they have become close friends and see each other often.  Jon got chased out of his blind by a big bear the first day, sat with Derek the second day and our cameraperson on days three and four.  We will never be sure if Jon shot this deer because he really wanted it or it was because he was tired of having company all day in his blind!

Brig. General Jim Anderson (pictured in white on left side of photo next to Gary Goodenow, Charity Hunts Coordinator, on right) was the Adjutant General of the Battalion in which Derek and Jon serve.  Although he was not with these men in Afghanistan, he had visited them during their physical therapy stay at Walter Reed Hospital and has maintained contact with them since they returned to Michigan.  Even though Jim was retired, the two soldiers could not make themselves address him as Jim.  It was always “Sir”.  Jim shot this nice buck on the third day of hunting (with some visual assistance from Derek who was also in the blind) after sorting through numerous potential wall hangers.  It will also be Jim’s first mounted Whitetail deer.

From left to right: Eva Shockey, Jon French, Jim Shockey, Derek VanBuren, Louise Shockey and Jim Anderson