Heroes Ranch

Heroes Ranch operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit under the mission name "Helping Heroes Hunt." Located in Quitman, Texas (East Texas), the ranch provides free or heavily subsidized hunting and fishing experiences to veterans with service-related disabilities, active first responders, Gold Star families, and special needs families.

"A place of solitude that exudes a sense of peace where burdens, cares, and stress can be released." — Richard Herod, April 2024

The ranch hosts hunts for:

• •Whitetail Deer — Trophy bucks harvested year-round
• •Axis Deer — Exotic species with significant horns
• •Fallow Deer — Another exotic option
• •Blackbuck — Challenging hunts for experienced hunters
• •Fishing — Bass, crappie, and catfish in on-ranch ponds

Heroes Ranch is built from the ground up for accessibility:

• •Adaptive shooting blinds — Fully equipped for wheelchair access and various mobility needs
• •Action track wheelchair — Modified system allowing para/quadriplegic hunters to fire rifles from their wheelchair
• •Adaptive side-by-side vehicles — Full-featured UTVs for hunters unable to walk terrain
• •Big Buck Range — Fully equipped shooting range for sighting in rifles before hunts
• •Dakota's Pond — 1-acre fishing pond at main entrance; center point of 5-station sporting clay range
• •The Man Cave — Relaxation facility where heroes can unwind with family/friends
• •Heroes Cabin & Patriot Pavilion — New construction (2023-2024) expanding outdoor accessible family adventures

Heroes Ranch isn't retrofitting standard hunting infrastructure. Recent guest Jim Weber—hunting the "Super 10" challenge while living with ALS—specifically praised the ranch as "the nicest and only truly adaptive ranch" he'd visited. The team actively collaborates with disabled hunters to improve accessibility: they modified their action track wheelchair during Jim's visit to enable para/quadriplegic rifle use.

Hunters apply through the website by selecting their status:

• •I am a First Responder
• •I am a Veteran
• •We are a Special Needs Family
• •We are a Gold Star Family
• •I would like to Volunteer

Eligible guests are invited to hunt or fish. Family members are welcome to join. The ranch coordinates everything—mentorship, equipment use, meals, lodging coordination.

The ranch operates entirely on donations and sponsorships. Donors can:

• •Sponsor a hunt — Fund a specific hero's experience
• •Donate — Support facility construction and operations
• •Volunteer — Help at events and on the ranch
• •Nominate a hero — Refer someone who qualifies
• •Purchase merchandise — 100% of proceeds support the mission

• •Named finalist for Land Rover Defenders Service Awards (2022)
• •Featured in Tyler Morning Telegraph as East Texas nonprofit helping injured/disabled heroes
• •Hosted Jim Weber hunting his "Super 10" challenge—harvested Fallow Buck and Axis doe during visit
• •Whitetail raffle winner Brian Holley (Firefighter) harvested trophy buck
• •Regular multi-day hunts with axis, whitetail, and fallow deer harvests documented
• •Kade McCarty (20, paraplegic) visited with grandfather—formed mentorship with ranch alumni Elisio Matos

Beyond hunting, Heroes Ranch actively seeks volunteers to support operations, help with facility improvements (sawmill, pond construction, pavilion building), and mentor guests. The organization maintains detailed photo galleries of hunts, trophies, facilities, and guest testimonials.