Worst opener -Truck window shot out while driving/A Cautionary Tale.

[R. Miller]

This is what my driver side back passenger window looks like after cardboard/duct tape repair yesterday morning.

I hunted a spot for a few hours Saturday morning. At about 10am I decided to check out a couple of my other go to deer spots that I've had success at over the last 10 years. I thought maybe I'd sit another couple hours, see if I could get lucky with any active bucks or maybe have somebody push me something. Sometime around 10:30am I was on a paved county road, and glanced to my left into a cut cornfield. I quickly noticed 12 to 14 hunters, and a doe that was just kicked up out of a small thicket in the middle of the field-she was bounding towards the road in my direction...I saw about 4 or 5 guns raised and then a bunch of shots towards my truck...I leaned over to the center of the vehicle and I kept steady on the gas at about 40mph...

I then heard the loudest "crack" of shattering glass I'd ever heard...my back passenger window, about 2 feet directly behind my head was blown out from a shotgun slug. It was a horrifying experience. I ended up not deer hunting the rest of the weekend and don't have plans to head out this week or weekend. I'm not sure if any of the 12 or 14 hunters, or the 4 shooters are members of FM, read the forums, etc. I didn't want to share this to call anyone out or go into further details about the event after the shots were fired. It's more just because I thought I'd share with fellow hunters, maybe to help me get over it, I don't know. Every year I see careless behavior over deer opener. This is a reminder. Deer drives towards county roads is ridiculous. It's hard to get over the fact that I had a slug blow through my window 2 feet from my head. I am so thankful to God that I am OK.

This is a picture of my 3 year old son and I, last year, 2012, with a buck I harvested on November 8th, in the same area. He was 2 at the time. I was so excited. After I got him, I called my wife, who joined me for a few days at hunting camp. I told her to get Cole dressed so I could pick them up from our hunting shack and bring him back out to help me drag. What a wonderful memory.

I get sick to my stomach thinking that last year, from November 7th through the 9th, my son Cole sat in the back seat of my truck, as we made multiple trips throughout they day on that very same country road, his car seat strapped in the back seat as he looked out the same window that was blown out my a slug November 9th, a year later.

The hunters were very apologetic after this incident occurred. I do believe they were truly sorry.

I just beg and plea fellow hunters and outdoors men and women to use caution, safety and common sense when afield. I'm not bothered by missing a day or two of work and the hassle of getting my vehicle repaired. I'm so thankful I wasn't killed or there wasn't anyone in the back seat. It could have been so much worse.

I arrived home yesterday, on my 34th birthday, and made sure to give my family an extra big hug.

-Ryan

[Andrew Erickson]

glad you're okay man. Couldn't believe that had happened after talkin to my dad. unbelievable

[CaptainMusky]

OMG! So glad you are OK and that thankfully no one, especially your little guy were not sitting in the back.

People can be so careless.

[bowhunternw]

Wow scary! When I was a kid our house got 3 slugs in it. 2 stuck in the wall and one went through our parents bedroom window. There was a group driving a cornfield across the county road. Slugs too, this was in shotgun zone.

[DTro]

Apologetic? Not sure I'd settle for an "I'm sorry" in this case

[R. Miller]

Apologetic? Not sure I'd settle for an "I'm sorry" in this case

I hear you Dtro, just trying to find peace in the situation. No fines or tickets were handed out.

From what I've learned over the last few days there's no statute for shooting "into" a road right of way. The statute prohibits shooting "from" the road right of way.

[reddog]

Glad youre OK. Tunnel vision at its finest..

[laker1]

I can't believe tickets would not be given for careless use of a firearms and shooting across a road which is illegal.

Whom was the incident reported to?

[fishuhalik]

I hear you Dtro, just trying to find peace in the situation. No fines or tickets were handed out.

From what I've learned over the last few days there's no statute for shooting "into" a road right of way. The statute prohibits shooting "from" the road right of way.

Reckless discharge of a firearm. Pretty sure that'll land ya in jail for a good while, as it should!!! I'm sure it was an accident. I'm sure the guys are good people. However, this kind of carelessness can not go unpunished.

As stated, thank God you're ok & no one, especially your boy, wasn't back there!

[jparrucci]

This is why I do not deer hunt and stay far away from anywhere I expect to see a deer hunter. It is without a doubt idiots hunting weekend. I'll be in the duck blind.

[MUSKY18]

Glad to hear you are okay and your truck can be fixed.

One of the first rules they teach you in gun safety is KNOW WHAT IS BEYOND YOUR TARGET BEFORE YOU SHOOT. Guess that one got lost on some people.

[boXCar JiggY]

WOW! Thank the Lord your ok an still with your family. those guys need to rethink how they drive a piece of woods or corn next time an go thru fire arms saftey AGAIN!

