Everyone seems to have an opinion about it so I might as well add my $0.02. Here's my take on Vice President Dick Cheney's hunting accident...Hunting is a sport but it's not a sport in which you play. That is, you don't "play" hunting because when you play hunting, someone dies. As an avid hunter and sportsman, I know accidents happen. I take every single precaution I can - up to and including getting to know the hunting styles\practices\etc. of those around me well before I go into to the field with them. Hunter and shooter safety is first and foremost in my mind at all times when guns are involved. Even still, in my 25 years of hunting I've experienced at least three very close calls afield.
The first time it happened, I was very young. I was sitting on hay bales with a friend whilst hunting geese. My friend was bored and started playing with his shotgun. His 12ga. went off and sent a pattern of projectiles less than a foot in front of my leg.
The second time something happened, I was stalking pheasants with Big E (who I think reads this blog). It was late in the day and we hadn't seen a pheasant for at least a couple of hours. One finally busted and it scared him. His safety was not on but his finger was on the trigger...which he squeezed as a reaction. Again, it sent a pattern not more than a foot in front of me.
The third close call (and probably the closest scenario that relates to Vice President Cheney's situation) took place in South Dakota. A line of 30+ men walked a CRP field where the brush was over our heads and was so thick that you couldn't see the man next to you. Pheasants began busting and people started shooting. After two or three near misses, I pulled back and so did my pup Arrow. We stood at the top of a hill and watched as divine intervention was the only thing saving each of these men.
All three of the above mentioned scenarios could have been avoided. All three of the above mentioned scenarios frustrate me. However, all three of the scenarios listed above were accidental. When you are afield the number of elements you can control are far outweighed by the number of elements you cannot.
Among many, there exists a very basic hunter's safety rule - almost common sense, really: Always know your backdrop before, during and after you turn the safety off and pull the trigger. Sounds simple but it is not. That means, for every shot you have a mental checklist of items you have to go though before, during and after you take a single shot. If your vision is impaired for any reason, you should not shoot. If your vision gets blocked during a follow through (shotgunning), you should not shoot. If you do not know beyond all doubt that your shot will be safe, you do not shoot. Vice President Dick Cheney should not have pulled the trigger. His backdrop was not clear.
That said, it angers me that it happened to a man of his stature...he is after all in the public eye. It gives hunters (like me) a "black-eye" because the general public probably does not know that hunting related accidents are down over 33 percent (nationwide) over the past decade. They don't take into account that accidents can and certainly will occur and that hunters are being more safe, more responsible and are operating safer hunting and camping equipment today than ever before.
The bottom line is that a man - a fellow outdoorsman - almost lost his life because of a split second lapse in judgment...an accident. I find no humor in that...I don't care how left-wing you are.
6 comments:
:o) Wait a sec thar darlin'...you disagree yet you kinda made my point. If "accident" is defined as an unexpected and undesirable event, especially one resulting in damage or harm *or* an unforeseen incident, then I just took it one step further by explaining the golden rule of shooting and saying it wasn't a laughing matter. And, without actually being there to see the event as it happened, I can only surmise based on the information with which I've been privy over the past week or so.
As you said, accidents happen but with the proper precaution and training they can be avoided ("resisted", if you will).
I saw his press conference and read his statement...I could tell he felt horrible. I would too. Of course there's no way to prove this but I'd bet my bottom dollar he'll take that extra quarter of a second before he pulls the trigger the next time he's out hunting or shooting. That extra quarter of a second may mean that you miss the opportunity to down a bird but that same quarter of a second could save your hunting partner's life.
Arrow said, "Woooooof!". Bo said, "Ssssup Blondie!" He's the Rico Suave in the family. ;o)
I think that if they trained everyone to drive like they do to shoot maybe there would be a 33% reduction in trafic accidents
Love that bumper sticker. I've seen shirts for sale as well. :)
good post, it gives one another perspective on this whole situation.
my hubby is an avid hunter and he too feels that this is reflecting bably on hunters. that's why they have what we call "hunter's safety" courses here in my neck of the woods anyways. like anything you need to learn the proper techniques and what not's to hunt and you shouldn't be hunting if you don't know them
well done jimmy for educating fellow bloggers!
I guess, on this issue, I'm riding the fence. Or whatever that thing is called, when you're on both sides. I see your point and I see blondie's point (even though you say, her point was your point) and I think it's hard to know what side you stand on. Everyone make's mistakes, and after making them, everyone wants grace and forgiveness. What I wonder is, who becomes the bigger loser. The person who made the life or death accident and cant forget about it, or the person who wont forgive and holds a grudge til' they become obsessed and sick?
Anonymous: Kind of a slippery-slope but it couldn't hurt. I'll tell you one thing...I learned way more from my Dad than I ever did from that hunter's safety class. ;o)
Ever: I REALLY don't like Ol' Ted. He's a waste of skin.
Flea: Sounds like your husband and I would get along famously!
d.t.: I still hold a grudge and I didn't even get shot. I remind my friend every time we step into a field - if only to serve as a reminder. I could only imagine how pissed I'd be if I did.
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