A wheelchair accessible hunting blind lift. - FWS photo

Event particpants enjoy the activities. - FWS photo

Particpants demonstrate the use of a Kubota adapted to lift people into a boat or other hunting equipment. - FWS photo

Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge hosted a special event featuring outdoor adaptive equipment for persons with physical disabilities and their families, June 24. 

The event provides opportunities for those with physical disabilities to network with others who hunt, fish, and recreate in the outdoors. It also offered a chance to try out some adaptive equipment to help them get into the outdoors. 

Equipment and devices that were showcased included adaptive fishing gear, accessible boats, modified hunting equipment, a Kubota with a chair lift to access upland game hunting opportunities, disabled hunting and fishing permit applications, and other adaptive technology devices.  In addition, dog field trial demonstrations, duck calling techniques, and waterfowl identification sessions were held. 

Partners involved in the planning included staff and volunteers from Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the North American Squirrel Association, the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association, National Wild Turkey Federation and the Winona Chapter of Delta Waterfowl.  Everyone involved in the event, planners and participants were very pleased with the turn out and were confident that the goals of the event were met.