Commissioner Honored by N.C. Handicapped Sportsmen

RALEIGH, N.C. (March 26, 2007) – N.C. Wildlife Resources Commissioner Steve Windham felt Sgt. First Class Rich Richardson, United States Army, deserved the chance to experience the thrill of a good deer hunt, like any other sportsman.

Paralyzed from the waist down by an improvised explosive device while on his third tour of duty in Iraq, Sgt. Richardson harvested his first deer, a buck, from 110 yards using a .243 rifle while on the property Windham leases in Brunswick County.

For his generosity, the vice chairman was recently honored at the March meeting of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commissioners by the North Carolina Handicapped Sportsmen (NCHS).

Ed Mays, the NCSH president, presented a plaque of appreciation to Windham.

“Steve Windham is not only the Vice Chairman of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, he is a great example of a true sportsman,” said Mays. “We are lucky to have him as a leader in Raleigh.”

Windham deflected praise for his efforts because he felt the hunt was the right thing to do.

“It was the highlight of my hunting season to be able to share the outdoors with a fellow that genuinely appreciated the opportunity to be there,” he said. “Supporting our veterans and offering disabled sportsmen the chance to get in the woods, it’s the very least we can do.”

Access to private land is not a requirement for disabled hunters who want to participate in the sport. The Commission has established increased access and opportunities for persons with disabilities to hunt on agency game lands through the Disabled Sportsmen Program. In order to qualify for disabled hunts, applicants must possess a Disabled Veteran license, a Totally Disabled lifetime license or a Disabled Sportsman Hunt Certificate in conjunction with a valid hunting license.

Last year, disabled hunts were offered throughout the state for deer, waterfowl and feral hogs. Additional information and applications are available on the Commission’s Web site at www.ncwildlife.org.