M.A.D. Articles

Healing Through Hunting

Originally published in Purple Heart Magazine.
Pages 27-29

“Bear!” Joe whispered as the hulking black bears slowly lumbered into view in the dark timber of the Wyoming mountains. “Get ready!” Ted Snyder, a retired Army soldier who served numerous combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, knew what to do. Slowly bringing his rifle up and settling the crosshairs on his target, he waited for the large boar to give him a clean broadside shot at sixty yards. The bear, totally focused on feeding, soon cooperated. Ted slowed his breathing, forcing himself to focus on the bear’s midsection. “When you’re ready,” Joe quietly whispered, “take him.” Ted’s world shrank to the world inside his scope, as he took a deep breath and slowly squeezed the trigger…”

The last three decades have seen thousands of American service members severely injured as they selflessly sacrificed for their country. Limbs lost to IEDs, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are just a few ways that war tears apart the lives of veterans and their families. Fortunately, many organizations stand ready to help them. They all share the same goal: to help the veteran heal through various treatments and methods. One unique non-profit uses the therapeutic value of the outdoors to heal wounds both seen and unseen: Make A Difference Outdoors.

“Make A Difference Outdoors (also known as M.A.D. Outdoors) was founded thirteen years ago by a group of friends who love the outdoors and wanted to give back to veterans,” said co-founder Jerry Dunlap.“Everything we do for our veterans and their kids comes from the heart. We believe a man stands tallest when he stoops to help others.”

Their mission statement is to provide rewarding outdoor experiences for veterans and disabled veterans, honoring their sacrifices to the nation and strengthening the bonds of camaraderie and trust. They also serve children with special needs, helping them improve their body, mind, and character through inclusive outdoor skills development.

“We pride ourselves on providing a wide variety of outdoor adventures such as deep-sea fishing, trap shoots, hog and duck hunts, and kid fishing,” Jerry explains. “We even run big game hunts for bear, elk, and pronghorn.. Nobody at M.A.D. collects a paycheck – we’re all volunteers who simply want to give back to those who have given so much.”

These trips span the width of the country but the continent, as Montana, Washington, Oregon, New Mexico, Wyoming, and Manitoba have all hosted M.A.D. events. One event that’s especially meaningful to M.A.D. leadership is their Kid Fishing Day.“For 10 consecutive weekends in a row, we hosted kids of veterans and special needs kids at our Trout Pond,” Jerry said. “We served nearly 250 youth and more than 130veterans. Most of these kids have disabilities or are without parents. They play, eat, fish, and get to be ‘free’ for a day. I simply can’t explain the size of their smiles.”

Numerous studies have demonstrated the therapeutic benefits of the outdoors in aiding the recovery of injured service members. M.A.D. provides veterans not only the healing power of nature but also the unique camaraderie they once shared in the military. Army veteran Steve Osterholzer, who experienced an M.A.D. hunt, agrees.“When I returned from Afghanistan, many of my fellow soldiers refused to talk to counselors and therapists because ‘they haven’t walked in my boots. They haven’t experienced the horrors of war and simply don’t understand.” Steve then unpacked what makes M.A.D. so unique. “On a M.A.D.adventure, they’re surrounded by fellow vets who have shared the same experiences and trauma. They let their guard down and feel comfortable expressing deep feelings. Just sharing their thoughts and emotions is incredibly healing.”

Making these trips happen takes hundreds of volunteers and thousands of dollars.“We’re always in need of people willing to invest in these veterans, whether with their finances or their time in volunteering,” Jerry said.

One patriotic American willing to help is Joe Kondel is, President of the American Bear Foundation. Joe donated a Wyoming black bear hunt to M.A.D., with “Doc” Ted Snyder being the recipient. “I started doing this as away to give back to veterans who have sacrificed so much for this country,” Joe said.“It’s truly an honor to provide these heroes with an adventure of a lifetime.”

“Doc” Ted Snyder served more than twenty years in the Army as a Flight Medic and aPhysician’s Assistant with a combat arms unit. “I saw a lot of tough stuff in Iraq andAfghanistan,” Ted said. “I thought that my PTSD was under control, and I was pretty much okay. Several friends intervened and told me that I wasn’t okay. That’s whenMake A Difference stepped in.”

Scott Jones, who helped found M.A.D. with Jerry, Robert Dunlap, and Dave Schiavon, said these trips have a huge emotional impact on the organization’s leadership. “It’s tear-jerking when a hero who’s been blown up and missing body parts humbly thanks us for giving them an escape from their challenges,” Scott says. “They’re thanking us, when we should be thanking them.”

Kawhoom! As the echo of the shot echoed off the Bighorn Mountains, the bear roared and thrashed down the hill. Doc’s shot was perfect; within moments, all was still once more on the mountainside. Doc had just harvested his first bear.

“It wasn’t till I put my hand on that bear thatI realized what a dark place I’d been in,” Doc recalls. “Stroking that beautiful fur released a massive amount of emotion. I cried hot tears as I felt the dark pain I’d been carrying for so long drain away.”

As Joe and Doc knelt over the bear, they didn’t speak for a few moments. Finally, Doc wiped away his tears, looked at Joe, and smiled. “Thanks, brother,” he said. “I needed this win. I don’t have to fight this fight alone.”

About the Author:

Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) Steve Osterholzer served 23 years on active duty as an Army Aviation and Public Affairs Officer. He’s the author of two books on wilderness and has been published in more than 20 magazines. To learn more about Steve, please visit

www.steveosterholzer.com