Comment

Comment by Mendy Miller on November 1, 2009 at 9:51pm

Love this shot!

Comment by John Wolff on June 2, 2009 at 6:59pm

Fluorescent safety orange is standard for hunters' clothing, but any day-glo color on an animal says, "Not a fox! Not a skunk! Not a badger! DON'T SHOOT!"
Thing is, a corgi is not the sort of animal hunters expect to see in the woods. I can imagine a corgi being mistaken for a fox, skunk, badger, even a marmot (I have encountered people -- I won't dignify them with the name "hunter" -- shooting marmots, just for fun apparently). In some states, foxes are considered vermin, and unprotected.
Even gaudy festoons of fluorescent tape may not be visible low to the ground, in brush, or dim light -- no responsible hunter would shoot under those conditions, or course, but we're not talking about the 99.9% here.

This is not a big worry for me, and my dogs stay quite close to me, but there are hunters in the mountains. I trust 99.9% of them. Almost all hunting accidents involve hunters shooting themselves or each other. Don't know if anyone even keeps data on accidental shootings of dogs. I suppose it happens. In 2008 in Washington State, we had 2 extremely rare tragedies: a 14 y.o. bear hunter (unaccompanied by an adult) fatally shot a hiker on a trail who was bent over getting something out of a backpack, in August, a time most people don't recognize as a hunting season (bear season opens Aug 1, I think); later, an elk hunter shot someone who was harvesting wild foliage. This is unheard-of. I believe there were criminal prosecutions.

Think of it as a courtesy to hunters and yourself. Wear bright clothing in hunting season (back in Minnesota, you'd be INSANE to be out in the woods in deer season without lots of safety-orange clothing and a fluorescent cap). Flag the dog. Be festive.

I was maybe 16. Something was moving in the grass. Already wary because my brainstem subconsciously recognized that a grouse never gives itself away, I drew a bead on the waving grass, waiting for a clear look ["REMEMBER, Son, you NEVER EVER EVER shoot at anything you can't clearly see!"] I was already making a mistake: you don't even point a gun towards anything you can't clearly see. I can't remember whether my finger was near the trigger (it should not have been )when I saw Frisky's tail wave above the grass. Glad I didn't learn the hard way. My training could have been better, but was adequate that time.

Comment by Nicola Porter on June 2, 2009 at 2:38pm

Ok, I thought so but wanted to check. I would be pretty scared making sure my furbaby didn't get shot. Is all the "don't shoot" color pink or can any bright color be used?

Comment by John Wolff on June 1, 2009 at 12:29pm

The pink is for hunters.

Comment by Lori Walton on June 1, 2009 at 10:58am

Awesome pic!!!!

Comment by Nicola Porter on June 1, 2009 at 10:09am

Is the pink so he can be spotted?