This is Pretty Neat!

Check out this video, it is pretty cool and interesting !

South Dakota Is Taking Care of its Disabled Hunters

DISABLED HUNTING ACCESS AREAS

South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks has purchased various land tracts called Game Production Areas (GPA’s) across the state that are open to public access for hunting or wildlife viewing. Special restrictions for vehicle access are posted at the entrances to these areas. The department also has four GPA’s that have been designed, modified and signed as areas providing exemptions to vehicle access for individuals qualifying as "hunters or outdoor enthusiasts with disabilities." The following are the designated areas:


These areas let disabled hunters enjoy the areas scenic beauty and seek deer, pheasants, grouse, waterfowl, and coyotes.


The four designated disabled access areas will permit access with all-terrain vehicles (ATV) or other vehicles on special designated roads and trails for those individuals with a disabled hunter permit. Due to the safety concerns for those with disabilities, as well as other hunters, the potential for fire danger and the need to maintain wildlife habitat, vehicles will not be allowed to travel off of these trails, except for the direct trail line to retrieve downed game. Any passengers in or on the disabled permit holders vehicle must be non-hunters, and all firearms must be fully cased and unloaded while the vehicle is in motion or transit. The access vehicle must come to a complete stop with the motor turned off while aiming, firing, or shooting a weapon.


The department also has a special unit for the West River firearms deer season (Unit 358D - Stanley County in central South Dakota) for those persons confined to a wheelchair. This hunt takes place on a specified weekend in November. GFP will allow successful applicants to hunt as instructed with volunteers from established blinds in a forested area below the Oahe Dam.

XTREME JAKES!! YOUTH INVOLVEMENT IN THE OUTDOORS

Xtreme Jakes is an organization that can keep kids out of trouble and actually provide something educational and fun for them. They even offer programs for people with disabilities to experience the outdoors as well.

“The NWTF’s newest program, Xtreme JAKES (ages 13-17), provides opportunities and challenges more in line with older JAKES abilities and experiences. JAKES which stands for Juniors Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics and Sportsmanship is dedicated to informing, educating and involving youth in wildlife conservation and the wise stewardship of our natural resources.

They also learn to be responsible outdoorsmen and women through fishing, camping and hunting seminars taught by legends in the field. They learn to identify plants and animals, as well as how to effectively call in those elusive toms.

The NWTF has a great opportunity to teach youth the value of our natural resources and the importance of conservation. These children will grow up knowing hunting plays a key role in wildlife management, and the dollars they spend to hunt go right back into the state and federal conservation efforts.

Hundreds of JAKES events are held across the nation each year and reach thousands of kids. The national event is held annually at the Wild Turkey Center, home to the NWTF.

Youth from most states, plus several essay contest winners, earn the trip to South Carolina to meet some of the biggest names in the turkey hunting industry, who share their experience and wisdom with the children. These events are an important aspect of the NWTF’s outreach programs. But, most importantly, they provide an opportunity to help build tight family bonds and memories that will last a lifetime”

FOR MORE INFO CLICK HERE

Hunting is Murder!

Some people believe Hunting is in general murder or unethical killing of harmless animals. I am not one to say some types of so called hunting can be inhumane or unethical. But I stand firm in believing that Hunting does in turn help our society.

These two arguments state both sides sufficiently

"Hunting opponents also find hunting unethical on a number of grounds. From a pure animal rights standpoint, killing any animal for food is morally objectionable, whether that animal is a deer, a cow or a chicken. Many find hunting to be unethical because the killing is recreational. Also, many argue that human/deer conflicts are not the fault of the deer, but are the fault of humans who take habitat from the deer. Some hunting opponents also believe that modern technology has erased any chance of fairness in hunting."

"Regarding ethics, hunting proponents argue that killing a deer for food cannot be worse than killing a cow or a chicken. Furthermore, unlike the cow or the chicken, the deer lived a free and wild life before being killed and had a chance to escape. Hunters also argue that killing a number of deer benefits the ecosystem as a whole. Some hunters also oppose certain practices they consider unethical, such as baiting, canned hunting, trophy hunting, and hunting of stocked animals. "


Click here to learn more!

Most Common Reasons for Hunting Accidents

Many People Believe Hunting is Unsafe. Hunting is not unsafe but when people are not being responsible and start becoming foolish is when accidents tend to occur.
Frequent Causes of Hunting Accidents
Even though every incident is unique, there are some common causes of accidents that should be identified.
1. Failure to Properly Identify a Target. There is an extremely exciting moment during hunting when you first see some movement in the distance. You think to yourself 'this is it!' Unfortunately some folks get over-excited and start shooting before they recognize what exactly they are shooting at. Sometimes a rustle in the woods is actually a fellow hunter who has chosen not to wear the blaze orange hunting gear. Remember, as stated above, that there are 20 million annual hunters out there all tracking the same kind of animal for each season.
2. Shooters Swinging on Game. Especially pertinent for bird hunting, swinging on game is when a hunter uses an arc pattern combined with spreadshot in order to shoot over a wide area. Sometimes the arc can get too big and encompass fellow hunters (this is especially true when shooting at game on or near the ground).
3. Negligent or Careless Handling of Firearms. Firearms require constant care and attention. Sometimes hunters get too 'relaxed' with their weapon and begin either waving it around or simply not maintaining a proper eye on where it is pointed. Accidents, in the truest sense of the term, occur when guns are not attended to properly.
4. The Victim is Out of Sight of the Shooter. the forest is thick, no doubt about it. Despite proper preparation and caution, incidental shootings happen. Spreadshot weapons increase the odds of getting caught in the line of fire.

Click HERE for more on this subject

Wheelin Hunters

This clip is a news report on a local Department of Conservation holding and annual Disability accommodation hunt for anyone with a disability who would like to hunt turkey or deer.

Rules and Regulations In Missouri for Disability Hunts

According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, anyone with a disability can use proper adaptive equipment to hunt and fish. But before they do, they are required to fill out Missouri Department of Conservation Hunting Method Exemption Physician's Statement of Eligibility. The form for this examination is linked below if you would like to see in further detail.
The disabilities range from simply being allowed to use a crossbow during Archery season due to shoulder surgery and not having enough strength to pull back a bow all the way to paraplegics using tongue sensors to fire weapons during firearms season. Any and every type of disability is accommodated for in Missouri as long as the equipment and the person’s disability condition is accounted for and signed off by the physician and a Missouri Department of Conservation Representative.




Click here to see the whole Form for Missouri HERE

All terrain Wheelchairs

These new all terrain wheelchairs are changing the world of hunting today. People who are forced to use a wheelchair 24/7 now will have no more limitations no matter what terrain they face. These new wheel chairs are able to go through mud, low streams, and over rocks. Below is youtube video that shows how these new machines work!

More than a Sport

“For many people with disabilities, the opportunity to either become involved in hunting or remain involved is one that is not only recreational, it is one that builds bonds between friends and allows for contact with the natural environment. To many people with disabilities, hunting is much more than just a sport.”
I can truly attest to this quote because I know my father and I would not be as close as we are today if we did not hunt. My father and I have gone on several hunting and fishing trips throughout the years. The long road trips and time spent in the lodges or in the field, are times that I will treasure till I die. My father and I have had some of our best discussions and bonding through hunting or just sitting out and casting a line in or two at the lake.


quote is from
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