Regelændring hjælper handicappede jægere i Tennese

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Change aids disabled hunters
Decision allows the use of ATVs

By LARRY WOODY
Staff Writer

As Bill Bowen lay in a hospital, paralyzed from the chest down due to a tree-trimming accident, one recurring thought was most troubling:

"I worried that I'd never be able to hunt and fish again," said Bowen, 37, of Rockwood. "I'd hunted and fished since I was a kid, and it looked like I had lost the thing I loved most."

Bowen's accident occurred on June 24, 1995.

That autumn, he was back in the woods, hunting from a wheelchair.

"My mom took me out and left me," Bowen said. "She practically forced me to start back hunting. Suddenly, I realized that my life wasn't over after all."

Bowen is one of approximately 400 disabled hunters in Tennessee who participate in the Wheelin' Sportsmen program. It was founded by Kurt Thomas, who was seriously injured when a tree fell on him while he was deer hunting.

Disabled hunters were recently made the center of attention when the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission voted to allow hunting from all-terrain vehicles parked on private land.

Originally, the commission wanted to pass a law making it legal to shoot from passenger vehicles, but decided to limit it to ATVs because of concerns that non-disabled hunters would take advantage of "car hunting."

Bowen said the help is appreciated.

"Getting to and from blinds or stands is hard if you're in a wheelchair, especially if the ground is wet," he said. "The narrow wheels mire up in the mud. Being able to use an ATV will be a big help."

Crossville businessman Wayne Shadden is a volunteer with Wheelin' Sportsmen. He helped organize a deer hunt last fall and this spring put together a turkey hunt that drew 15 disabled hunters. Each hunter was assigned two guides — volunteers from the area — to assist them.

"It's probably the most rewarding thing I've ever been involved in," Shadden said. "This spring we had a little boy who couldn't walk. Our guides took him out, got him set up in a blind, and on the first morning he shot a big gobbler. To see the excitement and the smile on that little boy's face … well, you can't put into words what a blessing it is."

Shadden is already working on a fall deer hunt. He relies primarily on word-of-mouth to publicize the hunt, and welcomes inquires at 931-484-6043.

"We will accommodate as many hunters as possible," he said.

Bowen likewise invites disabled hunters or their families to contact him at 865-354-8494 for information about participating in the program, or simply for guidance and encouragement.

"I want to help them, just like somebody once helped me," he said.

Bowen hunts deer, ducks and turkeys, and also fishes on Watts Bar. He is often accompanied by his 6-year-old twin daughters.

"I met my wife Kristi through my accident," Bowen said. "She was my physical therapist. We got married shortly after I got out of the hospital, and today we have two beautiful daughters. I guess the Good Lord has a reason for everything that happens to us."

.....nu OGSÅ ejer af en 243win :-)

Favourite Quote: Vi løser ikke vore problemer ved at tænke på samme måde, som da vi skabte dem.....(Albert Einstein)