MidwestMatthew

Yes, I know the number of hunting accidents is small. My state hasn't had a "stray shot" incident in several years. But still, opening morning sounds like a war zone. That's a lot of heavy shotgun slugs flying around, and going by how quickly some of the guys empty their guns, I assume at least some of the shots are not chosen carefully. Not to mention there's always the guy who's ready to "shoot at movement," and I've seen firsthand how much sooner you can see "movement" than blaze orange in the woods.

Plus, I just read another forum thread where guys were talking about the times they heard bullets whiz by or, in some cases, had them hit the ground or trees within a couple feet of them. That's pretty scary stuff!

I plan to be out in the woods anyway this opening morning, but I always have a little uneasy feeling in the back of my mind once the guns start to go off. The chance may be small, but the consequences are kind of big, right?

So anyway: Do you feel safe in the woods on opening morning for firearms? Or am I alone in having that little twinge of concern?

Valentine

I've hunted over the eastern U.S. Went through the opening day in PA's one million hunter day. Saw a big shoot-up in New York state, not too far from NYC. Saw no one else in a 3000 acre. opening day deer hunt, in a southern state, on public land.
Many times I avoided hunters by going deep. Too many hunters go shallow. Saw some six hunters ready to enter the woods. Took the vehicle up the road about a mile and crossed to the other side of the road. The original location was going to be too crowded. Saw no one else the rest o the day.
Think it's gotten a little crazier. Lot of hunters are using tree stands, in close within a few hundred yards from a trail or road. Too many hunters get lost easily and set the stands, one upon the other. Lack of exercise and the overweight status of many, isn't helping. Crowded areas, mean closer and unwarranted shots.
And if you get lost easily, you aren't helping you hunting
Saw a hunter approach me in deep on an opening day. He was lost, moving opposite direction from his vehicle. That's how he found me. I was in deep and was he lost. Pays usually to be in deep, away from hunters.

Champlain Islander

I am always cautious and try to stay away from others and always wear hunter orange.

CalHunter

I've been hunting on a private ranch surrounded by other private ranches this year so haven't had to worry about it.

uncle matt

Do you feel safe in the woods on opening morning for firearms?

To answer your question, yes I feel safe (where i have been hunting opening day).

BarnesX.308

I always feel safe. The amount of tree in our area, it would be a miracle for a bullet to go 50 yards in a straight line anyway.

I do know a guy who was shot, though. He was hunting on a prison property during one of their hunts. They had a lottery draw to get permission to hunt the prison grounds. I think there were a lot of people. He was shot through one thigh and half way through the other with a 12ga slug.

flags

Having survived 9 combat deployments to the Middle East I don't find myself worrying about stopping a bullet on opening day. The odds of that are so remote I think anyone worrying about that should just stay inside and hide in the closet.

TN Lone Wolf

Yes, I feel 100% safe. In fact, I feel even safer than when not hunting because if one of the other far more common accidents befalls me (falling, cutting myself accidentally, etc), I'll have a firearm with me that I can use to signal my family members who are hunting elsewhere on the property.

vapahunter

Where I hunt on opening day I feel safe. It is with a hunt club who are very safety conscience and spend time each morning going over safety rules and rules of the club before putting out standers. We have yet to have anyone shot in over 25 years.

buffybr

Most of my almost 50 years of hunting opening days were on public lands in Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming. Even though a few of those mornings sounded like a Action Pistol match at our local range, I never did not feel safe.


As for the mandatory wearing of "hunter orange", I would rather be in full camo.