I can't believe anyone would wear blue jeans hunting, blue jeans around here is like dressing up to go to Walmart or some other important place...

I think I have only killed 1 elk while not wearing blue jeans, and that includes bowhunting. I don't know if I have ever killed a deer or antelope while not wearing blue jeans.

I don't hunt the PNW rainforest, but I hike and ride through plenty of snow in jeans. It never really bothers me much. If the snow is past knee deep, or if it is cold enough to need long johns on, I wear carhartt bibs over them and gaitors. Those are the only 2 types of pants I have ever worn while hunting anything IIRC.

I really think all those high tech cabela's hunting pants are a waste of money, at least for the kind of hunting I do. Even while calling coyotes in the dead of winter and checking traps off snow machines I have not found them to be mandatory for safety/success.

If it's really cold I'll wear army surplus wool pants over my Levis. They are big enough to fit over my boots so I can slip them off when I get back to camp or the truck.

"cotton kills"..... Dang, we not only have a hunter's dress code, we have attack trained fabrics?????

Hell, I don't know...maybe cotton does kill...I will say it saved my life a few times when I shouldn't have pushed and I "touched cotton"!

I do know for sure 1 thing that kills every time...STUPIDITY!

This is the main reason I quit hunting on public land when we lived in Colorado. I took my 12 year old son with me and we were sitting on a ridge and saw a truck coming up a jeep road on the other ridge. The driver pops out and lays his rifle across the hood of his truck and looks right at us. We both had our hunter orange vests and hats on.
No more after that. We left and haven't hunted public land since.
People do stupid things sometimes.

It happened to me once too. My ex wife and i were walking down this jeep trail and here comes a truck toward us. Driver stops in the road maybe 50 yrds in front of us, passenger gets out, pulles up with his rifle and scopes us! I was like WTF!! I yell at them "Are you gonna [bleep] shoot us? as im takin my rifle off my shoulder. Passenger got back in and they drove off the way they came. We were both wearin jeans, red coats and orange hats. Some people are just blind I guess, and stupid. Scary schit though. I dont hunt well hunted areas anymore. Just not worth it.

Flinch,

I've read a couple of scary stories like that one here on the fire. I can see where an idiot at long range might do it - but at close range ? ? ? WTF.

I would hate to be put in that situation. I guess I'd be yelling and cussing at the guy just like you did - and at the same time I'd be jacking a round in the chamber.

Pointing a scoped rifle at somebody at Close range is beyond stupid.

Don't get me wrong on this - pointing a rifle at anyone - at any range - is absolutely unacceptable - ever. Using your rifle as substitute for binoculars is also totally unacceptable.

And if the guy who pointed the rifle at me was wearing blue jeans, I'd really be pissed.

Yea, that really scared me. I thought I was in for a gunfight and this a-hole already had a bead on me.
This experience made me change my hunting habits a lot.
I no longer hunt opening day, and I dont hunt places that are popular hunting areas. I.E. lots of game, but with easy access from town as it attracts more people. Most people are lazy and want to fill their tags without much effort, so I pick places that I have to drive a little further and walk a little more.
I dont hunt elk in idaho anymore as the seasons are just too short. It basically forces all the hunters to hunt at the same time. I have a spot that I have been hunting deer and pheasants for years now that doesnt see too many other people. So far so good anyway. My #1 rule for hunting is avoid other people at all cost. I know i am a safe hunter but I have no control over anyone else.

If he keeps that behavior up he will eventually run into someone that will just start shooting back because they like that behaviour even less than you do. He will deserve it too.

BTW, I use a monoculer(sp?) instead of binoculers. It's off an old range finder and fits in the palm of my hand.

Well bugger me, good thing you don't shoot here as most of us wander about the country in shorts, singlets and thongs....occasionally boots if there are bindi-eyes.

Blue jeans or not is a non-issue, except for those that want to make it so.

Scoping others.....is. I am not opposed to letting others know, when either scoping me or others, that they are idiots. It has happened numerous times when alone or with my son. Cross canyon, same drainage, across fields both flat and gently rolling, long distances or short distances........doesn't matter.

If you can't afford bino's and then use them, choose another sport. Private leases........I guess nobody ever trespasses nor unintentionally crosses over into such area's, so scoping something that may or may not be your intended target is OK......?

Scope me or mine while wearing blue jeans.........you're gonna hear about it. Don't scope me while wearing blue jeans.......I could care less, neither could any of the scores of bucks and/or bulls that I've killed. Do I always wear blue jeans.....no. What I wear is weather dependent and always has been and always will be.

Fashion has always been a choice.....safety practices should not be.

Magnumb, sorry it has happened to you several times. Where do you hunt? I've hunted countless times on public east coast land and many hunts in the west and I've never had it happen to me. If it is as common as you and some of the other posters say, I guess I've been very lucky.
Are you saying that if I don't own a set of binoculars, I can't go hunting? Is there anything else on your mandatory equipment list I should know about?

