Arcadia Valley lies within the shadows of one of the oldest mountain ranges in North America, the St. Francois Mountains. Here, on the Ozark Plateau of Iron County, lies the scenic and historic campus of the Arcadia Valley Baptist Homes Healthcare Ministries.

Dr. Rodney Harrison is the Executive Director of BHHM and an avid outdoorsman. “Residents, or neighbors, as we call them, of out Baptist Homes come here to live, not to die,” Dr. Harrison said. “We offer a variety of care options, and provide our neighbors with a comfortable and safe environment that supports emotional, spiritual, physical and social needs.”

Dr. Harrison enjoyed deer hunting in California one time with his father as a teenager. “Decades later, after having moved to the Ozarks, I was able to take my father, then 87, deer hunting,” he said.  “He took his first buck and was absolutely ecstatic.”

 From that experience with his elderly father, and conversations they shared about the deer hunt, an idea was born. Dr. Harrison, in cooperation with the National Deer Association, began a deer hunting program for the residents of the six Baptist Homes in Missouri at Arcadia Valley, Adrian, Ashland, Ozark, Sheldon, and Vandalia.

“There is a hunting culture in the Ozarks,” Dr. Harrison said. “I saw an opportunity to not only serve a conservation purpose on our properties, but also to provide an opportunity to give our neighbors a chance to participate in an actual deer hunt. Many had hunted deer in their younger years, but were no longer able to do so because of physical limitations, or lack of opportunities. We have the means to help with both and get people into the field once again.”

The Baptist Homes Deer Hunts for neighbors began five years ago. The program has gained extensive attention. Articles about the events have appeared in local newspapers,  Rural Missouri Magazine, Conservation Federation Magazine, Central States Horseman, Peterson’s Hunting Magazine, the DeerCast App, Living the Dream Outdoors Podcast, and others. Bass Pro Shops attended an event and produced a video promoting the hunts.

A NRA Foundation of Missouri grant in 2023 made it possible to purchase crossbows, blackpowder rifles and pop-up blinds for the program. Vitalize seeds of Brighton, Michigan provided the food plot seed for 2025. “Donations of support continue come in,” Dr. Harrison said. 

Dan Stiles, the executive director of the Baptist Home in Arcadia Valley, believes in the positive affects of the neighbors deer hunting program. “These events have given many of our neighbors reason to live again,” he said. “At Arcadia Valley we have vowed to get our neighbors outside to deer hunt and to fish in our ponds. Many had given up hope of ever again being able to enjoy the outdoors. One our past residents, Dr. Fred Davis, said that he had come here to die, but after  participating in our very first neighbors deer hunt, he stated, ‘I’m here to live!’”

Spencer Hutson, of Deer Creek Church, in Cuba, Missouri has been involved since the beginning of the program. “It’s a fabulous program that not only re-activates many of our neighbors into the world of deer hunting, but it also provides opportunities for many volunteers to participate. It takes a lot of people to host a Field to Fork program. Often, staff from the National Deer Association attend to teach deer biology and hunter safety. Folks from Baptist churches cross the state volunteer as hunting mentors, shooting range instructors, and aides to help transport our neighbor hunters into the field and take care of their harvests as well.  Many others help as well to cook meals, provide snacks, drinks and moral support. Our Field to Fork programs have far reaching affects on many lives, allowing them to serve and spread the gospel.” 

Justin Perry is the pastor of the Viburnum Baptist Church. He and several members of his congregation have adopted the Arcadia Valley neighbors deer hunt. “These guys have put in untold hours of labor helping get ready for this years hunts,” said Jim Carty, director of maintenance. Justin Perry, Lee Miller and Larry and Linda Ragsdale have been a godsend. We had some big oaks on campus that needed removed. Those guys not only came and got the trees, they milled them into lumber in Larry’s back yard and built several portable deer blinds on trailers that we will be able to move around and use for years to come.”

Neighbors Judy Velton, Tom Maltby, and retired pastor Bill Wright were the hunters for the November 24th and 25th Field to Fork program at Arcadia Valley. After classes on Monday, they went to the rifle range to sight in guns provided for the hunt. With capable assistance, each participant soon placed rounds in the kill zone. 

After lunch, participants and mentors headed to blinds for an afternoon deer hunt. Other support personnel gathered on a porch of the administration building in rockers telling deer hunting stories and preparing venison smash burgers for the evening meal. The resounding report of a .243 brought everyone to attention. Phones came out and within a minute Justin Perry reported that Rev. Bill Wright had taken a doe. 

“This hunt meant the world to me,” Rev. Wright said later in a podcast interview, with tears streaming down his cheeks. “I thought deer hunting was over for me. All these wonderful volunteers have made a way for me and others to enjoy the great outdoors once again.”

Judy Velton had enjoyed deer hunting with her late husband and family, but has been in nursing home facilities for the last 13 years. She took her very first buck November 25, with the assistance of mentors Larry and Linda Ragsdale. “I didn’t think this would ever be possible for me,” Velton said. “Thank you all so much.”