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Archery accident

Ohiosam

*Supporting Member*
11,708
191
Mahoning Co.
Brinkhaven, Ohio — When Bill McCabe walked into the woods with his bow in late October, he had no idea how the day would turn out for him.

A night of bowhunting with out-of-town family members nearly turned tragic for the 59-year-old retiree.

As McCabe and the group – family from Wisconsin and Iowa – were walking into a private property woodlot, another bowhunter shot McCabe. The incident occurred right on the border of Knox and Holmes counties.

“I was holding my bow above my head coming through the weeds and (the shooter) was looking through his scope,” McCabe said in an interview with Ohio Outdoor News. “I guess he was just an inexperienced hunter.”

The bolt from the shooter’s crossbow hit McCabe just below the knee.

“It went right through the bones in the right leg and stuck into the left leg,” he said. “It was like getting hit with a sledgehammer. It almost knocked me right off my feet. And I thought ‘Oh, my God, you shot me.’”

McCabe was able to gather his wits enough to communicate to the others in his hunting party.

“I told them that I’m allergic to codeine and shellfish, do not remove the arrow, do not put a tourniquet on it, and I’m going to pass out in a few minutes,” McCabe remembered. “About 30 seconds later, I passed out.”

Read more here.
http://www.outdoornews.com/December-2015/Bowhunter-shot-as-he-walked-through-woods/
 

Bigslam51

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
25,778
127
Stark County
Pretty sad that this stuff happens. I never go into the woods without at least my red light on, you just never know what could happen.
 

mossbergbryson

Junior Member
79
0
I started wearing a head lamp when I first heard about this incident on here. I wish it wouldn't have happened to that guy but I've definitely become safer from hearing about it. Makes you thankful to be alright.
 

Joel

Senior Member
3,049
113
Centerburg, Ohio
He's healing up pretty good but still getting around on crutches and not driving yet. Every time I've walked to or from my stand in the dark since I heard this I've used a light but it's made that walk a little scary, picturing somebody watching me through a scope. Just an eerie feeling now that was never there before.
 

moundhill

Senior Member
Supporting Member
5,327
103
Hebbardsville..
You know the guy that shot him has to feel awful. But dude, how DUMB can you be. I just never understand what people are thinking when I hear these stories. About 4 years back, a local boy here in albany got fatally shot by his brother. He was walking out at dusk to tell him to come back in, not wearing orange and his brother shot thinking he was a deer. It terrible that this stuff happens. Like others have said, whether it's dark or just low light, walk in with a light on.
 

Hoytmania

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
11,518
167
Gods Country
This is the guy I was talking about before.
I was wondering this while I was reading about it.

Nothing against your friend, but if you are taking people out to hunt on property that you are familiar with. Then it's your responsibility to make sure that everyone is experienced enough to be out there in a safe manner. I have no problem with taking inexperienced people out, just not with them having loaded weapons in their hands.

One heck of a way to learn that lesson.
 

Joel

Senior Member
3,049
113
Centerburg, Ohio
Oh I'm sure he'll be more selective on who he takes in the future lol. I think people discussing this, discussing how it could've been prevented and talking about all the mistakes that were made is exactly what he wants. He is hoping this story will save someone down the road.

One thing I left out and I didn't see in the article. He said he told everyone that if they were heading out early, text everyone in the group so everyone knows where everyone is. He told me that he does not like shooting deer right before dark because he doesn't like tracking and dragging them at night. He had been walking back to the truck an hour before dark, texting everyone to know he was going back and then waiting for everyone. The night he got shot he did not send that text and broke his own rule. The other guy also broke the rule by climbing down early.

He also said he wasn't trying to sneak up on the buck to shoot it, just wanted to get a look at it if he could before heading to the truck. The other guy WAS trying to sneak up on it to shoot it. When he saw movement in the area, he raised the scope up in low light, thought it was a deer and squeezed a shot off into tall grass. Definitely a dumbass move. No debating that.

There were definitely mistakes made and it definitely could have easily been avoided.
 

CritterGitterToo

Junior Member
375
58
Central Ohio
Any person that uses archery equipment to shoot another human being hasn't been taught to properly identify the target. Whoever put that person in the woods should feel terrible as well! There is never an excuse. Low light, no light, in the tall grass or whatever; none of that matters. If a person can't identify the target at 30-40 yards then the person should never set foot in the woods again. So very sad.