Danner Sweeney, 13, of Chicora, poses with the mule deer he harvested in a big game hunting trip in Arizona.

Danner got his deer.

On the last day of his Arizona hunting trip, Danner Sweeney, 13, of Chicora, harvested a 5-point mule deer.

Danner said the deer had a small slit near the eye, and an unusual spread. He said he also liked the big ears, a common trait for the subspecies.

“It was really cool because the horns split at the base,” Danner said. “I don't think I could have done it without the guiding.”

Experience guides from Outdoor Experience 4 All, a nonprofit based in Arizona, helped Danner spot and aim at the deer due to Danner's problems with his vision.

“Once we got him down to the flats and looking for the mule deer, things opened up for him because in the flats there was a lighter grass and there was a contrast,” said Butler County Sheriff's Deputy Walter Widenhofer.Widenhofer and Sheriff Michael Slupe helped organize a fundraising effort that ultimately led to Danner's trip.“To see a dream come true — it's out of this world,” Slupe said. “He's so impressive and such a nice young man and deserving, and I'm so proud of him. This is what it's about.”Widenhofer said Danner was one of 13 children able to attend the hunt, but those who made it made it count.

“Everyone harvested,” Widenhofer said. “He got to meet kids from all over the country.”Parents Jeff and Kathy Sweeney went along on the adventure.“It was my first experience in the woods with him,” Kathy Sweeney said. “It was really an awesome experience.”Jeff Sweeney said the trip was amazing because after Danner harvested his deer Nov. 23, the last day of hunting, Danner toured a number of places around Arizona, including a trip to the border.“The (border) wall was amazing. He was fascinated with that,” Jeff Sweeney said. “We met fantastic people. It's most definitely a family thing.”

Both Widenhofer and Slupe said they were thankful to all who helped Danner and his family along the way.“This really wasn't going to happen without the great businesses and people who donated money to make this happen,” Slupe said.Danner said the experience has changed him forever. He said it made him not only a better hunter, but also a better person.“As soon as we got on the plane, I knew God had a plan for how the hunt was going to go,” Danner said. “It really was more than a hunt.”

Danner looks down the scope of his gun, flanked by guides who spotted deer for him during his big game hunting trip in Arizona.

Danner takes a break during his big game hunting trip in Arizona to pose for a photo while one of his guides scans the landscape for deer.

(From left to right): Kathy Sweeney, Tanner Widenhofer, Danner Sweeney, Sheriff Michael Slupe and Jeff Sweeney.