Shocking Youth Turkey Hunt Shooting

[timeout]

A 34 year old mentoring a THREE year old during Wisconsin's youth turkey hunt accidentally shoot 2 other hunters participating in this past weekend's youth hunt.

3-Year-Old and Mentor Accidentally Shoot, Wound Two Other Turkey Hunters

A 34-year-old hunter mentoring a 3-year-old child helped the youngster aim at and shoot another man and a 7-year-old child after mistaking their movements for a turkey in western Racine County. The incident occurred on Sunday, April 12, during Wisconsin's two-day youth-only turkey season. Pellets...

www.themeateater.com

 

[chester999]

Nobody is safe with a guy like that in the woods. Shooting at movement is usually how these incidents occur.

 

[Turkeytider]

A 34 year old mentoring a THREE year old during Wisconsin's youth turkey hunt accidentally shoot 2 other hunters participating in this past weekend's youth hunt.

3-Year-Old and Mentor Accidentally Shoot, Wound Two Other Turkey Hunters

A 34-year-old hunter mentoring a 3-year-old child helped the youngster aim at and shoot another man and a 7-year-old child after mistaking their movements for a turkey in western Racine County. The incident occurred on Sunday, April 12, during Wisconsin's two-day youth-only turkey season. Pellets...

www.themeateater.com

A good illustration as to why I am so not looking forward to trying to turkey hunt on public land. Lost my access to private land so I’m thinking my turkey hunting is rapidly drawing to a close. Just too many idiots with access to firearms.

 

[Xerothermic]

A three-year-old and a 12 gauge? There is some stupid _ _ _ _ going on out there.

 

[ggshoots]

My son was a fairly big kid and at 9yr I had to let him prop a muzzleloader across my knee to shoot a deer. 3yr old should be sitting beside you while hunting. This is ridiculous!

 

[Bugs]

. . . and we all get painted with the same brush. People who are either ambivalent about hunting or marginally opposed to it can be easily pushed to the "anti" side (and they all have a vote). The fact that anyone (anyone) would allow a three year old to handle a 12 gauge shotgun is just bizarre. . . .

 

[CJ6]

Pretty sure dad did it for the extra tag. Irresponsible!!!

 

[Hipshoot]

A total idiot and a 3yo----give me a break!

Execute the SOB and the kids father also for letting his son get in a position like that !!!

Are both adults interbreeders! DUH! DUH! DUH!

A 3 yr. old kid!?!

In New York a 14 yr. old can hunt with an adult and a 16 yr. old can hunt alone.

I really wonder where in some states fathers push their kids to hunt at ridicules ages as in the press release.
I believe a child does NOT reach the Age of Reason until 7 yrs. old. WTF--WTF--WTF !!!

Who is Nuts? The father, the Mentor or the rest of the world. Certainly NOT the Kid--he doesn't know any better1

 

[timeout]

A total idiot and a 3yo----give me a break!

Execute the SOB and the kids father also for letting his son get in a position like that !!!

Are both adults interbreeders! DUH! DUH! DUH!

A 3 yr. old kid!?!

In New York a 14 yr. old can hunt with an adult and a 16 yr. old can hunt alone.

I really wonder where in some states fathers push their kids to hunt at ridicules ages as in the press release.
I believe a child does NOT reach the Age of Reason until 7 yrs. old. WTF--WTF--WTF !!!

Who is Nuts? The father, the Mentor or the rest of the world. Certainly NOT the Kid--he doesn't know any better1

My guess is that mentor and father are one and the same in this case. It doesn't give the child's name for obvious reasons. I predict this incident will provide the impetus for a law regulating the age one must be to engage in hunting, both mentored and alone. I agree that taking a kid out to shoot an animal at 3 years of age with any firearm, let alone a semi auto shotgun, is insane. I'm not an attorney but it seems like there is probably some legal avenues whereby the mentor in this ordeal can face jail time. However insane it was, it certainly doesn't qualify as a capital offense.

 

[6BRA]

3 year old equals extra tag! Unreal...

