In Virginia, before 1988, the annual human hunting deaths were about a dozen a year; nationwide, there about 200 hunting-related deaths. Since hunter education has become required and the requirement to wear at least a large patch of blaze orange, the annual fatality is now about 4. With over 50,000 hunters afield on any day of the season, such figures are not surprising. They remain unacceptable.
In every activity, people look at benefits and costs. The sad note is that no one will argue that a program, any program, is too costly if it saves a human live. In R* Deer, managers believe that human fatalities can be brought to zero among deer hunters and held there for two- and three-year periods. Total success seems unlikely given past performance of hunters and the odds of almost anything happening when so many people are involved. [An unrelated example suggests the magnitude -- 300 death to children each year in bike accidents.] There are, however, new hunters, a new breed, and with R* Deer, education, bringing the total human deaths within the D zone and keeping it there is possible.
To bring the accidents and deaths down ...
- Don't drink
- Don't snap-shoot; be very sure of the target
- Wear orange
- Don't wear white
- Climb into tree stands carefully
- Tend your weapon with great care
- Be aware of location of hunting partners
- Don't get too tired (you get clumsy and careless)
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This Web site is maintained by R. H.
Giles, Jr.
Last revision January 17, 2000.
