A Message From the Executive Director

Dear Wildlife Partners,

Our agency continues with its steadfast commitment to actively pursue ways to increase public access to the outdoors for all citizens and visitors to our great state. All of our accessible opportunities and infrastructure are detailed on our new and improved accessible-opportunities webpage, ncwildlife.org/accessible-opportunities.

Improvements to agency boating access areas are part of a decades-long effort by the Commission to increase access to the outdoors for everyone. Roughly 90 percent of the Commission’s boating access areas feature parking and pathways that allow users with disabilities to reach the head of the ramp. Similarly, most of the Commission’s public fishing areas are ADA compliant with access from the parking lot to the pier and 12 of our Tackle Loaner Program sites are equipped with adaptive fishing gear.

The Commission has created a new program that allows individuals to borrow Trackchairs for personal use for up to six days at a time free of cost. The nine Trackchairs in the program were supplied by the N.C. Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, the Commission, and other generous donors. For years these chairs were only available to groups hosting special events, but through public input and involvement, the Commission was able to meet a need among individuals seeking to enjoy the outdoors with a little assistance.

The Trackchairs are equipped with rubberized tracks instead of wheels and two 12-volt batteries, allowing the user to overcome many types of terrain for up to six hours. Each chair can be outfitted with a fishing rod and long gun holder, providing greater access to hunting, shooting, angling, and wildlife-watching opportunities for persons with disabilities. The chairs are available to check out from the accessible-opportunities webpage, where users can view the availability and locations of the track chairs across the state, and reserve them online. Each chair is housed in a trailer that can be hooked up to the user’s vehicle for transportation.

The Commission also features detailed information about the 39 blinds designed for hunters with disabilities throughout the state on its accessible-opportunities webpage. This includes photographs of each blind, its dimensions and surface, the types of trails or roads leading to it, and any additional information that could provide an improved experience for the user. The agency also operates nine ADA compliant shooting ranges across the state to provide a safe, controlled, and organized environment for all recreational shooters.

The Commission also offers a variety of permit and non-permit hunting opportunities for hunters with disabilities. Detailed information about these hunts can be found at ncwildlife.org/permithunts. Additionally, special Commission-facilitated and assisted hunts are offered on game lands within each region annually that provide managed participation for hunters and their companion in areas where blinds are provided to offer a unique hunting opportunity.

We continue to gather feedback from wildlife-associated outdoor recreation enthusiasts and our Accessibility Advisory Council. Their input is vital to provide outreach across the state to ensure the public is aware of the options we offer to make the outdoors accessible for everyone.

Yours in conservation,

Cameron N. Ingram

Executive Director