Young Hunter Who Fulfilled His Outdoors Dreams Passes Away

PHOTO BY DONN WALGAMUTH

Last January, our Scott Haugen profiled Jayden Oakes, a 12-year-old from Red Bluff and Corning who was fighting a battle with cancer.

A local sportsman, Donn Walgamuth, help fulfill Jayden’s dreams to go hunting. The young boy harvested a deer, pig, turkey and coyote. Jayden’s story was so compelling it was our cover feature for that month.

Sadly, Jayden passed away recently. Here’s a snippet of his obituary:

Jayden “Jaydo-Potatoe” was born in Red Bluff, Ca and raised in Corning, Ca. Jayden was born on March 14, 2008 and was freed from cancer on July 17, 2021 at 11:53 AM. 

Jayden dearly loved his Mother (Amanda Cook), Father (Jeremy Oakes), Brother (Jordyn Oakes), Sister (Jocelyn Oakes), Grandma (Jayne Vinson) and Grandma (Becky Oakes). Jayden also loved hunting, wrestling, baseball, football, and watching the San Francisco 49ers. 

Here’s what Scott had to say about Jayden’s death. (Scott and I talked a lot via email about the impact Jayden’s story had both of us):

“I never had the opportunity to meet Jayden, but I listened to many friends who had. I talked with them about the time they spent with Jayden and the impact he made in their lives. Jayden’s desire to live life to its fullest through all the outdoor experiences he could revel in during his short time in this world, greatly inspired me, and will for years to come, likely, forever.”

RIP to Jayden and condolences to his loved ones. Here’s Scott’s story again:

By Scott Haugen

As I write these words early on Thanksgiving morning – alone, in my office where it’s quiet and my family is still asleep – the sun has yet to rise. The coffee is brewing and I eagerly anticipate that first cup as I reflect on the year 2020.

The world is in the middle of a pandemic, our country is in political and social turmoil, plus global climates are shifting. Then there are the personal issues we all face.

Still, each and every morning we get out of bed and push forward, hop- ing that one day the world will return to normalcy. Such is not the case for 12-year-old Jayden Oakes, who is fighting a tough battle with colon cancer. It’s a rare diagnosis in such a young person.

Jayden lives near Red Bluff with his 10-year-old brother and their grandmother, Jane, who is their legal guardian. Ten days prior to Thanks- giving, their grandmother lost her husband, who passed after a brief battle with a terrible disease.

Three days after her husband’s death, Jane was determined to take Jayden and his brother hunting for a Thanksgiving turkey.

“I offered to cancel the hunt,” shares Donn Walgamuth, the man from Redding who, through the California Deer Association, met Jayden a few months prior when he took the young man on his dream hunt for deer. “But the grandmother refused, saying this was a time for her and her grandsons to be together.”

Donn is just one of the many players in this story, for were it not for the heartfelt efforts of so many people – including guides, outfitters, landowners, hunting organizations, and many more – Jayden’s dreams would not have been realized. But this isn’t about those people, or how the hunts unfolded. This is about what happens when a passion to do the right thing opens doors, and minds, to bigger things in life.

PHOTO BY DONN WALGAMUTH

FOR THE LAST 19 years, Donn has helped disabled hunters. “You know the funny thing about these hunts?” Donn asked me. “They always end in success, and the best part is, family is usually around, making for indelible memories. If that’s not a testimony to God working in our lives, I don’t know what is.”

The day Jayden shot his Thanksgiving turkey was a day I was to join Donn on a wildlife photography trip. Donn called and asked if we could re- schedule, as he wanted to take Jayden hunting after a last-minute opportunity arose. Donn, Jayden, Jayden’s brother and Jane met guide Perry Cremeans, who successfully guided the 12-year-old to his first turkey.

“I talked with Jane this week, and they were all excited,” shares Donn. “She made it a point to have an elaborate Thanksgiving dinner each evening of the week because they had so much to be thankful for. The turkey didn’t last long and they all loved it, along with some of the venison and wild boar Jayden took in October.”

On that October deer hunt – Jayden’s ultimate dream hunt – the window of opportunity came at mid- month, about the most challenging time to take a blacktail buck.

“No one cared how big of a buck Jayden got; everyone involved in the hunt just wanted him to have a fun experience and close the deal with a clean, ethical shot,” Donn reflects. “After two days of hunting and not seeing a single deer, I was getting concerned. Then a coyote stepped out at 125 yards, and Jayden made a perfect shot. He was so excited and his shot placement reaffirmed this young man was an excellent shot.”

PHOTO BY DONN WALGAMUTH

THE NEXT MORNING THE crew was at it again, and finally they spotted two small bucks bedded several hundred yards away. As they made a game plan and started their approach, a nice-sized boar slithered out of the brush bordering a creek. Jayden had a pig tag and really wanted one for his family to eat. Again, a perfect, one-shot kill.

