Another death in Pa.
 

Another hunter was shot yesterday in Lancaster county. Shot around 6 am by another hunter shooting at what he thought was a deer. It was pitch black outside.Both hunters were tresspassing. I myself heard alot shooting this year before light near me. Getting scary.I even heard what sounded like machine gun fire one morning before dark.Probably only a couple hundred yards from me. I make sure when I approach my stand I am shining a BIG light.

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

Unbelievable, 6AM???????????? This is rediculous. I was out Saturday and on a neighbors property about 6 deer were running straight away from them. They were all armed with pump rifles. You should have heard all the shots, and they did not stop when the deer were on the horizon. I mean come on guys, let's think before we are shooting!! No deer no matter how big is worth killing someone for!!!

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

This guy in Lancaster was shot with a slug gun!!!!!
WOW, he never had a chance.

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

Hear it every year from the game-lands that border my hunting spot! I can get in stand and hear shots a good 30 minutes before shooting light! It is funny to listen to these guys, as you can tell when a group of deer busts out into a field. You will hear one guy un-load, then another, then another right down the line!

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

Too bad. I suffered from a gunshot wound this year, during the Junior/Senior hunting days, I was with my father, and grandfather wehn my 30-06 misfired, and it shot me right in the foot. I know what it's liek for these people and there families[&o]

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

It's just mind-blowing. The stupidity of some is amazing. [:o]

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

although i wouldn't want to be shot at all, ide sooner be hit with a slug than a high power rifle, i think you odds are better. ive shot deer in NY that have taken hits from 4 slugs, and nothing dramatic happened.
but as for the accidents. they will happen, i know how easy it is for your eyes to play tricks on you, esp when it is just starting to get light or getting dark, that is where it is the hunters responceablity to make sure of what he is shooting at, and know what is in the background.
as far as shooting yourself???? theres no reason for this what so ever, ive never seen a gun discharge by itself, at no time should that muzzle sweep you or another person. im willing to bet that you were walking with the tip of the muzzle rested on your foot, with your finger where it shouldn't of been. im sorry it happened, just remember the muzzle should always be pointed up, of strait out if front of you, UNLESS YOUR BEHIND SOMEONE. and never rested on your shoulder with the muzzle pointed back. guns dont misfire, hunters misfire guns.

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

is it me or are some people just idiots??? I hopethe guy that shot him gets the elecdtric chair......not for shooting the guy but for being a complete and total A-Hole

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

well you dont really know the things behind the accident, that is why they are called accidents, they can, do, and will happen. unless the guy shot was in plain view of the hunter, and not behind some brush or laurel. and the shooter knew he was there. then yes i would seek higher penalties. when someone walks into the woods and sees another hunter it is their responce ability to get out of range of that hunter, not just out of sight or just far enough in front of them that they can no longer see them. and its the hunter that is setting, responceability to shout stop when they see another hunter aproaching, have you ever done this, i doupt it, may of coughed or tried to make some noise. and orange isn't full proof. i had a guy set up with in 50yards of me on sat. and if i wouldn't of seen him walk in, i wouldn't of ever known he was there. and the only thing between us was a pine tree. i really had to look hard to see the orange threw the needles, In NY. he would of been in trouble, since they can hunt in Full Camo.

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

That is the #1 reason why I won't hunt here in Lancaster county, its crazy in the woods. I did it once and saw probably well over 25 hunters in less than 5 hours all in the same area. I heard lots and lots of shooting, but only saw one guy that scored a kill. I asked a lot of people if they saw or shot anything and they said no. I'd rather not hunt than hunt in the vicinity of slob hunters and risk being shot.

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

When I hunt rifle season I am only about 300 yards from my truck.
But it is almost straight down, I am holding on to trees as I go down to my spot.
I keep a huge tree to my back while hunting.
I have orange around several trees around me while hunting.

I don't see alot of deer those first 2 days, but I feel alot safer.

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

I don't see how anyone can classify this as an accident. It was 6AM! How could he possibly have checked his target AND BEYOND???!?!? If you step outside your house, fire a bullet up into the air, and it hits someone on the way down you are guilty of a crime and will be prosecuted. This guy is just as guilty IMO. Criminally negligent homicide at least.

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

Wait. I don't want to pick on you but how exactly did the gun misfire? Was the trigger touched or did the gun just magically go off?

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

If I recall shooting time on opening day in central Pa was 6;42AM, that's legal shooting time. I wont go in the woods on opening day in PA until it's light enough to be seen.....

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

Ron M.

Staying out of the woods during gun season until it's light enough to be seen is probably good advice everywhere, especially when the woods are crowded.

I always make sure I have a light on. I don't think ANYONE could say they thought I was a deer with a flashlight.

SteveFinMD

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

And was the safety on?

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

This past year i hunted where there are alot of meadows and they are the first spots you can see at the hint of light and well past sunset if its not cloudy out. These are the kind of areas i hear shooting going on way sooner then it should and way later then it should. The bordering horsefarm that im having a dispute with owner or hunting distance is allowing other people i dont know hunt behind horsefarm on my land and land that is not his to be allowing others to hunt. I dont know these other people and if they are "shoot at a shadow or movement" hunters that I dont know. I have asked him please dont let other hunters back there. They do not have land back there and it is not his land to let allow others to go back there to hunt please not let them go back there but he will not listen. I'll hunt with whoever in the woods as long as i know them and what kind of hunter they are. You take risks hunting and not knowing who else is out there and if they are responsible hunter or not. Its BS when a hunter is shot for any reason unless proved otherwise, especially getting shot in the dark.

