Another Hunting Accident

[We Jeep Inn]

This one hits close to home. I talked to Chris at our plant Monday, my boss talked to him Wednesday afternoon.
Things happen fast. All of these accidents are preventable. Always follow basic gun safety rules. It only takes one mistake.

Godspeed Chris

https://www.post-journal.com/news/po...ting-accident/

SUGAR GROVE, Pa. — A man was shot and killed by his own rifle in a hunting accident Thursday morning in Sugar Grove Township, Pa., in Warren County.
The identity of the hunter, who is not a resident of the county, was not released.
According to Dave Donachy, Pennsylvania Game Commission Game Warden, officials were working on contacting the man’s next of kin.
The death involved “a man climbing down from his tree stand with a loaded rifle,” Donachy said. “He attempted to hand the rifle off to a partner. The gun fell and discharged.”
The cause of death was a “single wound to the neck,” Pennsylvania Game Commission Northwest Region Information and Education Supervisor Chip Brunst said.
In the hope of avoiding similar tragic accidents, Brunst said, “always unload your gun when going up or down tree stands.”
Ideally, he suggested using a “haul rope” to move the unloaded firearm up and down.

Slain hunter identified

Cops & Court Report
Dec 14, 2019
Brian Ferry
Staff Reporter
bferry@timesobserver.com

The identity of the hunter killed Thursday in Warren County was released on Friday.
Christopher Oakley, 37, of Franklin, Ten., was pronounced dead Thursday morning at the scene in Sugar Grove Township.
According to Pennsylvania Game Commission Northwest Region Information and Education Supervisor Chip Brunst, Oakley was climbing down out of a tree stand with a loaded rifle. “He took a gunshot wound to the left side of the neck when he dropped the firearm,” Brunst said.
Brunst cautioned hunters to unload their firearms when getting into and out of tree stands and to ideally use ‘haul ropes’ to move the weapons up and down.
“This is our third hunting-related fatal shooting this year,” he said.
Two of those Pennsylvania fatal shootings were self-inflicted.

[Duck cutter]

Terrible to hear.

I was accused of being too critical and exploiting a tragedy in the last thread like this. But discussing and learning from these things can help prevent future tragedy.

[tprice]

Terrible to hear.

I was accused of being too critical and exploiting a tragedy in the last thread like this. But discussing and learning from these things can help prevent future tragedy.

Hey man you are spot on, TERRIBLE when something like this happens but it should be a wake call to ALL OF US. ANYTHING can happen when you think it can not

Prayers to the deceased family friends.

[Birddawg]

I am truly sorry for your loss.

[Glenn]

Hey man you are spot on, TERRIBLE when something like this happens but it should be a wake call to ALL OF US. ANYTHING can happen when you think it can not

Prayers to the deceased family friends.

Sadly it won’t be anything close to a wake up call. Those who it will affect are already doing all they can. The rest are convinced it’ll never happen to them.

[We Jeep Inn]

Terrible to hear.

I was accused of being too critical and exploiting a tragedy in the last thread like this. But discussing and learning from these things can help prevent future tragedy.

Agreed. Honestly I expected a "pile on" about what went wrong, but that's OK with me. The Monday morning quarterbacks will always be around to point out the obvious. He made a stupid mistake that many of us have made and some will continue to. If posting this stuff can get folks thinking maybe it will prevent similar tragedies.

My son and I have talked through this and been over all the rules again, and again. I will also have a dicussion with the group coming down to the farm to hunt/shoot over Christmas. They all got a text from me as soon as I found out. Very few 2nd chances in this game.

[scatter shot]

Climbing into stands with a gun, loaded or not is not a good idea. I keep a length of cord in my pack and when hunting as a guest I will use my cord if a pull rope isn't already there. I always tie it off for future hunts. Funny thing is, when I hunt these same stands later in the season the pull ropes are gone.

[Black Bart]

Prayers for all affected. And a special prayer that his partner doesn't blame himself.

[Fish]

Does PA require a hunter’s safety course?

I guess it’s safe to say that so long as an action is unintentional, we should refer to it as an accident no matter how unbelievably stupid and avoidable it is.

[ecu1984]

another layer of thought and sadness is added anytime a death could have been avoided.
I unload and lower rifle down with a rope. Each stand I have, has a permanent cord with
clips on it. I didn't always do that but have for the last 15 years or so.

[quack head 11]

Well if this helps nobody else, it helps me.

This is one thing that I need to be more mindful of.

I have gotten way too relaxed as of late and this is a sad situation but a good reminder for me to slow down/.

God bless this mans family right here at the holidays

[FishSticker]

Sadly it won’t be anything close to a wake up call. Those who it will affect are already doing all they can. The rest are convinced it’ll never happen to them.

This is the unfortunate truth.

[JJ1965]

another layer of thought and sadness is added anytime a death could have been avoided.
I unload and lower rifle down with a rope. Each stand I have, has a permanent cord with
clips on it. I didn't always do that but have for the last 15 years or so.

Same here. I carry paracord and carabiner clips in my pack, and if visiting someone else’s stands, I attach and leave them there as well.

[Rabbitman09]

Climbing into stands with a gun, loaded or not is not a good idea. I keep a length of cord in my pack and when hunting as a guest I will use my cord if a pull rope isn't already there. I always tie it off for future hunts. Funny thing is, when I hunt these same stands later in the season the pull ropes are gone.

The only time I ever dropped a rifle from a deer stand was wen I was letting mine down with a rope. I used to always use a rope to pull gun up and down until I'd had enough dumb shit happen. You better have some good quality rope if youre going to do this. Cheap rope and twine will twist. I can't tell you how many times my rifle has been spinning round and round and knocked the hell out of the stand. That one time I dropped my rifle, I was letting it down and the rope had obviously picked up a few stickers from me carrying it and when one when into my hand, I let go of the rope and down to the ground she went. I was done with the dumb shit after that one. Carry the dam rifle up and down on your shoulder.

[Bownut]

You can always get by with it until you don't.

[Rabbitman09]

I remember vividly a hunt when my rifle slammed the rungs on the stand like three times on the way up using a dumb as rope. I was probably 12 or 13. I had forgot my good soft rope in another stand and had found some shit rope at home to use until I went back to that stand to get my good rope. I started bringing my rifle up and it started spinning faster than a fucking roulette wheel. Slam, slam, slam!!! Not only was I unsure if my rifle was still on, I had just made enough noise to run every deer off within 300 yards! Got a nice gash on my woodmaster from that bullshit.

[StrutnBPS]

The only time I ever dropped a rifle from a deer stand was wen I was letting mine down with a rope. I used to always use a rope to pull gun up and down until I'd had enough dumb shit happen. You better have some good quality rope if youre going to do this. Cheap rope and twine will twist. I can't tell you how many times my rifle has been spinning round and round and knocked the hell out of the stand. That one time I dropped my rifle, I was letting it down and the rope had obviously picked up a few stickers from me carrying it and when one when into my hand, I let go of the rope and down to the ground she went. I was done with the dumb shit after that one. Carry the dam rifle up and down on your shoulder.

Paracord.

[Bigtimber2]

Never chamber a round until settled in, unload before climbing down (or just bow hunt).





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[Duck cutter]

If the rifle is unloaded I really don’t see an issue with climbing with it as long as you can safely enter and exit the stand

[Rabbitman09]

Unloaded until you get in the stand??? Y'all ain't never walked up on a deer and shot it on the way to the stand? Hell, I've killed deer half way up the ladder going in hunting!