One thing I am a firm believer in is hunter safety. As someone who has been involved in more than one very serious accident while hunting, I can tell you first-hand that nothing is more important than safety afield. That starts with the knowledge and belief that it really can happen to you, even if you’re well prepared and careful.
That’s why I recommend every hunter read a fascinating new book, Blood On The Leaves. It's written by Rod Slings, Mike Van Durme and B. Keith Byers. It’s published by Lyons Press.
These three men are world-renowned hunting accident investigators who comprise Hunting and Shooting Related Consultants, LLC. Slings is from Iowa, Byers hails from Georgia and Van Durme comes from New York. All are hunting accident investigation leaders in their states. Combined, they have over 75 years of law enforcement experience and more than 60 years of investigating hunting incidents. They are also the leaders in training wildlife officers around the world in these unique skills.
Blood On The Leaves is not a collection of boring facts and statistics. Instead, it is a can’t-put-it-down collection of true hunting stories from across America. Every story all has one thing in common: one day a party went hunting and lives were forever changed. It reads a lot like a crime scene investigation. Though entertaining, these stories provide hard-learned lessons in hunter safety. It’s hard to not be interested in chapters titled “The First Time I Got Shot,” “They Were Unable To Save Him,” “Hunting Accident Or Murder?” and “The Last Time I Got Shot.” These, and many more like them, are cases of woodcraft gone wrong, fascinating forensics and lifesaving advice.
Need more? Here's a quote from one of my favorite all-time authors, Nelson DeMille:
“This is an absolutely fascinating look at actual hunting accidents — their cause, consequences and the investigations that follow. Blood on the Leaves could easily be the basis for a dozen novels or a TV series. Well-written, informative and enlightening, it should be required reading for anyone who applies for a hunting license — or anyone who has had their license revoked. Pack this book with your ammo.”
Blood On The Leaves is available at www.Amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com.
