Shooting in the woods accidents

[7.62mm.ak47]

My friends and I went shooting on state land today and passed a few hunters on the road in to our normal plinking ground. It got me wondering about how many accidents actually happen out there. We normally shoot at targets with a big sand/dirt hill behind them but ricochets/bullets that fly off into the air do happen occasionally. What is the chance of someone getting hit by a bullet that ricocheted off a target or backstop? I hate being paranoid but I definitely don't want to take a round from someone else who is hunting nearby or injure someone myself (particularly with a .223, will it still have much energy after it hits something?) Thanks!

 

[gathert]

I have been hit several times by ricochets and its not exactly fun. If you are actively shooting I doubt a hunter will accidentally aim at you but you could always wear bright orange just to be safe. All ricochets are different but most of the time its just jacket pieces flying back off hard surfaces like metal or rock. Occasionally whole bullets, usually lead, can come back at you. Those are none to fun to get hit by I'll tell you that much.

 

[firesky101]

ricochets are no fun, but for the most part non-lethal. You sound like you take necessary precautions to avoid tragedy unlike one of our local police departments. One local small town PD was using a neighboring towns range when an officer overshot the backstop. With incredibly bad luck a citizen walking his dog down a nearby road was struck by this .223. I don't remember hearing he died, but not too fun. This happened about 2-3 years ago.

 

[T Bran]

I normally dont target shoot during hunting season just for this reason I've had people shooting down the trail that I come in and out on. I know how PO'ed I was and would never take the chance of accidentally having someone down range. Even on my own property I refrain from shooting during season since it may spook game on my neighbors place. It is not illegal just a matter of courtesy that we all adhere to in the area. After season it sounds like a war zone once again.
Stay safe
T

 

[7.62mm.ak47]

Wow, that's always scary to hear firesky. It's kind of nice being in the middle of nowhere because there are very few people in case something does happen. Also, maybe you can answer this; if you're shooting at a frozen lake from a hillside, will it generally penetrate or deflect? My friends were shooting at targets on a lake covered in about 4"+ of ice recently and luckily every shot penetrated. Later it occurred to us that this might have been a bad idea since we didn't know how steel core ammo would react when hitting the ice. (For the record, hills and trees surrounded the lake for an added buffer.)

 

[firesky101]

not something I would generally do, but I am no expert. Mythbusters recently did some bouncing of handgun rounds off of a frozen lake, other than that I can't say one way or another.

 

[7.62mm.ak47]

@T Bran- That's something I've always been a little concerned about. Up here I think it just became bow season but I'm not entirely sure.

 

[7.62mm.ak47]

The frozen lake test was actually to see if a handgun bullet would keep spinning from the rifling of the barrel if I remember correctly. Pretty cool stuff.

 

[armedwalleye]

Legal?

During hunting seasons a lot of states ban target shooting except at approved ranges. I suspect both to allow some margin of safety for hunters as well as reduce the number of folks illegally taking animals with the claim of "target shooting". I'd check your state regs if you've going to shoot on state land during an open hunting season.

 

[rcmodel]

1. All guns are always loaded.
2. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.
3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.
4. Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.

—Jeff Cooper[


See this about shooting in at non-approved "plinking areas" in the woods.
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2008/feb/26/sheriffs_officers_seeking_answers_girls_shooting/

rc

 

[Gunnerboy]

i agree on ricochets they hurt like crazy ive been hit out duck hunting by bbs so your not paranoid just thoughtful

 

[rcmodel]

Gettin hit by shotgun pellets at a distance is a far cry from getting hit by a .30 cal bullet whining along at 2,000 FPS.

One stings and the other one will kill you.

rc

 

[7.62mm.ak47]

I checked; It's always legal to shoot targets even during hunting seasons as long as you have targets set up and are on state land. We are miles and miles away from any homes I assure you but thanks for the heads up.

 

[7.62mm.ak47]

PS - In my state at least.

