Be alert folks it can happen to you ...
https://youtu.be/8A8aWRvece8
Yikes! Anyone know more of the details behind this? I can't for the life of me understand what the shooter was shooting at, was there a decoy out in front of the people that were shot at? Inexcusable, regardless
My old neighbor got shot turkey hunting, he had set up on A bird off the roost and it didn't like his jake decoy and worked off.
He grabbed his decoy up and looped around on the bird to re set up sticking the jake next to the tree he was set up on.
He re struck the Tom and had him working in pretty vocally, A neighbor slipped the fence line onto Herman's property and saw the decoy and took his shot.
He was hit in the right rib cage, shoulder and face. They flew him out and he was pretty bad off.
It was 35 yds with #5 shot. That thought goes with me in the woods every time I set up on A bird now.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-465w_gc1_Y
Last third of this video is an interview with hunters in video. They are a bit more gracious than the shooter deserves...so fortunate as it was a .243 he was shot with and hit calls in his vest. I see a turkey fan behind kid that was shot, not sure if that was in his vest and fell out...but my feelings on fanning is that it invites incidents, whether or not it played a part here.
Quote from: GobbleGitr on March 30, 2022, 08:53:46 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-465w_gc1_Y
Last third of this video is an interview with hunters in video. They are a bit more gracious than the shooter deserves...so fortunate as it was a .243 he was shot with and hit calls in his vest. I see a turkey fan behind kid that was shot, not sure if that was in his vest and fell out...but my feelings on fanning is that it invites incidents, whether or not it played a part here.
It was laying beside him on his right, to the left in the video.
Well, never ever think it can't happen to you. In 2009, I was shot by a crossbow while turkey hunting and it nearly cost me my life. I have told the story and discussed it plenty here, so I'm leaving it at that and just doubling up on Old Gobblers warning to be triple safety minded
Yep... My best friend in Anderson, SC caught a couple pellets in the leg on public land.
A Dad and his young son took a long shot at my buddies hen decoy.
It was the kids first time turkey hunting.
In 2009 I had my jake decoy shot at by a hunter on public land in Florida. Taught me to never use a Jake again on public land. I walked in a few miles to a narrow strip of land in a swamp. I was set up on the side next to the swamp. Guy came in from other direction a shorter walk I didn't know about. So never figure your alone on pubic or private. And besides at that time most people still had in there mines no shots over 40 yards. Now with TSS and people taking long shots, you may as feel everyone else is shooting rifles out there.
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Bad news there. Scary. He failed one of the 10 commandments of gun handling, Know your target and beyond.....
Friends of my mines son shot his brother turkey hunting, it was very bad as he was shot in the neck and face. He still has to go in every few years to make sure his lead count in his blood stream is not getting to high and also to make sure pellets they chose to leave in him have not moved. Worse part of that for me is I had not even been told about it until I was called to go pick them up at the hospital 60 miles away. Turned out the younger brother did not see very well at all, he has since gotten glasses and sees much better now. Took the little brother a few years but he finally returned to hunting.
Lost a friend who was shot by my cousin. Terrible tragedy all caused by mistaken identity.
Quote from: timberjack86 on March 31, 2022, 09:09:12 PM
Lost a friend who was shot by my cousin. Terrible tragedy all caused by mistaken identity.
Sorry for your loss.
Unfortunately, we see and hear these stories every year. Sometimes, it is people just frankly doing the wrong thing. Many times, however, it is new hunters that are involved in the incidents. Sometimes, they are just excited. Sometimes, they just don't know any better. Learning from our mistakes with a gun in hand can be a dangerous thing.
I was fortunate, I grew up duck and deer hunting with dad. It was irritating how he drove gun safety into my brain. As a kid, it seemed like the was always harping on my safety, where my gun was pointed, how to cross fences, what was around us etc... At the time, I didn't realize how important it was to make safety automatic when we hunt. As an adult, I appreciated this training and made it automatic for my kids and the people we took hunting.
For those doing things they know are wrong, we can't always fix stupid. As far as the newcomers, we want and need these new hunters if our hunting way of life is to survive. If you see a new hunter excited about the outdoors, take a moment and give them the mentoring that many of us were fortunate enough to have. It may temporarily interfere with your hunting plans but it will make hunting better and safer in the long run. Just one man's opinion.
Years ago I use to make a safety post on here. Shannon kept it as a sticky for a few seasons.
The message basically was:
If you think it can't happen to you...you are a danger to yourself.
If you think you could never shoot someone...you are a danger to others.
