Do you feel safe in the woods on firearms opening day?
11-11-2016, 03:48 PM
#11
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 2,743
I am one of them that has had bullets land close to me on public land, and that was something you never forget
I also was hunting once in SE PA, on a first time ever hunting the place, went in in the dark, before everyone, counting on them pushing deer into me
come first light it was like a Black Friday sale at a popular store, never seen SO many hunters in one area, I swear there was a guy about every 150 yrs posted looking at each other, and this was in a SEMI auto slug gun area, and BUCK OR DOE at same time(long before its a common way as it is now in PA)
I sat at the base of a BIG old tree, feeling the tree would stop some possible slugs from at least one direction, I was in orange head to toe
a deer got shot at not far from me and it was like a an invasion, in about 30 seconds about a 100 rounds went off
I was Highly worried I might get shot , and I don't scare easily!
I decided to get my a$$ off the ground and up in a tree, as the big old tree by me, ws easy to climb, unloaded gun, used drag rope to pull up, and I got air born as high as I could
I Honestly was worried about walking out and getting shot, thus why I went UP a tree
a couple hrs later, I seen a group of guy doing a drive(I could see FAR from my perch)
was about 7 guys lined up all with semi auto shotguns
I only had a doe tag, a small 6 point buck like a dummy walked out, below me, he was actually watching the drivers go by, and they pasted him, I held my breath too, as line of fire at him would have been in my way!
for what ever reason I have NO idea why, as they passed me/and the deer, that deer decided to follow them a little, and for even more unknown reason the last guy nearest me, turned around and see the DEER, he started running at the deer shooting first shot from the hip, second at about mid way to his shoulder and then emptied his gun at the deer, which he happened to hit? and kill!
and again, the deer was between hunter and ME, only I was UP a tree!!
he got to the deer, reload and shot it one more time, it was DEAD, wasn't moving at all, but he still shot it,
was at about 40 yrds from e in clear view from my above ground perch!
he started yelling to his buddys, I GOT ONE< , over and over, and then after they got close he then started yelling IT even HAS HORNS!!
as the rest of his gang was walking towards him, another deer got up in some cover and ran from left to right past every guy, who every single one, emptied there gun at it as it ran past
I swear the last time I see that deer, its back legs were spinning like helicopter blades above its back, and NOT one guy went to look to see if they hit it!
I felt bad for the poor thing!
after they all got to the deer, they never even acknowledged I was there, yappying and carrying on for about an hr 30 yrds from me?
ruining MY hunt as far as I was concerned! but at this point I was just planning to wait till an hr after dark to walk out!
when it got dark out I climbed down and the TREE I was sitting against, had slug hit right where I was sitting!
SO, I am very thankful I got off the ground, and I never hunted there again
in 35+ yrs of hunting all over the USA and Canada, that was maybe the ONLY time I was worried about being in the woods!
the place I was hunting, was Nockamixon State Park in Bucks CO PA, back in the 90's
it was a ZOO of a place to hunt based on what I seen!
I also was hunting once in SE PA, on a first time ever hunting the place, went in in the dark, before everyone, counting on them pushing deer into me
come first light it was like a Black Friday sale at a popular store, never seen SO many hunters in one area, I swear there was a guy about every 150 yrs posted looking at each other, and this was in a SEMI auto slug gun area, and BUCK OR DOE at same time(long before its a common way as it is now in PA)
I sat at the base of a BIG old tree, feeling the tree would stop some possible slugs from at least one direction, I was in orange head to toe
a deer got shot at not far from me and it was like a an invasion, in about 30 seconds about a 100 rounds went off
I was Highly worried I might get shot , and I don't scare easily!
I decided to get my a$$ off the ground and up in a tree, as the big old tree by me, ws easy to climb, unloaded gun, used drag rope to pull up, and I got air born as high as I could
I Honestly was worried about walking out and getting shot, thus why I went UP a tree
a couple hrs later, I seen a group of guy doing a drive(I could see FAR from my perch)
was about 7 guys lined up all with semi auto shotguns
I only had a doe tag, a small 6 point buck like a dummy walked out, below me, he was actually watching the drivers go by, and they pasted him, I held my breath too, as line of fire at him would have been in my way!
for what ever reason I have NO idea why, as they passed me/and the deer, that deer decided to follow them a little, and for even more unknown reason the last guy nearest me, turned around and see the DEER, he started running at the deer shooting first shot from the hip, second at about mid way to his shoulder and then emptied his gun at the deer, which he happened to hit? and kill!
and again, the deer was between hunter and ME, only I was UP a tree!!
he got to the deer, reload and shot it one more time, it was DEAD, wasn't moving at all, but he still shot it,
was at about 40 yrds from e in clear view from my above ground perch!
he started yelling to his buddys, I GOT ONE< , over and over, and then after they got close he then started yelling IT even HAS HORNS!!
as the rest of his gang was walking towards him, another deer got up in some cover and ran from left to right past every guy, who every single one, emptied there gun at it as it ran past
I swear the last time I see that deer, its back legs were spinning like helicopter blades above its back, and NOT one guy went to look to see if they hit it!
