IDAHO BACKCOUNTRY VETERANS PROVIDE CONNECTIONS TO OUTDOORS

By Robert Isenberg IDAHO BACKCOUNTRY VETERANS

Our ambassadors, of which I am one, work to connect veterans to Idaho’s great outdoors by coordinating events such as big game hunting camps, waterfowl trips, fishing tournaments, turkey hunts, family camps, gold prospecting, and shooting events.

This past week we took out a father and son on a turkey hunt and the young man bagged his first ever turkey! It had a 10½-inch beard and 7/8-inch spurs! He will probably spend the rest of his life trying to beat that length of beard.

Last year we took out several severely disabled veterans, one requiring oxygen 24/7. He had not been out camping or away from his own house in over five years. He harvested a nice white tail.

Every day we hear about scientific studies that expound the benefits of being in the outdoors.

Recently a study found that our boreal forests emit a chemical that is beneficial to humans in a measurable way, to the point of even easing depression!

The Ambassadors of Idaho Backcountry Veterans aim to get as many of our war-impacted vets into this serene yet challenging environment as possible, but we need your help.

We are always looking for new adventures and places to take the veterans hunting, fishing, and enjoying the outdoors. We make sure 100% of all proceeds go directly to sponsoring events for our veterans. Ambassadors do this for the joy of helping. If you can help, please reach out to me.

Robert Isenberg is an Ambassador for the Idaho Backcountry Veterans. He can be reached at LTCRIce@hotmail.com. To learn more about the organization visit www.backcountryveterans.org.