Would-Be Deer Hunter Hits Horses, Dog

Reuters via iwon.com ^ | March 22, 2002 | Reuters

[Pern]

A frustrated would-be deer hunter who failed to find his prey shot at penned-in domestic animals instead, killing a registered-breed Arabian horse and wounding a horse and dog, officials said on Thursday.

The suspect, 20-year-old Donald Ray Bussey, was hunting for deer with friends in rural north Florida last October, the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said.

He "apparently got frustrated over failing to locate one to shoot. After shooting at street signs, Bussey told his friends that he was going to shoot a live animal," Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson said.

As he drove, Bussey allegedly fired a shotgun through the window of his truck, wounding a horse and dog in yards he passed. He then climbed into the back of the truck and fired a bow and arrow at an Arabian gelding, killing it, Bronson said.

Bussey was arrested on Thursday on two counts of animal cruelty, two counts of criminal trespassing and one count of killing a registered breed -- for the Arabian, a swift and intelligent breed valued by horse-racers. The last charge is the most serious and carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, agriculture department spokesman Terence McElroy said.

[Pern]

People like this disgust me. Gives true hunters and sportsmen/women a bad name.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson ? The guy's lucky he didn't get out the brass knucks...

[HiJinx]

The author: "...and fired a bow and arrow at...killing it..."
The poster: "People like this disgust me. Gives true hunters and sportsmen/women a bad name.

Ummmm...you talking about the poacher or the author? I wonder how the bow went after he fired it?

[DouglasKC]

Oh George not the livestock...

[DancesWithTrout]

Equally disgusting is the fact that reuters found it such a disturbing story that they just had to get it in the public eye. Are there any Florida gun or hunting laws scheduled for hearing in the near future that maybe needed a little bump from the anti-everything groups?

[stlrocket]

Apparently he was not a very good hunter.

DEER HUNTER - DON'T LOOK UP!

[Sender]

I agree, this sort of story that perpetuates the myth of hunters and sportsmen being bumbling, dangerous idiots will leap to the front of AP and Reuters story lists. At the same time, who knows how many stories about responsible hunters or citizen self-defense will go unpublished. Bias? Nah...

[DancesWithTrout]

Question: How many stories of responsible hunters or citizen self defense go unpublished? Answer: All of them.

[INSENSITIVE GUY]

To bad the barrel of his gun wasn't stopped up,would've been great if it had blown up in his face!

[IncPen]

Next up: Concealed-carry stupidity?

[ZULU]

"The suspect, 20-year-old Donald Ray Bussey,..."

20 year old body, 6 year old brain.

I agree with you. Instead of sending this jerk to jail they should sentence him to be bullet catcher at some shooting range used by other hunters. Nutcases like this we don't need.

Having said that, expect more of this in the media. EVERY egregious incident, no matter how bizarre and unusual, will find its way into the front pages of the main newspapers to substantiate the continuing liberal whine to outlaw hunting and confiscate firearms.

[Pern]

I didn't post this as a protest against guns (I think 'shall not be infringed' is plain and clear). I posted it to vent my dislike for people that kill aminals just for fun. I was raised to only shoot what you intend to eat. A concept I pass on to my own son (and will hopefully, some day, pass on to my grandson).

[aomagrat]

Some people are too stupid to have guns.

[IncPen]

I wasn't criticizing you. I see things about the same way you do.

But rather than address the real problem here (concealed stupidity manifested for all to see now), the gun-grabbers will use this against the good guys.

Thanks for the post.

[Pugsy]

Kind of like what is happening with the priest sex scandal. A few make all the rest look bad. huh.

[latrans]

That Arabian gelding ought to taste as good as most venison I have had.

[Minnesoootan]

He "apparently got frustrated over failing to locate one to shoot.

This sentence tells me Charles Bronson is not an avid hunter either.This is a description of hunting used by anti's.

I'd be pushing for some time for his "buddies" also who apparently allowed him to go on the rampage.

any of these knobs got caught doing this by anyone I know would end up with some unusable "hunting" equipment and some physical problems before being handed over to the authorities.

[Petronski]

What an ass.

[Destructor]

Prison is too good for this b*****d! He should be used as target practice!!

[mikhailovich]

Maybe he owns a Chinese place.