YOUR COMMENTS

I didn't know Tim, but I know someone who regarded him as a dear friend and continues to speak highly of him.

It appears to me that Tim's heart touched many, many people. Shame on those who dare to speak poorly of him without even having a clue of what a good person he was.

My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who knew him... family, friends, acquaintances, et all, I understand your pain having been in your shoes before.

Think of the fond memories you have of Tim, it's sure to bring a smile to your face and help you get through these difficult days.

Peace to all...
- Warren G., Milford

I knew the Letourneaus and my heart goes out to them and this is not an issue about gun safety, it was an accident and just like a car accident all the preventive actions don't always keep death away. I am so sorry to any members of the Letourneau family who read any of these comments if you are going to tear someone apart that you don't know then make sure you have all the facts which you don't because it is still under investigation!
- Colleen, Rindge, NH

My thoughts and prayers go out to the Letourneau family.

For death is no more than a turning of us over from time to eternity. -William Penn
- Brad, Rindge

Tom O. Merrimack - You are truly an insensitive dolt.

Chuck, Barrington - Repeat after me..."Baa."
- Rick B., Merrimack

My heart and prayers are with this family. This is truly a tragedy. This family is very involved with outdoor sports of all kinds and they are always very safe and very cautious and extremely COURTEOUS. Too bad the rest of you do not know them and choose to judge them erroneously. My son who is out of state went to high school with Tim and is ILL over this matter and MORE so over the stuff being said here- accidents happen and this was an accident and a young life is lost too soon and a family devastated, why be unkind - think before you type people. May God bless Tim, his family and our community.
- Gail C, Rindge, NH

Our Family knows this family and they are going through a great deal of pain right now. We prayed for this family at our church yesterday. They need our prays not discussions on hunting/saftey rules. There is a time and place for these thoughts. My Gosh anyone that has children wouldn't want to read these comments. Have a little compassion for this family.. PLEASE.....
- Denie, Jaffrey

Tim Letourneau is my cousin and an amazing man who was very safe when it came to hunting. As if this situation was not completely devastating enough, I read comments talking about how stupid my cousin is. You are rude, insensitive, and appalling. This is not just an "incident" or an argument about firearms and hunting...this is a person's life...and whether or not it could have been prevented is not the point. Have some decency and respect the fact that we are grieving. You make me sick.
- Kelly, Rindge, NH

We dont need lists or proper ways of what should of should of been done people. This was someone's son, brother and friend who was dearly loved. Your the ones who are showing stupidity making obscene comments like that.

We all love you Timmy...See you soon
- Jared Lafreniere, Jaffrey, NH

We lived on the same road just down the street from TIm's family, and he was best friends with my son some time ago. He had been to my house many times and remember him well. He was known and loved by many in the community. God Bless his soul, and the Letourneau family.
- Charles, Rindge

I grew up with Timothy. My mother was present at his birth. He and his family has been hunting their entire lives. They know hunting safety! This was an accident. I spend today with the family and friends. I hope that we can see this for what it is an accident. We lost a wonderful and sweet man today. RIP Timmy!
- Martha, Lebanon NH

I'd suggest that you would find the rest of the investigation out before making quick assumptions. How upsetting it is to find so many heartless people. Mr. Letourneau had already been up in his tree stand and his firearm had fallen. Thoughts and prayers are with the Letourneau family.
- unknown, anonymous

People simply do not believe me when I tell them that "Fishing" is the most deadly sport today..even more so than hunting.

And as with any other day reading the Union Leader on line, the armchair commentators certainly abound, sitting on their arses making value judgements as if they were there and had witnessed what had taken place. The fact is, such value judgements come only from suppositions born out of themeselves, not any facts discussed in the foregoing news article.

My extended family all reside in Jaffrey and Rindge. The communities are small so folks tend to know who each other are. Tragedies such as these are truly felt in a community such as this and many are devastated by it..

As an experienced Hunter Education Instructor, reading this has caused me some particular pause to rethink and look at what safety precautions are taught to these new prospective hunters. Did we cover proper use of fall restraints? Were we crystal clear about tree stand weight ratings? Were we crystal clear about the proper and safe handling of a hunting implement, be it a bow with properly quivered arrows, a muzzeloader with its ignition source removed, or a traditional modern firearm that is unloaded? Were there perhaps a couple of young lads chatting amongst themselves and clowning around? And, after teaching the material, did we engage the Hunter ed participants in a series of socratic-type questions to gauge how well they grasped the material we just taught?

