Great harvest by Randy during the Chockley deer hunt.
The Fifth Annual Combat Warrior "Old Drum Outing" was a success! With the support of the volunteers and sponsors we are able to give these soldiers and their families a weekend full of fishing, shooting range activities, sightseeing, gifts, prizes and most importantly quality time together!
The soldiers and their children arrived on Friday afternoon. That evening the Harker’s Island Fire Department made a special visit. Everyone really enjoyed the ladder truck display. Trooper Chad Taylor with the Highway Patrol also took time to come by and visit with the kids. This was a great start to the weekend!
Saturday morning some spent time at the North River Sporting Club, while others went bottom fishing. At the sporting club the kids were educated on proper technique and safe handling of guns and the soldiers engaged in some friendly competition on the range and skeet shooting. After lunch we gathered to present the soldiers and kids with gifts. That evening we headed to Cedar Island for the main event, fishing for old red drum. James Houston and friends, Sam and Kody fishing with Trey and Brett Burnette caught the largest drum. John Ray and son, Zane, fishing with Jim Strickland, Jason Luchetti and sons Lucas and Nicholas fishing with Brent and Brad Morris and Chase Goggin with son, Caleb fishing with Larry Burnette all had a nice catch or two!
Sunday we gathered again for breakfast and took a boat trip over to Cape Lookout for more site seeing and a tour of the lighthouse.
Our fifth event was particularly special because we were able to host several Gold Star kids for the first time, and how exciting it was when they won the prize for the largest catch of the weekend! What an honor it was to spend time with these kids!
A big THANK YOU to all the volunteers and sponsors that make this possible!
It is such a privilege to be involved in this event. We could never thank these warriors and their families enough for all the sacrifices they have made to ensure our safety and freedom.
The Oregon Inlet offshore fishing trip each Memorial Day is organized for combat veterans in an effort to provide a quality event on this somber day.
Memorial Day is a special day for us to remember, reflect, and honor our nation’s finest who gave all for our country. We can sometimes get lost in the sorrow of such loss, but we must remember to honor them and enjoy those freedoms for which they swore an oath to protect and defend, and ultimately gave their life for.
While we will never forgot those heroes we lost in service of this great nation, we attempt to honor their sacrifice by living life to the fullest.
The boats were expertly crewed, the bite was good, and the smiles were hearty. Big thanks to A-Salt Weapon, Fin Planner, and Qualifier for taking the warriors out for a great day of fishing.
Sacrifice, Honor, & Courage!
The 6th annual pheasant throw at Dewitt's Outdoor Sports was a blast for everyone involved. We ended up having 147 people, including lots of spouses and kids. We were very excited to see new faces that have not attended the event in years past. Lots of kids and spouses fired shotguns for the first time and actually got birds. The 5 stand was a big hit to the point that, at 5 PM, we had to go tell everyone that it was time to head home. There were 400 birds total and 360 were recovered and sent home with the families for excellent table fare. That is a record for the amount of birds recovered from our events at Dewitt's. There was also a bounce house in case the younger kids weren't into the shooting but even the smallest of the bunch were eager for some time on the gun. As always, the event was well supported by our many partners and we would like to thank all who gave to make this event possible. The food, shooting, and fellowship between families was first class. This event is the pinnacle of what Combat Warriors is about. We want to give our service members an avenue to get outdoors, raise their children in that environment, and spend quality time in a relaxed setting with their families and others. We ask so much of our warriors. They spend countless days, weeks, months, and years away from those they love the most to protect this great nation and keep us safe and free. The least we can do is try to add quality family experiences to their lives while they are home. If events like these help just one family to relax and get back to "normal" during stressful times, then it is a win in our book. We look forward to Dewitt's Pheasant Throw again next year and the many other events we have coming up in 2018. It's going to be a great year for Combat Warriors. Click on the photo below to scroll through the photos from the event.
Six years ago, a group of us sat around a camp fire expressing a desire to try give our service men the same experiences we live for. Now, we find ourselves doing just that. We have immersed ourselves in the Combat Warriors organization. Not only did we find a way to unknowingly change our lives for the better, we found a way to share that same campfire with some of our nation’s finest warriors. The outdoors has a divine way of bringing people together. It’s that vein we try to tap into with each and every event. While it takes a gracious host, volunteers, and sponsors to make this organization run, all we really strive to do is to provide an avenue for these heros to enjoy Gods creation and decompress. It’s funny how life has a way of fulfilling our deepest desires sometimes. A couple of us reminisce on that conversation as we warm our feet by the fire waiting for our guests to arrive for the weekend.
