By Donna McDonald
Upper Canyon Outfitters
Partnership – is a word I thought I knew the meaning of but it was not until last fall that my husband Jake and I were able to understand and appreciate its full meaning. We experienced first hand what can happen when many individuals, organizations, businesses, and government agencies come together to form a partnership that makes a young man’s dream come true. This is a story about a remarkable young man, his family, and a unique partnership program that is far greater than the sum of its individual parts.
Last February, during the sportsman show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, I had the opportunity to meet Tina Pattison, the founder of Hunt of a Lifetime. I learned from Tina that a Hunt of a Lifetime was established in August of 1999 as a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide terminally ill children and young adults the opportunity to fulfill the hunting or fishing adventure of their dreams. This organization was started when Tina’s son, Matt, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease. Matt’s dream was to experience a Canadian wilderness moose hunting adventure. Today Hunt of a Lifetime, continues to make dreams come true with the help and partnerships of many.
Jake and I both believe, as other MOGA members do, that as a member of the outfitting industry we have a responsibility to share our connection to the natural world with others. Like many outfitters it was our passion for the outdoors and rugged outdoor life that originally brought us to outfitting as a profession. The satisfaction we gain by helping those who do not have the means and/or the skill to enjoy the natural world as we know it is incredibly rewarding. It is all part of passing on the hunting and outdoor heritage.
When we learned of the Hunt of a Lifetime program and saw the opportunity for us to help out a young person who had been dealt a tough hand, we jumped at the chance. We felt this was a commitment we needed to make.
Tina called in September and told us about Mike Kautz, a young man from Pennsylvania who had been diagnosed with cancer last May. Tina asked if we would be interested in helping out; it was always Mike’s dream to participate in a Montana hunt.
According to his Dad “Michael was having a hard time dealing with the fact his life had been turned upside down by cancer. He thought he knew what was going to happen after high school and what he wanted to do with his life. That all changed.”
Jake and I quickly agreed to host Mike and his father Jim on a deer and elk hunt over Thanksgiving week. It was about this point in the adventure that Jake and I found out how powerful partnerships can be.
With the support of donors and sponsors equipment and travel expenses were provided. “Two weeks prior to his hunt Mike had received all the equipment he needed for the trip including clothing, boots, hunting gear, gun, and airline tickets,” Jim Kautz, Michaels father gratefully proclaimed. This partnership between numerous sponsors, donors, and caring individuals made it possible for Mike to have the equipment necessary to enjoy his hunt to the fullest.
Because Mike is from Pennsylvania he needed a nonresident big game license and tags in order to hunt in Montana. Initially we were not sure if he could get a license to hunt in the state this late into the year. I picked up the phone and called Hank Worsech, Licensing Bureau Chief with the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, and I was delighted to find that the State of Montana created an Exceptional Youth License which the department may issue free of charge to a youth who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. This license, through the partnership with the MT. FWP, made it possible for Mike to hunt in Montana.
Mike and his father Jim joined us during Thanksgiving week. The early season had been good hunting, but now with the lack of snow on the ground we knew we were in for some challenging days. Jake and I always want to do the best we can for our clients but Mike and his Dad were fast becoming more than that to us. I was secretly concerned that given the weather and tough conditions we could have a long week on our hands.
We knew that Mike would have to pace himself physically to be able to hunt the entire week. The type of cancer he has, like many other forms, causes fatigue that can not be countered with just a good nights rest. We expected to see a slow drain on his physical stamina and ability over the week. Although we had our expectations Mike, through is enthusiasm and actions, showed us that he had other ideas about how this week was to go.
For his part, Mike had a wonderful outlook and was always upbeat. One thing that really impressed us all was his willpower and the positive encouragement he spread throughout camp. His positive attitude and good nature was infectious and we all focused our efforts on the task of offering a great hunting experience for Mike and his father.
One of the challenges Mike faced was a product of his treatment for cancer. After chemotherapy the arteries in his arms had weakened making it difficult for him to carry his pack and rifle. Mike’s father Jim took his pack, but Mike would not give up his rifle. Carrying a heavy gun through the forested mountains of Montana is no easy task, even for an experienced hunter. But Michael Kautz, a young hunter who was living out his dream, was as determined a hunter as we had seen. He carried his own gun.
