Brian Martinez was born a hunter. As a boy, he would tag along when friends or relatives clambered up the canyons in pursuit of a mule deer with coveted 30-inch antlers, and he often dreamed of bringing home a massive trophy buck.

But a tragic accident during Martinez’s senior year of high school in 1984 changed everything.

After breaking his neck while bull riding at age 17, Martinez was told by doctors he would be wheelchair-bound the rest of his life. Through physical therapy and sheer determination, he learned to use crutches, but he still cannot traverse extended distances without assistance. Despite these challenges, Martinez refused to give up hunting.

“I had to alter the way I hunted, but I kept hunting,” he said.

It has taken Martinez, now 42, roughly 26 years to relearn the skills and techniques that had once been second nature. He taught himself to stalk his quarry from the back of his truck, and later while atop a four-wheeler. He has always been a remarkable hunter, never coming home empty-handed.

“I always got my deer, but they were always small deer,” he said. “Even the small deer were always trophies to me, but like any hunter, I always hoped for the big deer.”

Martinez’s wish was granted this year when he was offered an extra month of limited-entry hunting in Vernon, an area for which only 20 or so permits are distributed. After all those years of waiting, this was the opportunity he had been hoping for.

Enter brothers Darren and Rich Holden of Desert’s Edge Outfitters, a small group of professional guides based in Utah. Having heard of Martinez through some friends, the Holden brothers made the decision to offer their services for his once-in-a-lifetime hunt free of charge.

The Holden brothers spotted an animal on a film they’d shot and decided this was Martinez’s trophy buck. With a 28-inch rack, it was a deer any hunter would have been proud of.

The eager hunters packed into their truck and drove up the canyon, anticipation high, but Martinez’s prized deer was nowhere to be found. As the second day of hunting drew to a close, Martinez missed a shot at a second but smaller buck they found in the area.

It was a Monday when Martinez and Rick picked up their guns and trekked into the canyons yet again. At some point between 3:30 p.m. and 4 p.m., Rich spotted the deer they had first picked out from the film. After taking a shot or two, Martinez and his buck spent the next hour playing “peek-a-boo” in a dense cluster of bushes.

“I was so tired I couldn’t hold the gun up anymore,” Martinez said.

When the deer finally presented itself, Martinez found he could not lift his arm, so Rich came to his assistance, allowing Martinez to rest the gun on his arm.

Martinez got one “good, solid hit” before the buck disappeared into another thicket. After a brief celebration, Rich decided it was time to return home for the night, leaving their prize behind.

“He was one of those die-hard bucks,” Martinez said. “We weren’t going to give up either.”

The next morning Martinez and those who accompanied him found a gathering of birds in the area where the buck had disappeared. The group went into the canyon to search, leaving Martinez to wait out “the longest hour of my life,” alone in the truck.

Then Martinez heard a voice over his walkie-talkie, asking if he was ready to see his deer. When they brought the animal to the truck, however, they realized part of the beautiful antlers had broken off. Though Martinez was satisfied with his prize, Rich was determined to see his newfound friend earn his trophy.

“There was a lot of hugging and hollering after,” Martinez said. “Rich was disappointed about the damaged antlers, so he went back up the canyon. Rich found the missing horns and promised to put them back together.”

To Martinez, his hunt was proof he could achieve his goals despite his challenging circumstances. It was his reward for the past 26 years of working to reclaim the wilderness he had once known.

“Being disabled, I didn’t quite have the best opportunities to hunt,” Martinez said. “I can’t get out and hike to the big deer, but after 26 years, I finally got what I wanted.”