Denied my Disabled Permit

[hot tamale]

went to the doctor today and he filled out the disabled crossbow permit and I was pumped. Drove to Milwaukee to the DNR offices and the gal at the office looks at my paperwork for 2 minutes and says "NOPE!" denied.
When I asked why-she told me that the doctor didn't perform the tests required.
It clearly states by two different doctors that I have a disease called "Essential Tremor".
The tests the WDNR require do not pertain to neurological disabilities, only muscular, bone and something else (cant remember).
my left arm is strong, I can lift things, move my shoulder and arm, I can pinch, grab and all of that jazz (this is what they test for).

my disease/disability is shakiness. I cant keep my left arm/hand steady. I can jig a walleye like nobody else and not get tired because my nerves do it all on their own (you have to have a sense of humor with crap like this or the days just get longer and longer!)
Anyways, I tried to explain this to her and she just said "NEXT!"-dismissing me and my request.

apparently she didn't think this was good enough. I have called the Madison office and have now sent an email to a Warden Supervisor who is on the Disability Board. I will withhold his name for now until I get some type of response as I do not want to throw anyone under the bus.

I am very disappointed as you may have already noticed. I have always played by the rules, I have taught Hunters Safety in my home town, I have had over 2000 kids through my Angler Education classes/workshops (you teach kids to fish). And this is the thanks I get.
When I need their help, I don't get it--at least not yet. I am sure something will come of this, but I am just Pissed right now that someone can look at you for a few seconds and give a "yeah or Nay" as far as your ability to hunt.

well folks, I'm sure I wont hear anything this weekend, but I will keep you posted. wish me luck!!

[JPH]

Sounds like this may be an ADA issue. http://www.ada.gov/

[Woods Walker]

This is EXACTLY what happens when bureaucrats get involved in health issues.

This is also a good preview of what Obamacare is going to be like...welcome to adminstrative hell!

[Deebz]

That's nonsense! Stick with it man. There had to be some recourse for a condition that doesn't fit into their neat little boxes.

[kellory]

JPH has the right of it. Contact the ADA. That is what they are there for.

[hot tamale]

Just an update here:

I had called and emailed one of the DNR supervisors and he is trying to help me. He said that they do not make up the guidelines and cannot change them. The current guidelines and testing is done for people with mobility, blindness, lack of strength. oh and also people with loss of limbs, but nothing really covers people with nerve damage, disabilities.

This guy did sound like he was really working on it and that he would help me any way he could.
I will look into getting a petition signed to start including any and all disabilities for hunters so that this doesn't happen to somebody else in the future. I am going to be looking for all of you to help get something going here in the near future.

I have to try and remember the song from the TV show "Electric Company" of how a bill gets passed. (anyone remember that show and the song from the 70's or early 80's?)

As we all know, the time to do something is now or nothing will ever change.
I'll keep you all posted.

[hot tamale]

I am proud to report that the DNR granted me a class B permit for 5 years!! Yeahhhhhhhhhh!
I am so thankful-but I can't stop here. I really have to make sure that we can get these laws changed so that some kid that wants to get into our sport and has a disability, doesn't have to get his hear broken like i did the other day!!!

Thank you God!!! (And the DNR))))))

[Sierra]

So glad to hear you got it! Yay!

[Deebz]

Sweet!

Schoolhouse Rock I believe is the name of the series that had the songs... a little piece of paper dancing on the steps of the courthouse, right?

[JPH]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyeJ55o3El0