Thread: Man dies while hunting......

Originally Posted by EeeBees

Yes, that may be true, but it is no excuse is it?

No of course not, the responsibility always rests with the shooter,there may be influencing factors like a couple of mates yelling "theres one get it get it" but it still comes back to the guy with his finger on the trigger.What I'm saying here is look at WHY the shooter failed to identify the target.Its not as simple as "hes just a wanker" or "stupid prick should never have been give a FAL". Id put decent wedge on the shooters often being normal run of mill the guys that you would have been happy to go hunting with.His mates obviously were. So what happened?Why did he make the wrong decision and pull the trigger? What makes a guy risk the lives of his mates for the sake of a feed of venison?
Of all the investigations into accidents air accidents are probably the most in depth, as a result one of the exams you have to pass to gain a pilots license is Human Factors, alot of which is about decision making.The aviation industry recognizes the frailty's of the human brain and puts procedures in place to mitigate the effect and make flying as safe as it can be.Hunters and shooters don't have the CAA looking after us so we have to do it our selves.

Originally Posted by sneeze

No of course not, the responsibility always rests with the shooter,there may be influencing factors like a couple of mates yelling "theres one get it get it" but it still comes back to the guy with his finger on the trigger.What I'm saying here is look at WHY the shooter failed to identify the target.Its not as simple as "hes just a wanker" or "stupid prick should never have been give a FAL". Id put decent wedge on the shooters often being normal run of mill the guys that you would have been happy to go hunting with.His mates obviously were. So what happened?Why did he make the wrong decision and pull the trigger? What makes a guy risk the lives of his mates for the sake of a feed of venison?
Of all the investigations into accidents air accidents are probably the most in depth, as a result one of the exams you have to pass to gain a pilots license is Human Factors, alot of which is about decision making.The aviation industry recognizes the frailty's of the human brain and puts procedures in place to mitigate the effect and make flying as safe as it can be.Hunters and shooters don't have the CAA looking after us so we have to do it our selves.

You raise a very important point! How many millions go into American fighter pilot training only to see them constantly engage friendly targets. Dispite ALL the technology man can think up to prevent this - and it still happens. Will hand held phone based programs save hunting lives? doubt it. Forcing people into more lectures....Nope. Perhaps creating a hunting version of the police training (im not a cop, so correct me if i'm wrong but dont they have some sort of 'pop up' mechanical target course?). We had that in the Army ages ago and it was great. Much better to physically learn in my opinion, seems to stick in your mind better than books and lectures.

I suspect the desire to take home meat is as primitive a survival drive as sex itself.

The successful hunter would have got the choice of women and huge standing in the community.
Primitive hunters (and other predators) risk there lives when they go hunting so the rewards and drive have to be overwhelming. (like sex, eating and other survival traits).

This explains to me why we suffer so much discomfort to hunt and why so many hunters it seems will do anything to get a deer (me to).

In any social situation you can see the respect levels for Joe Blogs who reguarly shoots "venison". I reckon the women go all moist without even knowing it, god bless them. All a young mans behaviours are about the right to reproduce with the most attractive females.

I think thats what we are up against when our mates are hissing in our ear "shoot for f**ks sake, it's a deer"

Great for young hunters to have a mentor with the authority to keep them up backside and actually get a few animals under their belts to ease the pressures.