DNR: "Don't shoot yourself"

PT111 · Nov 13, 2010

anmut said:
Yeah, maybe 40-50% shoot themselves, I'll give you that. BUT you have to remember there's only a half dozen accidents A SEASON. So three people shoot themselves and that's why we need a nanny note from the DNR? Out of the thousands out there firing high-power rifles?

I believe your chances are better to get killed in a car accident driving up to your hunting spot than a firearm related injury, so where's the note on that?

It's just more typical "guns are dumb and owned by dumb people" way of thinking from Madison.

A friend of mine when I was a senior in high school was out hunting and leaned his shotgun up against a fence while he crossed it. The gun fell over and fired killing him. Another friend was climbing down from a deer stand when his rifle fired and killed him. Another good friend is missing four fingers from one hand due to a hunting accident. There may be only a few accidents each year but that is way too many to say there is no reason to remind people to practice safety every day. I onlt wish that someone had been nanny enough to remind them of what they knew not to do but didn't pay attention.

And yes I have some friends that died from being stupid in cars. Safety is a 24/7/365.25 thing that everyone needs to be reminded of constantly.

I did run across this where it lists all the huntng accidents in WI for 2007. Looks like only 4 of 27 were self-inflicted so that is lower than the 40-50% figure.

http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/es/enforcement/safety/huntstats.htm

OCglock1988 · Nov 13, 2010

lol

this is the reason why I only bowhunt now. because according to the DNR were all too dumb to not shoot ourselves, and its pretty damn tough to shoot yourself with a bow. or is it?

PT111 · Nov 13, 2010

OCglock1988 said:
this is the reason why I only bowhunt now. because according to the DNR were all too dumb to not shoot ourselves, and its pretty damn tough to shoot yourself with a bow. or is it?

http://www.washingtoninjuryattorneyblog.com/2010/09/bow_hunting_accident_claims_li.html

Killed by his hunting partner without even shooting it.

Also http://www.safebackyards.com/Accidents.htm

While it is true that accidents with bows and arrows are less common than other forms of hunting, they do happen -- see below. Most go unreported, as people remove errant arrows from their yards, homes, garages, etc., without notifying the authorities.

OCglock1988 · Nov 13, 2010

interesting links

Ive never questioned the lethality of my bow, and treat it just like I do a firearm

Springfielddx40 · Nov 13, 2010

hmm....no comment. but ****, there goes my shooting myself plans for next weekend.

anmut · Nov 14, 2010

PT111 said:
A friend of mine when I was a senior in high school was out hunting and leaned his shotgun up against a fence while he crossed it. The gun fell over and fired killing him. Another friend was climbing down from a deer stand when his rifle fired and killed him. Another good friend is missing four fingers from one hand due to a hunting accident. There may be only a few accidents each year but that is way too many to say there is no reason to remind people to practice safety every day. I onlt wish that someone had been nanny enough to remind them of what they knew not to do but didn't pay attention.

And yes I have some friends that died from being stupid in cars. Safety is a 24/7/365.25 thing that everyone needs to be reminded of constantly.

I did run across this where it lists all the huntng accidents in WI for 2007. Looks like only 4 of 27 were self-inflicted so that is lower than the 40-50% figure.

http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/es/enforcement/safety/huntstats.htm

Friends lost in high school to shooting accidents = 1
Friends lost in high school to driving accidents = 1

I guess either driving is as safe as carrying a firearm or carrying a firearm is a safe as driving. *shrug*

Edit to say I went to SPASH, the largest H.S. in the state at the time (2k+ students)

Interceptor_Knight · Nov 14, 2010

anmut said:
Just in case you guys had any questions about the upcoming gun-deer season, the smart people at the WDNR has some good advice.

http://host.madison.com/news/state_and_regional/article_0e9195bd-8024-5754-a6c8-d0865f64325c.html

State wildlife officials are warning hunters not to shoot themselves as the November gun deer season approaches.

Department of Natural Resources Hunter Education Administrator Tim Lawhern says self-inflicted injuries account for 40 to 50 percent of the total number of hunting incidents each year.

Lawhern says hunters should remember to to never point a loaded gun at themselves or anyone else. They also should remember to keep their fingers out of the trigger guard until they're ready to fire.

I support the DNR giving safety reminders this time of year. I heard a DNR public safety commercial on the radio while I was driving to work tonight. There are plenty of the over 700,000 hunters heading to the woods next week who could use a reminder regarding the essential rules of firearm safety. Many of those who are responsible for negligent discharges believe(d) themselves to be "safe enough" and already "know" the rules.

Interceptor_Knight · Nov 14, 2010

anmut said:
Friends lost in high school to shooting accidents = 1
Friends lost in high school to driving accidents = 1

I guess either driving is as safe as carrying a firearm or carrying a firearm is a safe as driving.

A shooting accident is a truly rare occurrence. Automobile collisions are far from rare. I am certain that exponentially more of your fellow students were involved in automobile crashes than were shot or that shot someone else. Unfortunately the student which was shot happened to die from their injuries.

littlewolf · Nov 14, 2010

Safety reminders are a good thing, the DNR could have worded it better.
Until we become a perfect world people will do dumb things and sh!t will happen! Remember Mother Murphy is still in control.

Doug Huffman · Nov 14, 2010

Interceptor_Knight said:
I support the DNR giving safety reminders this time of year. I heard a DNR public safety commercial on the radio while I was driving to work tonight. There are plenty of the over 700,000 hunters heading to the woods next week who could use a reminder regarding the essential rules of firearm safety. Many of those who are responsible for negligent discharges believe(d) themselves to be "safe enough" and already "know" the rules.

