Maybe I’m remiss in letting this year’s hunting seasons get so far along without the compulsory safety reminder.  I mean, heck, archery seasons are in full swing across most of the country, and some rifle hunters are already afield as well.  Shotgunners started in on doves in the past week, with other species on tap over the coming month. 

The accident reports are coming in already too, such as the tragic fatality in NC where an uncle shot his nephew, and the couple in MD who were shot when a gun discharged as it was picked up by another member of their hunting party.  One report in particular reminded me, though, that even bowhunters need to pay attention to what they’re doing and follow some basic safety practices. 

Stalking with a nocked arrow is a lot like stalking with a round in the chamber.  Most of us do it, but for some reason, bowhunters often seem to forget to pay attention to where that broadhead is pointed.  This becomes really critical when you’re slinking along behind another hunter or a guide.  Those broadheads are (or should be) razor sharp, and it doesn’t take a lot to drive one right into a person.  Maybe that looks funny in slapstick comedy, but in real life it can have dire consequences… even, as in this article, deadly consequences. 

A 50-year-old Kelso man was killed Friday morning while bow-hunting near Toutle in what authorities are calling “a freak accident.”

According to Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Capt. Corey Huffine, Benny White and his hunting partner, a 31-year-old Rainier man, left their pickup truck after spotting an elk about three miles east of Toutle, near the old Green Mountain mill site.

“The victim was hunting with a crossbow, which is allowed because he’s disabled,” Huffine said. “His partner was in back of him with his compound bow, and he had the bow in position.”

The victim apparently stopped abruptly and the second hunter ran into him, his arrow piercing White “in the torso,” Cowlitz County Coroner Tim Davidson said Friday afternoon.

“He had not fired his bow,” Huffine said. “It was just a freak accident.”

A “freak” accident… 

Bowhunting accidents aren’t common, but they do happen and they are almost always preventable.  Remember that just because a bow doesn’t have a firing pin and powder charge, it can still be a pretty deadly weapon.  A hunting arrow and broadhead is like a stick with a scalpel attached to the end of it.  It only takes a moment’s lapse of attention to result in a bad cut or a deep puncture.  

And don’t forget tree stand safety as well.  Wear those harnesses, folks.  You don’t have to fall far to ruin (or end) your life. 

Take a little extra time, and pay a little extra attention this season.  Be safe.

Note:  A nod, by the way, to the Outdoor Pressroom…  a great source of relevant outdoor news whenever I’m running a little shy of content or ideas.

Related Posts