The 11th annual Combat Warriors, Inc. Pleasants Farmer Deer Hunt was held Nov. 2-5 in Franklin County, NC and the warriors stayed at the cabin on Mrs. Mavis Nelms farm, Highway 39 S. about 2 miles of Louisburg. What a great and successful event; eighteen (18) total warriors; made up of Marines, US Army troops, and Navy Seals. Most of the warriors arrived around noon on Friday Nov. 2nd allowing them to hunt in the afternoon. All hunted Saturday and a few chose to stay over and hunt early Sunday morning before church service. This year they bagged together 23 deer; the largest being a nice 10 point buck weighing approximately 170 pounds.

​The warrior with the biggest buck received a free mount from taxidermist, Spencer Loftin. The meat was processed by Pearces Custom Processing, owned and operated by Jeffrey Pearce. Mr. Pearce gives Combat Warriors, Inc. a significant discount in processing the meat for the warriors.

​Guides were furnished for all warriors and these fine men donated their time to help for the entire weekend. Friday afternoon, Mrs. Mavis Nelms had cooked the warriors a big pot of Brunswick stew for the warriors and guides, plus had desserts as well. Friday night after the hunt, 6 bags of fresh oysters were brought up from the coast and served to the soldiers as an appetizer and all were served barbecue chicken prepared by Joe and Kathy Wood of the Red Bud community. Kathy’s sisters, Lynn Champion and Sheila Hobbs prepared side dishes. Saturday morning at 4:30 am, breakfast was served by Fellowship Gun Club of the Castalia community, and they also furnished chopped barbecue lunch Saturday for all. Saturday night the warriors and guides were treated with a prime rib dinner, compliments of Joe and Kathy Wood. Music was furnished by County Commissioner, Mark Speed, who volunteered his time and equipment, and special live music was done by Larry Fritz of the Red Bud community.

​Much preparation was done to make this event successful; hunting stands were put up, many land owners volunteered their properties for hunting, and 2 tons of shelled corn was put out before and during the hunt to make it the best possible for the warriors.

Combat Warriors, Inc. thanks all sponsors ( 9 businesses ) to help make this event such a success. Two of the sponsors are local to Louisburg; The Timber Company, Chris Stewart and CAS Machine owned by Mike Stone. Others included Les Merritt, CPA of Zebulon, Don Johnson Forestry, and GPAgency, Inc. of Raleigh. A special 4 ft. X 8 ft. sponsor banner was made and prominently shown during the event to show appreciation.

A total of 24 warriors signed up for this event but 3 of the Navy Seal men were deployed at the last few days for a mission. Six (6) of the warriors who attended are being deployed within the month to serve our country in Afghanistan for nine (9) months being away from their wives and children.

The Embro/Panthers Branch Hunt Clubs provided 9 Warriors with a great weekend Nov 16-18. It started with an outstanding fish fry at the Panthers Branch Club and continued through the weekend with the weather providing the hounds with a great environment to pursue the deer.
We were able to harvest three bucks with a 8 pointer being the biggest of the day.
We at Combat Warriors cannot thank the Embro/ Panther Branch Hunt Clubs enough for providing an exceptional event for our Warriors.

Sawmill Hunting Camp hosted three warriors the weekend of 16-18 November. The group was able to enjoy camaraderie, great meals, and harvested 4 does and 1 bear. We would like to extend a big thanks to Sawmill for joining Combat Warriors Inc mission by providing a quality experience for these warriors.

Over the weekend of 10 and 11 November, we hosted our inaugural Combat Warriors Inc Hyde County Bear Hunt. We celebrated the Marine Corps birthday and Veterans Day with two Warriors, one active duty and one retired, who combined had nearly 40 years of service and represented the Marine Corps, Navy, Coast Guard, and Army National Guard.

One warrior filled his tag after an exciting, fast paced, bear sighting packed morning. There were so many bear, the rookies were nearly overwhelmed. Thanks to our master bear hunting hosts and their well trained dogs, our first warrior got to experience a long held wish to harvest his first bear. One other bear was also harvested by a first time bear hunter in the hunting party putting the tally at two for the day.

The second day was also a huge success. Our second warrior had the full, deep in the woods, up close, experience to fill his tag - cashing in on maximum excitement and adrenaline (and maybe a little bit of fear)! The rest of the hunting party also did very well with a total of six bears for the day.

As one of the warriors put it, “Such an indescribable experience with such fantastic memories to replace other not so good ones!”

It was humbling to know everyone involved, hunters and hosts, truly appreciated the freedoms we enjoy and the price it costs. Such a great way to observe and celebrate Veterans Day.

Big thanks to our land owners and hosts for showing our warriors such great hospitality and how to hunt these eastern NC black bears.

Great harvest by Randy during the Chockley deer hunt.

