A bad expierence in the woods today......

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This is shocking -- if not surprising-- and demands a response (not a reaction, a response). I can only try to imagine what it's like literally to be under fire like that, and I can't believe you had to go through it.

Did you have a cell phone and signal right there? I would think calling it in immediately might bring cruisers with lights and drama, which in this case might have helped. There's nothing like a panicked 911 caller with the news that he's being shot at right then & there. You could hear it played ad nauseum on the local news.

Hikers and hunters must coexist, and I would never agree to empty the woods just so I could use them, but to be fired on repeatedly on public ground must not go unanswered. Good luck finding and prosecuting this person; thank you for keeping your cool; and best wishes for using those same trails in the future, unmolested!
 
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Well said --M

Only thing I could add:

--M. said:
but to be fired on repeatedly on public ground must not go unanswered.
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My addition would be to change "public ground" to public AND private ground. Hell, getting shot at when you are not a threat to anyone PERIOD should not be tolerated. Man, even if you were tresspassing (and posing no threat) and a landowner wanted you gone I don't think there is any legal precedent that would allow said landowners first response to be taking pot shots at you...hunter, hiker, fisherman or whatever your purpose there. Obviously in the case above it had to have been a hunter, but my point is that if your some poor dude walking around unarmed you should never have a firearm pointed and discharged at your direction no matter WHERE you are, public or private land.

Brian
 
--M. said:
This is shocking -- if not surprising-- and demands a response (not a reaction, a response). I can only try to imagine what it's like literally to be under fire like that, and I can't believe you had to go through it.

Did you have a cell phone and signal right there? I would think calling it in immediately might bring cruisers with lights and drama, which in this case might have helped. There's nothing like a panicked 911 caller with the news that he's being shot at right then & there. You could hear it played ad nauseum on the local news.

Hikers and hunters must coexist, and I would never agree to empty to woods just so I could use them, but to be fired on repeatedly on public ground must not go unanswered. Good luck finding and prosecuting this person; thank you for keeping your cool; and best wishes for using those same trails in the future, unmolested!
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I did have a cell phone but no coverage. I was inbetween two mountains. I live in such a rural area that when I did call 911 the dispatch asked if I Was okay. I said yes. She said it would be at least 2 hours to get someone out there due to the fact the 2 units were on more important calls. Almost the exact words :confused:

The other day the convient store down the road had a drunk and disorderly in it and the girl called the cops and they said if he was not robbing the place there was nothing they could do but they would send a trooper out in a few hours. Got to love the rural PA police :confused: We did have a town cop but he got fired for whatever reason and they have not hired another guy. I guess they are hard to come by when you only pay them 9 bucks an hour :confused:
 
PA Ridgerunner said:
P.S. You sure it's not muzzle-loader season down there? Not that it makes any difference with what happened to you, other than the legality of someone discharging a firearm. Legal or not, you gotta know what you're shooting at!
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No, there is no muzzleloader season right now in PA. There is some small game season and some turkey, but only in certain WMU's, and at that, they only are open to gobblers until today, the 22nd. Right now its mainly-Squirrel, Grouse,Rabbit, Pheasant,Quail, Groundhogs, Raccoons, Foxes,Coyotes, Possums(which already look dead even when they are alive),Skunks, Weasels, and Crows, all of which, I do believe, bear no resemblance to you-(or any other human near a tree)though we have never met!:D
Don't forget Bear is Nov 24-26 in PA. Also, there is a late season flintlock only (for us diehard traditionalists) Dec 26- Jan 10 2009.
 
Actually, my wife and I have it covered for situations like this.
When those bullets start wizzing by us, we hit the ground and unpack our weapons.
Then I have her lay down covering fire as I work my way behind the hunter(s)

Then I yell "Surprise" Then...........
 
1ADAM12 said:
We can laugh about it now but in all reality I want to get the SOB :D
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Now that it is over I'd say your SOL on getting that SOB. You have to take some things as crazy experiences I just learn laugh and move on with a more experience background. I have so many experiences from my teenage years that were like this or where me or a friend could have died. Now we just say things like, "hey, remember when you fell off that log that was hanging over the edge of the waterfall that we were jumping off and you almost fell 40 feet onto the rocks, LOL!" or hey remember when old Doc McGuire shot his shot gun at us when we were running through his cornfield, LOL" come to think of it back then when I told my grandfather his response was, "well, don't go near his cornfield you know he is crazy and will shoot your @ss! I'm not even joking, times have changed dramatically even in just 20 years.:eek: Also, there were stories of some redneck hillbilly types who lived off the land for the most part and would shoot "near" people to scare the crap out of them to keep them away from there hunting areas, It was pretty common knowledge to stay away and why. The guy had no problem with telling people stay off my land or I'll shoot you. I guess what were people to say? I should be allowed to trespass on his land? Locals just knew and I guess others came out with stories of bullets raining through the trees and almost being shot. Their was multiple land owners that had that kind of reputation as a reaction to hunting on there land or fishing in there ponds. When your being shot at do you think, "that's it buddy I'm getting your name and ID" or please don't kill me and try to run the hell out of there? Then what were people in a small town to say, hey when I trespass on so-and-so's land they've fired shots at me or in the air. That's kind of like saying hey I tried to steal this guys car and he punched me in the mouth. At least that is evidence, what is someone firing into the branches above your head going to leave you with besides crap in your pants.

