# How often to bird hunters get "peppered"?



## buckeroo (Jan 21, 2010)

I was just reading an article about John Oxendine's son accidentally shooting someone while on a bird hunt. I know it happens  and no big deal since all involved are OK, but as I was reading the article I couldn't help but noticing how may times Oxendine mentioned that this was very common and happens all the time. 

I am not a bird hunter so I seriously have no clue how often this happens. Does it really happen quite often? 

(PS... Nothing in the world against J.O. the article just happened to be about their accident.)

LINK TO THE ARTICLE IN CASE ANYONE CARES.


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## Jim P (Jan 21, 2010)

I'm 61 and have been bird (quail) hunting since I was 9, I have been peppered only once, I don't know if it's because I have been lucky or what. If I'm hunting with someone for the first time I keep a eye on them for awhile to see how they react to the dogs and the birds. I'm talking quail hunting hunting dove is another story I think at one time everyone who dove hunts (shoots) has been sprinkled.


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## Rich M (Jan 21, 2010)

You should NEVER get "peppered".  

That's why there are rules to bird hunting.  Here are our basics:

- no-one gets in front of the group
- you shoot birds in your "window" (normally from 10 to 20 o'clock with 12 o'clock being straight forward)
- everyone wears enough orange to make a pumpkin happy
- safety glasses/hunting glasses are a good idea
- often hunters walk in a line

We all know guys who can't follow the rules and will shoot at birds no matter where they go.  Those fellows are better off hunting alone.

No bird is worth possibly hurting someone.

NOW duck hunters also have this problem.  It comes from guys setting up too close to others.  They they shoot towards each other.  MORONS.  I won't shoot towards another group if they are within 150 yards or so - it takes a little control and thought.

We also hunted rabbits a lot in thick cover - no-one was visible.  So we'd make noise - talk/yell every few moments to keep people aware of our locations.  I'm deaf so that precluded the idea of wearing a bell.  It never bothered the rabbits and we shot plenty. 

Last bit - accidents do happen - I'd like to say most people who've gotten shot have not been visble or making any noise and were therefore un-known and true accidents.

Never been dove hunting.  Sounds like fun but I won't eat them things.


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## Mayor of Munnerlyn (Jan 21, 2010)

I've been following this story myself and, once again, you've got a politican and/or his staff explaining something that they have no business explaining. 
It was an accident. Oxendine's 13 or 14-year old son was the shooter. The story I read said there were some "observers" watching some distance away and it sounded as though the man shot might have been in that group. Not sure, but he was hit in the leg and had to go to the local hospital. Regardless, you've got some serious safty issues to address with this group and a young shooter, but fortunatley nobody was seriously injured. That's the explanation - not "this happens all the time" and it's referred to as "being peppered." 
In my experience, getting "peppered" does not result in a trip to the ER. Keep in mind, this guy is considered the leading Republican contender for Governor.


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## Sam H (Jan 21, 2010)

You should NEVER/NEVER get pepperd quail hunting!!!  NEVER EVER....Now like Jim P said..dove is another situation,but,even with over 50+yrs of being associated with dove hunting I can count on one hand of getting "sprinkled"


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## UserNameGoesHere (Jan 21, 2010)

Never been peppered while hunting anything but doves.  

Been peppered more then I'd like to admit by young hunters and SEASONED hunters shooting at low birds.  Folks get tunnel vision and forget what they are doing.  Just this year I got peppered 3 times in a row by my younger cousin about 90 yards away.  When it hit my face and left a mark, me and him had a "Come to Jesus" meeting and all was solved.  I had that same meeting with his daddy when I was his age, but I was on the recieving end.....and when he said "you shoot one more low bird and I'm gonna kick your @%&" you better believe I took it as a stone hard fact.

Kids are gonna be taught at home and then mess up in a dove field if someone is not sitting with them and teaching them in the heat of a barn burner dove shoot.  

Seasoned hunters that pepper other hunters are scum and should be hog-tied and fed rotten fish...no reason to ever fire a gun in someone's direction while hunting whether it be a BB gun or a 338 Lapua.  

I love to eat doves!  But I have respect for anyone who won't kill something if he knows he won't eat it or give it to someone that will, my hats off to ya.


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## wisturkeyhunter (Jan 21, 2010)

More often than they should.

Sometimes the shooter isn't the one at fault either.


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## maker4life (Jan 21, 2010)

wisturkeyhunter said:


> More often than they should.
> 
> Sometimes the shooter isn't the one at fault either.



Exactly ! Lots of folks drag around and won't get in position and it's a disaster waiting to happen . Had some folks out right after Christmas that for the life of them refused to get up to where I told them to .


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## buckeroo (Jan 21, 2010)

Thanks for all the posts fellas. The only thing I ever shoot is my .308 @ deer, hogs and coyotes and most certainly know the rules of safety for that cannon! God forbid if someone got hit with that thing.


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## Jim P (Jan 21, 2010)

Rich M, what you have said is the bible for bird hunters, any bird hunter should read this before hunting (any kind of hunting) the one time I got peppered was from a young hunter, I was going into some briars to flush the birds the dog had pointed, when they got up is when he got me, I was youg and chased him down because he knew he did a no-no, never had the problem after that.


