Teen Killed in Hunting Accident

[chase]

These are some rules that many go by and are tought pretty religiously for a reason. Me personally, I don't believe there is such as thing as gun accidents. Stupidity is not an accident.

Rule 1. Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction
Rule 2. Always keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.
Rule 3. Always keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
Rule 4. Always make sure of your target and backstop.

Cougfan2- I think that would be a great law for minors to wear safety orange. They have to go through their hunting safety course, might as well teach them to wear hunter orange also.

 

[Platt05]

I just don't understand "taking random shots at game". Even if it were an elk does that mean that the guy is happy taking a gut shot or blowing off the face of an elk. Just plain stupid. Very sad, hopefully the news reporting on this will cause some people to not take random blind shots.

 

[Cougfan2]

Here's the text of a letter I just e-mailed to Senator Bruce Starr, Oregon 15th district.

Dear Senator Starr,

I had left a phone message for your earlier today, but I thought it might be easier for you to respond to e-mail. I read with great sadness today an article on www.koin.com on the internet regarding a 15 year old boy that was accidentally shot and killed this last weekend while hunting Elk with his family. Details of the article said his Uncle accidentally shot him when he saw movement in the brush and shot thinking the movement was an Elk. The young boy was wearing camo hunting clothing at the time.

While nothing excuses the actions of his uncle for shooting without clearly identifying his target or what was behind it, this boy might, and I emphasize might, be alive today if he had been wearing hunter orange. I can't imagine the guilt that this boy's Uncle will have to live with for the rest of his life or the families grief. This is a true tragedy, but one that might have been avoided.

While ODFW strongly suggest wearing hunter orange, it does not mandate it. Deer and Elk see in black and white and there are many good hunter orange camo pattern clothes and vests readily available for a relatively small amount of money.

I grew up hunting in the Midwest in Kansas and Minnesota where hunter orange is mandatory during big game firearms season even if you are hunting upland or other game.

I am genarally for keeping the government out of peoples personal lives and endeavors as much as possible, but this is such a simple solution that could save lives that anyone could support no matter what side of the political spectrum you are on.

I would be happy to do some leg work for you and obtain the specific regulations enforced on Kansas and Minnesota to help get a working draft of proposed legislation started for the Oregon 2010 legislative session.

I know you have many important issues that you are working on for all Oregonians, but I think this is something the entire legislature could get behind.

Let you know if you are interested in pursuing this. I look forward to hearing from you.

Respectfully Submitted,


I'll share any response I get.

 

[eriknemily]

Thanks cougfan. Look forward to his reply to your email.

 

[doobee8]

Excellent letter! I do still feel limiting the scope to minors, who may in-turn become safer adults who wear orange, would be an easier way to start. Please be sure to discuss this option with him if and when you get a response as there may be some resistance to mandating ALL hunters. Just my two bits. Thanks for your efforts!

 

[Cougfan2]

Excellent letter! I do still feel limiting the scope to minors, who may in-turn become safer adults who wear orange, would be an easier way to start. Please be sure to discuss this option with him if and when you get a response as there may be some resistance to mandating ALL hunters. Just my two bits. Thanks for your efforts!

If given the chance, I intend to, but no piece of proposed legislation ever survives intact. I figure start it out with requiring Blaze Orange for everyone and concede to requiring it for minors only if it gets the bill passed. I've been in sales for 30+ years and know that you always ask for more than you are willing to settle for. It's no different in Salem.

 

[Ian1816]

Well done Cougfan! I applaud your efforts.

 

[clearconscience]

I agree with most of you, this guy should lose his hunting rights for life.
And hopefully some good can come from this. USE ORANGE HUNGTIN GEAR AND KNOW AHT YOUR SHOOTING AT!!
I haven't hunted in years and to be honest this is large reason for it. It may not have been his nephew, maybe someone else hunting, maybe it was a deer and your hunting for elk. It's just stupid, stupid, stupid to shoot at ANYTHING without being DEAD positive what your shooting at and what's beyond it.
This seems to happen to often. It's an easy fix, and people continue to do it. I makes me furious.
I can't even imagine why you would ever! Shoot at something when you can't see it clearly, and positively identify it.
This not only ended a kids life, but is going to ruin the rest of this family.

Look for uncle being in the news for suicide next.

That would be my only option.

 

[Cougfan2]

Look for uncle being in the news for suicide next.

While I understand your sentiment, I would hope something more positive comes out of this for everybody's sake.

 

[clearconscience]

Of course I wasn't saying he should commit suicide. There's never a reason for that.
He could do a lot of people good by speaking out in hunters safety courses, schools, etc. about the risks in hunting and not wearing safety clothing or shooting when not extremely positive what your target is.

