Thanis

Last November, I think I broke a firearm rule and would like to hear some thoughts.

After opening day (deer rifle season) there was marked reduction in sightings. Around mid-afternoon each day, I would get out and check for tracks. MI was no bate last year, and looking at the tracks, I could see that the deer were moving through the family acreage around the same time I was headed out, most likely headed away from some corn fields. Not looking to get into a side conversation on how I knew this, just offering back ground info.

So I desided to head out, very early in the morning, way before sunrise. The plan was to get to the blind ahead of the movements. Note: I was not planing to shoot anything until after sunrise, just wanted to get there early.

So around 3:30 AM I'm headed out, down the road, then cutting along a line fence to a corner of the property blind, deep in the woods. The snow was deep, but to my left were several pines, and no snow under them. On the property there have been bear, badger, and coyote (wild dog) sightings.

I hear something big move and noticed a shadow. This is the same area my brother ran into a bear a few years ago. Later when I checked I could not find tracks. We have an agreement to follow wounded deer on the property, but not our property, so my time was short in looking for tracks. It could have been larger dog to bear sized, I could not tell. It was not a rabbit or squirrel. It could have been a deer, but it did not take off like a deer. Then again, deer don't always zip away, and I've even watched them crawl away under brush. My 30.06 was on a sling, and unloaded (as it was pre-sunrise, and I did not want a game warden problem).

You are allowed to CC with permit while hunting in MI. Well this shadow startled me, and I pulled my Glock as I shined with a flashlight. In retrospect, I guess this could be considered illegal (aka shining). However, at that moment, I can honestly state I was not hunting.

While I imagine a side conversation could develop concerning legal issues (was it shining), my primary concern is gun safety. I've been telling this story the last few months, and it was pointed out to me, that you should not shoot at shadows.

Now I never shot, but it has me thinking. Did I break a firearm safety rule?

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Glock G31 & G33 with .357 Sig 125 GR. SXT Winchester Ranger

archer51

In my opinion you didn't. You encountered an unknown, possibly dangerous situation. Drawing your weapon and light and checking the area seems prudent to me. If you had drawn and fired yes, that would be breaking a safety rule , not to mention very dangerous. You did fine as far as I'm concerned.

HotGuns

You did not postively identify your target.

What if that "shadow" had been another hunter. Now he is sitting there at the base of a tree watching you and all of a sudden you clear leather and aim at him.

Whats he supposed to think? Maybe his gun is loaded and all he knows is that you are pointing one at him.

The possibilitys and outcomes here are endless. And for what? Because you are were startled at a shadow? How would you explain that to a Prosecutor?Game Warden?LEO ?

Not good. Not good at all.

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Thanis

Yep, that is the problem I was thinking about. After the fact I felt good how cleanly I drew. Why I've been repeating the story. In a way, I still do (feel good) because I at least know with the heart pumping, I can draw and aim quickly.

However, I messed up on the ROE and firearm safety, and want to do things right.

So any thoughts on what I should have done. Maybe flash light out, hand on firearm (in holster)? Also, does the advise apply to hunting, or maybe that noise outside your house in the middle of the night as well?

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Glock G31 & G33 with .357 Sig 125 GR. SXT Winchester Ranger

TucAzRider

Thanis - I'm from Michigan and have taken a number of deer back there with rifles, muzzleloaders and archery.. If anyone says you did wrong, they have clearly never hunted, alone going to a blind well before dark. Your mind does play tricks on you.. A lone squirrel will sound like a coyote, and a bird hopping can sound like a bear scraping the ground moving leaves around.. So with that being said, don't feel bad at all, in my eyes if it was another hunter, they shouldn't have been on your property (family property) and if it truly was a animal you had your weapon in the ready position.. Now to fire or even have your finger on the trigger would have been overdoing it..

When I was 14 (first year rifle hunting) I was on my way out of the back forty well after dark and I saw on the trail about 75 yards up the shadow of something that looked like a crouched animal.. Well I remember stopping and looking and looking and my eyes even made it move a little.. I didn't know what it was in the trail and was totally freaked out that I was going to get eaten and no-one would know the difference,. I was alone. Well I finally thought about it and pulled up my rifle and started walking slowly towards it and when I got closer I could see that it was the wheel borrow with a load of deer food in it,. My dad had taken it out and left it there for me to feed the deer before coming in, not wanting to disturb me he left it there half way between where I was hunting and the cabin.. It taught me a real lesson on what the mind will do and of course don't over react to things like that afterwards,.. But I know that was really scary for me at the time..

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dukalmighty

When I'm hunting If I see another hunter I will whistle etc.to get his attention so I don't get shot.too many hunters get shot when they are mistaken for game,and I will risk spooking game instead of eating a bullet.I also do not hunt public land when deer hunting,I like to know who is around me with a gun and who has permission

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jtyler05si

I don't recall reading that you aimed at the "shadow". Did you draw the gun and point it with the flashlight at the object or just the flashlight?

rocky

Even had it been a bear or other animal they typically run than fight unless cornered. Perhaps you should walk in with a light on from now on if you are not comfortable in the dark? This would also let anyone else hunting nearby to know your location .

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nedrgr21

If you use a flashlight, don't forget to use a red filter on it.

HotGuns

I say he did wrong and I've been hunting for 45+ years. The CHL Instructor in me thinks that one should absolutely,beyond a shadow of a doubt, know what the target is when you point a gun at it.

The LEO in me thinks that if I have to take a statement from you because you shot someone by accident and you tell me that you saw something move in the shadows and you shot it, it isn't going to go very well for you.

The Hunter in me would have a serious case of redass if you pointed a gun at me just because I was in a shadow behind a tree or for whatever reason you could articulate pointing a loaded gun at me.

Thats reality. There is no sugar coating to it.

People get shot by accident every year when hunting and it almost every case it was avoidable. They are no excuses for sloppy handling of firearms. If one is so scared of shadows that they feel the need to draw, then they need to use a light or stay home until they have enough daylight to identify the target.

__________________
AR. CHL Instr.

To compel a man to furnish funds for the propagation of ideas he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical. Thomas Jefferson