Thanks to The National Wild Turkey Federation's Wheelin' Sportsmen Program and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Wildlife Refuge System, these hunters experienced the beauty and bounty within Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge.

Over 20 people volunteered their time organizing the event, designing and assembling the blinds, preparing food, scouting sites, calling birds, and teaching waterfowl hunting techniques. The volunteers and sponsors make the day possible by sharing their support and talent for calling the birds and providing the opportunities for the participants. The volunteers commented that they got as much from the experience as the hunters and enthusiastically asked to be part of the event again next year.

The day began with breakfast and welcome, providing an opportunity for professional guides and volunteers to meet the hunters. After riding to their hunting blinds in the darkness, the hunters settled in amid the decoys and clover fields, waiting and watching for the 150,000 snow geese, Canada geese, and ducks that visit the refuge during the winter months. Guides and volunteers put out dozens of decoys.

All of the hunters were enthusiastic about the opportunity to spend the day in the outdoors with most of them staying until the end of legal shooting hours. They were all successful in getting at least one goose. All of the participants gathered at the end of the day to share tales and laughter about the day's events.

Chris Karinja, Regional Director for the National Wild Turkey Federation, expressed his satisfaction with the event, saying, "The Wheelin' Sportsmen program is all about bringing people to the outdoors and when you can do that in a pristine setting like the Bombay Hook refuge, you create memories that last a lifetime."

Today's event is the result of a groundbreaking partnership between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and The National Wild Turkey Federation's Wheelin' Sportsmen Program. The partnership was created to develop new opportunities for people with disabilities to enjoy the outdoors. The event is also sponsored by Delta Waterfowl, Bass Pro Shops, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, and Larry McAllister's Metal Masters.

Special wheelchair accessible blinds built by the Delaware Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation were designed and assembled for the event. Larry McAllister's Metal Masters also retrofitted one of their waterfowl blinds for wheelchair access and loaned it for the day.

Bombay Hook also has a wheelchair accessible waterfowl blind that is available for use by disabled hunters during the Refuge's regular goose hunting season.