With a strong desire to take on some of the barriers to the more challenging forms of hunting, archery, I started on a bowhunt in the Fall of '97 and have been hooked ever since.
With the added requirement of having to get within 40 yards of of a deer (or turkey, or whatever), archery ranks high of the list of success stories when hunting from a sitting position. Since there aren't many tree stands made that would be chair suitable, the only way to do it is eye-to-eye. I wouldn't have it any other way.
Before I get into the actual hunts,
I'm going to detail some of the products that have helped me get back a little bit of the advantages I lost when I became 'mobily impaired.' We all know that the most important parts of hunting happens during the offseason. And "when you can get close enough to hear 'em breathe, you know you've done something right." - Below, I'll have some of my own experiences mixed in with some from other disabled bowhunters accross the country, along with some links to archery-related equipment.
First things first. This top-notch crossbow from Ten Point, the 458 Magnum, has made the transition from bullet to arrow a smooth one to say the least. It's a serious arrow slinger that can thread needles at fifty yards.
I recently purchased a new bow from Excalibur, the Exomag, for the 2003 season, so i'll be posting some new stories on how it handles in the field. I've heard great things about it from other hunters
It also has an attachment that allows me to cock the drawstring by hand crank. Called the Crankeroo, it requires very little strength to operate. With it, I can get out in the woods alone and still be able to cock the bow.
In the quest to get all states to legalize crossbow use during the archery seasons by the disabled, read an opinion by Ted Nugent's Director
(He says it all!)
Continue on to the UFFDA pages. UFFDA stands for the United Foundation for Disabled Archers, and it's one of the best organizations I've been a part of. It actually got me started bow hunting, and soon I'll attempt to bring a version of it down here to Texas.
Among their pages, you can find a personal account detailing my first trip to Minnesota in search of whitetail with a crossbow in the Fall of 1997. There are also a host of other stories in the general UFFDA archives that show how other hunter's with disabilities have tackled the bowhunting adventure. There will be stories from hunts past and those that have recently taken place posted as the take place, so keep scrolling, and enjoy.
Follow these hunters as they overcome a variety of handicaps to take deer, turkey, and bear with the most primitive form of hunting equipment, the bow & arrow.
