[Blindtlk] my top 10 list

[Steven Johnson]

Actually, I was very instrumental here in the State of Wisconsin, in getting
laser sight legislation passed back in 2002/2003.  I am an 11 year member
and one of 9 members appointed by the Wisconsin DNR Secretary to sit on our
DNR Disability Advisory Council which essentially advises the Department and
Natural Resources Board on how to make the outdoors more accessible to
persons with disabilities per Section 504/ADA Title II>  For large game and
turkey, this is a great device, but for game such as pheasant and waterfowl,
techniques need to be adjusted quite a bit.  I will actually be out pheasant
hunting tomorrow, and just love being out and enjoying the outdoors.
However, these birds are very difficult to hit, so they key is having a darn
good back-up shooter!  I actually was out last year and harvested a nice
rooster and a hen pheasant, and did this without guided assistance.  I look
forward to turkey hunting which will be coming up here in about a month, and
the reason is that they are very audible in the spring as the toms, or male
birds, gobble which is just an intense sound.  It sends shivers down my
spine and I actually get super-nervous...it is called buck fever which
basically means that we get very nervous when our quarry is near.  I have
been a very successful blind hunter harvesting quite a few deer, turkey,
pheasant, and even ducks, and am currently working on building up points to
go bear hunting in the next couple of years.  Notice I did not say hunting
bear!  
The key to hunting with a laser sight, is having a good assistant.  The over
sholder method, which many blind hunters still use, creates an issue of
safety especially when using a high velocity rifle, or larger gage shotgun.
The laser actually creates and allows for a greater level of independence in
the woods/field.  For instance, my partner and I communicate through tactile
methods, and do not talk at all.  He is able to sit near me but not over my
sholder, give me directions to get the firearm to the point to where I
activate the laser, and then I activate it.  He then gives me directions on
getting that laser beam onto the target, and to the kill-zone.  It has been,
as you can see, very successful.  
I am also hoping to get out west to do some elk hunting in the Rockies at
some point in the near future, but just being out of doors is what I yearn
for.  To me, there is just something magical about hearing a flock of geese,
hearing bluejays in the woods, wood peckers, squirrels or whatever else
nature decides to showcase that day.  I have had some awesome once in a
lifetime experiences in the woods, and just can't seem to get enough.  This
is probably why I am not married/grin!  

Thanks for asking,

Steve


-----Original Message-----
From: Kelby Carlson [mailto:kelbycarlson at usfamily.net] 
Sent: Saturday, March 05, 2011 7:02 AM
To: blinddog3 at charter.net; Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] my top 10 list

You hunt? Wow! I only know a couple of sighted people who do it 
and I don't know if I could ever do it.  From a blind person's 
perspective (hoping for no offense of course) I do wonder how you 
do it.  Do you hunt alone or with others? What kind of techniques 
do you use?

> ----- Original Message -----
>From: "Steven Johnson" <blinddog3 at charter.net
>To: "'Blind Talk Mailing List'" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org
>Date sent: Sat, 05 Mar 2011 06:42:29 -0600 (CST)
>Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] my top 10 list