I felt bad for the poor thing!
after they all got to the deer, they never even acknowledged I was there, yappying and carrying on for about an hr 30 yrds from me?
ruining MY hunt as far as I was concerned! but at this point I was just planning to wait till an hr after dark to walk out!
when it got dark out I climbed down and the TREE I was sitting against, had slug hit right where I was sitting!
SO, I am very thankful I got off the ground, and I never hunted there again
in 35+ yrs of hunting all over the USA and Canada, that was maybe the ONLY time I was worried about being in the woods!
the place I was hunting, was Nockamixon State Park in Bucks CO PA, back in the 90's
it was a ZOO of a place to hunt based on what I seen!
11-11-2016, 08:56 PM
#12
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 9,230
...Edited by Champlain Islander...
Last edited by Champlain Islander; 11-12-2016 at 02:30 PM. Reason: comment not needed.....
11-12-2016, 04:54 AM
#14
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: MICHIGAN
Posts: 2,568
I simply stay away from any public land on opening day of fire arm deer season here in Michigan. I have seen the parking lots full and cars and trucks parked in the ditch of a 40 acre plot first hand. At my UP deer camp I have see 9 other hunters in 14 years and I don't ever remember one being seen opening day. I wear all camo except my state required hat. Same thing hunting at home in the lower I stay on my private property fully posted every 5 feet with 4 types of signs. Always spend the day in my raised blinds so am not at ground level.
Recent killings here during deer season have been a father had loaded his model 94 Winchester Racked one in the chamber and let his thumb slip off the hammer while the rifle was pointing at his son. Another was a guy in a valley and saw movement up the hill, was squirrel hunting not deer hunting killed a kid playing in his fort with other neighbor kids. Thought the kid was a squirrel. Another a wife hubby and brother were road hunting illegal in Michigan, sister was swinging the rifle around in the back seat to shoot out a different window and shot brother thru the seat.
One of our neighbor ladies about killed one of her kids. Loaded a win 94 in the kitchen and the rifle pointing at the ceiling and let her thumb slip also and shot thru the ceiling just missing a couple kids in the bed up stairs.
Those were just from last year.
Al
Recent killings here during deer season have been a father had loaded his model 94 Winchester Racked one in the chamber and let his thumb slip off the hammer while the rifle was pointing at his son. Another was a guy in a valley and saw movement up the hill, was squirrel hunting not deer hunting killed a kid playing in his fort with other neighbor kids. Thought the kid was a squirrel. Another a wife hubby and brother were road hunting illegal in Michigan, sister was swinging the rifle around in the back seat to shoot out a different window and shot brother thru the seat.
One of our neighbor ladies about killed one of her kids. Loaded a win 94 in the kitchen and the rifle pointing at the ceiling and let her thumb slip also and shot thru the ceiling just missing a couple kids in the bed up stairs.
Those were just from last year.
Al
11-12-2016, 02:21 PM
#15
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: On an Island in Vermont
Posts: 22,580
Just got home from our opener. I spent all day in my climber on public land here in the Champlain Islands. Normally I am a still hunter and always migrate towards the big woods and vast swamps of Northeastern Vermont but since I am 8 weeks out from a double bypass I decided to hunt here in the small woods of the Islands. I saw 4 doe, a spike and a marginal legal 3 point. I had a great day with decent weather and plan to go again tomorrow. I saw 5 other hunters and 4 were all in camo and one idiot actually had a white backpack. The only one of the hunters with orange was someone's girlfriend who was covered in orange tagging along while her boyfriend with the rifle wore camo. In days of old I always wore Vermont (Johnson Woolen mills) green top and bottom but now always have on an orange hat and vest. It is a different time now and I feel I need to use all the caution I can. In the "old days" hunters were taught by family members most of which had great ethics and were mostly concentrated on filling the freezer or canned shelves.
Last edited by Champlain Islander; 11-12-2016 at 02:34 PM.
11-12-2016, 05:11 PM
#18
Fork Horn
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Maine & northern FloRida
Posts: 195
Do I feel safe, yes. Do I take different precautions than I did in the 70's yes. I walk in an hour before legal shooting using a red headlamp. I sit 25' min height in my treestand. I do not get down till afternoon.
I feel safer opening day than I do the last hour of the last day of the season. Some hunters purchase their one box of bullets and must believe they will go bad prior to the next season.
I feel safer opening day than I do the last hour of the last day of the season. Some hunters purchase their one box of bullets and must believe they will go bad prior to the next season.
11-13-2016, 01:01 AM
#19
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: VA.
Posts: 1,415
I feel quite safe. This will be my 19th yr. hunting my main public property and I generally know the travel routes hunters typically take and where the majority park. I get there before most, exit the woods after most, use my light, wear plenty of blaze and for the most part, hunt away from them. I typically stay put when reaching my pre-selected location. I pay close attention to other hunters that may approach/passbye, and make them aware of my presence if necessary.
Last edited by Game Stalker; 11-13-2016 at 01:20 AM.
