Hunting vs. range accidents?

[Nathaniel Firethorn]

Hi, all,

Does anyone have any stats on the number of injuries that happen while hunting versus the number on the range?

Thanx,
- pdmoderator

 

[SodaPop]

I know Pennsylvania posts the number of hunting accidents and what season they happened each year.

Turkey season and Deer season are usually where most of the accidental shooting occur.

 

[Art Eatman]

I've never seen any numbers, but my seat of the pants take is that there are many more hunting accidents than range accidents.

The annual total of fatal accidents at home, on the range or in the field is around a thousand a year, roughly. All in all, a trivial number compared to other causes of fatal accidents.

(I'm using "accident" to mean non-intentional.)

Art

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Old information, but...

During 1997 at least five hunters died as a result of firearms accidents, according to John Matthews, ADF&G hunter education coordinator. Nationally, there were just 99 firearms-related hunting fatalities in 1997 among 14 million hunters. With five fatalities among just 93,000 licensed hunters, Alaska had an accident rate nearly eight times the national average.

IIRC WA state had 7-8 reported hunting accidents in 2001-2002. Of which one was a fatality. Not sure what the range accident rate is.

 

[Doug444]

As a Hunter Ed. instructor for Utah, we get the hunting stats each spring. Over the past 10-15 years or so, the average has been about 5-7 reported accidents (injuries occured and medical attention was required), with USUALLY no fatalities. Maybe 4 total over that time period, but I'd have to check my data sheets. OTOH, I don't believe there is any one body that would collect range accident data. At least I haven't heard of it.

It has been my experience, limited though that may be, that there are FAR more ND/AD's at the range, though injuries requiring medical attention are rare. This is likely due to the fact that a fair number of new shooters get their first firearms experiences at a range (perhaps that's wishful thinking), and most folks out actually hunting have at least some firearms experience. Of course, there are exceptions to all rules.

The bad news is that most "accidents" while hunting are the result of one person deliberately aiming and shooting at another, whether they knew it or not! (Rule #4?)

Overall, I'd say that this was definitely an "apples and oranges" kind of comparison. Interesting, but I wouldn't be likely to draw much in the way of conclusions from it.

Doug444

 

[SodaPop]

I believe there were about 100 accidents in PA last year. I believe there were about a dozen deaths.

Its almost always idiots stalking turkey calls that turn out to be other hunters.


Pennsylvania Sportsman usually releases this info.

I know two of the deaths in PA were son's, shooting their father's while hunting.

Junior tripping with a loaded shotgun......:banghead: