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From: emory!Dixie.Com!jgd@gatech.edu (John G. DeArmond)
Newsgroups: rec.hunting
Subject: Re: Hunting "Accidents"
Message-ID: <1991Jun3.092243.13558@doug.cae.wisc.edu>
Date: 3 Jun 91 14:22:42 GMT
References: <1991Jun1.105510.3415@doug.cae.wisc.edu>
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jholand%peruvian@hellgate.utah.edu (John Holand) writes:

>You said that you are upset with the requirement since it
>is your opiion that a good hunter wouldn't shoot a human.
>Well that is rather the point that there are plenty of hunters
>that are not 'good' hunters. The young ppl learning, the city 
>slickers trying the sport. If we expected that all hunters in 
>the field are 'good' then none of use would ever get to hunt
>because we all start off as novice hunters and gain knowledge 
>and wisdom to hunt safely with experience.

Sorry, I don't buy it.  Putting a deadly weapon in the hands of someone
not capable of using said weapon safely is at best negligent and at worst,
assisting in a homicide.  I wear blaze orange when I'm in the woods
to help protect myself from the drunk Rambos but I can't legitimize 
poor hunting practices by saying that I support the use of Blaze.

Let me suggest a revolutionary training technique for new/young hunters.
This is the technique my father used to teach me proper hunting techniques
but I've never seen  mention of it elsewhere.

The concept is simple.  Make the neophyte hunt with an EMPTY weapon until
he/she proves himself capable of handling a weapon, properly identifying
the target and properly firing.  The neophyte still goes through the
same motions of stalking, identifying the target, assessing the shot,
aiming and squeezing the shot off - only all he gets is a *click*.
Meanwhile the instructor can observe all aspects of the process AND be able
to give low key corrective instructions (no ear plugs, remember).  Once
the proper techniques are mastered and after flinching, buck fevor and
other ills are cured, then and only then is live fire allowed.

Not only does this teach proper hunting technique, it teaches the neophyte
that it's not the end of the world if he does  not drop every damn deer
he sees.  He learns that it's OK for one to get away - At first because
the gun's empty, later perhaps because he can't fully evaluate his
backstop or can't see all of the animal.

Even though I'm a gun rights activist and sometimes hunter, were I to
find myself on a jury evaluating a hunting "accident", I'm afraid the 
defendent would have a tough go of it.  I just don't see any excuses for
shooting someone in the woods.

John

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