Too many hunting accidents this year

[chas0218]

I am curious as to what you guys and gals think about these hunting accidents. We are vague on the details of the accidents we don't know much about the situations so we can't assume something happened that didn't. In other words I don't want to get into an argument about sunrise/sunset rules. I was thinking to myself is it new hunters in these accidents or veterans that just screwed up? I mean with today's technology we can see better in low light situations, at further distances, ect. Is it because we jumped head first into allowing rifle pretty much all over the state, was there a need for it? I will admit I take my rifle into the field a lot more than my shotgun, it's mostly because those sabots are twice the price of my rifle ammo. I don't need to shoot over 100 yards most of the time but like having the ability to hit a quarter at 200 yards if needed compared to a pie plate. It is hard to think heading into the woods to enjoy some of God's gifts will be the last time you could see your family because of someone else being reckless. Having an almost 2 year old boy and expecting another boy in 3 months sure gives you a different outlook on life. 

[ny hunter]

I feel there is no reason for these accidents to happen...If its low light and you think its a deer don't shoot.These things burn me up to no end...

[growalot]

What happens when you are out there on a slow "stalk"? That's all I will ask , just think about it. More than once I have read.." I had to make a quick shot"...That wasn't meant to offend or put down anyone...just something to think about.

[grampy]

Accidents happen when someone puts killing a deer, as their number one priority. And puts safety a notch or two down the priority list. There is no deer walking this earth that is worth someone getting hurt or killed! And most "accidents", are not caused by new or inexperienced hunters. But by hunters that "should" know better!

[chas0218]

13 minutes ago, ny hunter said:

I feel there is no reason for these accidents to happen...If its low light and you think its a deer don't shoot.These things burn me up to no end...

I have to agree, the 10 point I shot last year came into a cut bean field with a doe. The doe was leading and I could tell it was a deer at 70 yards and 20 minutes before sunrise. The buck followed her and could also tell he was a deer. The only reason I knew he was a buck was by the neck. At sunrise they made it to 100 yards away and at that point I could still barely make out the rack but could tell it was nice. I waited that 20 minutes to see if the buck was worth taking and did take him. I will admit that it felt like an eternity.

10 minutes ago, growalot said:

What happens when you are out there on a slow "stalk"? That's all I will ask , just think about it. More than once I have read.." I had to make a quick shot"...That wasn't meant to offend or put down anyone...just something to think about.

Yeah I don't stalk deer during gun season because I suck at shooting running deer, and feel like I'm more likely to get shot than sitting 20' in a tree. 

[stoneam2006]

What happens when you are out there on a slow "stalk"? That's all I will ask , just think about it. More than once I have read.." I had to make a quick shot"...That wasn't meant to offend or put down anyone...just something to think about.

I've been still hunting public land for 15 years did it opening day with 22 cars on hill. Did it thanksgiving and Friday with a bunch of cars. Did it sat and sunday with a few other cars and killed a deer doing in and saw many others. Not once did I shoot an unsafe direction or get shot it. Again you can not blame the masses it was a few individuals making poor decisions and shots that ended tragically. I'm not going to change my preffered hunting method just bc a few people out there were dumb.

Quick story from sat with my dad Tughill and his sons

We were hunting stateland 8n and when we showed up a minivan full of Mennonite teens piled out to push the hill. I went and talked to them and we had 0 issues. (Not the story) So anyway come right before lunch I decided I would push the thicket up hill to the guys. There were people everywhere Everytime I turned around another guy was standing there. Just about the time I was making way to dad I jum0ed 2 big doe. The were hauling I put scope on them (50 cal) and decided not a good angle and let them run. After watching them bound thru the woods I took 10 more steps up the knoll and poof there was my dad directly in front of me by maybe 50 yards. He saw them too. And also pulled up and decided not to shoot bc of angle with his 12 g slug gun. He had no idea I was there and neither did I but bc we are hunters as 99.9 percent of guys are we choose not to shoot. And luckily we didn't even tho we wouldn't have been shooting toward eachother it just wasn't a good choice. We laughed about it later.

99.9 percent of the pumpkin army that walks into the woods has not and will not ever shoot anyone just like criminals and guns. It's not something we can control and not something we need to be overly paranoid about. We all need to just preach to our group and our kids gun saftey and door our part to pass the tradition along and as safe as we can. There will always be the possibility of getting shot out there can't change that. Do your part educate when you can and please WEAR ORANGE. I spoke to 3 different guys thanksgiving day that were in full camo and gave them a line of s&=* bc they had no orange on. They could care less. Hopefully manditory orange is coming.

