"Buckshot" Dick Cheney

Well as a Christian gun blogger, I'm wondering if people are expecting me to comment on the Texas Cheney-saw Massacre from over the weekend. Unfortunately, I'm not a bird hunter although my Grampy's 20 gauge could certainly do the job. I'm a target shooter and self-defense advocate, so my understanding of the safety ettiquette surrounding bird hunting is a bit weak. Here are comments from some others who know what they are talking about better than I:

Anybody in here an avid Quail hunter??? Guessing some have never hunted wild birds before. This is what happens when you leave the hunting party and go out on your own. Mr. Bob White isn't stupid, he'll fly right twards you, your buddy, your dogs, and any vehicle close by. That's why you hunt with everyone formed in a line perpendicular to the covey rise. That way when the bird doubles back you can bring the muzzle into your chest, turn a 180 and let em' have it. Also, you don't pick up birds until the rise is over and you don't pursue the next point until all the birds are in the bag. While I agree that the VP should have seen a man in the line of fire and pulled off, the Lawyer is definitely to blame for coming up from behind with birds still on the ground. Stop, drop and roll buddy!

Another:

It's an unspoken rule but when walking a line for birds we've always either helped search for the downed bird or held our position until the guy who left the line returns to his position. Now I know why. I've always thought it was because getting ahead of others put me at risk though, not the other way around.

A third:

I don't know how many of you hunt, but here's how it works. You walk a line as noted before. If someone is out of the line you wait. I admit I've gone on to the next point or gone after another bird, but when my partner is retrieving a downed bird but I sure as hell know where he is.

Whenever hunting I make it a habit to always know where everyone in the hunting party is. Anyone I hunt with does the same, or we don't hunt together. You can tell if a guy has his head on straight pretty quick just by watching him. If you see him checking you like you're checking him then its OK. That plus muzzle awareness makes a safe hunter.

If a bird goes over the line, or anywhere near my hunting partners/kids/dogs/etc its a no shoot. Like the earlier poster said IF the line is right and I know where everybody is a 180 to get the shot is fine.

This accident was 100% preventable and 100% negligent. The guy coming up from behind had no obligation to announce himself. That part about the guy coming up behind him and making it sound like he snuck up or something is complete BS. What's he supposed to do? He has to rejoin the hunting party.

When I lose contact with my hunting partners (behind cover, in a wash, etc) i call out to them and they to me. You just have to know where people are or don't shoot the gun. No little bird is worth risking shooting a person.

One other point. If these were late season wild birds and not planted birds it isn't surprising that they flew toward the hunters. Late birds do crazy stuff and seasoned hunters know that. That's why they're still alive. All the well behaved ones got shot already!

Finally:

Yes, mistakes were made by all. Cheney SHOULD have known what was beyond his target. His friend should have followed the correct protocol when hunting with a group. They didn't. Thankfully, no one was maimed or killed, no one lost their eyesight.

I agree with the last one. Cheney screwed up. Whittingdon also screwed up. Thankfully no one was blinded or killed.