Creative Advantages for Fishing and Hunting
Everyone no matter their disability should be able to experience and enjoy the outdoors and everything that it has to offer. Below are a few examples of creative inventions that can help people with disabilities to thoroughly enjoy fishing and hunting in the great outdoors.
John, a man who had passion for archery and the outdoors in general, unfortunately had complications during surgery making him a paraplegic. He had no movement or access with his arms or legs. Through hard work and determination, along with his friends help, they developed a special mounting device that attached a cocked bow to his wheelchair. However, this was not a legal way of hunting at the time,so he had to hunt illegally. Through advocacy efforts and a man named Michael Bragman, in 1986 the law changed so that disabled people were allowed to purchase a special permit that allowed them to use and hunt with the device legally. A few years later the American with Disabilities Act of 1992 stated that no person can be excluded because of their disability to participate in services, programs, or activities of a public entity. Restaurants, bathrooms, and other public places had to make their facilities more handicapped friendly. The state of New York even allows people with disabilities to hunt game from a motorized vehicle1. 
Another device that was invented to benefit disabled individuals is the rod and reel called Ken’s Power Caster, invented by engineers at Adaptive Creations in Waltersburg, PA. This is a motorized rod and reel connected to a swivel. There are three buttons that when pressing allows the individual to aim the rod, pull it back for the cast, and cast it up to 100ft. It also allows the individual to pull up to set the hook when there is a fish on the line. This invention by Adaptive Creations allows people with little to no movement of the hands to enjoy fishing just like anyone else would. An alternative for quadriplegic people is to control their pole by sipping and puffing through their mouth. Through this technology, there is no reason why any one individual should not be able to enjoy the full thrill of fishing.2.
It may take a little bit of time for the individual to get used to operating the pole correctly, but with a little bit of practice and patience a person should master the art of using theses devices efficiently. New and improved devices and mechanisms are constantly being researched and tested so that people with disabilities can thoroughly enjoy and experience the outdoors just like able-bodied individuals. There are plenty of resources, equipment, and opportunities that are out there for people, all they have to do is just find them.
1. Jones, W. (1995, 10). Enabled for the outdoors. New York State Conservationist, 50 Retrievedfrom http://search.proquest.com/docview/237065976?accountid=7078
2.Sip-n-puff rod and reel lets the disabled go fishing. (2012). Machine Design, 84(10), 34.
Being in the outdoors and in nature is something that everyone needs to experience. People who have a passion for hunting and fishing have a respect for nature and animals that many others can't comprehend. When someone has this passion and they become disabled it is awesome to see how friends and now even the law makes it possible for them to enjoy and participate in the outdoors. I could not imagine losing the use of my arms and legs but with people like John out there it shows me that anything is possible.
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