Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

I have been watching this topic for a while and not alot of disabled people like myself come to talk. I think that we should get more disabled hunters to come and chat, talk about how they manage to go out hunting and give there tips and tricks. I know I have a few thing I would like to share with them if I can get someone to talk with me.

Lets get more involved here poeple lol

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

Ripper, I too have been watching this forum and haven't seen much activity at all. I am not disabled, but hunt with disabled friends. I really expected more to join and speak in this forum.

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

There are alot of disabled and terminally ill hunters in our nation and it would be wonderful to have them join us on this forum. For your review:

Hunts and fishing trips granted through USSA
http://www.deer-forums.com/discus/me...tml?1050279063


USSA Newspaper and magazine articles
http://www.deerfood.com/ussa_articles.htm

Sincerely,

Brigid O'Donoghue

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

You guys read my other post yet ? http://forum.hunting.net/asppg/tm.asp?m=476769. any comments or help would be great. thanks for taking the time to check it out and If you know anyone that can help me please let me know.

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

its not a very active site for such an important subject. i have been looking for a shooting rest for my sons chair and cant get any response at all

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

I'm a disabled hunter too and I would "swap" secrets or story's also...:D

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

Dan,check out the following 2 sites for some help for your son...;)
http://groups.msn.com/HuntingandFish...pgmarket=en-us

http://www.buckmasters.com

When you go to the BuckMasters site,click on American Deer Foundation

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

Hello Jack,
My name is Michael and I have OI, I live in NJ and I love to hunt. So where you from and what kind of dis do you have? I finally found a good hunting spot that I can sort of get to but I still cant with out my one friends help and I hate that. I would love to go hunting by myself and not have to depend on someone to help me. You know how I feel, there is always that one thing that sticks out for use that need to be normal. Any how I am glad I finaly found someone that I can relate to about hunting.

Look forward to hearing from you

Michael

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

PAJACK THANKS FOR THE INFO THOSE ARE REALLY NEAT SITES . AND TOO YOU LORD RIPPER I CAN UNDERSTAND YOUR SITUATION MY SON DJ HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS BUT WE JUST MAKE DUE. THE NEW STAND I MADE FOE HIM WAS THE BEST MONEY I EVER SPENT. I WILL GET HIM ON HERE WITH YOU AND YOU GUYS CAN TALK . WHERE ARE YOU FROM MAYBE WE CAN GET TOGETHER ON A HUNT !

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

I am from NJ ocean county, and I dont mind alittle road trip. Lets talk and see what we can come up with. Thanks for posting and ps take off the caps lol

Unless someone here is alittle blind then dont worrie about it.

Mike

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

Michael,I have had M.S. since 1987 and stuck in a wheelchair since 2000. I hunt deer with a gun and crossbow,turkeys in the spring and I love to hunt woodchucks here in PA. In 2001 I travled to New Mexico to hunt pronghorn and had a great time and took a nice "goat" as they call them out west. My next trip is going to be for elk in 2005 in New Mexico again. I would have gone sooner but I have one more daughter's wedding to pay for this year and then I start my planning of my "dream hunt"...:D

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

PaJack I hear ya man. My good friend has MS and we hunt/fish together all the time. He's not in a wheelchair yet, but they say he will be by next year. So we just built wider box blinds and plan to add ramps to them for him.

Good luck. I hope you kill a monster Elk. That is something I've always wanted to do myself.

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

I have OI and been depending on a wheelchair all my life. I dont really consider myself stuck in one because some of the prices of our wheelchair go for more than some KIA's lol. I tend to look at things a different way, play the hand that god delt you but have a few A's up your sleeve. I would love to come down for fall bow, I use a cross bow and I would like to come down and hunt for a few days.

The spot I have up here is a little hard to get to but over the summer I could find a good spot that I think I can get a wheelchair into. I will do my best to find a good spot but living in NJ there are really limited spots. every 150 yards you got some slob hunter that take no time picking a spot baiting it and tending to it all year. Just walks into the woods finds some deer crap and puts up a stand. I cant stand that. I believe in Hunting hunting, going out and spending time glassing watching getting to know my prey, becoming one with the deer. So you will be able to tell at what time and where there going and what there doing. So it makes for a better time out in the woods. I have only taken one deer in my life but seen alot. But due to slob hunters and other factors I have not taken anything worth talking about.

