Volunteers are needed for a hunt that’s one-of-a-kind. The Annual Alabama Physically Challenged Deer Hunt aims to help boost self-confidence for individuals with physical challenges who are unable to go deer hunting without assistance. This includes those who are blind, using a wheelchair or are amputees.
Dirk Price is the Hunt Coordinator. “What we do is try to reach out to people who, without some sort of assistance, are unable to access the outdoors and the sport of deer hunting,” said Price. “That may be blind people. It may be people missing limbs. That maybe somebody in a wheelchair that can't get out.”
Price said the hunt helps several people experience hunting with assistance. “We got to pick them up out of wheelchair and put them in the blind,” he said. “That's, you know what they're there for. A blind person like myself, you can site for them and tell them where, which way to aim when they're hunting.”
The hunt is sponsored by the Andalusia Lions Club in Andalusia, Alabama. It takes place January 14-16, 2022. Price said the Andalusia Lions Club raised money to pay for the lodging, hunting licenses, and all of the meals for the weekend. But donations are still needed for hotels.
“There seems to be a an increased interest this year,” said Price. “And we're going to have probably over 15 participants this year, and a lot of them for out of state. So, the hotel bills are building up. It's a juggling act every year.”
Price says more and more people are learning about the hunt and that means more help is needed.
“Any donations, any volunteers want to come help,” said Price. “It's a real emotional time, seeing the joy in people's lives. And that goes for the people that volunteer too, because they see that they're doing a good thing. And the people who they help are really having a good time, too.”
The deadline for participants to apply is Wednesday, December 1st. To apply or volunteer, call Dirk Price at (334) 469-2016 or email at dirkp@centurytel.net.
