re: hunting tragedy

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Hopefully, the slow move away from "if brown, it's down" hunting will make the wood safer. If someone is looking for horns before they take a shot, maybe they will be less likely to just blast at a bush or movement.

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I don't even think it takes this. All it took for me was having to be down on the ground looking for tiny specks of blood after rushing a shot to know I'd never make that mistake again.

This kind of thing happening blows my mind on so many levels.

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They made us watch a video where this ol boy was calling turkeys and wiping his mouth with a red hankerchief. Another guy slips up on him calling and only sees the red barely flash through the brush and bam! It freezes but you know he shot him theoretically, and how easy of a mistake that is to make.

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To me thats not an easy mistake, and thats why a lot of people are scared to go into WMAs. regardless of your skill level or experience not confirming beyond a shadow of a doubt what you're shooting at should not be tolerated... Let's use MS as an example cause thats where the incident took place. A gobbler has to possess a beard over 6" which is impossible to know by seeing a flash of red in the brush.

Bottom line if you can't confirm the sex of the animal don't take your weapon off of safety.

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I just remember in the Hunter's Saftey Course, the instructor told all these stories that scared the crap out of me (13 at the time). That went a long way to making me know exactly what I'm shooting at.

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Wonder what percentage of these accidents involve a shooter that was old enough to skip the hunter's safety course?

If people followed the 4 Basic Rules of Gun Safety there would be almost no accidents.

I hope they prosecute the shooter to the fullest extent of the law.

From Vidalia, haven't Seen anything either

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1. On top of an orange vest an orange hat should have to be worn.

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In LA on public land you have to have solid orange vest and solid orange hat at all times

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2. 6pts of better state wide.

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I'd rather see a spread/beam minimum measurement than a minimum point requirement, like MS has

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3. Higher fines for hunters caught not wearing orange.

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I don't disagree with this. But only so much blame can be placed on lack of orange. I mean, people are pulling the trigger on something walking on 2 legs. That should never happen.

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The problem I have with this, is some deer may not ever make the spread limit or beam length. I know 6 pt or better isn't the answer for big bucks but it would make hunters have to count the points before they shot. Even then, in some cases it wouldn't prevent the person from being shot.

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Not trying to turn this into a management discussion because the loss of life of a hunter by another hunter is much more serious..... But, It is more likely that they will reach the beam spread restriction before the point restriction at a certain age, and a 165# spike with a 12-15" main beam needs to be taken out of the breeding pool with the quickness.

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Hunter Killed in Franklin County

Early this morning 63 year old Ricky Kennedy was shot while hunting in the northwest part of Franklin County, Mississippi off Prentiss Road. According to Chief Investigator David Blackwell of the Franklin County Sheriff’s office the incident occurred at approximately 7:30 a.m. Blackwell said that Kennedy had gotten out of his deer stand and was walking to a nearby creek. Another hunter at the privately owned hunting club did not know that Kennedy was in the area and mistook him for a deer. Club members are required to sign in. Blackwell went on to say that Kennedy had taken off his orange vest and left it in the deer stand. The next of kin have been notified. Investigator Blackwell said, “the incident is under investigation”. Franklin County Sheriff’s office and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks are working in conjunction with the shooting. Blackwell said no charges are anticipated. Ricky Kennedy was a resident of Vidalia and worked at Natchez Community Hospital as a nurse. The name of the other hunter has not been released at this time.

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Didn't know the man myself but, prayers going up for his family.

Hunted in SW Arkansas this week and the owner told me to be sure and wear the orange vest and cap at all times…EVEN IN THE STAND. He said it's state law and that if green jeans comes up to your stand and sees you without it on, it's a sure-fire ticket. First I've ever heard of this requirement of keeping it on while in the stand.