One of the little things I have come to notice about these events is when the guys arrive at camp, it usually begins with a handshake. Two days later, we say goodbye with hugs and heartfelt wishes to see each other again. We’ve built relationships. Relationships we never would have had without Combat Warriors. We spend weeks, months and years preparing for these events. We line up food and lodging. We spend countless hours scouting turkeys, ducks and deer and exhaust every possible resource to make sure their time outdoors is spent being successful.
This past weekend was no different. We hosted our event in Grimesland, NC at the Rawls Farm. WIMCO pulls out all the stops for our warriors. Phenomenal food, drinks, and accommodations have become the norm with all the Combat Warrior events. Seven guys arrived in camp Friday afternoon. Before they stepped out of their trucks we only knew them as our nation’s heroes. Guys who put their lives on the line so we can live free. After a weekend of tracking deer, shooting limits of ducks, swapping stories around the campfire and enjoying nature in its purest form, we hope to have made a difference.
It’s so hard to put into words the profound impact these events have on each and every one who is involved. We tell people all the time this organization has done more for us that We could have ever imagined. There’s a somber feeling around the camp on Sunday mornings as the guys pack their gear. We have forged life-long friendships in 48 hours. There is no telling where this world is going to take these guys next. All we know is we were blessed enough to share camp with them for a weekend and hopefully life has us doing it a few more times. There are no more handshakes around camp anymore. It’s all hugs and admiration for new bonds that were forged in the great outdoors.
When all was said and done, the guys took home 6 deer and our group shot 13 limits of ducks. We always pray that the stars will align for these weekends so that our guys can have the hunt of a lifetime. Sometimes they do and there's no better feeling. Huge thanks to Kevin Rawls, president of WIMCO, for his hospitality and generosity to Combat Warriors. What a weekend!
On Dec 1st and 2nd, Combat Warriors held a deer hunt in Halifax County, NC hosted by Twin Oaks Hunt Club with sponsorship by Busckshot Hunt Club, Ventosa Hunt Club, Wilson Farms and other generous land owners from Scotland Neck to Hobgood (Joey Cotton, Matt Shields, Ricky Edwards, Clay Whitley to mention a few). Thirty-five warriors were hosted, housed, feed and guided thanks to the dedication and generosity of our volunteers.
Months of planning were finalized on Nov 30 at the guide meeting hosted by Buck Shot Hunt Club and their dedicated northerners who make the long trip from New York for each of these events. All the property owners and hunt club guides reviewed available tracks of land, stands, and schedule of events behind the scenes so the warriors just had to show up, eat, hunt and enjoy themselves.
A few of the warriors were able to come in early enough on Friday to enjoy an afternoon hunt. Eight deer were harvested on the opening evening of the hunt from multiple properties. By 7:30 pm most of the warriors had arrived and were treated to fresh steamed oysters and a hearty steak and baked potato dinner with additional fresh sides. Jimmy and Randy from Tarboro have been treating warriors to great grilled meals for several years now, and they continue to please each year as the numbers have grown. Warriors and guides alike enjoyed a full belly and a few libations as the fellowship continued into the night around the bonfire with a moving song performed by Nick Culpepper and Taps played on the harmonica.
Coffee and breakfast was served at 4:30 am to insure hunters and guides were fueled for their morning hunt. By 5:00 am, guides set out in all directions with their warriors to the multiple properties. By 10:30 am when the warriors came back for lunch, five more deer were harvested from several different properties! Prior to lunch we gathered to thank all those that made this hunt possible. Special thanks to the Sportsman’s Box for their donation of gift boxes for the warriors (www.SportsmansBox.com).
The cooks, Randy and Jimmy, continued to impress with Carolina style BBQ chicken for lunch, leaving some warriors in need of a nap prior to the afternoon hunt. However, Ventosa Kennels and local law enforcement provided unique post lunch entertainment to keep everyone awake. Michael Beaulieu and crew from Ventosa Kennels in Scotland Neck (www.ventosakennelnc.com) offered an impressive display of their mulit-purpose canine in an apprehension scenario. We were all glad it was Michael in the training suit after witnessing the power of the K9! NC Division of Wildlife also came to support the event and we appreciate their diligence in protecting all of the natural resources we enjoy as hunters. Plus it’s always good to have the game wardens on your side!