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## Dustin Pate (Jan 21, 2010)

I have never really been peppered. Maybe one shot falling on me while dove hunting now and then.


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## Doc_Holliday23 (Jan 21, 2010)

in the dove field I've been peppered 2 or 3 times.  never broken the skin but stung a time or two.  My uncle got some pellets in the face 25 years ago (maybe more) but luckily missed his eyes.  I also always wear sunglasses in the dove field for this very reason.

I agree with you guys it should never happen when quail hunting.  It shouldn't happen dove hunting either, but low birds are a judgement call and most folks that have dove hunted a lot have probably shot at a bird that was too low.  It happens.


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## gobbleinwoods (Jan 21, 2010)

In a big dove field I have been rained on but never peppered on quail or pheasant hunt.


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## coveyrise90 (Jan 21, 2010)

I agree. Getting peppered while quail is unacceptable. I would end that hunt right then and there. Dove shooting is a different story. I have been peppered a few times. I think most have.

Adam


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## Nimrod71 (Jan 21, 2010)

Now my 2 cents.  I wasn't peppered, I was shot in a dove field.  Now the shooter was on another tarace about 25 yards but high brass shells carry a long way.  Knocked my hat off my head and put two pellets in my left ear, good thing it was cold and I had the collar up on my cavas hunting coat.  REALLY ticked me off, I shot the man back.  He left the field.  I should not have shot back at him I know, showing stupidity, I was young back then, I know better know.

No one should ever be peppered or shot quail hunting, I know it happens sometimes, but sometimes it is not the shooters fault.  I guide from time to time and I can tell you a guide must be on his toes with some hunters.  You have to keep up with everyone and make sure they are in their places and not out in front where they can get shot.

To everyone: BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## dfhooked (Jan 21, 2010)

The terrible part to all of this is it is His fault He did not teach his sons proper gun and hunter safety. Oh lets just take em quail hunting they will figure it out.... till a covey of even pen raised birds explodes when the hat hits em and all safety talks fly out the window. For Oxendine to say it happens it is only an accident is ridiculous, it is his fault and the rest of the hunting community will feel the repurcutions of his idiocracy. This man is a quail guides worst nightmare that is for sure. Not to mention the AJCrapstitution is the one highlighting all this mess. As i tell my friends and family, you can never be too safe and i will never get upset or offended if you ask me "is your safety on". Hopefully the first thing he does is enroll himself and his kids in hunter safety class and broadcast that on the news. Sorry for the ramble but incidents like this really make me mad and make responsible sportsman have to try even harder.


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## Doc_Holliday23 (Jan 22, 2010)

one of the problems is plantation quail hunting is kind of _en vogue _for members of "high society" right now.  it is a "gentlemans" sport... very fancy.  politicians, especially, use it as a photo op.  also, because it is a guided hunt a lot of people assume it is something easy that a beginner can do with little or no training.

we all know that anytime firearms are involved, training is necessary.  what you have is a lot of people with little or no training going "hunting."

nimrod, your point about a terraced dove field is also important.  if you're hunting on fields that have a lot of elevation change, what is low to you might not be to someone else.  when in doubt, don't pull the trigger.  no dove is worth someone's eyesight.


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## redneck_billcollector (Jan 22, 2010)

If you are with folks that know what they are doing, should never happen.  That is one of the reasons plantations want there "sports" to hunt with doubles.  If you are hunting with folks that have no clue, lets put it this way, many a time I am on my belly.  I have worked dogs at pay operations before, never for a living, just helping friends and it can get down right scary.  I don't mean to offend anyone, but the dudes from atlanta area, nashville tn. and urban points north always scared the bejezus out of me until they proved otherwise. I was hunting on Bluesprings back when they used to do the celebrity hunt and I swear I broke out in a cold sweat when some of the auction hunters (the ones that showed up with 12 ga. auto loaders that looked like old school duck guns) we would give them 20s in o/u to hunt with and when they kept wanting to walk forward with the breech closed......some of them dudes were more scary that a 16 yo girl driver in atlanta rush hour traffic.

That is one of the reasons you should use doubles when quail hunting, you don't close it till everyone is in their proper place.  Heck, like I have said before, I know places that will not let you hunt with anything other than 20 or smaller double. No autos or pumps, it is for astetic reasons but safety also.  I truely don't like hunting with others that use autos or pumps......that is just how I am.

By the way, is anyone gonna be at silver lake tomorrow?


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## T-Tom (Jan 23, 2010)

We usually only let 2 people have guns with shells in them out front with the other people behind and no shells. The 2 shooters then get in position as close to where we think the birds are. The hunter on the left takes the left side [90*] and the right hunter takes his right side as close beside him as possible. Sometimes all the birds go one way and only the hunter on that side gets to shoot. No excuses.

 I have had a hunter turn back towards me while I was on horseback at a friends farm and I hollered "No" very loud and put my hands up in front of my face. He did not shoot.Birds were all over me and I was very scared.

 If we have only three people that are well know to each other we will sometimes triple up but everybody has a very small window to shoot forward only [60*].

2 shooters at a time is much safer and almost fool proof if everybody will just shoot in their lanes.


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