Recently, there was a tragic hunting accident in Hebron. A young woman was killed while on her own property. My understanding is that she was not wearing orange and, in fact, was unaware that hunting season had started.
I live in South Paris, right next to Hebron, and I am in the woods walking my dog almost daily. I try to be aware of when hunting season starts and stay away from many of my normal walking areas. But this year it nearly got by me, too. And in talking to friends and neighbors, I have discovered a number of folks who were unaware of the fact that deer hunting started when it did this year.
Many pieces of this tragic event are beyond our control or influence, but it seems to me that perhaps we can do something about making sure people know when hunting season starts, and that it is time to wear orange and stay away from areas likely to attract hunters.
It wouldn’t hurt to remind the general public of basic safety precautions. It might prove useful to those new to Maine or visiting at this time of year.
I am hoping that this letter will encourage some brainstorming on ways to better alert the public so that, in the future, such a tragedy might be prevented.
Pamela Stock, Paris
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