What a great post. Great bunch of people on here... heartwarming hearing how y'all manage to make things work for the kids in your life. Prayers for all of you, and keep up the great work.

To all of what was said , I would add this..


Don't be afraid to let them LIVE THEIR LIFE!!! Too many times in the past, I would see Parents want to shelter their Disabled kids from living their life , and seeing the real World ! In the Schools back then, the Schools would put those kids in different classes , just because they were born Crippled or had some other disabling factor, that they had to deal with. The Schools in those years, did not realize that those kids were real people , that had a Brain and could learn and contribute to Society ; if only they were given the chance. Often, they were not given that chance.


Back when I was born, one Doctor suggested to my Parents that I would not live past the age of 3 years. "So why keep him ? " The Doctor said. It was a different time then. Well, my supposed "EXPIRATION DATE !" expired DECADES AGO !! Still alive and kicking !! It has not been easy . There has been many rough roads. But I am still here!


As for Hunting, Fishing and Trapping; Just have to learn to improvise! Run a shorter line. Use the Trap Setters. Trap in the early season , or when there is little snow on the ground.


Hunting: Well, most of the same as when Trapping. Improvise ! Try to pick areas that have decent access . Get your kid a Disabled Hunter Permit. Many States have them. You might even have the option to Hunt from a vehicle., and use a motorized vehicle, in areas that would otherwise be off limits to motorized vehicles. Use a lighter weight , smaller caliber Rifle. If he or she uses Crutches, find a good sling that they can use to carry their Rifle or Shotgun , when using the Crutches. That was the hardest part for me. Finding the right sling.

If you can , invest in one of those ATV or UTV's. Disabled or not, those vehicles can be extremely helpful in hauling game out of the woods.

I would rephrase this topic to fathers who take their kids trapping... the disability doesn't matter, spending quality time with them and teaching them at their level using your best modeling and patience does. The biggest things to remember is what any child's limitations and capabilities are, and grow from there, again at their level. Also consider how long the child can handle such an activity, some might be content tagging along all day while others need a change after an hour or two.
With someone at such a young age you also need to plan for the unplanned events... carry extra snacks, clothes, water etc. in the truck to be able to meet their needs or quickly remedy a mishap while out on the line. Consider that little kids winter gear isn't always as weatherproof as adult gear, and discomfort may bring the cost of disliking the activity when they get old enough to express their opinion.

Prayers of encouragement for all of you.

Thanks everyone. Hearing other's stories and the words of encouragement are helpful.

We had to twist a few arms in order to make sure that "accessibility" of public lands here in PA was actually in practice and not just on paper. There were supposed to be open trails for ATV access for disabled sportsmen, but we spent many hours trying to find them, and when we thought we did find them, they weren't cleared marked, or they were gated.

Ended up writing Harrisburg, and within minutes, we were getting phone calls with apologies and instructions. In some places, the signage had just been "back burnered" and the gates were an oversight.

We've learned that almost everything is going to be an uphill struggle, but we've also learned that if we do the leg work, others can benefit.

We've been to state parks where there is an accessible dock to fish from- only to find it "reserved" for a wedding..... We've had out of state hunters put up tree stands on the property line, infringing on the "best spot" for my son to hunt from.... We constantly fight with handicapped parking spots being taken by "I'm just running into the store for a loaf of bread".... We've experienced scouting outdoor activities where my son was offered to go sit in a room and read a book instead of participate.... On and on....

Education and a little compassion go a long way. We've adopted the mantra that if we can make something better for the next individual coming down the line, it's worth the effort.

(Moderators- if this post violates TOS, please feel free to remove)

For anyone out there that has a relative with a disability, or knows someone with a disability, I highly recommend Hunt of a Lifetime. They will set you up with whatever hunting or fishing trip you desire, pay for all of the expenses, including a firearm or fishing gear.

My son wanted a Western hunt, either Mule Deer or Elk. When we searched the guides that were available, we saw that there were open Idaho Elk hunts, so we applied. My son's hunt happened within like 2 months. First phone call was "What type of rifle does he want?". "Ummm", I replied, "I guess I can get him to shoot my .300, it's about all I have." "Oh no sir, he GETS a firearm from Savage. You tell us caliber and we will ship it to your dealer, along with a military grade case." "Wow."

Next call- "How does 2nd week in October sound?" "Wow, that's like 6 weeks away. Yep, we're in."

Long story, short. 330" bull elk. Free shoulder mount. All expenses paid. .308 Savage that has more notches on it that you can imagine (Elk, whitetail, pronghorn). Great experience, great people.

You guys are truly amazing...

Definitely brought a tear to my eye. Ok maybe more than one... Best post I've ever read since I joined.

RKG
Great story and thanks for the information on Hunt Of A Lifetime

If anyone is interested:

https://wnep.com/2012/05/27/hunt-of-a-lifetime-1/
https://wnep.com/2012/05/27/hunt-of-a-lifetime-2/

TTT

Bradly did get a nice Grey Fox and hooked a Bobcat but had to release it, he has caught some mink and rats also trapping suited him better then hunting as his reaction time was too slow for our SD birds here. We worked on a hunting electric chair and we had a lead on one but that never panned out it never came through.

Apologies for semi off-topic but figured reading some of the responses, a few posters & readers may be interested.

http://www.handsofasportsman.org/

An organization i'm involved with. Expanding across a few states - feel free to pass along to those you may know of to apply for a chance at a hunt. http://www.handsofasportsman.org/hunter-signup

If anyone is interested, I just got my Hunt of a Lifetime 90 day raffle ticket notice in the mail today for 2019. $50 per ticket with 2 chances per ticket. Feb 1 to May 1 on afternoon PA Big Four number.

PM me if anyone wants more information.

Inspiring for sure. Thanks for sharing.
My daughter can't hold a flame to your kids. She has only one eye due to cancer but loves to be in the mts with me. A lot of times I'm in rough terrain and she keeps up.

My buddy is paralyzed runs hounds on bobcat and mt lion. He also runs a fishing program that takes disabled vets and wheelchair bound kids fishing at various NM lakes.