Yeah, stay to home in your blue jeans.....

Don...here in the last couple days I saw a pic of you riding a bull..

Were you wearing jeans for that?

Musta scared the schitt out of that poor bull...is that what makes them buck?

yup. mandatory.....

Nah, what made 'em buck was what Don used to whisper in their ear......

Uh oh, saw Sarah Palin shoot a caribou last night. One of the guys hunting with her --an Alaska local-- was wearing blue jeans.

I hunt in WA state, both sides of the Cascades (so very open terrain and also thick rain forest area's) and in MT. when I can. Many instances of spotting other "hunter's" scoping me or mine has been while I've been binocularing them. If one doesn't own binoculars, I would have to assume that many will miss out on that fun experience, unless of course, one just scopes them back to see what they're scopin'.......

My guess is that many who poo-poo binoculars and their usefullness for both hunting and ensuring everyone's safety, are those that hunt in very tight quarters or who have no point or rack restrictions/limitations on deer or elk in their particular hunting area/zones. Or perhaps those who don't care about the size of the rack, just so long as it has horns, or perhaps not, if doe's are legal game as well in their area (and I'm not judging other's on this specific point......could care less). Either makes it even a bit scarier and less safe. Even in broad daylight people get shot every year. But at dawn and dusk, discerning the differences between animal and human becomes even less assured......and perhaps even more so if one hunts a lease where nobody else is supposed to be.

Just last year a young hunter, likely with 20/20 vision at that age, shot and killed a woman during mid-day while bear hunting on an open trail. She wore no black (we only have back bear on the westside of WA state), and she was wearing a rather large BLUE knapsack. No binoculars @ less than 100 yds. Sure, stuff happens no matter what optics one carries, but I would strongly suggest that "accidents" such as these can be more easily avoided when we use binoculars, where there is no chance for a finger to be placed (either intentionally or unintentionally )in/on or around a trigger. There are obviously exceptions, such as when the animal is so close that we can make the decision to shoot because we can plainly see the animal at a minimal distance. I shot a 3X4 bull at rifle length and when he fell, his left side rack landed on my boot.....no joke. My brother spooked him and since this was in some of the thickest stuff anyone would like not to hunt, he almost ran over me. Did I use my bino's..........nope. Was I 100% sure that it was an animal I could and intended to shoot......yep.

As for your "what else would I deem mandatory" question......just abiding by the most basic of hunting safety rules coupled with a bit of common sense can go aloooooong way to ensuring the safety of yourself and others. If one can afford a hunting set-up (rifle, scope, sling, hardware)/tags/licenses/knives/packs/range time/ammo/processing and taxidermy expenses perhaps/gas and scores of other items one associates with hunting, one can generally afford to purchase even a low end set of bino's. Or if one chooses to forgo purchasing many of the "sin's" that we may partake of for much of the year, if not daily, one could likely afford the best bino's known to man within a very few months, certainly no more than next season..... I would also suggest that if a hunter owns more than one rifle that can handily take whatever game he seeks afield each season and does not own a set of binocular's, he/she would make much better use (safety and killing wise) of having purchased a bino rather than another rifle........IMHO and IMHE.

Priorities mean different things to different people. Doing what I can do to help ensure the safety of me, mine and other's is much more important to me than making that shot on that buck of a lifetime.....or is that a doe, no, let me see, let me just get a little better look through my scope.....by golly, it's stillbeeman!!! Hey.....stillbeeman, what's up?

So yes, I'd bet heavily that you've been scoped before, no matter what state you hunt in (why would it....? You think some states have a lock on being more inherently safe than other's...?), you just don't know it and likely won't unless you both own and use your bino's..........or perhaps you just simply happen to be scopin' the other offender at the same time he's scopin' you, which I have seen plenty of times through my bino's, both at me and/or at other hunter's.

Just stay as safe and ACT as safe as you can and hope that other people will do so as well......that's all I'm advocating. Can't imagine that that's a bad thing.

No alternative seems close, to my way of thinkin'......

I guess my question would be "why would anyone watch hunting shows"?

Couple seasons ago, I left elk camp at some crazy hour in the morning and headed off into the mountains. If I've got a hike in the darkness I usually put my Swaro's in my pack. So it gets light, I'm a few miles from camp, I realize I left my binocs on my cot in the tent. [bleep], bummer, I use them constantly while hunting....

Couple hours go by, I'm sidehilling up up up, and there's a small open patch about 3/4 mile away. There's something elk-colored in it. I have no binocs but there's a 8x telescope in my hands, however it's attached to a rifle. What to do. I pulled the bolt out of the rifle, scoped the opening.... felt like a jerk the whole time I did it, like there was going to be someone up there looking back at me through binocs.

