<table> </table> Colby Lightfoot always dreamed of shooting one of the trophy bucks that roam the plains of Kansas.</p><p>But he often wondered if that dream would ever come true. Afflicted with muscular dystrophy, Lightfoot, 17, uses a wheelchair and can hardly lift his arms.</p><p>He knew it would take a special set of circumstances for his goal ever to be met. And that&#8217;s exactly what happened.</p><p>During a week that he said he will never forget, he was treated to a dream hunt &#8212; one that culminated with him shooting a trophy mule deer buck.</p><p>&#8220;I was really excited about this hunt,&#8221; said Lightfoot, who lives in Waverly, Mo. &#8220;I had taken four does on our land, but I had never taken a buck. And it was getting harder for me to get out.</p><p>&#8220;With muscular dystrophy, I never know how I&#8217;ll be a year from now. So I knew I had to make the most of this.&#8221;</p><p>Lightfoot&#8217;s journey started when he applied for a spot in a special hunt with the Buckmasters American Deer Foundation. Officials there arranged for him to be part of T.J.&#8217;s Memorial Youth Deer Hunt near Cedar Bluff Reservoir in western Kansas.</p><p>That hunt had special meaning. It was named for T.J. Hellerud, a 16-year-old who was killed in a car accident five years ago.</p><p>T.J. was an avid deer hunter, and the outdoors played a big part in his life. His mother, Cynthia Maier, and stepfather Steve Maier, had received monetary donations when T.J. died and were looking for a fitting memorial for their late son.</p><p>The hunt was the perfect way. The Hunting Heritage Group &#8212; a nonprofit organization made up of conservation officers and wildlife biologists who are dedicated to introducing youth to the outdoors &#8212; played host to a youth deer hunt for the first time in 2007. That group joined with the Maiers, who run Cedar Bluff Lodge, in establishing the memorial hunt.</p><p>Coordinated by conservation officer Jason Hawman of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, the event treated 10 youths to a dream outing.</p><p>That&#8217;s where Lightfoot entered the picture. He traveled to western Kansas with his family in a specially equipped van a week ago, eager to take part in the special hunt.</p><p>He joined the other youth hunters in classroom instruction, learning everything from deer habitat and management to hunting strategies and safe gun handling. He then was helped in sighting in his rifle.</p><p>After that, Lightfoot was transported to private land, where he had a special permit to hunt out of a vehicle. His guides slid the van doors open, and Lightfoot relied on a special mount on his wheelchair to keep his rifle steady.</p><p>But Lightfoot quickly learned about one other aspect of deer hunting &#8212; the need for patience. The hunt was supposed to be a weekend event Sept. 13-14. But when the young hunter failed to see a buck in the first two days, he talked his mother into staying.</p><p>He hunted for six days before his patience finally paid off.</p><p>Assisted by volunteer guides Steve Maier and Jeff Woodworth, Lightfoot watched on Sept. 18 as a large buck walked into a milo field in front of him. He squeezed the trigger and hit his target. Then the celebrating began.</p><p>&#8220;I was shaking, I was so excited,&#8221; Lightfoot said. &#8220;I was speechless.&#8221;</p><p>By the time he returned to the lodge with that 10-point buck, Lightfoot was posing for pictures, accepting congratulations and being asked to recount his experience.</p><p>&#8220;When he came in with that deer, there were a lot of tears flowing,&#8221; said Lightfoot&#8217;s mom, Sherry Thorp. &#8220;Emotions were running high.</p><p>&#8220;The people out there were just great. They just did everything possible to see that Colby would get a deer.</p><p>&#8220;When he did, everyone was touched. They knew how much it meant to him. This is something we&#8217;ll never forget.&#8221;