Thread: Mistaken for game hunting accidents and human factors report

Originally Posted by R93

Good post Savage 1.
I can't speak for the future but think I am well past the stage of where it could have happened to me. When every animal was worth a dollar I took some shots, that on reflection, were not ideal.
I have no need to shoot as many animals as I used to and I generally only shoot yearlings for the table. I have not shot a red stag in the rut for years due to not finding what I want.

Someone brought it up earlier about eyesight. Mine is not as sharp as it used to be and I spend even more time because of that, looking at a deer before I decide whether to shoot it.

I do less and less bush hunting as the deer numbers are high and if I do it is mainly during the rut. I need to get a good look at a stag before I would take it as it would have to be in the 320DS class. I'm still looking😆
I don't give a toss about coming home empty handed. I have done so for the last 8 red roars.
I really struggle to believe you can study something at 20m for a period of time and decide to shoot. I have hunted just about every species of deer in NZ. I have yet to come across 1 of them that would not be on edge with me being that close for any length of time.
In my experience deer do not stand still unless trying to suss you out or they are asleep. Their mannerisms and movements are unique in the bush.
I am very familiar with human factors being a pilot. In aviation it relates to things that trick our perception and the like. I do not believe the mistakes made in aviation due to human factors relate to hunting no matter what any expert tries to say.

I empithise with the bloke who shot his son but I believe he was careless and did not see a deer or study his target with any detail.
It could happen to anyone that's a fact but if it happens to me I would have failed to observe the one rule that would prevent it happening. Not because I seen something imaginary.

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The 20mins is a Chinese whisper, it was claimed 2 mins. Even that may be stretching it though.
Im a believer in the possibility of human factors having a significant influence on these events. Like you I studied it in aviation but Iv also researched it a bit further and Iv had plenty of little non hunting related events that have convinced me. Dealing with anything human brain related is going to have contradictions and I understand why some don't agree, it could well be that its not something that we are all susceptible to, but getting hunters to understand it might go some way to reducing the number of events. It sure as hell cant hurt. Its not about a defense after the fact but making people aware. As you know I'm with you on the identifying the animal well beyond just "its a deer" Like you I want to know what sex, approx age ect.