Gee Magnumb, you have some very strong opinions/guesses that work nicely to prove your chicken little point.
Do you think the woman with the back pack wouldn't have been shot if the hunter had owned binocs?? How so? Come on, get real. You haven't the slightest idea but it seemed to fit nicely. Right?
Next off, in addition to your idea that a fellow shouldn't be allowed to hunt unless he owned binoculars, you now conjecture that if he doesn't own them, it's because of some sort of deprived life style he lives during the rest of the year. That's really silly of you to think that. If you really do. And too, not all hunters are as affluent as you seem to think. I know some that missed a lot of lunches in order to buy their basic rig and work overtime to have the money to go hunting. Are you suggesting that those folks not be allowed to hunt? Pretty elitest, don't you think?
But let's look at this for a moment. As I said, I think it is really blown out of proportion concerning the safety of the act. Let me say AGAIN, I think everybody agrees that it's pretty rude mainly because the person that you're pointing the rifle at doesn't know your intentions nor circumstances. But, for anything bad to happen, you have got to have several things come together. First, he has to be actually pointing the rifle AT you; secondly, he has got to have a round in the chamber; third, he has got to have his finger on the trigger (this, imo, is the worst sin); and lastly, the safety has to be off. That's quite a bit if you think about it. If any one of those four things do not align, then there is no real danger.
Considering the post you read in here, most folks walk around with their rifles unloaded. Which, IMO, means they have an effective club in their hands if something goes wrong. In the case of your elk, I'm sure he waited whilst you loaded your rifle so's you could shoot him. Considering your holier than thou post about gun safety, I'm sure that's the case. But I'm just guessing.
In the couple of post where folks admitted they had used a scoped rifle to look at stuff or to intimidate a pilot, they had studiously unloaded the weapon and removed the bolt. How do you know the fellow using the scope hadn't done the same thing?
You and VG obviously tend to jump to conclusions and perhaps don't have the mental stability to be handling weapons. I'm just saying.......

You are attempting to justify being unsafe by offering up all of these "unlikely" instances where several situations have to be totally aligned before anyone actually gets shot.

You're kidding.....right? You think that someone who points a gun at someone else is only being..."rude"....? I'm going to assume that you're an adult (chronologically speakin', anyway) and know what "rude" means, so I'll cut you no quarter. If on both counts I'm wrong...my bad. "Rude" is the last thing I'd call someone who pointed a firearm at me......finger in the trigger guard or not, bolt open or not, round chambered or not and safety on or not (as you insist it takes all these situations occuring almost simultaneously to accidentally shoot someone)! Can't believe you're even making such a statement or argument....really! You're an idiot, nuts or both...either way, scary as hell that anyone could minimize such behavior down to the level of just being "RUDE". Only in your mind does DANGEROUS mean RUDE.

Just a thought...had the hunter that shot and killed the woman I spoke of earlier initially looked through a pair of bino's which has no trigger on it to accidentally squeeze as he admits he did, I would fully expect that the woman would be alive today. That's my best guess, but a more likely result and a much better one...don't you think? He, by your standards, committed the worst RUDE behavior a hunter could ever imagine. See how your justifications and/or word usage don't make any sense........? I'd MUCH rather believe that you're just using the word incorrectly, but after rereading your latest post, you definitely fully intended to use it as if to somehow minimize a patently dangerous practice. A practice that I and NO ONE I KNOW would condone, pass on to our kids as proper firearm handling or allow a person with your idea's ever to share our campfire. If that's being an elitest, so be it. Me and mine will likely live much longer for espousing such a view and practicing much safer firearm, handling etiquette than you promote or adhere to.

Such threads are evidently lost on you due to you thinking that all the stars need to be perfectly aligned for anything bad to occur. Here's a clue.....that's not the case. Any ONE of several careless/stupid acts can end in disaster and the loss of a loved one. Tough concept......? Ever heard of Murphy's Law.......especially with a firearm, which has a much greater chance of harming and killing others than a pair of slippers. Just sayin'.....

For your information and clarification....I was standing on a small strip of land with a boggy marsh on both sides. Heard what sounded like an elk bustin' through the thick underbrush headed my way from the direction my brother was pushing. The bull stopped on a slight knoll with only the tip of his rack showing above the 6ft. alders on a sidehill only perhaps 10 yds. in front of me looking back over his shoulder...most likely at my brother. 3-pt. or better only area, with eye guards counting as a point. Saw a big, 4-5in. split on top of his right side rack. I then quietly chambered a round knowing it was a bull and was likely a shooter. He headed straight down the 20ft. or so knoll, headed for the strip of land that I was on as he was a local animal and knew this to be a quiet, quick escape route. When he stuck his head through the thick alders, both his 9in. eye guards came through first. A 2-pt. split + an eye guard = 3 pts. Stuck my M700 '06 (180gr. NP's) into his shoulder and pulled the trigger. Ended up being a 3X4.

Pretty unsafe way to proceed.....huh?