I happens, and not only to beginning hunters, very experienced hunters can and have shot someone else. Hard to imagine but absolutely it does happen.
Here is a friend of mine after he was shot by an experienced hunter...on private land. About 30 yards with hevi shot 5's if I remember right.
Quote from: Treerooster on April 01, 2022, 09:56:21 AM
Years ago I use to make a safety post on here. Shannon kept it as a sticky for a few seasons.
The message basically was:
If you think it can't happen to you...you are a danger to yourself.
If you think you could never shoot someone...you are a danger to others.
I happens, and not only to beginning hunters, very experienced hunters can and have shot someone else. Hard to imagine but absolutely it does happen.
Here is a friend of mine after he was shot by an experienced hunter...on private land. About 30 yards with hevi shot 5's if I remember right.
yes I remember those posts !
The reason I stickied that post is because it's incredibly similar same setup calling against a tree etc ,to how my my uncle Micheal Kelly was killed while fall turkey hunting with me , my father and my uncles fiancee ...The shooter in our case was a deer hunter who raised his shotgun loaded with slugs and fired at the sound of a turkey call .... Micheal was struck in the head and died immediately , he left behind two boys ..they are grown up men now ,with successful marriages and children of thier own ( one is even named Micheal Kelly in his honor)
The shooter was convinced of manslaughter in the state of Florida, he did avoid jail time due to my father's insistence than any Christian man with a 12 year old daughter should not be behind bars as that is not the right thing to do - It was a very emotional moment in the court , sometimes vengeance doesn't make things right , and the right thing to do isn't easy , in a way God has a reason for the things that happen, it sometimes will never be understandable to us even in our lifetime...but everything has is reason
I obviously.. continue to turkey hunt , it has been a personal struggled especially in the beginning, where when I would walk in the woods I felt like someone was pointing a gun at my head at all times ..I got over it , but never hunt without placing a decoy out in front of me for safety reasons
Be safe folks - it can happen to anyone of us
Shannon
My dad was using a hen decoy on public land in Florida 35 years ago, a guy shot his decoy with a scoped pistol, perfect shot, thankfully pops wasn't in line with the bullet. 2 years ago I was snuck up on by an adult & child (public land), both had turkey fans waving in front of their faces while approaching my hen calling.....I just yelled out to them and talked about the dangerous situation, the uncle/adult agreed and apologized, but scary none the less.
Quote from: Old Gobbler on April 01, 2022, 10:42:19 AM
Quote from: Treerooster on April 01, 2022, 09:56:21 AM
Years ago I use to make a safety post on here. Shannon kept it as a sticky for a few seasons.
The message basically was:
If you think it can't happen to you...you are a danger to yourself.
If you think you could never shoot someone...you are a danger to others.
I happens, and not only to beginning hunters, very experienced hunters can and have shot someone else. Hard to imagine but absolutely it does happen.
Here is a friend of mine after he was shot by an experienced hunter...on private land. About 30 yards with hevi shot 5's if I remember right.
yes I remember those posts !
The reason I stickied that post is because it's incredibly similar same setup calling against a tree etc ,to how my my uncle Micheal Kelly was killed while fall turkey hunting with me , my father and my uncles fiancee ...The shooter in our case was a deer hunter who raised his shotgun loaded with slugs and fired at the sound of a turkey call .... Micheal was struck in the head and died immediately , he left behind two boys ..they are grown up men now ,with successful marriages and children of thier own ( one is even named Micheal Kelly in his honor)
The shooter was convinced of manslaughter in the state of Florida, he did avoid jail time due to my father's insistence than any Christian man with a 12 year old daughter should not be behind bars as that is not the right thing to do - It was a very emotional moment in the court , sometimes vengeance doesn't make things right , and the right thing to do isn't easy , in a way God has a reason for the things that happen, it sometimes will never be understandable to us even in our lifetime...but everything has is reason
I obviously.. continue to turkey hunt , it has been a personal struggled especially in the beginning, where when I would walk in the woods I felt like someone was pointing a gun at my head at all times ..I got over it , but never hunt without placing a decoy out in front of me for safety reasons
Be safe folks - it can happen to anyone of us
Shannon
Pretty sad story Shannon.
I remember getting the call that my friend was shot while driving to turkey hunt in SD. It shook me to the core because I was the one who taught him how to turkey hunt. Had some guilt feelings there.
The affects of a shooting incident goes far beyond the people immediately involved. It affects so many lives.