 

[sig220mw]

A friend that is a locomotive engineer like myself was accidentally shot several months ago while on a train in Frierson, Louisiana. The shooter was approximately 400 yards from the tracks and shooting a 223. I don't know what type of rifle. The engineer side window was open. He was hit on the right side of his face just below the corner of his mouth. His lower jaw was wrecked and the bullet exited out the left side in almost the same exact place. The bullet then hit the conductor, who sits on the left side of the engine. It hit him in the wrist but didn't penetrate it. He said it just stung like hell. Luckily the conductor had worked for a fire department in the same area in previous years and knew who to call immediately. I went to visit the engineer in the hospital a few days later. His jaw was wired shut and he will be off work for a year or 2 in order to have several reconstructive surgeries. He is happy to be breathing. The shooter was found and it is reported that he started crying when he learned he shot someone so I am assuming he didn't mean to do it.

I said I assumed he didn't mean to do it because I know of several cases in which trains have been purposely shot at and hit. This is the first case of a friend or at least someone I personally know being hit.

 

[olafhardtB]

OK Curnell Cooper, I don't hunt any where but thick woods. I once went on a measuring spree and determined that in the woods arround here the furtherist away I can identify a target is 35 I say agian 35 yards. Your rifle can easily reach a lot futher than that, so lf we are going to be sure of what's behind our target we can't hunt in the woods especially those delicious squirrels. This is a minor reason that I like a 20 gauge. The big reason is I can't hit squat with a rifle.

 

[rduchateau2954]

I can tell you from experience that 20ga #8 ricochets back at you when shooting at ice.

 

[1911 guy]

7.62AK47, I'd double check on that. My reading of the state game laws says that shooting on state land, other than while taking game or on designated target ranges, is illegal.

In fact, let me go get my booklet and give you a page number right now.

 

[Ditchtiger]

The frozen lake test was actually to see if a handgun bullet would keep spinning from the rifling of the barrel if I remember correctly. Pretty cool stuff.

Did not see the Mythbuster's episode but from personal experiance I saw this.
Shot my SKS down at a 45% angle and saw something odd on the ice.
Went down to the frozen pond and found a slug spinning on its point like a top on the ice surface.
An other time after shooting at the ice with a .22 rimfire I found a slug sitting on the ice and at liked like it was vibrating. I reached down to pick it up and when I touched it, the slug spun out of my fingers. The .22 bullet was not vibrating it was still spinning.

 

[Owen Sparks]

Back in the summer I was talking to the woman across the street and a bullet whizzed right between us. One of our idiot neighbors was using the woods as a back stop and a bullet glanced off a tree at a 45 degree angle nearly hitting us. Another time a local moron was shooting into the lake behind the house at an angle and the bullets were skipping off the watter and rattling through the trees right behind a residential neighborhood.

 

[1911 guy]

It is unlawful for any person to use a rifle, pistol, revolver, shotgun or other firearm at any time on any land or water area, controlled or administered by the Division of Wildlife except while lawfully trapping, or hunting wild animals, or target practicing on a designated Division of Wildlife target range.

Taken directly via cut and paste from ohiodnr.com hunting and fishing regulations, public hunting lands section.

 

[7.62mm.ak47]

@1911 guy- sorry I should have said that I'm in Michigan now. Good to know for when I go back to Ohio though.

 

[hso]

During hunting season I would consider the risk too high to go plinking/hiking/birding in a area known to be used by hunters.

 

[Double Vision]

My property backs up to state land where a lot of folks hunt deer. On Saturday at around 5:00 PM, I heard the roar of a shotgun nearby (a lot closer than usual). It was pretty dark out by that time. I gotta question how wise it is to be shooting near homes when your target may not be certain.
Be safe.

 

[gilgsn]

I was flying an ultralight once, coming in for landing at a public airfield. It was duck season.. My plane was peppered with pellets from a shotgun.. There was no damage, but the engine being idle, I clearly heard the heavy-rain-like noise..