Michigan City hunter escapes barrage

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BY STAN MADDUX
Times Correspondent | Tuesday, December 02, 2008 | (10 comment(s))

MICHIGAN CITY | Charlie Smith was hunting deer when the 40-year old Michigan City man suddenly thought he had become the prey.

He was hunting deer Friday in a wooded area at Hitchcock Road and LaPorte County Road 1100 West, near Michigan City, when bullets from a semi-automatic weapon started hitting tree branches around him.

Smith said at least 40 bullets whizzed by him with one flying just a few feet from his head.

''The bullets were flying everywhere around me,'' said Smith.

Smith said he got behind a tree and called a 911 dispatcher, who advised him to stay put until the gunfire stopped.

He ran toward his truck when the gunfire momentarily halted, then resumed.

Smith said one of the bullets whizzed just a few feet from his head.

Eventually, Smith said he made it to his truck and started blaring the horn to alert the shooter, who was roughly 150 yards away.

The bullets, though, kept flying.

''I kind of felt I was being shot at at that point,'' Smith said.

When LaPorte County police arrived, officers stopped a passing vehicle occupied by Benjamin Gaurin Jr.

Gaurin told officers he was target shooting and thought a pile of wood chips as a backdrop was adequate to absorb the bullets.

According to police, Gaurin also said he was unaware there was a hunter in the nearby woods.

He apologized and police ruled the case an accident did not arrest him.

''I was shaking so bad when the cops got there, and I'm not easily shaken. I've been hunting for years,'' Smith said.

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Turk182 wrote on Dec 2, 2008 8:28 PM:

" That's why I quit hunting years ago. Too many morons who don't care where their rounds may land. "

sammie wrote on Dec 2, 2008 5:03 PM:

" I'm in the Army being shot at but not really in the Army.Did they both have the land owners ok to be there?And I didn't think the gun was loaded,sorry your dead. As the wood pile would stop the bullets,sorry your dead.I didn't know don't cut it,know next time! "

not to mention wrote on Dec 2, 2008 9:20 AM:

" Semi-auto's are usually a target shooters preferece. They are quite fun. Not having to load and reload everytime you take a shot.
It is not unusual for someone to be target shooting like that. It was a bad choice of where to shoot but it's not that uncommon. "

To Mikey wrote on Dec 2, 2008 9:17 AM:

" 99% of all hunting with semi-autos? Where the heck are you getting your facts? I would strongly disagree with that. There are a lot of deer hunters with muzzleloaders, etc that are just one shot and that is all you have. Plus others use pump shotguns, etc. How about you get real statistics before you post?! "

Did you READ the story wrote on Dec 2, 2008 9:17 AM:

" millerbeach, I'm a hunter and a veteran, I can tell you it's not funny to be shot at, so little anti-hunting witticism about shoe on the other foot isn't appropriate when the man could have easily lost his life. Gun Lover, the other guy wasn't using the semi-auto for hunting, he was target shooting. MIKEY, semi-autos self-load the next shot, unless using an expensive auto shotgun, not much semi-auto hunting happening in Indiana, but like I said, the guy with the semi-auto was target shooting. I agree with Michelle, thank God the hunter is ok. "

Wrong Rights wrote on Dec 2, 2008 9:09 AM:

" We have little or nothing to fear from law abiding, gun-owning citizens? Ha! Just be sure to wear bright orange colors if you dare to go for a leisurely stroll through the autumn woods. And a bulletproof vest if you have one. "

MIKEY wrote on Dec 2, 2008 8:02 AM:

" To gun lover, a semi-automatic gun is a gun that requires 1 pull of the trigger for 1 round to fire. I would guess that 99% of all hunting is done with semi-automatic weapons. "

Michelle wrote on Dec 2, 2008 6:55 AM:

" An accident,FINE...Not arrested,Fine...BUT a ticket or something should have been issued.Is there no laws when it comes to target shooting and the kind of backdrops or things you use so this kind of thing doesn't happen?.Thank God the hunter is ok! "

Gun Lover wrote on Dec 2, 2008 6:30 AM:

" As much as I support guns, who the heck needs a semi-auto gun to hunt? To practice in the woods like that is just plain suspicious and irresponsible.
What's next, mortars? "

millerbeach wrote on Dec 2, 2008 12:40 AM:

" Hm, the shoe was on the other foot this time...must not have been nice, eh? As much as one may disagree with hunting, this is NOT the way to go about protesting it. "

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