I would love to come down there and Hunt with you we should get to know one another so we can tell that were not some nut on the net. lol hey you never know.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Michael

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

I am not disabled. I do feel for those of you whom are and have no help enjoying "our" outdoors. As I have posted before, I would be very happy to help any of our outdoorsmen (and women) to enjoy the outdoors. I live in central Ohio. I have a small parcel, 25 acres, in southern Ohio (Scioto county). Please feel free to contact me. I would only be willing to share with a person whom has the same respect for the land that I do.

OhioDuckHunter

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

When you say respect for the land I hope you dont mean hugging trees or anything lol

I say that we maybe start some kind of disabled swap a hunt or something or have some kind of weekend at some hotel and make it kind of a dinner slash get to know one another type thing. I dont know but we all should do something. We all watch tv shows where they take disabled hunters out for hunting trips but some how that never seams to happen to us. It is just like it is so hard to get someone to call you back and give you some information when there having events like that. I live in NJ and it would take me like 23 hr to get to some places there having these events. I say we have them closer to where we live not some where out in the boons. However there are some nice deer out in the boons, but sometimes it is hard going away for more than 2 days because you have a family or jobs to think about. I dont know I am just throwing ideas out here. I would like your imput on these questions.

I am going hunting on Thursday my friend is taking me out on his ATV. So at least I will get on day in this week. Now to hang one on the chain.

Wish me luck all I will let you know how i did and if i get one i will post it on my web pages.

Michael

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

Yea we need to get more people to talk. just cause your disabled doesnt mean yur not part of the hunting communitie and arnt just like all of us.

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

I am disabled too. but not the wheel chair thing. A year ago this month I died
between some mighty smart doctors and the good lord; I am still here but on oxygen 24/7; I'm glad there is other people I share ideas where we can one another in our endeavors to be out doors. Maybe we should get a chat room going. I noticed there was some on this site perhaps we could use one of them.
I have gunsmith that is in a wheel chair born to one I believe; he goes duck hunting, deer hunting every year. Thanks for letting me rant and rave. gunsite

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

Hi LordRipper (and hello to the rest of you guys/gals as well),

I've stopped by the forum once or twice and glanced around and always rather quickly moved on. I am not disabled or physically handicapped...but my son, David was. He had Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. For those that don't know....it's a degenerative disease, genetic, and his form (Duchenne) is terminal between teen to mid-20's or so. (Though some modern medical techniques have stretched out the life expectancy, and quality, a little.)

To make somewhat of a long story...somewhat shorter....David was in a chair pretty much full time by age nine. First a manual, and shortly after, a power. When I was stationed at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in the late 80's and early 90's, David took the hunter safety course, passed, and passed the shooting exam portion of APG's test. I would park my truck at our "drawn" area of Edgewood Arsenal, carry in our gear, and go back to the truck and "piggy back" David into the stand. (That was before he had spinal fusion surgery and he could still support his own head. Sometime prior to his surgery he came to a point that my piggy backing him was intolerable for him.) At the end of the day we just reversed the process. He never got a deer...but we sure enjoyed those hunts. As APG and Edgewood were shotgun only I purchased an H&R single barreled 20 gauge and equipped it with a Williams Peep sight. We unscrewed small aperature and just sighted in the "big hole" provided as the threaded sight. You never see the threads when looking through it. Just "one big hole"...a Ghost sight before that term became popular. We sighted it in with Brennekes for their extra effectiveness. But after the fact I realized that we should have used standard Fosters. The Brennekes are heavier...and kicked the daylights out of him when he qualified. APG's qualification was a 6" pie plate at about 75 yards, and you had to hit it 3 out of 5 times to qualify. David hit it his first three shots...and the tester saw the beating he was taking....and did not require him to shoot the last two shots. It took David nearly ten minutes to suffer through those three shots...that's how bad the felt recoil was for him...but to his credit....even when I suggest he quit...he didn't. (And yes...a more proud father never existed!)

One time in Pennsylvania a friend and I had a local farmer's permission to drive our truck into one of the back fields. He sat and supported David upright....I sat and was the "gun rest". The rifle David used that day was a Winchester 94/22 Magnum. (And with that muzzle only 12" or so in front of my face you'd better believe I closed my eyes....covered my ears...and grimmaced.) On that day he took the only "animal" he ever harvasted. A "trophy" woodchuck! Yes....even though we didn't have lots of money then....I had it mounted! (And I still have it....though after all the moves in the military it is showing its age. But as a side note.....the friend that accompanied us that day is now a Taxidermist...and has consented to "freshen up" the mount for us. Strage how life weaves its little circles!?!)

