I'd go hunting with Dick Cheney any day- any time. :hatsoff:
Now, his hunting partner( Whittington) might not make me too pleased to hunt with, but I suspect he has changed his ways about following agreed upon "rules" in the field and won't do the kind of thing that got him shot by Mr. Cheney, again.
Its customary for the shooter to accept, and take full responsibility for any shooting accident, and Mr. Cheney followed that tradition. However, Mr.Whittington broke the agreed upon rules, chose to approach the Cheney group out of sight, and was the Only person who could have prevented the accidental shooting. Cheney was where he was supposed to be, according to the rules they agreed upon, and shooting at game within his zone of fire. It was Whittington who "popped up" from the ravine in line with the flushed bird, just as Cheney was slapping his trigger.
I don't find any difference than the situation where an animal( or person) darts out in front of a moving vehicle so close the driver cannot avoid hitting it. The driver always feels badly, but there was nothing he could have done to avoid the accident. Had Whittington stayed up on the level ground,where he would have been clearly seen, and walked back to the hostess who was controlling the pointers( dogs) for the Cheney group several yards in front of her, announcing his arrival verbally as he approached her, the accident would have never happened. :hmm: