Close calls while shooting?
- Thread starter VTHokies
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Holy cow! We used to have BB wars, stalking and shooting each other with BB guns which looking back was idiotic, but shotguns?
Belonged to a hunt club that had an ever rotating member list every year. We always held deer drives after the first couple of days of the season. One season, we had a high number of peeps that I guess were unfamiliar with how all that works and had several of them shot through the line on a bunch of deer that got pushed. Having several .72 caliber 437 grain projectiles flying in your vicinity is a sound you NEVER forget. Never again.
Another time was shot by a friend I wholeheartedly trust without question regarding safe gun handling while rabbit hunting. Shot came through brush and my legs were peppered. Thankfully, he was 40 yds away, I was wearing brush chaps, and there was a lot of vegetation between us to slow them down some. Situational awareness--neither of us knew the other was there.
I forgot about rabbit hunting! yeah I have been peppered a BUNCH of times rabbit hunting. everyones blood is up and the dogs are running and in full cry and everyone wants to get the best location for a shot and then BANG! your ass is on fire! good times. hell and old man down here went to pick up a rabbit and his partner wasn't paying attention and caught the old gut in the ass and one lone bb went thru gis pants and into his testical, lol, and he had to go to the hospital to get it removed. what a day.
I let the oldest start shooting 22s at 9. He didn't shoot my AR or 9mm pistols until age 11 and he's 12 now.
The next youngest is now 10 and has only shot 22.
I have a 6 and 8 year old who I have let shoot a single shot 22 under careful supervision.
Even the oldest doesn't shoot anything without CLOSE supervision. They are all well versed on gun safety, but they don't have the muscle memory and it's much easier for them to have a brain fart that could end up being very dangerous.
My dad started me shooting when I was 7 or 8 years old - as soon as he thought I was mentally mature enough to handle firearms. He only let me shoot long guns until I was a teenager, when I moved up to his revolver. Dad wasn't a big handgun fan like I am - he was more into shotguns and rifles.
I got an air rifle (.22) when I was 11 or 12, for shooting at home
-John
I got an air rifle (.22) when I was 11 or 12, for shooting at home
-John
d33rhunt3r
Pro Pizza Eater
Read that as "my dad started shooting me".My dad started me shooting when I was 7 or 8 years old - as soon as he thought I was mentally mature enough to handle firearms. He only let me shoot long guns until I was a teenager, when I moved up to his revolver. Dad wasn't a big handgun fan like I am - he was more into shotguns and rifles.
I got an air rifle (.22) when I was 11 or 12, for shooting at home
-John
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Bisleyfan44
Ultimate Member
Yeah, I bet that felt good!
And then there's dove hunting and getting "rained on" from the other side of the field. No real threat unless you look up.
alucard0822
For great Justice
Many years ago was shooting with a few buddies on a vacant lot his family owned to store construction equipment and materials, no trespassing signs all over the place. We shot all afternoon, hundreds of rounds, the "target" was a barrel, and whatever we had laying around to set on top of it, had a berm in the woods just past the clearing to catch the lead, with nothing but wooded property behind it. After lunch basically had a mag-dump/bump fire competition, this was back when 1K surplus 5.56 was well under $200. As we are shooting 2 dudes in athletic clothing basically run out from the side of the berm, across the clearing from side to side, we stop shooting just before they jog across the line of fire. One guy just does a quick yuppie nod and wave, and they start jogging by as our jaws were laying on the ground, and wondering how in the hell they didn't have any holes in them after dumping a half dozen mags in their general direction. The property owners kid slung his AR, ran in front of them and stopped them with about every 4 letter word in the world. They said they were just jogging their usual path, thought the trespassing signs were for somewhere else, and were just getting a good run in? Didn't want to "confront" us, because guns scared them?
My Grandfather used to work at Fullerton Supply back in the day. He told a story of a young guy working there who used to carry a pistol until one day he was messing with it and shot a hole through the floor by the back stairs. Grandad said he took that pistol from him and never let him have it back.
I used to work at a place where there was a pond down the hill and through the woods. One afternoon I was walking by the Maint barn talking with the security chief about the shots we could hear when all the sudden we hear shot peppering the tin roof. Damn if one piece didn't hit me in the right side above the hip. It didn't break the skin but security called the sheriff and they found a guy down by the pond shooting at the geese.
