Outdoors - N.C. Handicapped Sportsmen give a second chance to hunt

Ed Mays knows how to overcome challenges. In July 1980, he was struck by lightning while on guard duty in the U.S. Army, standing watch over 23,000 Cuban refugees at Fort McCoy, Wisc. The strike caused extensive nerve damage, resulting in his honorable discharge in 1981.

Despite his injuries, he resurrected his passion for hunting with others' assistance. They inspired him to help others by founding North Carolina Handicapped Sportsmen, Inc., and his work resulted in the Pathfinder Award at the 37th Safari Club International convention on Jan. 22, in Reno, Nev.

“Receiving the Pathfinder Award is a humbling experience,” he said. “As part of the award, I will receive a 10-day safari to South Africa. But I want the award to bring attention to what can be done to make hunting more accessible for handicapped sportsmen.”

Pathfinder award criteria, according to the SCI Foundation web site, are, “When one is faced with overcoming a physical challenge or disability, that is capable of blocking the ‘routine' way forward through life, (including hunting and shooting) he or she must discover previously unexplored regions of self esteem, self worth, courage, persistence and determination. Through trial and error, success and failure, the pathfinder, with a ‘never quit attitude,' works hard to discover his or her own way through life.”

Mays used a cane and crutches until 1993, when he was diagnosed with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis. By 1995, he was using a manual wheelchair. Then came a diagnosis of secondary progressive MS in 1998 and he was placed in a power chair.

Programs run by Paralyzed Veterans of America showed Mays he could continue hunting.

“The MS is not going away,” Mays said. “Using a manual wheelchair for years tore the rotator cuffs in my shoulders, so now I use an electric wheelchair. When I retired, instead of receiving benefits of disabled sportsman's programs, I became an advocate.”

Mays founded NCHS in 2005 while living at Nags Head. The first NCHS disabled deer hunt brought two wounded marines to the Brunswick County deer lease of Steve Windham, now chairman of the Wildlife Commission.

In 2008, the commission raised $50,000, and NCHS raised $50,000 for 10 Huntmaster lifts. NCHS raised another $40,000 for the organization's infrastructure, buying three $7,500 High Quad 100 shooting assist devices that allow quadriplegics to use guns, and funding hunts for 80 disabled sportsmen.

“When we began, North Carolina had only six hunts for disabled sportsmen,” Mays said. “Now there are more than 100. It's amazing we've been able to accomplish all this, but there is need for much more.”

For more outdoors news or to contact Mike, go to his web site, mikemarshoutdoors.com.