Jogger hit by buckshot from hunters in Holden

[blindndead]

News Video

http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/...ogger-hit-by-buckshot-from-hunters-in-holden/

HOLDEN, Mass. -- Officials are warning joggers after a 70-year-old man was recently hit by buckshot from hunters in the woods in Holden.

“It’s just the after effects of gunfire that were floating in the air that hit me,” said the victim, Ray Duda.

Duda, a Sterling resident, was hit while jogging along the Mass Central Rail Trail earlier this month, and said at first, he didn’t realize he had been hit in the leg and cheek.

Dont sound intenional to me.

 

[zerodown]

This made me think of what I witnessed this past weekend while hunting in the Lowell Dracut State Forest. My buddy and I were walking this piece and were to meet up at a trailhead. I got there before him and was sitting waiting. He gets on the radio "dude sounds like two things are coming your way - making a lot of noise". I look down the trail to see this older gentleman and a dog strolling towards me. Neither he nor his dog had any orange on and the dog wasn't on a leash. When he gets up to me he asked if I saw any game. I kindly said no but please be aware that there are a lot of hunters in the woods today and pointed out where I saw guys posted up. His response was "well if you hear any shots then they may have gotten me". I respond with "well for both our sakes I hope that won't be the case. Please be careful because neither of you are wearing any orange". He kind of chuckled and walked off.

Not saying that this is the same situation but it worried me that this guy was strolling through the woods, early morning, with no orange on during hunting season.

 

[HTRN]

Not saying that this is the same situation but it worried me that this guy was strolling through the woods, early morning, with no orange on during hunting season.

Your statement troubles me. I know he should (I certainly would put orange hats on my kids) be in blaze, but that being said, EVERY last hunter has to be only putting his finger inside the trigger guard only after he is certain of his target and the backstop.

Honestly, it should be no more dangerous to walk through the woods during shotgun season than during any other season.

Personally, if someone shots at a sound, or otherwise hits a human while hunting, that person should be shot with his own gun by the surviving family.

I guess you cant fix stupid. So you need to protect yourself from it.

 

[pupchow]

That's what buckshot is fer, ain't it?

Btw, some locales mandate ALL persons taking to the woods display orange during certain seasons.

 

[hqjig]

the state makes all hunters wear orange, this is for safety, i wish they would make it a law that anyone in the woods where hunting is aloud wear orange during the deer season, this is the second person I've heard about this year getting shot while being in the woods during deer season, its just a matter of time before someone get more seriously injured or killed and no ones wants that, wear the orange be safe

 

[strangenh]

I respond with "well for both our sakes I hope that won't be the case. Please be careful because neither of you are wearing any orange". He kind of chuckled and walked off.

Reps incoming to you for telling him. His attitude is way too common.

Old timers around here all seem to know there's hunters in the woods in season and dress for it (There's a nice old lady I see around town who wears a blaze orange down coat ). Even my most leftie neighbor knows that there could be hunters in the woods and wears blaze when walking the dog. Anyone hiking in the Joe English preserve can't miss the signs saying hunters and hikers share the woods, and advising everyone to wear blaze. Yet the last time I was in there, a week into bow season, we were the only ones wearing anything of the sort. Lots of joggers and hikers in nice, natural browns, greens and tans.

Tempting to offer them free antler caps.

 

[sportycliff]

Lots of joggers and hikers in nice, natural browns, greens and tans.

I honestly believe some of them are daring to be shot...
Kinda like a big FU to hunters.

 

[ochmude]

the state makes all hunters wear orange, this is for safety, i wish they would make it a law that anyone in the woods where hunting is aloud wear orange during the deer season, this is the second person I've heard about this year getting shot while being in the woods during deer season, its just a matter of time before someone get more seriously injured or killed and no ones wants that, wear the orange be safe

I'd think it would be pretty tough to make a law requiring everyone in the woods to wear orange during deer season. I personally don't know a darn thing about hunting, have no clue what "woods" might have hunters in them, and don't know when deer season is. Until I started frequenting NES it never even occurred to me that there might be a time of year when I should wear orange in the woods.

 

[zerodown]

Your statement troubles me. I know he should (I certainly would put orange hats on my kids) be in blaze, but that being said, EVERY last hunter has to be only putting his finger inside the trigger guard only after he is certain of his target and the backstop.

Honestly, it should be no more dangerous to walk through the woods during shotgun season than during any other season.

I guess you cant fix stupid. So you need to protect yourself from it.

I agree with you but imagine this scenario. A hunter is getting ready for a shot on a deer, say 70 yards away. The deer is standing there eating so the hunter is completely focused in his scope. 30 yards past the deer is this guy, wearing dark clothes, walking through a thick area, and unseen to the hunter. The walker may not actually be seen due to the woodline and dark clothes where as with orange blaze, he may. In my experience, most guys that are not regular shooters but hunt shoot with one eye open and are 100% focused on the target, not always looking beyond the shot at the whats behind it.

 

[Bob P]

Your statement troubles me. I know he should (I certainly would put orange hats on my kids) be in blaze, but that being said, EVERY last hunter has to be only putting his finger inside the trigger guard only after he is certain of his target and the backstop.

Honestly, it should be no more dangerous to walk through the woods during shotgun season than during any other season.

Personally, if someone shots at a sound, or otherwise hits a human while hunting, that person should be shot with his own gun by the surviving family.

I guess you cant fix stupid. So you need to protect yourself from it.

The last@sentence is the key. NEVER rely on sensible behavior from strangers.

 

[NFD9]

Your statement troubles me. I know he should (I certainly would put orange hats on my kids) be in blaze, but that being said, EVERY last hunter has to be only putting his finger inside the trigger guard only after he is certain of his target and the backstop.

Honestly, it should be no more dangerous to walk through the woods during shotgun season than during any other season.

Personally, if someone shots at a sound, or otherwise hits a human while hunting, that person should be shot with his own gun by the surviving family.

I guess you cant fix stupid. So you need to protect yourself from it.

+1 for you
Golden rule... ALWAYS IDENTIFY, AND BE AWARE OF WHAT'S BEYOND WHAT YOU'RE SHOOTING AT!
NY doesn't mandate orange while hunting (which I agree with) because they feel it makes hunters lazy, "No orange than I'll shoot". Not requiring orange has seemed to work for them so far.

 

[glockstones]

Your statement troubles me. I know he should (I certainly would put orange hats on my kids) be in blaze, but that being said, EVERY last hunter has to be only putting his finger inside the trigger guard only after he is certain of his target and the backstop.

Honestly, it should be no more dangerous to walk through the woods during shotgun season than during any other season.

Personally, if someone shots at a sound, or otherwise hits a human while hunting, that person should be shot with his own gun by the surviving family.

I guess you cant fix stupid. So you need to protect yourself from it.

Get shot with by the surviving family? So if some knucklehead is walking in the woods wearing brown and green and somewhat blends in, you id your target as a deer and shoot, miss and then relize "oh damn there is a guy there" this is your fault? I have to agree to disagree on this one everyone in the woods is responsible for safety including the people not hunting. Not only is it irresponsibble to have the attitude of "I don't care hunters will have to work around me" is just stupid. We all know if you are in the woods you might be able to see that deer at 30 yds but what about past the thick trees at 75yds. I know the rule of know your target and what is beyond it but when you are in the woods during hunting season you can only know what is behind your target for such a distance and then who knows. Atleast when people wear orange you can see it glaring through the woods like the sore thumb.