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

So does anyone know how many people total have been killed in PA this year? I dont remember any last year. I thought things were getting better.....

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

I'm not sure of the number of accidents, seems like a lot this year.
Check the PGC website, www.pgc.state.pa.us

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

A simple search told me that PA had 4 fatalities in hunting season - and 57 reported hunting related shootings in PA for 2004

http://www.whtm.com/news/stories/1204/194069.html


I found a lot of information about shooting deaths in PA - but very little related to hunting. I could not verify the "6:00 am" shooting - who said that's what time the last hunting related shooting occured? - I couldn't find a link?

FH

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

I live in Lancaster.
The call to 911 was at 6:18 AM
The guy admitted to the shooting and said he thought it was a deer.

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

The total # was 5.This included a 12 yr old girl who died.This happened less than a mile from my house.

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

I disagree with you. When a hunter shoots another hunter it's not an accident, it's stupidity. Basics of hunting, make sure of your target and the impact area behind the target. How many deer have you seen walking across a open field on their hind legs wearing an orange vest? No, this was no accident. This was some idiot with a shotgun shooting at a target he cound not identify well before daybreak. [:@]

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

I agree with sniper 100%.

I honestly wish there was an aptitude test for hunters instead of just the hunter's safety exam.

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

Griz, Boy do I agree with you on that. But you know that an idiot like this would somehow get a license and still be out there shooting at anything that moves. Or, as in this case, this brain surgeon probably wouldn't even buy a license. What is needed is a mandatory jail sentence, hugh fine that goes to the family, like garnish his wages for say, 25 years and hunting priviledges revoked nationwide for that idiots lifetime. Just think about this, the guy sees movement, raises the shotgun, removes the safety, aims and then pulls the trigger. This is NOT a mistake, this intentional stupidity from a jerk with the IQ of a bag of hammers.[:@]

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

There is absolutely NO excuse possible for shooting another hunter you mistakenly thought was a deer........NONE.

How can someone even say anything so stupid??

Just say the truth........you shot at a noise or some movement........you had no idea what it was and were HOPING it was a deer.

To say that you mistakenly thought a grown man walking on 2 legs that is approx 6 feet tall was a deer is just plain idiotic.

I always want to ask these morons where exactly they were AIMING at that deer?? What could they possibly respond with?? What part of an adult man looks like the front shoulder of a deer?

Not to mention PA has antler restrictions......This genetic defect didn't even look close enough to get the species correct let alone see how many points the rack had.


Negligent homicide IMO.


The only true hunting accident involving shooting another hunter that I would even remotely consider would be a deer jumping up at a bad time during a drive and someone being careless.

Some guy got shot in NY last year taking a crap and the guy who shot him said he saw the white paper and thought it was a deer tail..........ARE YOU F'KING KIDDING ME????

I have taken numerous nervous dumps in the woods since hearing that story.

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

I've read the term slob hunter on this website several times. Obviously it's someone who is a careless, unethical hunter. Being new to the sport what should I look for if I come in contact with one of these slobs? Any distinguishing characteristics or sterotypes? That is if he hasn't shot me ahead of time.

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

Stronski That's a good question! I never gave it any thought. I guess that it could be just about anyone you meet in the woods. There are those that drink all weekend, tramps out in the woods about 9:00 and have no comprehension whats going on around them. Then you have the guys that didn't drink and still have no idea what going on around them. Just like driving your car. You change lanes and some jerk flies past you with his middle finger in the air and looking like a mad man. A terrific new safety item is the green penlight. It's very subtle and will not spook the deer, but is very visible to other hunters in the area. In rifle season I NEVER get in a tree stand. If the bullets start flying you have no where to seek cover. I clear the leaves around a BIG tree the day before the hunt. Then just settle in with my litte seat. If shooting sounds to be coming in my direction, just move to the back of the tree. As far as the nuts in the woods, well it seems there are more on the ground than on the trees.:D

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

this why i don't go in till light....just sad at it's worst....you can see deer when your walking in or stalking in should i say....it's much safer in my mind or alot of times i go in the afternoon....i work at night so i have the time to do so....i know i don't want to get shot............bob

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

Well, since everyone else has seemed to have lost sight of what I consider to be the #1 biggest violation, which I have personally witnessed on our property is TRESPASSING (and poaching). I have found 6 doe heads total in the last 2 springs when getting up there to turkey hunt, which were killed way after the season and after the thaw. Pretty easy to tell when their eyes haven't even rotted out yet. How can anyone feel sorry for some stupid bastard that feels he owns every inch of the woods or whatever. The kind folks in Clinton County (Shintown) seem to have the same mindset as these two when it comes to our property. I guess Private Property/ No Trespassing/ No Hunting signs mean nothing.

I also get such a big laugh from all you "PA" hunters when you claim all of these deer just run enmass to private property for all of the property owners to shoot. LOL Just for your info, our Whitetail migration hasn't happened on our property in the past 2 years. I seen 7 last year and only 2 this year, for a whopping total of nine does in 10 days of hunting. I guess the lowland creatures diverted the main body of the whitetail heard off it's normal migration pattern to some other private property.

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

not to make lite of the incident but:

what if the guy that got shot was bangin the shooters wife? if put in the same circumstances,,,id'a taken him huntin too

RE: Another death in Pa.
 

Where I hunted on opening day, I heard a shot at 6:10 AM. When I mentioned that in another post on this board, some guys (on this board)replied "well sure, we had a full moon and a cloudless sky", as if to rationalize it.