The Fifth Annual Combat Warrior "Old Drum Outing" was a success! With the support of the volunteers and sponsors we are able to give these soldiers and their families a weekend full of fishing, shooting range activities, sightseeing, gifts, prizes and most importantly quality time together!

The soldiers and their children arrived on Friday afternoon. That evening the Harker’s Island Fire Department made a special visit. Everyone really enjoyed the ladder truck display. Trooper Chad Taylor with the Highway Patrol also took time to come by and visit with the kids. This was a great start to the weekend!

Saturday morning some spent time at the North River Sporting Club, while others went bottom fishing. At the sporting club the kids were educated on proper technique and safe handling of guns and the soldiers engaged in some friendly competition on the range and skeet shooting. After lunch we gathered to present the soldiers and kids with gifts. That evening we headed to Cedar Island for the main event, fishing for old red drum. James Houston and friends, Sam and Kody fishing with Trey and Brett Burnette caught the largest drum. John Ray and son, Zane, fishing with Jim Strickland, Jason Luchetti and sons Lucas and Nicholas fishing with Brent and Brad Morris and Chase Goggin with son, Caleb fishing with Larry Burnette all had a nice catch or two!

Sunday we gathered again for breakfast and took a boat trip over to Cape Lookout for more site seeing and a tour of the lighthouse.

Our fifth event was particularly special because we were able to host several Gold Star kids for the first time, and how exciting it was when they won the prize for the largest catch of the weekend! What an honor it was to spend time with these kids!

A big THANK YOU to all the volunteers and sponsors that make this possible!

It is such a privilege to be involved in this event. We could never thank these warriors and their families enough for all the sacrifices they have made to ensure our safety and freedom.

The Oregon Inlet offshore fishing trip each Memorial Day is organized for combat veterans in an effort to provide a quality event on this somber day.

Memorial Day is a special day for us to remember, reflect, and honor our nation’s finest who gave all for our country. We can sometimes get lost in the sorrow of such loss, but we must remember to honor them and enjoy those freedoms for which they swore an oath to protect and defend, and ultimately gave their life for.

While we will never forgot those heroes we lost in service of this great nation, we attempt to honor their sacrifice by living life to the fullest.

The boats were expertly crewed, the bite was good, and the smiles were hearty. Big thanks to A-Salt Weapon, Fin Planner, and Qualifier for taking the warriors out for a great day of fishing.

Sacrifice, Honor, & Courage!

The 6th annual pheasant throw at Dewitt's Outdoor Sports was a blast for everyone involved. We ended up having 147 people, including lots of spouses and kids. We were very excited to see new faces that have not attended the event in years past. Lots of kids and spouses fired shotguns for the first time and actually got birds. The 5 stand was a big hit to the point that, at 5 PM, we had to go tell everyone that it was time to head home. There were 400 birds total and 360 were recovered and sent home with the families for excellent table fare.  That is a record for the amount of birds recovered from our events at Dewitt's. There was also a bounce house in case the younger kids weren't into the shooting but even the smallest of the bunch were eager for some time on the gun. As always, the event was well supported by our many partners and we would like to thank all who gave to make this event possible.  The food, shooting, and fellowship between families was first class.  This event is the pinnacle of what Combat Warriors is about.  We want to give our service members an avenue to get outdoors, raise their children in that environment, and spend quality time in a relaxed setting with their families and others.  We ask so much of our warriors.  They spend countless days, weeks, months, and years away from those they love the most to protect this great nation and keep us safe and free.  The least we can do is try to add quality family experiences to their lives while they are home.  If events like these help just one family to relax and get back to "normal" during stressful times, then it is a win in our book.  We look forward to Dewitt's Pheasant Throw again next year and the many other events we have coming up in 2018.  It's going to be a great year for Combat Warriors.  Click on the photo below to scroll through the photos from the event.

Six years ago, a group of us sat around a camp fire expressing a desire to try give our service men the same experiences we live for. Now, we find ourselves doing just that. We have immersed ourselves in the Combat Warriors organization. Not only did we find a way to unknowingly change our lives for the better, we found a way to share that same campfire with some of our nation’s finest warriors. The outdoors has a divine way of bringing people together. It’s that vein we try to tap into with each and every event. While it takes a gracious host, volunteers, and sponsors to make this organization run, all we really strive to do is to provide an avenue for these heros to enjoy Gods creation and decompress. It’s funny how life has a way of fulfilling our deepest desires sometimes. A couple of us reminisce on that conversation as we warm our feet by the fire waiting for our guests to arrive for the weekend.

One of the little things I have come to notice about these events is when the guys arrive at camp, it usually begins with a handshake. Two days later, we say goodbye with hugs and heartfelt wishes to see each other again. We’ve built relationships. Relationships we never would have had without Combat Warriors. We spend weeks, months and years preparing for these events. We line up food and lodging. We spend countless hours scouting turkeys, ducks and deer and exhaust every possible resource to make sure their time outdoors is spent being successful.

