| The accidental discharge of a gun is one of the most | | | | I would fix the image in my mind so well that when I |
| common. The shooting of another man whom the | | | | saw anything like it in the woods or fields, I could |
| shooter cannot or does not see is rare and is about | | | | look at it and state with perfect assurance: "That is |
| the easiest to excuse, although there is no valid | | | | deer." Not that I would expect to see anything which |
| reason why such an accident should occur. The most | | | | faintly resembles the picture, for that is a sight which |
| reprehensible type of shooting accident is the one in | | | | a hunter sees once in a blue moon. But when I saw a |
| which one man shoots another in mistake for game. | | | | farmer's cow, horse, sheep, pig, chicken or perhaps |
| This is the type of accident which arouses the most | | | | his hired man, I would know that it was not the |
| public indignation and is the most detrimental to the | | | | game that I was seeking. |
| sport of deer hunting. | | | | It is surprising to find so many hunters in the woods |
| All of these troubles are caused by negligence, | | | | each season who have only the vaguest idea of |
| carelessness, or ignorance and they could be | | | | what a deer looks like. These men kill a surprising |
| prevented if each hunter would see to it that he is | | | | amount of domestic livestock each year because of |
| propertly trained in gun handling and that he is | | | | this lack of knowledge, and such ignorance is |
| woods-wise enough to recognize game when he | | | | excusable with all of the sources of information that |
| sees it. Others may teach a man these things, but | | | | are available to anyone who will go to the trouble to |
| only the individual can determine how well he has | | | | seek it. Occasionally there is some slight excuse for |
| learned the lessons, and only the individual can | | | | killing live- stock in mistake for game, such as the |
| recognize potentially dangerous situations and | | | | time that a hunter was following a fresh deer track |
| evaluate his actions and reactions when these | | | | late in the season. He had every right to expect that |
| situations occur. If he should find that he is continually | | | | all domestic animals were safely housed for the |
| encountering situations where luck has prevented | | | | winter, but he shot and killed a wild heifer which ran |
| accidents or if he finds that it is difficult to hold his | | | | from a thicket that the deer tracks indicated might |
| shot until his game is in clear view, he should hunt | | | | be the hiding place of a deer. There was no excuse, |
| without a gun or keep out of the woods. | | | | except ignorance, for the man who stopped his car |
| If I were a young man preparing for my first deer | | | | at the sight of a heifer in a pasture, shot the animal, |
| hunt, I would get one of those pictures of deer that | | | | loaded it on his car and carried it to an inspection |
| are printed on sportsmen's calendars or on the | | | | station as a deer. |
| covers of the November issues of hunting magazines | | | | The accidental discharge of a gun is one of the most |
| and I would study that picture until I could remember | | | | common. All of these troubles are caused by |
| every line and feature of the animal. They are | | | | negligence, carelessness, or ignorance and they could |
| beautiful pictures with the deer either standing in | | | | be prevented if each hunter would see to it that he |
| glorious splendor or stretched full length in straining | | | | is propertly trained in gun handling and that he is |
| flight, perfectly outlined against a contrasting | | | | woods-wise enough to recognize game when he |
| background with the sun reflecting from polished | | | | sees it. |
| antlers and burnished hair. | | | | |