What is it with turkey hunting? When I was growing up in Texas (and living there until the age of 33), most hunting accidents were due to someone "mistaking" another person for a turkey, despite the fact that there were far more deer hunters than turkey hunters in those days.

Louisiana Man Arrested for Allegedly Shooting a Hiker
by OUTDOOR HUB on APRIL 15, 2012
submitted by: LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES NEWS

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division agents arrested a Flatwoods man for allegedly shooting a hiker in Natchitoches Parish on April 12.

Agents arrested Jerry Merrill, 63, for negligent injury and booked him into the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center.

Merrill was turkey hunting on the Red Dirt Federal Refuge around 9 a.m. when he allegedly mistook a hiker for a turkey shooting him with a shotgun. The hiker received minor injuries and was treated and released by emergency workers at the scene.

Negligent injury carries a fine up to $500 and up to six months in jail.

Hunters are reminded that positive target identification is critical for hunter safety and a basic component of legal game harvest.

That is the published story...

More than likely, this is closer to the truth...

Hunter is using his call and the hiker wants to see what is making the sound (he may or may not know what the sound is). Hunter and hiker get into argument about hiker ruining the hunt and the hunter took matters into his own hands. Hunter waited until hiker was out of range?, and encouraged the hiker to speed-up the pace, as he left the area!

NO FACTS, JUST READING BETWEEN THE LINES!

I think turkey hunters percentage wise are much more likely to shoot at sounds and movement than hunters of other game. Why? I have no idea.

some people just want to score so bad they actually see target that just aren't there.

OTOH, some guys on the Fire sound like turkeys all the time.

Or, the dumbazz hiker was wearing black, blue and red (yeah, I've seen that happen).

Another "sound shot" I think.

......."for a turkey shooting him with a shotgun"........

That could have been worded a tad better.......sounds like self defense.

Can remember when I lived in Florida from 1959 through 1973 almost every year there was at least one person shot by Turkey Hunters. I see the trend still continues all over Turkey Territory nothing has changed over all these years. It happens no matter where you are no area is exempt from that tragedy.

I believe Turkey Hunting bring a lot of Newbie's into the sport and they have very little if any hunting experience in the field

Yeah, that may not be a bright idea, but even dumber to shoot at something because it is the right color without knowing for sure what it is.

And then there are some hikers that really are turkeys.

I think there is a disease worse than buck fever. I call it turkey fever. You can be cured 242, if i squat and you gobble.

last turkey i shot was with a 300 wm

22-250s are great

The only way I can see this happening without the hunter being a complete idiot, is perhaps a stray pellet or two hitting someone way outside of normal shotgun ranges due to an ND into the air or someone trying to shoot a turkey out of a roost.
Shooting at a turkey on the ground and hitting a grown person,OTOH? That's blind idiot work right there.

I was hunting on state gamelands here in Pa, about ten years back, and had two guys stalking me. scary situation. I'll never hunt turkey on public land again.

Had some nimrod tresspassing and shot our dove decoys we had sitting on a barbwire fence. He hauled azz before we could collect our wits and catch him. We were 17 and that was the first time I had been on the wrong end of a gun. Buddy and I laid on the ground yelling at him for a minute or two before we got up, never did see the guy.

anti hunter who didn't like Dove hunters

So the obvious question is, how did he mistake a 5 foot tall (plus) human for a 1 foot tall (plus) turkey? Dumb shidts gotta quit shooting at stuff they can't I.D. Sounds like another candidate for the Living Brain Donor Club.

Same here, Scary as anything.
I was set up and these guys were playing run- n- gun. Thought they were gonna kill my dekes.

Some guys have all the luck. I put in for a hiker tag, there's some big ones in the unit I hunt. Some with beards of decent size, too.

25 years ago had an incident deer hunting on public land that cured me of hunting during hunting seasons on public land for life.

Well played sir!


I'm scouting this one now!

I just have to shake my head on these. How can one mistake a person for turkey, gray squirrel, or a bull elk. Any involved in such mistakes should lose their firearms rights for life.

Were they stalking you or a turkey call and maybe a deek?

No excuse for this incident, "always be sure of your target".

I'm kinda new to this, WTF is a "deek"?

This is why I hunt private land, don't want to be "mistaken" for game of any kind.

I had another hunter "scope" me several years ago while
deer hunting in PA. As he walked up to me he told me he just
wanted to see who I was. I was wearing an orange hat and coat.

Basic hunters safety failure, the shooter clearly didn't positively ID his target.

Hikers should also be aware and take proper precautions, such as wearing hunter orange.

LOL

I belive a "deek" is a decoy.