Make sure what you are shooting at is a turkey

[bearpaw]

Think about this potential scenario:

A hunter comes around a corner in a trail and sees a strutting gobbler on the edge of an opening 35 yards away. The hunter may be walking to an area he plans to hunt and not really even hunting yet, but he sees this strutting tom, he can't see the hunter who is hiding right behind the decoy, the decoy has a real turkey fan and it looks like a real bird, he pulls up and shoots, the hunter who was peeking through the tail feathers gets hit bad, so bad that he might even lose his vision.

Who is at fault?

[h20hunter]

Like it or not, the shooter.  I understand the rush to make a shot, regardless,  you shot the other hunter.

[Mfowl]

Like it or not, the shooter.  I understand the rush to make a shot, regardless,  you shot the other hunter.

I understand in the eyes of hunter ethics its the shooters responsibility to be certain of their target before shooting. But in a courtroom a savey attorney could blur the lines and paint a picture of negligence on the "victim" in Bearpaw's example. If you and your buddy put on an elk costume and run around the woods during rifle season you are creating an opportunity to get yourself hurt. There is accountability on both sides.

[bearpaw]

I would blame the hunter who got shot. If that hunter was out of sight and hiding behind a decoy that truly looked like a live bird, I don't think a hunter who shot what appeared to be a legal bird should be held responsible for the idiocy of the hunter who set up the situation for the mistake to occur. If a decoy that a hunter is wearing or hiding behind is realistic looking and there is no reason for another hunter to know it a decoy and not a legal bird/animal, I seriously don't see how the hunter who shoots should be responsible! On public land I seriously don't know how any hunter could not think a scenario like this is possible. Seems sort of like nature would be taking it's course?   

I don't agree with shooting without knowing your target and causing a hunting accident, all hunters must be responsible to recognize their target, but some hunters are using mounted turkeys for decoys, some have realistic looking plastic bodies with real fans, and the guys on "Be the Decoy" are wearing shirts colored like animal fur with plastic animal heads on their head with horns!

[h20hunter]

Oh....i would BLAME the dummy putting his mug behind a fan.....I believe the fault is that of the shooter!

🦃💥🙈

[bearpaw]

With decoys becoming so real looking and with hunters using these dangerous techniques I think all hunters really need to assess the potential for accidents more carefully. 

[hunter399]

 

[BOWHUNTER45]

With decoys becoming so real looking and with hunters using these dangerous techniques I think all hunters really need to assess the potential for accidents more carefully. 
[/quote ) What u just said can not be stressed enough ! Some of these guys think it's all safe to sneak up behind a fake Turkey fan but it's disaster waiting to happen !!i It seems cool and all but not for this guy ! Called in 5 different birds this trip and all were within 25 yrds ! I stick to the original method !

[Jimmer]

Inexperienced hunters.. no offense, but a lot of you west side guys come over to the east side for a first time, second time, turkey hunting expensive weekend wanting/needing to get it done to make the travel worth while. I could spot an decoy and a man made set up a mile away because I see turkeys everyday and know what to look for. Inexperience=accidents in my book, give or take my scenario.

[jackelope]

Inexperienced hunters.. no offense, but a lot of you west side guys come over to the east side for a first time, second time, turkey hunting expensive weekend wanting/needing to get it done to make the travel worth while. I could spot an decoy and a man made set up a mile away because I see turkeys everyday and know what to look for. Inexperience=accidents in my book, give or take my scenario.

I know a man back east who shot another man turkey hunting. This guy had double the experience in the turkey woods that most folks on this forum have. He hunted his whole life in an area where turkey hunting is tradition. He shot a guy. He was not new to hunting. He hunted in his back yard and he's forgotten more about Turkey hunting than most will ever know. It can happen to anyone at anytime.  Even you.  Accidents happen, regardless of where you're from.

