As hunting accidents go, Cheney's is not unusual

Dallas Morning News ^ | Tuesday February 14,2006 | Ray Sasser

[Racehorse]

Happens all the time?

I don't know about that---

I'm not a quail hunter.  I wouldn't know.  Never much been interested in shooting birds.  I prefer, or rather preferred, different game.  These days, I'm pretty much on the sidelines of most outdoor sports.

But, the people I quoted, definitely qualify as anciently experienced.  So, it probably happens a bit more frequently than folks might think.

There is no excuse for what Dick Cheney did. None.

We are agreed.  Cheney probably does too.  :-)

[IrishMike]

Saw somewhere where Al Gore's speech / the event in Saudia Arabia was actually sponsered by the Bin Ladden family.

[Kaslin]

It was a birdshot, not a buckshot

[frankjr]

Yes, that's why the post refers to the #7 1/2 shot size.

[Simo Hayha]

What's missing, though, is the lack of info about the gun involved. I haven't heard, but that doesn't mean it hasn't been reported. 12 guage? 20? Over/Under? Semi-auto? Pump?

Missing is any reference to the terrifying semi-automatic assault shotgun favored by terrorists and militia-types, capable of holding "x" number of shells, the type used by SWAT teams and tunnel-rats in Vietnam, capable of spraying pellets over a wide area. Nor have we heard anything about an aresenal of w----ns that the VP has on hand.

Will have to take note of how the media treats other shotgun-related stories in the future.

[painter]

Well no, not hardly. Buckshot would have stung quite a bit more than what Whittington was sprayed wit.

Yea,like it would have killed him!

[IrishMike]

28 gage
fairly common for small bird / game hunting.

[cyberaxe]

.....luv it.....

.....look fer this to happen next.....

(click here to view)

Roger Harvell
Greenville News
Feb 14, 2006

EditorialCartoonists.com

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

the animals are almost all gone.

That's not my experience on Long Island. It's built up so there's less habitat for critters (and more for people) - but we go for a walk at dawn, we occasionally see deer. In a suburb.

[MineralMan]

"28 gauge shot gun?? Never heard of one of those"

Really. They're actually not that uncommon. It is the smallest of the shotguns measured in gauge. The only smaller shotgun is the .410.

They're nice for quail and other small upland game, because they're light, easy to handle, and are adequate for the job.

That said, most folks use 20 ga. guns for upland game.

[Fawn]

Just because you see them out of their natural habitat and in yours, does not mean there are more of them. I use to see them in western NY walking down our village streets....their habitat is being asborbed. Deer, however, may be an exception to the lack of animals situation. But then again...it might just be that there seems to be more since they are now living in the neigborhoods....and are just seen more.

[Maria S]

"No worry....pretty soon hunting will be gone.....the animals are almost all gone.:

Apparently you have no concept about the INCREASE in game (translate for you: animals) in this country. Try driving a road at night...almost anywhere. If you don't hit the deer, you'll more than likely hit a rabbit, stray dog, or other animal. Maybe a coyote.

I'm not sure what planet you live on, but animals are populating so fast, the licensed hunters can't get rid of them.

p.s. Please come to Amarillo or Lubbock...the prairie dogs are taking all of us over. Not to mention the racoons, possums, squirrels, and coyotes that are coming into town.

[Fawn]

NO need to insult me Maria. I believe you completely missed my point. As I tried to say.....(I'll go slow).....'that just because ....'you' or 'people' see more animals....or game as you call it..... it does 'NOT'....does 'NOT'....necessarily mean.....(inotherwords....there is 'no absolute proof').....that that means there are MORE animals/game.' It could mean Maria.....that the animals or game are losing their habitat(homes)...and that 'YOU' ....or 'PEOPLE'......see them in your neighborhood because of it. And you conclude that there are more of them......when in fact, it could be just the opposite.
If you think about it Maria.....lets say a new developement moves on some unihabitated area near you......those animals will run ....they will come to your neighborhood ...to your street and backyard......because their home is being built on...they are kicked out -so-to-speak. SO people like you Maria.....say..."THERE MUST BE ALOT OF THESE DAMN DEER AROUND THESE PARTS BECAUSE I SEE THEM ALL THE DAMN TIME." See?
Please let me know if I still did not get my point across and I will try again. Have a nice day.

[jess35]

.the animals are almost all gone.

I guess that explains why my dogs chase wild turkeys around my yard in metro Atlanta. It also must explain the elk, bear, etc... that regularly cross my property in northern New Mexico.

[lugsoul]

Everyone's been shot. Haven't you heard?

At least 68% of the people on this forum have been sprayed with shot - and at least half of those more than once.

In fact, if you haven't been shot, you must be a lib'ral.

[Kenny Bunk]

Deer Fawn,

There are more deer now than there ever were ... and a lot more than there should be. Moose, Elk, Caribou? No problem.

Upland game bird populations are cyclical depending upon the weather ... and yes on the pace of rural development.

Canada Geese? Pest Proportions

Black Bear? Zooming populations

Mountain Lions? Try having a picnic in the Santa Monica Mountains.

And if Dick Cheney really likes shooting lawyers, there sure ain't no shortage of them in these woods.

[rusty millet]

Good info. Thanks.

[Kenny Bunk]

Nice try at clarity, T.

But I read that Lawyer Whittington was brutally shot with an automatic assault revolver rifle shotgun, firing banned dum-dum bullets, by a vicious white racist Republican who has taken millions of kids off the school lunch program and who furthermore is a friend of the Bush Family and on the take from Halliburton, who cause global warming.

This terrible incident, which hits the poor, minorities, and women hardest of all, is clearly yet another domestic policy tragedy and all George Bush's fault. You can whitewash this with technical mumbo-jumbo, but the bottom line is there for all to see.

[Maria S]

Please speak very slowly to Fawn. She/he is apparently one of those environmentalists who believe trees/animals/insects are in grave danger of those terrible human beans.

For some strange reason, we are being led down the "humans vs animals" road by a few nuts. (once again, no offense to anyone). It makes no difference how much land is encroached upon, if the animal population is not weeded out once in awhile, you have overgrazing of the available land, not to mention the breeding of inferior animals.

If this whole country was barren of human, there would STILL be wolves eating the slowest deer. There would be eagles and other birds eating the slowest rabbits. This country has ALWAYS had a plentiful amount of game, and it always will. And we are no more encroaching upon THEIR territory than any other civilization.

That's the way life is. And BTW, if ANYONE wants to adopt a couple of prairie dogs, I know a couple of places where you can get them free of charge. The little dears multiply faster than mice.

[Rakkasan1]

usually found in expensive upland bird guns