re: The Day I Shot T4

Again, thank you all for the kind words and positivity.

I'm looking forward to relatively stress free days in the woods.

I'm bowhunting more. T4 has the rifle that shot him. For now, he's the last thing I shot. I've missed the shite out of a few since. Pulling triggers isn't what it used to be. I'm trying to get there though. I can't just not hunt though.

Thank you for sharing. Awesome testimony of how both of you have handled this tragedy. God bless you both.

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Thanks for sharing. We are all safe hunters until we are not. We all get comfortable, we have done this so many times.. we know what we are doing. But thats when accidents happen, when we are comfortable. Im 34, and as the "expert" lol, hunter that i am, i get comfortable and do dumb stuff. I ride with the gun loaded, you know in case i see a deer leaving the camp. I climb stands and dont use a harness, you know because ive done it so many times that im comfortable. Fact is, everyone makes mistakes. It happens.. should you have not shot because you didnt see your target, sure... should your friend had his orange on, sure. But it happend, its overwith.. you both are alive. Move on man, no sense in letting that one second effect your life. Everyone makes mistakes every day.

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This is one of the best post I've ever seen on here.

Well said Yeller.

Thanks for sharing. I know it is tough.

Like others have said, it is amazing this doesn't happen more often, even with experienced hunters. I'm not a big hunter. I've said it here before, but my dad wasn't into hunting so I rarely got the chance to go when I was young, except with friends or uncles.

A couple of years ago, I went out with some guys from church for a quail hunt. It wasn't that great from the hunting perspective as they were pen raised and didn't want to fly. About half the group was experienced hunters, and a few like myself who were not but were well versed in firearms. One poor guy had never shot a gun in his life. We took him to an area where we were shooting clays for him to experience it before he pulled the trigger on a bird.

Later in the day I end up walking around in a group of maybe 4-5 guys, trailing a leader and his dog. It was this guy's turn to shoot next, and I think he swept the shotgun past 3 of us. I was behind him so it wasn't me, but I've never seen 3 grown men hit the ground so fast. We stopped and had our 2nd or 3rd safety briefing of the day. I told them I was out and went back to shoot clays for the rest of the day.

Jesus yalls story is powerful and one hell of a lesson. One day, and it may be years, y’all will laugh about it. I know it doesn’t seem like it now but time has a way of healing. I’ll send some prayers your way too bud. Can’t imagine.

It took a lot of guts to write that. I don't know that I could have done it given the situation.

We all make mistakes, and that's what this was. It was a mistake.
It doesn't make you a bad person.
It doesn't make you stupid.
It doesn't even make you dangerous.

I would feel safer hunting with you than I would someone who hadn't made this mistake.

You write well, you should post more often.

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I always wear orange during gun season and I always walk in and out of the woods with a light in the dark, you just never know and don't want to risk your life on some other idiot behind the trigger.

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I am made fun of, but I wear an orange cap and a full vest. And, like you,I have my flashlight on in any low light scenario.

I have always been worried about an accident, but as I have gotten older and a few accidents that hit close to home...I just see no other way.

Damn what a story. Can't imagine what you were going through and what you still go through. Very well written story too

Damn man....most of us here can't even imagine what you and him went through.

It's just good to know that at least somewhere something higher is watching over in at least some of these instances.

Not much we can say to you but I hope you find it in you to get back out there and do some hunting....maybe even can find it in you to hunt with T4 again if you and him are up for it. It may be the type of thing that helps you and him both.

Stay strong bro.

25 or so years ago my buddy and I were climbing out the back of a truck. We were only 15-16 years old, but we were already living the dream. Hunting and fishing everyday and we were damn good at it. I was on the ground and unloading a Remington 700. An old one that you had to take off safety to unload. Well, he's climbing out at the time with his head near the muzzle (wasn't aware how close he was......my fault) that was pointed in what should have been a safe direction. Click safety off to open bolt and BOOM. I don't know how close I came to shooting him in the head, but it was too damn close. I still think about it all the time. It gives me chills and makes me grimace. It terrifies me how quickly it can happen. I look at my son and I understand what my carelessness could have taken from his family.


Hang in there, dude. Hug your kids. Hug him. Be thankful you both have a second chance. Life is good. You two dudes just have a better understanding of that then most.