Waiver for a Hunt Camp

[Blue Lk]

I'm glad I don't live in the "world" as some posters here.
Hunt camp rules spelled out.
Hunt camp waivers.
I would quit hunting if any of this was mentioned by the guys I hunt with.

[greatwhite]

Exactly. If you can't trust the guy's your hunting with then maybe you shouldn't be hunting with them.

I'm glad I don't live in the "world" as some posters here.
Hunt camp rules spelled out.
Hunt camp waivers.
I would quit hunting if any of this was mentioned by the guys I hunt with.

[welsh]

Part of the problem today is people are always looking for a reason to sue especially in Ontario.

This is simply horse pucky.

The risk for hunt camps is not that someone will slip and fall or have some kind of minor accident and then sue because they exist only in GW's fertile imagination. The risk is that someone will be shot or suffer a serious accident that will either leave their family without a breadwinner or leave them unable to work. Those are real risks, with serious liabilities, where if you don't have insurance or you are flat-out negligent, you are going to be up the creek.

People ignore these things because the risks are small, and then scoff and say they wouldn't hunt with anyone they didn't trust. Guess how many of the people who end up involved in shooting accidents said the same thing? Every single one of them. I can say that without fear because "it's not a problem" is a negligent attitude, and negligence doesn't arise in a vacuum. The OP's question is serious and ought not to be scoffed at.

I'm going to suggest, again, that waivers are meaningless here. You need to be insured.

[FishFrenzy]

This is simply horse pucky.

The risk for hunt camps is not that someone will slip and fall or have some kind of minor accident and then sue because they exist only in GW's fertile imagination. The risk is that someone will be shot or suffer a serious accident that will either leave their family without a breadwinner or leave them unable to work. Those are real risks, with serious liabilities, where if you don't have insurance or you are flat-out negligent, you are going to be up the creek.

People ignore these things because the risks are small, and then scoff and say they wouldn't hunt with anyone they didn't trust. Guess how many of the people who end up involved in shooting accidents said the same thing? Every single one of them. I can say that without fear because "it's not a problem" is a negligent attitude, and negligence doesn't arise in a vacuum. The OP's question is serious and ought not to be scoffed at.

I'm going to suggest, again, that waivers are meaningless here. You need to be insured.

Exactly...

The whole point is, it's not about the guys, but rather the insurance companies deciding to come after you. I'm confident the guys I hunt with wouldn't pursue legal action - their wives / spouses / insurance companies - I'm not sure about about. Waivers don't do anything, insurance covers you.

Regardless of who you hunt with, you are at risk if someone is seriously injured or dies. Guys here are looking at the worst case scenario and making sure they're covered. This is the entire reason the OFAH offers insurance - to protect us and our sport.

FishFrenzy

[werner.reiche]

I'm glad I don't live in the "world" as some posters here.
Hunt camp rules spelled out.
Hunt camp waivers.
I would quit hunting if any of this was mentioned by the guys I hunt with.

Yes - but insurance is a good idea.

[CptSydor]

I'd actually go as far as to say, having people sign a waiver, the entity that created the waiver (person/group) is actually taking a higher level of identified responsibility.

Waivers generally mean jack squat. They don't cover you when you are negligent. Insurance covers you when you are negligent. People always say, there are no accidents...that means someone was negligent at some point. Just a matter of it being proved.

I hate insurance and waivers (at least talking about it). I've spent much time discussing it as I've been involved with lots of organization of bike races and rides. I've started many rides that began very informally with close friends that ballooned to be rather popular with word of mouth getting 75+ people. At that point I needed to start setting rules and organizing and that put me at risk.

From what I've gathered over the past years goes by the following...

1) Am I in a situation of putting someone else at risk and do I felt that warrants me covering my butt.

2) Am I putting myself in a leadership role where people will be depending on my guidance and expertise.

Generally friends going out, in an informal manner, like hunting don't need to worry about #2 much. #1 hopefully not either, but that is probably where OFAH insurance comes into play in the event an 'accident' happens.

Most people aren't worried if a buddy cuts himself, or even brakes an arm. And rightfully so. Even most strangers aren't going to pursue any legal action. Its when something catastrophic happens, like permanent disability/death, that can change people or more so if a 3rd party is responsible for things like long term disability, they'll be looking for who ever was negligent to cover this instead. However, as a person, as long as you aren't negligent and aren't putting yourself in an obvious position of responsibility over other peoples safety, you are generally pretty safe on the grand scheme of things.

In saying all this, consult a lawyer, in person for the 'best' answer. You won't get proper legal advice on an online forum. I was actually told by my friend, an insurance litigation lawyer, that giving advice like this nulls his malpractice insurance. The rest of us are just internet heros.

[Bushmoose]

I'm glad I don't live in the "world" as some posters here.
Hunt camp rules spelled out.
Hunt camp waivers.
I would quit hunting if any of this was mentioned by the guys I hunt with.

When I opened this thread and began reading, my first thought was WTF????

[robster]

I'm glad I don't live in the "world" as some posters here.
Hunt camp rules spelled out.
Hunt camp waivers.
I would quit hunting if any of this was mentioned by the guys I hunt with.

That's fine, but when you hear of someone accidentally getting shot or injured is it really an accident or is it an assumption that everyone is on the same page? Example like at Epps in Orillia a few years back. In hunter/firearm training you are told to treat a firearm as it's loaded. Only point at a safe place. Never hand over a loaded firearm to anyone, always unload unlock, open, the chamber. Well that one day fella brought in a gun to the gunsmith telling him his gun misfired, handed it over but forgot to tell him the round was still in the chamber. Bang! Unsafe practise & bad habits come about but sometimes you have to be reminded as well as others. Other examples are just like some posters here on the forum and legitimate questions that some will scoff at. Some people need to be told or reminded that's all. I want to come home to my family & I hope everyone else does at the end of their hunt.

[MikePal]

I want to come home to my family & I hope everyone else does at the end of their hunt.

That's the point..it's when you don't come home or come home badly broken; then your loved ones want someone to be held responsible/accountable....how do you protect yourself from that eventuality ?

[oaknut]

Being held accountable by law is one thing. Being sued because your buddy shot his toe off is another.