Hunters with Disabilities Have Opportunities in Monongahela National Forest

A partnership between the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources and the Forest Service opens roads for hunters with disabilities.

People who hold a specific type of hunting license may access roads in the Monongahela and George Washington and Jefferson National Forests in West Virginia under a special program aimed at increasing accessibility of these national forests to hunters.

Although variations of the program have existed in the Monongahela for many years, recent changes have been made to better inform the public and to ensure equal access to the program by all Americans.

Often referred to as the "Class Q" program, after the type of hunting license originally required of participants, the program is more properly referred to as the "Class Q/QQ" program. Unwieldy though the name may be, it represents an important distinction.

Class Q licenses are issued by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources to WV residents with a documented disability that impairs their ability to walk into an area and hunt. The Class QQ license is also issued by the West Virginia DNR but is a non-resident license. Since national forests are open to all people it was important to develop a program that did not discriminate against non-residents by allowing them the same opportunities as WV residents.

A holder of a valid Q or QQ permit is given the opportunity to hunt on specified Forest Service roads in the Monongahela or the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest, behind otherwise closed gates. Some state wildlife management areas are also included in the program.

In 2004, a Class Q/QQ team was formed consisting of both Forest Service and WV DNR employees with the goal of upgrading and streamlining this popular program. A number of significant improvements have been made for the 2008 season. Permits are now issued for either a north or south zone within the Monongahela, instead of by one of six ranger districts. Any district FS office within the zone can issue a permit for that zone, which both increases efficiencies for the FS and increases customer satisfaction.

The Class Q/QQ team also developed a specific key/lock system for entry into the roads; works to put together an annual news release on the program; developed an exit survey (administered by the WV DNR) to track days hunted, hours hunted, species seen, species hunted, and success rates. The team further holds an annual evaluation meeting to identify and implement changes to the program to keep it successful.

The current Class Q/QQ program is quite successful in both attracting and helping disabled hunters, and in increasing cooperation between the agencies. Twelve roads in the Monongahela are currently used for the program, which provides 56 miles for physically challenged hunters to utilize.

Comments received have been very positive. Class Q/QQ hunters have been able to harvest deer and turkey through this program; but more importantly have been able to enjoy the hunting experience which many thought they'd never have again.