"Something moved...and he fired."
 

From the Wichita Eagle, Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2004

"Dalton Baty loved to tease and play pranks, and that may have cost the 11-year-old boy his life. Dalton was accidentally shot by his brother, 13, early Sunday evening as they hunted for deer on their grandmother's land a mile east of Elk Falls in Elk County. He was declared dead at the scene.

[link]http://www.kansas.com/mld/eagle/10356652.htm[/link]

Damn it.

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

Thats terrible. I have an 11 y/o daughter and can't imagine how I would feel if something happened to her, especially in a situation such as this one. Sounds like a lack of adult supervision or hunting safety training. I took my daughter hunting with me once this year and I was constantly telling her about safety. I dont know how many times I had to tell her to walk behind me or next to me.
Y'all keep a close eye on your kids and drill safety,safety,safety into their heads.

Steve

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

I can't express enough the importance of hunter education courses. I'm glad here you have to pass the course to get a license. Is the same requirement nationwide? Unfortunately if you don't continue that education at home and teach your kids to be safe hunters then these things can happen. I hope we don't hear about any more tragedies like this.

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

Wow, What a tragedy. My heart goes out to all those involved.

I'm a bit suprised to see the age when children can hunt alone is 14. In Maine it's 16 and although only a two year diffrence in age IMO it a world of diffrence in maturity. Hunters safty is a great program. Drill it in their heads while they're young and they'll take it with them a lifetime.

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

OH MY

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

Not good!!!!! This is very sad.

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

That is very sad, it sounds like that they were under adult supervison and someone will get a ticket. I can not wait for my son to go with me but I will make sure that he looked after and he knows and passes the hunter safety corse.

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

That's very sad.
Shows the importance of getting your Orange Card, or hunter education training.
Bless that kid.

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

Really Really sad. . . .Just kills me that this poor boys parents thought it was OK to let a 13 year old hunt with even younger playmates running with him.

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

Thats terrible [:o]

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

How awful, My prayers are with all involved.
We as hunters can't stress safety enough. Be active...whether its working with a local hunter safety program or intervening with someones personal business if you know they allow youngsters to hunt alone. Heck if the neighborhood kids are mishandling BB guns get involved and be heard. No sense in letting bad habits form at early ages. Bad enough that movies and video games highlight shoot-outs which is different than a hunting accident but still shows our youth a fuzzy line when it comes to firearm safety.
Again My prayers are with all.

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

That really breaks my hart to here something like that. My hart go`s out to that family.

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

this is an awful event, but hunter education or not, where are the parents. In NH 11 year old cant hunt with an adult with them. maybe there should be that law where ever this happened. I am a fneral direct and my heart goes out to their families:(

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

i cant imagine how that must feel

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

Wow this is too bad. I had been told the first time i even picked up a BB to always ID what i was shooting at. I think this situation involves a lack of parental involvement. Sure, hunters safety could have helped. But if the parent was respsonible, they wouldnt let their kid be out with a couple of 5th graders deer hunting. There wasn't a whole lot i learned in hunters safety to tell the truth. my dad taught me all of it before i could deer and turkey hunt. his dad did the same. thats way i think our group has never had an accident. hunters safety has helped a ton, but therse just some things that hunters safety can't do, like babysit immature kids that should not be out in teh woods alone, much less with other younger kids.


slayer

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

I hope that that young man has a strong family and friend network. He's going to need all the support imaginable. I can't fathom carrying that weight around myself. Prayers are in order for the entire family.

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

I got a chill from just seeing the subject before I even read Todd's account. This is tragic and must be horrible on the family. My prayers are with them.

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

I'm not the "crying" type of guy but that article brought tears to my eyes and a lump in my throat. That's a darn shame but bringing charges against these folks isn't going to do anything. Living with the tragedy is punishment enough :(

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

THat is sad, really sad. IMO kids shouldnt rifle hunt till they are 14.especially by themselves.

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

Sad. There are always what if's. Do you think he would have shot if a more seasoned hunter was there ? Even if something moves most guys I know make sure of what it is before they shoot. Someone should have been right next to that kid while he was hunting. Cant blame the child , he is going to have it rough knowing he killed his brother. My prayers go out to the family.

