How Did Dick Cheney Break the No.1 Rule of Hunting?

Time Magazine ^ | 02/13/2006 | Timothy Burger

[Wurlitzer]

"One would think the first rule of hunting would be not to walk where hunters are likely to shoot, without warning them you're there. Okay, maybe the second."

No! #1 rule: know what you are shooting.

[roses of sharon]

LOL, regardless of your logic, these threads are good for the same ol "Bush/Cheney=Evil" consprazoids who reside here!

[ArmyTeach]

Quite right. As I heard it, Cheney's hunting buddy walked into his like of fire as he was pulling the trigger. OOPS. Glad it wasn't serious.
On ranges where I shoot, even without a official range master, someone calls the all-clear check and everyone puts down his/her gun/rifle before going downrange.

[Arrowhead1952]

It's not stripped at all, except no magazine in the lower receiver. He appears to be adjusting the sling.

[Ben Mugged]

Sure - please explain which basic rule of hunting the 'shootee' broke. When line shooting, you always announce when you rejoin the line. This lets the other shooters know where you are. As a hunter you are focused on the possibility of a rising bird in front of you. If your partner is known to be on your left and the bird breaks to the left your partner owns the bird. If your partner drops out to pick up a bird, if the bird breaks to the left you own the bird until he announces his return.

Also, for any contention that the 'shootee' did something wrong, can you point me to your source for the factual basis? My grandfather taught my father and my two brothers the rules of line hunting. As far as I'm concerned, that instruction is gospel.

Finally, for any contention that the 'shootee' did something wrong, please advise whether any such wrongdoing caused the VP to pull the trigger with a man in front of his shotgun. If you are following the flight of a bird, you are focused on the bird not the background. The background is moving at a relatively fast pace. You must lead the bird and shoot out in front of it. The point at which you pull the trigger is reflex.

Get a single shot 12 gage with bird shot and go hunting then we'll talk more. I'll even get Grandpa to give you lessons.

[lugsoul]

You are correct. In all instances. And I wish the VP, as a visible hunter, would drive that point home and accept responsibility.

[RedRightReturn]

No flames from me. I happen to agree!

The shooter is ALWAYS RESPONSIBLE for the safety of his range; this includes ALL area within the range of the projectile(s). PERIOD!

At least that's what I was taught in my NRA Hunter Safety Traiing Course. (Required for Hunting Licensure in NJ)

R3

[VeniVidiVici]

Looks to me like folks are just trying to trash the VP without knowing for sure what happened.

[KoRn]

You could very well be right. The picture quality isn't the best. It does appear to be empty though, unless he has a round chambered, which I'd say is doubtful.

Empty or not, that isn't good muzzle discipline =)

[tiki]

I live with avid hunters. Neither of them have been shot nor have they accidently shot anyone. That said, the guy who got shot has a responsibility for his own safety and VP Cheney has a responsibility to know where his hunting companions are. So it was an stupid accident and accidents do happen. If I was on a jury, from what I've heard so far I'd have to assign them both 50% of the fault.

[processing please hold]

My guess is that, at age 78, Whittington simply can't get outta the way as fast as the quail.

Hahahahahaha, thanks for the belly laugh.

[TheCrusader]

"I'm sorry, but the vast majority of hunting accideents don't just happen. They are usually the fault of either poor firearms handling or poor field safety."

All the more reason to believe, until proven different, that this thing was an accident. Cheney is an accomplished hunter whose never been involved in a mishap before in all his years of hunting. This tells me that he knows the safety rules very well and abides by them, and this is probably one of those times when the accident wasn't the due to any negligence. We definately live in a "blame somebody" mentality today.

[ArmyTeach]

Then there was the time my brother shot himself in the temple with his bb gun - 16 years old, shoulda known better after being trained by our dad and after I warned him not to point his gun. Lucky. The bb lodged just under the skin, had to go the emergency room to have it extracted. He's never lived it down.

[MarxSux]

This would not be much of a story but for the folks who want to score points against the Bush Administration.

[Niteranger68]

I have two basic thoughts on this. 1) Has it been confirmed without a doubt that Whittington was wearing safety orange gear? If he wasn’t, is Chaney still at fault? 2) This article is so full of speculation, I doubt we should be debating its specific contents.

[Uri’el-2012]

Notice no clip in the rifle. Which is a good thing because that pose is a good way to lose your head.

50 posted on 02/13/2006 11:59:41 AM MST by LOC1

Notice no clip magazine, in the rifle.

But there could be one in the chamber!

[ncphinsfan]

Who cares?! The only reason this is a "story" is that the MSM has its collective panties in a wad. That and a couple of urban conservatives (JPOD, NRO) who are equally clueless. It's a freaking accident, for gosh sakes. No effing story!

[TheCrusader]

"If you pull the trigger when your gun is pointed at someone you don't intend to shoot, you have done something wrong. Period."

Except when you're a cop pumping 42 holes into a man whose trying to hand you his wallet for ID.

[nickcarraway]

The fact that he hunts pen-raised birds is the worse thing to come out about Cheney.

[Issaquahking]

Agree 100%!!!I can see from the likes of some posters, that I would never hunt with some of them. Some remind me of the other type of hunter when it comes to big game and they fail to recognize the power of a high powered rifle in regard to backstop.

For all those that want to flame me for the above commentary - get on it! I want to know who you are so that we don't hunt together. Do I hunt? You bet, never ate beef till I was over 18, we always had moose and caribou in the freezer. Ducks and geese think I'm related to Jack Bauer!

Vegetarian is a nice word for poor hunter.

Is an accident such as this really worth make such a big national scene over? Only for the sleaze ball liberals. Prayers for the vice president that a momentary lapse in judgment will only be that. I'm sure this is a mistake that he'll only do once, thereafter he'll probably be the most cautious in target acquisition in hunting in the future.