Recently, I was introduced to an organization called the Hunt Of A Lifetime. Hunt Of A Lifetime is an organization founded by Tina Pattison in 1999. Hunt Of A Lifetime grants children with life threatening illnesses the chance to go hunting or fishing. It is for children ages 21 and younger. I was whitetail hunting with Walnut Knob Outdoors in Pike County, IL. which is 3500 acres of prime whitetail hunting and is owned by Doug Pennock who also owns Pea Ridge Elk Farm (800 acres of elk ranch).

While I was talking to Doug one day, he started telling me about the Hunt Of A Lifetime. He told me about Philip Griffin,  a boy about my age who was coming from Pennsylvania to hunt elk. He asked me if I would be interested in guiding him on the elk hunt and just hang out together while he was here. I told him that I would be more than happy to help out.

 Doug was furnishing the elk that Philip was going to be hunting. Jack Buchanan owner of Pea Ridge Wild Game Farm was furnishing the facility where we were going to be hunting. Gary Harpole II owner of Harpole's Heartland Lodge furnished the 5 Star accommodations for Philip and his mom,  Susan,  me and my dad. 

Philip (age 15) was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when he was 3 months old and had always talked about going on an elk hunt. When his mother heard about the Hunt Of A Lifetime organization she contacted them. They put her in touch with Angela Ruble (IL. State Rep. for Hunt of a Lifetime) and she helped organize the IL. elk hunt. Last year, 

Doug Pennock, Jack Buchanan and Gary Harpole II hosted an archery elk hunt for a boy age 19 who had cancer. Unfortunately, he did not get to harvest an elk, but his cancer is now in remission and he still talks about how much fun the hunt was.

Philip and his mother (Susan) arrived at Harpole's Heartland Lodge on Thanksgiving evening. They would be in Illinois for 5 days. We all met at the lodge to greet him. When I first found out about the hunt, I knew that Philip was going to be hunting with a rifle. But, I wanted to introduce him to my sport of archery. I called up Mathews Solo-Cam bows and told them what my plan was. They were more than happy to furnish Philip with a bow.

Then, I proceeded to call some of my other sponsors who were also more than happy to help with everything that I asked for. The outpouring of generosity from all of my sponsors was overwhelming. We had a really good surprise set up for Philip. He thought that
he was just going on an elk hunt which he had always dreamed about. He did not know that he was going to get every hunters dream of a lifetime. I had arranged for him to receive hunting gear, apparel, supplies, videos, autographed items and many other
related items. There are too many things to mention that he received but he was up until 2:00am looking at everything that the generous companies sent him. He was totally amazed. The look on his face was all of the thanks that I needed.

We started out on Friday, after one of Heartland Lodge's wonderful 8:00am breakfasts.

We headed out to The Archery Shop in Pittsfield, IL. owned by Scott Andrews. Philip was really excited about trying out his new Mathews bow. I did not know it, but Philip's mother said that Philip had always wanted a bow. Well, not only did he get a
new bow but I had decked his bow out with a Toxonic Sight, a Muzzy Zero-Effect Arrowrest, Sims Vibration Laboratories Limbsavers, String Leeches, Enhancer and stabilizer, a Game Tracker quiver ,a dozen Carbon Express arrows, a Rock-It
Outdoors Knotless Loop, and my favorite 2 finger Copper John Release. Philip and I spent most of the day at the Archery Shop. 

Philip just couldn't get enough of it. He was hooked on archery. Scott was generous enough to loan us the archery range for a day of fun.

We headed back to Heartland Lodge and had another great homemade supper at the lodge. Then we decided to go out for a little sight seeing. We went to Quincy IL. and drove across the Mississippi River. I took them to Hannibal MO. to see the Mark Twain sites and then headed back to the lodge.

We got up early the next morning and took a few shots to make sure that his rifle was dead on. Joe Buchanan, Jack;s son met us at the lodge and we headed out to Pea Ridge game farm. Joe went along on the hunt to show us the property. 

We hadn't walked very long, when I decided to try bulging. Which didn't work very well because the rut was almost over. So we were going to have to just spot and stalk. We were walking the edge of the timber when suddenly we see horns! 

He was bedded down in the brush less than 50 yards from us. We tried everything, we tried cow calling, bulging but nothing seemed to work. He had caught a glimpse of us. He was bedded down and was not going to stand up to present Philip with a shot. So we went down through this canyon behind him. When suddenly he started circling around us. He was a really NICE 6X6. 

We hung tight and waited for the bull to present Philip with a broadside shot. He came down over the hill and out into an open meadow. The only problem was there were other elk behind
him in the distance. He did not want to take a shot and risk possibly blowing through and hitting another animal. Philip had to wait until he was clear of the other elk. Just as soon as he was clear, Philip took a hard quartering shot and dropped him. 

I don't know who was more excited me or Philip. He had just shot a really nice 330 plus 6X6. We got a hold of Jack and luckily Philip had shot this elk in a meadow that had easy access with a tractor.
The elk field dressed at around 850 lbs.. 

