Hunter shoots AT hiker

“Link to story

A deer hunter accidentally shot a Cartersville teenager camping along a popular section of the Appalachian Trail early Sunday.

Rachel Ferguson, who turned 16 in October, was flown from Union County near North Carolina to St. Joseph's Hospital of Atlanta, said Sgt. Johnny Johnson with the state Department of Natural Resources.

Rachel was listed in serious but stable condition Sunday night, a hospital spokeswoman said. Her grandmother, Betty Ferguson of Cartersville, said Sunday night, "The way I understand it, it's guarded, but she's in fair shape."

Rangers and Union County deputies were investigating the shooting. The hunter, Matthew Bryant, 21, of Union County, has not been charged.

Rachel was with a group of about 15, including adults and other teens, who had hiked in along the Appalachian Trail and camped Saturday night, Johnson said.

The area near Neel's Gap, in the Chattahoochee National Forest, may be the most popular along the trail in Georgia, according to some hiking guides, because of spectacular views.

As dawn was breaking about 6:45 a.m., Rachel left the campsite and walked about 200 feet. It was unknown why she was out, Johnson said.

The hunter had entered the area on a dirt road that crosses the Appalachian Trail.

Johnson said the hunter was about 220 feet from what he believed to be a deer and fired a shot from a .243-caliber rifle. The shot hit the girl.

Hunters' excitement can lead to mistakes, Johnson said.

"The mind's eye can create what the hunter wants," he said.

A member of the badly shaken group called 911 on a cellphone, Johnson said.

Ernie Pruitt and other Union County Emergency Management Agency workers had to drive about seven miles on the dirt road to reach Rachel.

Pruitt, the agency's assistant director, said it took about 30 minutes to get there. When they arrived, he was surprised by the girl's spirit. She was conscious and talking.

The campers and hunter had given first aid and put a bandage on the single gunshot wound to the chest.

She seemed excited about taking a helicopter ride out, Pruitt said.

Pruitt and his workers put her in an ambulance and took her to a nearby school to meet the chopper.

The national forest contains 746,689 acres and gets more than 10 million visits a year from hunters, hikers, fisherman, rock climbers and picnickers.

Beth Brown, a Department of National Resources spokeswoman, said the forest is open to all users. The DNR encourages those in the forest during hunting season to wear bright colors and make noise.

Johnson said, "Regardless of what she had on, a person who hunts has the responsibility to identify the game he is shooting at."

It's not unusual for hikers to use the 530 miles of trails in the national forest during hunting season, he said.

Many people come from all over the nation to hike the famous trail, not realizing that hunting season is in, he said.

A DNR Web site says the state averages eight accidental fatal shootings by hunters each year, but all the victims since 1979 have been self-inflicted or other hunters.

Deer hunting season in the Chattahoochee National Forest ends Jan. 1.”

“There should be a provision with hunter's licences that they need to be 400 yards away from trails in order to shoot.”

“At the very least he should have been charged with reckless endangerment or some similar charge. Bottom line is the shooter should be held responsible for where his/her bullet flies.”

“I agree geo - even though we put ourselves in harm's way when we hike during hunting season, I know many folks here hunt, and take the neccesary precautions, significantly lessening the risks.”

“That is the other issue Buddha. In the GWNF one year I was staying at an AT shelter. A young kid with a rifle walked through, and we talked a bit. He sounded like he knew what he was doing, but I asked him to be aware of where the shelter was an not fire in its direction. He assured me he knew and would not fire toward the shelter, and true to his word, the shot went away from the shelter.

He came back with a turkey, so I congratulated him and thanked him for being responsible. He said his dad taught him how to hunt responsibly.

Now that is proof that hunters and hikers can co-exist. The problem is that most hunters don't have this kid's dad teaching them.

There are just too many accidental deaths each year, which means too many untrained or irresponsible hunters. Which is why one should be held responsible for what happens after the bullet leaves the weapon.

I enjoy talking with experienced hunters. Like packers, they love the woods and enjoy their experience out there. They know the game they are hunting, its habits, and how to go about taking it. I don't feel at all uneasy around them. "City" hunters on the other hand, I fear more than Osama bin Hidin.
And to clarify here, I own firearms and love to shoot, although I have never hunted. I do reserve the right to hunt should I so choose.”

“Such an unfortunate accident. This could easily have been any of us. I stay out of these Florida woods when hunting season is in.”

“what a dumb ass! that would be the worst trip ever to have some one shot! glad shes alive!”

