For Release: October 7, 1999

Contact: Gail Mastrati 222-4700 ext. 2402

PROVIDENCE - A special deer hunting season for hunters who are paraplegics, or double amputees, will be offered by the Department of Environmental Management on Prudence Island from October 12 to October 15.

DEM's Division of Fish and Wildlife has offered this opportunity for over 30 years. According to Lori Suprock, a supervising wildlife biologist at DEM, the program continues to be very popular, offering an average of 10-12 participants the experience of big game hunting. DEM alters the general deer hunting regulations during the special hunt to allow the use of vehicles and other mechanized devices that would ordinarily be prohibited. Paraplegic hunters are also permitted to use shotguns on the island, where taking deer is otherwise restricted to archery hunting.

This year, participants will be able to take advantage of habitat improvements DEM has made on the island. Forest succession had taken over many of the roadways that hunters needed for access with their wheel chairs. Firebreaks, lane ways and fields have recently been brush cut. In addition, the Divisions of Forest Environment and Fish and Wildlife conducted a prescribed burn last spring to set back succession and open up field systems.

As in the past, hunters taking advantage of the special season must hold valid hunting licenses and must have taken hunter education courses. Hunters are permitted to bring assistants who need not be licensed, but who may not hunt or carry a firearm. All deer harvested during the special hunt must be checked prior to leaving the island.

For more details, contact DEM's Division of Fish and Wildlife at 222-1267. To purchase a deer permit, contact DEM's Division of Licensing at 222-3576 weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.