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[chas0218]

1 hour ago, stoneam2006 said:

 

I've been still hunting public land for 15 years did it opening day with 22 cars on hill. Did it thanksgiving and Friday with a bunch of cars. Did it sat and sunday with a few other cars and killed a deer doing in and saw many others. Not once did I shoot an unsafe direction or get shot it. Again you can not blame the masses it was a few individuals making poor decisions and shots that ended tragically. I'm not going to change my preffered hunting method just bc a few people out there were dumb.

Quick story from sat with my dad Tughill and his sons

We were hunting stateland 8n and when we showed up a minivan full of Mennonite teens piled out to push the hill. I went and talked to them and we had 0 issues. (Not the story) So anyway come right before lunch I decided I would push the thicket up hill to the guys. There were people everywhere Everytime I turned around another guy was standing there. Just about the time I was making way to dad I jum0ed 2 big doe. The were hauling I put scope on them (50 cal) and decided not a good angle and let them run. After watching them bound thru the woods I took 10 more steps up the knoll and poof there was my dad directly in front of me by maybe 50 yards. He saw them too. And also pulled up and decided not to shoot bc of angle with his 12 g slug gun. He had no idea I was there and neither did I but bc we are hunters as 99.9 percent of guys are we choose not to shoot. And luckily we didn't even tho we wouldn't have been shooting toward eachother it just wasn't a good choice. We laughed about it later.

99.9 percent of the pumpkin army that walks into the woods has not and will not ever shoot anyone just like criminals and guns. It's not something we can control and not something we need to be overly paranoid about. We all need to just preach to our group and our kids gun saftey and door our part to pass the tradition along and as safe as we can. There will always be the possibility of getting shot out there can't change that. Do your part educate when you can and please WEAR ORANGE. I spoke to 3 different guys thanksgiving day that were in full camo and gave them a line of s&=* bc they had no orange on. They could care less. Hopefully manditory orange is coming.

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I agree I would love to see an blaze orange law, at least 250 sq. in. I think this will also help with the amount of tresspassers. I don't think they will be ballsy enough to tresspass wearing orange vs face another fine. 

1 hour ago, grampy said:

Accidents happen when someone puts killing a deer, as their number one priority. And puts safety a notch or two down the priority list. There is no deer walking this earth that is worth someone getting hurt or killed! And most "accidents", are not caused by new or inexperienced hunters. But by hunters that "should" know better!

No doubt accidents happen most are preventable though and that's the problem. Unfortunately people will always shoot before sunrise and after sunset I just hope they aren't around me. There is no way for DEC to charge someone with that and people know it. 

[WNYBuckHunter]

2 hours ago, chas0218 said:

 

Yeah I don't stalk deer during gun season because I suck at shooting running deer, and feel like I'm more likely to get shot than sitting 20' in a tree. 

If you are still hunting or stalking correctly, you are most likely to be shooting at a deer standing still or bedded down.

[ApexerER]

I do not think we need more laws...we need more common sense....Accidents are just that....Accidents. Sometimes accidents are unfortunately tragic. We are all human, whether we want to admit it or not we all have momentary lapses in judgment. I had a lapse in judgment on opening day this year. I never wear my coat into my stand. I put it in my backpack. I put on an orange vest over my base layer and vest. When I get to my treestand I take off the orange vest and wrap it around the tree and put my coat on. When I leave I take my coat off and put my orange vest on. I have been doing that for years. When I shot my deer in my haste I got down with my camo coat on never even thinking about the vest. I stayed with my downed deer as other hunters came to help me not even thinking about the fact that I am in 100% camo. None of the guys said anything to me. I took numerous pictures...etc. So excited in the moment I never even thought about it. You know who mentioned it....My dad, when I showed him the pics of the biggest buck I have ever killed and may ever kill the first thing he said to me wasn't nice deer. It was a glare followed by where is your orange!  Now...god forbid if something happened that day...A law wouldn't have made a difference.....the story would have been hunter shot wearing no orange...but that would have been half the story.

[stoneam2006]

If you are still hunting or stalking correctly, you are most likely to be shooting at a deer standing still or bedded down.

Or a walk...I've shot alot of then walking

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[Core]

Some people will shoot at anything in any scenario with as many bullets as they can get in the general area, but I bet we'll find most/all of these recent shootings are not because people got worse than last year, but just playing the odds. Last year was low in fatalities, this one will be high. 

Even if these happened with rifles, would they not have with shotguns?

