Amidst these hunters is one very unique young man of Ossineke. His name is Nick Stephan.

During the week you can find him working hard at his dishwashing job at Connie’s Cafe, greeting everyone with a smile as they enter the door.

He’s a master hunter of both the crossbow and rifle and has been an avid hunter for 20 years. What makes Stephan so unique is that he was born with a genetic disorder known as Down Syndrome which can cause intellectual disability and developmental delays.

Having Down Syndrome has never defined Stephan, it has only been a small hurdle, not a disability.

Courtesy Photo Nick Stephan, left, and his grandfather pose with a deer Stephan shot while hunting at Curran deer camp.

The Ossineke resident stays very active year round enjoying bowling, volleyball, basketball, and track. His numerous Special Olympic medals prove his athletic prowess, but hunting is what he loves.

“My favorite is Kansas deer hunting with my Dad,” Stephan said. “I like bear hunting too.”

Stephan’s father initially began teaching him to shoot with a pellet gun. Realizing that Stephan was left-eye dominant and having some difficulties aiming, his father tied a belt from a robe over Stephan’s left eye, allowing him to focus with his right eye. The training progressed rapidly from pellet gun to .17 caliber and finally a .243 deer rifle.

Requiring a hunters safety permit posed somewhat of a challenge for Stephan. The Safari Club of Traverse City found the answer when they requested a DNR officer to perform a verbal test, which Stephan passed with flying colors.

According to Stephan’s father, Gary Stephan, “It is because of the Safari Club that Nicholas is able to hunt.”

Courtesy Photo Nick Stephan, left, and his friend pose with a bear they hunted.

With permit in hand, Nick Stephan attended a wish hunt sponsored by the Safari Club where the outfitters at the event presented him with his first gun. It was here he shot his first buck at age 13, and the rest is history.

The hunter’s trophy collection consists of deer, elk, antelope, buffalo, and bear. He has also shot partridge and pheasant. Throughout his career, he has never wounded or lost a deer, taking 80% of his deer with a crossbow, according to his father.

Nick Stephan is also Ossineke’s local bear guide.

“He saves all the scraps from Connie’s Café for the bears,” Gary Stephan said.

The highlight of the season is the annual trip that Nick Stephan and his dad take to Kansas to hunt white tail deer. Triple H outfitters and Phillip Vanderpool have made Nick Stephan a T.V. and video celebrity for over 10 years, filming his hunting expeditions on “The Virtue” series.

Courtesy Photo Nick Stephan, front, poses with his parents Gary and Connie Stephan while hunting in Missouri.

When Nick Stephan was born with Down Syndrome, his father, as a third-generation hunter, worried he wouldn’t be able to experience hunting with his son.

“I’m so grateful,” Gary Stephan said. “Nick is the best hunting buddy anyone could ever have. There’s more to hunting than just killing and Nick makes the hunting fun. If we don’t get one, he assures me we’ll get the next one. He’s the eternal optimist. Everybody loves Nick.”