Division of Fish and Wildlife
402 W. Washington St., Room W273
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 232-4080

RE: HANDICAPPED HUNTING PERMIT APPLICATION

Dear Applicant,

Applying for a Handicapped Hunting Permit requires completion of an application form and a physician's statement of disability form. It is very important that you completely describe your disability, in your own words, in the space provided and provide us with information on how you want to hunt. Please describe the weapons you will be using, whether or not you need to hunt from a vehicle and any other aspect of hunting that would currently be illegal.

Your physician must fill out the physician's statement of disability form completely. Since we cannot interview you personally or have you examined by the physician on our review committee, your physician must describe your disability fully. We must know the extent of your disability. The following is a listing of the types of facts we need to know:

• Walking difficulties: Can you walk? If so, how far? Are you confined to a wheel chair? Do you need crutches or other walking devices to walk? Does your medical condition (such as heart disease) limit walking? How far? What is the cause of your walking difficulties? Is your disability permanent?
• Upper body problems: Do you have a weight lifting limitation prescribed by your physician? Do you have problems holding and pulling a bow? If so, what are they and what is the cause? What joints are involved with movement problems? Is your condition or disabilities improved with medication? Is your disability permanent?

When completing the forms, please keep the following information in mind:

• The physician's statement of disability form must be completed and signed by your physician. It must be legible. If it is no legible, your application will be sent back to you.
• In addition to completing the forms, please send any other supporting documents which may more completely describe your physical problems.
• All forms must be completely filled out. Do not leave any blank spaces.
• Your completed forms must be returned to us by August 1 to be considered for the fall hunting seasons. Applications received after that date may not be processed in time for the fall hunting season.
• The three most common handicapped hunting permits issued are hunting from a vehicle, using a vehicle for access (no hunting from a vehicle) and using a crossbow for deer hunting during the archery seasons.
• Handicapped hunting permits can only be issued to those individuals who would have great difficulty being in a position to take game without special privileges.

To prevent processing problems, please call me or our commercial license clerk if you have any questions about the application process. Our division telephone number is (317)232-4080.

Sincerely,
Glenn Lange
Public Affairs Unit
HANDICAPPED HUNTER REGULATIONS

INDIANA CODE 14-2-7-5.5

Special permits for handicapped persons.

The department may issue a special permit for the taking of wildlife by an individual who suffers a handicap of such a nature that it is difficult or impossible for him to be in a position to take wildlife unless he is given special consideration. No laws or rules may be waived except as are necessary to effect this section. (IC 14-2-7-5.5, as needed by Acts 1982, P.L. 112, 1.)

INDIANA ADMINISTRATIVE RULE 310 IAC 3.1-10-10.

Handicapped hunter permit. Section 10.

• The department may issue a permit under this section to a handicapped individual to take wildlife, if the handicap would otherwise make the taking of wildlife by the individual difficult or impossible. The permit applies from August 15 through the last day of wild turkey hunting season established under 310 IAC 3.1-4-11.

A permit application under this section shall be made as follows:

• The initial application shall be made on a department form and delivered to the division by July 1 for the current year hunting season. The application form may be obtained from the division beginning on May 1 of each year.
• The initial application must be accompanied by statement of disability completed by a physician.
• Each completed application is reviewed by the division of fish and wildlife committee created under subsection (c). If the committee recommends that a permit be issued, the director may be issued a permit under this section by August 1 of each year. If an application is not recommended for approval, the applicant will be notified by mail.
• For permanent handicaps, as determined by the department and the fish and wildlife committee created under subsection(c), no renewal application is required once a permit has been issued. Applicants with temporary handicaps may be required to submit additional documentation from a physician and a renewal application for subsequent permits on an annual basis.
• There is established by this section a fish and wildlife committee consisting of a least two (2) handicapped sportsmen and a physician. The members of the committee are appointed by the Indiana state commission for the handicaps to assist the department with reviewing permit applications under this section and in developing procedures and recommending rules to implement this section.

A person issued a permit under this section may hunt wild animals from a stationary motor driven conveyance subject to the following restrictions:

• The permit holder must abide by all other hunting laws.
• The permit holder must possess a valid hunting license and the permit under this section.
• The permit holder must obtain in advance the permission of the manager of public property (local, state or federal) to gain vehicular access to lands or roads that are otherwise closed to vehicular traffic.
• The permit holder must display a windshield identification placard supplied by the division of fish and wildlife while hunting from a vehicle. The placard must be displayed in such a way as to be visible from at least fifty feet (50').
• An individual may be designated to assist a person issued a permit under this section in the retrieval of wild game harvested by the permit holder.
• Upon the recommendation of the fish and wildlife committee, the director may waive other provision of 310 IAC 3.1-3 for an individual permit holder. The use of a crossbow may be specially authorized during archery season for hunting deer.

PHYSICIAN'S STATEMENT OF DISABILITY
State Form 10692 (R3/3-92)

NOTE TO APPLICANT:
This form is to be returned to the Division of Fish and Wildlife by the applicant without the Special Permit for Handicapped Hunter application. A statement of Disability is required only once if the disability if of a permanent nature. This form will be returned to the applicant if all applicable section are not fully completed.

NOTE TO PHYSICIAN:
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources may issue a special permit for the taking of wildlife by an individual who has a disability of such a nature that it is difficult or impossible for him to be in a position to take wildlife unless given special consideration. For the purpose of special handicapped hunting permits, a person is disabled if he or she has a physical impairment due to injury or disease, congenital or acquired. Generally, permits are issued to hunt from a vehicle for persons who cannot walk or have great difficulty in walking, and/or to hunt with a crossbow for persons who cannot use a regular bow. This form will be returned to the applicant if all applicable sections are not fully completed.

APPELLATION FOR SPECIAL PERMIT FOR HANDICAPPED HUNTER
State Form 1091 (R3/6-97)

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Please print clearly or type.
• Provide all information requested or your application will be returned without processing.
• A Physician's Statement of Disability must accompany each application submitted by new applicants.
• Mail forms to:
  DIVISION OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
  COMMERCIAL LICENSE CLERK
  402 WEST WASHINGTON STREET ROOM 273
  INDIANAPOLIS IN 46204