MARSHALL — This week, Lyon County Commissioners gave their approval for an area disability services organization to hold an accessible deer hunt in Garvin Park.

The Southwestern Center for Independent Living requested that the park be closed Oct. 30-31 for the special deer hunt. The event would give people with disabilities a chance to enjoy hunting, SWCIL representatives said.

Commissioners voted to approve the park closure, and to limit participants in the special hunt to using shotguns.

Last year, SWCIL held an accessible deer hunt at Camden State Park, according to materials in this week’s county board agenda packet. However, Camden Park also hosts a youth hunting event close to the same time. Visitors had requested that the state park not be closed two weekends in a row, agenda materials said.

The Lyon County Park Board recommended that the accessible deer hunt be held at Garvin Park, but that the park be closed to other activities during those two days. The regular deer archery season starts Nov. 1, so the accessible hunt wouldn’t interfere with the regular hunting season.

“We’re opening it up to just five hunters, just because it’s our second year doing it,” said David Haen, with SWCIL. “But it’s open to anybody that has a disability and is able to hunt.”

Materials at the county board meeting said participants would need to possess a firearms safety certification.

“I think only one out of our five participants last year was actually a consumer of SWCIL (programs),” Haen said. The other four hunters were area residents with disabilities.

Commissioners had some discussion on what kind of firearms should be allowed in Garvin Park for the special hunt.

“I think the question comes back to the board – we’ve kind of decided this, but I think it’s still a question that needs to be talked about. Do we want to just do shotgun, or are you going to allow them to use rifles?” said Commissioner Rick Anderson.

“The Park Board had recommended shotgun only,” Haen said.

Commissioners said they were on board with that idea, for safety reasons within the park. Lyon County parks programming manager Brooke Kor also said that both Garvin Park entrances would be staffed during the event.

Commissioners passed a resolution approving the special hunt, but limiting firearms at the special hunt to shotguns only.