Bow hunter fatally shot in San Juan National Forest

My best friend just finished up a hunt in an adjacent unit to this. He said the woods were absolutely crawling with hunters like he had never seen before, and unfortunately this tragedy did not surprise him.
 
Sad and senseless. How in the world do you ever confuse a human being for an elk or any other game for that matter. No optics on muzzleloaders in Colorado, correct?
You are correct. The whole story is never evident @ 1st, but this seems stupid and criminal. The last hunter killed in CO was a teenage boy archer shot by, that's right, a muzzy hunter on Grand Mesa.
 
You are correct. The whole story is never evident @ 1st, but this seems stupid and criminal. The last hunter killed in CO was a teenage boy archer shot by, that's right, a muzzy hunter on Grand Mesa.
That was equally tragic, but even more sadly, not the last. Rifle hunter was killed last year by a buddy in Grand County. It happens too frequently. Three simple rules.

https://www.gohunt.com/read/news/accidental-shooting-results-in-criminal-charges-for-colorado-hunter
 
Geez, terrible indeed. I wonder if archers will start wearing orange. I'll be getting an orange jumpsuit for rifle season...
 
I worry about this when I hunt Colorado especially with all the utards in the field. All orange for me.
 
Here as soon as fall hunting season opens EVERYONE has to wear orange ... when on the ground. Pretty much rules out stalking with a bow. Bear hunters and archery in treestand are exempt but must suit up as soon as they come down. Grouse hunters and berry pickers also technically are supposed to be wearing orange and I hear it's enforced. Spring turkey hunters also exempt but I think fall hunters for turkeys are technically supposed to be orange. I jump shoot waterfowl on a couple of very brushy sloughs without wearing orange. Never seen anyone else but I am very careful when in there. The dogs must stay right behind me at all times. A couple of bear hunters hunt the edge of the fields from time to time but they're very good about letting the landowner know what days they intend to be hunting.
 
I called in my second hunter of the season Friday. Depending on the terrain and setup I will either move away or sometimes just wait till I hear/see them and whistle or something. If you have been around elk enough it’s pretty easy to tell a hunter from a real elk calling. Unfortunately some of the tactics that are really good at bringing in elk also can be convincing to humans. Few years back We had a guy stalk in and step out from behind a pine at full draw on my miss September Montana decoy. He had taken his shoes off and come in quiet, luckily that scenario had gone thru my head and we always stand in line with the ends of the decoy and not behind the broadside faces. Raking and rattling from heavy timber are usually part of my early season game, not sure I would do it on public land if Montana had muzzy hunters running around the timber in archery season. Don’t shoot anything at anything you can’t 100% identify as your game target, it’s really that simple. This should never happen, period.
 
I called in my second hunter of the season Friday. Depending on the terrain and setup I will either move away or sometimes just wait till I hear/see them and whistle or something. If you have been around elk enough it’s pretty easy to tell a hunter from a real elk calling. Unfortunately some of the tactics that are really good at bringing in elk also can be convincing to humans. Few years back We had a guy stalk in and step out from behind a pine at full draw on my miss September Montana decoy. He had taken his shoes off and come in quiet, luckily that scenario had gone thru my head and we always stand in line with the ends of the decoy and not behind the broadside faces. Raking and rattling from heavy timber are usually part of my early season game, not sure I would do it on public land if Montana had muzzy hunters running around the timber in archery season. Don’t shoot anything at anything you can’t 100% identify as your game target, it’s really that simple. This should never happen, period.
You must be one hell of a caller.
Id like to see a video of that, calling in a person. Anybody can make a hunting video calling in wildlife, it would be the funniest thing ever to call in another hunter and have it recorded. 🤣
That would be as good as Bill Dance bloopers.
 

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