Conference vmsnet::hunting$note:hunting

49.0. "NH hunting accident report - 1986" by LILAC::MKPROJ (REAGAN::ZORE) Thu Oct 08 1987 15:06

	This note was entered into the firearms notes file by it's
    moderator.  I thought it was interesting so I entered it here. 
    
    	I do have two questions:  Does anyone know when the hunter
    education requirement was imposed in NH and does anyone know what
    the reception of this requirement was by the hunting/shooting
    community?
    
            <<< ALIEN::DISK$DATA01:[NOTES$LIBRARY]FIREARMS.NOTE;1 >>>
                 -< God made man, but Sam Colt made men equal >-
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Note 1361.0            NH hunting accident report - 1986               2 replies
ALIEN::BEZEREDI "Paul Bezeredi"                     172 lines   8-OCT-1987 10:53
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A lengthy report follows.  I happened to come across this last night at a 
club meeting.  I think it was left over from a hunter ed instructors course.
Some of the information is quite interesting.  In fact if you look and study 
the data you will find that the accident rate has gone down dramatically in 
the last few years, mostly because of the hunter education requirement no in 
effect here in New Hampshire.


		New Hampshire Fish and Game Department
			34 Bridge Street
		       Concord, NH  03301


	     New Hampshire Hunting Accident Report for 1986


Fatal	  1		License sales: 96,201
Non-fatal 4		Accident rate: 0.000052

Shooters involved in above:
Hunter Ed graduates  3
non graduates	     2

===========================================================
		Shooters Age

age	fatal	non-fatal	self inflicted
20-29	 1	   1		      1
30-39		   2		      2
50-59		   1
all others zero
===========================================================
		Equipment type

type	fatal	non-fatal	self inflicted	hunter ed grads
rifle		   1
shotgun	    	   1
muzzleldr 1	   2		       3	      3
all others zero

===========================================================
		Animal hunted

type	fatal	non-fatal	self inflicted	hunter ed grads
big game  1	  3		       3	      3
sml game          1
all others zero

===========================================================
		Contributing factors

factor		fatal	non-fatal	self inflicted
hang fire	  1				1

firearm fell from
insecure rest		   1			1

victim mistaken
for game		   2

trigger caught on
object			   1			1


		Accident summary

Fatal accident

shooter: 29 year old male
victim: self inflicted
firearm: muzzleloader

The victim dies as a result of a breech plug from an H&R muzzleloading 
firearm entering his forehead.  It was a borrowed firearm, which he 
apparently was unfamiliar with as his hunting partner loaded it for him.  The 
individual has been using alcohol prior to the accident.

=======
non-fatal accidents

shooter: 39 yr old male
victim: self inflicted
firearm: muzzleloader

The victim was attempting to climb a Hemlock tree with his muzzleloader laid 
across two limbs.  It was on full cock with a cap on the nipple.  The firearm 
was dislodged, fell to the ground and discharged.  The bullet struck the 
victim in the right hand and upper right arm under the bicep muscle.  The 
cause of the accident was a result of very poor judgment by the individual.

Shooter: 30 yr old male
victim: self inflicted
firearm: muzzleloader

The victim was reported overdue from a hunting trip.  He was climbing a tree 
attempting to get his bearings when he broke off some branches.  The branches 
fell, striking his muzzleloader, which had been leaning against the base of 
the tree.  The firearm was said to have been on half cock or safety, with a 
cap in the nipple.  The firearm fell from this insecure rest, discharged with 
the bullet striking the victim in the lower left leg and upper thigh, 
breaking his tibia and femur.

shooter: 51 yr old male
victim: 27 yr old male
firearm: rifle

The shooter mistakenly shot a member of his hunting party for a deer.  The 
distance was 120 yards.  The firearm was a .308 with 4 power scope.  The 
shooter said he saw a flash of white in the bushes.  he had been smoking 
prior to the accident and this may have blurred his vision.  The victim was 
in light cover at the time.  He was wearing traditional red and black 
checkered clothing.  He experienced extensive leg and abdominal injuries.
The six member hunting party did have an organized hunting plan and were all 
involved in a deer drive at the time.  The victim had been one of the drivers 
and was shot by one of the persons who had taken a stand.  The weather and 
visibility was reported as excellent.

shooter: 24 year old male
victim: 24 year old male
firearm: shotgun

The shooter apparently fired at what he thought was a rabbit in dense cover.  
The distance was 30 yards.  he mistakenly shot his twin brother in the head, 
neck and right arm with several pellets from his shotgun.  The visibility was 
excellent and the weather clear.  The victim was wearing a green hat and 
orange vest.


		Hunting accident summary  1963-1986

year	license sales	fatal	non-fatal	total
-----	-------------	-----	---------	-----
1963	 87,891		 4	  16		 20
1964	 92,802		 1	  13		 14
1965	 95,479		 0	  22		 22
1966	 98,012		 0	  25		 25
1967	102,731		 3	  21		 24
1968	105,598		 2	  17		 19
1969	106,607		 2	  21		 23
1970	106,722		 6	  21		 27
1971	 98,866		 2	  18		 20
1972	 95,579		 0	  22		 22
1973	 93,392		 2	  10		 12
1974	 96,879		 1	  12	 	 13
1975	101,229		 0	  10		 10
1976	103,682		 1	  23		 24
1977	107,638		 2	  16		 18
1978	101,285		 1	  15		 16
1979	 97,303		 0	  10		 10
1980	 95,204		 2	   7		  9
1981	 92,103		 1	  13		 14
1982	 85,935		 0	  13		 13
1983	 82,213		 1	  13		 14
1984	 82,428		 1	  12		 13
1985	 92,143		 0	   5		  5
1986	 96,201		 1	   4		  5


		lost hunter summary

1976	27
1977	28
1978	10
1979	29
1980	21
1981	29
1982	27
1983	17
1984	12
1985	14
1986	11

    RE: Hunter Safety Requirement
    
    	When I came back up north from N.J. about 4 years ago, I had
    to show either a Certificate of Competancy or a previous years
    hunting license to get my N.H. license. This may be the requirement
    you heard of.
    
    	BTW - From what I understand from taking a recent bow hunter
    safety course, they no longer issue a Certificate of Competency.
    Seems that it presents a legal problem to the issueing party in
    the event of an accident as they have certified you as competant.
    If you do have an accident and have been certified as competant,
    then the group/organization that certified you is apparently legally
    responsible due to a poor choice of words.
    
    RAYJ

      Heard this morning a hunter was killed in
      Hillsboro N.H. By a hunting party member.
      You can never wear enough hunter orange.
      Any else have any more details on this
      Tradegy.
    
    Be carefull
    and Good luck
    Mike G. 
    

      Correction the news last night said it
      was in east Deering. One brother shot
      the other brother as he crossed a stream.
      The news said he had no hunter orange on
      and white gloves. He was shot in the back
      of the head. Identify your game and whats
      behind then shoot. 
    
    Back in the Woods this afternoon
    Mike G.

             As of last Saturday besides deer, hunters in Maine have
    shot one human, one donkey, and two dogs, and one horse (which was
    beleived to be intentional).  The animals are sure taken hell this
    year. Iam sure the anti's are going to take this and run with it.

    
    
    	Had a friend tell me the other day of a hunter that blasted a guys
    dog 'cause it picked up his bird after he downed it. The dog died...
    
    	I'm a firm believer in an eye for an eye, so you can guess what I
    would've done to *that* jerk....:*|
    
    
    		jim s.