BADF Life Hunts

Wish Hunts for Deserving Children

Life Hunt

BADF Life Hunts is a hunt wish-granting service for children and young adults with critical illnesses and severe disability.

Sponsored by the Bill Busbice family and Wildgame Innovations, BADF Life Hunts was officially established in 1998 to grant hunting wishes for those with severe illness/disability age 21 and under.  To date over 750 participants have had life changing experiences because of this fantastic program!  At the founding of Life Hunts, mainstream wish-granting organizations had begun refusing requests for hunts of any kind or any wishes involving firearms or ATVs.  This left a great void for sick and disabled kids who wanted to fulfill a dream with a special hunt.

For a very sick child actually going on a hunt and being successful is not always the primary benefit. Some of the benefit our program brings is the anticipation of the hunt itself. Many of these children go through so many traumas with cancer treatments, surgeries and pain, that having something positive to look forward to has a tremendous impact in their lives.  Once at the events, valuable friendships are made with caring volunteers and other hunters that last a lifetime!

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We accept applications throughout the year from qualified participants. Because of the anti-hunting sentiment within many medical organizations, it is difficult for us to spread the word through these channels. Caring hunters can help us get the word out to children's hospitals, cancer centers and councilors.  If you think about it, you may already know a child who could qualify for and benefit from Life Hunts!

Life Hunts facilitate hope, and in many cases have played a vital role in the recovery of seriously ill hunters. Many of our hunt recipients make it through treatments and therapy to get back to living a normal life again. This is our ultimate goal and prayer -- that every child will be healed and filled with hope and confidence in fellow man through the gift they receive.  Although we specialize in providing hunts for white-tailed deer, Life Hunts will work to provide hunts for other species as well, if that is the child’s wish.

Life Hunts

How to Apply for a Life Hunt

If you know a child age 21 or under who has a life threatening condition, they can apply for a Life Hunt by printing and filling out the Adobe Acrobat document linked below, and mailing it back to us with a good photo of the applicant. Click here for Life Hunt Application.

How You Can Help Life Hunts

The allotment of BADF Life Hunts is contingent upon hunt availability and funding. Individuals and companies wishing to support Life Hunts can contribute to an earmarked fund where all contributions go directly to supporting the Life Hunts program. Guides, outfitters and hunting lodges that offer quality hunting opportunities are also needed for partnership into our program. BADF is a non-profit, tax-exempt 501 C-3 organization. Contributions are tax deductible as allowed by law.

You can support us by making a direct contribution, conducting a fundraiser of your choosing, or organizing a Buckmasters chapter in your area. Buckmasters chapters are similar to those of other conservation organizations, except that 50% of the proceeds made can be designated by the chapter for various types of projects in their community. The remaining 50% provides support to Life Hunts and BADF on a national level.

Memorial Donations to Life Hunts

The greatest form of support is to be honored in the memory of family, loved ones and friends.  Honor the memory of a special person and help make a difference in the lives of children needing relief and hope. Memorial support provides hope, healing and great anticipation in the lives of severely disabled and critically ill children through quality hunts and events.  Such contributions also help provide adaptive equipment that may be necessary for the hunt to take place.

Memorial Donations are earmarked for the Life Hunt program.  Mail donations to BADF Memorial Donations / 3445 County Road 159 / Bangs, Texas 76823. Please include the name of the person you want to honor with your gift, as well as their home town, dates of birth and death. We also need to know who to inform that a donation was made in their loved one's honor.  We thank the families of all hunters who have passed, and the friends and family who contribute, for their heartfelt support. Our prayers are with you all.

To contribute or offer help please contact:
Larry F. Hart
Buckmasters American Deer Foundation National Director
BADF Director of Disabled Hunters Services
3445 County Road 159
Bangs, Texas 76823
email: lfhart99@gmail.com

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Copyright 2020 by Buckmasters, Ltd