Something special happened this November in the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve. Thirteen of fourteen disabled hunters participating in a deer/hog hunt were successful. The event was organized by the National Wild Turkey Federation/Wheelin’ Sportsmen on land managed by the Southwest Florida Water Management District.
The hunters harvested ten deer and seven wild hogs during the two-day event. One young man who battles the effects of cerebral palsy was successful in harvesting his first doe and an eight-point buck.
“This is the best hunter/harvest ratio we’ve ever experienced during a Wheelin’ Sportsmen event in Florida,” said Mike Blanton, Wheelin’ Sportsmen regional coordinator for Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. “Usually only one or two participants will actually be successful.”
The main purpose of the Wheelin’ Sportsmen events is to give disabled people the opportunity to access the outdoors. This event fulfilled the dreams of two different disabled fathers, both of whom were able to go hunting with their teenage sons. Each hunting party harvested a wild hog, one of which weighed in at 250 pounds.
This year the District and the National Wild Turkey Federation/Wheelin’ Sportsmen entered a five-year partnership that calls for several planned outdoors events to be held on District lands each year. The outings include different types of hunts and a fishing day.
The next jointly sponsored event will be a hog still hunt held Jan. 27-29 at the District’s Upper Hillsborough, Alston Tract. The entrance is located just south of Zephyrhills in Pasco County.
For more information about participating in future events, visit the National Wild Turkey Federation web site at www.nwtf.org.