United Brachial Plexus Network

My son has recently shown an interest in shooting and hunting....He has a ROBPI. I was wondering if he could injure his other arm by shooting a shotgun(my husband says there are some that don't kick very much)
Also wouldn't it be hard to hold the gun if he can't supinate? I mean would it be safe? My husband says he wouldn't let him do anything that wasn't safe but since I don't know much about it I'm kind of leary you know? Would the gun he shot with need to be adapted with some kind of device to make it easier to hold? We have a friend who is a gun smith so it could probably be done if neccesary....I'm just wondering about all this....I don't want to discourage him if he wants to do this.....It's hard for me to know what is right...I'm a worry wart and a vegetarian!!! Ha...I've got a double wammy!!! Any shooters out there??? Any tips?
T.

Tessie,

My son was hurt 9 years ago. He still hunts. Because of the injury he does qualify for a special hunting permit from the DNR and can actually use a hand gun for hunting and a crossbow for bow hunting. He doesn't however use a handgun, he uses a regular gun. He does use the crossbow for bow hunting though.

I have a question. Many years ago I got in touch with the men who put on the One Arm Dove Hunt in Olney, Texas. I explained that Jeff still technically had two arms, but one was paralyzed. They said he would qualify to come and he has been getting an invitation every year since. The hunt is in Sept. He just hasn't been able to go. Reading the brochures of the gun hunt I found they do have people there that help a one armed person learn to hunt again and people their with the expertise to modify the guns to fit the persons needs. My question is has anybody on this board ever gone or know of somebody who has gone to this hunt. Thanks Pam

Hello Pam,
I found this on the web. I guess I'll have to do lots of reasearch on this one.
T.
http://www.amp-info.net/hunt.htm

Tessie, I have had the dove hunt site
bookmarked for quite some time. It really sounds like a neat event for someone dealing with just one arm to attend. When Jeff finally does go his Dad intends to go with him. I guess they will give you help on modifying a gun yourself or you can leave the gun and have them do it for you. Also the person with two arms can act as the retriever for the person who shoots the doves. Jeff gets the invitation every year and it comes to our house because this is where he lived when he got hurt. We just got it in the mail a couple of days ago which reminded me to ask if anyone on this forum has ever attended.

Hi Tessie,

There are several guages available that have very little recoil. There are also pads available that slip over the butt of the gun to cushion recoil, and they help quite a bit. There is also "reduced recoil" ammunition available, at the same prices of regular loads.

I had the same questions you have when I thought about getting back into shooting. There are other issues with the arm and supination, which may be a factor with how comfortable your son is when he shoots. I'll e-mail you.

By the way, I asked my docs the same question concerning re-injuring my injured shoulder. Got two different answers. Basically though I was told to proceed with caution. If it hurts.....quit. The first time I went back to the range to experiment it was awkward and uncomfortable. It took time to get comfortable again. There are ways to hold a gun so that you can feel the recoil, before you mount it to your shoulder, just so you know what to expect when you pull the trigger the first time. It shouldn't take your son long to get a feel for it. I'm sure he'll do fine )

George

I've hunted squirrel, rabbit, duck and deer using standard, unmodified rifles and shotguns for many years. It takes a lot of practice to know the gun and how it acts so that you can compensate for using just one arm. On my best days I can bring my affected arm forward enough to rest the barrel on. If possible, I also will use available trees, etc. for support but they are not always handy or the right height or . . .
It can be done.