Got shot at

[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.

[shootingstar]

Glad nothing hit you limewave.

I've never read of incidents involving pellet guns....very, very rare. Even in Vancouver where there are bears wandering off the mountain (North Vancouver), one never reads about people using pellet guns. Hunting is forbidden all across the mountains around Vancouver.

Or having a gun to protect themselves.

One would have to be obsessed ....actually to own a gun living in an urban area.

[SheFly]

One would have to be obsessed ....actually to own a gun living in an urban area.

Not obsessed. Target shooting and biathalon are also sports using guns, and there are people in urban areas who participate in these sports as well.

I am not a hunter, so take what I say with a grain of salt. Hunting seasons are typically short - riding season is all year (for some). My MO is to let the hunters have their time in the woods, and to venture in when hunting is no longer allowed (and in our state, there is no hunting on Sunday, so MTB trips are saved for that day of the weekend).

SheFly

[beccaB]

I truly hope you contacted the police! I'm very ready to leave the state of Michigan personally, I've about had it with some of the attitude where I live, in one of the worst counties in the state. Maybe someone wanted you away from their illegal crop Limewave?

[zoom-zoom]

Hunting seasons are typically short

Individual seasons, yes...but around here we have different seasons for different critters (rabbits, turkeys, squirrels, deer, bear, etc.) and separate seasons for different weapons...bow, muzzle-loader, rifle, handgun (yes, handgun...my best friend actually does that), et al. We have hunting seasons pretty much year-round in MI.

[limewave]

Or having a gun to protect themselves.

One would have to be obsessed ....actually to own a gun living in an urban area.

Dh really wants to have a gun for "protection." He is not a hunter at all, can't stand the idea of hurting an animal. There's been a lot of shootings in a neighboring city. I've pointed out that a lot of those seem to be gang/drug-related. But there has also been a lot of home break-ins--at night, when the families are home. I think that some good "motion-sensor" lights and dead bolts would be a better investment. I'm adamantly against guns. But, I also had a close childhood friend killed in a gun incident by a dumb*ss with a rifle. I hate guns.

[OakLeaf]

Heavily guarded illegal crops are going to be in more remote areas, not right next to public trails.

I've never even heard of any of the big plantations in the mid-east being guarded at all. They've raided several in our area over the last couple of years, and every one has been a camp of poor, expendable laborers, recruited and directed by someone who didn't get caught. All of the guarded farms I've ever heard of have been out west.



Intentional or not, drunk or not, this was just some a-hole (the kind that IMO will persist until guns are demystified in our culture and everyone learns at a young age how to use them responsibly).

Falling out of tree stands is actually the most common hunting injury there is, I've read, way more than anything weapons-related. But did anyone else think it was kind of a sick sense of humor for the paper to illustrate that story with a stock photo of a buck?

[Reesha]

Dh really wants to have a gun for "protection." He is not a hunter at all, can't stand the idea of hurting an animal. There's been a lot of shootings in a neighboring city. I've pointed out that a lot of those seem to be gang/drug-related. But there has also been a lot of home break-ins--at night, when the families are home. I think that some good "motion-sensor" lights and dead bolts would be a better investment. I'm adamantly against guns. But, I also had a close childhood friend killed in a gun incident by a dumb*ss with a rifle. I hate guns.

I absolutely concur about the gun issue... especially keep one at home. I live in the city of St. Louis and while our reputation precedes us as a city, it's never as violent as people imagine. Most of the crime is non-violent, and break ins usually happen when no one is home. Our local police captain advised us to invest in security measures-- motion sensing flood lights, high fences around yard, long steel plates for your door jambs (see below-- a lot of my neighbors have door security pro).

[zoom-zoom]

Ahh...another example of ill behavior by the weapon-toting set... My BFF lives in that area. Kinda scary that she could have been on the receiving end of that.

[limewave]

The world is full of crazies!

[ny biker]

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.

Helmets and camelbaks are small, and the camelbak is only visible from the rear. You should have an orange jersey/jacket.

[tulip]

What did the police/game warden/sheriff say?

You can get an inexpensive orange safety vest to wear over your regular clothes.