Hunting dogs shoot hunter

Rainman · 10-29-2007, 04:44 PM

CHICAGO (AFP) - A pack of hunting dogs shot an Iowa man as he went to retrieve a fallen pheasant, authorities said.

James Harris, 37, was shot in the leg while hunting with some friends on Saturday afternoon.

The group shot a bird which landed on the other side of a fence, the Iowa Department of Natural Resource said in a press release.

"Harris reportedly went to retrieve the bird, placed his gun on the ground and crossed the fence near the muzzle end," the press release said.

"When he crossed the fence, hunting dogs stepped on the gun, which discharged and struck Harris in the left calf at a distance of roughly three feet."

Harris was treated at a regional medical center and later transported by helicopter to an Iowa City hospital.

MJ13 · 10-29-2007, 05:17 PM

That's just bad luck!

imhooked · 10-29-2007, 06:24 PM

Oh man!! I hate hearing about these sorts of things. That's what safety's are for... I have three kids and think about them all the time when hunting. To lose my life because of something I didn't do would be a hard thing to be thinking about in my last moments. It's not a bad idea to refresh ourselves with the basics from time to time

Chug · 10-29-2007, 06:59 PM

People, are getting laxed with Guns... POINT gun away from anything you do not intend to kill. Or Open up that action stuff a Branch inside..

you only live once!!!... Keep those guns safe!!!.. loaded or unloaded they both will kill or cripple you!!...

Tilla · 10-29-2007, 08:45 PM

This is not a new accident! It happens every few years.

James in Idaho · 10-30-2007, 07:00 AM

Gee, didn't my daddy teach me to UNLOAD a gun when crossing a fence? Not an accident, a brain ****.

Threemuch · 10-30-2007, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James in Idaho

Gee, didn't my daddy teach me to UNLOAD a gun when crossing a fence? Not an accident, a brain ****.

Exactly what I told my wife when she showed me this. I said it would never happen to me, I unload my gun when I cross a fence. So the dog stepped on the gun, turning the safety off and pulling the trigger? Sounds like a longshot, but maybe. Add loading it to the equation and it's impossible.

STRUTTIN-1 · 10-30-2007, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chug

People, are getting laxed with Guns... POINT gun away from anything you do not intend to kill. Or Open up that action stuff a Branch inside..

you only live once!!!... Keep those guns safe!!!.. loaded or unloaded they both will kill or cripple you!!...

98ramtough · 10-30-2007, 11:50 AM

I shoot a Benelli nova and love the feature of taking a shell out of the chamber and leaving the two rounds in the magazine. When I go to retrieve a bird or something, I take the round out of the chamber so it is impossible to fire. I carry the gun like this also. If I jump something, I just rack a shell and go to town.

I have read many stories like this from a boat. Dog steps on gun and it goes off etc..

5 Salt · 10-30-2007, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 98ramtough

I shoot a Benelli nova and love the feature of taking a shell out of the chamber and leaving the two rounds in the magazine. When I go to retrieve a bird or something, I take the round out of the chamber so it is impossible to fire. I carry the gun like this also. If I jump something, I just rack a shell and go to town.

I have read many stories like this from a boat. Dog steps on gun and it goes off etc..

Same feature on my Beretta's.

Takes 5secs to unload and 5secs to re-load - why not take the time to ensure your safety and your families security...or one could train the dogs to retreive but then, I digress.

Jeremy · 10-30-2007, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5-Salt Fever

Same feature on my Beretta's.

Takes 5secs to unload and 5secs to re-load - why not take the time to ensure your safety and your families security...or one could train the dogs to retreive but then, I digress.

If you train the dogs to retrieve when are you going to have time to train them how to operate a gun???

ogrejager · 10-30-2007, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremy

If you train the dogs to retrieve when are you going to have time to train them how to operate a gun???

Hey, let's not give this idea to my lab. I might lose a hunting partner if he thinks he can hunt alone!

raptorschild · 10-30-2007, 02:59 PM

Its always easy to second guess a freak accident. :grin:

As for the safety...how do ya'll know it wasnt on. Guns can go off even though the safety is on.

When you wake up in the morning there is inherant risk in anything you do. No need to immediately second guess without being there.

It always makes me chuckle when people say......Gee thats what safety's are for...or He should have unloaded his gun.

I always cross fences with a loaded gun. You can do it safely. I guess if i were going to second guess the guy, I'd say the only thing he did "wrong" was setting the gun down. Why not just keep your gun with you with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction...safety on.

It sounds like the guy forgot to put his gun on safe....but that is making an ASSUMPTION.

At the end of the day, its just too bad that this guys bad luck had such a negative impact on his health.

here's to good luck and safety combined for the rest of the year.

Rainman · 10-30-2007, 04:40 PM

Maybe next time he'll just hand his gun over to one of his buddies.

Gus Orviston · 10-30-2007, 04:52 PM

Don't they teach dogs, in dog obedience school, to treat all guns as if they were loaded !?

Pretty dumn to have a live round sitting the chamber and then walk away from it.. bad habits leave it open for accidents.

And a second cheer for gun safes.

gus

HawkeyeBilt · 10-30-2007, 05:20 PM

"in the left calf at a distance of roughly three feet"........

Wow Tragic..

namu mac · 10-30-2007, 05:49 PM

This accident is not all that uncommon. The gun is laid on the ground and the dog steps on it. The cross bolt safety is undone and the dogs paw causes the trigger to fire the gun. If you are going to lay your gun on the ground make sure the gun is positioned so the safety cannot be released by the dog stepping on it. Unloading the chamber is by far a better idea.
Reading all the above posts I get the idea that some think the safety was faulty when it is the dogs weight that moves it to the fire position.
Hunter Safety classes for your dog?

rimrock · 10-31-2007, 07:05 AM

Well, I never unload my shotgun crossing a fence when I’m hunting alone either. For one being tall it’s just a bit of a low bump in the path to me anyway.

The cross bolt safety is a good point, I can see if one has that style of gun how a dog’s weight could turn the safety off. BTW I know people like to say this or that (and maybe it’s true, I have no cause to think otherwise) but over the many years of upland hunting I have NEVER see anyone unload before crossing a fence. Just an observation.

leadeyedbugger · 10-31-2007, 07:42 AM

If its a fence that i can just step over then i don't unload....However, if i have to set my gun down to cross the fence then i ALWAYS unload my gun. And if i'm hunting with someone else then we ALWAYS hand off to one another as each of us cross the fence regardless of size.

Things could have changed i guess, but i destinctly remember practicing unloading and reloading our guns for fence crossings at Hunter Safety class.

If you don't leave it to chance, then it can't happen.