The next time you're in camp with your buddies and you're either talkin' about wanting or perhaps owning a "dangerous game rifle", just mention it as owning or wanting a "rude game rifle". That should have some major entertainment value...........at your expense, as do your posts here.

"RUDE"......UNBELIEVABLE!!

Ah yes, when the chicken littles get shrill and start to make personal attacks, along with their conjectures and wild-assed guesses, it means there is little point in continuing the conversation. Especially when they try to presume to some sort of pious high road.
Point is that rifles aren't rude, only people. And rifles aren't stupid, only people. And you cover a lot of ground in both departments. FYI, my two sons were raised with a good, working knowledge of gun safety --they're grown now and neither they nor I have ever shot a person accidentally--and a love of the outdoors. They also learned a lot about COMMON SENSE. In your case, I find the idea that people like you even have kids is very frightening.
Tell me something, when you check under the bed for boogie men, do you have the chamber of your pistol empty or hot?

You either don't know what a "personal attack" is, or you just had hoped that I and/or others would have forgotten your initial post to me when you called me an "elitest" and questioned my "mental stability" as you did another member who posted here. Nothing personal in those two comments you clearly made......right? Seems you were the first with a personal attack, so don't go there.

I'd also venture a guess that most, if not all here besides yourself, would also call you "an idiot, nuts or both" for suggesting that pointing a firearm at another person and then trying to suggest that such behavior is only "rude", no matter what the circumstances, is both totally unacceptable firearm handling etiquette and lacks anything close to what most would consider to be, "common sense".

Here's a heads-up as this will be my last post to you on this subject given that you can't seem to understand and are unwilling or unable to accept that pointing a firearm at another person, no matter the condition of that firearm, is not basic firearm etiquette and is an unsafe, dangerous practice. 1) There are no boogie men. 2) If there were, I'd much rather take my chances with them as you, by the content of your above posts, are much, much scarier and dangerous than they could ever hope to be.

Hey C.L., There you go with your stupid, self-serving guesses again. Thank you for not making any more of your asinine post.

I guess that whole "hunter safety" curriculum must have changed since I was a lad, huh? What I remember being drilled into us almost continually was "Never point your gun at anything that you do not intend to destroy". There was no long list of exceptions and exemptions and excuses.

Also, there isn't a single person alive who can afford a rifle, a hunting license, a truck, gasoline and an internet connection who is too poor to buy a pair of low end binocs.

Yet, another WA state elitest.....

red_alder_ranch........no, the cirriculum hasn't changed , as I sat through both of my kids hunter/safety course's a # of years ago. They still drill the "never point a gun at anything you do not intend to shoot" into them, as well they should. 'Course, I'm thinkin' that those that didn't need to take the course due to their age, most likely would have enough sense to embrace such a common sense approach, being older, wiser and more experienced and such. Then some in that same catagory (older and no class required) think that they must just get a free pass 'cuz they never were required to take the course, never were taught the "golden rule" of shooting/hunting and therefore needn't adhere, comply nor conform to the most basic rule of firearm safety, therefore allowing them the excuses/exceptions/exemptions you so correctly pointed out.

High-end bino's, low-end bino's........no need for them now as has been so convincingly explained. We should all now just assume and trust that when we see someone pointing a rifle at you/me/our sons/daughters/ huntin' partner's/our camp site/anyone's rig/a herd of elk during deer season/my dog/a family member or home in general from their open window, yada, yada......that that "scoping hunter", prior to scoping any or all of the above, has in fact removed his bolt, placed his safety in the "on" position, moved his trigger finger away from the trigger where it so naturally would like to be placed and finally, not have a round chambered, but a full magazine is evidently quite acceptable. All these years I just didn't know how really consciencious and thoughtful all these "scoper's" were, nor did I realize all that they had to endure prior to "safely", but rudely, point a firearm at someone.

What a relief........... All these years I had just mistakenly assumed that these "scopers" were just reckless idiots who were placing us in the most dangerous situation that I can possibly imagine outside of someone actually shooting at you, no matter that pointing a firearm at a person, animal or stop sign is the VERY LAST STEP before someone pulls the trigger and sends a bullet where that firearm just happens to be pointed. Conversely, it is also the very last step where the person being scoped has to make a decision if his/her life is in imminent and immediate danger and then through no fault of their own feel a need to respond, in kind or perhaps even more aggresively, as any person might do and arguably has the right to do when they have a firearm pointed at them, especially the active or retired LE types, the latter group of which I am a part. Lots of arrests and subsequent incarcerations made throughout an LEO's career. Who's to say that the scoper isn't one of your many hundred's of "ex-clients", intent on some payback. Paranoid.....nope. A heightened awareness......yep. Can't know why someone pointing a rifle at you from any range, under any circumstance, is any different from someone pointing a handgun at you from across the grocery store checkout counter or one lane over driving down the highway.........3-10 feet away.

