- There's a common bond shared by members of the military that those of us that haven't served will never know.

I can't thank them enough for what they've done for the United States.

One thing I've been able to do to say thank you is to help out with outdoor veterans events.

Whether fishing, hunting, or some other way to enjoy the outdoors, getting those veterans together is all that matters.

Young or old, their shared experiences bring them together and help them navigate life back at home.

(dramatic orchestra music) This morning, we're watching the world wake up 12 feet off the ground in a hunting blind with Roger Strand and military vet, Larry Peterson - I'm watching pretty close there, Roger, all the way through that window here.

I can see him a long way where the trail goes around that way Yeah, I can see 'em coming this way if when it comes.

- Good.

- [Bret] This late season, muzzleloader deer hunt was made possible because of volunteers from the Warriors and Walleyes group.

(heartfelt piano music) - First Minnesota kid that was killed in the Gulf War was one of our classmates in a little town of Wood Lake, 400 people.

- [Bret] Lance Peterson from Warriors and Walleyes created this organization to give back and bring vets together.

- So one day, I had this crazy idea that I was gonna take some veterans fishing, and I came up to my wife at two in the morning when I had this idea and I says, "Honey, I got this great idea.

"I'm gonna take veterans fishing."

She says, "Can it wait till morning?"

(group laughs) - [Bret] We joined them at the VFW in Appleton, Minnesota as they gathered for their first annual muzzle loader deer hunt.

- [Lance] How many total vets have we got?

Stand up.

Well, thank you.

(drowned out by applause) - [Bret] Well, Lance Peterson might be behind the organization.

This event involved numerous volunteers and landowners, including Roger Strand.

- I happen to see, or word Bret go, there you are, right, - Right here.

(group laughs) - I happened to see the Prairie Sportsman on cast and blast.

I was so impressed with what I saw, the appreciation that they were giving us, when we gotta give the appreciation to you guys that are vets, and I said, "Well, we're thinking about, "you know, probably doing a muzzleloader hunt."

"you know, probably doing a muzzle loader hunt."

I said, "I'll give you four heated blinds."

Four blinds, we tried to blow one up tonight.

(group laughs) Sergeant Major and I tried to blow up the bloody heater.

It kinda exploded on us and threw the door open.

(guys talk over each other) (dramatic orchestra music) - There it is.

That's a doe.

- There's two more right here.

- [Bret] They smell us.

(calm jazz music) - I am so excited.

As a group, we try and designate the right people for the right places.

Tyler Giswald is with me on this one 100%.

- I think it was sitting, for me, when I went up north to the lake in the woods with Lance when Chris invited me up there and I got to meet all those guys, I think it was just sitting there listening to everybody's story, and you just sit there and you're in awe, and I think the one that really hit home to me was Gary Guggenberger's story.

(bright flute music) - January 14th, 1969, I had a bad day, and that day, I was on a convoy, and our convoy was ambushed, and I was taken a prisoner of war, and I spent four years in chained to trees and living in holes in the ground.

- You know, the way that he tells that story and how he tells it with, you know, he's super strong human being, you know, and it just humbled me and-- - It's amazing.

- It is.

To hear everybody tell their stories and to think that, well, you know, maybe my story's, maybe it's not as bad as I think it is, you know?

And it'll change you.

It completely changed me.

- I mean, you're here deer hunting, but it's just the sitting around and telling stories and kinda rejuvenates your spirit and gets you going, well, I'm not the only guy or gal that's got a problem or like me, I suffer from PTSD, and when I can get here and talk, your spirit, your heart, is in it, and you want be here so.

- And then that man right there that's giving his property up, Roger, I watched his video in your life.

That is an inspiration to me.

- [Bret] In season 13 of Prairie Sportsman, we learned about Roger's battle with polio.

- About the end of August, first parts of September were the end of the epidemic, and I got it the third week of August, and I was in the hospital for about four and a half months.

- My wife bawled like a baby when she watched that movie, and she goes, "You gotta go on that trip.

"You gotta go."

- Without what our veterans have done for us, I wouldn't have what I have.

I've been very blessed.

- [Bret] Unfortunately one of those vets who was supposed to come had to cancel.

