I had a preliminary conversation this spring with Kingsley parents who wanted to take their son who has a developmental disability out turkey hunting. A question arose: How could we get him a license?
At the time I thought he had previously hunted with an “apprentice” license and was over 18, which was not the case. Had it been, he would be required to pass a hunter safety exam to get licensed again, which was impossible.
Thankfully, a bill is expected to be signed soon that would provide lifelong hunting opportunities to people unable to pass a traditional hunter safety class. Adaptive equipment is available to allow such a person to share a hunting experience with a loved one who can aim a rifle or shotgun by moving a joystick and watching a screen. When the time is right, the special needs person pulls the trigger by sucking on a tube. I know non-hunters don’t understand. But there’s a primal itch in many of us that can only be scratched by harvesting our own food. News stories about the bill centered on the twoyear lobbying efforts of board members of the Michigan Bear Hunters Association. I’m sure they worked diligently for passage.
