A moose hunt to last a lifetime
MAINELY OUTDOORS
by Bill Graves
When a Maine sportsmen finally has their name drawn for the annual limited permit moose hunt, it’s a memorable event. For Douglas Fickel, a 16-year-old hunter from Carlisle, Pa., the opportunity to visit the Pine Tree State and attempt to bag a bull was far more momentous, it could truly be called “The Hunt of a Lifetime.”
Contributed photo
HUNT OF A LIFETIME – Douglas Fickel, right, of Carlisle, Pa. and his father, Doug, display the 702-pound moose Douglas shot during a “Hunt of a Lifetime” trip in northern Maine.
You see, Douglas spent just over 200 days in the hospital last year! Since being diagnosed several years ago with an illness that has ravaged his body, requiring him to use a wheelchair for mobility, life has changed drastically for Douglas and his parents, Doug and Pam. Despite the regular doctor visits, the long, life-threatening setbacks and hospital stays, and dealing with the physical and mental ravages of a terminal disease, this family fights back to make every day special.
Regardless of declining health and mobility issues, Douglas became an outdoorsman. With Dad and Mom’s help, Douglas has hunted squirrel, deer and turkey since age 11. During a prolonged hospital stay a year ago, Douglas came to the attention of “Hunt of a Lifetime” officials and when asked his first three choices for a trophy hunt, moose topped the list.
Maine’s Fish and Wildlife Department awards two of its much sought after permits each fall to the Hunt of a Lifetime organization, and the organizers face the always difficult decision of selecting which young, ill applicant will receive the life changing trip. While attending the annual Presque Isle Sportsman’s Show, Joe Boyd of Mars Hill, a longtime registered Maine guide, stopped at the Hunt of a Lifetime booth. A few minutes later Joe had completed paperwork offering his services, completely free of charge, if the chance for a hunt in Aroostook County should ever arise. Little did he know how soon an ill youngster and a donated moose permit would change his 2010 hunting plans.
The Fickel family also needed to complete a mountain of forms, reports, and applications, as well as submitting notarized documents from the hospitals and doctors to have Douglas considered for one of the outings. After months of hopeful waiting and anticipation, the good news arrived; not only was Douglas going to get his moose hunt, but he had been chosen Hunt of a Lifetime poster child of the year, and the entire adventure was going to be videotaped and televised. Now the real work got under way.
Pam and Doug made travel arrangements, no simple chore when your child has extensive medical requirements. Hunt of a Lifetime provided an intricately constructed, innovative rifle rest that could be fitted to Douglas’s electronic wheelchair and controlled by a joy stick allowing finger movements to swivel the gun left and right as well as change elevation. Now Douglas had two vital tasks; stay healthy enough to make the trip, and practice enough with the new gun and gear to assure a good shot when the opportunity arose.
Joe Boyd got busy on his end as well, talking with Mars Hill businessmen to elicit further assistance for the visiting family. Jim Shaw, owner of picturesque My Sunset Cabins at the base of Mars Hill mountain donated lodging for the entire week; and Scott Carlin, owner of the local IGA, contributed food for all the meals during the hunt. Joe’s wife Lucy, his daughter Alisha, his mother Linda and sister-in-law Ethelyn, took care of all the cooking and delivery of the food. Troy Haines offered to butcher, skin, cut and wrap the moose meat free of charge.
Joe scouted long and hard, located several good bulls and convinced a local farmer to post a section of land to allow the incapacitated youngster a better chance. Unfortunately, on the first morning of the hunt the vehicle full of hunters and a second truck full of videographers arrived to find another guide had ignored the No Trespassing signs. A short time later a shot sounded as that guide’s sport downed a large cow moose. All of Joe’s crew were disgusted and disillusioned at the situation, but being true sportsmen they soon refocused, changed locations and got on with the hunt. Despite seeing cows, calves and a bull that would have been impossible for Douglas to get close to with his wheelchair, Day One was bitter sweet.
As with all outdoorsmen, the Fickel family, Joe Boyd and the television crew were all revitalized and refocused as dawn broke on Tuesday. The two-vehicle caravan explored fields around Mars Hill and Easton to no avail for a couple of hours, and then all of a sudden Joe spotted a bull almost 500 yards off in a broccoli field. Joe got out and called as everyone else unloaded the heavy wheelchair, attached the rifle rest and got Douglas into the chair.
The bull ignored the cow calls, but when Joe made challenging bull sounds and raked the brush with a moose horn the big moose moved toward the road. When Joe stopped calling, the moose stopped moving.
Meanwhile, three team members tried to move Douglas and his wheelchair through a ditch between the road and the field edge and the chair became mired in mud. Joe dropped his call and antler, ran back to help wrestle the heavy chair free and onto solid ground. The bull turned away and sauntered back up the hill.
While Doug Sr. helped get the rifle loaded and in place on the electronic rest, Joe returned to his calling and brush raking. Closer and closer meandered the big moose, finally stopping at 115 yards, refusing to approach nearer. Douglas tracked the bull in his sights until it stopped and turned sideways, then activated the trigger mechanism. The big animal staggered, shuffled sideways and Douglas quickly resighted and fired the .308 again.
A short time later, while everyone admired the young man’s trophy, Joe pointed out that the two shots were only one inch apart. The moose weighed 702 pounds, field dressed, and sported a 14-point, 36-inch rack. The entire outing will be shown this month on the Sportsman channel on a show called Wired Outdoors.
Douglas admitted during our interview that he was not nervous as the moose approached, but very excited. He described the entire hunt as “pretty awesome.” His Dad said, “We are blessed to have this hunt and these memories forever. Joe and his family have been wonderful and we have met so many great new friends here in Mars Hill.”
After meeting and talking with the family I can only say I was very touched by the people and events. I hope and pray young Douglas enjoys more years and more hunts. In retrospect I think this Hunt of a Lifetime actually affected a number of lifetimes – all of us who were lucky enough to spend time with a special, strong-willed young man and his proud parents, the Fickel family.
