Most Hunting Fatalities Non-Firearm (IN)

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El Tejon

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The Fort Wayne, Indiana Journal Gazette reports that during 1998 to 2004 most hunting deaths did not involve firearms, 19 out of 29 total deaths were non-firearms.

Ten fatalities involved a discharge of a firearms or bow (yes, a bow). Nine involved falls (mostly from tree stands). There was one drowning (floating duck blind capsized). The remaining deaths were because of natural causes--heart attacks, nagged to death by wives, etc. or suicides.

There were 279 official hunting accidents reported by the Department of Natural Resources. "Fall from tree stand" noted 114 times.

Everyone stay safe out there this year!:)

The solution is obvious: repeal the Law of Gravity! Do it for the children. This will give the politicians something to do and keep them away from the productive class.
 
The remaining deaths were because of natural causes--heart attacks, nagged to death by wives, etc. or suicides.
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Why would a heart attack that occurred while someone was hunting be considered a hunting fatality? Or a suicide? If the person never went hunting would they never the heart attack? Did having to go hunting cause some people to commit suicide?

I’m not trying to flame or argue one way or the other about firearm or hunting safety. I just think the Journal Gazette is not making the best statistical analysis here. Perhaps a better counting would be:

10 fatalities involving a weapon (firearm or bow) 50% of total.
9 involving falls, 45% of total.
1 drowning, 5% of total.
---
20 total

Ten fatalities involved a discharge of a firearms or bow (yes, a bow).
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How do you shoot someone by accident with a bow?
 
LaEscopeta said:
Why would a heart attack that occurred while someone was hunting be considered a hunting fatality? Or a suicide? If the person never went hunting would they never the heart attack?
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Have you ever tried to pack out a moose or elk? That's a task that would stress the heart of Lance Armstrong. It's the same reason that health officials warn people in the northern states to take care when shoveling snow. It's physical exertion that people aren't used to, and can overwhelm their systems.

Moreover, even if you would have had the heart attack staying home, it is far more likely to be fatal if it happens while you're hunting. You're often a long way from help. You may even be alone. You can't just dial 911 and be whisked to an ER in minutes.

So yes -- a fatal heart attack while hunting can fairly be attributed in large part to the fact that the victim was hunting.

LaEscopeta said:
How do you shoot someone by accident with a bow?
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Um ... "I thought he was a deer" comes to mind.
 
It's physical exertion that people aren't used to, and can overwhelm their systems.

Moreover, even if you would have had the heart attack staying home, it is far more likely to be fatal if it happens while you're hunting. You're often a long way from help.
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Good points, especially the second one. But since the report comes from Indiana, I’m thinking none of these hunting heart attacks were while packing out a moose or elk. And I get the impression the report involves all types of hunting, not just deer hunting. If most of the heart attacks happen while dragging a white tail, or hiking up hill to the cabin, I agree they are caused in a large part by hunting. Maybe not a large part if they happen while sitting in a blind, or packing out a pair of rabbits.

How do you shoot someone by accident with a bow?
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Um ... "I thought he was a deer" comes to mind.
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Well, you hear guys who shoot another hunter with a firearm say this quite often. And it easy to imagine a guy walking through the woods after spooking a few deer saying to himself “If I can just get the next shot off quicker…” And he wheels and pulls the trigger at the next sound he hears.

But with a bow, you can’t just twitch your finger. You have to set your body and draw at least beyond half way, in order to get enough speed for the arrow to reach the target with enough force cause serious injury (ignoring the possibility of an unlucky shot to the juggler, temple, etc.) So I’m thinking anyone taking the time to do this will have enough time to see if the target has 2 legs or 4. Also, if there is enough brush in the way to obscure vision, there is a good chance the arrow will be deflected and slowed down.

I’m not saying people can’t be killed by accident by a bow, I’m just having a hard time imagining how.
 
Heart attacks are a big one. A middle aged guy lives a semisedentary lifestyle, takes to the woods, shoots a 200 lb deer 200 yards from the road. The night before he probably had several beers with other guys in the camp, and had a nice bacon and egg breakfast with a few dashes of salt. Wearing his heavy winter clothing, he grabs the buck by the antlers and starts dragging, 75 yards later her collapses and is found 10 hours later when he doesn't show up to camp for supper.

Falling out of treestands is another. I know a fer parapalegics who didn't die when they fell out of their stands.
 
In a related story:

Dateline: Indianapolis, November 14, 2005

Today, Gov. Mitch Daniels and the head of the Indiana Department of Transportation announced new welcome signs to be deployed at the Indiana state lines. The new signs declare: "Welcome to Indiana, Beware of falling Hoosiers."
 
Many years ago, I was about 8-9 and a friend got his fathers bow out for us to play with. We were shooting arrows up in the air and watching them come down. 10 minutes into this I shot one, lost track of it in the Sun and it came down and hit me in the head. My father said upon hearing the story, and seeing the blood" You have got to be the only stupid SOB in the world who shot himself with a arrow" Glad to see I now have company:) :) :) :) :)


Kevin
 
I'm a proud Yooper (native of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan), which has large Swede and Finn populations. The Finns tell jokes about dumb Swedes, specifically two fellas names Sven and Ole. The Swedes tell the same jokes, but they're about a coupla dumb Finns names Eino and Toivo. Here's my favorite (I'm a Swede, so of course it's about Eino and Toivo):

One day, Toivo and Eino were hunting in the woods. Toivo instructed Eino that if he got lost, to fire 3 shots into the air. Eino agreed and they went on their way. After a few hours, Eino had gotten lost. He aims his weapon into the air, fires 3 shots and prays, "Please God, let Toivo see my arrows.
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