Were the people wearing orange, were the shots taken outside of legal hunting hours. You could make laws mandating orange. You could also make a mandatory manslaughter conviction in the case of accidental shooting of a person if it took place outside of shooting hours, to encourage people to think twice about what I assume is otherwise a slap on the wrist (if that--seems to me a ton of people do it).

But long term no-fatalities may not be possible. With these shootings on the news people will be more vigilant. If you had a few years of no shootings people would get lax and then the risk goes up again.

[FX62]

Some things to consider. First is the media - the headline has to draw the reader, listener, viewer in. The mere fact that the reporting is shotty at best with very little details leads people to jump to their own conclusions as we've seen on this site. Second is that MOST accidents are preventable and good sense isn't very common and had sense and decision making CAN result in unfortunate accidents. No matter what laws are there, people will break them. Education, especially our youth and newbies to the sport, and leading by example will have a better impact imho. Lastly, how many of us would be readong, watching, viewing, or analyzing the latest shooting in the "hood"?  The fact that is that "hunting" accidents are so "uncommon" is what draws us in to find out and analyze what happened. 

The latest 2 incidents are indeed tragic and unfortunate and my thoughts and prayers are with those affected by them. 

[Rattler]

Hunting "accidents" (shootings) happen for many different reasons.  The best way to avoid them is by constantly being aware they could happen and always asking "What if?"

Some shootings are truly freak accidents, while others are totally preventable.  Some are caused by carelessness and some by mechanical failure of the equipment.  Some happen to fully blaze orange clad hunters too.  Each incident has to be investigated to find out exactly what caused the shooting.

There is no difference between hunting "accidents" and car "accidents" either.  Except with cars they are actually collisions, because someone wasn't in control of the car in every case.  You can't call hunting "accidents" collisions, but in each case someone was not in control of their firearm.  Maybe it would be better to call them all "hunting shootings" to better emphasize the problem.

The only thing that prevents hunting shootings is the grey matter between the shooters ears.  If it's always focused on safety, the large majority of these shootings will not happen.

Focus, on yourself, and those you hunt with too.

[Elmo]

1 hour ago, WNYBuckHunter said:

If you are still hunting or stalking correctly, you are most likely to be shooting at a deer standing still or bedded down.

I've bumped deer and had them run 50-75 yards, then stop and turn around to look at what bumped them, giving me a clear shot.

[Paula]

 Hunters should know better. 

Accidents happen.

I wonder if the people who accidentally shot the other person are inexperienced hunters? Meaning do the handle guns or hunt just at deer season 

 

[Salmon_Run]

I hardly characterize these as accidents; they are CARELESS people injuring and killing others.

I have NEVER seen anything in the woods that looks remotely like a deer other than a deer.

If one is not 100% SURE of their intended target, back stop and surroundings don't shoot !!!!

I wish  the best for the families involved.....

Edited November 28, 2016 by Salmon_Run
added text

[BuckThornBooners]

I actually know 2 people that have been shot while hunting one with bird shot and one with a slug.  I have had 3 really close calls like scary close..  

I'll share one,  I was hunting with a friends faimily maybe 6 guys we were hunting behind their farm and it was rainy nasty weather so we all headed into the garage to warm up.  the grandfather in his late 60s decided he was done for the day and dicicided to unload his shotgun in the dry garage he some how hit the trigger when he slid the pump back BOOM a slug missed me and my buddy by less then 12" and went though the wall. although no one got hurt we were all affected. he broke down that day and has never touched a gun since.  

 

[nybuckboy]

ORANGE   Ever since the camo rage for bow hunters which is fine but not for gun season. I'm OK with the camo but at the very least wearing an orange hat is a must.

[the blur]

Time for making an advanced safety class.  Hunter Ed 102:

Write 100 times.

"Don't shoot at orange"

Then have a picture of a deer & a human being.

 

[Deerstalker]

47 minutes ago, BuckThornBooners said:

I actually know 2 people that have been shot while hunting one with bird shot and one with a slug.  I have had 3 really close calls like scary close..  

I'll share one,  I was hunting with a friends faimily maybe 6 guys we were hunting behind their farm and it was rainy nasty weather so we all headed into the garage to warm up.  the grandfather in his late 60s decided he was done for the day and dicicided to unload his shotgun in the dry garage he some how hit the trigger when he slid the pump back BOOM a slug missed me and my buddy by less then 12" and went though the wall. although no one got hurt we were all affected. he broke down that day and has never touched a gun since.  

 

When unloading a firearm always point in safe direction and make sure the safty is on 

[BuckThornBooners]

Yea you don't have to tell me.. just an example of how accident happen old gramps had been hunting his whole life maybe the cold got to him that day.. 

