Why I only hunt on my own posted property

[NYDAN]

These two newspaper stories appeared one above the other in Yesterday's Corning Leader newspaper.

 

[DrMike]

Incautious people shooting on public lands can be a threat to life. When I was attending Einstein in NYC, I recall my landlord telling how someone shot the tree against which he was resting during the opening day of deer season. I hunted in the Big Bend area of Texas one time. Opening day sounded like the start of a war as multiple gunshots echoed across the ravines. I watched three separate parties traipsing through the scrub as I looked down on the valley floor. I and my hunting partner decided to vacate the area. We were riding motorcycles, and the mule deer were following us as we worked our way down the mountain paths. I thought sure some demented soul would try to shoot one of those does and hit me instead. There was sure a sense of freedom when we found the pavement. I seldom have those problems here, fortunately.

 

[salmonchaser]

The fact remains the most dangerous persons out there are our own hunting partners. Correct them politely the first time for any unsafe practice, after that it's time for your best pissed off drill instructor impersonation.
As Guy and others who have carried guns for a living can attest, doing so safely takes constant training. If no one is coaching, no one is training.

 

[jhuener]

These kind of events get a lot of press, and I don't excuse them. Fortunately they are less common than they used to be as awareness and hunter safety programs are implemented. Nonetheless, the most dangerous thing you do on a day of hunting is drive to your hunting location.

I hunt public land almost exculsively. I am fortunate enough to live and work in an area with lots of public land. It also helps, though, that I'm usually working on opening weekend, and go out later in the season when things have quieted down.


Joel

 

[chrispbrown27]

I have hunted public land, and often VERY crowded public land, for many years now and have never felt I was in danger. Part of that is because I always walked further than most to get away from the idiots. They are certainly out there, but all I can do is take care of myself and what I do and hope everyone else is doing the same. I can remember one year I shot my buck opening morning and drug him back to my truck. Once back there I was struggling to load the deer in the bed by myself and turned around and leaned against the truck to catch my breath. I looked up the ridge and no more than 100 yards away....less than 50 yards from the road...was a guy sitting there watching me! Ha ha I had to laugh, but then wondered why he didn't come down and give me a hand just to get me out of the area. When I hear about accidents I wonder how much of it is from someone who was drinking or smoking something that has no place in the deer woods.
On a side note, read a strange story this year. Guy said he was sitting in his tree stand and dropping one of his cartridges and it went off and hit him in the forehead. He went to the hospital and the Dr. said the bullet had pierced the skin but failed to even crack his skull. He assumes that the primer hit a rock and went off. I bet he had one heck of a headache that night!

 

[chrispbrown27]

One more story. My Grandpa had a guy that he worked with that on the opening morning of Illinois' first modern deer season was walking through an uncut corn field. Someone shot into the corn field at the moving corn and killed the guys dad. Heck of a way to start your first deer season ever!