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

Obviously this kid wasn't paying attention when he took his hunting safety course ,or he would have learned that you don't shoot at what you can't identify.The same thing happened in Nov here in Ontario about 20 miles from me, and this guy was in there 60's and he shot a guy who was 76 . He shot at movement just at daybreak or maybe slightly before daybreak,there's no need for these type of accident's .

nubo

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

I know of two other cases where one brother killed the other while hunting. One was a duck hunting accident when a shotgun went off striking the brother. The other was a bow hunting accident that sound much like this one. One brother shot at a noise in the brush and killed his brother. Niether of the surviving boys will ever be the same again and the trajedy will live on forever. You just don't fire until you are triple positive of your target and the background. I pray for the lords help for the family.

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

Where was dad? This is beyond words. It is too late to lay blame but young hunters can not be given free reign with a firearm. My heart goes out to the boy who made the shot.
I won't sleep peacefully tonight.

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

thats truly sad!

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

we must teach these kids
NO DEER IS WORTH A HUMAN LIFE- make sure of your target

charges wont bring him back,thats like locking the gate after the horse is gone-the family has suffered enough

I pray GOD brings peace to this family

I didnt allow my son to hunt until he was 15 because he just wasnt ready yet- not careful enough
and even tho he hated me for it --it was the RIGHT decision at 19 he hunts with care and safety
and respect

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

Thats sad. Whenever i walk up to someone like my uncle i cough or make a kind of noise that he can hear and know it isnt a deer but nothing that is too loud.



Tim

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

Hunter safety is what ten hours long? How about teaching kids about gun safety from the first time they see one. It's our job to teach our kids about gun safety and the woods not the states. My son could have passed his hunters safety test the minute he walked in to the class.If you don't teach a kid every time he out in the woods about gun safety how effective is a hunter ed course going to be?

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

Sad sorry sounds like they needed an adult with them.

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

I really hate to hear about things like this. My heart goes out to the family. As others have said, hunters ed is a good thing, but it isn't nearly enough. I started hunting with a rifle (on stand by myself) at age 9, while many will argue that's too young, I assure you my 'Ole man had put me through the ringer with gun safety from the time I could talk and understand what was being told to me. He has a way of making sure you know EXACTLY what he expects. I knew not to touch a gun unless told to do so, and I also knew the penalty for messing up. My dad trusted me more than any other hunting buddy he had. That was in part due to my maturity when handling firearms and knowing the penalty for messing up. I passed up a lot of deer because of not knowing what was beyond the target. If my dad hadn't drilled me so hard on safety, I may have shot my cousin when my thumb slipped off the hammer of my 30-30. That event shook me up so bad, I didn't go hunting that day. The point I'm trying to make is, we as hunters have to make sure those we bring into the sport realize the responsibilty that comes along with it. We must take the responsibility to correct anything we see being done wrong by fellow hunters and not turn a blind eye in fear of making someone mad. (Like the hunting buddy that carries a gun off safe) I'd much rather they be mad at me than have to be attending a funeral especially my own.

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

Ummm...it MAY have cost his life?? WTF??

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

I am the 15 year old sister of Dalton Baty, the one who was shot, and also the one who shot him. I would like everyone to know, that we all grew up around firearms, my whole life I have been around hunting,fishing, guns, and everything else. We all knew to not just shoot at something, but Briar did and he is having to pay for that in his own way. Also, my dad was no where around, and I place the blame on him, because they were too young to be out there alone. Also, Dalton was not out hunting with them at the time, he was sent out to look for them after dark.. So, the father and his girlfriend, sent a TEN year old boy out to look for two other minors who had loaded guns in the dark. Another thing..Dalton was 10 not 11..........

Jessica Baty

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

thanks for clearing that up jessica- our thoughts and prayers are with all of you..

carry him in your heart -not on your shoulders

and may God bring peace to your family

are you ok? need to talk? we do care!

