SummitPost.org

twoshuzz wrote:Hmmmmm... How is the foolish hunter in questing forcing his right to hunt upon the victim ? By that logic, one could argue the hiker pushing his right to hike upon the hunter. One could further the argument that the hiker had no right to be where he was, infringing upon the hunter's right to hunt. Makes sense, eh ?

that's your rebuttal? seriously.

Yury wrote:

TimB wrote: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.

Unfortunatly recent trend is in the opposite direction.
Do you remember a story when Arizona hiker was killed about 5 years ago?
Apparently Arizona updated its law to make killing of hikers even easier: http://www.haroldfishdefense.org.

That is unfortunate. I do feel that when someone is negligent with a firearm, car, truck, whatever, with death being the result-they should be held responsible.

MigTigman wrote:How many people die from Climbing/Hiking accidents per season?

There have been over 18 climbing/hiker fatalities in YNP alone this year. Compare that to the amount of people that have died nationwide this year from hunting accidents. I can almost guarantee you that there are as many or more people hunting throughout the United States than there are hikers/climbers. Yet the incident rate for hunting is lower percentage wise than for climbers and hikers.

And you don't even get any free meat for climbing! Unless perhaps if you have a sponsor...

Here's another case for hunting... It's environmentally positive! Buying your meat at the store, most of which came from massive factory cattle farms has a far greater impact than does Booze's bow and arrow hunting. BTW, I fear twomuchbooze is telling stories. I get the feeling he hunts only divorced Portland area heifer's for dinner "dates".

He's also claimed to be a gangbanger before...

Back to the OP - a reliable news source has just reported that the "hunter" will NOT be charged.

Rather, they're calling it a horrible accident, which prompts me to opt for wearing bright orange attire when I'm out there gathering honey in the Woods,
or just using the Honey Bucket.

How many people die from Climbing/Hiking accidents per season?

There have been over 18 climbing/hiker fatalities in YNP alone this year. Compare that to the amount of people that have died nationwide this year from hunting accidents. I can almost guarantee you that there are as many or more people hunting throughout the United States than there are hikers/climbers. Yet the incident rate for hunting is lower percentage wise than for climbers and hikers.

Mandatory Hunter Safety Courses Nationwide can be attributed to the incredible safety record that the American Hunting Community has enjoyed for over the past 100 years or so. Yes there have been a few fatalities over the years, but no where near the fatality/incident rate that has plagued the Hiker/Climbing Community in the past decade or so. Something that should be considered when raising this or any other hunting accident issue.

Maybe the Hiker/Climber Community should seriously consider implementing a mandatory safety education program similar to the Hunters.

IMHO, the above isn't a good comparison since the result of a climbing/hiking accident death usually results in the death of the climber/hiker himself/herself rather than the death of someone else. Hunting accidents involving shooting often (usually) result in the death of someone else (which is not the case if the hunter dies of hypothermia or other causes). The analogy is a good one if you take in account only deaths of hunters by things like weather or injuries. If hikers/climbers were commonly causing the deaths of others (and this can happen in such cases as throwing a rock off the mountain, but it is rare) then it would be a good comparison.

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Me? I'm not against hunting (as long as the animal is used for food rather than stuffed or left to rot), but I live in one of the most popular hunting destinations in the US and don't like going into the local mountains much during hunting season.

My consultant coworker is a hunter and once had to pack out a body of someone who was shot (San Juan Mountains, CO). The man was shot at night because another hunter heard a noise at night and thought it was a bear. "Noise shooters" as he calls them shouldn't ever be allowed to hunt.

MigTigman wrote:How many people die from Climbing/Hiking accidents per season?...

This does not excuse the incident but it is something to think about.

If climbers and hikers fell on innocent bystanders, killing them but walking away unscathed themselves, then that argument might carry some weight. Until that actually starts happening, this argument carries absolutely no weight.

Yury wrote:

TimB wrote: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.

Unfortunatly recent trend is in the opposite direction.
Do you remember a story when Arizona hiker was killed about 5 years ago?
Apparently Arizona updated its law to make killing of hikers even easier: http://www.haroldfishdefense.org.

