This one hits a little too close to home. The boys involved are close friends to several of my coworkers. I hate to say it but this is why I don't hunt opening weekend.

Associated Press The Billings Gazette | Posted: Monday, October 25, 2010 5:56 am

GREAT FALLS - A 16-year-old boy has been shot and killed in northeastern Montana in what authorities are investigating as a hunting accident.

Phillips County Undersheriff Scott Moran says Logan Wilson was pronounced dead Saturday afternoon at a hunting site near his hometown of Malta.

Moran says Wilson separated from his two companions to walk across a field. After a short while they went looking for him. They called authorities after discovering that he had been shot.

KRTV reports that the preliminary cause of death is listed as an accidental shooting and an investigation is under way.

No other details were immediately available.

What a shame. I really hate to hear that. A young life just starting snuffed out for no reason other than some fool can't identify his target.

Malta has some very good people in it. I bought a Ford Expedition from (I think, I'm not good on names and it's been a while) Delta Ford in Malta in 1997. I've bird hunted in the area a bit.

I just got word (it is still a rumor right now) but it sounds as if the gunshot was from his own rifle.

I spent a lot of time up in Malta the last couple years both for work and play. The people are second-to-none. I know that this will be hard for the locals. It seems these little towns are struggling from one tragedy to another. Last month Malta's downtown burnt...5 businesses were lost and several others were damaged. The Ford dealership has been closed for some time now.

I read about it in the Gazette this morning to. Very sad, it did sound as though it was a self inflicted accident.

Terrible news, be careful out there.

I just saw a story in the news from Arizona that an 8 year old girl shot her 4 year old sister in the head, killing her when the little one ran out in front of the gun.

Its always tough to hear about young ones being shot.

sad stories to read about; both of them.

It hurts me to post this...another accidental shooting of a Teen in MT. PLEASE BE SAFE!

GREAT FALLS, Mont. (AP) Authorities say a 14-year-old girl from Power accidentally shot and killed her 17-year-old brother while unloading a rifle after a day of hunting.

It's the second teen death to be attributed to separate hunting accidents on Saturday.

Blaine County Undersheriff Pat Pyette says the siblings were hunting with their dad and a group of family and friends in the Missouri River Breaks. They were finished for the evening and the girl was unloading her rifle when it discharged.

Pyette says the boy was shot in the face from a distance of five feet. He died at the scene.

Sad just plain sad. hunting accidents have become rarer but they still happen.

Let us all use these has a reminder to just be a bit more alert about following the safety rules.

I wonder if the Last one was a 700 Rem.

As a father this is just a terrible thing to imagine somebody going through. the death of somebdoy young and innocent is horrific. It's so hard to strike that balance between protective/overprotective, and stories like this make it harder to let them try for themselves.

Red

This is sad news to hear indeed. I can't help but wonder, at least in the case of the girl shooting her brother, if the muzzle had been pointed in a safe direction would that boy have still been alive.

I've hunted in Malta 5 of the last 6 years.....my buds know these families well.....what a tragedy.

quote:

Originally posted by RMiller:
Its always tough to hear about young ones being shot.

or anyone for that matter......darn tough!

Tough fall on hunters up there this year.

Authorities say a Butte man was killed when a vehicle backed over him while he was on a hunting trip in southwest Montana's Gravelly Mountains.

Madison County Undersheriff Roger Thompson says five hunters from Butte were camping near the Ruby River on Tuesday night when the accident happened. One of the hunters was parking a large SUV for the night and backed over 53-year-old John Rohan.

Thompson says Rohan died at the scene, and his hunting group called authorities from a nearby ranch.

KXLF-TV in Butte reports that the death has been ruled an accident, but the Montana Highway Patrol will investigate the crash.

Very sad news.

Prayers sent.

quote:

Originally posted by MThuntr:
It hurts me to post this...another accidental shooting of a Teen in MT. PLEASE BE SAFE!

GREAT FALLS, Mont. (AP) Authorities say a 14-year-old girl from Power accidentally shot and killed her 17-year-old brother while unloading a rifle after a day of hunting.

It's the second teen death to be attributed to separate hunting accidents on Saturday.

Blaine County Undersheriff Pat Pyette says the siblings were hunting with their dad and a group of family and friends in the Missouri River Breaks. They were finished for the evening and the girl was unloading her rifle when it discharged. He died at the scene.

Chances could be it may have been a Remington rifle with the faulty trigger!?? Anyone know?

The details are not known...they probably won't be released. She did have the gun pointed directly at his face so it shouldn't matter.

You cannot accidentally shoot anyone. Forgive them if you want. You hold a firearm and you are absolutely responsible.

First, and most importantly, when you read my comments here, please understand that I mean no critique of those who are party to these terrible events, nor to those who have commented on this thread.

I would say that again, but you can just read the above a 2nd time. Thanks.

A big part of hunting accidents (involving firearms or any other type of device) is directly due to the excitement of opening weekend.

We've all been there - there is a degree of adrenaline associated with just being present for the opener. It starts with going to bed the night before, is amplified with the morning's breakfast together, and reaches a crescendo when you get out of the vehicle. Same is true for the fishing opener.

There are a number of fundamentals involved in hunting safely.
Some can be controlled, like where you point your firearm, who you hunt with, and how much orange you wear. Some you have less control over, like who is hunting close-by.
Some you have no control over, like when some yahoo shows up (you still, of course, can choose to leave).

Safety begins with controling the things you can and making good decisions when you have less control.

I've made a ton of bad decisions in my life; thankfully, I haven't suffered any diasterous consequences. But that doesn't mean I've become complacent - just the opposite: the older I get, the less "cavalier" I am about safety.

And that's true about more than just hunting.

friar

Sad news indeed.
Our thoughts and prayers with those who grieve.


re: friar's comment below...

amen.

quote:

Safety begins with controling the things you can and making good decisions when you have less control.

I've made a ton of bad decisions in my life; thankfully, I haven't suffered any diasterous consequences. But that doesn't mean I've become complacent - just the opposite: the older I get, the less "cavalier" I am about safety.

And that's true about more than just hunting.

friar

this is a sad thread, and my sympathies go out to the families concerned.

We used to go up to Malta and Zortman and shoot Prairie Dogs many years ago.

Rich

The Malta, MT hunting accident is now being investigated as a homocide. Irregularities in the incident have caused a new investigation.