I don't know if I would be able to live with this.
But I certainly hope this uncle can be forgiven by his family and he can use this tragic event as a story to help save others.

Oh and I guess I do wish all the murder-suicide people would just commit suicide and not murder others before shooting themselves.
Had to throw that in.

 

[shibbershabber]

This was no accident... pure negligence. period.

Orange for minors is a good idea, I dont think that it would take much effort to put it into law. Optional for adults of course.

He should lose his hunting privilege permanantly. Since he negligently murdered someone, I think he should be punished. He should be required to perform community service in the form of speaking at hunter education classes, possibly accompanied by graphic photos. Sort of a 'scared straight' lesson for hunters. Not only could to kill an animal you are not tagged for, but you could kill someone.

 

[coyote223]

I don't know about the whole, forcing everyone to wear orange thing.



The problem here is a trigger happy hunter with absolutely no common sense.

1. You buy a tag that is specific to the species your hunting.

2. Usually it's specific to the sex of the species also.

You can't just shoot at something that moves in the bushes. You have to I.D. what your shooting at, what's beyond it, and attempt to make a humane kill. Hunter Orange or not, the guy broke all the rules of hunting. So yes, he was negligent IMO. Really sad that things like this happen so often. Makes us all look like a bunch of trigger happy idiots. :angry:

 

[Ian1816]

I think if wearing orange can save even just one child's life than it is worth it.

But the article I rad stated "The boy was wearing camouflage clothing". Isnt it possible that it was blaze orange camouflage?

 

[Cougfan2]

I think if wearing orange can save even just one child's life than it is worth it.

But the article I rad stated "The boy was wearing camouflage clothing". Isnt it possible that it was blaze orange camouflage?

If he was, that makes the Uncle more of an idiot and this incident much more tragic, but I think that would have been reported. If you have other information, please share it with us.

And to those who say, "It's OK for minors, but give us the choice as adults", I have to say "Fine, but don't come complaining when it is an adult and something like this happens.".

As I said in my earlier post, for those of you who apparently didn't read it, I think it would be wise to introduce the proposed legislation as requiring Blaze Orange for everyone and use requiring it only for minors as a fall back position, but for those of you who oppose it for everyone, what's your problem?

As I said in the letter that I sent to Senator Starr, I am against further intrusion in our lives by Govt. Unfortunately, there are some people out there who are just stupid! Can we control them; probably not? Should we pass laws to hold them accountable for their stupid actions; yes, but we also need to protect the innocent from idiots if possible.

I know some you on this forum will disagree with me and that's the beauty of this forum. If you have a better idea, post your letter to your legislator.

 

[augfan]

Orange hasnt got squat to do with anything, People should be held accountable for their actions.

 

[coyote223]

As I said in my earlier post, for those of you who apparently didn't read it, I think it would be wise to introduce the proposed legislation as requiring Blaze Orange for everyone and use requiring it only for minors as a fall back position, but for those of you who oppose it for everyone, what's your problem?

As I said in the letter that I sent to Senator Starr, I am against further intrusion in our lives by Govt. Unfortunately, there are some people out there who are just stupid! Can we control them; probably not? Should we pass laws to hold them accountable for their stupid actions; yes, but we also need to protect the innocent from idiots if possible.

I know some you on this forum will disagree with me and that's the beauty of this forum. If you have a better idea, post your letter to your legislator.

There is your answer in red.

 

[el gringo loco]

This was no accident... pure negligence. period.

I agree completely. I know that people on this forum don't like further government intrusion in their lives...but, I would be all for the four cardinal safety rules of firearms being somehow written into the criminal code. For this case, I hope this guy does time for Manslaughter.

I am also for requiring everyone to wear orange...

...All of the time....

...I also absolutely hate the Ducks.

 

[Cougfan2]

There is your answer in red.

Read it in it's entire context. If you disagree, OK.

 

[Cougfan2]

I got a phone call from Senator Bruce Starr on this issue and he is willing to work on it. His first question is what kind of support did he think we would have from the various hunting organizations in the state. I told him about his forum and th response here. Also made sure to state, as many of you have said here, that there seems to be much consensus on requiring hunter orange for minors, but not making it mandatory for adults.

I have contact info for the Hunter Education Coordinator for ODFW and will see about enlisting his help. Does anybody have any relationship or a good contact at the Oregon Hunters Association that might be interested in getting behind this? Any other organizations? This will not happen quickly. Senator Starr said if would be probably the 2011 legislative session before any thing could be introduced which would mean they would want a draft by Sept. or Oct. 2010. I am willing to work on this, but could use some help if anyone is interested.

 

[nhuman]

I Have two eight year old girls and would like to feel safe enough to take them hunting someday. I would support this law.

Orange on MINORS!!!

(of course if I ever did take them out they would Have so much Orange on they would look like day glo pumpkins!)