This situation did not involve a hunter. It involved a hiker and a camper. The camper had a lot of barking dogs and the hiker an itchy trigger finger.

I just got back from two days in northern AZ hiking a couple peaks, all among a bunch of hunters looking for deer. No problems at all. Hunters and hikers can coexist very well; the number of actual "accidents" is very small. Me, I think the hunter in the OP should be charged. Even I know you don't shoot blindly into bushes.

Let's try to keep this from devolving into a divisive hunter/hiker flamefest. Most of us have done both. Hunters have a bigger obligation to act carefully, of course. The vast majority I have come across, including friends and family members, take it very seriously.

fatdad wrote:

MigTigman wrote:How many people die from Climbing/Hiking accidents per season?...

This does not excuse the incident but it is something to think about.

If climbers and hikers fell on innocent bystanders, killing them but walking away unscathed themselves, then that argument might carry some weight. Until that actually starts happening, this argument carries absolutely no weight.

Well certainly far more people die each year climbing/hiking than grocery shopping. We're comparing apples and oranges, and we cannot reach any beneficial conclusions that way.

The unfortunate truth is that hunters launch projectiles that are designed to kill things, and apparently there are some morons who consider themselves intelligent enough to partake in this activity. I have been hunting for as long as I have been hiking (which happens to be as long as I have been walking), and I can tell you that I have never shot anyone, nor have I ever aimed towards anyone. Knowing your target is the most important part of hunting. I don't even take my rifle off of my shoulder until I am certain that I not only see my target animal, but also have a clear and unobstructed view of its vitals.

So... The best comparison is this: Hunting is like driving a car. The most inept are also the most dangerous.

surgent wrote:

Yury wrote:

TimB wrote: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.

Unfortunatly recent trend is in the opposite direction.
Do you remember a story when Arizona hiker was killed about 5 years ago?
Apparently Arizona updated its law to make killing of hikers even easier: http://www.haroldfishdefense.org.

This situation did not involve a hunter. It involved a hiker and a camper. The camper had a lot of barking dogs and the hiker an itchy trigger finger.

I just got back from two days in northern AZ hiking a couple peaks, all among a bunch of hunters looking for deer. No problems at all. Hunters and hikers can coexist very well; the number of actual "accidents" is very small. Me, I think the hunter in the OP should be charged. Even I know you don't shoot blindly into bushes.

Let's try to keep this from devolving into a divisive hunter/hiker flamefest. Most of us have done both. Hunters have a bigger obligation to act carefully, of course. The vast majority I have come across, including friends and family members, take it very seriously.

Surgent,
Thanks for the clarification. I don't know how I missed that fact in the link above.

TimB wrote:
Surgent,
Thanks for the clarification. I don't know how I missed that fact in the link above.

Don't know how I missed it either, but at least I know who to vote for.

fatdad wrote:

MigTigman wrote:How many people die from Climbing/Hiking accidents per season?...

This does not excuse the incident but it is something to think about.

If climbers and hikers fell on innocent bystanders, killing them but walking away unscathed themselves, then that argument might carry some weight. Until that actually starts happening, this argument carries absolutely no weight.

Climbers get rescuers killed. We've had this discussion, you're a broken record.

Check it out, here you are saying the same old tired crap: http://www.summitpost.org/phpBB3/hiking-in-hunting-season-t55759-135.html

Here I am shutting you down: http://www.summitpost.org/phpBB3/hiking-in-hunting-season-t55759-150.html

Strange, you didn't come back after I threw you down the stairs last time.

lcarreau wrote:Back to the OP - a reliable news source has just reported that the "hunter" will NOT be charged.

Rather, they're calling it a horrible accident, which prompts me to opt for wearing bright orange attire when I'm out there gathering honey in the Woods,
or just using the Honey Bucket.

Its to bad this death could have been prevented if there was common sense involved.

Looks like manslaughter to me and a good case of gross negligence. If I were the family of the victim, I would be seeing this ol chap in court.

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

Is this your way of saying you do not understand sarcasm? It is pretty clear from the context of the OP.