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Firearms Safety is Key to our Continued Freedoms

since9

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Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
This is not always possible. Not everyone hunts by spotting from a great distance then stalking. Sometimes the sigh picture only presents itself momentarily. Such a situation doesn't lend itself to an unloaded rifle.

Hmm..."The wise are cautious and avoid danger; fools plunge ahead with reckless confidence." - Prov 14:16

The basic three steps only take a few seconds. Do you not have a moment to keep from blowing away some hiker?

Unless you're being charged by a grizzly, polar bear, elk, or moose, hunting isn't some kill or be killed situation. Lightening fast reflexes aren't needed to make the kill.

Quail, is different. Birdshotbut then spotting your quarry sort of presents itself to you, and no human (or any other animal) looks like foul taking flight. As for clearing your line of fire, you're always clearing your line of fire, or at least you should be.

Ergo, the rules still apply.

We hunted either taking turns on point where only the man on point would shoot with the guy in rear unchambered, or two abreast, where we limited our line of fire well right or left while watching both our own position as well as the other guys.

When you're not in a life or death situation, absolutely nothing takes priority over safety:

"According to information released by the International Hunter Education Association, the U.S. and Canada combined see around 1,000 hunting accidents, specifically involving shooting injuries, on an annual basis. Moreover, close to 10% of these hunting accidents end in death." (Source)

Just 1 death in a hunting accident is too many. 100 such accidents is just plain stupid.

One of the guys in middle school died in a hunting accident. It really, really sucked for the family. Remember that the next time you think you only have a "moment." Please take the time. Take more than a moment. Thanks.
 

solus

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here nc
Since9, you’re a self proclaimed rare bird - hunting with birdshot in your handgun! Your wondrous abilities never cease to amaze!
 

OC for ME

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White Oak Plantation
Hunt from a stationary position, elevated, to limit projectile travel, no other hunters in you assigned/claimed area of fire.

...walking around?...idiots!
 

color of law

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Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Hunt from a stationary position, elevated, to limit projectile travel, no other hunters in you assigned/claimed area of fire.

...walking around?...idiots!
Hunting deer in not hunting or even a sport. On any given day, if I choose, I can step out on my front porch and take a deer, year around.
 

Firearms Iinstuctor

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northern wis
Hunt from a stationary position, elevated, to limit projectile travel, no other hunters in you assigned/claimed area of fire.

...walking around?...idiots!

Sorry but a lot of hunting and hunting areas requires walking other wise you never see nor harvest any of the game you want to.

Stand hunting can as is very productive for certain species in certain areas.

Stand hunting for most upland birds would be totally fruit less.

I done a lot of both types for over 50 years in several states and Canada.

I well use the best approach to shoot the game I am hunting limiting oneself to one type well also limit how successful you well be.

Safety is always a factor when hunting and taking a shot I have passed and many sure shots because it was not safe to shoot.
 

CJ4wd

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Hunting deer in not hunting or even a sport. On any given day, if I choose, I can step out on my front porch and take a deer, year around.

If you have deer around you that densely, it's likely that you live in a suburb with woods nearby and little to no hunting pressure on them. A couple of winters ago, one of the neighbors who puts out food for the animals (mostly birds) had 5 does and 2 bucks in her yard. They had come from the woods ~75 yds. east of her house, across the subdivision street, between two other houses, just to get to that food. Even though we are NOT in an "incorporated town or village", the houses are too close to even bow hunt, at least, not without some "bleeding heart" raising a stink larger than a whole family of skunks.
But, as FI said, even if you are in a tree stand or ground blind, you have to walk a ways to reach those locations. Some people prefer to "drive" deer and there can be a LOT of walking involved there, sometimes with little to show for the effort. Then you get to assorted upland game - quail, pheasant, rabbits - where the amount of walking can at least double.
"Not a sport"? You need to rethink that.
 

color of law

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.......
"Not a sport"? You need to rethink that.
Well it all depends on how you define hunting. Blacks Law Dictionary defines "Hunting" as "The act of pursuing and taking wild animals; the chase." Commonwealth v. Bailey, 97 S.E. 774, 124 Va. 800. Robinson v. State, 76 S.E. 1061, 11 Ga.App. 847.
Merriam-Webster defines "Hunting" as "The pursuit of game."
Stepping outside the front door aiming and pulling the trigger did not require much pursuit.
Most, if not all states define hunting as a sport because they require a license to engage in the sport of hunting. Putting food on the table is one of those unalienable rights protected by the 9th Amendment.
Just say'n.
 

HP995

Regular Member
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Dec 5, 2012
Messages
730
Location
MO, USA
The only problem with those who yawn at safety is that their own mistakes don't necessarily eliminate themselves from the gene pool. With technology (from the atlatl and bow to the firearm and automobile) they may well eliminate others who are actually better representatives of the human race. So be careful to limit your proximity to these types if you want to continue your existence. There are some d-nably dangerous shooters and drivers! Some of them pretend to be gun people. Heck, some of them run gun shops and ranges. And yes, safety is a key to collective freedom as well as individual survival.
 

deanf

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N47º 12’ x W122º 10’
The basic three steps only take a few seconds. Do you not have a moment to keep from blowing away some hiker?

