Daily Kennebec journal., 1901-11-25
CARELESS HUNTERS.
Chairman Carleton Speaks Of
Recent Deaths in Woods.
Only Safe Rule Is to Be Sure Before
You Fire.
Such Accidents Cannot Be Prohibited BY Law
or Statute.

Chairman l.. T. Carleton of the fish
! and game commission. says that shoot
ing accidents in the Maine woods can
not be prohibited by statute. He SAYS:
Many sad accidents have occurred
this hunting season whereby seven
| men have lost their lives. being mis-
taken for deer by their fellow hunt
ers. and several more wounded more
or less seriously.
"A great deal. not too much, how
ever has been printed in the news
papers concerning II and | do not see
how can add anything of interest to
the public concerning the matter
one fact, however. stands out
prominentiv-no registered guide has
beer mixed up in any of these shoot
irgs. showing that our guides are
learning their lesson we'll in this re-
SLeCt.
'Tarelessness is. as is well known. a
characteristic of mankind. perhaps no
more in the use of deadly weapons
than i'll other respects. The most con-
sCi"ntious, painstaking and careful
sometimes become careless. ] have a
ease in mind: A foreman of a section
on the Maine Central Railroad in my
town was one of the most methodical
and careful men | ever knew and for
81 years had never failed of a morning
to go over his section with a hand car.
But one Monday morning he failed to
do so thinking it not necessary. The
train came along a S uSual-the track
was on the shore of Lake Maranacook
the waves had washed out the bal
last for one half a mile, and when the
train was upon this track il sunk the
train toppled over into the lake with
al hands on board. Utter and gross
carelessness is the term we apply TO
such incidents.
One Of the most experienced and
careful business men and hunters in
the State told me not long ago of an
experience he had in the woods.
He was. near nightfall. watching
for a deer on a bog. He saw, as he be-
lieved. a deer He made up his mind
to be absolutely sure it was deer be-
fore he fired and would wait until he
say it move. He saw its horns. its
ars its fun outline-he saw it move
lie fired not once but twice. when to
his horror and disgust on going to the
spot found he had been plugging his
bullets into a stump. yet that stump
10 him was real, actual. living, mov-
ing deer. You ask me to account Tor
this. | cannot. Yet this man was abb
solutely sober. he never drank liquor.
is an experienced hunter and as
familiar with game as any man in the
state of Maine.
Take another case that actually oc-
CURED this fall. where woodsman
was going up the bed of dry brook.
Becoming tired he sat down in the tail
grass. He had on brown hat. turned
M before and behind. A careful hum
ter. and attorney -at-law, happened TO
no going down the bed of the brook.
He saw this hat-he felt dead sure II
was deer's head He fired and the
man was instantly killed. shot through
the head. This hunter was experienced.
familiar with game. You ask me 10
account for it. l cannot. And so it is
in every department of life. Men get
careless. trains collide. steamships run
on the rocks. and a thousand and one
accidents occur
..There is but one safe rule to follow
and that is to be absolutely dead GER
tain every time what you are shooting
, at before you fire.
can these unfortunate accidents be
nrohihitedo Not until human nature Is
made over. so to speak. Law will not
n,eyent them. as we have seen. Men
viii hunt. men will be careless ana
, accidents will happen. The press of the
state and country is doing more than
! all other agencies to prevent these ac-
, cidents by constantly calling attention
:, them. If men would have registered
r,,ides the danger would be reduced l.
to minimum.