Since several posts have speculated on the rate of hunting accidents and the
risk
to birders, I provide some facts gleaned from teh internet. The International
Hunting Education Association, a hunter oriented group that is not out to
spread
misinformation to make hunters look bad, provides data (a few years out of
date) on reported hunting accidents. There are almost 1000 a year in the US,
about two-thirds involving a hunter shooting someone other than themself
(potentially a birder but most often another hunter). In Virginia there are
about
50 reported incidents each year. Nationally, almost 100 of the incidents
result
in death each year. Another website, very anti-hunting in orientation, reports
numerous cases of deaths among children from hunting accidents, including
some in Virginia, but the percentage is not given. A study by a University of
Virginia professor on deer hunting in Pennsylvania shows that when regulations
were gradually eased to allow more hunting, the rate of hunting accidents went
up. Clearly, hunters do shoot and sometimes kill other people, and more
hunting on weekends would increase the risk to birders, that should not be part
of this argument.
Daniel A. Cristol
Associate Professor
Department of Biology
College of William & Mary,
P.O. Box 8795
Williamsburg VA 23187-8795, USA
PHONE: 757 221-2405
FAX: 757 221-6483
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