When we first moved to Alaska in 92 David was not mobile other than his chair. I had taken a Remington Youth model 7, chambered in .243 Winchester, and had it ported. (Always trying to reduce recoil.) David had a plexiglass tray that mounted on his chair...and we would "jury rig" a rifle rest. He enjoyed shooting that rifle at the range for sometime.....and we even went on a "truck camping/hunting trip" but he never got another shot at game. I don't think he minded...he just enjoyed being along. The day came that he no longer had enough strength to pull the trigger.....even when the gun was entirely supported for him. And like all the other "watershed" events...we realized another aspect of life was over for him.

He would sometimes go to the range with me after that...but didn't always want to....because other "less knowing" people would sometimes stare. (Which of course was the same as any where else...but he felt more out of place there because there was nothing for him to do.)

I lost him a little over a year ago...to a bad outcome of a surgical procedure...that was to improve his quality of life! He was my baby....my best friend....and my buddy! He is with me every moment of every day...often as not awake and asleep. There are few times that I escape the hurt, but I'd never trade it for the wonderful memories of those 21 years. And the pain is, I suppose, a very small price in comparison to all the wonderful things he was for me!

There are many experiences he and I shared together...that I'd love to share with others. Sometimes I do exactly that...as an outlet for my grief. And at other times I try to "close it away" for short periods of time in an attempt to shield myself from my grief. I've read...and been told....that time helps heal all wounds...and I believe that is probably true. But I know in my heart that the "pain may become bearable".....but in many ways....it will never have "the same joy" as before. Of that, I am certain!

I will from time to time stop by this forum. And I'd like to participate as much as I can, (heaven only knows I have no aversion to the subject). David use to tell his mother and I, "the next person that stares at me....I'll bark at". He never did, and he understood....that most people are just curious, and in many cases feel uncomfortable around people with disabilities....because they have no experience with those people. He also understood it would only take a few minutes of his "talking with them" to alleviate any concerns they may have had, and to help them understand he was normal....in every regard...except for his muscle disease.

He graduated High School with honors....planned on going on to college....and continued to "plan his life" up until the day he died. He was also becoming a very wonderful and interesting person....as well as a son. I will do my best to keep my promise to him, "to be okay", he worried more about his mother and I....and how his death would affect us, then he did about his own prognosis. And I am trying, desperately hard, to keep that promise! So I will try to stop by this forum and participate with the discussions. Though I can't yet promise how frequently. (So much for keeping this post short...huh?)

Didn't mean to bring anyone down....that was not my intent. Thanks in advance for letting a guy share!

Dave

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

akbound, dave...

All I can say is God bless you and your family.

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

Wow,
That is one word that came to mind. First I would like to say that I am sorry that you lost your son, as a father I cant emagine what that must feel like. I hope you know that your son lives on in you and now all that have read your post. I do know loss and not to get into it but it was very hard to deal with. But my father said to me no matter how much it hurts you have to go on for that person. Remember the good times you had and think about the smile when he got that trophy woodchuck.

Your a good fater and a person from what I can tell. Keep it up. You never stop being a father just because your son is not here in person. Your happy times that you share with others, and the smile on your face when you tell thoes stories make the all the difference when dealing with the pain. So whit that said I hope you visit us and talk and if you need to vent you should know that we are here for you.

thanks for you post and look forward to seeing your posts again.

Michael

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

Am i reading that right? You ....(gulp) died>?