Warriors and guides put in a final hunt Saturday afternoon and five more deer harvested which included our largest buck of the hunt. There were a few that slipped though the woods unobserved, and others that didn’t provide a shot. We won’t talk about the multiple treks into the swamps in search of the ones that “got away!” We do have to make honorable mention of the corn thieving raccoons that met their demise and one that wanted to come back alive in a box as a gift for the unsuspecting! Top prize for largest buck was a Yeti Roadie 20 cooler, and the largest doe took home a Yeti Hopper.
While everyone was out on the evening hunt, Phillip Weeks worked his magic in his “Late Night Porkin” smoker producing some lip smacking pulled pork and pork tenderloin for dinner. The day concluded with dinner, live music by Jerry Cole (@Jerrycolemusic), deer processing, some tall tales among new friends, and what we hope are memories to last a lifetime.
We are truly blessed to have such freedom, warriors who sacrifice to protect it, and patriotic citizens who appreciate it.
The members of the Embro Hunt Club provided 8 Warriors with a great experience. Extremely high winds made it very tough for the hounds to run the deer, but the camaraderie and enjoyment was standard as it is at all Combat Warrior events. The warriors were able to experience a new way of pursuing deer and enjoy the great food and fellowship that the Embro Hunt Club always offers. A big thank you to the members and supporters of the Embro Hunt Club who have been a supporter of Combat Warriors for years. And, as always, thank you to our Warriors who give us the freedom to spend weekends like this together.
Combat Warriors was honored to host another offshore fishing trip on Memorial Day thanks to several great Americans who sponsored this event. Their desire to host combat veterans on this day of reflection and appreciation made for an unforgettable experience.
Warriors from across eastern NC trickled into Engelhard on Sunday afternoon to meet one another and socialize before sharing a meal at Harris’ Restaurant in Fairfield. All four branches of service were represented with periods of service spanning from Vietnam to active duty members pending their next deployment. Conversations flourished as groups were assigned their boats and shared a meal together before retiring early for the night.
Breakfast was ready the next morning at 03:30 and a convoy departed for Oregon Inlet at 04:00. By 05:30, four vessels loaded with warriors set out for the open ocean.
Special thanks to the owners and crew of these fine boats for making this event possible:
- A-Salt Weapon, Captain Dennis Endee http://www.a-saltweapon.com/
- Fin Planner, Captain Chris Gornell http://www.finplannersportfishing.com/
- Outer Limits, Captain Jim Rickmanhttp://www.fishouterlimits.com/
- Qualifier, Captain Fin Gaddy http://qualifiercharters.com/
It didn’t take long for these experienced captains to get into the fish and put their guests to work on tuna and mahi-mahi. The fishing was fantastic and it was a full day for the crews and warriors. There were some with sturdy sea legs and other that gave offerings to the sea, but all were able to enjoy the open ocean, camaraderie, and freedoms we are so blessed to enjoy in this country.
As we reflected on all those that paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms, we honor their memory and are reminded to live life to the fullest each day and cherish that which we hold dear.
“There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends.” John 15:13
On April 28 and 29, Combat Warriors held its final turkey hunt of the 2017 season in Halifax County, NC sponsored by Twin Oaks Hunt Club, Busckshot Hunt Club, Ventosa Hunt Club and other generous land owners. Seventeen warriors were hosted, housed, feed and guided thanks to the dedication and generosity of our volunteers.
A few of the warriors were able to come in early enough on Friday to enjoy an afternoon hunt. One of our warriors, a 25 year active duty Marine only weeks away from retiring, was able to harvest his first ever turkey, setting the scene for a fantastic weekend of fellowship and chasing our favorite fowl. By 7:30 pm all our warriors had arrived and were treated to freshly cooked whole pig Carolina BBQ and fixings. As dinner progressed, guides and hunters were introduced and began getting to know each other. The night concluded with hunting assignments made and the anticipation of morning gobbles on the roost.
Coffee and breakfast was served at 4:30 am to insure hunters and guides were fueled for their morning pursuit of gobblers. By 5:00 am, guides set out in all directions to the multiple properties. By 10:30 am when the warriors came back for lunch with four mature Toms harvested, one being the second for our Friday warrior leaving him tagged out! Some additional fun was had on the Ventosa Hunt Club with some unique carp fishing techniques - a story best told by those who were there, but bellies were sore from laughing so hard.