Philip Griffin and Randy Oitker with the 6X6 elk that Philip harvested.

We hauled him up to Heartland Lodge and hung him up on their deer pole. Gary Harpole said that they had hung whitetail deer that weighed 330 lbs. on it. But, they had never hung an elk on it. Everyone was a little skeptical but we doubled uP  the cables and got him hung up. We took some more pictures.

Left to right: Doug Pennock, Gary Harpole, Jack Buchanan, Randy Oitker, Philip Griffin and his mother (Susan)..

After that exciting and rewarding hunt, Philip couldn't hardly wait to get back to shooting his bow. So, we went to the archery 3-D range at Harpole's and shot until dark!

All of the hunters staying at the lodge were intrigued with the elk. They wanted to see the video. So my dad drove home that night (about 75 miles away) and put the hunt on a VHS tape so everyone at the lodge could see it. Philip was really
proud while watching the hunt and everyone was congratulating him.

We spent the rest of the time while Philip was there shooting clays, playing pool, chess, riding the trails at Heartland Lodge on the Yamaha 4-wheelers and just kicking back watching TV. Bill Jordan's Realtree sent Philip some really nice gifts including videos. Philip had never seen the Incomplete Deer Hunter video.

So, we relaxed and watched that video with Jeff Foxworthy. Philip laughed so hard I thought that he was going to bust.

Philip had to leave for Springfield IL. Monday night so he could catch a flight back to PA. at 4:30am. Tuesday morning. Philip's mom said that it would really be great if I would go to Springfield to spend one more night before he had to head back to PA. 

So, we kind of set Philip up for another surprise. We all walked out to the truck to say our goodbyes. I could tell that Philip didn't want to leave. I jumped in the truck and Philip did not know what was going on. I told him that I was going to spend the night in Springfield with him. I think that made things a little easier on both of us. Not only was it a HUNT OF A LIFETIME but I have made a friend for life. I hope that Philip had as much fun as I did and that he stays well and lives a long and happy life. He has already e-mailed me that he was going to go deer hunting with his bow as soon as he had time. This was one of the best weekends that I have ever had and I would be glad to help someone again.

There are still over 20 kids waiting to go on a hunting or fishing adventure. The Make a Wish Foundation will not grant hunting or fishing trips for any child. Please go to their website huntofalifetime.org and read about these children and make a donation if possible. For more info about Harpole's Heartland Lodge go to www.heartlandlodge.com and for more info about Walnut Knob go to walnutknob.com

I want to thank every one of my sponsors and some who aren't my sponsors for their generous donations of products or money that made this such a success for Philip: 

Adventure Sports Outdoors magazine, AA Dental Care PC, ADM Alliance Nutrition Inc.,Americase, Auto Wizard, Badlands backpacks, Bow Hunter Magazines American Archer by Wolf Creek Productions, Country Clovers 4-H club, Dpar-Sports,

Entrup Painting and Drywall, Farmers Bank of liberty, IL., Gamemasters, Gean-Edwards CO., Gem City Ford, Lewis&Longlett Attorneys, Liberty FFA, Mathews Solo-Cam bows, Morrell Range Bags, Motorola Inc., Mike's Place, Muck Boots, Muzzy Products, Outdoor Edge Knives, Pittsfield FFA, Primos Game Calls, Bill Jordan's Realtree Camoflauge, Shottenkirk, SIMS Vibration Laboratories, Sturhahn Jewelers, Strum, Ruger & Co., Toxonics, TNT Harley Davidson, Ted Nugent and the Ted Nugent United Sportsmen of America, The Game Tracker, Tracer Products, Walls Outdoor Wear, Walker's Game Ear and Yamaha Motor Corp. U.S.A.
 

Randy Oitker, age 15, is an avid bowhunter and outdoor sports writer. Randy is also a professional archer who hails from Plainville, IL. Randy can be seen giving tech tips to young hunters each week on the Outdoor Channel on Sportsmen's Outdoor Strategies and his little sister Tiffany does a lead in a commercial on this show.  It can be seen at 7:30am on Wed., 11:30am on Friday and 7:00pm on Saturday Central time.  Randy Oitker is sponsored by:  Mathews Solocam bows, Muzzy Products, Scent-Lok Odor-Elimanating Suits, Realtree Camo, Bushnell Sport Optics, Sims Vibration Laboratories, Carter Releases, Tracer Products, Rinehart 3-d targets, Shrewd Archery Products, Feather Visions Lenses, Outdoor Edge-Knives, LaCrosse Footwear, Carbon Express Arrows, SKB Bowcases, Eze- Crest Arrow Wraps, Walker's Game Ear, Cannon Country Game Calls, BCY bowstrings, Arrowspeed Radarchron, Bug Tamer Suits, Coleman Outdoor Products, Cobra Electronics, Magellan GPS Systems, Toxonics BowSights, Knight Rifles, Bolle Eyewear, Walls Outdoor Wear, Badlands Backpacks, Rock-it-Outdoors Duravanes, and Morrel Range Bags, and local sponsors from Quincy,IL: Gem City Ford, McDonalds and Outdoor Power.

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