re: Matt Branch, former LSU FB player, seriously injured in hunting accident

All of this

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Agreed. I know that people have different rules and habits when it comes to gun safety, but some that I ALWAYS abide by: 

When climbing in and out of my deer stand, there are no rounds chambered. It’s a habit to double check 

Same for riding on a four wheeler, back of truck, etc 

When hunt is over, check gun before putting it away in vehicle. When I get home, I check to make sure it is unloaded again before walking inside 


I know it seems repetitive and unnecessary maybe, but these are things that I’ve always done, and will teach my son to do as he gets older. It takes a split second for something to go wrong, as everyone can see 

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I think I have more firearm experience than most people (who doesn't think that?) and I've found my booger hook accidently inside the trigger guard while pulling it out the hard case, fumbling up a ladder and it slips, etc. Until you're in a position to concentrate 100% on the gun, it should be unloaded.

You can't take the bullet back once it's fired. Remember that.

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When climbing in and out of my deer stand, there are no rounds chambere

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I load mine at the truck, but am very mindful of that.

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mehh, use muzzle safety. Never point it at no one or youself. My gun stays loaded. in the house, in the truck, walking to stand, etc. Safety on.

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all these things were done in this case.

Unload your gun Earp. Things happen you can’t oredict

A safety may, or may not, work. Unload your rifle, oleyeller. Ain’t no deer worth getting killed over.

I agree, but don’t most OB pistoleros leave one in the chamber? What’s the difference?


And as for this particular case, they were throwing their gear in the Ranger to move down the way to a different location. Still no excuse for not unloading your gun, but a little different than packing it in for the day. I think when calling it a day most people’s first move is to unload their gun. Just swapping spots may not trigger the same thought process.

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1st aid kit with CAT tourniquets, baws.

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You know you can take a first aide class thru the redcross real cheap.

Problem here, he had waders on. They didn't check nor see how bad he was bleeding. First aide would of helped. Just about everybody has a belt on.

Remind me not to hunt with you.

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People think it won’t happen to them. Just use muzzle safety. Well what about if that gun is in your truck and someone hits you or you wreck or anything (or your dog steps on it and manages to take it off safety and pull the trigger) and it goes off. Just a dumb idea to have a loaded shotgun/rifle when not having full control of where it’s pointed.

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I'm just going to follow all safe methods, routines, and habits. You can never be too safe something that can produce instant death.

I guess the pistol isnt as bad because it's in a holster with the trigger protected, you arent actually handling it. I've never heard of an accidental shooting where somebody wasnt handling the gun in some way. To me, loaded pistols are much more dangerous than loaded long guns for many reasons.

Either way it's a shame. I know of a guy who shot himself pulling a shotgun out the backseat of his truck by the barrel end. Thought it was unloaded, safety had gotten pushed off by something else in the seat and something got hung up on the trigger. Perfect mix of a bunch of things going wrong at the same time, which was likely the case here as well. It can happen though.

Eta: luckily it was fine shot and he survived just fine. Had it been buckshot which everyone kept in the truck at all times back then, hed be gone. Dad was always militant about us not loading the gun until we were on the stand and unloading it before we got off. Thankfully it stuck

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My buddy Matt Branch had walked down to where David Lamonte and myself were hunting and David Joe Branch had driven the ranger down to where we were so we could load up the decoys and gear to go set up in another area. At approximately 9:40 AM, David Joe, David, Matt and I were all standing around the bed of the ranger and Matt had laid his gun down flat in the bed of the ranger and walked around on the passenger side to finish loading up. The dog jumped up into the bed of the ranger, getting ready to head out and stepped on the gun that had been placed into the bed, pushing the safety to fire, as well as hitting the trigger, resulting in the gun going off. The 12 gauge shotgun which contained 1 shell that was left in the chamber, fired through the side of the bed on the ranger hitting Matt in the upper inside of his left thigh approximately 2-3” from his groin. Matt screamed and fell to the ground.



There's a lot more on Facebook. Really interested in the follow up to come about the game warden and sheriff

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and people think I am a dick because every time we get back to get into the boat, atv or vehicle I say.. "every body unload.... then SHOW ME..."...... yes I know I'm a dick.. but that's besides the point....