As usual, the pro-hunting media (led mostly by scattered small hometown papers) were rife this fall with predictions of having the safest hunting season ever (for the hunters, that is). But, once opening day of hunting seasons was declared for each state, it was really starting to look like 2019 was going to go down as one of the record years ever for the sheer number of hunting accidents that yours truly was tasked with tabulating and sharing with members on our new website.

But now that the killing season is under full swing, it’s seeming like, in addition to the highest number, other—even more heartbreaking—records are being broken. First, on a day that’s supposed to be a peaceful day of blessing and giving-thanks came the headline: “9-year-old boy killed in a hunting accident on Thanksgiving Day.” While adding it to C.A.S.H.’s already overflowing list of similar reports, I wondered…