Well gun season open Saturday. And it didn't take long heard some one got shot opening day. He was carrying a deer out on a cart he just shot. This is my one reason I hate gun season. I'm OK with whatever you want to shoot deer with gun bow crossbow if it's legal go for it. Just seam like it's scary out there. When guns season comes I go into urban hunting. Or bow only areas. And stay away from the weekends. What do you guys do? And praying for a speedy recovery for the hunter.
I hunt private mostly. Hunted public a few years back and was not overly concerned. Many moons ago hunted a piece if public land on the Mississippi, wasn't overly concerned. For the millions of gun hunters that take to the woods every year, the ratio to accidents per hunter is probably equal to or lower than bow hunters. Sadly, if it is the case someone got shot, too many lump the whole group into that category. Always hear how much of a slob gun hunters are, they're all unethical, 25 shots at a running deer 350 yards away and the list can go on and on. I'd be willing to bet there's just as many bow hunters on a percentage basis that are just as unethical and careless. I'm not singling you out, this is a bow hunting site and a I understand that, but a lot of the members here pick up lead and powder as well.
The problem where I live is that almost no one bow hunts and everyone gun "hunts". By "hunts", I mean that they drive around on back farm and logging roads in a truck looking for a deer in a field to shoot. It's more annoying and unethical than anything. The whole safety thing isn't really an issue because the people who do gun "hunt" rarely leave the warmth of their vehicle to venture into the woods and there's a lot smaller population of people where I live, too. Based on how these people "hunt", I can assume that they are probably also dangerously inept in the woods and I should probably be happy they stay confined to a vehicle. Are heater "hunters" (as they're referred to in Maine) as much of a problem in other parts of the country?
Your definitely right. I'm sure bow hunters take unethical shots. I know many friends that are good rifle hunters and would hunt with.
We have a HUGE issue with road hunters here too. I would go as far as to say 75% of them road hunt. Sent from my Z665C
I think because gun season is so short, many gun hunters only having a small window of time away from family/jobs.......are super thirsty to put anything down as soon as possible, over eager shots being let off. I strictly bowhunt and my season is so long I'm constantly in the woods. Also if I'm in a tree looking down at what I think is a deer and shoot a human I shouldn't even be hunting at all. There's also that thing in life where if the possibility of something going wrong exists at all, some small percentage of humans will fall into it, we are fallible and unperfect that way.
I don't think we have a problem with "road hunting" in Wisconsin. We have more of a " I only go into the woods once a year and shoot any deer with a pulse while contributing to the horrible mismanagement of the deer herd because it's tradition" type of hunting.
I went out to my property yesterday just to drop off some food for deer that I'll probably never kill. (At this point, they're more like pets). My property is way out in the sticks. The orange army was out in force. Let's just say that I was glad I wasn't hunting public property. Holy mackerel. I'm surprised that more people don't get shot ever year.
One morning ( still dark ) I was walking to my tree stand. I was walking along side a 6 row shelterbelt. I could hear something walking ahead of me on the other side of it. When I hit the end of the shelterbelt I stopped but I couldn't see anything. I took a few more steps when I heard someone say, " don't shoot... it's a guy !! ". I heard another voice say, " Are you sure ?? ". I spun around and I could barely make out two guys standing on the other side of the shelterbelt in the dark. The one guy was lowering his " BOW ". They heard me walking on the other side of the shelterbelt behind them and thought I was a deer. The puke was at full draw when I stepped out from the trees. If it hadn't been for his buddy... it could have ended badly. There are some very, stupid people out there and they aren't always carrying a rifle. Tim
I had a similar experience. Way back when I was a teen. I was walking in strip of grass that ran parallel to the train tracks. There were trees between the grass and the tracks. I was out checking a few traps. Because it was iffy neighborhood and I was alone, I stayed off the tracks and would keep an eye out for other people. So that day I spot a guy sort of sneaking along the tracks. I think to myself, "great, another creeper." He's headed south, I'm headed north... There's not much I can do but quietly keep walking. I noticed he stopped... but I can't really see him. He sorta ducked behind a tree. I walk forward a few more steps. There he is, looking at me but something is off. I realize he has a bow drawn and pointed right at me. I quickly wave my hands around and yell "I'm a person!". He lets the bow down and turns the deepest red I've ever seen. He talks a million miles an hour and keeps repeating "I almost shot you!". Like it was my fault. He yells at me for wearing a brown coat and for being out in the woods. Like only he and the deer were allowed to be out there. It was a chocolate brown coat anyway. Ugh. Idiot.
This post is frightening, but something everyone should read and take notice of. I always use a light going to and from during gun season. This definitely makes me think twice about using one while bow hunting.
I was 16 at the time and they both were in the early 20's. I was fuming but figured the odds were against me so I didn't say too much while they apologized. They kept following me as I walked to my tree stand. I thought it was kind of weird. I had no idea who they were. They talked loud the whole way. I got to my tree and started to climb it. The idiot that had drawn on me... asked what I was doing cause he was planning on hunting out of it in my stand. He was bummed because I wrecked his hunt !! They finally wandered off, of course right though the bedding area and set up with the wind blowing their scent right into it. I didn't see a deer and the idiot did manage to shoot a fawn. I ran into them on the way out later that morning. They were so happy. I never did see them again that fall but it was always eerie when I would walk to my stand in the mornings after that. LOL Tim