>Hi Sherri,
>I would tend to believe that we all have had similar encounters 
with some
>minor twists and variations of these.  While on the University of 
La Crosse
>campus back in the mid-90's, I was approached by a student who 
was part of
>the Student PETA group who told me that what I was doing to my 
dog was
>animal abuse and cruelty.  What was I doing...working him.
>In regards to being on our transit system, I once had someone 
come up to me
>while I was sitting and they were exiting.  They took my right 
hand, put
>some cash in it, and walked away and said God Bless you.  I was 
really
>hoping they made it worth both my time and theirs and put a $20 
bill in it
>or something/grin!  Unfortunately, the driver saw the whole 
thing, and
>basically said, wow!  When I asked how much it was, he said 
$1...damn!
>Sometimes, one just has to sit back and wonder in amazement what 
people are
>thinking, but coming from the sighted world, it wasn't until 
after I lost my
>sight that I met someone else who was blind.  Or, was it that I 
just wasn't
>aware?  Now that I am in my mid-40's I just don't get to upset 
about how
>society perceives me.  We as humans are curious creatures, and 
the questions
>from my perspective, are not ones of idiocracy, stupidity or 
otherwise, but
>just that of curiosity ranging from the medical professionals 
down to little
>children.  My experience, and I can only assume that it is 
similar to many
>of yours, is that the questions they are asking are not what they 
are
>meaning.  For instance, when I have been asked how do you dress, 
I simply,
>ask them the exact same question in response, Let's think about 
this, how do
>You dress?  Then, it creates an opportunity for more educational 
dialogue to
>unfold.  I tend to see that people are very cautious, somewhat 
tense, and
>are uncertain when they approach as they feel that they might 
offend, so
>rather than jumping on them and responding in a manner that will 
leave a bad
>taste in their mouth, seize the opportunity to engage in a 
conversation and
>let them know that you are no different from anyone else.
>However,  I do have to say that as a hunter I do get a lot of 
questions, and
>I am quite sure, looks of amazement.  So, when I am asked how do 
you hunt,
>of course the smart-ass answer is always going to be...sound 
shots/grin
>followed by much laughter!  Again, it is this type of response 
that creates
>the opportunity for more intense conversation to unfold, and then 
I can tell
>them how I do hunt.
>While on campus, I was many times approached by students who 
seemed unsure
>of themselves, and rather timid and as they would clear their 
throats the
>question that so many of us get...may I ask, how did you lose 
your sight?
>The best answer if you are a college student is...drinking grain 
alcohol and
>masturbation of course...OMG, it would allow for that tenseness 
to come to
>an immediate hault and to even build some awesome friendships 
too!

>Steve

>-----Original Message-----
>From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org 
[mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>Behalf Of Sherri
>Sent: Friday, March 04, 2011 10:20 PM
>To: Blind Talk Mailing List
>Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] my top 10 list

>I can identify with several of these.  A couple more to add.  
Said to me about

>my  2-year-old daughter:  Oh she must b such a help to you."
>About my guide dog, "Can your dog see when the light changes? 
Asked by an
>adult.

>I've also had the creepy people at the bus stop pray for me too.

>Sherri
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Julie J" <julielj at neb.rr.com
>To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org
>Sent: Friday, March 04, 2011 3:10 PM
>Subject: [Blindtlk] my top 10 list


>> Just for fun here's my top ten craziest things said about me 
list.

>> 10."Do you know there's a lit candle in your bathroom? said to 
me by a
>> family member in my home where I lived alone.
>> 9."Can she go by herself?" said to my husband by my stepdaughter 
as I was
>> leaving to run an errand.
>> 8."Is she your sister?" said to my son by a cashier at a 
restaurant.  I
>> might look young, but not quite that young!
>> 7."He must be a good friend for you." said about my guide dog by 
a
>> coworker.
>> 6."Do you dress yourself?" said to me by a convenience store 
clerk.
>> 5."I'll carry your bags out to your car." said to me by the 
grocery store
>> bagger.
>> 4."Have your son sign this and return it to me." said to me by 
my son's
>> kindergarten teacher about notes regarding behavior.
>> 3."He must be in training." said by a lot of people who are 
clueless about

>> how guide dogs work.  The dog is good, but he doesn't read my 
mind.  I do
>> still have to give him directions.
>> 2."Can I pray for you? said to me by some random creepy guy at 
the bus
>> stop.
>> 1."She is always so happy..." 5 minute monologue given to my 
husband on my

>> positive virtues by a Wal-Mart employee who must have seen me in 
the store

>> several times or is a stalker.   Interestingly enough this 
occurred on
>> entering the store after an argument in the parking lot with my 
Kiddo
>> about items I was not going to be purchasing.
>> Happy Friday!
>> Julie
>> _______________________________________________
>> blindtlk mailing list
>> blindtlk at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account 
info for
>> blindtlk:

>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk_nfbnet.org/flmom20
06%40gmail.
>com


>_______________________________________________
>blindtlk mailing list
>blindtlk at nfbnet.org
>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk_nfbnet.org
>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
for
>blindtlk:
>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk_nfbnet.org/blinddo
g3%40charte
>r.net


>_______________________________________________
>blindtlk mailing list
>blindtlk at nfbnet.org
>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk_nfbnet.org
>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
for blindtlk:
>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk_nfbnet.org/kelbyca
rlson%40usfamily.net