It's not the time. It's the noise and commotion, however slight, caused by chambering a round. There is great potential for deer to be quite close when presenting themselves for harvest. Close enough that noise/movement from chambering would spook them, never to be seen again. Snicking the safety off as the target is acquired and verified isn't nearly as disruptive, and that's the way I'll do it.
 

since9

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Jan 14, 2010
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Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
It's not the time. It's the noise and commotion, however slight, caused by chambering a round. There is great potential for deer to be quite close when presenting themselves for harvest. Close enough that noise/movement from chambering would spook them, never to be seen again.

I never had a problem creating noise. But you're the big hunter, here, so by all means...
 

solus

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Aug 22, 2013
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Location
here nc
How on earth did an ANTI-newspeek article discussing NDishchargesnmove into a hunting commentary, which i must presume isn’t being done with handguns!
 

JTHunter2

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Jul 11, 2017
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Planet Earth
About 20 years ago, I was squirrel hunting on a friend's property and came almost face to face with a small doe. I was in full camo, including baseball cap and headnet, with only my eyes uncovered. I had been slowly walking through the woods, scanning the trees for movement, when I saw her coming down a small ravine. I froze and watched as she slowly approached, finally stopping about 20 feet away. She wasn't sure what she was seeing as she kept looking, moving her head and neck back & forth while slowly stamping her front hooves. I was slowly raising my shotgun to watch her reaction and, as I was moving so slowly (almost a minute to bring from crosswise at my waist to fully mounted), she just kept stamping and weaving her head. This went on for at least 3 minutes so I finally flung the gun up overhead and went "YAAAHHH!!" at her. It was so funny watching her to flip end for end in an instant and flash up the hill and back into the woods. Being able to watch a wild deer that closely and listen to her snorts and wheezes was incredible !
 

Ghost1958

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Nov 5, 2015
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1,265
Location
Kentucky
An aunt with good intentions but poor training accidentally shot her niece while giving her a "firearms lesson."

It's mistakes like these that stir the kooks nest from which all manner of restrictive legislation spews forth.

Please UNLOAD YOUR GUNS before any and all "lessons." Use snap-caps for dry fire. The ONLY place you should EVER be handling your loaded weapon is to holster it, unload it, or to fire it. Loaded weapons are NEVER to be used for training at any location EXCEPT THE RANGE, and then, only in accordance with strict range procedures.

Same goes for hunting. We never loaded until we'd:
1. Spotted our quarry
2. Verified that it's actually our quarry
3. Cleared our line of fire, both between ourselves and our quarry as well as far beyond and to either side. Ricochets are Real.

Didn't load until you saw your quarry?

Must not have killed many quail, grouse, or
An aunt with good intentions but poor training accidentally shot her niece while giving her a "firearms lesson."

It's mistakes like these that stir the kooks nest from which all manner of restrictive legislation spews forth.

Please UNLOAD YOUR GUNS before any and all "lessons." Use snap-caps for dry fire. The ONLY place you should EVER be handling your loaded weapon is to holster it, unload it, or to fire it. Loaded weapons are NEVER to be used for training at any location EXCEPT THE RANGE, and then, only in accordance with strict range procedures.

Same goes for hunting. We never loaded until we'd:
1. Spotted our quarry
2. Verified that it's actually our quarry
3. Cleared our line of fire, both between ourselves and our quarry as well as far beyond and to either side. Ricochets are Real.


Must Never killed many quail, grouse, or anything fast only loading your gun once it was flushed or jumped. Lol.


I understand the premise if the OP and agree safety is one of the primary concerns. Just to avoid injury.
That said anything can be taken to extremes.
Ive not been on a range in 20 yrs.
Shoot on my own property, train on my own property and have taught others from children to adults how to shoot only using live ammo.
Don't think I ever owned a snap cap or know anyone who does.

But each to his own of course.
 

since9

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
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6,964
Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
Didn't load until you saw your quarry?

Must not have killed many quail, grouse, or...

Must Never killed many quail, grouse, or anything fast only loading your gun once it was flushed or jumped. Lol.

"Lol," you're not reading the entirety of my posts, Ghost. Time for review. On your own time. Find the post wherein I mentioned the differing safety technique my hunter friends shared with me for use while hunting quick-reaction prey.

Don't think I ever owned a snap cap or know anyone who does.

Two came standard with my firearm from the manufacturer. Do you and all your friends make your own firearms, too?
 

Ghost1958

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2015
Messages
1,265
Location
Kentucky
"Lol," you're not reading the entirety of my posts, Ghost. Time for review. On your own time. Find the post wherein I mentioned the differing safety technique my hunter friends shared with me for use while hunting quick-reaction prey.



Two came standard with my firearm from the manufacturer. Do you and all your friends make your own firearms, too?

Not me lol. I work my own and a few friends guns but I never made one lol.

And I've only bought about 4 firearms new from dealers. Just about all our guns were private sale.
The four that were bought new didn't have snap caps with them.

I have a few friends that It wouldn't surprise me if the had lol.

As to hunting I do see you mentioned taking turns.

Wouldn't work for me 99 percent of the time I hunt alone. Same with fishing.

Just me but every gun I own ling guns and handguns are loaded 24 7 365.

Except for cleaning and maintenance. But that's just me. Each to his own.
 
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