Fox Collectors

it has been 50 years but it is as clear as if it happened yesterday, my first unintentional discharge .i had a borrowed mossberg bolt action 410 and was with uncles and cousins shooting snakes in rice canals.the fields had been flooded by pumping from the canals and it was now a chain of puddles full of trapped trash fish and snakes. as we depleted the snakes at that road crossing uncle said put guns on safe and load up in pick up to go to next crossing. i looked down at saftey which toggled left and right behind bolt and placed in red position , i knew better but in that excited moment red meant stop.i pulled trigger and everyone froze and looked at me.muzzle up smoking and egg on my face no harm was done other than to my pride. it was a valuable lesson i have never forgotten. this is the time of year a new crop of youngsters take to the woods and fields with a firearm,as it should be.teach them well,repeat golden rule often. Fred

I've never had an accidental discharge but witnessed one. A friends son closed an Ithaca SXS and blew out a chunk of grass 2 feet in front of himself. Thankfully the gun was pointed away from everybody and the kid swore that his finger was no where near the trigger. Did not make it any less scary trying to figure out how it might have happened.

My worse experience was getting home from squirrel hunting when I was in High School and getting ready to clean my Ithaca 37 Featherlight and finding a shell in the chamber. To this day I can remember the hair standing up on the back of my neck when I slid the forearm back and a loaded shell popped out.

Stuff happens, but thank God I've never witnessed anything other than a good scare.

Took the course and graduated 64 years ago.

Great reminders for safety first, safety always! We spent last weekend in the Northern Lower of MI grouse/woodcock hunting. First trip for my 8 y/o grandson. His Dad let him carry a BB gun unloaded so he could start learning gun safety and hunting. Consistently ensured barrel pointed up, safety on, not pointing it near anyone and also gun safety w/dogs on the ground. Great lessons for all of us to keep in mind!!

good to hear your son or son in law is passing on the hunting tradition to your grandson. thanks for that report Foxnut,regards Fred

The number of people I see hunting in a group, walking a filed, with muzzles pointed at each other amazes me.

When my kids were young and much to my then wife's objection, I was teaching them gun safety. She finally relented when I explained it could save their life if some dopey friend pulls out their fathers .45 and starts waving it around. My kids would know how to check that, or any gun, for live ammo and render it safe.

That's all they needed to know.

yes Maggiemolly,i agree,another thing i do is the youth that i am exposed to, i dont tell them dont ever touch my guns, i think that only heightens their curiosity, i tell them anytime they want to look at my guns i will be glad to show them to them and let them handle the guns and also let them shoot them, always after speaking with their parents first.regards Fred