Oh boy, Deep breath here! I been reading this thread and I'm telling you the emotions are stirring up pretty deep. I may have to stop reading it or I'm going to break. I say this to help relay the aftermath of a shooting and what it does to destroy normal life. I have never been diagnosed, but I am certain I suffer from at least some form of PTSD and it will never go away. I hunt, but almost exclusively closed private ground, but some public. If I hear a call or see someone close to me, I am gone in a heart beat. I don't care if there are strutting long beards 40 yards and coming fast, I can't stand it if I hear someone call to them....I'm gone. One near death experience in my life is enough. The feeling of laying on the ground and knowing this is probably your last moments of life is absolutely horrid. You think about your kids and what they'll grow up to be and that you'll never walk your daughter down the Isle or see any grandchildren. You will wonder how your wife will survive and regret you never kissed her goodbye or said "I love you" one last time. Along with that despair is months of pain and healing and just the fight to stay alive.
My wife's uncle shot me and he was totally devastated. He felt like he owed me a debt the rest of his life and had to do some form of penitence. He would come over and visit me and just sit and cry and beg forgiveness. I had to tell him to accept my forgiveness and move on or go away and not come back. One poor decision ruins many lives....SO THINK BEFORE YOU PULL THAT TRIGGER
If you think it can not happen to you you are wrong. Many years ago I was hunting on private land, I had driven around the property to make sure no one else was there. I had a hot gobbler about 125 yard in front of me that acted like he was coming straight in. On top of the next ridge about 80 yards away I see a dark triangle shaped form sticking out from behind a tree that I interpreted to be a turkeys tail. The next thing I see is a flash of white on the other side of the tree. Even though what I thought was a gobbler was 80 yards away I put my gun up. My mind was convinced that I was looking at a gobbler. Then a older guy stands up with white hair sticking out behind a face mask. I was immediately sick to my stomach and thought I was going to puke. In those few minutes I realized how someone could mistake a human for game and I was sick. The other guy was trespassing on the property and had no business there but in my mind I had been sure he was a gobbler. I have never felt the same while hunting since and I am now 68 years old, I was in my early thirty's then.
A number of years ago here in Minnesota guy left his 8 year old boy in the car in order to pursue a turkey he saw in a field. He was trespassing, didn't have a turkey license, and had drugs in his system. The boy didn't stay in the car and his dad shot and killed him. Very tragic for the boy and his family.
One needs to be worried enough about accidents from those that have brains and don't break the rules. I'm far more scared of those that have no brains or regard for rules and safety.
Quote from: Old Gobbler on April 01, 2022, 10:42:19 AM
Quote from: Treerooster on April 01, 2022, 09:56:21 AM
Years ago I use to make a safety post on here. Shannon kept it as a sticky for a few seasons.
The message basically was:
If you think it can't happen to you...you are a danger to yourself.
If you think you could never shoot someone...you are a danger to others.
I happens, and not only to beginning hunters, very experienced hunters can and have shot someone else. Hard to imagine but absolutely it does happen.
Here is a friend of mine after he was shot by an experienced hunter...on private land. About 30 yards with hevi shot 5's if I remember right.
yes I remember those posts !
The reason I stickied that post is because it's incredibly similar same setup calling against a tree etc ,to how my my uncle Micheal Kelly was killed while fall turkey hunting with me , my father and my uncles fiancee ...The shooter in our case was a deer hunter who raised his shotgun loaded with slugs and fired at the sound of a turkey call .... Micheal was struck in the head and died immediately , he left behind two boys ..they are grown up men now ,with successful marriages and children of thier own ( one is even named Micheal Kelly in his honor)
The shooter was convinced of manslaughter in the state of Florida, he did avoid jail time due to my father's insistence than any Christian man with a 12 year old daughter should not be behind bars as that is not the right thing to do - It was a very emotional moment in the court , sometimes vengeance doesn't make things right , and the right thing to do isn't easy , in a way God has a reason for the things that happen, it sometimes will never be understandable to us even in our lifetime...but everything has is reason
I obviously.. continue to turkey hunt , it has been a personal struggled especially in the beginning, where when I would walk in the woods I felt like someone was pointing a gun at my head at all times ..I got over it , but never hunt without placing a decoy out in front of me for safety reasons
What do you mean when you say that you never hunt without placing a decoy in front of you for safety reasons? I often don't use decoys on heavily hunted areas as I am concerned someone will shoot at them (and unintentionally shoot towards me).
Thanks!
