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Important Information

Any child who fits the following criteria is eligible for consideration:

• 18 years old or younger (minimum age is 6)
• is a U.S. or Canadian citizen
• has a qualifying physician-certified life-threatening illness
• has not had another hunting or fishing grant

At least one parent or guardian must accompany child on dream adventure. The child must maintain eligibility throughout the application, planning and trip implementation process.

Additional Age Requirements for Specific Dream Adventures

Please note the following information regarding age requirements:

• The minimum age for hunting “big game” such as elk, moose, caribou, mule deer, bear, etc. is age 12 (older in some states.) Younger ages can be accommodated for most other game.
• The minimum age for deep-sea or off-shore fishing is 10 years old, but younger ages can be accommodated in most freshwater situations.

First Step: Filling Out an Application

The family of the potential dream child will submit an application to Catch-A-Dream. On this application, the dream child will designate his/her top three dream hunting or fishing adventures. We ask that the “requests” be genuine desires of the child (as opposed to parent dreams) and that these be reasonable in expectation and age-appropriate.

Second Step: Determining Eligibility

After the application has been received, a medical certification form is sent to the child’s attending physician. The child’s attending physician makes the final determination of whether the child meets the medical criteria for eligibility and whether the child is physically and emotionally able to participate in the designated activity.

Third Step: Finalizing the Application

The family completes additional forms, including a waiver of liability, eligibility certification, etc.

Fourth Step: Application Review

Once all eligibility requirements are met and all required forms have been submitted by the family, the application is reviewed by the Board of Directors and either approved or not approved based upon policy and eligibility criteria.

Fifth Step: Fulfilling the Dream

After confirmation of the child’s eligibility, Catch-A-Dream notifies the family. Then, Catch-A-Dream personnel identify the supporting partner that can best host the child and make the dream a reality. Once a venue and dream trip are identified, the opportunity is presented to the family, and plans are finalized. Every effort is made to include the immediate family in the child’s dream. The dream experience often touches dozens, and sometimes hundreds of people who either help coordinate or are directly involved in the dream.

We provide hunting and fishing experiences that include the entire family, but these are not designed as “family vacations” per se. Each dream-granting situation is a unique experience for the child, his/her family, and Catch-A-Dream.

We ask that the “requests” be genuine desires of the child (as opposed to parent aspirations) and that these be reasonable in expectation and age-appropriate. Requests must not be destination oriented, but rather should be related to “type of hunting or fishing experience” desired by the child. We cannot honor requests for trips/experiences to specific destinations. In all cases, hunting and fishing destinations are limited to the continental United States and Canada. Additionally, it is important to note that we cannot honor requests to hunt or fish with a “celebrity” due to the challenges involved in coordinating schedules for both family and “celebrity” while also considering the seasonal cycles in hunting and fishing opportunities.

Please note that it is not always possible to accommodate all siblings/family members, depending upon travel constraints and/or other logistics such as lodging, accommodations, services, etc. at the destination.Generally, we cannot accommodate requests for extended family members or non-family members to be included in the traveling party.

There may be other limiting factors that prevent Catch-A-Dream from providing the exact stated “wish” of an individual child. For example, we cannot honor requests for hunting dangerous big game such as the “large bears” (Grizzly, Brown, Kodiak, Polar, etc.) or animals requiring negotiation of extreme, rugged, or remote terrain or locations, including, but not limited to the North American goats and sheep.

In some cases, the current health status and/or physical capabilities of the child may be determining factors in the type of experience that is feasible. We do not want to place the child in situations, environments, or circumstances that the child cannot physically, medically, or psychologically handle, or that might exacerbate, aggravate, or complicate existing medical conditions. The safety and welfare of the child (and family) are of utmost importance.