I should have added as I may or may not have to take off soon for several days (I may make my neurosurgeons Xmas a little brighter....).........to everyone, have a safe and successful (however one cares to define that) remainder of what, if any, hunting season that you may have left....and a Happy Holiday season to all, as well.......

Merry Christmas hope it all goes well for you.

All: Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all!
And regarding the point of my thread - I had a talk with a Whitetail Hunting buddy of mine just yesterday.
He mentioned he was walking through a relatively flat area (that was a cottonwood patch of trees) here in SW Montana this past season and he stopped to glass ahead for game.
What did he see in his binoculars but a "Hunter" dressed in full camoflage aiming his Rifle right at him from about 200 yards away!
He put down his binos and waved his arms and exposing his "required" orange vest as completely as he could.
My friend debated for a moment whether to turn and still Hunt in another direction or to go talk to the camoed Hunter.
He decided to go talk.
It turns out the Hunter had no binoculars and was further stupid enough to admit he had switched off the safety of his Rifle when he saw my friends head emerging over a slight rise thinking the human head was game!
Then the "Hunter" further espoused that wearing the required orange upper garment only scares game and invites observation from game wardens!!!
He snickered as he relayed that as soon as he is out of sight of roads he removes his required blaze orange upper garments!
This "Hunter" was almost jovial about breaking the law and doing something so unsafe and dangerous.
If anyone on this entire board thinks using a Rifle scope to scan for game is IN ANY WAY SAFE - then I directly contend said person is an idiot!
Period!
Humans are prone to error and mistake and doing unintended things - that is just a fact of life.
But to compound those human errors with INTENTIONALLY scanning for game through a Rifles scope is just outrageously stupid, irresponsible and reckless!
Period!
It is an eye opener for me to see how many stupid people there are - even amongst our brotherhood of Hunters!
Sheesh!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Agreed

It seems to be a matter of stupid convenience, even with those who are carrying binoculars.

I usually tell them, (especially those who claim empty chamber, "Do you realize that by the time that guy across the valley has heard your gunshot, he might already have his shot on the way toward your pointed rifle? You going to have time to chamber one in your rifle?"

If they continue to scope, I don't hunt with them anymore. Scoping another person is about as smart as sound shots, for the same reasons. Accidents that are truly accidental, happen when you think they won't or can't. No point in adding to the possibility.

well haven't read full thread yet but i glass with a scope all the time but mine is not attached to a rifle or ony other gun i only have one good eye so no sense in binoculers except for carrying package of them.as far as blue jeans always wear them.


for the hunter using scope attached to a gun it is very unsafe and dangerous

Tbear99: I agree with your assessment that using a Rifle scope for locating game is NEEDLESSLY "unsafe and dangerous".
Now, as to the blue jeans for Hunting garments - I simply must ask you, why?
If you are out Hunting and get your blue jeans wet they simply transfer cold immediately and very efficiently to your skin!
Same thing happens when the weather changes to colder quickly - or when the sun goes down!
Ever spend the night out in the filed unexpectedly - you DON'T want to be out for the night depending on blue jeans to keep you warm!
Wool pants are VERY heat retentive even when wet.
Alas, have you ever heard a Hunter going through brush wearing blue jeans?
Compared to a Hunter wearing wool pants the blue jeans are much more noisey than wool.
Even if you can not ascertain the different noise levels rest assured that game animals CAN!
A pair of wool pants in ANY color but bright blue will enhance your success rate while Hunting big game.
Is it a dollar amount issue for you?
I have several pair of wool pants and camouflage pants that are warmer, quieter and harder to see than any type of blue jeans! And I pride myself in being a dollar conscious person.
I have bought several of my warm, quiet and hard to see "Hunting pants" at estate sales, second hand stores, army surplus stores, garage sales and the like. They are not much more expensive that way than a pair of USED blue jeans.
I guess if a "Hunter" is Hunting from the front seat of his pickup truck or from an elevated, weather tight and enclosed blind then blue jeans would work fairly well.
I don't personally Hunt in those manners.
And, I don't Hunt in blue jeans.
Sorry about the loss of your eyesight in the one eye - I am very happy though that you still enjoy Hunting.
Better safe than sorry - I always say.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Thanks MagMarc.....

My 5th back surgery was a few Mondays ago.........not long after the one I had on Nov. 12th. The planned surgery evidently didn't go so well, thus the most recent one. Planned the surgery in Nov. so I could hunt during the deer season with my son and later, during the first of Nov., spend time in elk camp with my son and long time friends and huntin' buds. Long time tradition...one I wasn't willing to break.

That was my 2nd "do-over" in those 5 surgeries (one being a full on spinal fusion which left my with 5 titanium bolts, where bone once was). I'm thinkin' that I might be a TSA employees worst nightmare, or titanium doesn't set off of the alarms......don't know.

More importantly however, glad to see that you and others here apply what we all hopefully have been taught and what the slightest bit of common sense would dictate , in regards to not scoping at anytime nor at anything other than a target or game animal that we've decided to shoot.......

