How'd you or a friend get shot while turkey hunting?

[idgobble]

On another topic someone mentioned getting shot while turkey hunting. Ever happen to you or friends? How could you have avoided it and what do you do to avoid it now? Funny story-- I knew a game warden who was Spring turkey hunting on his day off and a guy snuck up on him and shot his hen decoy!

[Fieldturkey]

My wife's uncle got shot on private land by poachers. They thought he was turkey

[Sir-diealot]

Got shot at once, not hunting related.

Have had 2 friends shot when hunting. Odd thing is all 4 involved in 2 separate instances are related. First one was when somebody was unloading and second not identifying his target and he shot and nearly killed his brother who took him out that day on his first turkey hunt. It was discovered later that the younger of the two that were turkey hunting needed glasses quite badly. The first one were their uncles and one shot the other when unloading the firearm.

[Spitten and drummen]

Several years back I had a hen decoy shot. Pellets flew through the trees by me. I immediately followed up with a shot , not toward the guy but into a tree a few feet away from me to my hard left. It did get his attention.

[Southerngobbler]

I've had at least three different hunters point their guns at my decoys over the years but no one ever fired. I'm getting where if I even use a decoy at all it a funky chicken-no one want to shoot one of those.

[zelmo1]

Never been shot or shot at turkey hunting. I have taken pellets in the face pheasant hunting on public land. 3 times hunters snuck on my turkey decoys, no shots. Plenty of yelling and or whistling

[eggshell]

I brought this up on another thread that it happened to me. I would love to tell a full account, but there are aspects of the accident that I have sworn to not tell as part of an agreement. So all I can tell without legal ramifications is I was fall hunting and moving on a flock when another hunter accidentally shot me with a crossbow through the upper thigh. The mechanical broad head cut 1 1/2 inch path through my thigh, but missed the femoral artery by a couple milometers as it rotated around it. Every major muscle in the back of my thigh was cut along with a major vein. Blood poured from this wound like water from a bottle. I knew I had minutes to stop the bleeding and packed the wound with my gloves and used my belt as a tourniquet. My buddy and I had gone in by John boat and was a mile from my truck. He came to me and went to get the boat. I managed to hobble to a point for him to pick me up. We decided there was not time to wait for EMS rescue and he drove me the 17 miles to a hospital. Once there I was given transfusions and life flighted to a major trauma center. There surgeons treated me and I began a recovery that lasted many months. In the process I suffered damage to both my heart and lungs that compromise me to this day. All I can say is this all happened because someone wasn't paying attention to details and being sure of what they were doing. I truly hope this never happens to any of you.

When I worked for DNR I had two different accidents happen I was able to know the circumstance of because my office was used as a work center for law officers. One was a brother shot and killed his brother. He had heard a turkey calling and snuck up to the bench. He saw movement that he thought was the gobbler and shot. The movement was his brother swatting a mosquito. He took the full load in his temple. Killing him instantly. The shooter became a mental patient and spent much of his life in legal fights and therapy. The other was actually a wildlife employee walking a forest road and someone saw movement and shot. He lost an eye.

All three were senseless and someone paid a big price. I have forgiven my shooter and moved on. For years I couldn't hunt around other people and would get so scared I'd just leave the woods. Still if I hear a call I keep my distance. I finally learned to enjoy turkey hunting again, but it was tough. I am grateful to friends who got me back in the game. One came and got me two weeks after I got home and a landowner friend told us he had birds in his pasture. My buddy drove me to a dozer pile and sat me on a log and took his turkey dog and busted the flock and a long beard came by me and I shot it. That was the first step. If he hadn't done that I may have quit forever. That was 10 years ago and I still contemplate on it. What it did do for me is help me enjoy the hunt just for the hunt experience and the joy of good friends sharing time afield. When I read sir-dealalot's hunt story the other day I confess I cried, because I understand how monumental that one bird was to him after all he'd been through.

Dear brothers, sisters, young and old; above all things be aware practice safe hunting, identify your target. Don't get so hung up on numbers, trophys and methods that may cause poor decisions. When it's all said and done it's the experience that matters, when you pull the trigger it's mostly over. I praise God that he gave me more days on this earth and I have cherished them all. For without his hand I would now be in his arms. 

[Spitten and drummen]

Holy cow eggshell. Thats terrible. Im glad you made it through that.

[donjuan]

It is so terrible to read these stories

[yelpy]

The only time I've been shot at is during a deer drive. Happened twice and I wont be involved with another drive and I avoid any and every drive that I see going to take place.



Sent from my SM-J727VPP using Tapatalk

[idgobble]

It is so terrible to read these stories

I agree. It's enough to make you be sure to tell everyone about safe, responsible hunting every chance you get. Maybe someday it will prevent an accidental shooting. Actually, I wouldn't call lots of shootings "accidental". The shooter saw something move and didn't identify it. That's not an accident, that's pure negligence.

[zelmo1]

Thank god you are alive eggshell. This is why I am on the defensive in the field.

[snapper1982]

Thank god you are alive eggshell. This is why I am on the defensive in the field.

this is exactly why i get defensive when others crowd in on me. i do not want shot nor do i want to shoot a bird and hit someone.

[Ozarks Hillbilly]

Eggshell, being a member of OG for several years I have read your account of being shot a few times. It always reminds me of how quickly our lives can be changed forever! I personally have never had a close call while turkey hunting. I've had a few birds shot out from under me over the years and that is always a little unsettling. Had a pastor that was a avid and passionate turkey hunter that was mistakenly shot and killed while spring turkey hunting several years ago. My home state of Missouri for several years used to require a "Be Safe" sticker be placed on your gun that is visible while sighting down the barrel. The state has since repealed that law a few years ago. I always thought that was a good reminder before pulling the trigger.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

[eggshell]

ozarks, I wonder sometimes if I should stop telling it, but if it saves one person from a horrible accident i'll tell it a thousand times. I try to bring it up a few times every season just to make people think. I hope it's received well and everyone knows my intentions are to prevent future injuries

A picture is worth a thousand words. Here are two taken 5 days after I came home.

these pictures only show the entrance wound, you all know what a broad head does coming out. The exit side was not pretty.