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Hunting can be hard, even for experienced hunters. So, imagine the added challenge of trying to hunt when confined to a wheelchair or with limited use of parts of your body. That’s a reality for many people in our state, but one that the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and partners are working to help people overcome. A new ADA-accessible waterfowl blind was recently constructed in WDFW’s Region 1, thanks to a partnership between the Inland Northwest Wildlife Council (INWC), the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and a private landowner. Earlier this year, INWC received materials from WDFW to build the blind. Members of the group’s Disabled Access Team spent a significant amount of time over several months assembling and fine-tuning it. While the weather was nice this past spring, volunteers put the basic parts together in the parking lot of the INWC headquarters in north Spokane. “Even though the waterfowl season was months away, getting the blind assembled was a priority for us because we wanted people to have a place to hunt this fall where they could be successful,” said Ken McNaughton, team leader for INWC’s Disabled Access Team and a disabled veteran. McNaughton knows firsthand that, while it is challenging for people with disabilities to find a place where they can physically get to hunt, an added frustration is that they often have to compete with able-bodied hunters as well. To avoid this, he wanted the blind to be on private property where the general population can’t go. That’s where WDFW private lands biologist Dean Nizer got involved. Part of Nizer’s job is to connect with people who own property in areas that are ideal for hunting and get them interested in WDFW’s Private Lands Hunting Program. The program then matches people looking to hunt private lands with private property owners willing to have hunters on their land. Landowners benefit by having wildlife populations managed, which can prevent damage to crops and reduce negative interactions with wildlife. Participants also work with a private lands’ biologists on management strategies for their property and to conserve habitat. Some landowners in the program are financially reimbursed for the use of their property. Nizer’s name had been mentioned to McNaughton as someone who may be able to help find a home for the waterfowl blind on private property. The two got together and Nizer was as enthusiastic about the project as McNaughton. “I was more than happy to help find a place to put the blind,” said Nizer. “I had a landowner in North Spokane County in mind and, as I had suspected, he was receptive to having hunters with disabilities hunt his land.” While the details were worked out, McNaughton and his team pushed forward with construction. He and other volunteers assembled the shell of the blind, then painted the base coat in INWC’s shop to blend in with the natural landscape. In September, a large group of volunteers showed up for the final steps of making this project a reality, and it became real a family affair. Several members of INWC’s Disabled Access team helped transport it to the site and many showed up with family members to help put it together, including Nizer and his son. “It was inspiring to see how much this meant to everyone,” Nizer said. “Getting young people involved is so important too. Hopefully they will be motivated by this project to volunteer on future projects as well.” Rattle cans of spray paint in a variety of earth tones were given to the kids to add the camo pattern to the blind. The day was a memorable one for McNaughton too. “This opportunity will provide hunting to a demographic that doesn’t always have the opportunity to hunt,” he said. “It’s emotional to know you helped to make this happen for someone.” In addition to this new ADA waterfowl hunting blind, there are also a few others in Eastern Washington in the Regulated Access Area near Moses Lake. To use any of these blinds, you can learn more about the private lands program on the WDFW website, then reach out to the private land’s biologist in your area for help getting started.