Towns ban hunting. Are we safe enough?

Published on May 18th, 2012 by Rob in Hunting blog, Massachusetts, New Jersey

How Safe Is Hunting?

Here in New Jersey the town of Hillsborough is visiting the issue of banning gun hunting due to a stray bullet, shot by a hunter that hit a home. Norfolk, Mass. is also debating the issue of banning hunting in order to stop trespassing and property damage supposedly caused by hunters. Now, I cannot even attempt to speak to the logic of why you need to ban legal hunting in order to stop trespassing (illegal hunting). Personally, I would assume the best route would be to prosecute those found guilty of trespassing. However safety is something all people should be concerned with – hunters and non-hunters alike. I also find it hard to blame someone who feels uneasy around others, normally people they do not know, shooting guns. I’m located thirty minutes outside NYC (with no traffic that is) and surrounded by other smaller urban areas. Hunter density numbers are not high here. I know and have met many people who are just not accustomed to the hunting lifestyle. To emphasize, Jimmy was my only school-aged friend who hunted; and we lived in different towns. So I have been surrounded by a mass of non-hunters my whole life. Some educated about our lifestyle, most not.

So if we live by the premise that those uneducated should not be blamed, it also suggests that those people could be educated. Of course there are those who will always be against us but those are usually the people who yell out inaccuracies and lies about us. They are not the people who have slight disagreements with hunters and hunting.

If I’m Correct….

then it would help hunters as a whole to actually know how safe hunting is compared to other activities. We may know it in our hearts that it is true but that’s not how you change minds and win debates.

The following table highlights the number of injuries based on 2006 data compiled by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS).

Estimated Number of Injuries	Sport and Type of Injury
529,837	Basketball - Cut hands, sprained ankles, broken legs, eye and forehead injuries.
490,434	Bicycling - Feet caught in spokes, head injuries from falls, slipping while carrying bicycles, collisions with cars.
460,210	Football - Fractured wrists, chipped teeth, neck strains, head lacerations, dislocated hips and jammed fingers.
275,123	ATVs, Mopeds, Minibikes - Riders of ATVs were frequently injured when they were thrown from vehicles. There were also fractured wrists, dislocated hands, shoulder sprains, head cuts and lumbar strains.
274,867	Baseball, Softball - Head injuries from bats and balls. Ankle injuries from running bases or sliding into them.
269,249	Exercise, Exercise Equipment - Twisted ankles and cut chins from tripping on treadmills. Head injuries from falling backward from exercise balls, ankle sprains from jumping rope.
186,544	Soccer - Twisted ankles or knees after falls, fractured arms during games.
164,607	Swimming - Head injuries from hitting the bottom of pools, and leg injuries from accidentally falling into pools.
96,119	Skiing, Snowboarding - Head injuries from falling, cut legs and faces, sprained knees or shoulders.
85,580	Lacrosse, Rugby, & other Ball Games – Head and facial cuts from getting hit by balls and sticks, injured ankles from falls.

http://www.scientificpsychic.com/fitness/sport_injuries.html

Our numbers…

according to the International Hunter Education Association the total number of Class A incidents in the United States, Canada and some foreign countries in 2006 was 311 with 31 of the being fatal. By definition Class A Hunting Incidents include those where a person is injured or killed as a result of a shooting while hunting. These numbers leave out tree stand falls, cuts, bone injuries and others, so direct comparison to the table above is difficult. However from the public’s view point the incidents they would be most concerned with are those that have to do with shooting safety. With 12.5 million hunters spending 220 million days afield in 2006, 311 incidents does not suggest general neglect or a lack of safety standards among today’s hunters. (http://www.census.gov/prod/2008pubs/fhw06-nat.pdf). Of course our goal should be to have zero shooting related injuries afield and, personally, I believe it is an attainable goal.

I’ve spent a good amount of time attempting to find complete numbers of those injured while hunting but have been unable to find anything reliable. It would be an interesting study for some economist to figure out the complete numbers.

If you look back from year to year you will see that hunters are becoming safer every year. As a group we must work hard every day to be as safe as we can be. Not just for our reputation but for everyone. Each injury effects more than just the individual involved. It also impacts family and friends, employment and the economy. Our personal safety and the safety of those around us should be, and I believe in most cases is, our top priority while hunting or shooting.

Be Vigilant!

Be aware that those who want to end hunting and shooting sports will and do mislead others about our safety record. The best remedy is to become voice how safe our sports actually are and work hard to become even safer. When towns like Hillsborough and Norfolk entertain the absurd idea to ban hunting due to safety concerns, it is on our shoulders to educate those town boards with the truth. For many suburban hunters it could save our lifestyle. Good luck to all hunting this year and of course Stay Safe!