By the time they got the pig field-dressed and hanging in a cool place, the bedded bucks were gone. “I was really beginning to worry because the conditions were very hot and deer just weren’t moving in daylight,” Donn recalls.

“Then, the following morning, we all said a prayer to help find Jayden a buck, and at daylight we found it. It was a monster, and it was bedded beneath a single oak tree on a rolling hillside. The crew made a stalk and got Jayden within comfortable shoot- ing range, setting him up in a prone position. (He was) rock-solid with shooting bags and a bipod rest.”

For two hours they remained there and waited for the buck to stand and present a shot.

“Jayden felt really confident,” Donn says. “He dry-fired the gun several times and was very calm and collect- ed, but excited. During that time we whispered, laughed and shared stories. He asked how I got into hunting, and I shared the story of the man who took me when I was young, as I, like Jayden, didn’t have anyone in my family who hunted. Jayden was enthralled by the story, and at the end, asked where the man was. ‘Well, he passed away due to cancer, and now he’s with Jesus,’ I said. ‘He’s with God, too!’”

It was a surreal moment, one where the hunt became secondary to sharing life stories. When the buck finally stood, Jayden made a perfect shot. And yes, the deer was a monster. It was one Perry Cremeans had spent two months guiding other hunters for.

“I truly believe that God somehow picks people with the best character in the world to go through these trials and tribulations,” says Donn about Jayden’s battle with cancer. “This kid is sick, real sick, yet he wanted to jump out of the ATV and open every gate. He was al- ways commenting on how beautiful the land was and how much he en- joyed seeing the cows on the ranch we hunted. When my wife joined us for a hunt one day, he hopped out of the front seat and got in the back, offering his seat to her. For a 12-year-old to be that aware and kind-hearted is amazing, especially in his situation.”

“And not once did he complain, fall asleep or look at his phone. He enjoyed every moment in nature, and (cherished it) with the people who surrounded him. He never showed sadness or weakness, and appreciated every moment.


The time we spent together, hunting, was so peaceful.”

PHOTO BY DONN WALGAMUTH

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PHOTO BY DONN WALGAMUTH

Last January, our Scott Haugen profiled Jayden Oakes, a 12-year-old from Red Bluff and Corning who was fighting a battle with cancer.

A local sportsman, Donn Walgamuth, help fulfill Jayden’s dreams to go hunting. The young boy harvested a deer, pig, turkey and coyote. Jayden’s story was so compelling it was our cover feature for that month.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Jayden-cover--1019x1024.png

Sadly, Jayden passed away recently. Here’s a snippet of his obituary:

Jayden “Jaydo-Potatoe” was born in Red Bluff, Ca and raised in Corning, Ca. Jayden was born on March 14, 2008 and was freed from cancer on July 17, 2021 at 11:53 AM. 

Jayden dearly loved his Mother (Amanda Cook), Father (Jeremy Oakes), Brother (Jordyn Oakes), Sister (Jocelyn Oakes), Grandma (Jayne Vinson) and Grandma (Becky Oakes). Jayden also loved hunting, wrestling, baseball, football, and watching the San Francisco 49ers. 

Here’s what Scott had to say about Jayden’s death. (Scott and I talked a lot via email about the impact Jayden’s story had both of us):

“I never had the opportunity to meet Jayden, but I listened to many friends who had. I talked with them about the time they spent with Jayden and the impact he made in their lives. Jayden’s desire to live life to its fullest through all the outdoor experiences he could revel in during his short time in this world, greatly inspired me, and will for years to come, likely, forever.”

RIP to Jayden and condolences to his loved ones. Here’s Scott’s story again:

By Scott Haugen

As I write these words early on Thanksgiving morning – alone, in my office where it’s quiet and my family is still asleep – the sun has yet to rise. The coffee is brewing and I eagerly anticipate that first cup as I reflect on the year 2020.

The world is in the middle of a pandemic, our country is in political and social turmoil, plus global climates are shifting. Then there are the personal issues we all face.

Still, each and every morning we get out of bed and push forward, hop- ing that one day the world will return to normalcy. Such is not the case for 12-year-old Jayden Oakes, who is fighting a tough battle with colon cancer. It’s a rare diagnosis in such a young person.

Jayden lives near Red Bluff with his 10-year-old brother and their grandmother, Jane, who is their legal guardian. Ten days prior to Thanks- giving, their grandmother lost her husband, who passed after a brief battle with a terrible disease.

Three days after her husband’s death, Jane was determined to take Jayden and his brother hunting for a Thanksgiving turkey.

“I offered to cancel the hunt,” shares Donn Walgamuth, the man from Redding who, through the California Deer Association, met Jayden a few months prior when he took the young man on his dream hunt for deer. “But the grandmother refused, saying this was a time for her and her grandsons to be together.”

