PERRY, Kan.,— The weekend of April 18 and 19 brought rain, cooler weather, and lots of great memories to the Perry Lake area. For the second time, the Perry Lake office held a Wounded Warrior hunt at their Lake site hosting two Soldiers from the Warrior Transition Battalion located at Fort Riley, Kan. This particular hunt afforded the participating Soldiers the chance to harvest two Kansas Turkeys during the Kansas spring turkey season.
The staff at Perry Lake utilized their resources to conduct the hunt at their lake site, donating personal time and effort to ensure that the hunt would be an eventful one for the Soldiers involved. Park ranger, Kyle Ruona, who facilitated the Wounded Warrior deer hunt in the fall, lead the coordination once again for the hunt. Through donations from the local American Legion, Cabelas, Perry State Park, and from volunteers, the Wounded Warrior Turkey Hunt was a successful one.
The Soldiers were greeted on Friday evening of the 17th to participate in some target practice and to get them familiarized on the shotguns that they would be using during the hunt. After their confidence levels with target shooting were satisfied, the Soldiers went to the Perry American Legion where they were treated to a full course meal by the members of the Legion. After dinner, the Soldiers were briefed on the next day’s time line followed by retreat to their cabins at Perry Lake.
The hunt was successful for the Soldiers as both of the hunters were able to harvest a bird before 8 a.m. on the first morning. Torrential downpours weren’t enough to keep the guides and the Soldiers from entering the spring woods. The sounds of a spring time woods are enough to complete a day afield.
Krystal, one of the participating Soldiers, was ecstatic when she harvested a bird on her very first turkey hunt.
“For me the Wounded Warrior hunt was an opportunity to focus on something I am still able to do. I was able to relax and have fun instead of worrying about my limitations. It was an amazing experience that I am deeply grateful for,” Krystal stated.
The Rangers at Perry; Ruona, Reece Nelson, and John Swinford were instrumental in a successful hunt throughout the weekend. Ruona spoke of what the Wounded Warrior hunts mean to him and the staff at the lake.
“This is a great opportunity for the Corps and the community to give back to our Service Men and Women and get them outdoors to experience hunting and the camaraderie that comes along with the sport. Not to mention affording them the best opportunity to see and harvest game in parks areas normally closed to public hunting,” said Ruona.
The lake staff took the time to scout areas for birds, set up blinds, and most importantly prepares the food for the Soldiers and guides throughout the weekend.
The hunt itself wasn’t just rewarding for the Soldiers. Speaking on behalf of the volunteers, guides and Perry Lake staff, the hunt was humbling and just as rewarding for those who were able to donate their time to the see that the Soldiers were well taken care of and enjoyed their time at the lake site. The volunteers were able to walk away with a feeling of great gratitude while the Soldiers were able to take with them memories of their first turkey hunt, and a successful one at that.
For more information on the hunt, contact the Perry Lake Project office at 785-597-5144.
(Story and photos by Capt. Joshua Poling)
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Release no. PA-2015-19