MOBILITY IMPAIRED DEER HUNTS SCHEDULED FOR UPSTATE AREA

Mobility impaired hunters will be treated to a unique opportunity to attend a special deer hunt again this year on 18 private tracts of land in Laurens, Newberry, Spartanburg and Union counties.

These special hunts are co-sponsored by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) but will be hosted by Belfast Hunt Club, TCA International Inc., Quaker Creek Farm, Pitts Place, Mudlick, Woollen Farm, Carroll Hunt Club, Southern Timber Associates, Campbell Property, Blackmon Farm, BD Properties, Weir Farm, Cowford Land Co., The Clinton House Plantation, Thomason Farm, Beulah Creek Hunt Club, Sugar Flat Hunt Club and the U. S. Sportsman's Hunt Club. The Harry Hampton Memorial Wildlife Fund, South Carolina Disabled Sportsmen, International Paper Co., South Carolina Wildlife Law Enforcement Officers Association and the Spartanburg Gun Club all support this event financially, provide personnel assistance during the hunt or assist in various ways.

Applications for this special hunt are available from: Union DNR Office, 124 Wildlife Drive, Union, SC 29379, telephone (864) 427-5140; or from DNR Columbia Office, PO Box 167, Columbia, SC 29202, telephone (803) 734-3886; or they can be downloaded from the DNR Web site at http://www.dnr.state.sc.us/wild/sphuntapp.html Completed applications must be received at the Union DNR Office by 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 3 to be eligible for the drawing.

This popular hunt is scheduled for Nov. 4-5 and will consist of hunting on both Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. All participants will be invited to a barbecue lunch at Quaker Creek Farm at noon on Friday prior to the hunts. Although lodging is available at certain hunt sites, private funding has been obtained to assist in providing motel rooms for those individuals who really need them. After the Saturday morning hunt, all participants will be invited to shoot sporting clays in the afternoon at the Spartanburg Gun Club in Spartanburg County. Those participating in this activity will need to bring their own shotgun and shells (target loads) along with safety glasses. Hearing protection and clays will be provided.

Applicants for these hunts are restricted to persons who are permanently and severely mobility impaired and include those who are permanently confined to a wheel chair, persons permanently requiring the use of mechanical aids (walker, braces, etc.) to walk, or persons with complete single or double leg amputations. Each hunter may be accompanied by one other person who can participate in a non-hunting capacity.

Gerald Moore, DNR wildlife biologist in Union, said: "Aside from the opportunity to hunt deer on well-managed and exclusive properties, another important benefit of these events will be the opportunity for friendship and fellowship among those who have similar disabilities. We are pleased to cooperate with the various hosts and sponsors of these hunts in assisting those people who are able to take definite steps to pursue their outdoor interests in spite of their disabilities."

Moore encourages all qualified mobility impaired persons interested in hunting to apply. "Since these hunts are on private land and not public Wildlife Management Areas, a WMA permit is not required, and there will not be an application fee," Moore said. "It is certainly a great opportunity, and all mobility impaired sportsmen and sportswomen should try to take advantage of it."

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