Seems that there is only one member here (...and not tbear99) that has absolutely no problem with the practice of "scoping" and actually attempts to justify it, so the likelihood of one of us sharing his same hunting area is quite small....thankfully.

Stay well and be safe........we can only do our part and hope that others will embrace the same safe practices......

.....and I also give you major kudo's (wheher you want them or not....) for continuing to enjoy the great out-of-doors and then finding ways to enjoy it, but still doing it safely and with bit of innovation thrown in......

There are many more out there that once they encounter a bump in the road, change their previous lifestyle and quit enjoying their passions.

Not so you, tbear99.......

Happy Holidays to you and yours tbear99.......

OMG magnumbnuts. You're back. And you seem to have a little circle jerk of like minded chicken littles going. You are pathetic. First off, I have never advocated using a scoped rifle in place of a set of binoculars. Not in any of my post. What I have maintained is that the practice is not as dangerous as you chicken littles would have folks believe. I outlined my reasoning whilst you have merely responded with a bunch of chicken little hysteria.
I find it hard to believe that I have hunted as long as I have and never been "scoped" while you seem to have a hoard of potential killers peering at you through their scopes from the minute you walk out of your door. VG's example is about like all of the stuff he posts. Not worthy of comment. But then, you seem to like him and I'm sure he likes having at least one person listen to him so y'all have at it. It'll help keep some of the clutter out of the other threads.
VG, you've been punted out of just about every other room, are you trying for a grand slam?

The most basic firearms handling safety rule that came from the hunter safety curriculum from the NRA, that I learned in Boy Scouts and then later taught to younger scouts is just a bunch of chicken little hysteria, huh?

Sorry, I'll stick by it as a good rule, with no good reasons to start making exceptions. "Don't point your gun at anything you don't intend to shoot."

Don't know what your beef is with these other members, as I don't spend a lot of time on here reading through pages of name calling and petty quarreling, but so far, I've not seen anyone offer up what I think qualifies as a good reason to break that rule, and plenty of obvious reasons to follow it.

Guess I'll just climb back up on my perch here in the coop with all the other elitist, binocular-owning, hunter safety rule-following chickens.

red_alder_ranch.......a few posts back I said that I wouldn't direct any future posts directly to the member in question that justifies and excuses "scoping" other hunters....and I have not and will not do so. Seems "he" said sometime ago that he would not be posting any further comments/posts in regards to this thread, but it seems that both his word and concern for others safety falls short of what I would expect from most members here.

He would like to portray our stance as in the minority, when he can clearly see that others members feel his stated position on "scoping" is both dangerous and deserves no consideration......as he obviously wouldn't be considered by many to be a considerate hunter, at best.

I don't know whether I should just hand him a shovel to help expediate his own depreciating personal stock or just let him continue to do it all on his own.

Seems the latter is working well enough.............

I live in Canada,and I have little use for most of our Canadian gun laws,however,I do wholeheartedly support the law that makes it illegal to point a firearm at another person.It doesn't matter if the gun is loaded,or if the safety is on,or if your finger is on the trigger,it is still a federal crime to point a firearm at another human.

Only an idiot points a firearm at another human being,other than in self defense.If such an idiot does point a firearm at myself or to one of my hunting partners,we most certainly will be calling the police,filing charges,and appearing in court to testify against him.At the very least,his firearms license will be suspended and his firearms will be seized as soon as he is charged with a firearms offense,and he will not get them returned until the case is settled.

So does blaze orange blend in better with olive drab or is it just as bright as it is on blue jeans?

When I hunt timber/brush or in snow and cold I prefer wool, the rest of the time I am in blue jeans. Jeans buck the wind better than wool IMO.

I feel anyone who scans with a scope while looking for game is completely stupid and the best place to be is far away or right behind said individual.

Hey Magnumbnuts, show me where I justified or excused scoping. You can't. You can just keep repeating your shrill, little chants.
BTW, I find your cutsey little oblique comments rather than facing up rather cunning. Did you learn that as a little girl??

stubblejumper.......first off, good post. One wouldn't think that he'd ever have to make such a post, but evidently there are a very few that don't take such things seriously.

I'd be all for such a law here as well. With all the other laws in place for our protection, it would make sense to make it illegal to scope someone and seems that it would be a no-brainer. Blaze orange, no loaded rifles in the vehicle, no shooting from inside the vehicle, legal hunting hours and a host of other laws are in place for our own safety and for the safety of others.

Having said that, I fully expect that one could pretty easily make a case to have someone arrested for acting in such a stupid and reckless manner.......a charge of reckless endangerment comes to mind. Unfortunately, I'd bet that some that are guilty of scoping, also take bino's afiled, but because it's just easier and faster to throw your scope up sometimes, they opt for that over being safe. Someone earlier mentioned it as a "convenience" issue and that it had more to do with being lazy and stupid all rolled into one. 'Course, others might call it "rude endangerment", but that just doesn't seem to capture the stupidity and dangerousness of the act itself. Likely any judge, jury or the majority of folks with common sense would agree that the act itself rises more to reckless than rude, just another wild guess .......

