[oucorry]

The hunting story is one of the oldest human art forms, and probably one of the most important. It was the original hunter education method and remains one of the most enduring ways to pass along the heritage of hunting.


Most hunting stories today are about successes, ending with photos of the lucky hunter with a big kill. People need role models and while success does inspire, sometimes it's also important to pass along stories that are tragic, because they teach lessons which may prevent accidents that taint hunting for all.

Last December in Kansas, a young man was shot and killed in a layout blind among a large spread of goose decoys. The lethal rifle shot was fired from a road 150 yards away by someone road hunting.

Shortly after the funeral, the father of the dead boy contacted the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks to investigate a way to educate hunter behavior. In response, Kansas Hunter Education Coordinator Wayne Doyle recently produced a video about the tragic hunting accident. With narration and dramatic re-creations, the video depicts the event and includes moving statements from the boy's father and Doyle.

With the full cooperation of the family, the landowner, local law enforcement and the Department, the video is available for online viewing.

The video is being distributed to all Kansas hunter ed instructors and game wardens, plus to all hunter education programs through the International Hunter Education Association. A number have already asked for copies to use in their respective state or provincial programs.

Doyle relates: "When I came to this job 10 years ago, I was convinced that irresponsible conduct, not safety concerns, was going to kill off hunting. This video may have been the hardest thing I have ever had to do. My anger, barely concealed in the video, overflows sometimes because of the incredible irresponsibility shown by the shooter."

Doyle's observation agrees with research by Dr. Robert Norton at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Interviewing 417 waterfowl hunters, 70 percent said their worst day hunting ever was due to the unethical behavior of other hunters.

The road hunter in this tragic case was recently sentenced to 32 months in state prison (the maximum allowed for involuntary manslaughter), followed by a 24-month probation, loss of hunting privileges for life, 30 days jail time for each of the two wildlife violations, $11,000 restitution to the family and must pay all court costs.

Doyle relates: "I hope that this sends a message to all, particularly the idiots who shoot from the road, rather than getting off their backsides and really hunting. And the message of how badly you can screw up your life with one ill-considered act."

While on the subject of hunter education videos, in the process of making a documentary about California Fish and Game Wardens, my son and I recently produced a short video on the importance of wearing safety eyeglasses in the field for the California Hunter Education program.

While water-filled jug takes the place of a human head in the video, if you see how safety glasses can protect someone from a shotgun blast, your hunting attitude and behavior may be changed for life.


This is the age of information, when just about everyone is hooked up to one or more screens: TV, computer, Blackberry, etc. Hunters need to make more use of these screens to preserve hunting in the 21st Century. Targeting bad behavior is sometimes as important to the future of hunting as showing off trophies.

[Marvin]

Do you have a link to the video?

[oucorry]

I don't but I'll try to get one.