This past weekend was no different. We hosted our event in Grimesland, NC at the Rawls Farm. WIMCO pulls out all the stops for our warriors. Phenomenal food, drinks, and accommodations have become the norm with all the Combat Warrior events. Seven guys arrived in camp Friday afternoon. Before they stepped out of their trucks we only knew them as our nation’s heroes. Guys who put their lives on the line so we can live free. After a weekend of tracking deer, shooting limits of ducks, swapping stories around the campfire and enjoying nature in its purest form, we hope to have made a difference.

It’s so hard to put into words the profound impact these events have on each and every one who is involved. We tell people all the time this organization has done more for us that We could have ever imagined. There’s a somber feeling around the camp on Sunday mornings as the guys pack their gear. We have forged life-long friendships in 48 hours. There is no telling where this world is going to take these guys next. All we know is we were blessed enough to share camp with them for a weekend and hopefully life has us doing it a few more times. There are no more handshakes around camp anymore. It’s all hugs and admiration for new bonds that were forged in the great outdoors.

When all was said and done, the guys took home 6 deer and our group shot 13 limits of ducks. We always pray that the stars will align for these weekends so that our guys can have the hunt of a lifetime. Sometimes they do and there's no better feeling. Huge thanks to Kevin Rawls, president of WIMCO, for his hospitality and generosity to Combat Warriors. What a weekend!

On Dec 1st and 2nd, Combat Warriors held a deer hunt in Halifax County, NC hosted by Twin Oaks Hunt Club with sponsorship by Busckshot Hunt Club, Ventosa Hunt Club, Wilson Farms and other generous land owners from Scotland Neck to Hobgood (Joey Cotton, Matt Shields, Ricky Edwards, Clay Whitley to mention a few). Thirty-five warriors were hosted, housed, feed and guided thanks to the dedication and generosity of our volunteers.

Months of planning were finalized on Nov 30 at the guide meeting hosted by Buck Shot Hunt Club and their dedicated northerners who make the long trip from New York for each of these events. All the property owners and hunt club guides reviewed available tracks of land, stands, and schedule of events behind the scenes so the warriors just had to show up, eat, hunt and enjoy themselves.

A few of the warriors were able to come in early enough on Friday to enjoy an afternoon hunt. Eight deer were harvested on the opening evening of the hunt from multiple properties. By 7:30 pm most of the warriors had arrived and were treated to fresh steamed oysters and a hearty steak and baked potato dinner with additional fresh sides. Jimmy and Randy from Tarboro have been treating warriors to great grilled meals for several years now, and they continue to please each year as the numbers have grown. Warriors and guides alike enjoyed a full belly and a few libations as the fellowship continued into the night around the bonfire with a moving song performed by Nick Culpepper and Taps played on the harmonica.

Coffee and breakfast was served at 4:30 am to insure hunters and guides were fueled for their morning hunt. By 5:00 am, guides set out in all directions with their warriors to the multiple properties. By 10:30 am when the warriors came back for lunch, five more deer were harvested from several different properties! Prior to lunch we gathered to thank all those that made this hunt possible. Special thanks to the Sportsman’s Box for their donation of gift boxes for the warriors (www.SportsmansBox.com).

The cooks, Randy and Jimmy, continued to impress with Carolina style BBQ chicken for lunch, leaving some warriors in need of a nap prior to the afternoon hunt. However, Ventosa Kennels and local law enforcement provided unique post lunch entertainment to keep everyone awake. Michael Beaulieu and crew from Ventosa Kennels in Scotland Neck (www.ventosakennelnc.com) offered an impressive display of their mulit-purpose canine in an apprehension scenario. We were all glad it was Michael in the training suit after witnessing the power of the K9! NC Division of Wildlife also came to support the event and we appreciate their diligence in protecting all of the natural resources we enjoy as hunters. Plus it’s always good to have the game wardens on your side!

Warriors and guides put in a final hunt Saturday afternoon and five more deer harvested which included our largest buck of the hunt. There were a few that slipped though the woods unobserved, and others that didn’t provide a shot. We won’t talk about the multiple treks into the swamps in search of the ones that “got away!” We do have to make honorable mention of the corn thieving raccoons that met their demise and one that wanted to come back alive in a box as a gift for the unsuspecting! Top prize for largest buck was a Yeti Roadie 20 cooler, and the largest doe took home a Yeti Hopper.

While everyone was out on the evening hunt, Phillip Weeks worked his magic in his “Late Night Porkin” smoker producing some lip smacking pulled pork and pork tenderloin for dinner. The day concluded with dinner, live music by Jerry Cole (@Jerrycolemusic), deer processing, some tall tales among new friends, and what we hope are memories to last a lifetime.

We are truly blessed to have such freedom, warriors who sacrifice to protect it, and patriotic citizens who appreciate it.