People, or individuals (as in this case), never fail to amaze me, or others as your post and others have shown. Scoping is by far the most dangerous act one can do afield, at home or anywhere, less someone actually scoping someone and then pulling the trigger.

Good sensible post on your part, but I'm afraid that the intent is all but lost on the intended recipient.

Thanks for advocating such practices.........it makes one feel that much safer knowing that there are many others who feel the same that are sharing the same passions and environs.......

Happy Holidays to you and yours.............

Not sure about the bucking the wind part, but as for the entire rest of your post...I'm with you all the way......

Perhaps one exception.......if I'm right behind the person scoping, even though it might the safest place, that would generally mean that I was hunting with him and no way would I ever hunt with such an idiot.....more than once and only up to that point.

Otherwise.........I agree, it is "completely stupid".

Scanning the countryside with a scoped rifle is bad enough but how about some jackwagon looking right at you through his scope knowing what you are. Last month on opening day of the Missouri firearms deer season I was 25-30' up an oak tree wearing my blaze oragne vest and cap when I see some idiot tresspassing on the adjacent property. Not only was he trespassing but when he saw me he raised his rifle and looked through the scope at me. Now this is where my mind went into overdrive. Was he gonna shoot me so I couldn't jack his ass over tresspassing? Who is this guy? If he starts shooting what do I do? Well I gave him the one finger salute and screamed my lungs out at him calling him several names I can't use here on this forum!!!! I think he got the message to say the least. Over a month later and I'm still very angry about the whole thing!!! He had to know it was a person, I mean blaze orange 30' up a tree!!!! Come on!!!!

I've just read the last few pages of this thread and it sure seems like you condone using a rifle scope in place of binoculars, calling folks who were worried, put off or pissed off at seeing someone point a rifle at them "chicken littles". I don't know how you and Magnum got to this point of a heated argument, but from the few pages I read I have to agree with Magnumb's side of the argument. That said, I have 20-10 vision and when hunting tight woods I don't need binos to tell if it's a shooter, but I still carry them to look into the thick stuff trying to make out hide or hair.

John

I agree. 20/13 vision has always helped me, but binos are a plus and I use them ALOT. I don't look at things that contain people with a scoped rifle.
Just a bit of NW trivia here; it's not binocularing, it's binoculizing...rolls off the tongue better.

Never had a beef with this member ever before, nor do I now, with the exception of his making excuses for those who would scope another and in doing, so, doesn't lead anyone here to believe that he see's it as anything more than just, "rude" behavior.

I expect if one reads through any of my previous posts from day one, he will see that I don't generally involve myself in such "discussions", however, when I feel as strongly as I do about this specific issue, I've no problem stating such.

John, your approach to hunting is what I consider to be more than acceptable and your comments with regard to scoping, spot on. I would fully expect that 99.9% of this forum would feel the same way as you and I...if asked. That's why his comments are so disconcerting, while yours and many other's, I find, quite encouraging......

Happy Holidays to you and yours, John......

Anyone points a gun at me to use their scope, the best outcome they are gonna get is the finger and some choice words. Then again someone points a gun at me im liable to think im in a very sticky situation and may act accordingly. Seems to me that is a pretty clear cut case of reckless endangerment, and i feel safe in saying that the wardens and leos i personally know would surely see it as such or worse.


I dont have too much fear for my safety when out hunting but then again i opt to go places most barneys wont even attempt to hunt. I simply can't and wont condone the use of a rifle scope in place of binoculars and it IS a big deal.

I too have 20/10 vision, but you wont see me in the woods without some sort of binos unless i forgot em in the truck (only ever happened once, this years elk opener)


As to Magnumb being paranoid or having "chicken little" syndrome that's horsechit plain and simple.

There are very few people that I ABSOLUTELY trust with a loaded gun behind me without feeling the need to EVER check my 6, Magnumb is one for sure.

Of course i have the luxury of actually knowing the man and not merely guessing. Magnumb is the epitome of a good father, mentor, sportsman and steward to the land. I have personally seen the kind of man he is and i would take him at his word any day of the week and twice on sundays. Would never fret for a second his intentions and or safety while hunting, fishing or anything else.

Appreciate the kind words MA.......your checks in the mail........

Hope to see you this winter for blackmouth, if and when my back issues get better.....

Happy Holidays to you and yours.............