Jake, who was guiding Mike, said they had seen a very nice deer several times but unfortunately had not been able to get into position for a shot. Mike had had a brief opportunity for a shot but elected to pass on it because he was not sure of the outcome. Mike did not let up and fially his relentless efforts, positive attitude, and willpower paid off. After two long days of riding, glassing, hunting, and stalking, Mike was now in position to take a shot at a very respectable 4x4 mule deer buck. In spite of the encouragement from Jake and his father to SHOOT, Mike held his shot until it was perfect. At the bark of the rifle his trophy fell. With one well placed shot Mike had collected his first Montana trophy and made a lifetime memory for all involved.
Due to the mild weather and the nature of elk movements we had been struggling to get Mike into the elk. Through an unsolicited offer from a neighbor, who had heard of Mike and his dream hunt, we were able to gain access to some ground that had some elk on it.
On day four of the hunt and the prospect of finding some elk on new ground, Mike was awake long before daylight and ready to go. Following a full day of scouting and hunting they had found a place where a group of elk had fed and then entered the thick timber to bed down for the day. Chances were good they would be back there in the evening to feed again. Jake and Mike decided to return for an evening hunt. Mike, his father and Jake worked within three hundred yards of the timber and settled in to wait. The gamble paid off as about an hour before dark the group detected elk moving from the timbers edge. Mike once again positioned his rifle, and without hesitation, delivered a single shot that dropped the lead cow. There is no greater thrill than to see the smile on Mike’s face, and the pride in his fathers eyes, after he had harvested his first elk. It was an emotional moment that was shared between Mike and his father and will always be fondly remembered by everyone at the camp that week.
For many hunters the harvesting of their elk marks the end of their hunt; not for Michael. Following his exciting hunt, his ambition and dedication for hunting did not rest with only his harvest, the next day Mike helped my father, Bill Tate, retrieve his harvested buck. Mikes compassion for his fellow hunters and his appreciation for the outdoors made Jake and I realize that the hunting tradition is an important foundation in many people’s lives, and we are proud to help preserve the hunting legacy.
According to Jim Kautz, Mikes father, who wrote Jake and Donna in the days that followed the hunt, “After having met Donna and Jake McDonald Mike seemed to have gotten back some of his positive outlook on life. Mike doesn’t seem to be lost anymore.”
The trip, wrote Jim Kautz, “helped my son in more ways than I could ever hope to write down or even tell anyone about. It has also helped me. Which it never was intended to do. But it is a byproduct of this trip. Michael is my oldest. I believe in humanity again. The people who wish to make a difference in a child’s life are rare. All who do are true saints, Donna and Jake McDonald helped mine. And I have a host of new friends, in Donna, Jake McDonald, Donna’s mom & dad, and their staff at Upper Canyon Outfitters. We will never forget them or the wonderful time we had in Montana with all of them, both while hunting and at their lodge. The companionship and camaraderie is priceless.”
In a letter that Mike wrote about his hunt he said
“During my trip at Upper Canyon Outfitters I met a lot of nice people and I had an awesome time. I didn’t feel as if I was in another state and was a guest/client at the lodge, I felt as if I were home.
When we arrived at Bozeman Airport, I had a feeling I was going to have a great time on my trip. And guess what, I did have a great time. I had a blast, from getting some basics on how to ride a horse and then getting a chance to do some riding was awesome.
However, I had more fun going hunting and getting Jake McDonald back into the thrill of guiding hunts again. Even if I wouldn’t have gotten a mule deer or the elk that I harvested, I still would’ve had fun. Hanging out with my dad and Jake McDonald was a lot of fun. Jake and Donna McDonald both are awesome people, and they take pride in what they do. If I had the chance to go back I would, I would gladly go back to Upper Canyon Outfitters no matter what it cost me.”
As for Jake and I we both felt humbled from the experience. We learned as much from him as he did from us. We were a small part of helping to grant Mike his wish. Without the combined efforts from many partners his dream of a Montana deer and elk hunt would have been left unfulfilled and the memories never made. It is nice to know that through Hunt of a Lifetime, and the partnerships created though common beautiful cause, that a remarkable young man and his family can realize their dreams and that wishes come true.