Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, June 13, 1994 TAG: 9407070012
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By BILL COCHRAN OUTDOOR EDITOR
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, at the direction of the 1994 General Assembly, has proposed a crossbow season for disabled hunters pursuing deer on their own property during the bow season.
``This is about as small a step we can take and still accomplish what the General Assembly has directed,'' said Bob Duncan, chief of the department's game division.
Legislators passed a bill calling for a crossbow hunt, leaving the game department little choice in the matter. Prior to the legislative acton, the department had set up a study to examine the issue with plans to make recommendations next year.
The proposed season, which is scheduled for a final hearing in Richmond July 14, requires that participants have a doctor's written statement declaring that they have a permanent physical disability which prevents the use of conventional archery equipment.
Representatives of deer hunting organizations expressed concern that the season could be abused by people claiming to be handicapped when they aren't.
``How do you keep it limited to the people it really can help?'' asked Bob Seltzer, a spokesman for the Virginia Bowhunters Association.
A crossbow isn't a bow, said Seltzer. ``It is shoulder fired like a rifle. It has a scope on it like a rifle. It doesn't belong in a special archery season.''
Seltzer said he is classified as disabled, yet he hunts with a 65-pound recurved bow.
``By next week I could give you a letter from my cardiologist or my orthopedic surgeon that says I can't use typical archery equipment. That is one problem you are going to have.''
``Our organization is extremely sympathetic with disabled people,'' said Denny Quaff of the Virginia Deer Hunters Association. ``But we would like for you to be very, very cautious as you move along in this thing to make sure that the people who are using it are the people who should be,'' he told department board members.
Walter Conrad, chairman of the board, also expressed concern over possible abuses, and predicted there would be efforts to expand crossbow hunting to public land.
``People who don't have their own land will come back and say, `We are being discriminated against because we don't have the money to own our own land,''' he said.
Sgt. F.G. Mundy, a state game warden who has worked with handicapped hunters, said crossbows aren't the awesome weapon some people believe. They can be difficult to cock in a tree, the range is restricted and a compound bow will shoot just as accurately, he said.
``If we follow guidelines, crossbow use won't be abused.''
by CNB