The cooks, Randy and Jimmy from Tarboro, continued to impress with Carolina style BBQ chicken for lunch, leaving some warriors in need of a nap prior to the afternoon hunt. Other dedicated warriors took the opportunity to enjoy an invite to a hidden gem, nicknamed “The Aquarium,” for some mid-day fishing which produced a few trophy bass among the other bent rods.
The afternoon hunt had the additional challenge of warming temperatures, but it did not dissuade our warriors. After a full day of turkey hunting with multiple encounters, two more warriors were able to seal the deal. One warrior, who harvested a Tom in the morning filling his second tag of the season, was able to pull a gobbler in range for his son who harvested his first mature Tom.
A main highlight of the event was having a first time turkey hunting warrior experience the full effect of a boss gobbler respond to aggressive calling and fanning, sprint across 200 yds of open field, jump a ditch and meet his end at 14 paces. Not only was the hunt exciting, the reward was a double beard – first ever turkey and what a trophy!
The day concluded with rib-eyes, stories from the field, new friendships, and what we hope are memories to last a lifetime. We are truly blessed to have such freedom, warriors who sacrifice to protect it, and patriotic citizens who appreciate it.
Sacrifice, Honor, & Courage!
Chris Milligan, CWO-4 USMC (Retired)
Combat Warriors Inc. Board Member
It’s Monday morning, the 17th of April 2017. It’s early and I’m trying to get focused for the busy work week ahead. It’s proving difficult because my heart and my mind are fighting to keep this weekend from becoming a memory. If you are a turkey hunter, you know that getting the weather, the birds, the set up, and all the other circumstances to all align for a perfect hunt is the greatest challenge in the sport. It is the reason that no one will ever master this sport of ours. Think, if you will, for a second about all the times you’ve said to yourself “Man, if only we had set up this way”, or “If that bird had just walked 10 more yards”, or “If my buddy had just had his gun up when the bird walked out.” In turkey hunting, there is a laundry list of things that can go wrong, and they usually do throughout the course of a season. These birds are one of nature’s great challenges and that’s why they draw us in like bugs to a porch light. But this past weekend in Edgecombe County, preparation collided with perfect timing (and most likely the Hand of God Himself) to create what will most certainly go down as the best weekend of turkey hunting I will ever be a part of.
We hit camp early Thursday morning, with a few guys having been there since before sunrise nailing down birds for Friday morning’s hunt. Thursday was mostly a prep day and rest up period for the turkey marathon that was about 12 hours from kicking off. Our first group of Warriors arrived just before it was time to roost birds Thursday night, throwing their bags inside the cabin and loading up in the trucks to go put an ear to the Spring air to see which tom wanted it first the next morning. Best options were identified and two groups headed out under the light of the full(ish) moon Friday morning. By 7 AM, two stud turkeys were flopping in the decoys. We scouted a few other spots before all gathering for a heavy southern BBQ lunch that would make any man take a nap against a tree.
Around 3 PM, two more Warriors arrived, ready to hit the woods. Professionally, these guys have a mission and they don’t let anything get in the way of accomplishing it. They treat turkey hunting the same way. Greetings were exchanged and flip flops traded for boots and we were outbound. We shot back to a secluded field on the farm where 3 toms were seen the previous afternoon. We drove the truck in and parked, eased doors shut, and walked about 10 yards before seeing a strutting tom down in bottom corner of the field. Chinese fire drill ensued. I hopped in the truck, cranked it, and backed it up (about 35 mph) into the next path out of view. Josh Pelletier and the hunters shoved the strutter decoy into the dirt at about 10 yards and dropped out of sight off the side of the elevated road. I wanted to witness the act so staying in the truck wasn’t an option. I sprinted down the road until I remembered I’m too old to sprint anymore and dove into a clump of trees to watch what I hoped would be bird number 3 of the day get piled up at close range. About the time I stopped hearing myself wheeze, I see a white and red head bobbing across the field and he was, by no means, taking his time. As he escaped my sight I smiled and waited for the gun report. Less than half an hour in camp and one of our newest arrivals was toting a long beard over his back and a smile on his face. There was another hot bird behind us when we shot this bird but he may have been close enough that the gun shot changed his plans from making an entrance.
