How safe is public land/public highway's/public resturants food it's all relative, We are as safe in most case's as we set ourselve's up to be. If you do your homework and use common sense you will probably have a great time and when you learn to use the other hunters to your advantage you will be very successfull. the death rate is extremely low compared to how many hunters there are in the field and if you take into account the number of deaths that are self inflicted the # goes way down. you are at greater risk getting to the woods and coming home than when you are actually hunting.these stories of 17 hunters within 120yds and 7 miles to walk out to hitchhike home are what folklore is made of, I hunted the most populess (sp) state with a terrible reputation for overcrowding for 35 yrs (NEW YORK) and never came close to seeing anything like that fella in missouri described. Seem's like somebody may have gotten discouraged and needed an excuse.