Know Your Target

[tripnchip]

This would be meant more for youngsters and as a reminder to us not so young.
  I was 13-14 at the time, me and three friends went rabbit hunting. We walked up the road we lived on for about three miles before going in the woods to a new area we just knew had to have rabbits in it.We left the road and went into the woods a half mile to pick up a swampy tagaldder area with intention of working our way back west back home. We spread out and started our great white bunny hunt confident we would hato go to the road soon because carrying all those rabbits would be to much work in the deep snow. The snow was about knee deep and we had been in the woods for a couple hours not seeing a rabbit track let alone a rabbit. What a bummer, how could four great bunny hunters be so wrong about a area.We hit a area that was full of taggalder and sma;; spruce when I spotted a rabbit jumping into a opening and then jump back out, I lined back up on the next opening and there he was but somthing didn't look rite so I waited hoping for a better shot. I waited watching the next opening hoping he would show up there with the 22 ready but not aiming. Sure enough he hoped into the opening but this time I could see my freinds leg sticking above what I had been thinking was a rabbit. He was wearing what we call bunnyboots then, they were a white felt boot the the military used for cold weather conditions back then.
  The first two times of the bunney sighting I either could not see his leg or I wnated to see a bunny so bad that anything white was a rabbit.
I shiver every time I think about how I almost shot my buddy and I feel so bad about it that to this day I have never told him. This is the first time I have shared it with anyone.
  Guys, gals and kids as we go out next fall to enjoy our great sport of hunting pleas make sure of what you are shooting at and where your friends are when you shoot. As bad as I have felt about comming close to shooting at if not shooting a freind, I can't imagine how those that have shot friens feel.Do not let your desire to see or take a rabbit deer or what ever take over your knowlege of having to know exactly what you are shooting at and where you will hit it and to the best of your knowledge where that bullet will hit if it goes beyound the target.
 Enjoy the outdoors and have a good and safe hunt.

[kenhuntin]

Thank you Trip,
  These stories cannot be repeated enough. Even if it is told for ten years and causes one person
 to hesitate that one little extra second.
   Who knows you may have just saved a life.
  I think I will take this opportunity to repeat it again
 MAKE SURE OF YOUR TARGET AND WHAT IS BEYOND IT.

[Duckslayer]

Another good point is a to ALWAYS go where you say you are and stay there.  Was out duck hunting once and my buddy said he was going to a point on my right.  Then some birds were coming in from the right and he did not shoot.  I figured he must have been sleeping or missed them.  Once they got past where he was I started shooting.  Well when they go off to my left as I was tracking one to take my last shot there was my buddy standing on a point on my left.  Well he said that he got bored and moved. Notta good thing to see you buddies face in your sights when you are looking to take a shot.  I pulled up and did not shoot but still remembr that day.  When duck hunting there is no blaze orange to make you stand out!  Stay where you say your going to be or let you partner know that you are moving!  Take care and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[rem]

Great shares Thanks I have had some hunters walk by my stand on private land we both had permision for i get there early so the can see my truck but they dont care the walk right by making drives. i chew there a-- not because i was there first but that is how accidents happen some people just get stupid that time of the year. Was i in the right to say something???

[HD]

Reading your guy's posts, reminds me of an outing at Camp Ripley. This was my 6th time that I had gotten in there to hunt. I always went with 2 very good friends, these guy's hunted with the past 5 times we went. This particular time, one of my friends wanted to have his "brother inlaw" put in the drawing with us. We all got drawn, I have never hunted with this person before and didn't know what to expect. The first morning we usually get into the woods, and just sit on the ground waiting for it to get light before setting up stands. We always hunted off of Normandy road, and knew that area well, but being causious, we aways checked out the area first. So, we get to our spot, I told my friends where I was going and they told me where they was going, and the "brother inlaw" was going to hunt next to my friend so he could get the "feeling" of the layout first. I got into the woods and sat next to a large oak tree at the base. If you have ever hunted there, you can heard deer just running all over in there as you walk in. There are so many people in the woods at one time, they just push the deer around. Well, as it got light, I had deer running by me, 10 to 20 yards away, mostly does and fawns. I turned to other side of me, to see a yearling running towards where I was sitting, as I'm following this deer with my eyes, I see this "brother inlaw" pop up from behind some brush, drawing his bow back. When the deer was almost directly in front of me, this dude lets his arrow fly. I rolled off to one side of the tree as his arrow stuck into it, where my head would have been. Needless to say, I had a few "words" with this gentelmen, It also seems that he figured he was such a advid hunter, he didn't need to hunt with my friend. And my friend was playing it off, like it was no big deal. I hunted without my partner and his "brother inlaw" for the rest of the time we were there. It's a good thing we had drove seperate trucks, cause 2 of them would have been walking home. Sometimes things like these can also wreck friendships, cause I haven't hunted with my friend since.


Hunter