We swung back to camp and relaxed for a few before hitting the next spot for the evening sit. As we arrived to the next spot we expected to see a gobbler in the far corner of the field as he had been the day before. We pulled in and there he was. Game on. We slid down through the cypress bottom and crept up to the field edge and settled in between him and his bed. The way the day was going so far this should be an easy one. Josh crawled the strutter out to the edge of the field and started talking to him. We were maybe 10 minutes into the sit with ears glued to the far corner waiting to hear back from the bird we had seen on the way in, when another gobbler fired back about 75 yards away right where we had walked in! Josh was calling and he was cutting him off. This bird was coming. Josh had positioned himself to watch the bird we’d seen already and I happened to be facing the tree line this bird stepped out on. Josh and I locked eyes and acknowledged that I had eyes on the bird. He wasn’t running but there was no doubt he was bound for the skillet. With another former Marine by my side I knew the turkey was approaching his final resting place. He strutted in and stopped at the decoy, well within range. I whispered, “Kill him when you can” and, well, he did. These guys had been in town maybe 2 hours and were both holding their first gobblers they’d ever shot. The fact that this weekend was going to shake out the way we had been dreaming about since duck season was starting to set in.
When Saturday morning rolled around we had one Warrior who had yet to bag a bird. Our mission was singular. Every man was leaving with a bird, period. Travis took him and one of the other guys to a nearby farm where 2 strutters had been seen the morning before. The rest of us fanned out to some other spots with one of the Warriors getting his second bird of the trip. But everyone’s minds were on the fourth quarter bird that needed to fall to round out the best weekend of turkey hunting all of us had ever seen. The birds on that farm didn’t show for Travis but he texted Josh with a plan. “Come to the farm and bring me the strutter decoy. We’ve got a bird hung up and we’re going to crawl him”. Josh and I raced to that farm and threw the strutter decoy to Travis and peeled back out to the road to watch what we hoped would be the most glorious ending to the weekend. Travis and the Warriors made haste through the woods separating them from the strutting turkey. He was with 3 hens which explains why he wasn’t eager to walk 600 yards through the woods to find one more. Josh and I watched from the road through our binoculars. We kept eyes on the strutting bird hoping he would stay put while they made their way to him. He strutted in circles for several minutes and we finally see the boys belly crawling out of the woods with that strutter decoy in front of them. You see, when a turkey won’t come to you the only options are to go home empty handed or try going to him. We were all out of time for option A. This bird was about to take a truck ride. We see the guys crawling quickly, trying to crest the ridge in the field so that this bird can see them. I am 300 yards away in the truck but if you judged my breathing I was laying behind the decoy myself. Turkeys just do that to me. They slid to the top of the hill and as the fan on the decoy came into sight of that dominant bird, Josh and I both started freaking out. This bird dropped strut 150 yards from the guys and ran dead at them until they popped up from behind the decoy and showed ol’ boy what it’s like to come face to face with a Marine at 5 yards. The shot rang out and you would have thought that we won the lottery sitting in that truck. I think we’re both still sore from punching each other. A storybook ending to the greatest weekend ever.
All in all, we killed 7 birds in a little over a day, and we did sleep for a couple of hours of that time after the campfire and the guitar playing died down. Our goal was to send every man home with a bird and we did just that. The turkey gods shined down on us this weekend and there couldn’t have been a better time for it. We have come to live for these weekends. What started as a one-time thing has become a force in our lives that drives us in more ways than we ever knew possible. We may never know what some time in the woods does for our guys, but we don’t really need to know. As long as they know that we appreciate them and that our door is always open, that’s enough for us. I can’t help but glance over at these men as we spend time together and think back to my grandfather, the Gunny. A career-Marine, Francis Marion Eddings, he would wait in a parking lot for what seemed like forever just to talk to someone with a USMC sticker on their truck. He told me stories that maybe I didn’t know how to fully appreciate when he was here but this has become my second chance. I look into the faces of the men I wish I had become and get to see my Pa again. He would be thrilled to see the ways in which Combat Warriors gives back to the service members he so adored his whole life. I can never repay these men for what they do and I can never thank Combat Warriors enough for helping me become involved. Sometimes a void has to be filled for you to even know there was a void there in the first place. If you’re not involved yet, we can help you change that. Contact us via the Facebook page or our website and we will plug you in.
I need to take a minute to thank everyone that helped to make this weekend a huge success. The guides who put birds in front of the guys constantly this weekend: Travis Grimes, Josh Pelletier, Justin Cagle, and John Webb. And the biggest thank you of all to Roger, Nell, and Travis Grimes for hosting our group at your wonderful place. Your generosity in sharing your land, lodging, and turkeys with us is beyond measure.
