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Why shouldn't hunters shoot people when they don't face any real consequences? Put a few of their asses behind bars for 20 years and maybe they'll bother wanting to see that they are shooting at, rather than just some moving bushes.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... 252D69.DTL

Completely agree. Go hunt as much as you want (I've never been hunting but would like to try it sometime), but if you F up like this, you should have to pay the price. If this old guy doesn't get hard time this is a huge injustice.

Crying shame. They should lock that so-called "hunter" up and throw away the key. Just my two cents ..

I am a hunter myself, and this kind of stuff disgusts me. No excuse for shooting something that you "thought" was a bear, none whatsoever-you don't fire unless you KNOW what you are aiming at.

I should think that the fellow should at least be up on manslaughter charges, negligent homicide, or whatever.

http://www.wta.org/trail-news/signpost/ ... k-mountain

Happened up here just a few years ago.The juvenile was accompanied by his brother, another juvenile, not even adult. His grandfather dropped them off and was waiting in the car at the TH for them (only a quarter mile away, btw), as I recall. She was wearing a blue coat- I had no idea bears wore blue coats. If memory serves me, the kid got less than a slap on the wrist.

The key part of the above linked article? "Hunting is legal just about anywhere in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, according to Renee Bodine, public information officer for the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie. But, Bodine said, "according to the code of federal regulations, it's not legal to fire across roads or trails [on the forest] or 150 yards from campgrounds. Ultimately, it's the responsibility of the hunter to stay away from and not endanger others. Hunters are responsible for what they shoot at.""

Why the hell does anyone have to hunt on or near a trail? The hunters that I know want to be as far away from a trail as possible- hikers generally spook wildlife. This is also why, even though I hate the color, I never leave the car in the wild unless I'm wearing day-glo orange, regardless of the season.

I'm sure he's sorry. I'm sure he's upset. However, actions have consequences- he deserves his day in court, but I'd like to see him charged with criminally negligent involuntary manslaughter and aggravated assault.

(And I think it's negligent at best to say the hiker was "pretending" to be a bear. Just my opinion.)

Im not sure how others are taught, but the first rule of firing on something is "Know your target and beyond". Its too bad for mistakes/F-ups like this, that make hunters look bad. I understand that a lot of animals will take the easy route, ie trails, but for this jackass to be hunting on a trail and than firing on "what he thought", I agree Tim there is absolutely no excuse for this kind of thing too happen.

This topic has been well discussed in many different threads over the years...

I was just watching one of these goofy, highly edited Dateline NBC shows last night and it had to do with a wife shooting her husband on a bear hunt in Canada. In Canada there is a negligence charge which might be in line with our lesser charges in this situation but in Canada depending on the situation you can get 20 years up to life on a non-murder charge. They make you responsible once you pull that trigger. Accident or not.

Mountainjeff wrote:This topic has been well discussed in many different threads over the years...

Then, WHY isn't anybody paying heed to what's being said ? Does it take a Rocket Scientist to tell the difference between a human and a bear ???

What ever happened to getting a clean shot? You should be counting the points before you shoot!

Just thinking; this would allow anyone who doesn't like them there "Granola type" hikers to go out and shoot them at will during hunting season and say it was an accient. Hell, this could become a new sport!

"Hunting for Granola Fags!"

Cascade Scrambler wrote:Why the hell does anyone have to hunt

period. if killing animals gets you off you should be locked away too IMO.

phlipdascrip wrote:

Cascade Scrambler wrote:Why the hell does anyone have to hunt

period. if killing animals gets you off you should be locked away too IMO.

You can BUY animal meat at Costco. It's on the twenty-second aisle back, directly across and to the right of the granola bars and unflavored yogurt.

Gesu Cristo, I ALWAYS wear bright-colored clothing, especially in hunting season. It shouldn't be necessary, but the facts of life require we watch out for the stupidity of other folks. I feel pretty safe in bow-hunting season, because those folks have to think more before they shoot.

I lived in farm/hunting country when I was a kid. Hunters would often get excited and shoot at game between them and houses, even though they were always supposed to point away. We routinely heard shot pellets bouncing off the roof, thank God not through the windows.

Yep lcarreau, there is a certain hypocrisy. One shouldn't condemn hunting out-of-hand unless one is a vegetarian. At least the person who hunts realizes that the plastic-wrapped 3 lbs of beef was once part of a living, sentient animal.

The world would be a better place if we were forced to kill our own meals while simultaneously avoiding the hikers.

I find hunting for pure sport objectionable, but I think that is the huge minority of hunters. Also, To enjoy hunting I don't think it's required the get thrills over it, but rather more about connecting to the natural order of things.

Moapa, what do they hunt out there, lizards?