10-18-2004, 08:51 PM
[size 2]PIERRE, S.D. -- Excited shouts of "rooster, rooster!" will soon fill the fields of South Dakota. And while that excitement is part of the thrill of the hunt, Game, Fish and Parks officials also remind hunters to exercise caution and restraint, especially on low-flying roosters.[/size]
[size 2]Last year, 29 of South Dakota’s 40 reported hunting incidents (72 percent) occurred during pheasant hunts. Twenty-one occurred when the victim was covered by a shooter’s swing and shot pattern, quite often when firing at a low-flying bird.[/size]
[size 2]"One incident was at close range, with just 20 yards between the victim and shooter," said Hunter Safety Program Specialist Al Bahe. He noted that several other incident reports described the range as 50 yards, close or simply that the shooter thought it was a safe distance.[/size]
[size 2]"Brood counts from late in the summer indicate there are plenty of birds out there," Bahe said. "So let the low-fliers go and wait for another chance. It is just not worth the risk injuring one of your hunting companions."[/size]
[size 2]Hunters using the "walkers and blockers" method need to be extra careful. Whether walking a corn field, milo field or chest-high weeds, hunters who are hunting in a group are at a high risk for injury from shots at low-flying roosters. "The trajectory from a shotgun blast at a low-flying bird is typically at the upper-body level," Bahe noted, "resulting in a spray of shot at the head, neck, chest and arms."[/size]
[size 2]Lastly, Bahe said wearing hunter orange hats and vests may increase visibility for others in a hunting party, but the key is knowing where your hunting partners are at all times. If you don’t know where they are, don’t shoot.[/size]
[signature]
[size 2]Last year, 29 of South Dakota’s 40 reported hunting incidents (72 percent) occurred during pheasant hunts. Twenty-one occurred when the victim was covered by a shooter’s swing and shot pattern, quite often when firing at a low-flying bird.[/size]
[size 2]"One incident was at close range, with just 20 yards between the victim and shooter," said Hunter Safety Program Specialist Al Bahe. He noted that several other incident reports described the range as 50 yards, close or simply that the shooter thought it was a safe distance.[/size]
[size 2]"Brood counts from late in the summer indicate there are plenty of birds out there," Bahe said. "So let the low-fliers go and wait for another chance. It is just not worth the risk injuring one of your hunting companions."[/size]
[size 2]Hunters using the "walkers and blockers" method need to be extra careful. Whether walking a corn field, milo field or chest-high weeds, hunters who are hunting in a group are at a high risk for injury from shots at low-flying roosters. "The trajectory from a shotgun blast at a low-flying bird is typically at the upper-body level," Bahe noted, "resulting in a spray of shot at the head, neck, chest and arms."[/size]
[size 2]Lastly, Bahe said wearing hunter orange hats and vests may increase visibility for others in a hunting party, but the key is knowing where your hunting partners are at all times. If you don’t know where they are, don’t shoot.[/size]
[signature]