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One recent fatal hunting accident in neighboring Chatham County involved poor <br />judgement and disobeying the daylight regulation. A second accident, while <br />not fatal,. was more chilling to me--a man whose leg was shattered by a high- <br />powered bullet as he walked across his own property. This could happen to <br />any Orange County resident who lives near the woods. <br />Here's what I'd like to see happen: <br />1. Shift responsibility from the landowners to the hunters. Hunters must <br />carry written permission to be hunting on any piece of property and must know <br />its boundaries. Why should people be permitted to fire guns on any parcel of <br />land without a sign that says "DON'T"? <br />2. Prohibit shooting within reasonable distances of houses, barns, and <br />livestock. The hunter's responsibility is to know the lay of the land. <br />3. NO HUNTING AND DRINKING! It is against the law to drink and drive a boat, <br />but not to guzzle and fire your rifle. Caswell County changed their laws <br />following a violent incident involving hunting guns and booze. What are we <br />waiting for? <br />4. Restrict the use of high-powered rifles to heights of 8 feet or more. <br />5. Require all hunters to take the safety courses (many were grandfathered <br />in). Re-administer the tests at least as often as we are required to re-up <br />our drivers' licences. <br />6. Teach every citizen where to call when there is a problem. In a pinch, <br />dial 911. Report all incidents to the Wildlife Commission at 662-4381, or <br />1-919-733-7191. You can reach our officer, Cameron Ingram, at 1-800-662-7137. <br />To suggest changes, write to our County Commissioners c/o Alice Gordon, P.O. <br />Box 8181, Hillsborough, NC 27278, or send e-mail through the web site <br />(www.co.orange.nc.us). <br />Next year, when I am in my yard and spot an orange hunter's cap, I'd feel <br />better knowing that the hunter has permission to be where he is, that he knows <br />where we are, that he is prohibited from shooting near our house, and that his <br />gun can't kill us from a mile away. And, if I could be assured that the <br />hunter was sober, I might even smile and wish him good luck. <br />