By Aidan Mortensen | KOAL News | Photo Courtesy of the Blind Hunter

For Tj Cartwright, a tragic incident has transformed into an opportunity to help others.

“Almost exactly 12 years ago, I went completely blind due to a hunting accident. I was out hunting, and I got in front of the shooter, and they were following the deer, and they shot me and it hit me in the face,” explained Cartwright. “All the blood that I lost caused the blood clot in the back of my brain, and it sat on the top of my optic nerve, which made me lose my eyesight completely.”

Cartwright transformed this tragedy into an opportunity to assist others in the disability community. Adopting the name ‘The Blind Hunter’ and forming a nonprofit called On Target, Cartwright seeks to allow those with disabilities to experience the outdoors through hunting and fishing trips.

“What we’re trying to accomplish is we’re trying to take people out with disabilities, get them back into hunting and fishing and getting back in the outdoors,” said Cartwright. “We want them to know that they can be just like everybody else, and just because you have a disability, it shouldn’t stop you. There’s no limit to what you can do, and our model at On Target is that everybody deserves a shot.”

The organization also emphasizes accessibility, with Cartwright stating,” I try to inform mainly blind people, because that’s what I am, so I teach them about rifle scopes. I help you line up adaptive technology, like the death grip tripod that I use to help me shoot. I try to get everybody updated as best as I can on all the equipment.”

To aid in this mission of making the outdoors more accessible, Cartwright and On Target are hosting an opportunity drawing for either a Mathews Phase four 29 compound bow or a Mission XBOW SUB-1 Lite with a pro kit. “You can get a good bow for really, really cheap if you get lucky and win, but you won’t win if you don’t put in,” said Cartwright.

Tickets for the drawing are available on theblindhunter.org, with a single ticket available for $10 or a roll of 15 for $100. Winners from the drawing will be announced on Tuesday, Sept. 30.

Speaking on the most rewarding part of his journey as the Blind Hunter, Cartwright explained,” I took one person out last year. His name is Kate Harlow. He’s a completely blind Hunter in Idaho as well, and I got up the money, and we got him a hunt in Utah … And just to hear the excitement, and it was just funny because it was a little deer, but it’s just an awesome accomplishment for a blind person to kill a deer in the first place. It just really made me realize why I’m doing what I’m doing.”

For more information on the On Target opportunity drawing and the Blind Hunter, visit theblindhunter.org or on Facebook.