With hunting season occurring during the fall sports season, safety can be a concern for the cross country runners and the fitness walking classes. Members of cross country often run through Busch Wildlife for practice. Potential dangers include hunters mistaking runners as their animal targets.

“I do stress to the kids to stay on the main roads, and most of the hunters are pretty accommodating of us,” Coach Nate Tower said.

“I don’t think the odds [of being shot by a hunter] are large because we run on the main roads and in groups, so it would be hard for hunters to not see us, it wouldn’t be like shooting at an animal,” sophomore Taylor Nelson said.

Safety is always a concern.

“We haven’t had any problems regarding hunters during the actual cross country season. It has been an issue a few times during winter running after the cross country season is over,” Tower said.

Runners have experienced hunters.

“We have seen hunters and heard gun shots before. We are afraid they are going to shoot at us and we kind of joke about it, but I guess deep down we are worried they will shoot us,” Nelson said.

Those who hunt in Busch Wildlife don’t see it as an issue.

“I’ve never seen someone running while I was hunting. That would be odd,” sophomore Tony Spinelli said.

No records were found of any accidents ever happening between runners and hunters in Busch Wildlife.