The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1910-10-25
PERILS OF HUNTING.
Casualties Of the Open Season in a
Number of States.
Amateur Gunners nd Careless Han l.
ling of Guns Are the Cause Of
Many Accidents and
Deaths.

In the first few days Of the open
season for deer shooting IL persons
were shot by accident in Maine, and
five of them died. Others may prove
to have been fatally hurt.
In about the same time the num-
Der of casualties in the Adirondack
forests of New York was not less
than 22. 1t is thought that full re-
turns will show 25 or more men
killed or wounded by other hunters
or by their own weapons.
The Minnesota record has started
about even with that of Maine. At
least dozen hunters have been shot,
some fatally. by other seekers for
deer and lesser game. Wisconsin and
Michigan have been keeping step
with the states which have furnished
pretty complete records of their
hunting casualties.
1t seems quite probable, says the
Cleveland Leader, of recent date,
that the close of the season for deer
will find not less than 100 men killed
or badly wounded by bullets intend
ed for wild animals, in the woods of
six or seven states. That may prove
an underestimate.
Meanwhile the amateur hunters of
Ohio have been doing pretty well in
demonstrating the perils of their
sport. though they use shotguns in
stead of rifles, and do most of their
shooting in comparatively open coun-
try instead of in the heavy timber of
the northern deer forests.
Among the long lists of accidents
which are published in the country
papers of this state are accounts OF
the serious wounding of a farmer
working in his field. by two men
whose dog started up covey of quail
near him, and the fatal shooting OF
a young woman by her own brother
whose gun was accidentally dis
charged as he stumbled in running
to show her the game he was bring
ing home from the first hunt.
Another young man shot his
brother in the eye with a charge in
tended for a rabbit. A rabbit hunter
who picked up his gun, with th'
muzzle pointing toward him, wa!
shot in the breast and killed i'll
stantly. Near one town sports
man almost shot his own foot off
and it may be amputated to save hi
leg, while another man let his gur
slip while he was standing on a log
and was very seriously wounded il
the abdomen.
A father shot his son while the.
were irving to kill a ra bbit. The DO,
will recover. \ lad of 10, who wa
hit By a charge of shot from hi
brother-in-law' gun, was less for
tunate and died. In another localit
a hunter was fatally shot by his CON
rade Rabbits were supposed to b
their quarry.
These are only scattered incidents
Anything like complete list o
hunting accidents. of a serious char
acter. in Ohio this season. will neve
be made. in all probability. But
is clear that scores of men and boy
will have been killed or badly WOUND
ed by other hunters or by their ow
runs. before the last shooting of til
fall ends.
The pursuit OF wild creatures a
helpless as rabbits, quail, ducks an
cartridges by men armed with deac
" weapons OF the latest type seem
altogether one-sided, but the blur
dering of the hunters makes tw
casualty lists. and both tend
lengthen every year. More hunter
take the field each successive Al
tumn, and it appears certain that tt
proportion of them who are unSkilie
in woodcraft and n.the use of fir
arms in the open country tends
increase with the great growth {
the city population.
An effective remedy, short OF II
prohibition of hunting except by me
carefully examined and then license