Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-05-06
SAFETY IN THE WOODS.
Some "Don'ts. for Hunters Prepared
by an CIdtiner


Professor i. L. Dyche. state fish and
game warden of Kansas. who has been
shot five times through the carelessness
of other persons. has evolved a set of
rules for carrying a gun, based upon
about 40 years, experience. He guarap-
tees that a boy or man who will follow
his rules will never kill another.
'eFwo-thirds of the people who hunt
don't know the first principles about
carrying a gum" said Professor Dycha.
aThey take all sorts of chances. Why,
] wouldn't go hunting with most of the
sportsmen know for good farm.
Trey are careless. they get buck ague.
and they get excited.
II never had an accident with gun
in my own hands in my life But ] have
been shot FIVE times through the care
lessness of other persons. One fool New
Yorker. who thought he knew it all, was
hunting where / was up in Newfound-
land, and / think about the first shot he
fred he got me in the back and right ear.
Another brilliant hunter shot me in the
back, another in the right leg. Two other
times carried off a load of lead.
Professor Dyehe has noticed since the
hunting season opened the great number
Of deaths resulting from careless hand
ling of guns. He says II is all avoidahle
and that persons who will not observe
proper rules for hunting should be pro-
hibited from carrying gun. lie has
u rules he follows some Of which were
handed down to him by his father.
He has worked them up for the bene-
fit of other persons, to avoid acct
dents Here they are:
Never point the muzzle of gun.
whether loaded or not loaded, toward
any human being.
Note: Guns are dangerous weap-
ons and never should under any cir
cumstances be treated as playthings.
Never take a loaded gun into the
house.
4 loaded gun in the house isdanger-
Gus. 1t may be placed out of the way
of the smaller members of the family,
but some neighber or person not ia
miliar with guns may pull ii down
out of its safe place and during d
moment of excitement over having
'seen rat or hawk after chicken, or
something of the kind handle the gun
carelessly and discharge ii premature
~. killing or wounding a bystander.
Never get into any kind of vehicle,
buggy wagon, boat or automobile
with loaded gun.
Note. if this rule We're obeyed.
many lives would he saved. Acct
d nts chat are continually happening
all over the country so To show that
loaded guns cannot be successfully
carried in vehicles
Never climb over or through
fence. or jump a small stream with q
loaded gun in hand.
Note: If you are too lazv TO remove
the cartridges before climbing . fence
then lay the gun under the fence, So
that it may be picked up safely when
yots are OYER keeping the mazzie
away from yourself and others.
Always think and look before you
shoot.
Note: There may be some animal
such as a COW og horse, or even Il hui
man being, in line with your proposed
shot.
Wien carving gun. keep the
muz.ie pointed at the air above YOU
or at the ground below YOU.
Note. Ii the gun is carried or the
shoulder keep the muzzle we'll
up in the air: If under the arm,
keep iilt lilu@Nit lltt4ttSh toh sii'
the ground to the right or~1eft of the
line of march so 1t viii not be pointed
toward the heels of the person who
may be walking in front of YOU,
Always hunt alone.
Note. BY SO doing you viii ge!
more game and run fewer chances Of
shooting someone or being shot your
self. The author of these rules has
handled a gun since he was years
old and never had any kind of acct
dent. On the other hand lie has been
hit five times with bullets and shot
from guns in the hands of careless
persons. Four OF these shots came
from persons who were hunting with
him and too near him.
Always look and see 81 the sights
are au the gun" before you shoot
Note@ My father gave me this rule
as well as many of the others when
I got my first rife. when a boy but
II years old. never fully understood
it's meaning until I was a grown man
and saw hunters shooting, under con-
| ditions of excitement, al small game.
To say nothing of that excited condi-
ton OF mind frequently dubbed as
buck fever" when large game is
sighted.
Never stand around with your hand
over the muzzle of the gun or lean on
| the gun with any part of your body
Keep cartridges out of the gun ex-
| cept when in the field where the
shooting is to be done,
DO net borrow your neighbours gun,
DO not loan your own gun.
Note: The owner of gun should
! get familiar with all its little devices
and peculiarities before making gen
| eral use of 1t. a sportsman or any
person good with a gun knows his gun
| and knows just what he can do with
| il. 1t is this knowledge that guaran-
| tees it's successful use. The sights of
| rifles in particular are very. delieately
| adjusted. not only to the eye, but to
/ the manner and way OF shouting. OF
! their owners. A man who really un-
derstands gun and its care and the
! Importance of having it In perfect
condition will be very shy about ask
1 ;,o :, rriand for the loan of his gun