[Rattler]

Never rely on a safety, and blaze orange is not bullet proof.  Neither one is a guarantee against getting shot.  Many orange clad hunters have been killed.  Never assume something not wearing orange is a target either.  Unless you know for sure what you're shooting at, you are in the wrong if you shoot someone.  Bow hunters have every right to be in the woods during small game season and it is up to the shooter to be careful with their shots.  Don't expect bow hunters to have any orange.  Know your target and what's beyond it.

 

[Deerstalker]

35 minutes ago, Rattler said:

Never rely on a safety, and blaze orange is not bullet proof.  Neither one is a guarantee against getting shot.  Many orange clad hunters have been killed.  Never assume something not wearing orange is a target either.  Unless you know for sure what you're shooting at, you are in the wrong if you shoot someone.  Bow hunters have every right to be in the woods during small game season and it is up to the shooter to be careful with their shots.  Don't expect bow hunters to have any orange.  Know your target and what's beyond it.

 

I have seen studies that show blaze orange decreases your chance of being mistaken for  game by 80 and 90 % 

At least use a orange hat   when your walking in the woods even when bow hunting . 

Edited November 29, 2016 by Deerstalker

[wolc123]

I learned first hand that blaze orange will not keep you from getting shot.   Too many hunters get blinders on and see only the deer and NOT what is beyond it.   About 20 years ago, I was hunting from a tree stand near the back of our farm.   A doe walked slowly across the far edge of a field, just a bit out of range for my old 16 gauge smoothbore slug gun.   When she walked thru the hedgerow that marks the edge of our farm, I got down and walked to where she vanished.  When I stepped thru that hedgerow, I saw her out in the middle of a narrow field, owned by a neighbor who does not hunt, but gave permission to those of us on either side.  

I was wearing a blaze orange hat and jacket and so was another "hunter" who was located directly behind that deer (about 100 yards from me) in the opposite hedgerow.   I felt the pressure from his first shot against the side of my face before I heard the shot.  I got a little taste of what the "lucky" solders must experience in ground combat.   I hit the dirt, and slugs began landing close, throwing clumps against me.  He fired 5 times, in rapid succession.   Fortunately for me and the doe, they were all "near misses".

That incident changed the way I hunt big time.  No more "deer drives" for me.  I basically stick to our own land or that of family members.   I feel a lot more comfortable up in a treestand or in a raised blind on private land or land with very low hunting pressure, such as the Adirondacks.   That incident happened before I had a wife and kids, and those have multiplied my dislike of public hunting grounds, deer drives, etc by a factor of four. 

I know that I have no control over what others do, but I do have the last say as to how I hunt.  I also believe that when the Good Lord says your time on Earth is up, it is and there ain't nothing you can do to prevent it.  That is no excuse for taking unnecessary risks however.      

[Deerstalker]

18 minutes ago, wolc123 said:

I learned first hand that blaze orange will not keep you from getting shot.   Too many hunters get blinders on and see only the deer and NOT what is beyond it.   About 20 years ago, I was hunting from a tree stand near the back of our farm.   A doe walked slowly across the far edge of a field, just a bit out of range for my old 16 gauge smoothbore slug gun.   When she walked thru the hedgerow that marks the edge of our farm, I got down and walked to where she vanished.  When I stepped thru that hedgerow, I saw her out in the middle of a narrow field, owned by a neighbor who does not hunt, but gave permission to those of us on either side.  

I was wearing a blaze orange hat and jacket and so was another "hunter" who was located directly behind that deer (about 100 yards from me) in the opposite hedgerow.   I felt the pressure from his first shot against the side of my face before I heard the shot.  I got a little taste of what the "lucky" solders must experience in ground combat.   I hit the dirt, and slugs began landing close, throwing clumps against me.  He fired 5 times, in rapid succession.   Fortunately for me and the doe, they were all "near misses".

That incident changed the way I hunt big time.  No more "deer drives" for me.  I basically stick to our own land or that of family members.   I feel a lot more comfortable up in a treestand or in a raised blind on private land or land with very low hunting pressure, such as the Adirondacks.   That incident happened before I had a wife and kids, and those have multiplied my dislike of public hunting grounds, deer drives, etc by a factor of four. 

I know that I have no control over what others do, but I do have the last say as to how I hunt.  I also believe that when the Good Lord says your time on Earth is up, it is and there ain't nothing you can do to prevent it.  That is no excuse for taking unnecessary risks however.      

Its always a risk when you hunt no matter what you do or have on  .