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The public
use of lands under the control of this agency and participation in activities
sponsored or regulated by this agency are equally available to the public.
Rather than attempting to serve disabled persons through special programs
or events directed only towards that segment of the population, we attempt
to implement all of our activities in a manner which will provide everyone
with the opportunity to participate.
Our experience
has shown that people prefer to be treated as part of the general public
rather than as a subset of the population classified according to age,
sex, ethnicity or disability. Each subset of the population has its
own unique special interests, abilities and limitations which we attempt
to address within the overall scope of our programs and activities.
The Texas
Parks and Wildlife Department does no conduct special hunts or establish
special seasons which restrict participation only to disabled person.
However, during public hunts on departmental lands, we do make some
special provisions to facilitate access by physically challenged people.
These provisions include allowing a disabled person:
- the
off-road use of a motor vehicle.
- the
use of an all-terrain vehicle (ATV),
- to shoot
from a motor vehicle (stationary, motor off, not on public road:,
and
- to be
assisted during to hunt by a non-hunting adult who is not otherwise
authorized to participate in the hunt.
If a public
hunt participant informs the Department in advance that he/she has special
needs or limitations, we will make every reasonable effort to address
those concerns so that the person may participate and have an enjoyable
experience. This may involve something as simple as assigning the person
to a less remote portion of the hunt area, or constructing wider doors
and entrance ramps to make hunting blinds wheelchair accessible.
A provision
of statewide hunting regulations in Texas allows only persons with a
permanent upper limb handicap to use a crossbow during the special archer-only
deer season.
A listing
of public hunts, hunting seasons and regulations governing hunting in
Texas can be found at our internet
home page. I am the primary departmental contact for issues concerning
participation by disabled persons in public hunts. My telephone number
is 512/389-47870, my FAX number is 513/389-4398, and my e-mail address
is herb.kothmann@tpwd.state.tx.us at INTLINK. My mailing address is
as follows:
- Herb
Kothmann
Public Hunts Coordinator
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
4200 Smith School Road
Austin, Texas 78744
The Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA) representative for the Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department is Mr. Lynn McDonald in our Infrastructure Division at telephone
number 512/389-4929. He is the primary departmental contact for disabled
person concerns in construction and retrofitting of facilities.
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