3-year-old trips, shoots Dad

Upper Peninsula authorities are investigating the accidental shooting of a man who was in the woods with his 3-year-old son.

[Jody In Holland]

Ok, what is a 3 yr old toddler doing in the woods with a gun close by? Luckily nothing happened to the child. What were you thinking? It could of been the child that got shot. Some people just dont think!

[Bananarama]

Jody In Holland wrote:

Ok, what is a 3 yr old toddler doing in the woods with a gun close by? Luckily nothing happened to the child. What were you thinking? It could of been the child that got shot. Some people just dont think!

That is the truth! I was behind a driver this afternoon, driving toward Calvin College on Burton street, and the guy driving his car in front of me kept holding up a gun and playing with it, flipping it over in his hand. I have no idea if it was real or not, but he sure scared me. I had no way of calling the police as I don't have a cell phone.

Some people are like what Forest Gump said: Stupid is as stupid does.

[just me]

When i saw the title of this story, my first thought was WTF is a toddler doing with a gun. After reading it, my second thought was WTF is wrong with the dad that he would take his toddler out into the woods with a LOADED shotgun?!? This isn't the prairie days where you teach them to shoot before they learn to speak! SHEESH!

Thankfully this child will be too young to remember what happened...HOPEFULLY!

[just me]

I got censored! LMAO

[Kevin]

just me wrote:

After reading it, my second thought was **** is wrong with the dad that he would take his toddler out into the woods with a LOADED shotgun?!?

It was a 22 caliber rifle, not a shotgun. Let's not muddy up the facts please. And yes this child is too young to be learning to shoot. I would say 6-7 is the minimum and start with a BB gun then work your way up from there.

[Wild Rose 01]

Bananarama wrote:

<quoted text>
That is the truth! I was behind a driver this afternoon, driving toward Calvin College on Burton street, and the guy driving his car in front of me kept holding up a gun and playing with it, flipping it over in his hand. I have no idea if it was real or not, but he sure scared me. I had no way of calling the police as I don't have a cell phone.
Some people are like what Forest Gump said: Stupid is as stupid does.

Maybe he was going to Calvin College for Law Inforcement..lol??

[john grand rapids]

Dad's are in season in the UP

[just me]

Kevin wrote:

<quoted text> It was a 22 caliber rifle, not a shotgun. Let's not muddy up the facts please. And yes this child is too young to be learning to shoot. I would say 6-7 is the minimum and start with a BB gun then work your way up from there.

I don't know the difference between one gun or another...but that's not the point...it was a GUN...period!

[Shoeless Eluder]

Sounds to me like they were squirrel hunting, because that's the kind of rifle you would use. I see nothing wrong with taking a three year old hunting. It just sounds like he may have set the gun against a tree or on the ground, maybe dressing a squirrel and the child tripped over the gun and it went off (an assumption). I can see a little negligence here though he should have unloaded the gun before he set it down .

[Kevin]

just me wrote:

<quoted text>
I don't know the difference between one gun or another...but that's not the point...it was a GUN...period!

I won't argue with you on that. It's just that Wood has enough trouble getting the facts right without our help.

[Mickey]

I don't think a 3 year old is old enough to hunt :-)

[wzombiegrl]

Mickey wrote:

I don't think a 3 year old is old enough to hunt :-)

And I would take my 3 year old daughter out in the woods with me any time.....if I could get her to SHUT UP!!! I might as well take my camera if I take her.

[Tim]

Don't get me wrong, I love to hunt rabbit with a single shot 22, but three is to young. A three year old should be learning his a-b-c's not running around in the woods with a real/loaded gun. His father should be tared and feathered.

[idiot light is on]

Mickey wrote:

I don't think a 3 year old is old enough to hunt :-)

It don't mean you can't take a 3 year old with you hunting .

[little-me]

wzombiegrl wrote:

<quoted text> And I would take my 3 year old daughter out in the woods with me any time.....if I could get her to SHUT UP!!! I might as well take my camera if I take her.

Amen to that. No need for a camera either- the wildlife can hear my daughter coming a mile away!

[wzombiegrl]

little-me wrote:

<quoted text>
Amen to that. No need for a camera either- the wildlife can hear my daughter coming a mile away!

Exactly, my girls at 3 are pretty darn smart, have already learned their ABC's. Is it so bad to take them OUTSIDE for some fresh air and a hike through the woods, and maybe bring home dinner in the process? It's not for everyone, but don't we need our children to be well rounded, if everyone was the same how boring would the world be?

[hunter]

its an accident im glad to see a father taking his kid out to hunt. your never to young or to old to enjoy the great outdoors and hunting is a way of life for some of us.just never forget to use the safety that is what thy are for

[builderal]

After reading the comments of your opinion's on the accident, I decided to comment on your opinion's of my accident.(Yes, it is me). I have not read the WOODS story, so I don't know what your info is. First of all, my youngest son(3) would never ever have a loaded gun, but would, did, and will I go hunting with him? Every day, if I could. My wife and I, and 2 boys, were out enjoying one of the most beatiful days in this world: fall leaves, the wood's smell, and if you have not experienced the fun boys have spotting a partrige, or squirrel, I pity you. The accident was a stupid, one second, mistake, that I made. It literally happened in less than a second. The boys were not close by, my wife and I were talking about property lines. I had the gun safety on, over my shoulder, but I wanted to gesture N. and S. property line with my hands. I set the gun down, stock first, against my leg, barrel pointing up and to the side (a stupid mystake i agree). The moment I set the gun down, my son was running towards me from behind, and before I even gestured to my wife, he had tripped wrapping his arms around my leg, bumping the safety, and the gun went off. It is an older, hammer safety gun(that is no longer in use). I have thanked GOD every single day for his protection over my wife and boys that day. The boys are not cartoon, or playstation junkies and don't have the warped sense of life. We will continue to go spend our lives in reality, as they wouldn't have it any other way.

[baseball]

My son started going out into the woods with my dad when he was about four or so. But it is all about SAFETY. If you are going to bring a child that young out into the woods with a loaded weapon, you need to first educate and talk to them about hunting and the dangers that can come with it. You do not just one day decide to take a young child out hunting with out a little bit of knowledge. And if that child can not handle it at that age...then wait a little longer. Hunting with your children (or grandchildren in my sons case) can be a great experience, but without the proper safety precautions it could be dangerous.

[rattletrap]

Jody In Holland wrote:

Ok, what is a 3 yr old toddler doing in the woods with a gun close by? Luckily nothing happened to the child. What were you thinking? It could of been the child that got shot. Some people just dont think!

and some of us do think, and i think it is the greatest way in the world to grow up in the outdoors and doing things that my grandparents had to do to survive, hunting for food, i wont ever regret going hunting with my boys and yes they went with me at 3 yrs old,