 

[msalm]

I welcomed the ‘mentorship’ hunt here in WI and used that ruling to introduce my son to hunting earlier than I was able to myself by 4+ years. The above news is not within the intent of the law by a long shot. My son did hunt and kill his first deer at 7, with a Howa mini in 6.5 Grendel, in a tripod rest from a box blind. Without that additional rifle support and the box blind to keep movement hidden, it would have been very difficult to get him on target for sure as the rifle had to be locked in so he even could find the deer in the scope. The second year (8), he shot a nice 1 1/2 yo 6 pointer and did it all on his own with the tripod rest. Last year he shot a doe and a really good 3 1/2yo 8 pointer, still with the tripod rest. He took hunters safety this last year and will still be under the mentorship rules this fall as he will not quite be 12 but he’s ’all in’ at this point and shows interest in squirrel hunting along with turkey. Great program IMO.
The first year this rule was put in, I heard reports of newborns harvesting deer. With as many deer tags as the state gives anymore, I felt it was more for the novelty of it, but who knows. The above story is unfortunate, and all boils down to the idiocy of that ‘mentor’. Very unfortunate and should not have happened, but I’m still in favor of the mentorship hunt. Just like gun control issues, do you want to hold the individual responsible for doing something stupid or blame something else?

 

[1shot]

If I were the one that got shot, it would put me in a quandary. The christian in me say to forgive the responsible parties. However, the "payback" side of me would sue the pants off the father!
I'm glad everyone is going to be OK.

 

[justme]

I took my oldest son to Kansas Hunter Safety training in 1982 when he was 11. Before that he tagged along without handling a firearm. The next 3 kids did likewise. At every session I took those kids to there were parents with kids too young to take the written test by themselves. Some were my neighbors. Back then the training took two classroom sessions and a field exercise that demonstrated what not to do!, and a demonstration of the destructive power of a firearm. When my kids were all up and adults I helped with those field exercises. Some very young students failed the practical tests. I marked their scores as they earned them. Everyone passed!. I was latter told to pass everyone. Kansas apparently liked the new license sales.
Today it's done on line with no practical demonstrations. That's great for kids with responsible parents. Some kids don't have that valuable commodity. The sad experiences above show nothing much has changed.

 

[Lefty2506]

My maternal grandpa passed away when I was 5. That was around 1980. I still have a few memories of going out coon hunting with him and dad. When grandpa got sick (lung cancer) dad gave it up. With that said, I wasn't shooting coons out of trees. I was just tagging along. As I got old enough to endure the walking, dad took me along on some rabbit hunts and eventually got me a 410 go squirrel hunting. With a reasonable upbringing, an appropriate introduction to the process, and some guidance I'm fine with the idea of young kids hunting (7-8yo). With that said, there are plenty of 20-60 yo men out there that shouldn't be allowed in the woods under any circumstances, and really sad part is that they all think someone else is the problem.

As far as the OP's headline, throw the book at the parents. That was clearly a case of dad wanting to hunt during youth season with an extra turkey tag. Junior might have physically moved the trigger, but dad was holding and aiming the gun and should be held fully accountable for the consequences.

 

[snert]

A total idiot and a 3yo----give me a break!

Execute the SOB and the kids father also for letting his son get in a position like that !!!

Are both adults interbreeders! DUH! DUH! DUH!

A 3 yr. old kid!?!

In New York a 14 yr. old can hunt with an adult and a 16 yr. old can hunt alone.

I really wonder where in some states fathers push their kids to hunt at ridicules ages as in the press release.
I believe a child does NOT reach the Age of Reason until 7 yrs. old. WTF--WTF--WTF !!!

Who is Nuts? The father, the Mentor or the rest of the world. Certainly NOT the Kid--he doesn't know any better1

I was a PA resident then a NY resident.

I got my first bb gun at 5 (but no bbs). I walked with dad on "hunts" and by 10 was in charge of my own real bb gun. I counted months (not years) till I reached 12 and could be a real hunter. I took my Hunters ed course, passing with 100 percent and still have my card and recall the 8mm film of a two bowhunters stalking game with the guy in the rear position arrow nocked when the guy in front, bent over, stopped...ouch. It made an impression.

I was able to hunt, supervised at 12 and alone at 16.

When I moved to NY and saw they had to wait till 14 to start I saw quickly it certainly made no difference in "hunter safety" actions, but it certainly made for fewer hunters cause by 14 they were chasing different game!

Start them early but supervised. 10-12 is fine. But always remember that the apple isn't far from the tree and stupid is as stupid does....goes for hunters, bowlers and politicians too.