- Sergeant Al Kostel had a stroke, and he was not able to make it here.

- [Bret] He sent a letter describing what it meant for him to be a part of a past event.

- Flashbacks and nightmares from combat in Vietnam can now be replaced with the memories of spending time with fellow veterans in Appleton.

- While everyone was happy to honor these veterans by taking them hunting, they were also presented with a custom engraved muzzleloader.

- Kevin, I'm gonna cry.

(guys laugh) - He can■t keep the case.

- Oh my.

Thank you so much, sir.

Thank you.

(group applauds) - [Bret] United States Marine Corps Justin Johnson, I got to meet this guy earlier.

He's a great guy from Perham.

- Something like this is unreal.

You know, I met Larry for the first time tonight, and I've known him my whole life.

You know, we've put on the same uniform.

- You were a Marine, though, remember.

I was an army boy.

(group laughs) - No, I'm well aware of that, but everybody here made sure I was well aware.

I got a whole box of crayons, man.

- You got you're color crayons.

- Absolutely.

- I didn't none.

- I'll share 'em.

- [Bret] And Sergeant Lindsay Skavlem, US army Reynolds, North Dakota.

Your name on it.

- Here you go, ma'am.

Thank you.

- You're welcome.

(group applauds) - Haven't had an opportunity to shoot a deer so.

- [Man Off Camera] You're gonna get one.

There you go.

- Just seeing one will be thank you enough.

- [Man Off Camera] Just don't get buck fever.

- I'm gonna shoot the first thing that comes in front of the blind.

(drowned out by laughter) (group talks over each other) - Well I met some degenerative human beings that I love so dearly now who introduced me to some more people, and it started off as something simple like, hey, do you wanna go fishing?

And I was like, hell yeah, I do.

I heard about the opportunity to go fishing, ice fishing, which terrifies me a little bit.

I don't like-- - You're from North Dakota.

How is that terrifying?

- Yeah, I understand that.

- Come on.

- No, I understand that.

I've never been a fan of ice.

- I don't mind the ice.

It's when the ice breaks that I don't like it.

(calm jazz music) - You have great people in this community and thank you so much for allowing me to come, and a gun, I'm speechless.

- No you're not.

(group laughs) - I heard somebody say this in the last few days is replace some of the bad memories with good memories, and that's what feels good.

Even though we didn't see a deer this morning, we were still in the deer hut and laughing and telling stories, and yeah, I think that's been a common thing is a lot of conversation.

- Good job now, serg.

You still click your heels nice and tight.

- I do, Sgt.

major.

- On behalf of Warriors and Walleye and responses, I'd like to present you with this flag for your service, and I wish you all the luck again tomorrow as well.

- Thank you Sergeant Major.

(group applauds) - Best of luck tomorrow in your hunt.

Best of luck in all that you do, and I will pray for you tonight.

(group applaud) (dramatic orchestra music) - There's a deer right in front us, a doe.

- Oh yeah, there is.

That's probably the mama.

She's stumping her foot, see?

- That's one of the fawns, I think.

- [Larry] It could be a fawn.

She went across.

- Did she go back in?

- No, she went that.

(bright piano music) - While four vets were taken out hunting, some of those volunteers at this event are vets who participated in the past.

It says a lot when you, you know, someone like yourself who came along as a vet and then decided, hey, I wanna do more.

I wanna be a part of this.

- When I got outta the army, you know, I spent 26 years in the army, and I, you know, what do I want to be when I grow up?

It really took this program to help me figure out what I wanted to be.

I wanted to give back, you know, 'cause I was a senior NCO.

I was taking care of soldiers.

This lets me take care of soldiers again, and that's very rewarding.

- And it's really healing and helping.

You know, we don't want anybody to think that they're alone out there, you know?

It's all about helping, making people happy.

- The first day, nobody really talks, and then the second day, it's just, you know, unbelievable.

So it's really great that way.

- Absolutely amazing.

Very few times you get to sit down and just speak your mind what you did, what you thought, and how you felt, you know?

And it's a good thing, a very good thing.

Fortunate, you know, very fortunate, - [Bret] We all have our reasons to spend time in the outdoors, and success should be measured by the adventures had and the memories made.

Filling tags are just a welcome bonus along the way.