Hunt Journals 2026

Analiese Gaffey ‘s Story:

Analiese Gaffey is an exceptionally spunky and personable 24-year-old who was born and raised in Louisiana. She has lived in the same house in Leesville her entire life. Although her family is originally from Massachusetts, she is the first generation to grow up in the South—a result of her grandmother’s 20-year Army career.

An honor roll undergraduate, Analiese currently attends McNeese State University, where she is studying Animal Science. She plans to pursue a master’s degree after graduating next year.

Born with Spina Bifida and a bisected spinal cord, Analiese has endured numerous surgeries throughout her life. Despite these challenges, she has never slowed down. She began riding horses at the age of five and hasn’t stopped since. She credits horseback riding with helping strengthen her muscles and contributing to her ability to walk. Needless to say, horses are everything to her.

Her passion for horses extends far beyond riding. In addition to studying them academically, she enjoys collecting and cleaning bones and has even created a fully articulated horse leg.

In her not-so-spare spare time, Analiese manages a horse boarding facility and volunteers with the Lions Club as a summer camp arts and crafts teacher.

At 19, she took up hunting and was instantly hooked. Excited to share her new passion, she told her grandfather, who surprised her with a .308 rifle that Christmas. He always looked forward to hearing about her hunting adventures. Now, Analiese enjoys pursuing any game. While white-tailed deer are her usual quarry, she has been fortunate to hunt a variety of species including her first pronghorn in Wyoming. She enjoys spending time outdoors, taking advantage of public lands to hunt, fish, and camp, and absolutely fell in love with the West on that trip.

Analiese looks forward to returning for the NOW 2026 Hunt, where she can experience new places, meet new people, and take on new adventures. Her resilience, adventurous spirit, and passion for the outdoors make her an outstanding participant for this year’s Hunt.

“I like helping others and making them smile—it makes me smile,” she said.

Notable Traits: Determined, Driven, Lifelong Learner
Passion: HORSES, HORSES, HORSES
Activities: Collecting Bones, Painting, Traveling