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Calling all turkey hunters. With social distancing becoming the new trend for safety against COVID-19 hitting the woods has never been a better idea. 

With turkey season running March 21 through May 3, it is close to the time for the 4th Annual Luke Hortensine Memorial Turkey Hunt.

Ultimate Experience Outdoors will once again be taking disabled veterans from all over on this ultimate four-day adventure.

Andalusia local and founder Warren Maddox said he has been hunting since he was a boy and loves nothing more than the feeling of hair standing up on his back early mornings in the woods.

His love for hunting and protecting his country led him to start the memorial that will take place in honor of his friend Luke Hortensine.

“When I was in the army I met Luke H. on a wounded warrior hunt,” Maddox said. “I love to film hunt and me and luke hit it off and we were stationed on the same post. Luke had prostate cancer. Up until the day he died, he was living life to the fullest hunting and fishing and we wanted to do something in his memory. The very first hunt we did was a turkey hunt and we wanted to do the hunt in memory of him. Luke was an E7 Sergeant first class and served 14 years. The event is nonprofit South East Experience, it got bigger and bigger and we reached outside of the southeast region. We changed the name last year.”

The 4th Annual Luke Hortensine Memorial Turkey Hunt is to take place on March 26th-29th in Mckenzie Alabama.

Ultimate Experience Outdoors will once again be taking disabled veterans from across the country on a four day, three-night turkey hunting adventure.

This year the turkey hunt will be hosting eight disabled veterans along with guides and volunteers from across the southeast.

“On the 26, the vets will start arriving around lunch,” Maddox said. “Volunteers will be at the camp ready for them to sign forms and direct them to their bunks. We will then move them out to a shotgun range. Some people will bring their own weapons and others will borrow. Only one man is traveling which is a blessing in that all eight hunters will be there. Last year we had 13. We have a lot of resources and property that is donated. The Board of directors believes that eight is the perfect number for comfort.”

With the outbreak of the COVID-19, Maddox said they made sure to make four separate camping sites for the crews.

“We made sure to think about combating this virus,” Maddox said. “We have four different camps established and a cleaning crew assigned for each camp. This will keep them from crowding up too badly. The camps will be in Andalusia, Red Level, McKenzie and Georgiana.

List of sponsors and donators are below:

Andalusia Tire Company

Fletchers Outdoors

Baileys Pharmacy

Covington Casket Company

Jade Homes

Scott Dutton Construction

Hilltop Meat Company

Steamboat

David Catfish

Little Caesars

Skip Enzor

Truckworks Automotive

Coon Creek Lodge

Circle W trailers

Marvins

Wiregrass Outdoors

Lots and Loans

Sneektec Camo

Volunteers will be people from the southeast including Andalusia High School alumni, Straughn High School alumni, people from Red Level and McKenzie.