Where do I look for safety stats on shooting vs. golf?

Specifically, I'm wondering about the number of accidental deaths on organized ranges/in competitions as compared to the number of accidental deaths on golf courses, such as from lightning or golfcart DUI...

I'd try the NRA and/or look under Occupational safety to start. Easy way would be just do a google search using those search terms.

Don't forget people throwing their backs out, twisting ankles, etc.....

As someone who worked grounds maintenance on a high-quality golf course in between college semesters, I can tell you that we took lightning SERIOUSLY. And you are a heck of a lot safer on a "hot" shooting range than standing in elevated areas with storm clouds threatening, while wearing steel-grounded shoes and carrying a bag of lightning rods.:D

Query the National Institutes of Health / Centers for Disease Control.

I know worrying about getting struck by lightning while golfing is a big concern, but has anyone ever actually been struck by lightening while playing golf?


My dad has been golfing two or three times a week since I was born, i go with him once or twice a month. There is always a concern of lightening, but we've never actually heard of anyone getting struck. just curious.

If you ever play golf with me, you would KNOW that you would be much safer on a hot range!

Mark

some guy out here was struck not too long ago and it wasnt even stormy looking out...just cloudy.

If you're looking for stats comparing shooting with benign sounding sports/recreational activities, consider horseback riding as a comparison. I recently read that it is actually more dangerous per hour ridden than motorcycling.

I was playing golf behind a guy while practicing in high school that dislocated his knee during a practice swing. Seen lots of people hit in my life by errant shots (including my face and my brother's skull). Never seen any serious injuries at the shooting range.

You may also want to look at the environmental impact of the TONS of chemicals used on a golf course per year vs the impact a shooting range has.

I know of no cases where a shooting range has caused a fish kill. However, the courses do it almost routinely.

In my hunter ed class that I just finished (not required as I'm an adult, but I get a bonus point out of it) the instructor had a newspaper clipping with the injury stats from a number of sports. Football was highest with about 3,300/100,000 injuries. Baseball and basketball were also really high on the list. Golf was listed as about 128/100,000 and hunting was listed at 7/100,000. I'm assuming those are nationwide stats. Here in AZ, last year out of all the hunters, there were 3 recorded accidents, none fatal, all self-infliced. In the last 10 years there have been a combined roughly 30-40 hunting accidents, less than half were fatal IIRC. In that whole time I think only one or two people were shot while being mistaken for game animals. You have a better chance here in AZ of hitting an elk with your car on I-17 than you do of being involved in a hunting accident.

Oh, and CrudeGT, just ask Lee Travino :what: .

sumpnz:

Do you know if the hunting accidents included all injuries or just firearms?

You know, like falling down a rockslide or cutting your knee with an axe ...

I would guess there are actually more non-firearm hunting accidents than firearm accidents.

Same with a shooting range - greatest hazards are probably sunburn and bee stings. (or broken glass :( )

Probably mostly shooting accidents (I think that may include archers too, but not sure).

Anyway, I doubt that the football injuries include slipping and falling in the shower after the game, a severe sunburn (or frostbite as the case may be), or getting a splinter in your butt from the bench.

I don't have the article, let alone the criteria used to determine what counted as injuries, though that would be interesting to find out.

I agree that hunters are more likely to injure themselves with a non-firearm than with a firearm. But at that point, your injuries are no different from a hiking or camping injury, and I would figure that's why they're probably not included in the stats.

What about this scenario:

You are shooting at the range when you are hit in the head by an errant golf ball that came from a nearby golf course, thus causing you to mishandle your paper target which in turn gives you paper cut.

Is that a shooting range injury, a golf injury or other?

Gump, that is not such an unlikely scenario. The local golf course and shooting range are right next door to each other.

I hope the golfers don't distract anyone at the range while they are lining up their shots:D

Guys, I'm serious about this... Just think of it as "ammo" to use the next time someone brings up the "how can you do that dangerous sport" routine...

In fact, I wonder how many assaults occur on golf courses... Drunk type-a personality guys with clubs, and all that...

bogie, sorry if this thread has drifted off course a bit.

Not stricly to do with golf, but here's (http://www.s-t.com/daily/07-00/07-02-00/b04sp071.htm) one source.

If you want to spend money to find the answer, try here (http://www.nsc.org/lrs/statstop.htm)

I can't seem to find much else thru Google, but I'm sure it's out there.

Do you know if the hunting accidents included all injuries or just firearms?

You know, like falling down a rockslide or cutting your knee with an axe ...

I would guess there are actually more non-firearm hunting accidents than firearm accidents.


My Uncle recently fell and injured himself seriously, bowhunting. Nothing at all to do with the weapon, just a combination of age, some underlying medical condition and gravity (and not wearing a harness).

I've read enough news accounts of hunting injuries to make me think that this sort of injury is more common than actually being shot or injured by a weapon itself.

One thing I learned from his injury was the importance of having a good communication setup when hunting, whether a cellphone, a radio, or just a sidearm and somebody within hearing range that is ready and competent to come to your aid upon your prearranged signal. He lay for several hours with broken ribs before he could crawl to get help - this was a 70 year old man, he could very well have been one of the stories you read about in the paper. On the other hand, he was doing what he loves to do, I suppose there are far worse ways to die, and many (if not most) people die younger anyway - but we'd still rather have him around slaying the deer for another 20 or 30 years.

You will find several problem areas in using death and injury as an indicator of risk. A reasonable assumption is that all golfing incidents that result in injury are caused "accidently" or negligently, whereas injuries and deaths that involve firearms may be accidental, negligent, criminal or intentional. I doubt too many people club themselves to death with a driver, but firearms are used in suicides for example

I see the point you are trying to make, but finding a set of figures that only includes incidents that would correlate to other types of sports is going to be difficult. There is also no "standard unit" of shooting activity that could be compared to the typical 18 holes of golf or four quarters of football.

"Lies, damn lies, and statistics"

I have no statistics for you, but I played golf pretty seriously most of my life, so I've been on the courses and around golfers a lot. I knew three men personally who died of heart attacks on the golf course, and one hit by lightning who was not killed. I have never known anyone personally killed in or dying during a shooting sport.

edited to add: Oh, and I just remembered that when I was in high school a guy I knew died when his golf partner backed the golf cart over him. It was a little unclear exactly why he died - trauma or stroke.

I know worrying about getting struck by lightning while golfing is a big concern, but has anyone ever actually been struck by lightening while playing golf?

I just did a news search for "struck lightining golf" and turned up a buttload. here's one such story.
http://www.wisinfo.com/newsherald/mnhlocal/280115235586263.shtml

And here's an interesting link:
http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/

DOesn't answer your question but does support your argument so the info is out there somewhere:

NJ Practice Hunting exam has a question:

Which one of the following activities has the lowest accident rate:

a. snow skiing
b. football
c. swimming
d. hunting

The answer is of course, hunting.

Sample test: http://njfishandwildlife.com/pdf/shtgunexam.pdf

Answer Key: http://njfishandwildlife.com/pdf/shtgunanskey.pdf

Parent page for both: http://njfishandwildlife.com/hunted.htm and http://njfishandwildlife.com/hntedexm.htm