[Celticwarrior]

The bullet being at terminal velocity isn't what makes it deadly. Just like the old myth about dropping pennies from buildings, a bullet simply doesn't have enough mass to make it deadly on the way down after it's initial energy has been spent. What makes a "falling" bullet deadly is if it has retained it's ballistic characteristics (still rotating in a ballistic spiral). If the bullet has not spent all of it's initial firing energy AND has maintained a ballistic attitude, THEN it has the capacity to penetrate even a thick skull. Simple gravity and a tumbling bullet will not cause a fatal injury.

[snowshoe67]

VT Heard your (3) Shots Need Help Man!!!!
Good loud shots heard them in Maine Vt Good to bring up It is Hunting season!!

[swamprat]

Originally Posted by vthompson

With hunting season quickly approaching, I just wanted to remind everyone that takes to the woods that if you get lost or injured and you need help, that firing 3 rapid shots into the air is the universal code for needing help.
I am sure that it has been touched on before in the forum, but I just wanted to remind everyone.

vthompson is correct, three shots is the universal signal for help; but how many times have you been in the woods during hunting season and heard three shots? I will lay odds you didn't even think about someone in distress. There are too many shots going off during hunting season for that to be an effective way to signal for help. Three shots very late in the afternoon might bring help, but the odds are it will not. I think the only way firing three shots will help is if someone knows you are missing and is actively searching for you.

The old survival texts stressed telling someone where you were going and when you should be expect to return (or as a last choice put a note on the dashboard of you vehicle with the same information). Once you realize you are lost or injured and realize you will not be able to make it back to your vehicle you should make plans to spend the night. This where a small survival kit will come into play. If possible you should build a fire, construct some kind of shelter and get prepared to wait for help. If you have left word on where you are hunting or hiking and do not return on time the person you left the information with should contact the authorities you are missing, where you went and a search should be in progress shortly. When you hear someone searching for you, then you can try the three shot distress signal. The searchers will be paying attention and three shots will mean something.

Wait for help and at all cost try to stay warm and avoid hypothermia. Too many people panic and try to find their way out, exhausting all of their energy and making the situation worse. If no help has arrived after two days you might need to consider trying to find your way out. If you have access to water and the ability to treat it; 2 or 3 days in the woods will not hurt you. Many people have survived far longer than 2 or 3 days.

Thankfully, most regions of the country have experienced search and rescue personnel and most people are found within that period of time. There are cases where the survival situation has lasted longer. Unfortunately, some people who were unprepared for this type situation have failed to survive.

Most of us on this site should be more than prepared for a couple of nights on their own in the woods and should be able to survive (barring a debilitating injury) this situation.

This is just my two cents worth, any comments?

[kevin]

Originally Posted by swamprat

This is just my two cents worth, any comments?

well said swamp. I agree.

in NH, gun fire is just pleasant background noise, like the chirp of chipmonks, rustle of leaves and tweet of birds. never really think much when I hear 3 in a row except either "that guy is a bad shot" or "someones having some fun"!

[northernbc]

so ofter saying that about that about the gunfire what would get out the message to you ,3 fires 3 whistles ? for me if i used gun fire it would be after i felt that that the search was on and by firing my shots in such an exact pattern that a seasoned bushman of my area would pick up on that the pattern of shots would almost never happen during a hunting process,,they would sound, out of place and the searchers would hopefully pick this up.

[swamprat]

Three shots may work an hour or so after dark. Followed by three more 30 to 45 minutes later. No one should be discharging a weapon that late unless they are poaching or were in trouble.

I still think it would be best to hunker down and wait for the time you know searchers would be in the area. Imagine exhausting all your ammo and not having any to signal with when a search party was actively looking for you.

[TaintRight]

Is "three" of anything as a sign of needing help Masonic in origin? Anybody know?

[Bladed]

seriously doubt the Masons hadanything to do with it, if you consider how long it would take to reload a muzzle loader pistol or rifle. Probably started by the Chinese using fireworks(which is what they were originally used for by chinese armies).

[kevin]

Originally Posted by northernbc

so ofter saying that about that about the gunfire what would get out the message to you ,3 fires 3 whistles ?

whistles for sure; I'd not waste the bullets. whistle w/ fingers if I've got nothing else.

[Bladed]

if anyone thinks three shots are better maybe a 22 or 25 auto would be best for this. My thinking is with the smaller report it would be more distingushable from the normal hunting reports and the ammo is really cheap and you can carry a couple of clips easily. This is addition to your normal weapon.