[Jimmer]

Inexperienced hunters.. no offense, but a lot of you west side guys come over to the east side for a first time, second time, turkey hunting expensive weekend wanting/needing to get it done to make the travel worth while. I could spot an decoy and a man made set up a mile away because I see turkeys everyday and know what to look for. Inexperience=accidents in my book, give or take my scenario.

I know a man back east who shot another man turkey hunting. This guy had double the experience in the turkey woods that most folks on this forum have. He hunted his whole life in an area where turkey hunting is tradition. He shot a guy. He was not new to hunting. He hunted in his back yard and he's forgotten more about Turkey hunting than most will ever know. It can happen to anyone at anytime.  Even you.  Accidents happen, regardless of where you're from.

Accidents are preventatable. Like I said, give or take my scenerio.

[hunter399]

 

[Brushbuster]

Here's an interesting article from Field & Stream that disputes the inexperienced claim.

"A Human Factors Review Prepared for Hunter Safety Lab” by Kyle Wilson and Karl Bridges, it’s more likely for experienced hunters to be involved in “mistaken for game” accidents* than it is for newer hunters to make the same mistake."

http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/the-gun-nuts/how-hunting-accidents-happen

[pianoman9701]

Inexperienced hunters.. no offense, but a lot of you west side guys come over to the east side for a first time, second time, turkey hunting expensive weekend wanting/needing to get it done to make the travel worth while. I could spot an decoy and a man made set up a mile away because I see turkeys everyday and know what to look for. Inexperience=accidents in my book, give or take my scenario.

I know a man back east who shot another man turkey hunting. This guy had double the experience in the turkey woods that most folks on this forum have. He hunted his whole life in an area where turkey hunting is tradition. He shot a guy. He was not new to hunting. He hunted in his back yard and he's forgotten more about Turkey hunting than most will ever know. It can happen to anyone at anytime.  Even you.  Accidents happen, regardless of where you're from.

Accidents are preventatable. Like I said, give or take my scenerio.

First of all, this happened in KS where everyone is familiar with turkeys from the age of 1. Secondly, If you dress up in black during bear season, dress in antlers during deer season, or look like a turkey during turkey season, you're exponentially increasing your chances of being shot. I'm not saying it's the victim's fault. I'm saying that when you don't use common sense in the field, you may end up paying for it. In my opinion, these guys didn't use common sense. And, your West side/East side comment is laughable.

[Jimmer]

Inexperienced hunters.. no offense, but a lot of you west side guys come over to the east side for a first time, second time, turkey hunting expensive weekend wanting/needing to get it done to make the travel worth while. I could spot an decoy and a man made set up a mile away because I see turkeys everyday and know what to look for. Inexperience=accidents in my book, give or take my scenario.

I know a man back east who shot another man turkey hunting. This guy had double the experience in the turkey woods that most folks on this forum have. He hunted his whole life in an area where turkey hunting is tradition. He shot a guy. He was not new to hunting. He hunted in his back yard and he's forgotten more about Turkey hunting than most will ever know. It can happen to anyone at anytime.  Even you.  Accidents happen, regardless of where you're from.

Accidents are preventatable. Like I said, give or take my scenerio.

First of all, this happened in KS where everyone is familiar with turkeys from the age of 1. Secondly, If you dress up in black during bear season, dress in antlers during deer season, or look like a turkey during turkey season, you're exponentially increasing your chances of being shot. I'm not saying it's the victim's fault. I'm saying that when you don't use common sense in the field, you may end up paying for it. In my opinion, these guys didn't use common sense. And, your West side/East side comment is laughable.

There are inexperienced hunters here as well, but give an inexperienced hunter or even an experienced hunter on a time frame trying to get it done can result to a stupid shot. Why would you shoot a turkey in the ass (fan)? Why would you shoot him in full strut? Why would you shoot at a black object during bear season?? human dressed in antlers during deer season, so he's an idiot, but wouldn't experience and patience tell you it's not a deer? Why do we take my buddies rig when we hunt Montana? Because he has Idaho license plates. I don't think I have to spell out the last sentence.