Episode 70: Santa and The Pirate Part 1 - Aaron Ritter w/Limb-Itless Outdoors

The HHAUSA Podcast

There are certain people in this life that leave a lasting, positive impression on us. You meet them for the first time, feel like you’ve known each other for 20 years and can’t wait to see them again. For me, Aaron Ritter is most definitely one of those people.
Introduced through mutual friend Al Quackenbush, Aaron and I first talked last winter and instantly hit it off. Soon after that initial conversation, Aaron formed the A3G Initiative, a grant program designed to get an amputee into the sport of archery. Wildly successful in its first year, Aaron will be kicking off the 2023 program in January and hand delivering the package to the winner at Mission 24 here in Wisconsin at the end of April.
We talk about how quickly the 2022 grant program came together and how emotional and rewarding it was for Aaron to present that first package this past July. He also shares of how meaningful attending his first HHAUSA event was, spending it with like-minded people, and gathered around the sport of archery.
Ritter had an eventful fall, embarking on three bowhunting adventures across the country. Without giving too much away, he headed West for a very challenging and rewarding elk hunt in Idaho in September with another Veteran. Some close calls got his heart rate up but coming home empty handed has him already planning a return trip for 2023.
His next stop was in Texas on a saddle hunt for whitetails. Plenty of encounters, great conversation and new friendships were formed that will see the Navy Veteran heading back to the Lone Star State next fall, this time with his grant winner as a guest at the 4J Ranch. So inspired by Aaron’s drive and heart for helping others, the owners wanted to give back and become part of his mission.
Early November saw him reuniting with Quackenbush in Nebraska for a whitetail hunt in the peak of the rut that did not disappoint. I want to allow you to experience the thrill of Aaron’s hunt firsthand when you listen to the podcast but the third time was the charm, complete with grip and grins, back straps, and a trip to the taxidermist. I could not have been happier for my friend when I got the text the day of the hunt and I guarantee you will share in my excitement when you hear how the hunt unfolded for Aaron.
Some late season hunting still to go on the East Coast, Ritter is prepping for a busy 2023 and his first stop at the ATA Show in Indianapolis January 11th, 12th, and 13th. I look forward to connecting with him and Al there around their other commitments to Badlands and Latitude Outdoors.
When it started HHAUSA, I never dreamed of the impact that some of the people I’ve met would have on my life and Aaron ranks right at the top of that list. A gruesome injury that resulted in the loss of his lower leg, post-traumatic stress and other setbacks have not kept Ritter down and if anything, turned him into the man he is today. A man on a mission to create positive change in the lives of others, drawing on his own experiences and living a limb-itless lifestyle. A man that I am both humbled and honored to call a brother and a friend.

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