BOSTON (AP) – For more than 40 years, paraplegic hunters have gathered in the predawn darkness around Massachusetts for an opportunity that might otherwise be difficult, if not impossible.
The specialized deer hunt brings together sportsmen and women, volunteers and workers from the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, for three days every fall.
John Pelletier broke his back when he fell out of a tree stand while hunting in 2004, and the program has allowed him to continue what he calls his passion. He now takes his .50-caliber muzzle-loader to the Massachusetts Military Reservation on Cape Cod to hunt every year.
“Some guys get a mistress when they hit 40; I started hunting,” said a laughing Pelletier, 57, of Westport, who uses a specialized wheelchair with what he describes as mountain bike tires that give him better maneuverability in the wild. “These hunts really afford me the opportunity to get back in the woods like I did before.”
Most states make accommodations for disabled hunters, said Bill Fertig, director of the resource center at the United Spinal Association, a New York-based organization that advocates for improving the quality of life of people living with spinal cord injuries.