We do not teach safety so that mishaps, accidents or discharges do not occurr, we teach SAFETY so that if, and when accidents do occur, the consequences and damage of the event is minimized to it lowest possible quotient.

Humans make mistakes and Firearms are mechanical devices that may fail on some level from time to time. New Hampshire, in terms of hunting-related accidents, injuries or deaths, has an impeccable record The N.H. Fish & Game Department charges the many instructors like me to teach a ciriculum that promotes hunter safety. And, given our statisitcal numbers, the program is very successful.

in closing I would only add that it takes a special kind of hatred and cowardice to criticize the acts of a dead man and not have the testicular fortitude to sign your full name to the statement, letting the whole world know you own it.

Rick Olson,
President
Londonderry Fish & Game Club
Director/Treasurer
N.H. Wildlife Federation
Instructor
N.H.F.G. Hunter Safety Program.

and finally, A Hunter
- Rick Olson, Manchester

after being a hunter safety instructor for n.h. for ten years i feel for the two hunting accident victims. i know one of them and it is just too bad that they used bad judgement and it had bad results .as for chuck in barrington too bad everyone in the world can be perfect like you then we would never have to ban anything.
- roger varney, lebanon maine

Come on you idiots should be able to blame this on the cops like everything else.....
- ed, manchester

I can't believe you people! How would you like to be a parent who just lost a son and find out that people are calling him stupid. Have a heart!
- Lisa, Newmarket, NH

Hopefully neither of these morons had the opportunity to breed and pass along the bad genes. Bad enough to cause harm to yourself, cause heartache for your family, but to give anti-gun and anti-hunting idiots, or Chuck from Barrington cause to open their mouths this time of year hurts every responsible shooter and hunter. I hope every hunter reads this article, especially younger hunters, and learns something from this unnecessary tragedy.
- Mike LaMontagne, Raymond

I'm not going to get into a flame war here and my remark my have come off insensitive to the family and I'm sorry for your loss however these incidents were completely avoidable.

Firearms do not allow for lapses in judgment or laziness. They also do not go off by themselves but through negligence on the part of the gun handler. Very BASIC safe gun handling and muzzle awareness would have prevented both of these accidents. At the very least not having the muzzle pointed at one's own flesh would have prevented injury when the negligent discharges occurred.

1. All guns are always loaded.
2. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.
3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.
4. Always be sure of your target.

As was stated, there are other people out in the woods, ie other hunters, hikers etc Mr. Letourneau paid the ultimate price for his negligence but what if he had killed a hiker or another hunter?

Hunter's, especially if you have not handled a rifle in a year, please take the time to re familiarize yourself with your weapon and safe handling practices before you head out.
- Tom, Merrimack

Tim Letourneau was a close and dear friend of mine and I know for a fact that he was a very safe and safty minded hunter. Accidents do happen to even the most prepared and safest of poeple. This is a tragic loss for every one in the communtity. And for all the sinicle mean people out there, Please concider the people who knew him before you post insensitive remarks.
- Gary Vittum (TINY), Perterborough NH

Crossing fences is just as dangerous--it's a pain in the neck, but well worth the trouble to unload your firearm whenever you're crossing an obstacle, climbing a tree, etc.

So sorry for all involved.
- Zak Johnson, Derry

My heart goes out to the Letourneau family and friends but if Mr. Letourneau was a safe and experienced gun owner, which if he is muzzle loader hunting he probably was experienced, he was probably saying the same thing right before the tragedy. I have done so more times than I care to remember, just not with a firearm. Putting a nail through my thumb with a nail gun the first thing I thought was "that was pretty stupid, I know better". So don't be too harsh on the way things are phrased, my bet is Mr. Lapointe isn't feeling too swift right now either (lucky maybe but not swift). He knew better. None the less, my prayers are with both families.
- Allan, Rochester

Yes Tom, we are all sure you have never done anything stupid in your life. Luckily for you it didn't cost you your life. How about opening your eyes and looking at the big picture, a 21 year old kid made a mistake and died. Is the best you can do is call him a special kind of stupid after hearing about that?
Chuck, we don't need to ban treestands because a hunter made the mistake of pulling a loaded, uncapped muzzleloader up into one and shot himself. Now really, don't you think that is a bit of a misplaced overreaction?
- Catherine, Manchester

Tom O from Merrmiack....it truly takes a special kind of stupid to say something so terribly insensitive about someone who was killed in a tragic accident. I hope his family doesn't have to read your special kind of stupid comment.
- Rachel, New Ipswich

