Rule Number Four

While looking through news articles on the FBI's Bullet Lead Analysis problem, and the possibility that quite a few goblins are going to get a free pass due to some faulty statistics by the FBI, I found a surprising number of articles that involved "stray bullets".

From Local6.com:

Stray Bullet From Chicken Shoot Hits Girl

HUDSON, Fla. -- A stray bullet penetrated a Hudson mobile home and wounded an 11-year-old girl over the weekend, according to police...

...Authorities said a group of adults was shooting at chickens about 40 yards away from the girl's mobile home when a bullet entered the mobile home and hit her.

From WBAY-TV:

Oshkosh Teen Nearly Hit by Stray Bullet

On Saturday, an Oshkosh teenager came dangerously close to being hit by a hunter's stray bullet. The incident happened on a public hunting ground near Shiocton; the difference between life and death was less than a foot...

...Jay blink says Saturday morning he was out hunting with his father and uncle when he decided to go back to the car.

Jay says he was sitting in the front seat of the car playing a game on his cell phone when he heard a frightening sound.

"Next thing I know, I hear a bang and the window had gone," he said.

Blink says he immediately jumped out of the car and saw a deer crossing a nearby road, but the person who fired the shot was nowhere to be found.

"I was confused on why the person shot across the road. I was scared," he said.

Blink says after he came to his senses, he realized just how close he came to being the target of the bullet. It was so close he has the scar to show for it.

"I had put my arm up to pull back down the sleeve and that's when the pop and everything happened," he said.

The bullet had apparently grazed his arm while it was in the air.

From The Monroe Times:

Bullet goes into home, no one hurt

MONROE -- No one was injured when a bullet believed to be fired by a hunter crashed through a window and lodged in a wall around 10:15 a.m. Sunday at a residence at W8022 Smock Valley Road.

The homeowner was home at the time of the incident.

From The Daily Post:

Police marksman put bullet through office window

A POLICE marksman put a bullet through an office window while trying to shoot an escaped bull.

North Wales police are investigating how the stray bullet smashed through an upstairs office window of AGS Securities in Mold, while staff were in a meeting next door.

These are not articles involving gang bangers or shoot outs, each of these incidents involves an aimed shot by an individual who was sure of his target.

Rule #4 -Be sure of your target and what is behind it - Be aware of your surroundings whether on a range, in the woods, or in a potentially lethal conflict. Never shoot at sounds or at a target you can not positively identify.

"...and what is behind it". This is very important, as you can see from these recent news articles. There are so many resources available to hunters today, that not knowing the lay of the land and the location of nearby housing developments is inexcusable. You will spend time sighting in your scope, washing your cammies in your "special" soap, and learning all you can about your hunt. Spend a few moments on Google Earth, and ask locals about fields of fire and residences.

Each and every one of these incidences involved an individual who took the shot, confident of a hit. Each shot missed and put others in danger.

This is why Rule #4 is just as important as the other three.