by Erin Abernethy
Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever has partnered with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to deliver a controlled hunt program that works with private landowners with turkey populations that are creating problems to open their property to hunters. This program offers western hunting experiences for youth, first time hunters, and other specific hunting groups a landowner wants to provide access.
I recently took part in a turkey hunt on private land enrolled in this program with my friend Matt, who hunts out of a wheelchair. We successfully took two birds each. The landowner was very excited for us and snapped our photo. He thanked me for the handmade cards I’d given his wife the day before. Seeing Matt’s wheelchair, he suggested I drive right up to Matt and the birds. As we loaded up, I couldn’t believe our luck. We’d killed four birds that weekend on private land in the Willamette Valley! Matt killed his first and second birds after many years of unsuccessful turkey hunting. Those unsuccessful years were before I knew Matt. We’d only been dating 6 months when this turkey season started!
Turkey hunting is HARD, and it’s especially hard for people with disabilities. Matt uses a wheelchair fulltime due to his spinal cord injury. He had a very successful turkey season this year due in large part to a collaboration between Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, and landowners.
This collaboration provided the public with accessible hunts on private property in the Willamette Valley. Before daylight, we were able to park by the landowner’s barn and walk/wheel 150 yards down a level, hard-packed farm path to our hunting spot. It was not a large property, but it was large enough! Additionally, the landowner knew how the birds moved, and by communicating that to us, he helped us have a successful hunt without scouting. We got out on a beautiful morning in mid-May, heard a great deal of gobbling, and the birds cooperated.
These types of collaborations have the potential to provide many memorable and equitable hunting opportunities for hunters with disabilities and able-bodied hunters with limited access to public or private land. This great new program shows what can be accomplished when we work together. Our heartfelt thanks go out to all the partners who made that morning one we will never forget. Thank you!
This story originally appeared in the 2021 Fall Issue of the Quail Forever Journal. If you enjoyed it and would like to be the first to read more great upland content like this, become a Quail Forever member today!