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

I think I'm okay, but thanks for asking. I just wanted everyone to know his age, and that Briar wasn't an amature hunter and everything. My dad should have been with them, and never should have sent a 10 year old to look for his brother who had a loaded gun, that is neglect. The father doesnt even follow the rules himself, and tried to tell me that you can hunt how ever you want as long as you dont get caught, so all around my dad is who I blame. I know it is too late to blame, but it isn't too late to help Briar out. Also, to...SMOKSTER.. that was my dad's mom who said that the pranks Dalton played cost him his life...Well, we all KNEW not to play around loaded guns.. and Dalton doesn't play that many pranks.. He was a normal 10 year old who goofed around, it wasn't his pranks that may have cost him his life.. it was his father who sent him out lookin for two MINORS with loaded guns after dark without any supervision.

Jessica Baty

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

jessica i am sure your dad feels terrible about it and i understand you being upset with him, how is your brother briar doing?

is he getting any counseling?
can your family afford it?

tell us we are here to help!

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

I wish I could say that my dad feels terrible, but he is blaming it on Briar, and he told me that Dalton's dead soo just move on with it.. He is constantly blaming it on Briar.. and Briar isn't doing so well.. He wont talk to anyone, he's pretty much played it off like it didnt' happen... At first he wanted to talk to my dad about it, but my dad would just say that he didn't have a right to talk about it because he was the one who killed him.. My dad has always been like that.. He gave up all rights to me and my little sister when we moved in with my mom.. and he called Dalton a fag all the time.. and still tells Briar he is stupid ... So, my dad (as a dad) probably feels a little bit of sadness b/c he did lose a son.. but he is a jerk.. and doesnt really care about anything and wont help Briar threw this. And see, I'm not really upset with him because of the death, I'm upset with him because he isn't helping Briar out and briar needs it.. Dalton is no longer here, and I cant change that.. but Briar is.. and he is hurt more...
Jessie

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

OH, and yes.. We are getting counseling.. Dad is only taking Briar everynow and then.. btu he is telling him not to say anything to them.. so he isn't gettin any help/....lol and yeah.. we can afford counseling

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

oh man- give me a second here jessica:(

what do you think will help
your brother?

do you think mom will try for custody now?

maybe i am wrong but i think briar needs to get out of there!!
i dont see any good come from him staying with his dad at this point in time
if dads telling him not to say anything

briars acting as if nothing happened is just a safety mechanism built into all of us to keep one from losing it at that moment- he will be like that till HE is ready to deal with it.


come on guys respond am i wrong?

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

Yes, I think that my dad losing custody of Briar and him movin here will help alot.. I mean, where they live right now, is right infront of where Dalton was shot. That is another major factor that could be influencing Briar.. I mean, he used to tell me everythign..and now all he tells me is he doesn't wanna leave dad b/c he's all dad has.. and when I lived with my dad.. He told me that if I left he would kill himself.. but when I left he just doesn't want ne thing to do with me and calls me and my 12 year old sister a slut.. So, shows how much he wanted us.. But now he's doing that with Briar.. and Briar doesn't wanna leave dad b/c he knows inside of him that with Dalton being gone.. there is really no one else for dad.... Dad used to go to the Elk Falls bridge and say he would jump if we left him.. but I moved in with mom b/c Dad was and is abusive also.. He doesn't deserve to have Briar.. He wouldn't even let Dalton come and see us.. and now he's gone forever.. I dont want that to happen to Briar.. and I'm scared that if dad doesn't get him help he could turn suicidal.. and then I'll lose another brother!..I'm sure you've read the articles about the death, and I believe that is was neglect.. and having all the other stuff in the path.. this should open up a doorway to get BRiar away from my dad
JEssie

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

jess- been down that road of suicide myself -your dad needs help, hard to believe someone smart as you can have such a bad father-maybe thats how you got that way

tell briar from me that dad is not going to commit suicide if he leaves- its a ploy for attention
and believe it or not your dad does feel the loss of his son and doesnt know how -or want to deal with it.
some people never take responsibility for their own actions - its always someone elses fault

if there is ANYTHING i can do let me know
Gods peace to you and yours
sam

RE: "Something moved...and he fired."
 

Prayers go out to you. I've been to you Elk Falls a few times, I live just on the other side of the state. Seems I along with a lot of my buddies started out hunting way before the ages of 10. In towns like that there isn't a lot to do except hunt and fish. Sounds like a bad accident that rather than somebody goofing off. A bad deal all around, not sure what else to say. Let us know if you need to talk to someone or if we can help in any way.