Hunters Code

[ORelk]

LAST EDITED ON Oct-14-08 AT 10:11PM (MST)[p]This poem was originally published in the Blue Mountain Eagle (John Day, OR) in 1948, and again a couple weeks ago. I thought others on here would appreciate it as much as I did.




HUNTERS CODE
Tis far better to skip a shot
Than kill somebody's brother!
Tis best to not shoot at all, than make
A widow of some mother!
Unless you're CERTAIN what you see
Is DEER, here's what to do.
Pass up that shot, and let it not
Bring tragedy to YOU!
I'll bet I've skipped a thousand shots
Whenever there was a doubt!
A thousand times when it WAS a deer,
But once - a Man came out!

 

[mozey]

Excellent reminder. I don't have a nice poem, but I would add one additional: if you see sky behind your target, don't shoot. Thirty-eight years ago this month, my grandfather was killed by someone who failed to heed this simple hunters safety rule; killed instantly while deer hunting when the bullet struck him in the bottom of the heart. If you ain't sure where the bullet is going to come down, please don't pull the trigger.