Ok.. so last night I take one of these NyQuil things and pass out about 1/2 way through the 2nd wildcard game. Wake up at 5am and am just having my first cup of coffee about 6:30 when I hear what sounds like a knocking on the door.
I'm at my folks' farm this morning (they are in Texas at the moment) and I've been enjoying some quality time with dogs, cats and horses. Who, I think, is knocking at my door at this hour of the morning?
And then it hits me.. It's gunfire.
Yes.. I'm back in the country alright. Here I am on Camano Island, population about 20-25,000 and my neighbors are popping off with their shotguns at dawn. Huntin'.
Now I'm a gun-owner. I actually have quite a few. But I've never been a hunter. I like animals too much and I've never had an interest in venison or lead-filled duck. Shotguns are not particuarly dangerous at over 100 metres or so, so I suppose it's not unusual that the island hasn't banned them. But I think you can still take out the odd .30-06 and go "bag" yourself a buck.. That worries the hell out of me. From the way these yahoos use their autoloading shotguns I'm afraid they can't hit the broad side of a barn, much less an unsuspecting deer.
The Sammamish plateau (where I now live) has just banned hunting. Of course, they can't really "ban" it. Against state law. So they passed an ordinance that forbid doing harm to animals with bow, knife or gun!
I can understand hunting if one needs to feed oneself or one's family. But just for the "pleasure" of it? Sometimes I think I'm living in the wrong culture.
Posted by artandscience at January 9, 2005 06:43 AM | TrackBackyou cannot legally hunt with a modern firearm ie: rifle on camano island - shotguns, muzzleloaders and archery are all that are legal.
stop being so paranoid just because you don't like hunting doesn't mean others shouldn't be allowed to persue their interests as long as it's done legally and safely-- you are far, far , far more likeley to be injured or killed by an automobile --- should we ban them as well?
i would hunt for ALL of my food if it were possible with the regulations being what they are.
I don't think I'm being paranoid here.. My father was hit last year by shot fired from the end of our property. No, he wasn't hurt, but as homes are encroaching on what was open forest or marshland it's getting a bit more dangerous. Add to that wildly differing skill (and sensibleness) levels among hunters and I do worry.
Posted by: stefan at November 15, 2005 11:26 AMOh yes.. and muzzleloaders have had ranges up to 1000yds in the past. Damn dangerous near humans or livestock I would say.
Posted by: stefan at November 15, 2005 11:29 AMso as people continue to spread out into the country the areas that have been traditional hunting areas should be closed? why don't you stay in the city with the rest of the anti-hunting, gun fearing folks and leave the country to us "redneck idiots" --we'll see who is safer
things are dangerous in life but i bet your fear has more to do with a dislike of hunting and guns than with anything legitamate- yes there are true idiot hunters just like there are true idiot drivers - what should we do take everybodies right to hunt away? the right to own guns away? thats too extreme in my way of thinking. why is it that city folk want to move to the country and then want everybody else to change their way of life?
1000 yard muzzle loaders? only in calibers and loads that are not only illegal but also loaded to dangerous ( to the user) loads - by the time a ball from a modern muzzle loader reaches 1000 yards you could probably swat it away like a fly -most muzzle loaders that are legal for hunting in Washington state are lethal and accurate on deer to a maximum of 200 yards and would have to be held with the muzzle pointed at such an extreme tragectory to have the ball fly much more than 300 yds - the minute the ball leaves the muzzle gravity starts pulling the ball down - to fly 1000 yards the muzzle would have to be up a hill and pointed @ about a 45 degree angle - an unlikely scenario - also were is it on camano island that has 1000 yards of un obstructed area? is it near your house? are there any hunting areas there? are there deer there? how many DEER hunters have you seen on camano island? the majority of hunting on camano island is actually AROUND camano island in the form of duck hunting with shotguns and also pheasant hunting @ the release site between camano and stanwood also with shotguns all shooting non-toxic bird shot , mostly steel( much slower and shorter range than lead) market hunters of the 19th century had muzzle loaders that were so huge in caliber that one man could hardly carry them - this is no longer the case - muzzle loaders, shotguns and archery equipment are legal on camano island because the department of fish and wildlife recognize these weapons are only dangerous at very limited ranges other wise all weapons would be legal or all would be illegal-- every hunter born after 1972 is required to complete a hunter education course that includes firearm safety - statistically hunting is safer that playing golf - ever play golf in a lightning storm? ever been hit by a golf ball off a 4 wood @ 50 yards?
Posted by: pat at November 19, 2005 09:36 AMFrom a recent issue of American Rifleman:
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3623/is_200210/ai_n9120263
AR: What's the real world maximum range the average hunter should consider when using one of your rifles?
TK: If we're talking open sights, I would recommend an average hunter keep his shots within 100 yds. If we are talking a scope sight, at least a 150 [yds]. If these people are good shots, you can go out to 200. Long-range muzzleloading is not something that is taboo. It was started back in the Civil War and even before then. The 1,000 yd. matches were started with muzzleloaders. So long range and muzzleloading is not something that's new.
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Long-range muzzleloading has been around for at least 150 years. But that's neither here nor there.. You're right, I don't expect rifles to be used on Camano. Shotguns are much more common..
I take your point that city folk are moving out into the country. I suppose I could resent your characterization of us as city folk, seeing we've lived on the island for 20 years but I suppose anyone not born there is "city folk". I'm not one who wants my neighbors to change their way of life just because we have different expectations.. But there are limits to one's actions. As Felix Frankfurter said "your right to swing your fist ends at the tip of my nose". If you endanger me through the poor handling of firearms I have every right to say something about it.
Surely you don't argue with that?
Posted by: stefan at November 21, 2005 04:33 PM