I am not sure if I posted this story...

bigbore442001 · Post by **bigbore442001** » Sat Dec 29, 2007 10:53 am

but this is how my opening day went in Massachusetts almost one month ago.

I awoke early on the first Monday after Thanksgiving very early. The plan was to go to my swamp stand before shooting light. I made an abrupt change when I saw that it was very rainy and foggy. I figured that the best thing to do is to sit under one of the canopies on the club rifle range. I know that deer will cross now and then and at least I would be dry.

My Dad and I drove down the club road to the range and as I was doing so, I spotted two deer in the headlights at the end of the old range. They soon spooked into the woods. I figured that if I sit on the range, soon enough they would come out.

Keep in mind that the range is about 200 yards long and it is rainy and foggy. I was hunting with a shotgun loaded with a slug while my Dad sat in the truck. He said he wasn't feeling too well and took a nap.

As I sat under the canopy I heard something. I saw a pick up truck barreling down the road and then it came to a halt about 15 yards from me. A member that I know got out of his truck. I am not sure if he even seen me sitting in hunter orange but he withdrew his scoped inline muzzleloading rifle from the truck, peered down the scope and all of a sudden shot.

He took an offhand shot at a doe at approximately 150 yards from his position. He said he wasn't sure if he got it. I figured my hunt was shot to Hades and so got up and walked over to him. I said," Well. Let see if you wounded it. " I took a walk with him to the spot. Again, it was a good 150 yards off hand and I know he doesn't practice all that much( Sunday night Budwiesers don't count either) . We found nothing. While walking around I commented on practice and ethics a bit. We walked down a path and he said he heard something. I walked off to the right and soon flushed the doe as it headed towards the swamp.

He asked if I saw anything. I said no. In my heart I figured that someone like that doesn't deserve to take that deer.

Just to add, I went to work a half hour late as it was all done by 7:30 AM.

After work, I went to my stand at at dusk and shot a 100 lb doe at 35 yards. Needless to say, I told him nothing of the sucess. I told others that I shot it in another town.

What happened to me above isn't too uncommon here in Massachusetts.

shawn_c992001 · Post by **shawn_c992001** » Sat Dec 29, 2007 1:20 pm

Some people just don't care about others, I've even apoligized to people that I've walked up on in the woods and didn't know whey were there. People like that do not deserve to take an animal like you mentioned.

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Sat Dec 29, 2007 2:55 pm

If you fish in my neck of the woods I'll say that it's common practice to "confuse" the area where the catch was made. Many people will just assume that if you told them where to go they can and will go there. Others protect honey holes by any means necessary.
No harm no foul in my book.
Rusty <><

Post by **Old Savage** » Sat Dec 29, 2007 4:32 pm

Certainly no foul not to help the unsportmanslike.

Scott64A · Post by **Scott64A** » Sat Dec 29, 2007 4:49 pm

Yep, I was a member at Townsend Rod and Gun club, and barely, if ever hunted there because of idiot-yahoos. I'd rather go to the secret spots and just wait.

Of course, if we shot anything, we'd just say, "Townsend" when asked where.

If I were you, I'd report Mr. Jackass to the club for what he did.

There's plenty of other land to hunt, and he obviously jumped out just to shoot at a deer he saw from his truck -regardless of the fact YOU were already there.

What a douche.

Travis Morgan · Post by **Travis Morgan** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 3:57 am

Plus one. That person will do nothing for the club's reputation. Shooting ranges have enough problems without being associated with people like that.

bigbore442001 · Post by **bigbore442001** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 5:05 am

Unfortunately, he is in a clique at the club. That is one bad situation where I belong to. Other than that, there are few problems . I did have someone else shoot a deer out of a stand I put up nearby.That crawled up my nose big time when I met the man who was about to hunt out of my stand as I was in it .

Travis Morgan · Post by **Travis Morgan** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 5:14 am

Life's too short to spend it around people like that. See if any of the other members would be interested in changing the leadership of the club, then enforcing the conduct rules. Definitely time to clean house. I hope your dues aren't more than $10 a year.

Pete44ru · Post by **Pete44ru** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 9:20 am

My rural gun club usually has deer feeding on one of the ranges (we have a 7, 25, 50, 100, & 200 yd set up - all side-by-side), if you happen to be the first one to arrive, most days - but club bylaws prohibit shooting them.

"Like shooting ducks in a barrel" syndrome.