[R. Miller]

Thanks for the replies. From what I was told, from a county CO, it's (in his opinion) best to reserve the criminal courts to people that showed criminal intent. I could let him know if I want criminal charges pressed even though I wouldn't be guaranteed that the County Attorney would charge them. And if they plead not guilty to any charges I'd be having to make court appearances to testify....honestly really that last thing I'd want to do at this point. I am honestly shocked that people can't get ticketed or fined for something like this. I'm a law abiding outdoorsman, never broken a game law. There's fines for not going over limits, trespassing, etc, but nothing for shooting at a road, into a vehicle, 2 feet from killing someone? Sometimes I just feel like a fine or anything other than a slap on the wrist would drive the point home a little better. From what I understand, the four shooters will have to pay for my window, and take firearm safety training over. That's about it. I wasn't meant to say much more than my original post so I'll leave it at this. I can easily get mad and angry when thinking back at what happened Saturday morning. Just felt I needed to share the story, as part of my emotional healing from this incident and to hopefully get the safety and common sense point across.

[Rick G]

The most important thing is that you are ok! Man, that is one close call thanks for sharing this here.

[hockeybc69]

Incredible story! Very happy that you are ok!!!

Deer drives.... perfect example of why I despise them. Uncontrolled chaos. Wow.

[Jameson]

Did they get the doe?

Good to hear that at least the shooters will be taking firearm's safety again.

[laker1]

I think it would be nice to get a clarification by his Supervisor plus the Sheriff of the county. They do have to file a report.

[laker1]

Its amazing more people are not hurt by these drives,also deer season brings people outdoors for the first time every year. They have no idea what they are doing.

[Scott K]

Yikes! I am glad no one got injured, or killed.

[nofishfisherman]

Thats scary stuff, so glad you're ok.

From the sounds of it you are handling this about as well as anyone could given the circumstances.

Try not to let the anger eat you up. There are all sorts of people out there that can bring you down whether its through a careless act like this or intentional despicable behavior. The trick is to not let them bring you down and ruin the good stuff you have going.

Let the law do what it can with these guys and try to find peace with it. Then get back out there and start enjoying the outdoors again.

[dan z]

This is why I do not deer hunt and stay far away from anywhere I expect to see a deer hunter. It is without a doubt idiots hunting weekend. I'll be in the duck blind.

I don't like being on dry land while there is blaze orange in the woods. I'll be duck hunting until ice stops me.

[Bambito]

So glad you are ok and your little boy was not with you that day. It's unfortunate that people can't control their adrenaline. I always hear the saying " if it's brown, it's down". To me that is a sign of recklaceness and I try to stay away from ppl like that. Years ago when I was in high school I slug hunted with my step dad and his group. They were a very responsible group and we never had an issue until one year. A group member had invited a friend and his son. Everyone was introduced and they both seemed responsible and common sense worthy enough to be trusted. Our number one rule when doing deer drives was if you were a poster and a deer busted out that you wait to shoot until it cleared all hunters and got behind everyone. First drive and first deer to bust out and the new guys kid pulls up, I watch him and can see him leading the deer. After a few moments he doesn't shoot and I thought to myself ok he's just got a bead on him and he's waiting to clear everyone. Nope.... As soon as that deer got between me and him, he pulled the trigger. I remember getting up and spitting black dirt out of my mouth. I didn't say anything and he yelled over to me " sorry I didn't see you". Unfortunately for him my uncle saw the whole entire thing from afar. After the drive we went back to deer camp to have lunch and my uncle came and asked me how close was his shot to me. I told him what I remembered. I heard the slug and hit the ground. That's all it took, for him and me. My uncle escorted him and his father to their truck and told them to never come back. For me, well I took up black powder hunting and have never looked back. Although I miss the " deer camp tradition" my wife and I black powder hunt every year and we absolutely love the peace and quite.

Hopefully this experience won't shy you away from this great sport but maybe make others aware of what can happen when you don't pay attention. Glad them 4 hunters have to pay for your window and take the hunters safety course again. Obviously they need to.

[hugonian1]

Man, that is too close.

So many variables and the outcome could be much worse.

I am glad you are physically OK.

I am sure this has affected you in many other ways.

[Deerstalker]

Sounds like pure idiocy to me. And a whole lot of reckless endangerment...

RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT

Any person who commits the offense of reckless endangerment is guilty of a crime.

1. The defendant engaged in conduct which placed or might have placed another person in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury.

2. The defendant acted recklessly.

3. The offense was committed with a deadly weapon.

[zepman]

As others have said...this is exactly why I have never participated in deer drives at our camp. I choose to stay in the woods all day...on stand or quietly still hunting.

Glad everything turned out ok...meaning you're still alive.