Getting shot while turkey hunting

[gergg]

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.

[Treerooster]

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.

[eggshell]

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

[WAGinVA]

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.

[Timmer]

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. 

[BDeal]

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

[Old Timer]

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. 

[BDeal]

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).

[Old Gobbler]

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

[dublelung]

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.

[turkey_slayer]

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

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[BDeal]

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

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

Isn't that the absolute truth!!!

[Turkeyman]

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.

[NCL]

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.

[silvestris]

Many hunters see what they hope to see, even when it should be ovbious that they are not seeing what they hoped for.