Talk to me about disabled hunters

[Jennie@ifish]

With everyone and their brother displaying disabled stickers lately, I was wondering what the rules are for disabled hunters.
(Hey, they gave me one of those stickers, and most often I am very capable of walking, so I rarely use it).
I couldn't kill a deer, they are too cute, but the other night I had backstrap, and saw my girlfriends freezer full of elk. She is one of Tillamook's finest hunters, tracking, shooting, dressing, even at times pulling her kill out herself, with a chainsaw like gizmo that pulls it to her truck.
She has talked to me about joining her.
However, I am blind in one eye, and so is my son.
The other eye isn't so good either, cuz it is telescopic, (An implanted lens that doesn't contract for distance).
So, what is the ruling for people like me and Andrew?
I think I could enjoy shooting ducks... (Maybe, not sure yet), but the outdoors attracts me. Bill took me to the duck lake, and I could see enjoying the hunt. Do ducks mate for life? If I shoot one, do I break that pair up for life? That seems too sad for me!
Regarding Elk, I am SO afraid that I wouldn't be a good enough shot and just wound it, if I was good enough to even hit it!
First off, I would think I would need a hunters safety course, and the kids too, right?
Then?
Should impaired sighted people have a good sighted person with them to back them up?
I can't hike long distances either. So, again, I would need a healthy individual who could help me with the kill.
I am not saying hunting is for me, it might not be. I do like the idea of the hunt though, the walking through the woods, the being quiet, the search, the find, but the shot? Yikes!
But I think I would like to go along with someone to find out.
I do know, that I visited my girlfriend when she brought her cow home last year.
The sight of it in the back of her truck didn't bother me too much, but did a little.
What DID bother me was when she sawed the hoofs off of it.
How do you get over this?
Just by remembering the taste of backstrap?!
[img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
By the sounds of it, am I not going to be a hunter?
[img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
Jen


[img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

[Snapset]

It sounds like you should take a Hunters Safety class. You and your kids will learn first and foremost about Firearms Safety. They will also teach you about Hunter Ethics,Game Handling, Shot Placement; you will learn all the basics of hunting and you will have a foundation of knowledge to build on. I haven't answered all your questions but if you take the Hunters Safety class, you will learn.

I put my daughters through the class last year, even though my oldest doesn't want to hunt. She still learned how to handle a gun safely, what to do if her friends want to play with guns, most of all; respect for a deadly weapon. I am convinced if all kids took the class, there would be far fewer gun tragedies. In rural Oregon, all kids are going to be exposed to firearms, they will be safer if they know how to react.

When you are a hunter, you can start the day with the idea you are going on a hike, and you just happen to be carrying a gun. The difference between true hunting and hiking is the focus. When hunting, you will learn to notice the little details. You will be observant of all the signs of the forest, and you will learn to understand what they are telling you. You will feel more alive and free than with any other outdoor experience, including fishing. Fishing is great, but it ties you to the water. While hunting, you are free to explore in any direction. As far as the killing goes, it is hard. All hunters should feel an empathetic twinge of pain when they pull the trigger. On the other hand, all animals (Including Humans) are mortal. Examine the circumstances of death available to wild animals. They don't just "go to sleep". They die from a wasting disease, starvation, or being dragged down by some predator. Or underneath a car. A bullet doesn't seem like such a cruel way to go when you consider the alternatives.

[Lured In]

Jennie curiosity is a great thing! As far as disabled hunter opportunities there are a several. For big game, a "sighted" partner can shoot the animal and at the least back you up. With many of todays high powered scopes, you may find that you can see better than you think. Have a friend who shoots take out to the range and see if you like it. If you do, definitely check out the hunter safety class. ( You may enjoy this anyway as it can be very informative about the way to hunt correctly with the best ethics possible.)

As far as waterfowl goes, many management areas offer disabled hunter access. Usually this a blind that is close to the parking areas and or very easy to walk to. Often it is wheelchair accessible as well.

FYI, ducks do not mate for life. And drakes (the males) will often mate with more than one hen during the breeding season.

Cananda geese on the other hand, I understand do mate for life; however, there is no method of differentiating between the sexes while they are flying.

[Dogfish]

Hi Jennie,

I have a few answers for you.

If your visual accuity in your good eye does not exceed 20/200 with corrective lenses, or your field of view is no greater than 20 degrees, then you can get written certification from your doctor stating that you are permanently disabled.

