I have been thinking about the notion that "When the hunters are out there, 
nobody else can safely use the woods or wetlands."  This implies that the 
hunters are safe in the woods.  Whether or not that is the case is moot, but 
hunters are no safer than we are.  Curiously enough, carrying a gun in the 
woods gives one no protection from getting shot by a misguided bullet. So 
why would anyone feel safe in the woods with others shooting guns with real 
bullets? Bullets can harm trees, wildlife, birders, bikers, hunters, who and 
whatever.   And yet, the hunter, who well understands the risks involved, 
puts himself in that kind of situation again and again.

I offer the answer that hunters in general are extremely well versed in 
their sport, much like birders.  They are familiar with the habits of their 
prey and the many associated & interacting species including humans - the 
hunters, birders, bikers, walkers, joggers, etc.  Like birders they depend 
on both their eyes & ears and have trained themselves to interpret what they 
see & hear.  They read and discuss in great detail the finer points of 
equipment, safety, tracking, and species ID with respect to age, sex, voice 
& behavior.  Unlike birders, their license requires them to wear orange and 
attend a one-time required safety course that runs 12 -14 hours.  Each 
hunter goes into the woods fully aware that there is most likely another 
hunter out there who is just like him, capable of making a life-changing 
mistake.  It is that very thing that makes them so careful and me less 
reluctant to bird in the woods.

There's another reason they are careful. Hunters form a community, not 
unlike the birding community.  No hunter wants to be called out for bonehead 
behavior that might jeopardize or make life difficult for a fellow hunter or 
the sport in general.

What is clear to me is that many people want to use the woods.  Everybody 
has a right to it. We all know there is risk in everything we do, even 
staying home (though the effects may take longer).  So we share the woods. 
We do what we can to preserve it.

With respect to safety, one concession we can make as birders is to wear 
some orange when we are birding - a hat perhaps.  The local & national bird 
clubs and the birding industry would do well to push such items, as they 
would contribute to the welfare of their constituents.

Another concession we can make is to simply be more aware of the whole 
picture when birding.  Take note of cars parked near the edge of the woods, 
of sounds other than the voices and activities of birds, of footprints other 
than our own, and of the current hunting seasons. These are all indicators 
that you will not be alone in the woods with just the birds. And like most 
animals in the wild, periodically check your back.  This all may sound like 
common sense.  If so, that is a good thing.  If not, you are not decreasing 
your risk.  It is the same kind of advice we might hear when we venture out 
at night to the city or some suburban mall parking lot.  It seems to me 
that, in this day & age, we should wear the same hat of caution, whether we 
are at work or play.

It is not a question of whether or not the woods are safer than the city, or 
even if it should be.  It is not even a question. The reality is, there is 
no reason to believe the woods is any safer. If we each continue to take 
more responsibility for our own safety, we will be safer as a combined 
community of woodland folk.



Bill



WILLIAM B SCHREITZ  CABINETMAKER INC
   1806 Virginia Street  Annapolis  Maryland