Dove, Dogs, and Shotguns

This has to be one of the stupidest things I’ve ever heard. A guy in New Hampshire decided to hoist his loaded 50 caliber muzzle loader (muzzle up appaently) anda branch pulled the trigger and shot him in the right hand. It just as easily could have been in the face.

The guy was 63 years old. I wonder how many times he has done this in the past. He’s lucky and hopefully if you have kids this will make you want to go out and teach them some more gun safety.

You can’t teach stupid, it just comes natural, but you can teach safety, safety, safety.

Here is the full storry.

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• Father Charged in Hunting Accident From BullsandBeavers: St. Johnsbury, Vt. (AP) - A 44-year-old Lyndon Center man is being charged with manslaughter in the shooting death of his son while the two hunted for turkeys earlier this month. The Vermont State police say that Kevin Kadamus was processed Thursday at the state police barracks in......

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From BullsandBeavers:

St. Johnsbury, Vt. (AP) - A 44-year-old Lyndon Center man is being charged with manslaughter in the shooting death of his son while the two hunted for turkeys earlier this month.

The Vermont State police say that Kevin Kadamus was processed Thursday at the state police barracks in St. Johnsbury. He was cited into court on July 6.

Police say 18-year-old Jacob Kadamus was hit with a shotgun on May 1 after Kevin Kadamus fired at what he believed was a turkey.

Police said at the time that Jacob Kadamus apparently left his original hunting area and crossed into his father’s area.

What a nightmare. SAFETY,SAFETY,SAFETY.

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Do you wear earplugs while dove hunting or shooting a shotgun?

if you are like me, the answer is no. I’ve made every excuse in the book for not wearing them. From, it messes up my shot, to, they are not comfortable. I think after you read the following report, you might have a change of heart.

According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), 30 million American adults are exposed to dangerous noise levels each day, and 22 million Americans ages 20 to 69 already have suffered irreversible damage from noise.

An extreme noise like the firing of a shotgun, experienced at close range, can permanently damage your hearing in an instant. This is known as noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). NIHL can result from one-time exposure to a loud sound like gunfire, and it can also be caused by repeated exposure to harmful sounds over an extended period of time. Just ask any hunter over 50 who has not worn hearing protection!

Everyone knows that sound is measured in decibels. A normal conversation between two people is at about 60 decibels. Any noise level above 85 decibels can cause NIHL. Shotguns discharge at around 140 decibels. That is almost double the safe zone. Seeing how you are 2-3 feet away from the loudest point, your eardrums are taking a beating everytime you fire.

The good news is for a very minimal investment, you can prevent NIHL and protect your ears.

Electronic earmuffs, which are very expensive do not protect your ears any better than cheap foam earplugs. So don’t rush out and spend a fortune, just wear some sort of earplug as something is better than nothing. Here are some of the higher rated earplugs for shooting.

Mighty Earplugs offer the highest noise reduction available. They are moldable plugs, that form to anyone’s ear for maximum protection. NRR rating of 34.

Mack’s shooting earplugs offer a NRR of 29. They are foam and come in a box  of thirty for about $25. Mack’s also makes a full line of silicone earplugs and many other quality earplugs.

So listen up, quit making excuses, wear earplugs.

This is another good lesson to teach your kids at an early age. Let’s make them smarter and safer than we were.

Time to RELOAD!

Dove, Dogs, & Shotguns

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Shooting glasses are meant to protect your eyes, but will they actually save your eyes from a blast from a shotgun?

I was doing a little research on this topic and came across a test that was performed by American Hunter on this very subject. The results were both, surprising and telling.

The test was on about ten different types on shooting glasses ranging from $5 to $300. A foam filled mannequin head was fitted with two small balloons to simulate the soft eye tissue. They then set the mannequin at 25 yards and blasted away with 8 shot heavy dove load. If the glasses prevented the shot from popping the balloons, the target was moved forward five yards, until the glasses failed. After the glasses failed they were not tested at closer ranges.

In order to qualify the experiment, they placed an unprotected mannequinn at 40 yards and fired. The balloons popped from 40 yards, meaning at 40 yards with no eye protection, you would be seriously injured!

Let’s take a look at the results of five of the glasses tested:

 As you can see, price played little to no role in performance. The safety rating, Z87.1, is really the key to selecting shooting glasses. The $6 Rendezvous withstood birdshot at 8 yards, while the metal framed prescription $300 non-rated Hy-Wyd’s failed at 15 yards. Polycarbonate is the way to go. Plastic lenses, e.g. the ones you get off the shelf anywhere, are actually more dangerous than nothing at all. They send sharp projectiles everywhere when struck. This was a real eye opener for me.

I’ve hunted countless times without eye protection, but no longer. It is simply foolish to risk losing your eyesight over a six dollar investment.

This is also a great lesson to pass on to your children at an early age, even with BB guns.

Time to RELOAD!

Dove, Dogs, & Shotguns

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“Safeties On!”

That is what Dad says every time we get out into the field to go hunting. Leaving my gun on safety is a habit. It is part of my routine as I begin to take aim and fire, it’s automatic. I’ve heard people saying safety causes them to react slower or they know how to  handle a gun. Those are lame excuses for putting themselves and others in danger. Safety saves lives, something I learned the hard way.

It was my first dove hunt. I was loaned a 12 gauge by my cousin and didn’t really know how to operate it correctly (1st mistake). We had been having a great time all day and it was around 2:00 P.M. when I dropped a dove over a fence line. Being a novice hunter (and one like those I mentioned above), I simply leaned the gun on the other side of the fence (not on safety) and began to climb the old barb wire fence (2nd mistake). I threw one leg over the top as the post shook under my weight and so did my gun, as it was resting against the post (barrel up). As I tried to get my other leg over, SNAP the post broke and down the fence came, along with me and my gun. It sounded like a cannon going off beside my head as I felt the heat from the muzzle. I was in mid-air when it went off and as I hit the ground everything felt surreal. I laid there with my mind clearer than it has ever been and my first thought was, ”I’m still thinking so I guess I’m not dead.” I felt around my head and checked my hand for blood, but there was none. It had missed me by inches, I guess. My next thought was Dad! I jumped up and yelled “I’m okay, I’m okay.” Dad was probably 300 yards away and I swear a cheetah didn’t have shit on him, he was racing toward me. After he saw me get up he fell to his knees out of relief and I made my way to him where we were both so overcome by it all the tears couldn’t be stopped. My stupidity almost cost me my life, my dad, his son and my kids ( I have four boys) would not be here today. Falls are the number one cause of hunting accidents. Never climb with your gun and never lean it against what your climbing on. If you must cross over or under anything, lay your gun flat on the ground and then cross. For more on gun safety click here

Sure, that’s a good way to learn the value of safety, but some pay a much higher price than me. Don’t let it be you or your loved ones, be safe and use safety.

In order to insure everyone has a good time, always remember SAFETIES ON.

Time to Reload!

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