Agency: Gun accidents similar to Cheney's are rare (Cheney = bad hunter)

[Mr_Spock]

http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060214/LOCAL/202140317/1078/news

By TIM TUCKER

Special to the Sun


February 14. 2006

Shotgun accidents like the one involving Vice President Dick Cheney on Saturday while quail hunting in Texas are highly unusual in Florida, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials.

"I would say (the percentage of gun-related accidents) is small for bird hunting" said Karen Parker, public information officer for the FWC's North Central Florida region in Lake City. "All of the accidents that we've had this year involved deer hunting. And that's usually the case."

The distinction is important because the vast majority of all gun-related hunting accidents involve high-powered rifles instead of less powerful shotguns like the .28 gauge model that Cheney was using when he accidentally wounded a fellow hunter in the face and chest. Cheney, an avid bird hunter, was pursuing quail on a 50,000-acre private ranch 60 miles southwest of Corpus Christi when he reportedly swung on a covey of flushing quail and sprayed Harry Whittington from about 30 yards away.

-snip-

Apparently hunters don't like the WH claiming that Cheney just "sprayed" the guy with pellets or that this is a common occurance!

And they make it pretty clear if you read between the lines that only a moron could hit someone 30 yards away with a "less powerful shotguns like the .28 gauge model that Cheney was using".

"the vast majority of all gun-related hunting accidents involve high-powered rifles"

(you'd have to be shitfaced to hit someone with a low-powered shotgun)


:D

[aquart]

1. Weren't hunters and religious fanatics their last standing base?

Other than fascist rich people?

[Fridays Child]

2. This "thirty yards away" meme needs to be examined.

I sincerely doubt that being sprayed by birdshot at thirty yards is sufficient for one of the pellets to lodge in the heart.

[Mr_Spock]

3. I am thinking the same thing - either way, it's rare and takes an idiot

to hit someone at such close range...

What was he - on drugs or something?

[henslee]

4. Holes will be made in their cover story. This shooting will be

analyzed thoroughly. Crashcart is going down.

[AGKISTRODON]

5. Hearing 30 feet, now

The facts will just bounce around for a while, until someone gets them right!;-)

[Mr_Spock]

6. I've also heard "30 paces" as well.

All this horseshit will be panned out when the experts find out how wide the spray pattern was & deep the penetration was - it's simple physics from there...

[f-bush]

20. it was originally posted as 30 feet, then changed to thirty yards!

[rzemanfl]

7. Don't be fooled by this "sprayed" bullshit. The man was shot.

A bird's body is thicker than a man's chest wall where there are no bones. A twenty-eight gauge is a showoff's gun, it has to be choked tighter than a larger gauge gun in order to put enough pellets on the target for a kill at the same range.

On edit: By showoff I mean showing off shooting skill, although in the case of a Perazzi, it is also the showoff factor of "my toys are better than yours."

[Mr_Spock]

8. Yes, that was a poor choice of "sprayed" Faux "News" language there

He was BLASTED in the FACE with a SHOTGUN.

SHOT like a dog...

[Thor_MN]

11. It's possible that the piece of shot traveled through the blood stream...

Entered the body and a blood vessel, moved along to the heart. If it had gone directly into the heart, I think there would have been much more immediate, serious heart problems.

[Higans]

15. I would be interested to see the forensic evidence regarding spread pattern

at thirty yards vs. twenty yards vs. ten yards

If this man dies it is negligent homicide.

[AnneD]

26. If I can play the devils advocate here...

the skin and ribs covering the chest cavity are thin and could be easily traversed. I would be more worried about this guy getting pneumonia due to one of those pellets getting into the lung. More of these elderly die from pneumonia than anything else.

[mainer]

29. So Whittington was supposed to yell from 30 yards away?

They keep saying he should have announced himself when he "popped up right behind Cheney". From 30 yards away, that's quite a shout. And not exactly "right behind" Cheney.

[stepnw1f]

9. Worse...! He's a BAD VP!!!

[Mr_Spock]

10. Yes, he's also guilty of a capital offense - treason!

He's doomed - he should resign.

[Frank Cannon]

12. Of course they're rare; Cheney's either an idiot or an assailant

The story at first was that Whittington was "peppered" or "sprayed", as if the shot just sort of gently rained down from above by accident. HORSE MANURE!! The guy was SHOT in the FACE, NECK, AND CHEST. "Peppered" or "sprayed" does not leave you with bird shot in your freaking HEART!!

I come from a long line of hunters in the Pacific Northwest. No one in my family has EVER shot any of our friends or family, EVER. "Peppering" can happen (from shot in the air), and on the occasions that it does, it's harmless. Cheney SHOT this guy.

[kestrel91316]

24. My grandmother and great aunt were accidentally shot by a

shotgun from across the street in a small midwestern town in 1920 (how wide would that street have been??). They got "peppered". They each had several pellets in their faces for the rest of their lives (of no medical consequence).

I think this guy got hit at VERY close range, by a drunk Cheney.

[healz]

13. Shooting birds at ground level? How sporting!!!

One thing sticks out in this story to me, and that is why was Cheney shooting at birds that close to the ground? I thought the idea of the "sport" was to shoot them while they're flying?!!

In any case, when hunting for birds like that, you are NEVER supposed to take a shot (no matter what) with you're gun aimed at that level. There is no way an experienced hunter would take that shot. Last time I checked, 78 year old lawyers don't fly, so Cheney must have been shooting at eye level to hit him, which is just stupid and careless.

healz

[mimitabby]

14. or below

he didn't hit the guy in the eye, so i daresay he shot BELOW eye level.

[healz]

22. Exactly!!!

Exactly my point!!! Foolish shot to take in any circumstances.

[Glenda]

17. Welcome to DU!!

:toast:

[Imalittleteapot]

18. Not a hunt. The bird's wings were clipped. They can't fly

very high or very far, explaining why Cheney's gun was at such a low level. Atleast, that's what I heard from a hunter today.
You have to wonder about someone "hunting" a creature that doesn't have a chance.
:grr:

[f-bush]

21. Welcome to DU

[Glenda]

16. it's interesting to hear what the hunters say n/t

[DoYouEverWonder]

19. I bet even fewer accidents happen on private land

where there are only a few people around the whole place and all of them are in your party, with tame birds on probably seeded fields. I mean, I could see out in the woods with all the rest of the great unwashed, hitting someone who you didn't know who happened along, but not under the controlled circumstances that Dickie was in. That takes talent.

[sandnsea]

23. Texas PWD says it's primary cause of accidents

This was a preventable shooting and this Texas Parks and Wildlife article does not include "not announcing yourself" as a cause of accidents. This was clearly Cheney's fault and because it is so common, is something he should have known better than to do.

"The primary reason for Texas hunting accidents remains swinging on game outside a safe zone of fire. This happens when a person points a firearm at another hunter while following a moving target, such as a flying game bird...."

"Most of the people involved had more than 10 years of hunting experience. Most were in light to open cover with clear visibility in good weather.

Other findings verify what might be expected. Most people involved did not attend a hunter education course or wear any type of hunter orange clothing. Most accidents violated a cardinal rule of hunter safety, were situated in or around a vehicle or stand, and occurred toward dusk and involved fatigue as a factor..."

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/releases/?req=20050314c

[Mr_Spock]

27. Interesting...

Cheney will hopefully never go hunting again.

[goodboy]

25. This would NEVER happen if the shooter followed the rules for proper

handling and operating of a firearm.

period.

[lovuian]

28. I just had one beer...ok maybe two...