Deafness won’t stop this hunter

With the deer season just one week away, there is nary a sound to be heard in the Missouri forests.
Welcome to 11-year-old Noah Fahncke’s world. He is deaf, but hardly at a disadvantage when it comes to deer hunting. In fact, I’d say the Olathe kid did a bang-up job last weekend at the Boy Scout Camp near Osceola. He was one of about a dozen deaf youngsters from both Missouri and Kansas to participate in the annual youth deaf hunt here, organized five years ago by St. Clair Conservation Agent Dennis Garrison.
Dennis, unfortunately, has taken ill from Lyme Disease, but Independence taxidermist Craig Jones has taken up the cause and the show goes on.
“This is an unbelievable highlight of my life,” Jones said.
And what a show it was, certainly for the kids but the army of volunteers Craig and his wife Karen put together to make sure the young participants had a rewarding outdoor experience whether they bagged a deer or not. In fact, when everybody gathered Friday night around the campfire for dinner and fellowship, the whole experience was no different than any of the many deer camps I’ve been in just prior to opening day.
Fun and laughter.
I had the honor of going out with Noah, his father Marty and veteran guide Kenny Dannenbrock, the head of maintenance for the 45-hundred acre Boy Scout Camp. We all awoke around the 5 o’clock hour, gobbled up a hearty breakfast then took to the woods to a pair of blinds just before sunrise. I was with Fox 4 News, helping to put together a TV package on the youth hunt.
Everything was going as it should the first 45 minutes. But much to my horror my temporary cell phone, that I use only for hunting and fishing trips, broke the crisp quiet of the morning with some blatantly obnoxious ring tone. Yikes, if looks could kill. In my defense, I’m not used to turning off the cell phone because I don’t carry one on a daily basis. Besides, it was my grandsons Nick and Riley calling to be the first to wish me a happy birthday.
But as it thankfully turned out, no harm/no foul.
Less than 30 minutes later, as if scripted, a year-old buck walked out of the timber and about 50 yards in front of Noah’s blind. Marty spotted him first and signed to Noah that it was showtime. Kenney put the shooting stick in place, and the rest was up to Noah.
BANG!
I was startled by a strange mist that seem to come from the muzzle of Noah’s rifle, and wasn’t sure if he had hit the deer or not, which immediately bounded back into the trees. That is until seconds later when I heard Kenney tell Marty, “Tell him it’s OK…tell him it’s all right. He shot in front of the deer.”
It was confirmation that Noah had missed, but I was awestruck by the fact that Kenny’s kindness and regard for this young hunter was so quickly applied. It was lesson time in the deer woods, and Kenny truly had his priorities in order.
“Well… most people, and I don’t care if you’re a grown up or a kid, feel badly if you miss something,” Kenny said. “If you really wanted it, you get really disappointed right quick. So the first thing you want to say, especially to a younger person is that everything is fine and dandy because there will always be another day.”
Later that morning, the hunting threesome walked down to where the buck had presented itself. There, they discovered that Noah’s shot had been very much on target but a small, unseen tree had diverted the bullet. That, it seems, explained the “mist” I had seen.
As we started back to the dining hall for lunch, Kenny asked me about the phone call. I explained it was my birthday and my grandkids had called.
“Well, you should be down in one of those fancy restaurants or bars on the Plaza celebrating,” he jokingly suggested.
“Oh, no … I can’t imagine a more perfect birthday than being out here and being a part of this,” I explained to him candidly.
That was driven home just after lunch when Craig’s kids and volunteers “sang” happy birthday to me… the deaf youngsters signing the song.
“Wow, how perfect is this for a 63-year old coot?” I thought.
As it turns out, I got a second birthday gift a couple days later when I received the following email from Noah’s dad:
Gene,
Noah did get his deer Sunday morning, and so did two other boys. The final harvest was 2 deer for MSD (Missouri School for the Deaf) kids, and 2 deer for KSD (Kansas School for the Deaf) Scout kids. A pic of Noah with his deer is attached.
It was a pleasure having you along. We’re excited to see the piece on Friday morning.  We’re all getting up early to watch it!
Have a great day, and thanks again.
Marty Fahncke