7 yr old shot while turkey hunting

[strum]

Another 7 yr old shot tday in WV
https://www.whsv.com/content/news/7-year-old-boy-recovering-after-being-shot-in-hunting-accident-in-West-Virginia-570094481.html

How in the &%$*^%%$ do you mistake movement for a turkey and shoot!!! 
This drive me insane!! If I see movement I dont just shoot. I figure out what that movement is . And even if it is a turkey I dont go blasting away not knowing if its a hen,jake or gobbler.  And ..oh yeah we suppose to shoot em in the head/neck area. That takes identification and positive aim.

[sswv]

there is no excuse for this what so ever.  I hunt the Camp Creek area of Mercer County, WV and have ran across some doozies but to shoot anyone, much less a child, totally uncalled for, absolutely no excuse. Take their hunting rights for life along with all firearms plus jail time and a hefty fine. And if that's not enough, pay all medical expenses for the victim. I am friends with the DNR officer that patrols that area so I'll hear the results later on.

[guesswho]

I don't get it.   Need to implement some harsh punishments for the responsible culprits.

[RutnNStrutn]

Maybe it is a reason to ban all decoys including fans and for parents to not include young kids in a big boys sport.  Squirrels and rabbits were created for a reason.

That's a tough call. Statisically hunting is safe. I would prefer that the perp pay a higher penalty then is customary. I know many parents get a great thrill teaching their children to hunt and hopefully the right way. In fact I beleive there is less violence hunting then on the baseball field (other than pulling the trigger).

Absolutely!! Come down on the people responsible, not the people who have nothing to do with it. That's like blaming law abiding gun owners for gun violence. The vast majority of gun violence is in the big cities, yet politicians want to ban gun ownership for all Americans. Address the problem, don't punish innocent people who had nothing to do with it.
The moron who shot the kid needs to go to prison, and have his gun rights and hunting rights revoked for life.

Sent from deep in the woods where the critters roam.

[MDSTRUTNRUT]

AGAIN JUST UNBELIEVABLE   WHO TEACHES THESES PEOPLE TO HUNT  SAD

[fallhnt]

A young boy was shot and killed May 1st too?

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[1iagobblergetter]

Hunt mostly central Fl and have two rules.  One is no gobbler decoys on public land.  Two is that we decided to do no fanning anywhere.  Even on the tightly controlled private lands we hunt our cameras pick up the occasional unknown trespasser and FL still allows rifles for turkeys on private land.  Crawling behind a waving fan seems like a kamikaze approach to turkey hunting.  Don't need it.

Mines #1 If I ain't dead and I'm able I'm going to shoot back in the name of self defense..

[oakraidia]

Another 7 yr old shot tday in WV
https://www.whsv.com/content/news/7-year-old-boy-recovering-after-being-shot-in-hunting-accident-in-West-Virginia-570094481.html

How in the &%$*^%%$ do you mistake movement for a turkey and shoot!!! 
This drive me insane!! If I see movement I dont just shoot. I figure out what that movement is . And even if it is a turkey I dont go blasting away not knowing if its a hen,jake or gobbler.  And ..oh yeah we suppose to shoot em in the head/neck area. That takes identification and positive aim.

Agreed. I won't even point my barrel in the direction of movement until I positively identify the target. I've only had other hunters come into my setup once and I'm glad I hold myself to that rule, otherwise I would've been pointing my barrel at a couple of teenagers.

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[bear hunter]

prayers for this young man. I had a friend get shot years ago twice with a bow. Two different men shot him at the same time because they saw movement in the brush once in leg and once in arm. He almost bled to death before he got to hospital. The men were charged but the judge said its not a crime to be stupid.

[Bowguy]

Really irritating

[Bowguy]

I don't get it.   Need to implement some harsh punishments for the responsible culprits.

Shouldn't this culprit be personally liable?? He was def reckless and caused unnecessary injury. Hang em.

[Bowguy]

Maybe it is a reason to ban all decoys including fans and for parents to not include young kids in a big boys sport.  Squirrels and rabbits were created for a reason.

Not sure how old you are but say it was an 21 year old child of yours or a 65 year old son of yours who has his own kids. Is that ok? I bet it'd still not feel great no matter how old the "child" to someone. This should never happen.

[silvestris]

/quote]

The shooter is always subject to a civil lawsuit.

[eggshell]

/quote]

The shooter is always subject to a civil lawsuit.

That is true you can bring a lawsuit, but if the defendant doesn't have big insurance and doesn't have a large financial profile, no lawyer will take it. if they do, you will pay them more than you get. In many, if not most cases you are stuck with swallowing hard, paying the bill and forgiving the shooter and moving on. The forgiving is as much for your healing as anything, but it's also what a Christian does. Believe me when your the victim of a hunting incident you are in for a lot more pain and suffering then just the wound from the shot. Your looking at loss work time, healing and rehab, emotional stress, Financial fights, legal proceedings, ridicule (yes you will be questioned about could you be at fault ) and more. I am not speculating, I know all this as a fact. Most of you know why.

[Marc]

I am not a "fan" of reaping....  But reaping and decoys should be made illegal due to "fair chase," if such practices are to be made illegal.

I am NOT a fan of trying to regulate society into safety...  Such regulation is a great reason/excuse to regulate gun ownership...

If we ban everything that has the potential to end in death or injury due to the involvement of stupidity, most everything I do would likely be made illegal....

Stories such as this make me equal parts angry and sad...  Thoughts and prayers to the boy and family...

While there is never an excuse for accidently shooting someone...  We do not know the circumstances of the shooting.  Maybe they had the boy pushing around a realistic decoy & fan for all we know....   Maybe someone "snuck" the decoys, and took a shot. 

Either way, unless there is a really good excuse for the shooter, I would be in favor of very strict penalties (as to licensing) for such shootings.

I have certainly been fooled (briefly) by decoys before.  I have bumped birds I thought were further than they were (the woods can make sound deceiving)...  Put that combination together with someone either pushing or sitting behind a realistic decoy, and there will unfortunately be some accidents...  Add to that people trying to "sneak" birds, throw in a pinch of stupid, and it is amazing we do not see more accidents.