I used to work at a place where there was a pond down the hill and through the woods. One afternoon I was walking by the Maint barn talking with the security chief about the shots we could hear when all the sudden we hear shot peppering the tin roof. Damn if one piece didn't hit me in the right side above the hip. It didn't break the skin but security called the sheriff and they found a guy down by the pond shooting at the geese.
- Jan 17, 2013
- 1,683
When I was 17, I was deer hunting at my grandfathers place on the water outside Cambridge. On my way in, I saw a big group of geese in the field closest to the water, so when I got to the house I asked him to grab me the 12 gauge so I could try to get to them. I had thought he would bring me his 870 Wingmaster, but instead brought out his Montgomery Ward bolt action 12 gauge (its a beast too, I probably would have been better off swinging it at the geese). I cracked open the bolt, checked that there was a round in it, the slipped along the hedge row to the field. I popped out, the geese took off and I shot one. Walked over to i, looked at it, kicked it, didnt move. Went to investigate another pile of feathers that was close and looked like had been eaten, and the goose I shot popped up and took off. I worked the bolt, swung around for another shot, and nothing.... When i pulled the bolt back again, I noticed the shell was still in it, in fact it was jammed in the barrel. He had loaded the gun with 3 inch shells and it could only handle 2 3/4 (oddly enough the 3s fit the magazine). Luckily there was no incident or damage to the gun.
I later found out he was terrified of the 870 (and any gun with a push button safety at the trigger) due to a close call he had with it many years prior.
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I later found out he was terrified of the 870 (and any gun with a push button safety at the trigger) due to a close call he had with it many years prior.
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lowoncash
Baned
Grouse hunting in PA. Walking uphill and flushed a grouse. I didn't shoot because I was pointed at a ridgeline and didn't know what was up there. The hunters walking downhill above the ridge did shoot. Missed the grouse. I felt the muzzle blast and heard the shot go through the trees right above me.
Had a company issued revolver in the house so I gave the ex wife a safety brief. Didn't realize she was listening to the TV instead of paying attention besides having the basic comprehension of a cold turd. I handed her the firearm, told her it was loaded and she immediately pointed at the TV and started pulling the trigger before I grabbed it by the cylinder and hammer.
Had a company issued revolver in the house so I gave the ex wife a safety brief. Didn't realize she was listening to the TV instead of paying attention besides having the basic comprehension of a cold turd. I handed her the firearm, told her it was loaded and she immediately pointed at the TV and started pulling the trigger before I grabbed it by the cylinder and hammer.
5.56blaster
Ultimate Member
I was a military combat arms instructor for almost 20 years and never had an issue on the range. Went to On Target one time and had a pistol pointed at me twice. That was 15 years ago and I never went back. I commented to the holder of the pistol that what they did was unsafe. "It's empty" was the reply. I left.
d33rhunt3r
Pro Pizza Eater
So far I haven't run into a problem at On Target, but I always went during the week when it was quiet. I do wish every range had an RSO on the line like TMGN
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j_h_smith
Ultimate Member
- Jul 28, 2007
- 28,516
Not shooting but hunting. I was about 14 years old. I had my old single barrel shotgun. We went out dove hunting and my brother in law said I could use his pump shotgun. I thought I was the coolest man in the field that day. Well, as anyone knows, dove hunting is pretty difficult. We were behind a hedgerow, so when they flew over we didn't have a lot of time. Well, I got frustrated after missing a few. I racked the shotgun to load another round in the chamber and I just slammed the butt of shotgun down on the ground. Well, the shotgun went off and I get a load of buckshot wiz by my face into the air.
Talk about a Jesus moment.
I learned my lesson right then and there.
Talk about a Jesus moment.
I learned my lesson right then and there.
gpfan
Active Member
Yep... shot rain is a bit unnerving. I used to shoot archery at Southern Maryland Archers which is next to a big dove field. I learned real quick when dove season started and decided it best to just not go there during those weekends.
DaemonAssassin
Why should we Free BSD?
