Sad deal. Guy was somehow shot in the head as he was getting out of a blind. Story here:
https://www.ksat.com/news/hunter-dies-af...t-of-deer-stand

Story was updated. It was the partner who was getting out of the blind and who shot the other guy.

never never start to climb up or start to climb down from a stand with a loaded gun.

Man!! The minute I am done hunting, I unload my rifle with a round out of the chamber. Rounds are in the magazine, but the chamber is empty. This story is why I do this. I know guys who carry a rifle fully loaded with the safety engaged. Safeties fail, get bumped or switched off, and now you have a disaster waiting to happen. Ignorant!

I don't put a round in the chamber until I am all settled in my stand (chair set right, back pack unloaded, binoculars, range finders and thermal imagers handy) and relaxed. Then unloading the gun is the first thing I do before I start packing all that crap back up! I've knocked over my rifle too many time to have it loaded.

I load and unload in the stand, never go in or out with a loaded gun. Was part of an accidental discharge many years ago, luckily no one was hurt. Really learned a lesson that day and it wasn't even my gun.

Me too. And, if I'm guiding, I ask my hunters to wait for me to get in the stand before loading their rifle. If I'm being guided, I never load my gun until my guide tells me to load it.

I was taught to load in the stand and unload before exiting. Many times i will chamber a round for the walk to the blind if its light, but i unload before climbing.

I usually load the gun for the walk in/out but I keep all of the rounds under the bolt and nothing in the chamber. Never know when or why you may need a quick shot. Once settled at the blind I bolt one into the chamber.

Article says "Authorities are trying to find out if safety procedures where followed"...... fur real?

Disappointed in you fellas. Guess who runs this so called operation??? I will check in with yall this evening and see what yall come up with.

This guy?

www.independenceranch.com/free-hog-hunt-...ASAAEgL-GvD_BwE

It also helps to NEVER POINT A GUN AT SOMEONE YOU DONT WANNA SHOOT

Tragic.

Yes, this is the famous FREE hog hunt place...

I get upset with my hunting partner when I pick him up from the stand.
I know he unloads the gun, but he has a bad habit of sweeping me with the muzzle of his rifle when he puts it into the back seat of my truck.
I tell him time and time again, but the old man is an old dog that can't learn new tricks.
Really tragic, and sad, as it could have been prevented, and we all need to remember how fast things can go bad.

Yeah, really?
I'm sure it won't be long before the lawyers are lining up on this one.

Guns are supposed to be dangerous; they’re useless if they aren’t. You’d think people would have figured it out by now.

Yep.. Very sketchy operation. Maybe having a client killed will run them out of business. Though it's hard to take responsibility for other peoples gun safety (or lack there-of)

So do I Chad and I’m amazed every time I have to tell someone Hunting with me to do the same. Or to please keep their guns on safety until they are in the target and ready to pull the trigger.

My wife and I go a step further bolts open until we shot. Then open again.

My wife’s dad was killed in a hunting accident and hunting was very taboo in her family... then came me. The least I can do is be extra cautious.

I actually moved to Texas to run that ranch. After a few days I left and did not go back, messed up my plans but things were not right. That being said, He is very strict with his safety rules and absolutely no guns allowed in the cabins even unloaded or you will get kicked out. There was a speech to everyone who came expressing safety. That being said, you can not police the people who come, many of them are not the brightest guys and many are know-it-all's that don't listen to anyone but themselves. Sad to hear it though.

Yep, FOR REAL. Authorities will try to determine how the shooting occurred and if there were other circumstances in play or not. It very well may be a negligent accident. For all we know, it could be intentional murder when when hunting partner got mad at the other. Would not be the first time something like this happened in the woods.



We know who runs it. Says so in the article. What is the big deal?



I am sure this will not run them out of business. I am sure all the forms were signed and IR is not going to be culpable for client negligence. They have been sued before. No doubt they will be sued again.

So who runs the operation and why does it matter?

Paul