The Natural Resources Commission (NRC) will take up proposed new regulations for crossbow permits for hunters with certain permanent disabilities at its Aug. 14 meeting in Lansing.

The NRC is considering revising the current crossbow regulations, which mandate an 80 percent permanent disability to qualify for a crossbow permit, in favor of new criteria which was developed during a four-month review process by a crossbow disability workgroup. The workgroup was made up of representatives from the medical community, bow hunting interests, the Accessibility Advisory Council, general hunting interests, crossbow industry representatives and Department of Natural Resources personnel.

Under the proposed criteria, a physician can automatically certify a hunter as eligible for a crossbow permit if the hunter:

• has an amputation involving body extremities required for stable function to use conventional archery equipment, or,
• has a spinal cord injury resulting in permanent disability to the lower extremities, leaving the applicant permanently non-ambulatory, or
• has a permanent wheelchair restriction.

If none of the above criteria apply, physicians, physical therapist or occupational therapists can certify hunters who fail:

• a functional draw test that equals 35 pounds of resistance and involves holding it for four seconds, or
• a manual muscle test involving the grading of shoulder and elbow flexion and extension, or
• an impaired range-of-motion test involving the shoulder or elbow.

In addition, a physician can recommend a crossbow permit for other permanent disabilities, such as neuromuscular conditions.

If approved, the regulations will go into effect in time for the upcoming archery deer season and a new simplified application form will be available on line.

For more information on the Aug. 14 NRC meeting, including the full agenda and minutes from the July meeting, visit the NRCs Web page online at www.michigan.gov/nrc.