Donn is just one of the many players in this story, for were it not for the heartfelt efforts of so many people – including guides, outfitters, landowners, hunting organizations, and many more – Jayden’s dreams would not have been realized. But this isn’t about those people, or how the hunts unfolded. This is about what happens when a passion to do the right thing opens doors, and minds, to bigger things in life.

PHOTO BY DONN WALGAMUTH

FOR THE LAST 19 years, Donn has helped disabled hunters. “You know the funny thing about these hunts?” Donn asked me. “They always end in success, and the best part is, family is usually around, making for indelible memories. If that’s not a testimony to God working in our lives, I don’t know what is.”

The day Jayden shot his Thanksgiving turkey was a day I was to join Donn on a wildlife photography trip. Donn called and asked if we could re- schedule, as he wanted to take Jayden hunting after a last-minute opportunity arose. Donn, Jayden, Jayden’s brother and Jane met guide Perry Cremeans, who successfully guided the 12-year-old to his first turkey.

“I talked with Jane this week, and they were all excited,” shares Donn. “She made it a point to have an elaborate Thanksgiving dinner each evening of the week because they had so much to be thankful for. The turkey didn’t last long and they all loved it, along with some of the venison and wild boar Jayden took in October.”

On that October deer hunt – Jayden’s ultimate dream hunt – the window of opportunity came at mid- month, about the most challenging time to take a blacktail buck.

“No one cared how big of a buck Jayden got; everyone involved in the hunt just wanted him to have a fun experience and close the deal with a clean, ethical shot,” Donn reflects. “After two days of hunting and not seeing a single deer, I was getting concerned. Then a coyote stepped out at 125 yards, and Jayden made a perfect shot. He was so excited and his shot placement reaffirmed this young man was an excellent shot.”

PHOTO BY DONN WALGAMUTH

THE NEXT MORNING THE crew was at it again, and finally they spotted two small bucks bedded several hundred yards away. As they made a game plan and started their approach, a nice-sized boar slithered out of the brush bordering a creek. Jayden had a pig tag and really wanted one for his family to eat. Again, a perfect, one-shot kill.

By the time they got the pig field-dressed and hanging in a cool place, the bedded bucks were gone. “I was really beginning to worry because the conditions were very hot and deer just weren’t moving in daylight,” Donn recalls.

“Then, the following morning, we all said a prayer to help find Jayden a buck, and at daylight we found it. It was a monster, and it was bedded beneath a single oak tree on a rolling hillside. The crew made a stalk and got Jayden within comfortable shoot- ing range, setting him up in a prone position. (He was) rock-solid with shooting bags and a bipod rest.”

For two hours they remained there and waited for the buck to stand and present a shot.

“Jayden felt really confident,” Donn says. “He dry-fired the gun several times and was very calm and collect- ed, but excited. During that time we whispered, laughed and shared stories. He asked how I got into hunting, and I shared the story of the man who took me when I was young, as I, like Jayden, didn’t have anyone in my family who hunted. Jayden was enthralled by the story, and at the end, asked where the man was. ‘Well, he passed away due to cancer, and now he’s with Jesus,’ I said. ‘He’s with God, too!’”

It was a surreal moment, one where the hunt became secondary to sharing life stories. When the buck finally stood, Jayden made a perfect shot. And yes, the deer was a monster. It was one Perry Cremeans had spent two months guiding other hunters for.

“I truly believe that God somehow picks people with the best character in the world to go through these trials and tribulations,” says Donn about Jayden’s battle with cancer. “This kid is sick, real sick, yet he wanted to jump out of the ATV and open every gate. He was al- ways commenting on how beautiful the land was and how much he en- joyed seeing the cows on the ranch we hunted. When my wife joined us for a hunt one day, he hopped out of the front seat and got in the back, offering his seat to her. For a 12-year-old to be that aware and kind-hearted is amazing, especially in his situation.”

“And not once did he complain, fall asleep or look at his phone. He enjoyed every moment in nature, and (cherished it) with the people who surrounded him. He never showed sadness or weakness, and appreciated every moment.


The time we spent together, hunting, was so peaceful.”

PHOTO BY DONN WALGAMUTH

AT THE TIME I wrote this, Jayden’s prognosis was unknown. Each week the doctors ask if he wants to keep fighting it, and each week he responds with a resounding “Yes!”

At the culmination of their hunts, Donn and all the other adults who helped make the opportunities possible agreed that they benefited more from being with Jayden than Jayden likely did from filling a few tags. That’s hunting. So often the actual hunt pales in comparison to the life lessons we learn along the way.

May you all enjoy your life and future hunting and fishing trips as we head into a new year. And keep Jayden in your thoughts. CS