Photos: Veterans, volunteers gather for DAV Deer Hunt at Chester Woods Park on Nov. 13, 2026

It wasn’t just the chance to hunt white-tailed deer that brought dozens of hunters and volunteers together for the 15th annual Tom Eckdahl Memorial DAV Deer Hunt at Chester Woods Park. It was the camaraderie. Julie Mosser, a veteran from Elgin who served 11 years in the Navy, said swapping stories is one reason she continues to volunteer. Randy Carson, a veteran whose son died in Afghanistan in 2012, also mentioned the stories. “It’s nice for these guys to have an ear of somebody who gets it,” said Carson, who has taken part in the event as a hunter or a volunteer for more than a decade. Carson said he continues to do it as much for himself as he does to help other veterans. “I enjoy it because it makes me feel like I’m out with my son,” he said. Ron Whipple, 73, of Dexter, also enjoyed the camaraderie and the food, and said he’d be back next year. “Even if I don’t get a deer,” he said.

This excerpt comes from the named source. Read the original for the full reporting.