The Paralyzed Veterans of America, a national organization, donated $20,000 in special adaptable equipment to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks this year to increase opportunities in the state for hunters with disabilities. The equipment includes five automated tree stands and four ground blinds. The automated tree stands lift a hunter in a wheel chair to a height of about 14 feet. Montana was PVA’s first choice to receive the gear after Anheuser Busch gave an enabling grant of $100,000 to support PVA’s National Shooting Sports Program. Montana Senator Conrad Burns helped gain visibility for Montana by his sponsorship of the Disabled Sportsmen’s Access Act of 1998 aimed at opening federal Department of Defense land to disabled sportsmen and sportswomen. FWP is working with Access Montana Outdoors, a nonprofit organization headquartered in Bozeman that deals with recreational access issues for people with disabilities, to develop a program to make the equipment available to Montanans this hunting season. FWP’s goal is to strategically place the lifts across the state in accessible areas on both public and private land for use by hunters with disabilities during hunting season. Off-season the equipment will provide wildlife viewing, bird watching and photography opportunities for those with disabilities. PVA is a national nonprofit organization that provides advocacy, funding for research, educational programs and sports for those with disabilities. For more information or to offer suggestions on where to place the equipment contact FWP at (406) 444-4046.
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