Hunting and Fishing Programs for Veterans and First Responders

By Ben Ryder • Published October 15, 2026

Dozens of nonprofits across the country take veterans, service members and first responders hunting and fishing at little or no cost. Some focus on combat-wounded veterans. Others welcome anyone who served or wore a badge, including firefighters, police officers, paramedics and dispatchers. Getting started usually means creating a profile, verifying your service and applying for specific trips. Spots are limited and selection is not guaranteed, so it pays to apply to several programs and trips.

Hero Chronicles, produced by the Minnesota-based nonprofit Hometown Hero Outdoors, follows those trips: an elk hunt in the Colorado high country, a North Dakota bison hunt in a blizzard, sturgeon on the St. Croix River, ice fishing on frozen Minnesota lakes. The series is less about the harvest than about what happens to people when they finally get some quiet. This guide explains the programs that make trips like these possible and how to get involved.

Shaun Olsberg hunts elk with his father after more than 20 years of military service. Watch: The Long Way Home. Image: Hero Chronicles / CarbonTV.

Hometown Hero Outdoors

Hometown Hero Outdoors is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2017 and based in Stillwater, Minnesota, with chapters in 27 states. It runs hunting trips, fishing trips, shooting events and other outdoor adventures for:

Active-duty, Guard and Reserve service members, retirees and veterans.
Law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMTs and paramedics, dispatchers and corrections officers.

There is no paid membership, and most trips cost participants little or nothing beyond their own travel, licenses and stamps. To join, create a member profile, complete service verification, and apply for individual trips listed on its adventures page. The steps are laid out on its how to join page. Selection is not guaranteed, so apply for several.

Its Harris Ranch Heroes Initiative hosts whitetail hunts at Harris Ranch near Uvalde, Texas, where two Hero Chronicles episodes were filmed: The Gift of Time, about a Vietnam veteran hunting with his son, and The Old Warrior, about a firefighter and paramedic chasing an aging buck.

Firefighter and paramedic Trent at Harris Ranch in South Texas. Watch: The Old Warrior. Image: Hero Chronicles / CarbonTV.

National programs that take veterans hunting and fishing

Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing: free fly fishing and fly tying through more than 180 local programs for disabled veterans and wounded, ill or injured service members. Gear is provided. Find a local program.
Heroes on the Water: free kayak fishing through volunteer chapters for active-duty military, veterans, law enforcement, first responders and their families. Founded in 2007. Kayaks and gear are provided. Find a chapter event.
Freedom Hunters: a Colorado nonprofit founded in 2006 that runs hunting, fishing and shooting trips for active-duty troops, combat veterans, wounded service members and Gold Star families. Apply through its online adventure form.
Operation Heal Our Patriots: a Samaritan’s Purse program that brings post-9/11 combat-wounded service members and veterans and their spouses to a lodge in Alaska for a week of marriage enrichment and outdoor activities including fishing. Costs are covered. Applications open each Nov. 11 at SamaritansPurse.org/Patriots.
Warriors and Quiet Waters: fly fishing at a Montana ranch followed by a longer support program for post-9/11 combat veterans and their loved ones. The first trip is free, including travel.
Higher Ground: adaptive fly fishing, kayaking and rafting from Sun Valley, Idaho, free of charge for veterans and first responders.
State programs: Florida’s Operation Outdoor Freedom offers free hunts and fishing trips on state lands. It is open only to Florida residents who are honorably discharged veterans with a VA service-connected disability rating of at least 30 percent or a Purple Heart. Participants register online, apply for individual events and are chosen at random.

A Marine veteran and a retired police officer chase sturgeon on the St. Croix River. Watch: The Reset. Image: Hero Chronicles / CarbonTV.

Programs for first responders

Few outdoor nonprofits serve first responders alone, but several of the largest programs include them. Hometown Hero Outdoors, Heroes on the Water and Higher Ground all welcome police, firefighters and EMS personnel. Hero Chronicles gives them equal billing. In The Call, battalion chief Adam Meyer heads onto the ice, where the radio never fully goes quiet, and The Balance follows firefighter couple Adam and Molly on a winter trip.

Ice fishing with battalion chief Adam Meyer. Watch: The Call. Image: Hero Chronicles / CarbonTV.

Do veterans get free hunting and fishing licenses?

Many states offer free or discounted hunting and fishing licenses to veterans, most often to residents with a service-connected disability. The rules differ by state. Two examples:

Utah: residents with a service-connected disability rating of 20 percent or more can buy discounted hunting, fishing and combination licenses with VA documentation.
North Carolina: the state’s disabled veteran license qualifies holders for the Wildlife Resources Commission’s Disabled Sportsman Program and its special hunts.

Check your state wildlife agency’s license page for veteran, disabled veteran and active-duty options. Some states also let active-duty members hunt or fish at resident rates while stationed there.

Free access to federal lands

Veterans and Gold Star families qualify for a free lifetime America the Beautiful Military Pass, which covers entrance fees at more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including national parks, wildlife refuges and national forests. Current service members and their dependents can get a free annual military pass.

Why the outdoors helps

Research is catching up with what these programs see on every trip. A 2020 peer-reviewed study in the Therapeutic Recreation Journal found that for veterans and service members with PTSD, fly fishing offered a break from symptoms, supported coping and created room for personal growth. The study was small, but its findings match what Hero Chronicles shows on screen: slowing down, sharing a camp and having a reason to get up before dawn matter.

A veteran earns a once-in-a-lifetime bison hunt in North Dakota. Watch: The Hunt Within. Image: Hero Chronicles / CarbonTV.

How to help

Most of these programs run on volunteers and private donations. Landowners, outfitters, guides, boat owners and anglers who can teach are always needed. Contact a local chapter of Hometown Hero Outdoors, Heroes on the Water or Project Healing Waters to volunteer or donate a hunt.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, the Veterans Crisis Line is available 24 hours a day: dial 988 and press 1.

Frequently asked questions

Are there free hunting trips for veterans?

Yes. Hometown Hero Outdoors, Freedom Hunters and state programs like Florida’s Operation Outdoor Freedom offer hunts at little or no cost. Each has its own eligibility rules, spots are limited, and participants often cover their own travel and licenses.

Are there fishing programs for disabled veterans?

Yes. Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Heroes on the Water and Warriors and Quiet Waters provide free fishing programs with gear included.

Can first responders join veteran outdoor programs?

Many of them. Hometown Hero Outdoors, Heroes on the Water and Higher Ground all serve first responders.

Do disabled veterans hunt and fish for free?

Many states offer free or discounted licenses to residents with service-connected disabilities. Eligibility varies, so check your state wildlife agency.

Is the national parks pass free for veterans?

Yes. Veterans and Gold Star families qualify for a free lifetime America the Beautiful Military Pass.

Watch Hero Chronicles on CarbonTV

See every episode at Hero Chronicles on CarbonTV.

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