Be safe folks - it can happen to anyone of us
Shannon
A friend of mine who was 6`3" was shot in the face carrying a tom he got over his shoulder. The offender who fled the scene was a well know business man from town. The doctor picked a lot of shot out of his face. He survived the incident but now is deceased from natural causes. He was a fine gentleman and sportsman.
What do you mean when you say that you never hunt without placing a decoy in front of you for safety reasons? I often don't use decoys on heavily hunted areas as I am concerned someone will shoot at them (and unintentionally shoot towards me).
Quote from: BDeal on April 04, 2022, 03:17:38 PM
What do you mean when you say that you never hunt without placing a decoy in front of you for safety reasons? I often don't use decoys on heavily hunted areas as I am concerned someone will shoot at them (and unintentionally shoot towards me).
Exactly ....if someone is getting shot it's going to be the decoy ....also decoys are so common if someone walked up to you location, they are more likely to identify the the decoy...as a decoy, and leave your spot , remember most people don't wish to be shot themselves...so they will avoid you if they know your there
Will some fool walk up and.shoot your decoy , yes a absolute idiot will do that
Is there a chance you will get sprayed by shot or rifle bullet?..it's a possibility , but you can negate those odds by placing the decoy behind a tree or Infront of something that they cannot line up with you
I have several more stomach turning stories of hunters being shot in Florida, it can happen
These posts blow my mind! I can't for the life of me figure out how anyone shoots anyone else thinking they're an animal or bird.
Quote from: Tom007 on March 31, 2022, 09:52:56 AM
Bad news there. Scary. He failed one of the 10 commandments of gun handling, Know your target and beyond.....
When I took hunter safety ed they taught us never to wear red, blue or white while turkey hunting. Guys now wear a turkey on their head that's dang near life like or hide behind a fan lol. Can't make this stuff up. As a whole, humans have gotten dumber with more technology
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Quote from: turkey_slayer on April 06, 2022, 02:41:32 PM
Quote from: Tom007 on March 31, 2022, 09:52:56 AM
Bad news there. Scary. He failed one of the 10 commandments of gun handling, Know your target and beyond.....
When I took hunter safety ed they taught us never to wear red, blue or white while turkey hunting. Guys now wear a turkey on their head that's dang near life like or hide behind a fan lol. Can't make this stuff up. As a whole, humans have gotten dumber with more technology
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Isn't that the absolute truth!!!
Well...I've been at this game longer than most reading this post and I can tell you...don't think your mind can't fool you. A number of years ago...fall hunting...I heard a "hen" down below me. She was walking along answering my calls. I was sure it was a turkey. I got a glimpse of her about 80 yards down the hill.... and still identified it as a turkey. As she progressed I finally saw it was another hunter...I shuddered at the fact that I was mistaken. So...when it's said to identify your game...REALLY identify your game. Your mind can play tricks on you.
Several years ago I was hunting with two others and we were set up on a ridge top about 25 to 30 yards apart, I was sitting the farthest down the ridge with two to my right. We had sat there and hour or so. I noticed something moving in the brush to my left. I turned slightly and something was moving through the brush toward me. I was sure it was a turkey. I focused even harder on the movement and then realized it was one of the hunters, He had stood up, unnoticed by me, and circled behind me to my left side. So to mistake a target is very possible. Fortunately. that early hunters safety mantra of know your target came into play.
Many hunters see what they hope to see, even when it should be ovbious that they are not seeing what they hoped for.
Quote from: silvestris on April 09, 2022, 03:31:56 PM
Many hunters see what they hope to see, even when it should be ovbious that they are not seeing what they hoped for.
I can't tell you how many stump deer I have seen in the early morning light.
I could add a few rocks that looked like gobblers in strut
Just MY opinion, but under NO circumstances WHAT SO EVER would I EVER use a Jake or Tom decoy on public land.
Again MY opinion but with how ridiculously life like decoys are being made today, to use a Tom or Jake decoy on public land is asking to get shot.
Watched a guy shoot cans of tuna at 70 yards with WLBXR 20z #5 shot and 8 pellets pernitrated one side of the lid of the can and badly dented to bottom of the can, so #5 shot can sure as **** due you some serious dirt at beyond 100 yards for sure. Anything under 60 yards and your in VERY serious trouble.
I make a point to put in for areas with very limited draw numbers to minimize my chances of encountering other hunters.
I've taking a Blaze Orange Ball Cap with me.
I keep it in my pocket or satchel and when I see another hunter, out it comes.
I'll even wave it if necessary.
Probably cost me some turkeys, but I feel better.
