# Deer hunter kiils 5 ... other hunters, to hold his tree stand?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deer-hunter-kiils-5-other-hunters-to-hold-his-tree-stand/276068>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [November 22, 2004, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deer-hunter-kiils-5-other-hunters-to-hold-his-tree-stand/276068 "2004-11-22T06:38:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deer-hunter-kiils-5-other-hunters-to-hold-his-tree-stand/276068/21 "2004-11-22T14:25:08Z")

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> [@C K Dexter Haven](#):
>
> Guns don’t kill people… Jerks with guns kill people.

Actually, the bullets usually do the killing.

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**Author:** ![LibrarySpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@LibrarySpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LibrarySpy)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deer-hunter-kiils-5-other-hunters-to-hold-his-tree-stand/276068/22 "2004-11-22T14:44:02Z")

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> [@ParentalAdvisory](#):
>
> The reason I will never be a police officer: If I was the one arresting him, I would have just killed him myself and save the tax payers money for putting this scumbag in prison for the rest of his life. What the fuck is wrong with some people?

I don’t disagree with your sentiment in a general sense, but functionally, he walked out of the forest, essentially unarmed and harmless, and surrendered peacefully. Would you still have shot him where he stood?

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**Author:** ![cj\_finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@cj\_finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cj_finn)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deer-hunter-kiils-5-other-hunters-to-hold-his-tree-stand/276068/23 "2004-11-22T14:47:52Z")

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Considering that there are approximately 650,000 armed individuals in the woods in Wisconsin for the gun deer season, there are remarkably few deaths. Considering the mentality of a not insigficant minority of those hunters, I’m actually surprised. There are very few hunters that cannot tell a story of hitting the deck for fear of being shot.

This reminds me a bit of the scolding that someone on the boards received from a police officer for indicating that she was sorry that she had forgotten her handgun. I believe she was admonished to “leave this to the professionals”. As shitty as it seems, this was one of those times when the hunters should have left it to the professionals.

I just hope that my mother, brother, uncles, cousins, and other shirt tale relatives don’t run into any similarly unbalanced hunters this week up in the Chequomegon Nat. Forest.

cj

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**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deer-hunter-kiils-5-other-hunters-to-hold-his-tree-stand/276068/24 "2004-11-22T14:51:54Z")

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He was clearly over the limit and driving off with them tied to the hood of his car was a probably not a good idea.

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**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deer-hunter-kiils-5-other-hunters-to-hold-his-tree-stand/276068/25 "2004-11-22T14:54:43Z")

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> [@Boyo Jim](#):
>
> [Tiday I’ve learned NEVER to argue](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=5&u=/ap/20041122/ap_on_re_us/hunters_shot) with an armed guy in the woods

I think most of us already knew not to do that…

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**Author:** ![Rufus\_Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deer-hunter-kiils-5-other-hunters-to-hold-his-tree-stand/276068/26 "2004-11-22T15:02:00Z")

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“Deer season!”  
“Hunter season.”  
“Deer season!”  
“Hunter season.”  
“Deer season!”  
“Deer season.”  
“Hunter season! Shoot!”

BLAM

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**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deer-hunter-kiils-5-other-hunters-to-hold-his-tree-stand/276068/27 "2004-11-22T15:22:17Z")

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[Mel Gibson voice]

A murderer _AND_ trespasser? Bummer.

[/Mel Gibson voice]

Most hunters actually feel a great deal of empathy for the game and approach the hunt with a significant level of respect. The taking of a life, even a deer or bird’s, is no small matter and that proposition isn’t entered into lightly.

Then there are a small few that just want to kill something.

Even so, this guy was way beyond that. He’d clearly fallen completely off the back of his rocker.

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**Author:** ![Darkhold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@Darkhold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darkhold)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deer-hunter-kiils-5-other-hunters-to-hold-his-tree-stand/276068/28 "2004-11-22T15:40:45Z")

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> [@lieu](#):
>
> Most hunters actually feel a great deal of empathy for the game and approach the hunt with a significant level of respect. The taking of a life, even a deer or bird’s, is no small matter and that proposition isn’t entered into lightly.
> 
> Then there are a small few that just want to kill something.

Thanks for the laugh **lieu**. I’ve grown up around hunters I have been on a number of hunts and I’ve found just the opposite. MOST of them just want to go out and kill things. They throw beer cans into the forest they kill indiscriminately then come home talking about how much they love the outdoors and how they’re like the Indians of old…only you know with spotlights so they can make the deer freeze so they’re easier to shoot and beer for when they get bored.

