Letters to the Editor and Others
Safety Zones Woefully Inadequate
Sent to 14 newspapers in Vermont
12/3/03
The state Fish and Game agency should learn a lesson from the unfortunate hunting accident that resulted in the shooting death of Mr. Ed Carroll as he sat in his home watching television. Washington County State's Attorney Terry Trono said that the chances of this happening were "a million to one," but considering the power of today's hunting weapons, tragedies like these may happen more often than they have in the past.
The hunter missed his shot, and the bullet traveled approximately 1,200 yards and through Mr. Carroll's home before striking him in the neck and killing him. If a bullet fired from a legal firearm can travel this far, the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife must take a serious look at its hunting regulations, and revise them to reflect the dangerous nature of modern weapons. Currently, the safety zone around any occupied dwelling, residence, barn, stable or other building is only 500 feet. The bullet that killed Mr. Carroll traveled over 700% beyond the legal safety zone. To protect the public, Fish and Game must revise the boundaries of the safety zone and increase that zone to extend at least 1,500 yards to one-mile around any buildings.
This terrible incident shows that not only is the current safety zone woefully inadequate and a danger to the public, but also that hunters do not know where they are in relation to nearby buildings and that they are too
careless to take note of the direction in which they are shooting. The only responsible thing for Fish and Wildlife to do would be to cancel all hunting seasons until a new safety zone can be decided upon. To do anything less is to needlessly risk the lives of innocent people.
Joe Miele, Vice President
Committee to Abolish Sport Hunting
Box 562
New Paltz, NY 12561
201-368-8271
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