Some ducks will mate for life, as well as geese, but if one partner dies, the other will pair up the following season. Nature will continue the process. A lot of duck hunters shoot only drakes, boy ducks, so as to keep the number of breeding hens high.

If you qualify as a disabled hunter, your friend can help you find an elk, pick out the right one, and even shoot it for you, but they have to be in your immediate presence. See page 12 of the ODFW hunting regs. The application is on page 96.

The tags restrictions are relaxed for disabled hunters. If you have a bull tag, your friend can assist you in taking EITHER a bull OR a cow! This way you can get out there, have the fun of the hunt, know that your friend can help you aim, actually shoot, or even dispatch a wounded animal, and come home with lots of meat for the freezer. (Elk burger is even better than hamburger) It isn't usually that easy, though. Three elk in 8 years of hunting for me.

For safety sake, you should not venture into the woods alone until you have aquired enough woodcraft knowledge to feel comfortable in just diving off into the woods with just a compass to guide you. There are usually only deertrails in there, sometimes none. Plus, your friend can be there for some conversation, and most important of all, help when you take down a nice big cow. Just think how many points you would earn when the "ladies" went out for a day, and came back with a few elk. It would make for some great stories, and you could hold that over your husband/boyfriend for years to come. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Women are into that, I hear. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

The hunter safety course is a must for all kids, even if they don't plan on hunting, because any kid out there will run into a firearm, city or rural kid, and it makes good sense to get the training. I suggest going through it with your son. It would be a great sharing and learning experience for both of you.

Finally, on butchering. You have to reduce the elk to groceries. Think of it as a side of beef. The messy part takes place out in the field, if you do it right. The actual butchering process is quite clean, and I love the smell. It is a bit on the sweet side. Two things that will make it easy for you, are a sawzall (reciprocating saw), and a chain hoist to attach to your gambrel (hanging device that looks like a beefy coat hanger). If you have more questions, you know what to do, just post 'em.

Best of luck, we need more lady hunters out there!

Andy

[ 09-17-2001: Message edited by: Dogfish ]

[ 09-17-2001: Message edited by: Dogfish ]

[MetalHead]

Jennie, if your serious about joining the ranks of us preditors then Hunter Education is a must. It is great to be in the outdoors and challenging to learn about the habits and habitats of the animals we persue. As dogfish said you will get a good foundation of knowledge to build on from a hunter ed. class. I teach survival, emergency first aid, and sometimes the archery portion of the classes here locally. I see alot of adults taking the classes and that is very encouraging to me as a hunter.
MetalHead a.k.a. WapitiStalker

[bigshark]

Jen
I think your considering hunting is terrific.
Not just for you but for your son. It is such a wonderful family activity. The guys are giving a lot of good advice. I lost sight
in my master eye some years ago and it posed
problems until I learned to compensate. Don't
let sight impairment stop you and Andrew from the enjoyment hunting affords. I would suggest you begin with bird hunting and move
up to big game. I'd be happy to share with you what I experienced if you would like to chat about it on the phone.

[Jennie@ifish]

I will take a hunters safety course, and then go out with Bill to the duck lake in North Plains that he belongs to.
I gotta try this....
He took me there this summer to take a look.
It's pretty neat, the decorating of the blinds, and the planting of corn. The dam they built, the whole organization.
And I sure could enjoy the sitting with the dog and watching.
I think I'm going to like this!!!
Thanks, guys!
Jen

[Dogfish]

I have sat in the blind a few times after limiting, just working the birds on good days just to see them turn in towards me from a half mile away.

The sight of a drake mallard coming in at full speed, wings cupped, fully committed to your spread. It doesn't get much better than that.

A good caller, and a well trained dog retrieving the birds are things of beauty to be admired.

My wife just doesn't understand why I get up a 4:00am just to go out and sit in the mud with a wet dog and watch the sun come up. It is a little slice of heaven.

Enjoy

[Get Bit]

Jen,
Go with Bill and experience the duckblind and you will be hooked for life. If you find that the hunting part isn't for you, maybe trying to capture the action on film is. Perhaps working the dog, learning to call,and enjoying the company of friends in the outdoors will be more to your liking. There is nothing like working a group of mallards with the call and seeing them set their wings coming to your decoy spread. Put a beautiful sunrise behing them and you have a truly spiritual experience !

Get Bit

[Jennie@ifish]

But I need a dog first.
I have been needing a dog for a year now.
I want a small chocolate lab, and I want to train him to hunt. I want to spend every day training him, and have him be the best.
I can't afford much.
Any ideas?
It is past time. I need a dog.
Jen