Not to debate the ethics of hunting itself of course (that’s a whole 'nother thread there) but this ‘noble hunter’ idea is a bunch of crap.

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**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deer-hunter-kiils-5-other-hunters-to-hold-his-tree-stand/276068/29 "2004-11-22T16:03:22Z")

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> [@Darkhold](#):
>
> Thanks for the laugh **lieu**. I’ve grown up around hunters I have been on a number of hunts and I’ve found just the opposite. MOST of them just want to go out and kill things. They throw beer cans into the forest they kill indiscriminately then come home talking about how much they love the outdoors and how they’re like the Indians of old…only you know with spotlights so they can make the deer freeze so they’re easier to shoot and beer for when they get bored.
> 
> Not to debate the ethics of hunting itself of course (that’s a whole 'nother thread there) but this ‘noble hunter’ idea is a bunch of crap.

The “hunters” you grew up around are the exception rather than the rule.  
In all of my years of deer hunting in Wisconsin I’ve never witnessed anything like this. Was there drinking? Hell Yes! But only back at the cabin/camp, not out in the woods while hunting. Got enough stuff to carry out into the woods, can’t imagine taking a 12 pack along as well. Could and/or does it happen? Probably, but the % of hunters who would engage in that kind of activity is extremely small.

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**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deer-hunter-kiils-5-other-hunters-to-hold-his-tree-stand/276068/30 "2004-11-22T16:18:50Z")

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**Darkhold** , I suspect that the hunters you mention soon find themselves hunting alone, since nobody wants to go with them. My BIL went hunting once with a guy who admitted that he shoots at movement. My BIL never hunted with that guy again.

I’d say the majority of folks take it pretty seriously. In some cases, they are hyper vigilent. I’d say there are more hunters willing to turn in poachers, chastize irresponsibility, and promote safety than in any other sport. You may not agree with them because of empathy for the deer, but I certainly find most to be responsible about what they are doing.

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**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deer-hunter-kiils-5-other-hunters-to-hold-his-tree-stand/276068/31 "2004-11-22T16:26:08Z")

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**Darkhold** , I’d suggest you find some more honorable people to hunt with. They do exist and not only is it the only sentiment we’ll tolerate on any of our land, it’s also pretty much the rule I’ve witnessed on all of the leases we’ve contracted throughout the thirty five or so years I’ve hunted. Anyone displaying lesser sentiments would never have been invited back. Thankfully, I don’t think this is the exception either.

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**Author:** ![Darkhold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@Darkhold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darkhold)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deer-hunter-kiils-5-other-hunters-to-hold-his-tree-stand/276068/32 "2004-11-22T16:33:39Z")

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> [@flickster](#):
>
> The “hunters” you grew up around are the exception rather than the rule.

Errr…so if I can think of about a dozen hunters I’ve hung around and been on hunts with and 0% seemed to have an actual appreciation of nature (not just talk about how much they love it but actually attempt to preserve it and not just mow down everything in sight) where is this ‘rule’ that they’re an exception to? Well I guess a few of the weekend hunters that came from the coast and paid these men to take them on hunts would occasionally pick up their own trash. But I wouldn’t count them as hunters more like bored people with too much time/money.

> [@](#):
>
> In all of my years of deer hunting in Wisconsin I’ve never witnessed anything like this. Was there drinking? Hell Yes! But only back at the cabin/camp, not out in the woods while hunting. Got enough stuff to carry out into the woods, can’t imagine taking a 12 pack along as well. Could and/or does it happen? Probably, but the % of hunters who would engage in that kind of activity is extremely small.

I’m sorry but a cooler with beer is the first equipment you pack. Sure you may leave it in the vehicle if you’re going on a multi-day hunt but usually you can carry SOMETHING to camp with you.

Maybe my personal sample is just Wyoming Rednecks but I don’t really think that every other state is filled with all these nature loving hunters and we only got the bad apples and the hypocrites. I’d say the majority of hunters are just out there enjoying killing things and having fun. Nothing wrong with that we’re wired to kill after all but this ‘we love nature so we have to shoot it instead of take pictures of it’ is pretty annoying.

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**Author:** ![Darkhold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@Darkhold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darkhold)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deer-hunter-kiils-5-other-hunters-to-hold-his-tree-stand/276068/33 "2004-11-22T16:38:51Z")

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Wait I take some of that back. I did know one guy (my friend’s dad) who did really seem to just like to be outdoors and made sure he not only picked up his own trash but anything else he came arcoss (and encouraged those with him to do the same but never tried to force anyone). So the 0% part of my post is wrong.

