It was really tragic news that a deer hunter shot and killed 5 other hunters and wounded three more.  According to CNN he decided to hunt from someone's private land and “borrow” someone's tree stand.  When the owner of the stand discovered him there and pointed out to him that he was on private property, he shot the owner.  The wounded owner cell phoned or radioed his fellow hunting club members before he died.  As they arrived, they too were shot by the crazy poacher.  He was captured when he ran out of bullets and got lost in the woods trying to escape.  I hope people know that this kind of thing is so far from normal that hunters everwhere are shocked and amazed.

Those of us who promote responsible gun ownership were dealt a heavy blow.  It has long been argued by gun control advocates that anybody with a gun is naturally tempted to use it on humans.  We countered that when a gun is used to harm a human it is almost always in the hands of a criminal during the commission of a crime and that we “responsible” hunters seldom harm each other but rather teach and promote safety and responsibility.  This incident did our side no favors.

I anticipate the movement to remove from us the right to keep and bear arms will be revived by this sad event, just as it was when President Reagan was shot and Mr. Brady was severly injured.  I guess I'll just switch sides as a result of this mess.  Here goes:

Okay, take away everyone's guns.  Round them up and crush and melt them down to make plows.  They have killed too many people.  While we are at it, let's take away automobiles.  I'm tired of people using them to run over their cheating husbands and strangers trying to cross the road.  Let the deer take over.  With no cars or guns, there will be nothing to stop them.  For the last three years, Alabama Fish and Game has permitted each hunter to take two deer each day for the entire season and our season is longer than any other state.  Even so, the deer population has increased 10 % in the three year period.  With no guns and cars, it should increase about 66% in each year.  By the year 2009 there will be around 2.4 million deer in Alabama.  Alfred Hitchcock's heirs will have the subject matter for a new thriller.  Instead of “The Birds” it could be called “The Bucks.”  A woman leaving Wal-Mart could be gored on the antlers of an angry buck before she can make it to her car.  A homeless guy reaching into the dumpster behind Burger King has to leave his dinner to a doe and her fawns.  When the kids go out to play, their mother warns them to look out for deer instead of snakes.  Deer attractants will be replaced by deer repellants.  Instead of bottled doe urine, the sporting goods stores will sell Grisley Bear urine.

I guess if you try you can find a nugget of good news in even this tragedy.  The idiot hunter who turned into a murderous sniper wasn't from the South.  You can't lay this one at the feet of the red necks.