Diabled youth to go on first hunt

Lake Stevens, 11-year-old Justin Rhistine will take a rifle out to hunt for a buck at a stand in fields along the S curves south of Colfax Saturday for the first time. What sets Rhustine apart from other first-time hunters his age is that he was born without a right arm.

“What we want is to make sure every child has the ability to go out and hunt and have a good time,” said Cindy Carpenter, founder and president of Youth Outdoors Unlimited.

Youth Outdoors formed to give youth with life threatening illnesses or physical disabilities the opportunity to hunt or fish. The group has also set up three other hunts in other parts of the state for other disabled youth.

Rhustine will hunt from a blind set up by Moses Lake group Youth Outdoors Unlimited.

He passed hunters safety in March and has been training on techniques for firing a gun with one arm.

Carpenter, along with her husband, Joe, and Don Sell the group’s chief administrative officer, built a hunting wooden box on the Kammerzell property in July and camouflaged it.

Tom Kammerzell received city council approval to purchase salt blocks to attract deer, and the deer have found them.

Youth Outdoors is inviting locals to come and wish Rhustine well, maybe even give him a few “buck fever” remedies at a hot dog barbecue at the Palouse Empire Fairgrounds Friday afternoon.