Access Guide for Sportsmen with Disabilities

Access Guide for Sportsmen with Disabilities

Introduction

The North Carolina General Assembly and Wildlife Resources Commission have worked cooperatively to expand opportunities for persons with disabilities to participate in hunting, fishing and other related outdoor activities. In keeping with the intent and spirit of the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), great strides have been made towards providing reasonable access and opportunities for hunters and anglers. Currently, North Carolina has one of the more progressive programs in the United States for sportsmen with disabilities. This effort is directed towards assisting access to favorable game and fish areas, allowing the use of equipment designed to overcome specific disabilities, and to encourage persons with disabilities to take advantage of the state's hunting and fishing opportunities. The Commission strongly urges any person with a disability that has a question or an interest in hunting and fishing to contact:

Disabled Access Program
N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission
1722 Mail Service Center
Raleigh NC 27699

 

Note

For the purpose of this publication, reference to the terms disabled, handicapped and accessibility are used as follows. Official titles of programs are used without change, i.e., "Disabled Access Program" or "Disabled Sportsman Program." In referring to individuals, "persons with disabilities" is used. The term "handicapped" is used in conjunction with designated parking spaces to be consistent with wording used in state regulations. When "accessible" is used, it means that the fishing pier, trail, restrooms, etc., are accessible to persons with disabilities.

The Disabled Access Program and the Disabled Sportsman Program form the foundation for the Commission's efforts to provide access and increased opportunities for persons with disabilities. The programs have different objectives. One is designed to improve access (with landowner agreement) on game lands. The other implements legislative requirements enacted by the 1993 General Assembly by providing permit hunts for persons with disabilities.

Huntmaster Hunt Unit Program 

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Disabled Access Program

This program allows persons with limited physical mobility to operate vehicles on open-gated or designated roads on certain game lands otherwise closed to vehicular traffic. Participants are issued permanent identification cards, companion cards and vehicular access permits, valid as long as their disability persists. The vehicular access permit must be displayed in the passenger area of the vehicle. One able-bodied person, carrying the "Companion Card," may accompany the person with the disability. The companion must remain in visual or verbal contact with the hunter at all times. There is no charge for this program.

Qualifications

Competent medical evidence substantiating a physical mobility disability that makes normal utilization of game lands impossible without vehicular assistance.

Game Land Areas Involved

• Bertie County
• Bladen Lakes
• Butner Falls of the Neuse (waterfowl blind for disabled hunters only)
• Goose Creek (waterfowl blind for disabled hunters only)
• Holly Shelter
• R. Wayne Bailey – Caswell
• Roanoke River Wetlands
• Sandhills
• Suggs Mill Pond
• Thurmond Chatham
• Tillery

See current Game Lands maps or Map Book for details.

Application Procedures

You may contact the License Section at 1-888-2HUNTFISH (1-888-248-6834) to obtain a copy of the Crossbow Permit Nongame Fishing Application.

Huntmaster Hunt Unit Program  

This program authorizes taking of nongame fish by persons with permanent or long-term disabilities that render them incapable of sufficient arm movement to draw other legal bows. Permit is valid as long as the qualifying disability persists.

Qualifications

1.The limitation on use of standard bows must be from a physical disability that cannot be overcome with exercise and physical therapy.

2. The disability must be long term (greater than one year).

3. The disability must prevent the person from drawing a bow with 35 pounds of pull for a distance of 15 inches and holding at a reduced pull of 12 pounds for 5 seconds.

Areas Involved

For current-year dates for bow-and-arrow seasons, and all legal weapons seasons, refer to the Regulations Digest printed by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.

Application Procedures

You may contact the License Section at 1-888-2HUNTFISH (1-888-248-6834) to obtain a copy of the Crossbow Permit Nongame Fishing Application.

With help from the Sport Fish Restoration Fund, a federal excise tax and import duty on fishing equipment and motorboat fuel, the Commission has developed bank fishing sites and boating access areas across the state. The bank fishing access areas are known as Public Fishing Areas (PFAs), some of which are Community Fishing Program sites (CFPs). There are also boating access areas (BAAs) that allow free 24 hour access to 80 different bodies of water in North Carolina. Some of these locations are accessible to anglers with disabilities. Development at PFA sites varies from simple brush removal to the construction of accessible fishing piers and boat launching facilities. Most CFP sites are periodically stocked with catchable size channel catfish during the fishing season. The mileage figures given in the location descriptions are approximations.

Public Fishing Areas

PFAs are open to the public at no charge; however, use is generally restricted to fishing activities. The mooring of boats and jet skis, swimming and camping are prohibited at most PFAs. The total number of PFAs and the number of PFAs that are accessible is constantly increasing. For a complete up-to-date list of all PFAs, contact the Wildlife Resources Commission at 919 707-0220 or visit the Fishing Maps page.

Community Fishing Program Sites

CFPs are cooperatively operated by the Commission and local governments. The Commission provides 75% of the operating funds through the Sport Fish Restoration Fund, while local governments fund 25% and provide the fishing site. CFPs are open to the public, and many have regular opening and closing hours.

