Did you ever consider what to do if you found a body?

Public Shooting Range
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This is not related to today’s date.

My wife and I frequently walk our two dogs along an abandoned section of the old Chenango Canal. This particular section is in a nearby State Park (firearms not allowed). It was about 3:45PM. Today is the first day of trout season and we had walked past some fisherfolk on the lake side and chatted. As we progressed down the path, we passed a couple walking back at us and another man walking back at us. We made it about 1/2 mile and my wife said: " Charlie, there’s a man lying in the woods over there." I had been looking for wildlife along the river to our left and she was to my right, closer the dry canal and wooded hillside.

We both yelled “Hello? Are you alright?” but got no response. So I found a spot to cross the (mostly dry) canal and went up the hill to approach him. He was laying on his right side, semi-fetal position. His left hand under his face and his right hand was clutching a polished dagger-style boot knife of about 5" blade. I made a good note of his clothing (black calf-high boots, light brown pants, buffalo plaid jacket, grey wool newsboy style hat, round lens glasses) and said, loudly: “Sir! Are you OK?” His eyes were open and he just gave an “Mmm mmm” neutral response. I could see both his wrists, no evidence of wounds or blood anywhere, but with a clutched knife I made the decision he would be better off with a proper first responder. I knew I could outpace my wife, so I told her to go back to the fishers beside the lake and ask for help & a phone to call 911. I scooted back to the car that was another 300 yards further (still with my dog on leash) and called the Park Office. They have a park police unit that is semi-stationed there. I gave all the information I had and my cell phone number (dumb to have left it in the car, but that one of the things we walk to get away from). 11 minutes later the Park Manager arrived. By the time he drove to the scene two of the fishermen had beat us. Turns out one was the man’s father.

The fallen man had been gathering fiddle-head fern shoots and recalled nothing up to the point his father had shaken him conscious. No history of fainting or seizures. Then the State Police, Park Police, Sheriff, EMT’s, two more State Police (one was a former student of my Wife from elementary school) showed up in force. So, rather anticlimactic ending. But I can tell you my approach was certainly adjusted after seeing that knife in hand and having my wife with me. People are known to take some funny substances and may act out unpredictably.

Also interesting that at least three other people had passed within 70 feet of a body in the woods in a red & black plaid jacket and not noticed.

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I don’t own one, have in the past, first was a Nextel two way, awesome, then a variety of flip phones, toss in your pocket no worries on damage,in part it was being forced into babysitting a delicate electronic I don’t care for, people worship those damn things, then of course the spyware, I’ve been in police interview rooms where cameras’s and recording is obvious with police who halt the conversation and point to the phone on the table…

As more and more is relied on with them, finance/payment is likely the worst, to think these could be mandatory to be able to make your way, disgusting, yet, society welcomes it

So, leaving in the car, pffft, sounds solid to me, I drive without one, pretty daring thing to do these days, as you point out

So could I flag down help, hitchhike or even knock on a door to use a phone anymore these days?

Your story may be a bit

but with the man holding a knife you have to go to danger alert, so I’m sure it was suspenseful for you both

good share :+1:

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Well, I was wondering is CCW permit holders allowed in your state to carry in a park ? I do belueve we can here in WV , be it this person sounds to have had a medical sutuation .. the odds of a dangerous encounter requiring deadly force as a defense seem to be on the rise through the years.
Fiddle head ferns can be poisionous . Wonder if Be had been sampling the “greens” so to speak before cooking them ? Makes a person wonder would love to know the cause of this persons unresponsive nature.:thinking:

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Not in a public park since a law passed in September of 2022. More specifically, those areas of a park deemed to be “sensitive locations.” And, of course, there is no clear definition of what a sensitive location is. So, some parks allow conceiled carry. Some allow hunting. It seems it is up to individual parks to decide what is a sensitive location within their boundaries. Clear as mud.

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It depends on where it is found and whether it can be tied to me .

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