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

AK. I hope as I am sure you do that your son is with the greasest hunter and fisher of men ever. I feel for you and your family. God bless you and his memory. I am a disabled hunter who is for now anyway, able to hunt pretty well and spend a lot of time fishing. I had a lung removed because of cancer and had a bad heart attack while in the recovery room after surgery. I was unable to do anything for a year or more but thank God I have recovered far beyond what was our best hope. I can walk and hunt however not alone and VERY slowly. I have several side affects but have learned to live with them pretty well. I was in a coma for a couple months and for some reason have lost parts of my memory. No pattern to it but someone in the family or a friend will ask me if I remember this or that and it just ain't there anymore. I developed severe Arthritis in my left shoulder which has rendered it alomst usless. They are leary of trying to do surgery on it because of the last surgery I had. They think though that If I continue to improve then surgery on the shoulder might be an option. I am on SS diability because bouts of different things keep popping up and I can at best just do a little part time work. I spent most of my life as a carpenter/ pole barn bulilder. I can't make myself sell my tools as I keep hoping for more recovery. Anyway I thank god that I am able to keep doing some of the things I love to do. And realize that I am better off than many, many others. Best of luck to all of you and when I get moved back to my small farm in SD I will have room for some other disabled hunters.

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

Hello Lrd Ripper. There are a few of us out here. Just foun this forum while browsing. Good to hear there are a few people who care.Yes i am a challenged hunter myself.Like to hunt,fish,when ever i can.Lots of sad stories to be told how challenged people lose the skills to huntan fish.

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

Iam glad that yall have shown an intrest in this forum, keep comming in ,tell others and they will come. LOL I have been ill the last year and havent been able to come in but will more often now. Iam also a disabled hunter and fisherman. Theres a lot of people that have great ideas on how a person get into the woods to hunt. Keep up the great posts ;)

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

Hey Hoghunter, Gee that was a quick reply.Sorry to hear you have been not feeling well.I been on other forums an their all about the same around hunting season everbody is on then after there is dead silence.I like to hunt an fish as much as i can.But you know when your on SS you are strapped for bucks thank god i had most of my gear before i got hurt.the real challange is finding diffrent ways to do things that were so simple back then but one thing you must never give up. bigkentk.

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

Hey Guy's...and Gal's....I have a disabled hunter that I help hunt my place every year...only reason he's the only one...is cus he's the only one I know.....If there's other's here in the state of Washington....feel free to contact me....I'd love to be there for ya...:)...offer's open to any other's....even if your not from this great state

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

Hey Wayne 1, Sounds great you have no idea how good that offer sounds.Great the you take the effort to hunt with a hanicapped hunter.I was out in area about 7 years ago.Went on a cruise to Alaska through the inner passage.Trip was ok if you like floating around on a boat for nine days would rather had flown up and gotten on a fishing boat.Just was wondering what kind of game you can hunt in your area.Woul realy like some ay to get a crack at an elk.Bigkentk.

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

bigkentk ...I have mainly whitetails, and bear on my place....plus all the usual small game like grouse, turkey, yote's...etc.. There's Elk around the area...but not the large herd's as you'd find in other area's and state's...plus where most of the Elk are....is really in some tough wilderness area.

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

Wayne,We have a few elk here in Wis.they brought them here thru the RMEF..But we only have about 80or so.Last year they had three tags here to hunt them and two went to the tribes and the other was auctioned off for 8000.00 so i guess in my life time i will never be able to hunt them here. Beart hunting is a joke here also my son been trying for a bear kill tag for 9 years now with no luck.The only thing we do have a lot of is deer.Our turkey numbers are going up every year and i can get a tag for them being handicapped the state gives us one free.bigkentk.

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

Is there anyone in Indiana who would like to take a wheelchair hunter out to get some game? I live in the Fort Wayne area.

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

I just receved my disability permit yesterday and I an happy to have a 4 wheeler and friends to help me, also,I never thought that I would be in a position like I am now,but know one told me life wasn't fare. I wish in Wisconsin that you could use a 4 wheeler on public land,where I use to hunt,but I am lucky enough to have a farmer that will let me take my 4wheeler on his land and hunt.

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

Hey there Bow hunter, were you able to get out and deer hunt this fall.Just wondering what your dis is.May be some day the state will open their eyes and see that the handicapped in this state could drive our atv with out their worry about wrecking the enviroment.They dont understand that we just like to be out and about. big kentk.

