Musings 110--Cheney story getting scarier.

I have been a hunter and shooter my entire life. Most of my hunting was done as a teen-ager and young adult with time off from college.

I used to run targets for my dad and uncle when they held shooting matches at Mercerville High School in Gallia County Ohio. It later became Hannan Trace Schools which later became South Gallia High School.

I bring this up because today the guy that VP Cheney shot has had a minor heart attack from the birdshot going to his heart. (See Link) Birdshot can kill you--it usually won't, but it can. Little bits of lead in your body can be a scary thing.

When I was in grade school and running targets for the shooting matches, I can't tell you how many times stray pieces of #8 shot bounced off of my coat. At least once, I remember getting a stinging ear when a stray piece of shot whacked me on the ear. It didn't break the skin, but it hurt pretty bad.

The targets were set out at 50 yards. I would post the targets and then run to the left about 25 yards--supposedly out of the range of spread of shot. Sometimes the shot didn't fly straight and I'd get a stinger. It did not happen too often, but it did happen. The ones that caught me were "weak Susan's" that were flung out of the pattern.

Birdshot is tiny. It is about the size of a pin head. That is why, if one breaks the skin, it can go through the bloodstream to the heart. When I heard yesterday that they were not taking those out of the shot lawyer, I knew there could be problems.

My uncle once had a bull that would not stay on his side of the fence. I ran him back on his side many times. When I turned my back, he'd jump the fence and eat in our hay field. I took my granddad's 12 gauge shotgun with #8 shot and shot him at about 60 yards. His tongue shot out and he bawled like he was...well, shot. He jumped back over the fence to his side and never bothered me again. Problem solved.

I wonder what problem Cheney just solved...or, maybe created?