Rifle Hunting

[bubba]

I had pretty much the first scenario.  I did not take the shot for that reason.  I hunted state land for many years with everyone I hunted with in camo.  We knew our shooting lanes as we made drives.  No one ever got shot at or has bullets buzzing over their heads.  I teach this class and I have actually done demonstrations on this and had people hiding in camo in brush piles.  and stand up after saying they would take the shot.  It is an eye opener.  Anyway back to scenario number one.  It was by far the biggest buck I ever saw.  Across the field broad side and well within range of my 25-06.  Due to the fact there was a guy who hunted on the other side of the field I would not take the shot.  I think it is a very important point.  However, if I were that nervous about using a rifle, I would not hunt with one.  Now for a statistic.  The large majority of hunting incidents where someone gets shot, it is by someone in their own hunting party while they are performing some illegal activity.  You are more likely to get hurt in a tree stand incident than a shooting one.   That being said, it does not mean it can not happen.  It is a judgement call.  You can make the argument to never take a shot unless the deer is on a certified range with a good backstop.  And for the record, the blaze orange statement was for you DOC to let you know where this was going to go.  

 

Scenario 2 I would wait until he presented a better shot or pass.

[jjb4900]

As Bubba said, the majority of hunting accidents/shootings occur between members of the same hunting party and occur at close range.............the incidents of people being shot by long range shots gone wrong are far and few between...either way, be aware of what lies behind your intended target.

[Early]

Hunters wearing full camo during rifle season is a disaster waiting to happen. Why can't the "Rambos" wear just a little hunter orange?

[cdmckane]

Hunters wearing full camo during rifle season is a disaster waiting to happen. Why can't the "Rambos" wear just a little hunter orange?

I wear blaze orange when hunting on state land, which is only during ML season.  Too many yahoos there during regular gun season.  During reg season, I'm hunting on private land.  If anyone were to be shooting in my direction, they'd have to be trespassing.

[Doc]

I like the idea of practical in-the-field demos during hunter safety training classes when this is practical. It can display in understandable terms just what is trying to be put across by the safety rule of verifying the background.

It IS a judgment call on almost any shot that we take in the field. And I think it is good to pass along a few visual examples for the students to base that judgment on. That was my concern. Simply stating that hunters should be absolutely sure of their target and what's behind it is really just glossing over a very important point. Their needs to be a few guidelines, a lot of discussion, and some general guidelines that define what is really meant by the "what's behind the target" part of that rule. Obviously we are not talking about earthen backstops with completely cleared foreground and background. The fact is there really is some odds-making going on in the hunter's head with every shot.

It is interesting all the different answers that were given for these two scenarios. That's the way it is in real life too. Everyone interprets safety in different ways.

[alwaysarchery67]

Well....knowing that some rifle bullets can travel in excess of 3 miles....do you really know whats behind your target?

I would pass on both deer

[bubba]

I am curious. How many responding actually hunt with a rife. I know the warnings where a rifle bullet can travel miles. Look up some ballistic charts and figure out where you would have to shoot ti get a 2800 feet per secind bullet to get it to go that far. Highly unlikely especially after spendung a lot of energy in an animal

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[irish_redneck]

I hunt with a .270. With #2 the deciding factor for me was the standing still "can't miss" shot. I know my .270 SST imparts most of its energy on the target and am sure in my and my rifles aim.

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[Doc]

I hunt with a .270. With #2 the deciding factor for me was the standing still "can't miss" shot. I know my .270 SST imparts most of its energy on the target and am sure in my and my rifles aim.

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Yes, I put that "standing still" qualifier in there because I pretty much don't take any shots anymore unless the target animal is standing still or walking very slowly. A man's gotta know his limitations .... lol.

[bubba]

BTW love the rambos comments lol