PEYTON — On a crisp, perfectly overcast autumn day, the sentiment conveyed during a brief, prehunt ceremony on the Silver Spur Ranch was basic enough: Welcome home, thank you for all you’ve done, welcome to Colorado . . . and here’s hoping an opportunity to hunt deer and elk will be a step on your road to recovery.
“I think it’s our duty,” said state Rep. Marsha Looper, R-Calhan, who with state Sen. John Morse, D-Colorado Springs, sponsored legislation that created a new program authorizing the Colorado Division of Wildlife to issue free big-game hunting licenses to members of the military’s Wounded Warriors program. “It’s our responsibility to recognize the sacrifices that our servicemen and women and their families have made, and to offer them our support. It’s the least we can do.”
The program provides up to 500 free hunting permits every year to members of the armed forces who became severely wounded, injured or ill during overseas operations since the 9/11 attacks. Eligible servicemen must be members of the Wounded Warrior program administered by each military branch, and be residents of or stationed in Colorado.
For First Lt. Jason Mazzella, one of four soldiers from the Army’s Wounded Warrior program at Fort Carson who would be participating in a hunt for elk and deer on the ranch, the outing would be an opportunity to reconnect with something he had enjoyed before a fateful day in Afghanistan.
Mazzella, 24, grew up in Orange County, N.Y., and had done some hunting with his family. He’d done some bird hunting while stationed in Oklahoma, and had introduced his wife, Brianna, to the sport.
“Hunting season was always an important time of year growing up,” he said. “This will be my first Colorado elk hunt, and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Mazzella planned to continue hunting, as his Army career permitted, but all that changed when a rocket exploded near him in Afghanistan. Shrapnel from the blast tore into his leg, arm and face. He was evacuated to Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where doctors feared his leg would require amputation.
The leg eventually was saved, but Mazzella underwent nine surgeries and extensive rehabilitation therapy before being transferred to Fort Carson, where he remains on active duty.
“I’ve always enjoyed just being outdoors,” he said. “That’s one of the reasons I especially wanted to come to Colorado.”
Even so, his mobility was limited.
“If it wasn’t for this, I couldn’t get out,” he said before the hunt. “This is my first opportunity to hunt elk in Colorado, and I’m extremely grateful. It’s great to get away from the business of the city and just be out here.”
With guides from Tri-State Outfitters donating their time on the ranch owned by John Malone of Parker, the chairman of Liberty Media, the three-day hunt soon was underway. Mazzella and another soldier had cow tags; two others had deer licenses. Though none shot an animal through the first two days of hunting, no one was discouraged.
“It was a great time, the guides were all great guys, and we were joking with them that we hadn’t shot anything yet because we didn’t want it to end,” Mazzella said. “It was great to be seeing some huge mule deer bucks, whitetails and elk, and to be hunting them in a wild setting. It would have been worth it just for that.”
Maybe so, but on the final afternoon, everything fell into place for the elk hunters. Mazzella and another soldier both got their elk.
“It’s something I’ll remember the rest of my life,” Mazzella said. “I’m very grateful.”
The ranch, along the Palmer Divide, is enrolled in the DOW’s Ranching for Wildlife program, and ranch manager Mike Hahn hopes other wounded veterans can hunt there in the future.
“It’s a great program, and this is the least we can do,” he said. “I’m hoping it takes off and gets bigger yet.”
Retired Maj. Gen. Samuel Leffler, who remains involved with the Wounded Warrior program, was among the most interested observers.
“There’s nothing like taking these guys out and setting them down out here,” he said. “Even if they never squeeze the trigger, they’re up in the woods, enjoying the outdoors, instead of being cooped up. It’s better medicine than any doctor can give them, and when you can give them some elk meat, it’s even better.”
