6th Prize
Hunting Journal with Weatherby Logo (100 awarded)
Ralph Oscarson, Washington
”My dream hunt would be to make my best friend's and longtime hunting buddy's dream of taking a trophy whitetail come true.
I met John about 35 years ago when I was still in high school. He is nine years older than me and we became great friends due to our mutual interest in the outdoors. We fished and hunted together every chance we could. He has always been like a big brother to me and has shared his hunting resources freely with me. I think his truck, duck hunting boat, and motorcycles have my sit mark deeply etched into their seats. Our friendship over the years is documented through pictures of us together while holding salmon, turkeys, ducks, and deer. We have enough great stories to write a book and plenty of humorous memories to keep us laughing till our stomachs hurt.
John has done some amazing hunts and, as an ex-taxidermist, has some great trophies hanging on his walls. But two things remain on his must do list. They are get a limit of seven green heads (we have come close, but still working on it) and to take a trophy whitetail.
My dream hunt would be to take John whitetail hunting in western Canada and to have him take a trophy whitetail. I don't care if I even see a deer, as long as he gets his trophy. I feel I can never pay him back for his investment in me and my love of the outdoors. I have always dreamed of taking him on a hunt of a lifetime but resources have caused it to remain an unspoken and unrealized dream.
This last year has been a difficult one with the loss of John's wife and John nearly losing his own life. When the doctors told me to help prepare his two daughters for losing their father, I couldn' help but think about all I owe John and the dream hunt he wouldn't experience. Thanks to miracles, John is still sharing hunting with others and I still dream of taking that picture of John smiling from ear-to-ear beside a tall, wide, and heavy (170 class) whitetail trophy. John has sat behind me for years calling turkeys and ducks or rattling for deer so I could take the shot. I would love to have John take the shot, making two dreams come true; my dream of giving him the opportunity to go on the hunt of a lifetime, and his dream of taking a trophy whitetail. I am not sure what dream come true would mean more.”