Hunter shot in NY

[MASTERGUIDE]

Its usually pretty obvious if they are trying to shoot you, of course I would not shoot back if I thought it was an accident and I would make sure what it was, I just know that if it came down to me or them, and someone is shooting at me purposely, especially those crazy people that talk about shooting at tresspassers, I know it would be them going down, not me.  I carry handguns along with my main firearm just for protection, from animals and crazy people.  Its just what I believe is the right thing to do.  The other night I was coon hunting some public land and this guys car was out there, and he was not hunting, I don't know what he was doing, but you never know he could have been crazy, a car practically in the middle of nowwhere with out of state plates.  Scary if you ask me, and I just read about public land becoming more attractive areas for bad criminals to carry out really bad crimes because they are less likely to be caught, killing people, dumping bodies, dealing drugs, who knows, but I will be protected.

MASTERGUIDE

[bird dog]

WKULES has hit it right on the head, it is sickening to hear the type of barbarrick talk of "I will shoot at anyone that shoots at me." What is this telling our youth?, that two wrongs make a right. Blaze orange should be a mandatory part of your hunting garments. Most of the accidents happen to those who do not wear it, they have on camo and are hit downrange from the intended target. I know for a fact that a high percentage of people do not take the time to scan 200 yrds downrange of the animal they intend to shoot. Not intensely enough to pick out the tresspasser in camo. Accidents happen as a result of many actions. Adding orange to your outfit is only a good thing. As for the people who shadow or sound shoot, there is little to be done other than better education, and loss of the privledge to hunt.Anger has no place in the field, it will only lead to the end of a right that we should protect.

[smokepole]

Good posts bird dogm Wkules and evryone who posted that anger/retaliation is a bad idea.  Everyone, wear your ORANGE!  I don't like it, but I wear mine.  Gotta be safe.  And I think there is a lot that can be done to prevent things like sound shots and movement shots.  Add safety blurbs to all of the popular hunting and fishing shows, the states can provide safety pamphlet handouts when guys but their licenses, etc.  Pound it into peoples heads with constant reminders and graphic pictures.  You know the type:  THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU SHOOT AT MOVING BRUSH OR SOUND IN THE BRUSH:  Then provide a picture.  KNOW YOUR TARGET AND BEYOND.  Then tell why.  Tell it again and again:  100% IDENTIFY YOUR TARGET AS THE GAME YOU ARE HUNTING, THEN PICK YOUR 'KILL ZONE' ON THAT ANIMAL.  If people did this, how can they make a mistake? 

[MASTERGUIDE]

If everyone was 100% sure of their target every time they sqeezed the trigger, there would be no accidents, the problem is not orange its people making bad choices.  I wear orange when things get crowded, especially all through the 9 day gun deer season, but otherwise when its not I stay away from it as much as I can.

MASTERGUIDE

[killditrite]

you make a valid point MG but its kind of like a seat belt law...no one likes it but cant deny it saves lives. it is not a perfect world and as long as there is people left in it there will be stupid people mixed in. as ive stated before, maine has had a blaze orange law in effect for decades and hunting fatalities has declined dramatically since then.

[smokepole]

If everyone was 100% sure of their target every time they sqeezed the trigger, there would be no accidents, the problem is not orange its people making bad choices.  I wear orange when things get crowded, especially all through the 9 day gun deer season, but otherwise when its not I stay away from it as much as I can.

MASTERGUIDE

Well, the purpose of camo is to hide people from deer, but it also hides hunters from each other.  It is tough to scrutinize every bush past your target to look for guys in camo, while someone in a decent amount of blaze orange is seen instantly.

[adkRoy]

DEER DO NOT SEE ORANGE! If you are worried about your outline then wear blaze camo. Most of the time during gun season the deer are moving around trying to get away from the other hunters or are being driven by the rut. They really aren't going to be looking as hard for you. I also believe their shouldn't be a mandatory blaze orange law. Let Darwins' theroy apply to the woods as well. Smart people will wear the blaze orange or Blaze camo to help stay alive during gun season while the not so smart can wear their camo and take chances at getting shot.

[jigger]

Well I have missed some bucks by making sure what it was before I shot,i for 1 do not wear orange when i hunt and don't figure I'm stupid either.It's my preference to hunt this way and plan on doing it as long as I'm able,my wife allways wears orange and that is her preference.As long as you know what you are shooting at and where the bullet is going than no one should get hurt,it's just common sense!!