“Dang, I didn't realize this has already posted in the "Wear Blaze Orange" thread. Sorry Mates!”

“She was 200 ft. from camp and they say it was unclear what she was doing?!?! Any backpacker can tell you what she was doing!!!!!

From LNT.org
Deposit solid human waste in catholes dug 6 to 8 inches deep at least 200 feet from water, camp, and trails. Cover and disguise the cathole when finished.

She was probably looking for a quiet spot to dig a cathole.

Frickin' moron.

I think South Carolina has it right. Shoot someone hunting and you are charged with attempted murder.”

“I just don't get in the woods with the hunters just because of this kind of irresponsibility!
I plan my hikes at the other times, there are enough dumb asses in the woods anyway!”

“That is all I have to say.


PS:
The hunter should be tried with recless _ _ _ _ _ _ .”

“Now a days, no body is responsible for anything. That kid shoulda been thrown in jail. Is it going to take someone gettin gkilled first??”

“whoa!!! My name's not there.....”

“It's irresponsible hunters like that guy, that gives all hunters a bad name. That guy should be charged for something.

Glad the girl is going to live.”

“i could see an "accidental" shooting if shooting at a real deer, missing, and hitting someone who happens to be back there. that would be an accident.
this guy shot at the girl though. tells me he shot at what he heard, not saw.
i know im probably biased because i hike and i dont hunt, but it seems like this guy wasn't practicing any safety precautions, namely seeing the "deer" he was shooting at.”

“That is very sad!

8(”

“That's one of the cardinal rules of hunting. Only shoot at what you can clearly identify.”

“its too bad stuff like that happens, stupid people ruin it for everyone. ive always gotten along fine with hunters, but i realize there's stupid ones out there, just like there's stupid hikers, drivers (ok, so i might be in this category) horsemen, bikers, etc,etc
gotta be careful out there
and he should be charged with atempted manslaughter, isnt manslaughter pretty much defined as accidental murder (as in, werent meaning to hurt anyone)?
good to hear that shes ok, though

later,
-nate”

“What a nightmare!”

“Now is about the best time of year to backpack.”

“Use orange toilet paper!”

“What ,,,, no mention of the rack??? what kinda of story is that !!!!

Sadly this happens every year. Lucky this story has a better ending for her. If it happen to be any larger of a CAL. she might not have been so lucky. I think it was last year on opening day in WIS. that a boy shot and killed his brother. I hate hearing stories like this one.”

“.243 is large enough calibre!
High velocity too....lucky girl”

“beatin round his head, profusely!!!

Hikers and backpackers are encouraged to do this sport with safety and caution in mind...not so with hunters???

If you can't see it, don't shoot at it...I know, if I were shot and not killed, Id, find the SOB and give em a knockin around the head after the recovery...and then make them suffer the same pain and agony.

Eye for an eye...its in the Koran.

Some things aren't worth forgiving...being shot is one of them.”

“I've been shot 3x. I forgave the shooter.”

“This is only one reason all guns should be confiscated. When will we learn?”

“You just gotta keep kickin' it don't cha ??”

“I don't care what UK says about wearing the orange during hunting season and hiking on Sundays, it's just too scary for me to be out there with these rifle toten shooters that just "have to git em a deer!"”

“All guns should be confiscated because of a few idiots and bad people?

If that were a reasonable option everything would be banned.”

“You see HPM, it's the goverments job to protect us from ourselves.”

“Oh come on now. A sixteen-year old girl lies in the hospital, lucky to be alive, and you guys cling to a misinterpretation of what a farmer militia is?

Just what will it take to convince you? ”

“convince me? higher violent crime rates in the UK and australia convince me

youre much more likely to die in you car driving to the trailhead than you are to die from getting shot by a hunter, so outlaw cars too? the leading cause of accidental death (by a very large margin) is from falls, so should we not be allowed to hike out to overlooks? have roofs on our houses? climb ladders?

lots of backpackers damage the enviroment, so should we ban backpacking and hiking?

"oh, but im a low-impact hiker"
mabye so, but the moron in the next site over isnt

ive got plenty of responsible friends who hunt, the idiots shouldnt ruin it for everyone

and besides, if deer dont die by a high velocity steel jacketed lump of lead (and get eaten, instead of wasted), they will die on your hood, before they come crashing through your winshield...and that can be deadly for you

i dont own a gun at the moment, but thats just a temporary thing

i support gun control (such as the new gun fingerprinting plan, no felons owning guns, no drug charges owning guns, etc, etc), but gun outlawing is slightly foolish

if guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns

and thats my $.02

later,
-nate”

“If ferrets are outlawed, only outlaws will have ferrets....”

