14-year-old Mitchell Carpenter, who suffers from Juvenile Huntington's Disease, comes from a long line
of hunters and has always dreamed of getting a "monster buck". Members of SCI's NE Wisconsin Chapter collaborated with
Wolf River Preserve in Wisconsin in December 2010 to make his dream a reality.
Mitchell Carpenter's Monster Buck
By Cal Ort, President, N.E.
Wisconsin Chapter
Mitchell Carpenter is a 14-year-old young man who suffers from
Juvenile Huntington's Disease. Juvenile Huntington's
Disease is like a combination of Muscular Dystrophy & Parkinson's Disease which leaves him very stiff, unbalanced, and
with limited sight and speech.
Mitchell's uncle contacted N.E. Wisconsin Chapter vice president Mark Schultz and let him
now about Mitchell's problems and his dream to shoot a "monster buck." After a short conversation with Mark, I contacted
Bob Singler--the owner of Wolf River Preserve in Shiocton, Wisconsin, who frequently donates whitetail hunts to our chapter
fundraisers--about possibly putting on a hunt for Mitchell. Bob was more than willing to help Mitchell achieve his dream.
Paul Siebers, a board member, graciously volunteered to mount the head at no cost.
After a busy Fall season, Bob finished building an elevated blind with a shooting bench in it and finally everything
was ready. After a big snow storm and another week of frigid temperatures the big day finally arrived. Mitchell was
accompanied by his stepfather Theron and his uncles Dan and Joe, and was guided by Bob's brother, Ed. After a couple hours
and seeing several does and smaller bucks, Mitchell's dream buck appeared and Mitchell sealed the deal with a great shot!
According to his mother, Bonnie Coats: "It's hard saying who was more excited, Mitchell or his uncles! We are all
about making memories and this was a huge one for all of them. We come from a long line of deer hunters and Mitchell
has always dreamed of shooting a monster buck! The deer put on a lot of miles as Mitchell was very proud and eager to
show it to his friends and relatives!"
For one day, Mitchell, a boy with JHD, lived the dream and was the "Great White Hunter!"
"We can't thank Bob & Ed Singler of Wolf River Preserve and the N.E. Wisconsin Chapter of SCI enough for providing this opportunity to Make Mitchell's wish a reality!"