Hunter safety training is then an unfortunate model prerequisite for permitted gun carry.

JUST carry

JoeSparky · Nov 14, 2010

LR Yote 312 said:
True...snip

For the DNR to make such a statement sure doesnt say a whole lot for the Hunter Safety Instructors or the latest batch of Hunter Safety graduates.

snip

LR Yote 312

for those who need special instructions... the following IS SARCASM! Silly me, I thought it was obvious.
But it was their Liability reduction lawyers that made them say this for fear that a hunter who injured himself while hunting would sue the STATE because NO ONE TOLD HIM NOT TO POINT A LOADED WEAPON AT HIMSELF!

Caps are for empasis not yelling!

PT111 · Nov 14, 2010

The safety director at the company I once worked for told me of the conversation that he had with the president of the company. He was asked if after all the millions of dollars that the company had spent on its safety program could he point to or prove one single accident of death that the program had prevented. Finally the president laughed and said not to worry that there were no plans to cut out the safety program but he needed to be ready to have an answer in case someone actually asked the question and wondered if we were spending too much.

There is no way to prove that any hunter or driver education programs do any good at all or for that matter any safety education program. In fact no way to prove any eduction does any good.

Interceptor_Knight · Nov 14, 2010

littlewolf said:
Safety reminders are a good thing, the DNR could have worded it better.
Until we become a perfect world people will do dumb things and sh!t will happen! Remember Mother Murphy is still in control.

The reporter worded it poorly. The ad is not worded as quoted...

LR Yote 312 · Nov 14, 2010

JoeSparky said:
But it was their Liability reduction lawyers that made them say this for fear that a hunter who injured himself while hunting would sue the STATE because NO ONE TOLD HIM NOT TO POINT A LOADED WEAPON AT HIMSELF!

Caps are for empasis not yelling!

If you know this to be a fact please cite your source as thats a pretty weak argument at best.

Taken from page 4 of the 2010 small game regs and its also listed on page 17 of the deer regs of the 2010 season

1) Treat every firearm as if it is were loaded
2) Always point the muzzle in a safe direction
3) Be certain of your target and whats beyond
4) Keep your finger out of the trigger guard until you're ready to shoot.

Anyone born on or after Jan 1 1973 must provide a Hunters Safety Certificate before they are issued a hunting license.

Listed in the course completion test is a question asking the student to list the Four Rules of Firearm safety (see above) its also listed on the back of the Hunters Saftey Certificate.

Forgive me for saying so but I feel that the comment made is of less intelligence than that of The Media and State Agency that issued the "Dont shoot yourself" statement.

LR Yote 312

Interceptor_Knight · Nov 14, 2010

Doug Huffman said:
Hunter safety training is then an unfortunate model prerequisite for permitted gun carry.

The accidents do not reflect poorly on the training. They reflect on the ignorance of the general public who believe themselves competent after a single training period to be sufficiently trained for a lifetime of unrestricted carry. Ongoing training benefits everyone even if it is the simple reading of the safety rules to one's self as a reminder.
The typical hunter does not look at their rifle until the week before season where they may or may not verify the zero of their sights and/or optics. Many CCW permit holders are guilty of the same thing in regards to reviewing the training materials and spending time at the range in between required qualification periods.

Interceptor_Knight · Nov 14, 2010

LR Yote 312 said:
Forgive me for saying so but I feel that the comment made is of less intelligence than that of The State Agency that issued the "Dont shoot yourself" statement.

No agency made a "Don't shoot yourself" statement. This was a poor choice of printed word by the reporter and/or editor.

Interceptor_Knight · Nov 14, 2010

PT111 said:
The safety director at the company I once worked for told me of the conversation that he had with the president of the company. He was asked if after all the millions of dollars that the company had spent on its safety program could he point to or prove one single accident of death that the program had prevented. Finally the president laughed and said not to worry that there were no plans to cut out the safety program but he needed to be ready to have an answer in case someone actually asked the question and wondered if we were spending too much.

There is no way to prove that any hunter or driver education programs do any good at all or for that matter any safety education program. In fact no way to prove any eduction does any good.

I can give you statistics where safety training benefits industrial employees and hunter and driver education programs save accidents and lives. Just because your company Safety Director was not competent does not offer valid condemnation of such programs.

LR Yote 312 · Nov 14, 2010

Interceptor_Knight said:
No agency made a "Don't shoot yourself" statement. This was a poor choice of printed word by the reporter and/or editor.

Fixed

Cobbersmom · Nov 14, 2010

Yea, the DNR DID tell us not to shoot ourselves

http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/news/DNRNews_Lookup.asp?id=249#art3
Hunting is safer – as long as you don’t shoot yourself
Hunter safety administrator statistics tell the story

MADISON – Wisconsin statistics show hunting is safe and getting safer, but the rate of unintentional self-inflicted injuries is on the rise.

Hunter Education Administrator Tim Lawhern has witnessed both subtle and significant changes in his 22-year Department of Natural Resources career. And changes have been both good and annoying.

“We have had great success in educating hunters to be safe – and with that comes success in the hunt,” Lawhern said

LR Yote 312 · Nov 14, 2010

I included both the State and Media...are we good now ??:lol:

Mental side question.... after reading some of the statistics I wonder how many of these incidents happen that
are related to the Rem 700 trigger/safety that Rem refuses to do anything about.?

Just a personal thought and not meant to derail the topic.

LR Yote

DNR: "Don't shoot yourself"

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