Missouri Joe from O'Fallon, MO on 5/30/2006 4:23:32 PM:
All good questions but the shooter may or may not have been discharging their firearm in a legal manner depending on where they were. Land owners like the farmers adjacent to the trail may be perfectly in their rights to shoot varmints or engage in sport shooting. There is a gun club on the opposite side of the KT and Rt. 94 near Matson so shooting is frequently heard. Nothing to worry about. You also don't mention what kind of firearm was being used, rifle bullets can ricochet and travel great distances and would cause more concern. If people were hunting with .22 rifles (squirrels?) near the KT that might a problem but if shotguns, the pellets don't travel too far. All in all, with the trail going through rural MO I wouldn't be too alarmed. That said, someone firing on the trail or firing across the trail is not a good thing and is probably not legal. Wearing bright colored clothes might also help people seeing you, especially during deer season. I have seen 20 gauge shotgun shells near Weldon Spring but that abuts Busch Wildlife where hunting is allowed. I hope this helps a little.