People are so quick to judge when they do not know the whole story. In Tim's case the story clearly is still under investigation so to jump to conclusions shows your ignorance. I did not know Tim but do know members of his family and my heart goes out to them in their time of need. Godspeed Tim
- Randy, New Ipswich NH

There is a term for Chuck's ( in Barrington) logic, its called the tyranny of good intentions.
- mike, cornish

Chuck- your response is silly at best. Just because their is an accident, actually caused by not following the basic rule sof gun safety, does not mean that we have to make up a new "nanny state" rule.
Hunting is an extremely safe activity that requires knowing a few basic rules. Unfortunately, sometimes people make mistakes.
- Jesse, Orofrd

Chuck in Barrington has to be another blow-in from Mass. Someone does something wrong out of thousands and thousands of safe people? BAN BAN BAN BAN, government knows best and must protect you from yourself.

Can we just ban nanny-state liberals?
- Mike R., Bedford

My sympathy for the family of Mr. Latourneau; too young to be taken away. However, I wonder if Mr Lapointe can relate the animal's pain on being shot to his severe hand pain.

BJ, Epping
- BT Joyce, Epping NH

Tom is right, they broke safe gun handling rules,

what if it was another hunter he injured or killed because they were careless,,

Sorry for his death, but we as hunters need to discourage stupid in the woods,,,

Safe gun handling is no accident!
- paul piscitelli, campton

What an idiot. This gives hunters the image they deserve. Chalk one up for the deer.
- Jake, Manchester

Erica:

We all do stupid things and, thankfully, the consequences are normally not that great. Unfortunately, in your friend's case, they were severe.

It does sound insensitive, but pulling a loaded gun up into a tree stand is very stupid. I have to agree with the previous post. He is absolutely correct.
- George, Bedford

From the NH Fish and Game web site; the Ten Commandments of Hunter Safety:
1. Treat every firearm with the same respect due a loaded firearm.
2. Control the direction of your firearm's muzzle.
3. Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.
4. Be sure the barrel and action are clear of obstructions.
5. Unload firearms when not in use.
6. Never point a firearm at anything you do not want to shoot.
7. Never climb a fence or tree, or jump a ditch or log, with a loaded firearm.
8. Never shoot a bullet at a flat, hard surface or water.
9. Store firearms and ammunition separately.
10. Avoid alcoholic beverages or other mood-altering drugs before or while shooting.
- Wayne S, Manchester

Absolutely Erica I agree with you, I know the Letourneau family well and reading comments from Tom O in Merrimack infuriates me to no end. People have absolutely NO compassion for the families involved. I hope sometime that Tom O loses someone close to him and we can tell Tom O what special kind of Stupid his family member was.!!
- Lisa, Peterborough

Please remember the hunter safety course card you got before signing up for your license that there are safety rules you go by and unfortunately this is the results of not following them. People please read up on the rules printed on the back of the card if you can't remember them, then take the hunter safety course again before going out to the woods hunting.
- BobH, Portsmouth

Chuck - how about next time you have a car accident we ban driving! There will always be a small percentage of folks who don't follow basic hunter safety.
- Ed, Amherst

Hey Tom O...keep in mind that some relatives and friends of Tim Letourneau, like me, might read this and find your comment insensitive and rude. It takes a special kind of stupid to say the thing you did.
- Erica MacLeod, Schenectady, NY

Yes Chuck, that's it lets just ban something else. I love the stupidity some people insist on showing when all they have to do is type something from computer instead of in person.

Just like anything else Tree Stands are extremely safe when used properly. You never do what these two men did. They were being careless and unfortunately these are the consequences.
May Mr Letourneau rest in peace and Mr Lapointe have a speedy recovery.
- Dave, Pembroke

Muzzleloaders are very safe weapons when used responsibly. when the cap is removed which is a simple operation the weapon cannot fire accidentally.
Anyone climbing in a tree stand should always have the gun unloaded while bringing it into the stand, This is common sense!!!!
- Jack, Concord

Climbing trees is inherently risky to begin with. There is a simple solution, ban hunting from treestands with a firearm. They don't need to be up there, it increases a deer's chances and it prevents damage to trees.
- Chuck, Barrington

Why are people trying to pull there Muzzeloaders up with a cap in place? I am sorry for Mr.Letourneau and for Mr.Lapointe hope for a speedy recovery.
- C J, In the woods

Severe violations of firearms and hunter safety occurred for these accidents to happen. It takes a special kind of stupid to shoot yourself with a muzzleloader.
- Tom O, Merrimack