With the season opener set for next week, this might be a good time to note that according to last year's Texas Hunting Accident Report, more accidents were recorded while people were hunting doves than any other game animal. No surprise that hogs were second.

DOVE hunting incidents, with 11, continue to lead animal hunted category with HOG incidents back up to 6 (25%).

Granted, the higher number of incidents could be indicative of the large numbers of hunters who will be hitting the fields. However, it may be more indicative of the large number of shots that are taken while dove hunting relative to those taken when hunting other animals. Simply put, there can be a whole lot of shooting happening in the typical dove field.

Texas Hunting Accident Report 2020

I would venture that the increased use of alcohol during dove season, may be a contributing factor as well.

I read all of the accident reports, wow some folks should not hunt. Also none of them were alcohol related per the report, yeah and water isn't wet either.

A unifying theme is to be selective in your choice of hunting companions. When hunting with kids, the adult is always responsible for safety and should always be vigilant.

No alcohol involved when I was shot. Just my brother (we were both teens at the time) too excited and focused on the bird (trying to get a double). Swung right across me (35 yds away). Thankfully I saw it coming and had time to turn my back to it. Still had to have 17 pellets removed.

ive learned to always wear shooting glasses and stay away from the guy shooting high brass he is usually the most dangerous guy in the field, pick a reason it usually applies to that guy

It is well....to know who you are hunting with (if possible). I've seen some irresponsible gun handling in my days. But there are many ways mishaps can happen, some simply boil down to excitement. In my case, my older Brother and I have hunted together since we were both 10 yrs. old, with never a previous problem or concern.

Teens at the time.

On the day I was shot we were dove hunting on my Grandfather's property in Central Texas. A place we had hunted before. It had been a dry summer and the birds were concentrating around the available water when leaving their roosts in the evening. On the place (besides some stock tanks) was an old Caliche Pit. It was about 30 yds. wide, maybe 75 yds. long and approximately 10' deep. It would hold water from summer rain showers and was attractive to dove.

We generally hunted side by side but we noticed that we were missing shot opportunities when birds flying the other side of the pit were just too far away.

So it was decided that one of us would go to the other side of the pit to pick up on those birds. I was agreed upon to NOT break a 45° angle of shot IF a bird were to come between us. All was working just fine with both of us getting shots on our respective sides. I was watching the skyline on my side when I heard a shot from my Brothers direction. I turned to see a dove falling and a second bird flare and then 'dip' hard so that it was only about 8' off the ground.

My Brother in his excitement to get the 'double' was so focused on the bird that he forgot about the 45° rule and also failed to see me standing by a cedar tree.

I just had time to turn away when I saw him still tracking the bird. At the shot I felt a burning/stinging sensation in my back and hip. I yelled at him "you just shot me".....and I was quite mad about it. There is nothing you can do to relieve the burning sensation for about 20 seconds or so. Thankfully most of the pellets *7-1/2 shot from a 20 ga. Imp Modified choke* were just under the skin (except one I still have in my hip). But its not pleasant having the doctor remove them.

50 years later.....we laugh about it sometimes but had things been any different a person could have lost their eyesight or worse. And YES he did get the second bird (at the same time he got me).