FAQ: Recreation and Sports

National

• Where can I find information on camps for children or adults with disabilities?

• Where can I find information on social or recreational activities?

• I live in a rural community where there are not many social activities for people with disabilities. Where can I find information on social or recreational activities?

• How can we have a needed activities fund for people with disabilities in my community?

• Yosemite National Forest offers access to people with disabilities. How can I send for a brochure on their facilities and programs?

• Is there a discounted annual fishing or hunting license for people with disabilities in my state?

National

Q: Where can I find information on camps for children or adults with disabilities?
• A: Visit our NHU directory of Recreation: Camps (Overnight) for camps for children, adults and families. Included are more directories for camps for people with disabilities.

• Visit our NHU directory of Camps (Overnight) for people with Learning Disabilities

Q: Where can I find information on social or recreational activities?
• A: Your local Center for Independent Living (CIL) often offers recreational and social opportunities for individuals with varying disabilities. Activities may include sporting activities, outdoor activities (i.e. fishing, boating, camping, etc.), and more. If the local CIL does not offer opportunities, it may offer a database of organizations, school programs, or recreational activities in your area that do. To find a CIL in your area, click on NHU's Find Resources: Independent Living.

Q: I live in a rural community where there are not many social activities for people with disabilities. Where can I find information on social or recreational activities for people with disabilities?

• A: If after trying your local CIL, (see above) you are unable to locate any opportunities, community organizations, churches or veteran organizations often have social or recreational activities. Municipalities often offer recreation or social programs for people in the community through the local school system. Many communities have websites that will list their community recreation and social programs, community organizations, churches or veteran organizations. Call your local municipality for a listing in your community or search the Internet for your municipalities website if available. Be sure to ask about accessibility.

• National Arts and Disability Center website offers a link of several organizations and state agencies by state that may be of interest or of assistance to you, some are in the interest of the arts. Click on your state from the map and review the listings for disability organizations.
• NY State Recreation Resources for Children and Youth with Physical Disabilities From Rochester, Utica, Syracuse, Buffalo, and NYC region offers a listing of resources state wide.

Q: How can we have a needed activities fund for people with disabilities in my community?

• A: Some community social groups or recreational activities are formed through municipal programs through the local school system, community organizations, churches or veteran organizations. If you are interested in a particular organization, you may be able to join or volunteer for that organization to start some activities in your community. Talk to your municipality to see if you can start a social group at the local town hall.
Q: Yosemite National Forest offers access to people with disabilities. How can I send for a brochure on their facilities and programs?
• A: E-mail: comments@yosemite.com

Q: Is there a discounted annual fishing or hunting license for people with disabilities in my state?

• A: Many states offer discounted hunting and fishing licenses to people with disabilities. Some states offer this discount to disabled veterans or people who are blind. Some states offer the licenses at a discount and some offer a free license. To find out more about disabled fishing or hunting licenses in your state, contact your state's Department of Natural Resources or similar license regulation agency. The following are some of the state's that offer these licenses. In addition, the state of Wisconsin offers an exemption of licenses to persons who are developmentally or physically disabled, who are participating in fishing excursions conducted by nonprofit organizations. See Wisconsin below.

State Listings

• Florida

State of Florida, Disabled Resident's hunting/Fishing License Application or write the State of Florida, Disabled Resident's hunting/Fishing License Application, Florica Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 2590 Executive Center Circle, Suite 200, Tallahassee, Florida 32301.

• Illinois

State of Illinois -Disabled Outdoor Opportunities - Policies for the Hunter and Fisherman All disabled veterans resident or non-resident (10% service-related) or any person with a Class 2 or a Class 2A card is exempt from a fishing license. This card only applies to IL residents. All disabled veterans resident or non-resident (10% service-related) or any person with a Class P2 or a Class P2A card is exempt from a hunting license. This card only applies to IL residents. Also, resident or non-resident disabled veterans are exempt from a habitat stamp. For more information, check out this website page or e-mail your questions to jay.d.williams@illinois.gov or call 618-439-9111, ext. 257.

• New Jersey

Licenses for Veterans with a Service-connected Disability Resident New Jersey veterans with a service-connected disability are eligible for free licenses. See the Disabled Veteran License Information page for details by clicking on the link above. New Jersey Fishing License Information Licenses for the Blind Residents afflicted with total blindness may obtain a free fishing license from the Division of Fish and Wildlife by calling 609-292-9530.

• Wisconsin

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) offers Wisconsin residents with disabilities a discounted annual fishing license. The annual license is reduced by half and must be renewed each year, in addition to the purchase of required fishing stamps. If you are interested in obtaining more information on the discount, or to receive a Reduced Rate Fishing License Application #9400-287, contact your local Wisconsin DNR office. For Milwaukee, call (414) 263-8500.

Wisconsin Disabled Group Fishing Event License Waiver Fillable Form 9400-562A is available at this link. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources may exempt from the requirements of having fishing licenses, groups of persons who are developmentally or physically disabled and who are participating in fishing excursions conducted by non-profit organizations. For a special event group fishing license, provide complete information, name and address of non-profit organization that is sponsoring this event and submit to: DNR Bureau of Customer Service and Licensing, Box 7924, Madison, WI 53707. A copy of the waiver will be sent to the warden in the county that you indicate on the form and a copy of the approved waiver will be sent to you to have available during the event. This waiver does not exempt members of the group who are not developmentally or physically disabled from the need for a fishing license if they will also be fishing.