[MASTERGUIDE]

Jigger right on, you could not have said it better, adkroy, I am not worried about deer seeing me, and like I said I wear orange when hunting public land during the 9 day gun deer season, becuase it is packed and I know there are stupid people around me, otherwise I don't want to wear it, I used to wear a blaze suit now I wear just a vest, and its my choice, and if I could I wouldn't wear any at all when on land I know there is a small chance of seeing other hunters.  remember the case of that sniper taking out deer hunters, if they weren't wearing blaze orange they would have been hard to find by the sniper, I feel like a blaze orange target, I just think its an easy target for a crazy person, not saying it happens alot, but thats my opinion, and i think its personal choice either way whether I wear it or not, and if I get shot on accident, its more than likely someone making a bad shot or completely an accident, and I know anything can happen and still I think its my choice and I know the "dangers" of it, just like the seat belt law, I still think it is my choice whether or not I wear a seat belt, and if people want to take that risk knowingly, then that is their choice.

MASTERGUIDE

[archbishop]

i think everyone should wear orange and the one who do not know the risks, if you make orange a law there are still gonna be people out there who do not wear it and then there are gonna be even more people shooting at moving bushes because everyone has to wear orange, its the law right.

i dont remember who said it earlier in this thread but why wouldnt you hunt in a state that had no mandatory orange? just because its not mandatory doesnt mean YOU cant wear it.

[Pikeguy]

It was me that said it. It's not just about my safety, it's about the safety of others. I would feel pretty bad if someone 200-300 beyond my target was killed by my bullet even if I had no idea they were there due to good camo and a little brush. I'm a big advocate of the basic rules of hunting and knowing your target and what is beyond, but someone dressed in camo is impossible to see at these long ranges. I definitely don't want to shoot someone and think blaze orange is the best way to prevent alot of true accidents, not mistakes, but accidents. I guess it just gives me peace of mind. Like you said though, there are always people who don't wear it so caution still has to be taken when you don't see orange. I wouldn't want to hit someones cow, dog or truck either

[MoosemanKris]

Honestly, who shoots at something they can't see? The guy was 77? I tell ya man its scary to think he was out there all those years... Blaze orange isn't mandatory up here but I think that we've got a pretty good hunter education course and it's not necessary. But man, thats nuts. Who does that!? If you can't see it, don't shoot it!
If someone ever takes a crack in my direction, they're getting lead back I can guarantee! Maybe not at them, but near them!

[deerhunter]

all this talk about orange and shooting at deer not people is a little much. hunting is the safest outdoor sport there is, the numbers of people shot or hurt you can probally count on your fingers for the whole country. can you say that for any other sport?

[Chucker]

all this talk about orange and shooting at deer not people is a little much. hunting is the safest outdoor sport there is, the numbers of people shot or hurt you can probally count on your fingers for the whole country. can you say that for any other sport?

DH has an interesting point.  My wife and I recently signed up for life insurance.  There were lots of risk-associated questions about the activities you take part in - speedboat racing, rock climbing, sky diving, SCUBA....  No shooting sports or hunting questions.  I found that very interesting.  If the risk management folks don't think it important to place hunters and shooting sports people in a category that will cost the insurance underwriters extra $$, I think that says a lot.

That being said,  I will wear orange for anything except turkeys.  I won't depend on someone else to be safe when it's my life in question.

[shrub]

DH has an interesting point.  My wife and I recently signed up for life insurance.  There were lots of risk-associated questions about the activities you take part in - speedboat racing, rock climbing, sky diving, SCUBA....  No shooting sports or hunting questions.  I found that very interesting.  If the risk management folks don't think it important to place hunters and shooting sports people in a category that will cost the insurance underwriters extra $$, I think that says a lot.

That being said,  I will wear orange for anything except turkeys.  I won't depend on someone else to be safe when it's my life in question.

there are more deaths in receratinal foot ball than there is in in hunting and shooting sports.

last month at one of the foot ball games at the highschool i attend one of the kids on the visting team got paralised, this was the first high school football game he ever played, he had just moved out to vermont from arizona and his parents were stillin arizone. the school says that me shooting a gun is dangeours, this kid can never play foot ball agan becuae he got hurt playing a sport that the school supports, kind of ironic isnt it?