Quote from: HFultzjr on April 19, 2022, 05:54:46 PM
I've taking a Blaze Orange Ball Cap with me.
I keep it in my pocket or satchel and when I see another hunter, out it comes.
I'll even wave it if necessary.
Probably cost me some turkeys, but I feel better.
I do the same. I also feel using any decoy increases the risk of an accident.
Quote from: BDeal on April 20, 2022, 02:30:55 PM
Quote from: HFultzjr on April 19, 2022, 05:54:46 PM
I've taking a Blaze Orange Ball Cap with me.
I keep it in my pocket or satchel and when I see another hunter, out it comes.
I'll even wave it if necessary.
Probably cost me some turkeys, but I feel better.
I do the same. I also feel using any decoy increases the risk of an accident.
x3 when I have hunted public land.
Nothing like a 22 mag to the buttcheek to kick off turkey season
It's ironic that I see this post now as I just recently had a wake up call in regards to this very subject. I've always been the type that never understood how someone could shoot another hunter in mistake for a turkey. I've always been 100% sure what I was shooting was in fact a bird for the last 25 years but 4 days ago I realized how it could happen.
My wife and I set up on a hot bird at daylight on some moderately pressured public land and, as usual, he had hens that proceeded to march away from us after fly down. When the flock went over a steep ridge several hundred yards from us, we hustled over and paused just below the crest. I cutt on a call and the bird nearly knocked us down with a gobble from about 100 yards straight down the spine of the ridge. We eased up on the spine with him, I sat my wife (shooter) down, told her to to get her gun on her knee, ready to shoot the ridge top, and set up just behind her. After about 3-4 minutes, I caught movement about 60 yards down the ridge slightly off the spine. It was fairly thick and all I got was a glimpse but I could tell something dark with a lighter splash of color on its back was moving towards us. I thought what I was seeing was a turkey body with the light spot being the wings folded on his back. I told my wife, "get ready, I see a turkey coming but I'm not sure if it's a hen or the gobbler". About a minute later, I see more movement through thick brush at about 50 yards and I can tell something isn't right. Whatever is moving towards us isn't moving like a turkey. When it goes behind some brush I feel it can't see me through, I ease the binos to my eyes and focus on the object. When I get it dialed in, I see a man wearing full camo with a faded butt pad, almost cream color, strapped to his back (the light spot I thought was a wing) crawling towards us. My heart hit my throat. I immediately told my wife it was a man, don't shoot, but also, don't move.
Now, why this guy was crawling towards the hen yelp instead of the gobble, I don't know but I knew we had a dangerous situation on our hands. I abandoned any thought of killing the turkey and instead just wanted to get out of this without any shots fired from either party. He was obliviously close enough that I was afraid to move so I whistled just as loud as I could. He froze. I whistled again and he started back peddling. As soon as he disappeared I put a large tree butt between him and us, put my wife in front of me, and got out of there as quickly as possible.
As I said earlier, I've never fully understood how someone could shoot another hunter but that morning was a wakeup call. While I don't believe my wife would have shot the guy (she wouldn't pull the trigger on just movement or color), she still had a shotgun loaded with TSS, safety off, pointed in his direction just waiting on a gobbler to appear that I told her was coming. It may cost me a turkey or two, but we will be a little slower to knock the safety off in the future and a blaze orange cap will be added to my vest just in case I find myself in that situation again.
Question...
This dude was shot with a. 243? That's a legal hunting round for turkey? That would leave me to assume the rifle had a scope on it. Also the blind was setup behind a fence, looks to be about 70so yards back.. Field of view would be pretty good at that range. So much doesn't add up here. I guess I can't rationalize stupidity
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Quote from: HFultzjr on April 19, 2022, 05:54:46 PM
I've taking a Blaze Orange Ball Cap with me.
I keep it in my pocket or satchel and when I see another hunter, out it comes.
I do the same thing, and I also wear it when I'm walking in and out of my setup spot in the woods...
With the tactics that people are using now, and when you factor in the increased hunting pressure compared to what it used to be, it's inevitable that this will happen more and more often as long as they continue to allow these new methods of Spring Turkey Hunting. It's natural selection to a point especially when you have guys with a gobbler on their face crawling/walking on public land and other hunters out there with their 222, 223, or worse 243.
Never wear the colors red, white, blue while turkey hunting, but hey Jake Decoys, go for it, Full Strut life like gobbler decoys, reaping, sure why not, put a gobbler on your face/head, sure go for it...