If you think hiker vs snowmobilers draws out anger you should try farmer vs snowmobilers and atvers, the tread paths can be seen the following year many times in the growth pattern. That was like taking the food and money out of peoples mouths back when that started.

This doesn't really relate directly to your experience since it was state land not private and the year is 2008. Just that there are crazies out there and sh!t happens.

The Hikers said:
Maybe you were on the "Helen Keller Trail"

All kidding not aside, haven't you heard of the rare Pa red capped deer?
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The Hikers said:
Actually, my wife and I have it covered for situations like this.
When those bullets start wizzing by us, we hit the ground and unpack our weapons.
Then I have her lay down covering fire as I work my way behind the hunter(s)

Then I yell "Surprise" Then...........
Click to expand...
Are you related to Neil?:D
 
Rik said:
Sounds like they were Eagles fans to me. Were you wearing any NY Giant gear?


Glad you are ok.
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Maybe it was someone who didn't like Kelty for some reason? Maybe you should buy another pack...:D

Hey bud - glad you're OK. Sounds you like you need a drink to calm those nerves.
 
Adam, glad to still have you around... real glad. This story could have been inches or feet from being a very ugly one. Glad you're ok.

WinterWarlock said:
Maybe it was someone who didn't like Kelty for some reason? Maybe you should buy another pack...:D
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Gregory rep?
 
Jeez Adam, I'm glad you're OK! That doesn't make sense, multiple shots... at a tree? That almost sounds like it was kids, or someone not too experienced in hunting. I'll tell you what, if that was me, I wouldn't have had the guts to go looking for their car. I would of had to get to the local Walmart for some new BVDs.

Adam, please be careful out there! If we get to go fishing in the ADKs, the wind whistlin' through them bullet holes in ya will scare the fish away...;) Seriously, glad you're all right!
 
Almost the exact same thing happened to me and a group of friends on the Housatonic Range Trail in western CT when I was a teen. Semi auto bullets ripped through the brush a mere 5 feet from us as we were just out of sight around the corner. The guy was all decked out in camo/mask and was not even shooting at a target, just blowing off rounds. He was incredibly apologetic and worried that he hit one of us- obviously more worried that we were going to report him. We just gave him a really detailed discussion about what could have easily happened and to smarten up. We were actually worried if we pissed him off he might just kill us.
 
Tom Rankin said:
Wow, I'm glad I wear an Orange pack!
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A guy I knew who was a licensed NH hunting guide said he always wore green (in pre-camo days). A careful hunter wouldn't shoot a green deer either but an idiot who shot at whatever he saw was more likely to see orange :)

Glad you are ok!
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Second (Nth?) that!!
 
bobandgeri said:
One Fall we were hiking at Pawtauckway up to the Fire Tower. Coming down, about 300 yards from the road, we come around the corner to have a hunter leveling his gun at us, thinking the 4 of us who were all talking was a deer I guess. And the guy never even appologized as we passed each other.
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BobandGeri - I read this after just getting back from NH, and yesterdays hike was guess where? Well, must have been too cold for hunters, and most hikers too. I met Bob Kilham in the Reservation Rd entrance and the first people we ever saw were 2 hrs later at the foot of No. Pawtuckaway coming up the ravine under the radar reflector. Then shortly 3 others passed in a 15 mi period & not another being for the day. 1adam12 may not feel lucky, but may well have been!
 
DougPaul said:
Don't forget that even though you have orange on part of your body doesn't mean that the hunters see that part. Or it could be blocked by a pack.

Certainly not excusing the hunters, but the more you cover in orange, the harder it will be for them to miss it.


Adam: glad you are ok.

Doug
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Yikes!:eek:

Yes, It is possible that some hunters could be color-blind.

I had a similar experience, when I used to wear a orange jump-suit this time of year. I was shot at, but, just figured it was the police, thinking I was escaped convict.
Now, I just wear a orange hat, shell and pack.

Glad you did'nt get shot dude!
 
Glad you're alright. I'm not a hunter but the ones I know are a lot more responsible than that clown. It only takes one irresponsible jack@$$ though for something like that to happen. I think I'll stay off the trails until the end of hunting season.
 
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