Hunters are not safe backstops!!!!

seoirse1980

I was out stalking last year on one of my lets in Wicklow. It was getting close to darkness as I heard what seemed to be a round go whizzing by me. I guess it was very close as I heard it go right by.

On another evening, a friend of mine was in the wood and six or so rounds went off in his direction. He took cover as he thought he was a gonner.

Anyway, I was out walking the boundary of that same wood last week to check on things and this is what i found





This field that this target is in is flat, if not slanting down towards the wood.

I shoot this same wood behind the target....How in the name of jasus could anybody think that firing straight into a wood could be a good thing to do???

I wonder if the same guy is thinking of safe backstops when he's banging away at deer at the edge of the wood either?

johngalway

Attachment isn't working

seoirse1980

Try that now

Seoirse

Mauser 308

Can't seem to open the attachment.
Personaly going by your discription of the set up I would report it to the the police and the land owner if you know him. That sounds like a very dangerous set up. And it sounds like only luck that someone has not been injured or worse. :eek:

session savage

That there is a prime example of why I think the NARGC safety course is a failure. There are people out there who dont understand what a backstop is and the NARGC "shotgun safety, if you have a rifle you better figure it out yourself" course needs to cover this.



PS: Attachment worked fine for me.

johngalway

Write a note, print it out, laminate it, bring staple gun

seoirse1980

seoirse1980

johngalway wrote: »

Write a note, print it out, laminate it, bring staple gun

Yeah, I think that's the best course of action... oh and a large pole with a white flag on it as I come out near the edge of the wood

johngalway

seoirse1980 wrote: »

Yeah, I think that's the best course of action... oh and a large pole with a white flag on it as I come out near the edge of the wood

Hibrion

I have come across lads before who think a wood is backstop enough! Had one lad say, " sure with all those trees one of them is bound to stop the bullet"!

It's hard to believe but that's what you're dealing with sometimes.

For my woodland stalking I went out and purchased a rifle that I know will be safe in that environment: a 30/30.

Sparks

...and that's why the whole zeroing-v-target-shooting-on-an-authorised-range issue came up in the first place...

Hibrion

I would have went for a 44mag for close up woodland stalking but for the fact that the calibre is restricted and brings with it a host of difficulties in licensing and ammo procurement.

The bloody 30/30 is hard enough to find good ammo for.

It wasn't me!

Hibrion wrote: »

I would have went for a 44mag for close up woodland stalking but for the fact that the calibre is restricted and brings with it a host of difficulties in licensing and ammo procurement.

The bloody 30/30 is hard enough to find good ammo for.

That and you'd have a nightmare getting it deer legal. Would near certainly require handloads and even then you'd have trouble.

Hibrion

You can get some seriously hard hitting rounds in 44 mag. You can go up to a 405 grain.

It wasn't me!

Hibrion wrote: »

You can get some seriously hard hitting rounds in 44 mag.

You'll get some that scrape over alright, but ultimately, it's a pistol calibre.

Hibrion

Its low power is what makes it ideal for woodland stalking; in my opinion. A heart and lung shot with a 40 cal is a pretty good way to take a deer if you ask me.

Especially if you are willing to call the deer in. It's a challenge but sure that's what makes it fun.

Hibrion

johngalway wrote: »

It wouldn't be the best place to use a gilly suit anyway, that's for sure!

ssl

For the woodland stalker with a very poor shot!

Grizzly 45

Didnt know Prez Obama was a deer hunter!!!:p:p

Grizzly 45

Would think the grain weight would make up for velocity.Another reason why slugs are also good deer droppers in forestry.

Hibrion

It is extremely popular in the states. They even use it in handguns for animals up to and including black bear; if I'm not mistaken.

Longranger

They use the S&W 500 Magnum for hunting kodiak bears in Alaska FFS! If I'm in a situation where I have to shoot a bear that weighs as much as a pallet of concrete slabs I'd want a feckin .50BMG!

Hibrion

I'm not sure I would hunt a bear to be honest.:eek:

I have been invited to Montana to hunt elk and black bear but I'd be quite happy with the elk.

I will not, however, be using a handgun

Hibrion

Grizzly 45 wrote: »

Would think the grain weight would make up for velocity.Another reason why slugs are also good deer droppers in forestry.

I agree completely. But try telling that to those who make all the decisions. I'd love a nice rifled pump shotgun.

Longranger

Hibrion wrote: »

I'm not sure I would hunt a bear to be honest.:eek:

I have been invited to Montana to hunt elk and black bear but I'd be quite happy with the elk.

I will not, however, be using a handgun

I wouldn't bother with bear hunting either, but if I was in a situation where my life depended on it, I'd want more backup than a pistol.

Hibrion

To be honest, I'd be quite happy with a 44 magnum or a 50 cal handgun as "protection" in bear country. That, with a bit of cop on, should keep you alive and well.

Longranger

I suppose the model 500 would do the job. If I missed with all five shots I could always throw the gun at him! It's so heavy it would probably kill him stone dead;)

Hibrion

haha.. if you missed with all five shots I'd say the bear would have earned a good meal from dodging bullets.

Sika98k

seoirse1980 wrote: »

Yeah, I think that's the best course of action... oh and a large pole with a white flag on it as I come out near the edge of the wood

Make sure to address it to Mr. Dick Head.

Dupont

so come on tell us what everyone wans to know. what was his groups like????;);):D

johngalway

Dupont wrote: »

so come on tell us what everyone wans to know. what was his groups like????;);):D

I hear he was shooting "minute of stalker" all day long.

4gun

Sparks wrote: »

...and that's why the whole zeroing-v-target-shooting-on-an-authorised-range issue came up in the first place...

I zero my gun on my own land all the time I shoot into a 10ft embankment at a downward angle just to be sure to be sure ...you cannot leglislate for morans no matter how hard you try
sad fact of reality, these guys would f**kup on a range as well
if there is a campaign in place to "shine a light on poaching" then there should also be a campaign to "report idiots with guns"
we have all heard by now the near miss stories, God forbid but soon we are going to have a tragedy :eek:

meathstevie

And there's me thinking that you had to supply proof of proficiency to get your licences renewed when the legislation was overhauled...here's another fine example that no amount of legislation is a remedy for stupidity.