Judge — November 2, 1901 — page 6: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This 1901 Judge cartoon depicts two men discussing a hunting accident. The title "Accidental" and dialogue suggest satirical commentary on careless hunting practices. One man (Crotty) claims he shot a deer in Maine and begins explaining; the other (Ethel) interrupts with a sardonic quip—implying the "accident" occurred because Crotty didn't realize his gun was loaded, a common excuse for negligent shooting. The humor mocks hunters' incompetence and irresponsibility, particularly the tendency to blame ignorance rather than admit carelessness. The illustration shows an elegantly dressed woman in a bedroom setting with hunting trophies and casual firearms, suggesting the absurdity of combining refined domestic spaces with dangerous, loaded weapons. This reflects turn-of-the-century concerns about amateur hunters endangering themselves and others through negligence.