Why do we allow this to continue?

[deathfoot]

What about States that allow rifles for turkey hunting?  That 22-250, 220 Swift, 223 or 243 isn't stopping when and if it hits a turkey.  And I sure don't want to be at ground level when someone turns a 3500 fps missile loose in my direction.  A shotgun blast is bad enough!

[Spurs Up]

Many more people doe each day on the way to work, should we stop people from driving?


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Sheer size fallacy...

[WV Flopper]

 Sad to hear.

[Zobo]

Yes it's an accident that ended with loss of life... A big tragedy for all the families and the person who pulled the trigger and took the person's life...  Prayers ...

Yes for sure, and on this most holiest of weekends, on this solemn eve, my love and prayers are with both families, in this terrible time. Sending many heartfelt prayers.

[eggshell]

Many of you know I can speak to this from a perspective that no one posting can.... My first and foremost thoughts are not of idiocy, irresponsible law makers or fault. My soul is deeply troubled and my spirit saddened to the point I can almost cry. I know this pain all too well from both sides. My thoughts are to two devastated families and communities. The word I use is Tragedy, period.

My first logical assumption is the shooter is at fault, as the shooter bears the responsibility of determining if a shot is safe, true and directed at an authentic target. Target identification and certainty is priority no1, there is no valid defense for shooting a target that has not been positively identified. Sure a hunter behind a fan is convincing at first glance, but if the time is taken to watch it closely and determine a proper shot, I can not conceive how a hunter behind a fan passes as a live gobbler. A live gobbler properly observed is unmistakable as a live bird in how they move. The stupidity of the hunter may be a factor but the fault lies solely with the shooter. The shooter's life will forever change, but the victim is dead and only Jesus can fix dead. In a non fatal shooting the victim will suffer for years, eventually the shooter moves on in life, but those wounds never go away, both physical and emotionally. I do not advocate for more laws, but the more we speak to safety and insist on it the more tragedies we avoid. On every hunt talk about safety and insist on it. We can not legislate away stupid, but we can fix ignorance. This is a good discussion though as it makes us more aware. I am going to go take a shower now and when I wash over those 14 year old scars, my heart will think of this hunter and I will feel ill, remembering the everlasting pain of a hunting accident...

[TrackeySauresRex]

Prayers to the families for strength and healing in this tragic time.

[Wigsplitter]

Prayers for both sides— be extra careful out there guys !!

[Sungrazer]

Common sense is not a flower that grows in everyone's garden.
You are witnessing Mother Nature at work - real time.

[Gooserbat]

Yeah more laws are what we need instead of common sense. 

[Marc]

Yeah more laws are what we need instead of common sense.

Many laws and regulations are created for people that lack common sense unfortunately...

[zelmo1]

Prayers go out to all involved. Right or wrong one of our brothers is dead and many lives have been shattered. I have also been the victim of a hunting accident, only 3 pellets in my beautiful face, and it was pheasant hunting. But the message is clear here. Be sure of your target and never even take your safe off unless you are 100% sure of your target and background' I have a friend who actually killed a 16 year old boy while deer hunting. Young man was in camo playing laser tag in the woods. Deer was killed cleanly and legally. The unfortunate young man was laying on the ground hiding approximately 85 yards away. 100% accident and still many lives shattered. My friend went to jail for 3 years, responsibility of your actions, and was never the same. It only takes a second to ruin lives. Please try to be patient and safe. God Bless you al. Z

[eggshell]

here's my story I wrote in my most memorable hunts thread, for my perspective.

Read, You can't keep an old turkey hunter out of the woods

http://oldgobbler.com/Forum/index.php/topic,100082.0.html

[PalmettoRon]

I don't see anything at this point that indicates fanning or reaping was involved in this fatality. However, as has already been mentioned, that practice is already illegal on public land in SC. That has been true since 2020.

I live in SC and hunt almost exclusively on private land, but would not consider fanning as I've had poachers come in on me multiple times. I don't use decoys often, but when I do, I'm very careful where I sit and where I place them.

This is a senseless tragedy.

[Sir-diealot]

There are no hunting accidents, only hunting incidents.

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[El Pavo Grande]

It's a tragedy all the way around! Here's my response. I tought Hunter Education for Shotgun, Muzzleloader/Rifle, and Archery for over 15 years. The shooter violated one of the 10 Commandments of Safe Gun Handling, "Know your target, and beyond". Simple, he violated this and it resulted in a tragedy. This is a sad, unfortunate tragedy that sure could have been avoided. Prayers to all those involved. Be safe, be well.......

I think we need to be educating on the dangers of reaping / fanning.  Think about it, many of these have been modified with real fan, real wings.... They look very real.  At some point, I think much of the fault has to lie with the one crawling around behind a gobbler decoy.   How stupid!!  How hypocritical for states to require hunter safety courses, with one of the pillars of safety being..... don't identify yourself as the game being hunted.  It's contradictory.   How do we educate of such and then allow it to be legal, public or private.  Safety doesn't stop at the property line.  I'm not excusing the one that pulls the trigger, but it sure is hard for me place the majority of the blame on them. The reaper in that situation should have some accountability in that circumstance.