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**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deer-hunter-kiils-5-other-hunters-to-hold-his-tree-stand/276068/34 "2004-11-22T16:43:48Z")

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If it was only duck hunting season this would never have happened. ☹

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**Author:** ![Darkhold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@Darkhold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darkhold)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deer-hunter-kiils-5-other-hunters-to-hold-his-tree-stand/276068/35 "2004-11-22T16:54:32Z")

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> [@NurseCarmen](#):
>
> **Darkhold** , I suspect that the hunters you mention soon find themselves hunting alone, since nobody wants to go with them. My BIL went hunting once with a guy who admitted that he shoots at movement. My BIL never hunted with that guy again.
> 
> I’d say the majority of folks take it pretty seriously. In some cases, they are hyper vigilent. I’d say there are more hunters willing to turn in poachers, chastize irresponsibility, and promote safety than in any other sport. You may not agree with them because of empathy for the deer, but I certainly find most to be responsible about what they are doing.

Heh well most hunters I know are poachers (though when they do that they generally are hunting on their own land) and I don’t have any real empathy for deer. I’d rather not kill them myself because it’s a pain to haul the meat back but I don’t care if others do.

I know a guy that shot his own cow in the face because he was too drunk to see what he spotlighted (ironically the cow survived just fine). He still goes hunting every year with his ‘group’ and makes major money taking people out hunting every season.

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**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deer-hunter-kiils-5-other-hunters-to-hold-his-tree-stand/276068/36 "2004-11-22T17:00:17Z")

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**Darkhold** , do us a favor and report the poachers, k?

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**Author:** ![E72521](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dbc845/32.png) [@E72521](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E72521)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deer-hunter-kiils-5-other-hunters-to-hold-his-tree-stand/276068/37 "2004-11-22T17:01:41Z")

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This one guy killed five other presumably armed men? Don’t throw him in jail, send him to Afghanistan!

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**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deer-hunter-kiils-5-other-hunters-to-hold-his-tree-stand/276068/38 "2004-11-22T17:19:49Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> This one guy killed five other presumably armed men? Don’t throw him in jail, send him to Afghanistan!

From the article:

> [@](#):
>
> About 20 shots were fired but it was unclear if any of the hunters had fired at the suspect or who might have shot first, Zeigle said. There was just one gun among the eight people killed or wounded, he said.

So it sounds like only one person had a weapon and the guy also had the element of surprise I guess, although I have to admit that the way the guy killed them almost has a Ramboesque quality about it.

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**Author:** ![smartini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/22d042/32.png) [@smartini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smartini)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deer-hunter-kiils-5-other-hunters-to-hold-his-tree-stand/276068/39 "2004-11-22T17:20:24Z")

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> [@NurseCarmen](#):
>
> The victims have been listed as:  
> John Doe  
> John Doe  
> John Doe  
> Jane Doe  
> Some guy named buck.
> 
> So the guy’s been arrest for hunting over the limit and no Doe permit.
> 
> ducks and runs

And I was _determined_ that nothing in this thread would make me laugh! I made it until I got to “Some guy named buck.”

Ahem, now that I have composed myself. We get quite a few catastrophic injuries r/t hunting season but they are usually “FOODS” (“fell out of deer stand”) usually because they fall asleep or the stand was poorly maintained.

A man I work with who is quadriplegic and still hunts deer wanted me to visit an accessible deer stand with him because I am usually very interested in all things accessible. I told him he would not want me there because I would be the one flailing my arms and yelling “Run, run…he’s got a gun!”

I’m not a hunter or a gun advocate but regardless of my personal opinions I think both groups include some very responsible people. I am glad to see we are not trying to hang this on those groups of people.

This nutjob clearly has no cohort. Thank god for that.

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**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deer-hunter-kiils-5-other-hunters-to-hold-his-tree-stand/276068/40 "2004-11-22T17:37:28Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Zeigle said the suspect was “chasing after them and killing them,” with a SKS 7.62 mm semiautomatic rifle, a common hunting weapon.

I find their classification somewhat suspect. I’ve shot one before, filling a riverback with about twenty rounds in half as many seconds. The SKS is a cheap, mass produced Chinese assault rifle. My gut feeling is that had this slaughter not happened to these particular people it would shortly have happened to someone else.

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