Unread postby Singing Bridge » Fri Jul 12, 2013 1:21 am
I see we had another thread on light usage in the dark while entering / exiting a stand. here's what I wrote...
mah two pennies!
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Every once in a while it becomes necessary to step up on the 'ol soap box and call a spade a spade... if it will save a life, I'll do it.
It is simply FOOLISH, in my opinion, to not use a light while entering or leaving a stand when it is dark out. Here's a few of my thoughts-
** we have a lot of guys on the Beast that think they have high hunting pressure in their areas... REALLY? If you haven't had multiple run ins with guys in trees after dark, private or public, you may need to rethink that! "I've got high hunting pressure because one of my neighbors shot a buck I had on trailcam... " lets get serious, folks.
** it doesn't matter if you have high hunting pressure or not, sneaking in by moonlight is putting your life and your family's future in jeopardy. All it takes is one bad apple to shatter your life. A lone trespasser sneaking into your "exclusive, private spot" is on edge and much more apt to take the shot at a noise in the dark in order to get the poaching/trespassing job done and get out of there.
** you really need to attempt to understand the mentality of some of these violators... not everyone is like you and they certainly do not think like you. If you don't think there are people out there willing to shoot in the dark at a noise... perhaps your genes were meant to be eliminated from the pool?!? I don't really mean that last statement, but THINK ABOUT IT!!
** I know, you've never heard of anything like this in your area... right? So why should you have to worry about it? Go back and read that second paragraph! Learn from those of us who have to deal with this stuff on a frequent basis!!
** I have ran in to guys in trees WAY after dark on public and private- I can assure you they are out there. In 2011 I took my stand down at dark and began the LONG journey out of the deep swamp hunting area. While approaching the clearing on the high ground where my truck was parked on a woods road, I suddenly heard from a pine tree way above me... "Frank, is that you??" Not having your light on, even right next to your parked truck, can put you in jeopardy. This is but one of many incidents I have endured.
** I have personally spent a couple of frantic hours of my life doing everything I know to save the life of a young bowhunter shot through the chest by his buddy as he approached his stand after dark. As the lead supervisor of an EMS system, my knowledge and abilities were put to a critical test as I hauled the young man out of the deep woods to a waiting ambulance and trauma team. The thoracic surgeon personally showed me the xray of the insert blade that dislodged from the broadhead less than a quarter of an inch from the aorta...
** In 2010 I had a hunter shot and killed a few miles up the road from me- no chance to save that one...
Did my post rub you the wrong way? I actually hope so and hope that you will at least give this danger the thought it deserves.