Posted: November-21-2009 at 7:14am | IP Logged	Tweet

LadyBug's cousin was shot and killed in the woods while hunting in Scott County yesterday. He was in an area they call "Daniel Boone", which I believe is off of 23 between Gate City and Duffield.

Please keep the family in your thoughts and prayers. Wayne (McConnell) was an avid hunter, often travelling to the west and midwest to hunt big game. He was a Scott County resident and will be sorely missed by the entire McConnell clan as he was an intregal part of the annual family reunion that takes place every summer just north of Nickelsville. May he RIP.

I haven't been in the woods in years. I know it's dangerous this time of year. The closest I ever came to being shot while hunting was actually on the edge of a corn field hunting dove back when I was a teen. My buddy was on the other side of the field and jumped a flock. seconds after he fired his gun, the bird shot hit me as it was falling to the ground, so I guess you could say I have been shot, but it didn't penetrate.

Posted: November-21-2009 at 11:02am | IP Logged	Tweet

Thanks Robbie.

Officials determined this morning that it was a freak accident. He was killed by his own gun while navigating a barbed wire fence. He became entangled, and it was during this time his own firearm discharged, taking his life.

Although tragic, a tremendous lesson can be taken from this: never, ever go into the woods without a buddy. We'll never know, but this accident might have been avoided had he had a buddy with him.

Posted: November-21-2009 at 5:05pm | IP Logged	Tweet

Bug, we'll definitely keep the family in our prayers. It is times like this that we often ask ourself why this has happened? However, we must realize that God is in control of everything that we do and he has a reason for each and everything that comes our way. We may not understand it now, but someday we will. In the mean time we must lean on God for comfort and peace. It is my prayer that God would wrap his big arms around this family and give them peace and comfort in this hour of great sorrow. May the windows of heaven be open and God's blessings be poured out on each of the family members.

God Bless,

Kenny

Posted: November-22-2009 at 12:46am | IP Logged	Tweet

Hey Scott, I sure hate hearing this. What's wild is, two weeks ago one of my cousin's who lives in northern Georgia, he called me one Saturday night and told me his neighbor had died earlier that day ... by his own gun discharging after he became tangled in barbed wire while crossing the fence. I told Calvin I hadn't ever thought of a situation like that happening. And now your wife's cousin dies in the same tragic manner.

The bottom line is, it really is dangerous hunting ... and any type situation imaginable can occur. Everyone who enters the woods really needs to be extra careful. Heck, I've got friends who hunt and I've heard stuff they've told me about close calls they've had while hunting. A guy I grew up with, who was a heckuva good athlete and got a football scholarship to ETSU, he became a law enforcement person after graduating from college. He liked hunting, and a tragic accident when his treestand fell caused him to become paralyzed.

Posted: November-22-2009 at 9:41am | IP Logged	Tweet

Yep Woo-Woo, Wayne will be remembered as a cornerstone of the McConnell family. I had a feeling you might either know or be kin to him as well.

RW...I didn't know you grew up with Marvin. What a nice man he was. That happened on a Saturday morning if I recall correctly. I knew him but not well, but happened to be with a man that knew him well when he got the news late that Saturday morning.

Posted: November-23-2009 at 3:36pm | IP Logged	Tweet

His funeral was this evening. The viewing was at 4p...the line from the chapel was out the front door and all the way around the back when it opened. It stayed that way for the first 2 hours.

He'll be sorely missed. I won't share how it happened on a public forum, but i was relieved to discover he did not suffer out there.