Got shot at

[Catrin]

Glad things turned out ok! Sheesh! Good idea to contact the game wardens & police.

In Indiana the bow season starts October 1, but thankfully hunting isn't allowed in the state park where I normally ride. Gun season doesn't start until November...

[zoom-zoom]

Regardless of the color you wear, WTF are they doing shooting at something that isn't brown and furry? I don't recall ever seeing any sort of wild game with hi-viz coloration. This sounds to me to be intentional shooting at cyclists, not simply shooting at anything that moves (which they shouldn't be doing, either).

A-holes with guns really freak me out.

[channlluv]

Holy moly! I'm so glad you're both okay. I would have been screaming out of there, too. I've never even heard of bear bells.

Just out of curiosity, what did your DH yell at them?

Roxy

[redrhodie]

I really hope this was an awful accident, and not intentional. I'm so glad you're okay.

[tulip]

I don't recall ever seeing any sort of wild game with hi-viz coloration.

If it's a sunny day in the woods, hi-viz yellow could conceivably look like a bright patch of sunshine, and if it's moving, hunters think they can shoot it. Hunters are trained to recognize orange, though, and it's less likely for them to mistake something orange for something they can shoot.

Great idea to call the game warden. It's black bear hunting season in Michigan right now...among other things. The size of a person on a bike could be seen as a bear to an on-edge, in-the-zone hunter.

Hunting season dates in Michigan:
http://www.approvalpowersports.com/c...-seasons-dates

Be careful!

[pll]

Wow. I am glad you are both OK.

[zoom-zoom]

Great idea to call the game warden. It's black bear hunting season in Michigan right now...among other things. The size of a person on a bike could be seen as a bear to an on-edge, in-the-zone hunter.

Anyone hunting for black bears where Lime and I live is really in the wrong place with a gun, then. There have been very rare sightings of black bear in our neck of the woods...like 1 every 5 years, or so. We're in western lower MI, not the upper peninsula. I'm not giving hunters shooting at cyclists ANY benefit of the doubt in this scenario.

[tulip]

I've never been to Michigan, so I have no idea. But my mother has bears in her backyard every year and she lives in a city. In my neck of the woods black bears are pretty common and so I figured they are just about everywhere. The game warden will know.

[withm]

Iosco County (NE Michigan) has lots of black bears. The local newspaper has several photos each week of hunters with their trophies. It may be less populated than the SW quadrant, but bears might find more sources of food where people abound.

There are many places I do not kayak at this time of the year so as to stay out of the range of over-anxious (or even bored) hunters. Any forays into the woods during any hunting season are worthy of some extra consideration.

[Dulcineigha]

I would also advise wearing orange and making a lot of noise. There are intelligent hunters, but they won't be anywhere near a well-traveled bike path, especially on a weekend. So, you can probably count on running into the idiots. Put it this way: you can buy gasoline, beer, and ammo in one location (at least where I've lived). Not exactly ingredients for a MENSA meeting! Serious hunters will come down hard on these guys because it gives all hunters a bad rep, so I'd put out the word in the hunting community (gunshops will know) as well as the biking community. Share the woods.

[zoom-zoom]

Iosco County (NE Michigan) has lots of black bears. The local newspaper has several photos each week of hunters with their trophies. It may be less populated than the SW quadrant, but bears might find more sources of food where people abound.

There are many places I do not kayak at this time of the year so as to stay out of the range of over-anxious (or even bored) hunters. Any forays into the woods during any hunting season are worthy of some extra consideration.

We're in the rare to occasional sightings area. I have a hard time believing that anyone hunting black bear would waste their time around here:


The only things in season that anyone would be potentially hunting for in this neck of the woods are wild turkey. I've met Lime...I don't see how anyone could possibly mistake her for a wild turkey.

[Jolt]

Holy crap--glad everyone is OK!! That reminds me, I really should get a blaze orange hat or something, for times I run or hike where people may be hunting. My usual running trails are on a farm so that's not an issue there, but there are other places where there could be.

[limewave]

I have noticed that the high-vis I've seen on roadies can blend right into the fall foliage this time of year. I do think I'm going to invest in some "hunter orange" for either my helmet or camelbak. I also like the idea of bear bells. DH would not ride with me if I had something like that, but I would be glad for them when riding alone.

[Nick]

Oh my, how scary! Glad you're ok.

[MojoGrrl]

WTF! Sometimes dealing with a-hole drivers I fantasize about carrying a pistol in my jersey pocket...perhaps a few shots would've helped your husband make his point Seriously though, good thing you're safe!