Well I do like to eat... But seriously, I have no idea. Looking back at all the ones listed, the only one that truly scared me was where I had to dive in the ditch. I did glass the genius so I'd know who shot at me, but I didn't return fire.
Thanks buddy. There are more that have happened over the years, but there is no point in sharing them all.
I hope my record continues for a long time.
Growing up in WV, there were public ranges at virtually every state forest/park near me. All were free to the public, none had RSOs on staff. That meant you were possibly taking your life into your own hands on a "cold" range call to go swap targets. Generally speaking, everyone was very respectful and very professional with whoever had been there the longest that day acting as a de facto RSO. Like I said, it was generally good, but I had two separate instances where things went poorly.
1) Some college-aged kids from one of the projects were there on a busy day shooting AR pistols and a closed-bolt tec-9. About as hood-rat as you can get in WV. Older guy who was acting as the RSO had called the range cold and had everyone open chambers and drop mags. He went over and explained it to these guys and they complied pretty reasonably. A bunch of folks had already started down range when one of the kids picks up the AR pistol and drops the bolt forward (without a mag in it). I never saw so many people draw on a guy outside of a Tarantino movie in my entire life. Luckily cooler heads prevailed and nobody dropped him right there, but he definitely learned a valuable lesson. Don't touch ANYTHING when others are down range. His buddies packed it up when they got back to their table, and smacked him in the back of the head the whole way to the parking lot as they left.
2) Another "cold" range one. Line was called cold, everyone is in the process of removing their ears and eyes, but some guy next to me hasn't gotten the picture yet and lets go with a M44 next to my head. I definitely lost some hearing in that ear. We called the park ranger on that guy. Lifetime ban on the spot for him.
1) Some college-aged kids from one of the projects were there on a busy day shooting AR pistols and a closed-bolt tec-9. About as hood-rat as you can get in WV. Older guy who was acting as the RSO had called the range cold and had everyone open chambers and drop mags. He went over and explained it to these guys and they complied pretty reasonably. A bunch of folks had already started down range when one of the kids picks up the AR pistol and drops the bolt forward (without a mag in it). I never saw so many people draw on a guy outside of a Tarantino movie in my entire life. Luckily cooler heads prevailed and nobody dropped him right there, but he definitely learned a valuable lesson. Don't touch ANYTHING when others are down range. His buddies packed it up when they got back to their table, and smacked him in the back of the head the whole way to the parking lot as they left.
2) Another "cold" range one. Line was called cold, everyone is in the process of removing their ears and eyes, but some guy next to me hasn't gotten the picture yet and lets go with a M44 next to my head. I definitely lost some hearing in that ear. We called the park ranger on that guy. Lifetime ban on the spot for him.
GuitarmanNick
Ultimate Member
My first year after discharge from the military I moved to Pa. and decided to take up hunting for the very first time. Spoke to as many experienced hunters as possible, did my preparation and was all set for a snowy, rainy opening day.
Had a guy crashing through the woods walk right up to my blind and ask if I had seen anything. "Only a few does", I replied. "You?"
He said he hadn't seen anything, but had taken a couple of "sound" shots earlier.
I got to my car and to the other side of the mountain as quickly as possible!
Years later I joined relatives at my uncle's property in W.Va.
Safety was the most important thing to all of these guys. We had great hunts, and tons of fun.
On the third day of deer season, my uncle warned me that an adjoining camp had called to say they would be driving on the other side of the valley where I was hunting.
I was high up on the ridge so I was not too concerned until they began shooting as part of the drive. I heard bullets zipping by as one hit a tree next to me. I was on the ground behind another tree so I was not really in harms way, but those idiots had been told I would be up there and they shot in my direction anyway.
I like to call these "survived educational experiences".
Had a guy crashing through the woods walk right up to my blind and ask if I had seen anything. "Only a few does", I replied. "You?"
He said he hadn't seen anything, but had taken a couple of "sound" shots earlier.
I got to my car and to the other side of the mountain as quickly as possible!
Years later I joined relatives at my uncle's property in W.Va.
Safety was the most important thing to all of these guys. We had great hunts, and tons of fun.
On the third day of deer season, my uncle warned me that an adjoining camp had called to say they would be driving on the other side of the valley where I was hunting.
