Robin is a Vietnam era veteran of the Army, serving from 1967-1972, and was trained as a crew chief/door gunner on a UH-1 Huey helicopter. Ellen is a retired Postal Service Postmaster and currently is pursuing a degree in psychology. After living all their lives in Georgia, they decided to retire to a farm in northern Kentucky to pursue their passion for hunting, fishing, and wildlife conservation. Robin is a lifelong, experienced hunter and guide of almost 50 years and has taken most of the big game in North America as well as many in Africa. Ellen is also an accomplished hunter and avid angler.
Their first hunter on their Kentucky farm was Robin’s younger brother Mike, who was also an army veteran that had been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and given less than a year to live. He took a nice 15-point buck, the first deer harvested from their farm. Shortly thereafter, Mike passed away from cancer. The next season, a young man with spina bifida asked if Robin could take him hunting for turkeys. He was 14-years old and confined to a wheelchair, so it was a challenge, but he got his turkey. The look on his face was unbelievable, and needless to say, he was not charged for the hunt.
These experiences led Robin and Ellen to realize how fortunate they were to have experienced their hunting adventures and how others with disabilities might not ever have the same opportunities. Because of Robin’s military service and family members that had also served, their attention turned to helping combat-wounded soldiers. As their medical expenses were usually high, their income relatively low, and access for disabled soldiers limited, how would these individuals ever have the opportunity to hunt again?
Their second question was who was providing hunting opportunities to these soldiers and could they afford to participate? So, Robin and Ellen incorporated as Licking River Outfitters, a non-profit 501(3)(c) operation where 100% of all donations go to help fund hunting trips, at no cost to the participant, for combat-wounded soldiers, disadvantaged children, and the terminally-ill. In 2022, Licking River Outfitters Inc. was transformed to Outdoor Warrior's Alliance, Inc. doing business as Licking River Outfitters.
During 2022 we took almost 100 wounded or disabled soldiers, and youth hunters, at no cost to them. We are now in our 18th year of operation. This has become our passion and is a 365 day a year job as our 600-acre farm is totally managed for trophy deer and turkey and provides both food and lodging. We could not provide these services as we do without the sponsorship and help of our partners both locally and nationally. To date we have enabled over 2,000 injured soldiers and disabled hunters to hunt here at our lodge. The public is always invited to come and see firsthand how our operation works. We just ask that you call first so we will have meals prepared for you also.
