Hunter Gut Shoots Self

[Double Naught Spy]

The dangers in the woods are not just from the animals and the environment.

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080204/NEWS01/80204033

Monday, February 4, 2008
Hunter dead after being shot Sunday

ARTHURSBURG — The man who was shot in the abdomen while hunting in LaGrange Sunday morning died late Sunday afternoon, the Dutchess County Sheriff's Office reported today.

Police identified the man as 50-year-old East Fishkill resident Ronald Cirillo. Police said the fatal wound to his abdomen was a result of an accidental discharge from his own shotgun.

At about 9:42 a.m. Sunday, the Sheriff's Office went to a wooded area off Emans Road for a 911 call of a person with a gunshot wound to the stomach. A sheriff's deputy and a state trooper found Cirillo about a mile off the roadway. He had been hunting with two other people, police said.

Cirillo was flown to Westchester Medical Center, where he died while undergoing emergency surgery.

 

[eliphalet]

Nothing personal Double Naught but why is it every time a incident happens with a firearm it is posted for the world to see? Stuff happens and it can be good to remind us to be safe but why point out to a very anti gun world on a pro gun board every time someone goofs? A good gun video hardly ever shows up but if some one plays the fool on a video it is often pointed out and linked to.
It seems to never be pointed out that millions of hours are spent every year hunting or handling guns safely. We're human, we screw up, we crash cars, cut ourselves with sharp objects, can even fall down and hurt our selves on a flat surface sober, no one notices, but if it is a gun it is news.
This is my thoughts on the subject and again not meant to be a personal attack at anyone and if a local event I would like to know otherwise not good PR IMHO

 

[Double Naught Spy]

I would guess that it is because apparently people don't get the message that safe gun handling needs to be done all the time, every time, and that in spite of all of the time people don't shoot themselves or their friends by acts of negligence, it still can and does happen.

More hunters are killed by other hunters or themselves in such acts in the US than people (not just hunters) are killed by bears, mountain lions, and wolves, combined. That is based on IHEA stats and does not include hunters killed with arrows, crossbows, falling out of tree stands, or drowning while hunting.

We might not be able to prevent wild animals from attacking us, but we should be able to prevent ourselves from shooting either our friends or ourselves.

 

[eliphalet]

Good information thank you Double Naught Spy. Again, because I feel some what guilty from my post, as it was not directed personally I want to apologies if it seemed so in any way.

I appreciate your response. I think my ire stems from all the posts we see in the General threads of this shooting or that, which can and do reflect bad on the shooting/gun community as a whole. Those are what I object to, which it seems we read of all too often. None of which have one thing to do with hunter or firearm handling safety as your reply does.

We had one posted a while back where the fellas dog shot him. I was ask "how is this possible"? because of that thread I was able to show a fledgling hunter how a shotgun such as a 870, with the safety button on the trigger guard, could be fired by a dogs foot stepping on a loaded gun there. How a paw could push a safety button and trigger both at once and fire the gun. Teaching that an open action when not in hand for immediate use in the field is a good practice. The more information known the better chance good safety practices can and will be practiced.

 

[hexidismal]

This happened quite close to me. I just dont see how one shoots themselves in the abdomen with a hunting shotgun.. how is that even possible ? It seems like it would be incredibly difficult to even do intentionally.

I suppose eliphalet's post above does show that bizarre things can and do happen.

 

[Owen]

Often times, the hunter is shot by his dog. He leans the shotgun up against himself, and the dog hits the trigger while jumping on the hunter.

 

[eliphalet]

I just dont see how one shoots themselves in the abdomen with a hunting shotgun.. how is that even possible ?

When I was a boy a guy shot and killed his self with a shotgun crossing a barbwire fence on my Grandfathers farm. That is one way, another is to stumble in a small irrigation ditch while carrying a loaded shotgun, that happen to another fella in this area years ago.

 

[asknight]

I would guess that it is because apparently people don't get the message that safe gun handling needs to be done all the time, every time, and that in spite of all of the time people don't shoot themselves or their friends by acts of negligence, it still can and does happen.

For some reason, I feel that the member of this site are well aware of the safety rules of gun handling. There will still be accidents.
Why don't we start posting every detail each time there's a fatal automobile accident or heart attack? Negligent driving, and negligent consumption of Double Quarter Pounders kill much more frequently than accidental firearm deaths. But I've never heard of the War on Fat or War on Cars.

That's just my thoughts on the subject...

 

[Charles S]

Why don't we start posting every detail each time there's a fatal automobile accident or heart attack? Negligent driving, and negligent consumption of Double Quarter Pounders kill much more frequently than accidental firearm deaths. But I've never heard of the War on Fat or War on Cars.

Because this is not a board about automobiles, coronary artery disease, or eating. It is a board about guns.

Safe handling is well within the bounds of our discussion.

I really hate to see hunting accidents.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

I just dont see how one shoots themselves in the abdomen with a hunting shotgun.. how is that even possible ? It seems like it would be incredibly difficult to even do intentionally.

Many of these sorts of shootings happen during periods of transition, such as in and out of vehicles, crossing fences, getting in and out of tree stands, etc. However, most self inflicted wounds and deaths are attributed simply to careless handling in IHEA reports, but there are all sorts of explanations ranging from falls, horseplay, trigger caught on object, dog, etc.

Often times, the hunter is shot by his dog. He leans the shotgun up against himself, and the dog hits the trigger while jumping on the hunter.

I don't know about "often," but dog-induced discharges that hurt or kill hunters seem to happen usually no more than once a year.

For some reason, I feel that the member of this site are well aware of the safety rules of gun handling. There will still be accidents.

It isn't really an accident if you are hurt or injured as a result of negligence, even your own. As for the people on this board knowing the safety rules, I am sure they do. As for the people on this board always adhering to them, have you read the various posts members have made on NDs themselves?

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Check out the IHEA summaries yourself.
http://www.ihea.com/news-and-events/incident-reports/index.php

Full yearly summaries go through 2001 and then they are just raw data by state. There are a lot of self inflicted shotgun incidents of which 10-20% (varying by year) are lethal. For example, in 1999, 10 out of 83 self inflicted shotgun "accidents" were lethal.

What amazes me is some of the more unique incidents in the reports such as discharges by canines or people who shoot themselves with things like bows and crossbows and the circumstances in which the incidents happen such as horseplay or transitioning.

 

[bdg146]

For some reason, I feel that the member of this site are well aware of the safety rules of gun handling.

Most probably do, yes. But as I post this, there is a thread 2 slots up on the Hunting board titled "First Time Hunter..."

Let's not forget that there are people that visit this board with the intent of finding out more about hunting, and they may not be experienced in the safe handling of firearms.

When it comes to safety, it's much better to say it twice and be sure you said it than it is to not say it at all.