I was high up on the ridge so I was not too concerned until they began shooting as part of the drive. I heard bullets zipping by as one hit a tree next to me. I was on the ground behind another tree so I was not really in harms way, but those idiots had been told I would be up there and they shot in my direction anyway.
I like to call these "survived educational experiences".
Trekker
Active Member
My grandfather had a farm with produce and orchards, but did not go hunting do to his advanced age and the farm itself keeping him busy. The same was true for a couple of his neighboring farmers. Anyway, one of the neighboring farmers was approached by a fellow asking if he could hunt the property. The farmer said ‘yes’, since every deer bagged means more vegetables and fruit left in the field at harvest time. A couple months later the farmer was woken up right at down by a fusillade of gunfire outside his farmhouse. The hunter had returned unannounced with four carloads of buddies, and were preceding to drive deer out of the woods and across a field next to the farmhouse. In shooting at the deer, they shredded the siding on the farmer’s greenhouses. It was a real wakeup call, since a lot of those farmers including my grandfather go into the greenhouses early morning to stoke woodstoves or open air vents, depending on the day’s anticipated temperature. Farmers in that community afterwards refused all hunters except from the local hunting/shooting club, and then only after the club vouched for that particular member.
Several years past I took my younger sisters for a sibling vacation to Camp Perry in Ohio for the Small Arms Firing School (SAFS). The end of the range has a berm to catch rounds, but also backs up to Lake Erie with a no-watercraft zone in case someone shoots high. The staff sergeant providing instruction and oversight remarked that things were going rather well, since sometime anti-gun or anti-military protesters would ride jet skis into the no-watercraft zone to shut down the national matches or Ohio national guard practices, at least until the authorities could get their own boat on site to chase them off.
Several years past I took my younger sisters for a sibling vacation to Camp Perry in Ohio for the Small Arms Firing School (SAFS). The end of the range has a berm to catch rounds, but also backs up to Lake Erie with a no-watercraft zone in case someone shoots high. The staff sergeant providing instruction and oversight remarked that things were going rather well, since sometime anti-gun or anti-military protesters would ride jet skis into the no-watercraft zone to shut down the national matches or Ohio national guard practices, at least until the authorities could get their own boat on site to chase them off.
campns
Ultimate Member
I grew up hunting in NW PA, doe season was always interesting when people from out of town or even locals have the "if it's brown it's down" attitude.
I have always hunted with a camo blaze coat and you could see me a mile away... but apparently some nit wit thought that shooting his 30-06 that the bullets go away after a hundred yards... I'm thankful to this day for brush piles and big live oak trees as I wouldn't be here today.
Had a former best friend paint me white with this shotgun as he was swinging for a pheasant, he hit the bird 4 feet above my head... that was the last day I talked to him.
I learned the hard way that mechanical safety's fail... I was holding my 22 mag while stalking squirrels a button from my jacket sleeve got caught in the trigger guard and the dirt flew about 12 inches from my foot.
and I am also guilty of BB Gun wars when I was younger, atleast we thought we were smart just using red ryders and safety glasses...
I have always hunted with a camo blaze coat and you could see me a mile away... but apparently some nit wit thought that shooting his 30-06 that the bullets go away after a hundred yards... I'm thankful to this day for brush piles and big live oak trees as I wouldn't be here today.
Had a former best friend paint me white with this shotgun as he was swinging for a pheasant, he hit the bird 4 feet above my head... that was the last day I talked to him.
I learned the hard way that mechanical safety's fail... I was holding my 22 mag while stalking squirrels a button from my jacket sleeve got caught in the trigger guard and the dirt flew about 12 inches from my foot.
and I am also guilty of BB Gun wars when I was younger, atleast we thought we were smart just using red ryders and safety glasses...
Doco Overboard
Ultimate Member
Had a Remington 870 let go next to me getting a SQC at Meade one time. Luckily the shooter was not over-injured becuase he was a lefty. Seen a guy pull a 22 pistol and shoot my buddy through the right forearm and had a lot of stuff go down doing utility work in Baltimore city. Almost been unintentionally hit a number of times hunting or near misses from others waterfowl hunting. most people are not 100% all of the time with safety.