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

To akbound:

:(I too was millitary and I know how money can be a real crunch. I also know what it's like to lose someone you love. True, i don't know what it's like to lose a son, I can honestly say that I don't know how it feels. But I lost my little brother (6 years my junior) almost 2 years ago to the day. There are some people who would argue (I know, because it's been done to me) who will say that it's harder to lose someone in an accident; or they'll say it's easier when they have a terminal disease. That's BS! There is NO "easier" way, as you well know... it's damn hard. My brother, God rest him, was my best friend. He was picking up a buddy and he simply tripped over his own two feet, happens to me all the time. He hit his head on a stair and got knocked out... he never woke up. He died 20 hours later in the hospital. In the first year without him, I regretted that he didn't have some terminal disease. I regretted that I didn't have time to say the things I wanted to say... but then I realized what I was saying.
I'm sorry, the story of your son really hit me as I found out my wife and I were going to have a baby shortly thereafter. Anyway, you and your family are in my prayers and I'd like to say one thing that may make things a tiny bit easier: Your son is in perfect health now. On top of that, my brother is up there with him right now. Hunters can't stay apart so your son undoubtedly has a hunting partner in my brother. You know what I tell my son when he starts crying during a thunderstorm? He doesn't understand, as he's only 16 months old, but I tell him that it's just his Uncle Mike hunting geese. That's something that helps me get through the rough times. Now I look forward to every thunderstorm, because I know hunting season is back on!
Sorry to get all emotional here, everyone on this board has problems that are as bad or worse than mine. What I really came on here to say, before I read akbound's post was this: Someone should write to Buckmasters Whitetail Magazine and tell them about this board. Buckmasters is very active with disabled hunters and I think they would either mention the board on TV or would put it in their magazine... maybe both. I'd write to them myself, but I think they'd like to hear from someone who knows what it's like to be a disabled hunter. I too am disabled... but it's just that I am disabled to hit the damn target half the time:D

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

Just was wondering if any of you guys were turkey hunting.I got a 24lb. gobbler on the 24 of this month. bigkentk.

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

i read the posts on here every now and then.

i was in the kansas jaycees a few years ago. our state project (the ongoing project that all 30 some chapters in the state help support) is a cerebral palsy ranch near wichita kansas. it's open for campers from roughly may~august, on 160 acres, has a 20 acre lake, woods, fields, etc etc.

the state president of the jaycees lived there, and he was a hunter. i spent alot of time up there when i was another officer for the state jaycees.

the cp ranch is in augusta kansas. i wonder if anyone here has heard of it?
www.cpranch.org

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

Hi Danth,
For a great site try this one; http://residents.bowhunting.net/disabledhunters/
there are TONS of gun holders, rests, etc.
Good luck and happy hunting!

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

Hey Brigid,
I'm a 44yr old T4-5 para, I've been chair bound for 3yrs but due to many problems associated with this disorder, I haven't been able to get back uot doing what I love.
Between bloodclots, pressure sores, and chronic pain, I am now just able to go again.
I spend alot of time on the web, so I read alot but the other problem is, I've been on Soc.
Sec. and have all but exhausted my savings/ investments. So, now I can finally go but I can't afford a hunting trip or hardly even ammunition! I guess I could sell a gun or two but then where would I be? Any help for a fellow 100% Irishman?!
Thanks much,

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

Hello everybody. I'm new to the forum. I'm not disabled but worked part time through college for Bob Bowen at SR77 enterprises building gun rest for disabled hunters. Glad to see there are a quite a few forums around the net dedicated to disabled hunters.

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

I am a disabled hunter. I have OI but i am fortunate to only have a mild case so i am able 2 walk and get myself around. i love to hunt and fish and i get out very often. My bones break easily so i have 2 watch myself when out hunting but i get there. 2 years ago i had back surgery to correct some curveture and i was not alowed 2 walk for 6 months. The good lord was with me deer hunting. I harvested a 6pt off my gator with my crossbow and it was the first time i ever went archery hunting. needless 2 say i am hooked now! That year i also harvested 2 does. I shot them using my 223 with because i didnt know how much recoil i could take with my back being screwed up. And people say a 223 wont kill a deer [:'(]. My hunting and fishing career's although effected by my disability have been very successful thus far. I have my dad to thank for getting me out when i was hurt or had something broken. i wish everyone the best! God Bless

RE: Guess there are not that many Dis. hunters
 

HEY DEERSLAYER. That sounds good to me sounds like your getting along with your hunting well.I also hunt with a .223 for deer.If you put the shot were i does some good you will harvest what your shooting at.Have not as of yet to get a kill with the x bow but keep shooting targets some day a deer will get too close and i will be ready.There is not much going on on this forem latley but check every day just the same Keep up the good work and good luck. bigkentk.