Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-12-02
Tragedies Of the Hunting Season.

Tragedies Of the Hunting Season.
a Chicago paper has compiled the
casualties of the hunting season end
ing Now 80. 1t gives the number Of
lives lost this fall. as 113. This is 26
greater than the fatalities OF 1909;
but the injuries, which are 81, are %
less than those of last year. The
Maine list is given as 9 dead and 20
injured. and the Maine season is not
vet over. 1t is quite probable that the
death rate will be increased by the
fatal termination of some cases of in
jrred.
Mistaken for a deer" and "shOt by
a companion continue to lead as a
reason Tor the shooting of hunters,
and after all, it is surprising that the
list of fatalities is not greater than it
is. when it is considered that in some
localities the forests are practically
alive with hunters. The state game
warden of Michigan. estimates that
there were q 900 hunters in the upper
peninsula this year.
Carelessness, Of course, figures al
most wholly in the responsibility TOR
hunting accidents. Every year stV-
cral are shot by pulling guns toward
them ont of boat, or through a fence
Men are careless in the handling OF
,~ifi in
ing or unloading or in cleaning; ana
every year adds its quota Of those
who are killed in this manner. Some
mon are prone to tumble down the
molncnt they have gun IN their
hands and, il they do not shoot thchl-
selves. are quite liable to fill the an
atom,- OF some other hunter with lead
Another class Of hunters load them
selves before and after loading their
weapons. and sally forth with I'M
STEADY gait and bleary eyes 20 hunt
for game when they are unable to us
tinguish q man from a moose. But II
seems to be a peculiar provision Oh
fate that when a man is IN TINS
stage that his aim. if; at a human
being. is always deadly. He could
hardly be, expected to hit barn, II
he were inside with the doors closed
vet if he mistakes a man for deer
the bullet usually finds its mark.
Every year also brings FORTH its pc
culiarly touching tragedies Oh " Inc
hunt. one such was reported in the
dispatches OF Wednesday, in which
an American hunter is bringing home
the body of his brother from the Can
adam wilds. The dead man was the
victim of a peculiarly unfortunate ac-
cident-killed by a bullet from a vol
lev fired by his brother in an attempt
to save him from the charge OF
wounded moosa Another pathetic in
cidcnt was in Michigan, where man
was killed by his cousin. AS com
panions were carrying the body home.
they came across that of the cousin
with his head shattered by a load OF
buckshot In Il pocket was note ex-
planning that it was he who had shot
his cousin, and to atone for his care
lessness he had killed himself.
Another case of acute remorse Is
recorded from Hallock. MINI. waiter
Smith, lighting his pipe, accidentally
discharged his gun, the contents tear
ing off the lower portion OF Ed SIM
mons face, including his tongue.
Smith, crazed with grief, ordered
simmons to do the same to him or
kill him if he preferred, and handed
the disfigured man his gun. Simmons
pulled the trigger and both men were
disiisured for life, in practically the
same way. Both may die.