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Jim Onderko

Where there's a will, there's a way

Jim Onderko, a disabled bowhunter from Darby, Montana, is an outstanding example of "where there's a will, there's a way" as it pertains to continuing to bowhunt following serious disabling injuries. Jim lost his right arm at the shoulder in an industrial accident several years ago. He actually has much more disability than the loss of the arm as he got tangled in a big piece of machinery and it literally swung him around and around until his arm came off at the shoulder resulting in injuries to his back and skeletal frame as well.

After recovering as best possible under the circumstances, he has continued to be an exceptionally successful bowhunter by using a mouth tab to shoot his recurve bow. He is still out there enjoying bowhunting today and doing so by meeting the challenge of shooting the bow with the use of adaptive equipment.

Jim traveled around Montana helping to promote the Montana Bowhunters Association's successful initiative to institute a Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks approved provision whereby disabled bowhunters can continue to bowhunt through the use of modified legal archery equipment. The Permit To Modify Archery Equipment (PTMAE) provision allows a person with a disability to use archery tackle that supports the bow, and draws, holds, and releases the string to accommodate the individual disability. This permit does not entitle the holder to use a crossbow.



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