It's probably likely that I misread MSP's post somewhat. These days I read "brush buster" and see red. I dont think for a moment that MSP would be an advocate of irresponsible hunting, or irresponsible behavior while using a gun. My friends death was a great trajady, to his wife, children, parents and brothers and sisters. I dont think I've ever seen a family suffer like that, I would say that two of them never got over it
Hard doesn't describe the aftermath. I suspect if anything that MSP has probably seen the results of irresponible behavior more times than any of us would care to. I apologize if what I wwrote was mistaken as an attack on MSP in anyway, that certainly was not my intent.
When I first got my 357 and 44 Handis, there was still a month of deer season left. I was poor enough at that point that a scope of anykind was out of the question. I passed on a doe one very late afternoon, as it was dark enough that I could make her out, but the light was bad enough that it was impossible to have threaded a bullet through the muskedine vines between was. The range was a ridiculously short 40 yards. I determined after that I would have a scope on my hunting rifle, as our season runs late here in Alabama, and the deer at the end of January move at dawn and dusk. I didn't want to pass on that doe, but I didn't want to loose her in the brush at dark either. The coyotes would have been appreciative, I would have hurt for a long time. Last year, at the end of the season I shot a spike that was within 60 feet of where that doe stood 2 1/2 years ago. I was in a stand, with a scoped 45-70 Handi, shot was 25-30 yards max. Had it been 15 minutes later, even with the scope I would not have been able to see the deer.
I hunt thick hardwwod creek bottoms choked with brush and pine stands with think undergrowth. 75 to 100 yards is not only a max range, it is a chance of a lifetime range. Most shots in such conditions are measured in feet, not yards.
Such were the conditions where my friend died, and such are the conditions where I read of many people being shot. I am not in anyway against what might be called tricky shots, just please, please, please, please, please, please be sure of what it is you are shooting at. It absolutely infuriates me when I read of someone being shot while they are wearing orange :eek: Some people don't belong inthe woods and obvioulsy hunter saftey courses dont' weed out all the undesirable, deadly behavior.
So far as I am concerned there is no such thing as an accidental shooting when hunting. When the trigger is deliberatly pulled, the intent was that something would die. Such it is in life, for all things to live, something must die. Just be sure that what dies is what you intend to die and that you are able to recover the quarry. What we shoot doesn't have a choice in the matter, I'm sure if it did, it wouldn't choose to die. Would you? That is why we must be doubly responsible when we pull the trigger.
OK I'm of my soapbox now, Thanks for listening. John