Most CFPs are located in city- or county-owned parks; therefore, other recreational opportunities are usually available. Most CFPs have fishing facilities for persons with disabilities. As the number of CFPs is constantly increasing, contact the Fisheries division at 919 707-0220 for a current list or see the CFP sites here.

Boating Access Areas

Boating is undoubtedly one of the state's more popular sports, with more than 200,000 boats registered in North Carolina. To assist boaters, the Commission has established free boating access areas (BAAs) across the state. The following launch areas have facilities to assist the boater with disabilities. New areas are being established on a continuing basis. Obtain the latest list of accessible BAAs by contacting the Disabled Access Program, N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, 1720 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699 OR view a map to see a list of accessible boating access areas here. 

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Other Information on Accessible Outdoor Recreational Programs and Sites in North Carolina

• For information on a wide variety of public and private programs, request a free copy of ACCESS North Carolina produced by the Vocational Rehabilitation Services, N.C. Department of Human Resources, and distributed in cooperation with (write to):

  Division of Travel and Tourism
  N.C. Department of Economic and Community Development
  Raleigh, NC 27611
  or call 1-800-Visit NC (1-800-847-4862)

• For information on deer hunts, duck blinds, fishing piers and other accessible recreational opportunities on National Wildlife Refuges and National Fish Hatcheries in the state, contact:

  Public Affairs Office
  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
  Richard B. Russell Federal Building
  75 Spring Street, SW, Room 1200
  Atlanta, GA 30303

• For information on accessible National Park Service programs in the state, contact:
  

  Office of Public Affairs
  National Park Service
  P.O. Box 37127
  Washington, D.C. 20013-7127

• For information on hunting, fishing and other accessible outdoor recreational programs on National Forests in the state, contact:
  

  Public Affairs Office
  U.S. Forest Service
  P.O. Box 96090
  Washington, D.C. 20013-6090

• 5. For information on North Carolina's nature preserves, natural areas, parks and recreational areas contact:

  N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation
  P.O. Box 27687
  Raleigh, NC 27611-7687

Related N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission Programs

CATCH

The Wildlife Resources Commission's Division of Conservation Education CATCH (Caring for Aquatics Through Conservation Habits) program provides opportunities for adults to instruct kids in discovering aquatic environments though learning activities, educational materials and fishing training opportunities. Commission staff trains adults in one-day workshops and supplies them with teaching materials for their respective schools or organizations. Call 919 707-0170 for more information about this environmental education program.

Fishing Tackle Loaner Program

The N.C. Tackle Loaner Program is an exciting program that loans fishing tackle to the public much like a book is checked out from the library. The objective is to introduce people, especially children, to fishing and encourage novice anglers to continue developing their angling skills. The Commission is working cooperatively with the Sportfishing Promotion Council to expand this program to all 30 parks and recreation departments cooperating with us in the Community Fishing Program. Call 919 707-0220 for more information about the Fishing Tackle Loaner Program.

Other Information

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is dedicated to the sound conservation of the State's wildlife and other interrelated natural resources and also to the environment we share with them.

Regulation Information: 919 707-0030
License Information: 919 707-0391 or 1-888-2HUNTFISH (1-888-248-6834)
Purchase a license with a Visa or MasterCard: 1-888-2HUNTFISH (1-888-248-6834)

Acknowledgments

This publication was conceived and compiled by Mr. David W. McDaniel of Nags Head, North Carolina. Dave is a retired U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist and dedicated much of his career to making National Wildlife Refuges accessible to disabled persons. He is still active in outdoor recreational pursuits as a volunteer at Jockey's Ridge State Park. In addition, Dave owns and operates Pirate Productions, a company which produces written, photographic and travel materials concerning the Outer Banks. The Wildlife Resources Commission gratefully acknowledges Dave's time and efforts in making this publication possible.

Some of the projects highlighted in this brochure were made possible because anglers and boaters pay special federal excise taxes and import duties on fishing equipment and on their motorboat fuel. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission receives a share of these federal monies which is then matched with 25 percent state or other non-federal money and invested in important fishing and boating projects across the state. Without your support for the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act, our agency's ability to provide fishing and boating opportunities in North Carolina could be severely curtailed.

Produced by the Division of Conservation Education, N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, 1712 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699. Telephone 919 707-0170. The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is an equal opportunity agency.

Permit Hunts for Disabled Sportsmen and Sportswomen

The Division of Wildlife Management has several hunts exclusively available to the disabled sportsperson.  Please see the Permit Hunting Opportunities publication for hunt choices, qualifications and application procedures.

LIFETIME LICENSES FOR DISABLED SPORTSMEN AND VETERANS

The Wildlife Resources Commission offers a wide variety of lifetime licenses for disabled veterans and those who are totally disabled.  For more information, review the list below and click on the appropriate link to obtain the application.

Hunting and Inland Fishing

Hunting, Inland, and Coastal Fishing

Inland Fishing Only

Coastal Fishing Only

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