“Is it possible to state your position without relying on tired slogans? Pullease!”

“Violin - would it make you feel better if she'd been shot with an arrow?”

“Ferrets don't kill people. People kill people.”

“Confiscate all guns? So you're saying I don't have the right to use deadly force to protect myself and my family in my own house from armed intruders? That's complete B.S.”

“If there were no guns, you wouldn't have armed intruders, now would you? duhhh...”

“Oh, you mean "all" guns confiscated in a hypothetical sense. Obviously that would be impossible in the real world.

Besides, if someone was armed with shurikens and a sword, I'd still want my 12 guage to defend myself. Hell, anyone bigger than myself armed or not, I'd prefer to have my shotgun.”

“Every time some idiot does something wrong with a car, a jet ski, a motorcycle, etc. and the end result is an innocent bystander gets killed I don't hear the hand wringlers crying about banning vehicles or plowing up the Interstates? Quit whining and face the fact that bad things happen to innocent people sometimes. And nothing you or the Ferderales you Pinkos so deeply trust can do a damn thing about it.”

“Well jet skis and motorcycles are pretty bad too.”

“Do you really think the bad guys are going to turn their guns in?”

“If there were no guns...

But there are guns and there will always be guns illegal or not for a variety of reason that completely invaliadates that arguement on a practical level.

I don't own a gun and won't own a gun for a variety of reason so don't drop me into the NRA camp. I simply find the reasoning for banning them well intentioned but fatally flawed.

I do have friends that live in nations where guns are outlawed. (Australia and GB) It didn't work, in fact things got horribly worse and these folks who were in favor of the gun ban then now wished to God that they could get a gun to protect themselves. One had so many armed break in in his neighborhood he bought an illegal gun.

Despite what everyone thinks laws are reactive and not proactive. All we can do is punish those who break the law or those who act in a negligent manner and harm others through their actions.”

“That's what you say.”

“You guys are overlooking the aspect of hunting. Do any of you have any idea how many freaking deer are hit by cars every year? Well, I'm not sure either, but deer kill more people than any other wild animal in N. America. How many more people would die if we didn't harvest millions of deer from the wild lands each year? If you take away guns, you kill more people by roadkill.

As for stupid people hunting... I was acually shot at once while walking to a deer stand. I was wearing my blaze orange stuff too. I yelled at the guy, ran up to him, and beat the #&%!$ out of him. I think he was drunk, it was way too easy. I think a cop would have just laughed at him if he had wanted to press changes for assault.”

“Damn, I hope you're playing devils advocate or something Violin... no guns? Are you insane?

It's not the guns killing people, it's people killing people...

I deal with it every day at work, people yell at there damn computer... it's not the computer it's the idiot building/programming/or using it...

"If I had my gun right now I'd shoot you" ...Homer J. Simpson”

“No one else?

Well... my politics on gun control are somewhat to the right of nvc83 but its been fun seeing your responses.

Solitary Hiker and Mutt are just lurkers now? Show your faces more often.”

“#&%!$.

It looks like I called off the game prematurely.”

“These gun arguments have been going on since the day thebackpacker.com was founded. By now I've heard and probably said all there is to say about this issue. Sometimes I've played both sides of the fence when I wanted to stir the pot and have a little fun. Now-a-days I don't argue much about it. I just give money to the NRA and let them ply the hands of our illustrious Congress during election time. It seems to work too. I think I read that most of the new people elected this time around were on the right side of the gun issue!”

“hey, i enjoy a good debate, if everyone agreed all the time, we'd never have any new ideas!

i like hearing both sides of any issue, ive found my own reasoning flawed more than once (and, ok, so i ended with a tired old slogan, if thats all that got commented on, i suppose everything else i said was alright)

im still pretty pissed off about someone breaking in our new house +stealing $600 worth of tools two weeks ago, just after we got brand new doors in (they kicked in a $700 glass door, and damaged the casing on a $1500 front door)

if there were no guns, intruders would carry knives, crossbows, crowbars, baseball bats...which could kill me just as dead

any decent machine shop could still make a gun, you cant stop an idea

and i did mention people hitting dear on the street...ive come extremely close myself, on multiple occasions, my grandparents hit a six point buck three months ago

i try to just be reasonable on everything, extremists seem to cause more trouble than anyone, from my experience

later,
-nate”