MallardAddict: Heres how I cured myself from "leaving my binoculars" in the truck.
Normally I park the truck in the dark before sunrise and either have a full days Hunt planned or a half day Hunt planned.
My binos are always laying on a cushioned area of the front or back seats of my truck - they never ride on a hard surface or the dash board.
Anyway years ago I began putting my binos on top of my Rifle - again buffered where they lie by heavy garments and vests and such.
So I have to go "through" the binocs to get to my Rifle and for some reason I never forget my Rifle!
Then when I am in a camp Hunting from the camp and no trucking is involved before the Hunt I simply stack the binos on my Hunting coat which again is atop my Rifle case.
I have not forgotten my binos in many years now!
It is simply irrefutable - using ones Rifle scope to scan for game is DANGEROUS, gauche, extremely bad sporting manners and stupid.
By the way how are things out in wet and wild western Washington?
I was born there in Renton on a rainy July day many years ago!
Believe me when I tell you I do NOT miss the rain and gray of western Washington!
By the way the limit on Mallards here in SW Montana is 7 birds per day!
I have only limited out twice since I moved here 14 years ago.
But then I usually quit shooting after I capture 3 or 4 Mallards!
By the way Montana is the LEAST EXPENSIVE state in our union for an out of state Duck/Goose Hunter to come and Hunt in!
All the non-resident needs is the Federal Duck stamp (which you probably already have!) then a State of Montana Duck Stamp and a very cheap Montana Conservation License.
You should give Montana a try some year for Waterfowl - the Ducks and Geese are virtually ignored by most Montana resident Hunters.
I do miss the Snow Goose Hunting of northern Puget Sounds Skagit Flats country though.
The Snow Gees pass through my region of Montana only during a several day long window every year and I have as yet to harvest a Snow Goose in Montana.
The Canada Geese are here for our entire 4+ month long waterfowl season
I put in for and was drawn for a Swan permit three years ago but I had this strange spate of guilt sweep over me as I was anticipating the Swan harvest and I simply chose not to Hunt them and I "ate the tag".
Lots of Swans here in SW Montana and they allow for 1,000 Swan tags each year.
Nice talking waterfowl with ya and stay dry out there in Taxington.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Hate to show off as I don't limit out that much either, but this pic was taken earlier this year on one of those few occasions that me and my buddy did limit out. BTW, not to throw him under the bus or anything, but I didn't shoot any hens...

VG the duck season has been good to us, have taken two banded drake mallards in my last 2 hunts. We too get a 7 duck limit (2 mallard hens max)and have some good access on cut corn fields.

I have only ever hunted deer and antelope in Montana but if in i knew a guy who liked to hunt deer and waterfowl im sure a trip could be arranged..... (hint)

Last Sundays hunt didnt suck, 2 man limit in a bit over an hour. 7 drake mallards for me, my buddy isnt nearly as picky.




Also i lived in the Renton Highlands from 1984-1997

You have good taste in dogs as well...

Don't get me started on duck bands. I shoot a lot of ducks each year and I haven't got a banded bird in seven years. I have a usual hunting partner Neil, we hunt out of a boat using my retrievers and he has got three bands in that time. Sometimes I wish I wasn't so honest about keeping track of who shot which bird.

John

There are many nimrods on the hunting shows. They are not hunters. They are celebrities.

Glacier John

thanks for the nice comment on the pup, thats my buddies dog, i run a pair of yelow labs.

i hunt pretty much with 3 other guys and most years we get 1-3 bands between us, this year we are up to 6

Geeze, I guess they don't band many birds in our area, or we're extremely unlucky. I was stationed on Whidbey Island for ten months in 1991 and I had the duck hunt of a lifetime at the mouth of the Skaget River in a real hard blow. Too bad the limit was only five ducks back then because we limited out in about a half hour hunting without dog or boat. When we got back to the truck we discovered a giant tree blew down, missing my truck by inches.

Yellow Labs are good to, I have run against a lot of labs of all colors in field trials. Good hunting to you the rest of the season, but please send some of those banded birds back over this way.

John

Just went out and bought myself a pair of brand new bluejeans...

Gorge1: Continuing to show your inexperience and ignorance I see!
Must be built in to your psyche?
Shame - but you are still good for laughs if nothing else.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I don't know where people get this stuff that Blue Jeans runs the game away..I can tell you Elk and Deer get used to the environment and are not less seen buy guys wearing blue jeans than one wearing Dickies or Camo's.

By far the biggest majority of people and hunters wear them and even score..

Nonsense...As far as rifle scoping versus binoc's,ones right and ones wrong.

Jayco

For many years hunted Whitetail Deer with a club in Eastern North Carolina. Hunting was over bait & food plots using tree stands. There was a $50 fine for shooting a button buck & several hundred for shooting a basket buck. Every year the same hunters paid $100-200 for shooting button bucks & occasionally a couple of hundred for shooting undersized bucks. They all used their scopes to evaluate deer. When I suggested they should use binoculars I was looked at like I had two heads. They all told me that everyone in the club used scopes to evaluate deer & that everyone knew binoculars were too expensive.

Long Live Levi Strauss Company!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fart Into The Wind!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!