NJ disabled hunters to reduce deer herd on golf course

From the Hunterdon County Democrat:

Hunterdon county’s three-day special hunt to reduce the herd at the county-owned Heron Glen Golf Course in Raritan Township will be held Jan. 21-23.

Jerry McCusker, president of the Spruce Run Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, which runs the Wheelin’ Sportsmen program, expects as many as 18 disabled hunters to participate this year, included five or six members of the U.S. military’s Wounded Warriors program.

Disabled hunters killed 17 deer last year, the most in the program’s three-year history.

The Federation has scheduled Sunday, Jan. 10 as “Safe Day” at the Clinton Wildlife Management Area. “We pair all of the hunters up with a volunteer. Then we discuss safety.” Instructors will administer the hunter safety course for newcomers who need to take it. “We take them to the range and watch them shoot or help them shoot to get an idea of everyone’s personal needs to be able to do what has to be done so they can enjoy the day.

The Heron Glen hunt is the only one of its kind, according to county parks director John Trontis. Two years ago it won the Ted Kaplan Exemplary Recreation Group award from the state Commission on Recreation for Individuals with Disabilities.

The special hunt is part of the parks department’s effort to reduce the number of deer — and the damage they do — in county parkland.

The cost of the special hunt is borne by the Federation whose volunteers help hunters get situated behind the blinds and, in some cases, help them aim and shoot. Jim Person, the game butcher on Route 31 in Clinton Township, donates his services.

The hunt has drawn criticism in past years, both from individuals who oppose hunting in any form and from those concerned that disabled people are more accident-prone than able-bodied hunters.

“You always have a few people who object,” McClusker said. “I make it a point never to push my opinion on them.” He said he tells them that there’s more of an experience than just killing something. Hunting is a way to get close to nature and see all kinds of birds, coyotes, deer and “spend a lot of time outdoors instead of being cooped up.”

Hunters are natural conservationists, he added. “We cherish the animals,” he said. “There are a number of animals that have to be harvested to keep things the way they are or the damage would be out of control.”

A lot of the disabled hunters, a majority, McCusker believes, hunted before they were disabled. “They heard of us, got rejuvenated and wanted to do it again. We’ve made it possible for them to get out in the outdoors and harvest a deer. It humbles you to see what disabled people have to go through to do things we take for granted.”


Some people have special rigs, McCusker said. A hunter from Manville has a device that sets on a gun rest and allows him to fire the gun by sucking through a straw.

Anyone interested in participating in the special hunt needs to attend Safe Day and should contact McCusker ahead of time, he said. “All newcomers are first. Past hunters defer to newcomers.”