All of us can do little things to make a big difference in preventing accidents. We all tend to have 20/20 hindsight after an accident, but of course, then it’s too late. The infamous Three Mile Island release of radioactive gas into the atmosphere, considered one of the worst North American nuclear plant accidents, was a long series of missteps that led to disaster.
I experienced a brief “coulda been” situation that really wasn’t a close call because of our experience as hunters. It occurred during the holiday hunt (Dec. 24 through Jan. 1) for antlerless deer in Waupaca County at a muzzleloader club near my home.
Sitting behind a stretched piece of camo fabric waiting for a doe to show were a friend and club prospect, Scott, and myself.
We are both experienced deer hunters and follow the four basic hunting safety rules at all times, including “Be sure of your target and what’s beyond.” Contrary to slob hunting folklore (probably unfairly forwarded by anti-hunters), most hunters don’t randomly fire at noises or flashes of movement in the woods, and don’t leave farmers’ gates open to let all his cattle to wander. I’m sure you’ve heard the latter story 100 times, but I’ve never found an actual case of it.
It was about 3 p.m. on a warm post-Christmas afternoon, and we were scanning the woods and nearby open field for deer. Suddenly, in the woods to the south, I saw the flash of white that likely signaled a moving white-tailed deer. It was a trail crossing where I’d seen and even killed deer before.
“Scott. Deer.” Those were my first whispered words. We turned slightly to face the movement for a better look.
Within a few seconds, two young girls ran into an opening where primitive campers pitch their canvas tents during the club’s October rendezvous, followed by an adult and a dog. My heart skipped a beat when I saw the girl with the white coat in plain sight. Although she was never in danger with us, I shivered to think of what could happen with younger or less-experienced hunters.
When I was a reporter and later outdoors writer in Davenport, Iowa, we had a couple from nearby Bettendorf, Iowa, who moved to Maine, another state with a long legacy of deer hunting. The woman, perhaps not familiar with deer hunting, decided to chop wood on their wooded property, deciding to wear a brown jacket and white chopper’s mittens as she swung her arms up and down.
It was a fatal mistake. She was shot in the chest by a careless hunter who was road hunting (legal in some states for pheasants, but not typically for deer) and saw her white mittens as a deer’s tail. Why would anyone shoot at a deer as it runs away?
Another reporter covered the story for months on the man’s arrest and later trial. I hesitate to call such a person a hunter, but this poacher didn’t follow basic safety rules, and the woman didn’t use common sense during the deer season. Had she worn a blaze orange cap and/or jacket, she’d likely be alive today.
I immediately yelled to the man and waved at him. He acknowledged us by waving back and immediately moving his group out of the area. No harm, no foul.
Since I knew where many of the buckskinners normally put their camps, I had an idea who the man was. A text to him later confirmed my suspicions. He said he had simply forgotten about the holiday hunt, a relatively new hunt in Waupaca County that is annually decided by the county’s deer advisory council.
We later talked about it, and he apologized, but the incident was a valuable lesson for everyone and shows how quickly and easily an accident can happen.
I stirred up a minor hornet’s nest when I suggested that our club close the shooting range during all of the gun deer seasons for safety reasons. Although our range doesn’t get used much even in summer months (I know because I live close enough to hear the shots), a few shooters took exception. We had a spirited discussion at our Jan. 3 meeting that led to various additional safety suggestions, including a sign to tell members when the gun deer seasons are open. Sure, you can look it up at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov, but how many will take the time to do that?
We’ve also had club members collecting pine boughs for holiday decorations during a deer season with no blaze orange on and one who drove a vehicle through the same campground. We hunters keep track of each other’s locations via texts, but hunters can always take an extra step to notify non-hunters of their presence, whether by a sign on their vehicles or other means.
One club member thought it would be helpful to put some extra blaze orange caps and clothing in the clubhouse for use by non-hunters when in the woods during deer season.
Most of us hunters get so engrossed in our sport that we forget we are the minority (just a bit more than 10% of the overall population hunt), and others don’t know when the deer or other seasons are. I’ve run into this especially on public land when encountering squirrel or other small game hunters. In a state like Wisconsin where deer hunting is sacred and storied, it’s hard to believe we hunters need to tell everyone when we are in the woods, but if it prevents injury or death, it’s worth the extra effort.
Ross Bielema is a freelance writer from New London and owner of Wolf River Concealed Carry LLC. Contact him at Ross@wolfriverccw.com.
Take safety to next level for those unaware of hunting seasons
