“Going on the hunt is the reason for coming together,” said founder Sean Calhoun. “But it’s also the opportunity to be with like-minded individuals, the opportunity to connect with guys who have been there.”
When Hunts of Honor began, it was just founder Sean Calhoun looking for a way to give back to those who had served by sharing his passion for hunting. He took three guys out for a local waterfowl hunt in his home state of South Carolina.
Six years later, Hunts of Honor has grown into a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, complete with a Board of Directors, sponsorship opportunities, and fundraising efforts. While the team and effort has grown, their passion for both hunting and honoring those who have dedicated their lives to service remains the same. Now in 2018, over twenty military members and law enforcement officers will be able to participate in a hunt, fully paid for and led by Hunts of Honor.
A man with a mission
Hunts of Honor began as the passion project of founder Sean Calhoun. The owner of Gobbler Down Custom Calls and Drake Down Custom Calls, Calhoun enjoys hunting and sharing that interest with others. He saw a need within the military and law enforcement communities and stepped up to fill it.
Calhoun, a former law enforcement officer in South Carolina and current Department of Defense Instructor, believes that hunting provides a place for military and law enforcement personnel to come together over a shared interest. When he worked as a security contractor overseas, he saw many of his friends impacted by their experiences.
“We were losing service members and not just to death on the battlefield,” he said. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and suicide remain a big issue that the military is tackling. Hunts of Honor provides an outlet for those personnel to share a hunt with others who support them.
As the founder of Hunts of Honor, he leads hunts for military and law enforcement personnel. He has also taken children with severe illness or disabilities hunting, helping them participate in rich and rewarding experiences.
Sean Calhoun, founder of Hunts of Honor
What is a hunt like?
Honorees are able to participate in a hunt, led by experienced hunters from the Hunts of Honor team. On a hunt, participants hunt waterfowl, deer, or turkey. The first hunts took place in South Carolina but have expanded to multiple locations around the United States, including Texas, Utah, Kansas, Missouri, and South Dakota.
Hunts of Honor selects their honorees from veterans, military members, and law enforcement officers who are nominated for their outstanding patriotism and service. Once selected, the honoree receives all of the gear, ammunition, travel, lodging, and licenses that they need, completely funded by Hunts of Honor. While some honorees prefer to bring their own gun, others use those provided by Hunts of Honor.
Hunts of Honor also provides free taxidermy services to those on their hunts, allowing those participating to take home a memory of their experience with Hunts of Honor.
Each hunt is televised on Buck Obsession on the Pursuit Channel. Honorees are able to relive the memories of their hunt every time that they watch their episode. It also provides a place for them to tell their story, sharing what they would like about their service and hunt.
More than a hunt
Hunting is a passion for the volunteers that work with Hunts of Honor, but not the reason that they give of their time, talent, and checkbooks to make these events happen. Every person who works with Hunts of Honor is there to honor the military and law enforcement personnel who have put their lives on the line.
“Going on the hunt is the reason for coming together,” said founder Sean Calhoun. “But it’s also the opportunity to be with like-minded individuals, the opportunity to connect with guys who have been there.” Building this camaraderie is at the heart of Hunts of Honor’s mission and honors the service of those they work with.
Hunts of Honor makes sure to stay in contact with those they take hunting. Many even join the team as volunteers, paying it forward to future honorees. Kids able to hunt are often included in the hunts. They benefit from connecting with and learning about what it means to serve as a veteran or law enforcement officer during the trip.
Many of the Hunts of Honor honorees share a passion for hunting but the organization also takes new hunters on trips. The shared values of selfless service are what is truly important.
How to support the Hunts of Honor mission
Hunts of Honor is exclusively funded by donations and staffed by volunteers. A lot of the prior Hunts of Honor honorees come back to volunteer in future hunts. Other volunteers come from the staff of Calhoun’s custom turkey and duck call companies, Gobbler Down Custom Calls and Drake Down Custom Calls.
Every year, Hunts of Honor hosts a gun raffle to raise money for future hunts. This year’s raffle, to be held on April 2nd, will raffle $13,000 worth of guns to ten winners.
Hunts of Honor feels passionate about what they are providing to America’s military and law enforcement personnel. But their mission is far from over. Calhoun would like to continue growing, opening up future hunts to first responders, Gold Star families of fallen service members, and Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS).
Hunts of Honor continues to fulfill their mission, always “serving those who serve.”
If you are interested in supporting Hunts of Honor as a sponsor, visit their website at www.huntsofhonor.org/sponsor. It is a fantastic way to “say thank you to our veterans and law enforcement officers.” Sponsorship packages are available to provide meals, outfitting, airfare, lodging, or any other part of a Hunts of Honor hunt. All donations are tax deductible.
If you would like to nominate someone for a Hunts of Honor hunt, visit their website at www.huntsofhonor.org/nominate to access the application and email it to [email protected].
