My friend shot someone....

[georgestrings]

... yesterday in a hunting accident... We're all still a bit stunned about the whole thing...

We had been hunting this place all week, and I have all season... My friend has been deer hunting for about 25 years, grew up in a hunting family - and is a skilled hunter, good marksman, and all around good guy - a close friend of about 15 years, I've hunted with him MANY times, and have never seen him do ANYTHING improper during all those many hunts...

We shotgun hunted there monday and tuesday - all day - then shotgun closed, and muzzleloader season opened wednesday... We hunted all day wednesday, and I almost took a deer that evening - so we decided to be back in the stands before 1st light the next morning, and hunt all morning that way...

Around 7:15AM, I heard a shot, and then some yelling - another "hunter" was sort of crawling through the brush, wearing all dark clothing, and my friend mistook him for a deer(unfortunately) - and shot him with a .50cal inline muzzleloader...

Fortunately, the 300gr JHP passed through the soft spot in the shoulder, and the guy wasn't mortally wounded, nor maimed - in fact, he was able to walk out under his own power(with a bit of help, and maintained direct pressure on the wound)...

Now, I'm not pardoning my friend's actions in all this - NO MATTER WHAT, it is ALWAYS the shooter's responsibility to positively identify his target, and beyond that... But here's the rub:

The victim was tresspassing, besides crawling through the brush in dark clothing... Turns out he had an orange hat in his back pocket, but wasn't wearing it... He also was hunting with a scoped Browning A5, loaded with deer slugs - during Bow/Muzzloader season - and lastly, didn't even have a license for muzzleloader hunting!!! Now, my friend screwed up, but this jackass didn't help matters, either...

Unfortunately, looks like I may lose hunting priviledges in one of my best spots over this, too - can't win 'em all, I guess...

My friend is just crushed - he never dreamt of anything like this happening... I know people who laugh when I call my blaze orange break-up vest my "bullet proof vest", but it's obviously no joke, now... I NEVER gun hunt for deer without it, actually...

I was about 350 yards away when it happened.... Maybe I'll be able to provide more details tomorrow - and will answer any questions regarding this, too - hopefully everyone will come out of this OK, and some people can learn from my posting of this close call to a hunting near-fatality...

I didn't even do anything wrong, and I still feel embarassed to post about it, to be honest... I guess I'm embarassed for my friend - and less than thrilled with the other guy, too...


- georgestrings

[ThunderGod]

Man, George, that sucks for your friend.:(

[georgestrings]

Yeah, it plain sucks for everyone...But I suppose it could've turned out FAR worse... I have to say that I never thought I'd be involved in anything like this...


- georgestrings

[Blood of Tyrants]

Huge mistakes on both hunter's parts and hard to say who is at fault the most.

Your buddy the shooter was dead wrong for not positively identifying the target and the "shootee" was an idiot for not wearing the proper orange vest.

It was obvious that he knew he was breaking SEVERAL laws and was trying to sneak in and kill a deer with no one the wiser.

[16R40]

Originally posted by georgestrings

Unfortunately, looks like I may lose hunting priviledges in one of my best spots over this, too - can't win 'em all, I guess...


your "friend" ;) is just lucky he didn't kill the guy, otherwise he may face more serious charges.

[Adirondack1]

George I'm sorry to hear that your friend was involved in such a thing.
The trespasser was wrong to have been there, but your friend was doubly wrong for not absoulutely identifying his target.

I know how you feel, Just had a co-worker fall from his treestand and kill himself last Sunday.

All I can say is you're a stand-up kinda guy for bringing this to the forum.

If ya need to talk PM me, I'll be at my parents this morning.

[georgestrings]

Without a doubt, the largest share of the blame lies with my friend - regardless of ANY action by another person in the woods, it is ALWAYS the shooter's responsibility to positively identify his target, and beyond - there are NO exceptions to that reality...

I really didn't want to post about it, but figured that if a few people learned from this near-fatality, it would be worth it... I *should* be out hunting right now, but am instead sitting in front of this computer - I seem to have lost my enthusiasm for it, a little bit... Our season closes at sunset on tuesday - I'm probably going to get out on monday and tuesday, more than likely...

After all, I didn't shoot anyone, or get shot, nor break any laws....

The whole thing just plain sucks, though... and I agree with everything you all have posted on this subject... Ordinarily, I like to make light of a bad situation, but I just can't find it in me this time - it's just a good thing that no one got killed or maimed....


Thanks for the offer, Wade - but I'll be OK... Have a nice weekend, buddy...


- georgestrings

[Da Nerd]

Two wrongs = Tragedy
I hope things work out OK for everyone.

[Firestarter]

Georgstrings,

Sounds like everyone learned a valuable lesson. So the guy just walked out of the woods like "no problem, really....I'll be alright..have the misses clean er out."

I'll bet that poaching deer is the least of things he would have been taken in for.
Sounds like he may have had a warrant or two already.

Glad everyone is alright.

[FP1201]

OMG, that sucks.
It's understandable to feel the way you do, and I empathise (the love triangle shooting we just had)
There is always a conscious feeling of guilt associated from the misfortune of friends and aquaintences, because subconsciously we think "it could have been me" and that's the fear that should prevents us from making the same mistake.
Many of us would be a wreck if we were in the same situation, and George you bear no responsibility and should not fear "shooting the messenger" (sorry, no pun intended).

"That, that does not kill you will only make you stronger!" :bigangel:

[slakline]

Sometimes.. bad things happen to good people....it could of happened to anybody....we think we can control our impulses and can make the right choices, but we are all HUMAN and prone to error despite our good intentions.

The Positive

As bad as I feel for your friend and all involved, there is some positive to be gained out of this event. Perhaps higher powers are work here? Your friend is super lucky or has been blessed that a shot at close range with .50 cal bullet didn't end the life of this alleged "poacher". I'm sure the poacher is grateful for his life despite a forthcoming investigation that may end with legal action upon him. Lessons learned the hard way benefit more than the persons involved. Anybody reading this story will no doubt have this ingrained in their memory for further refrence.

The Negative

I hope your friend has given some thought or counsel on the possibility of a civil suit being introduced by the receipient of the .50 cal projectile, especially in this "sue happy society" we live in today.

Good luck to your friend, continue to support him with your friendship and I for one will pray things work out so this incident can be resolved with lessons learned in hand to be the consequence of all involved.

[FAL guy]

I just read an article in the Daily Oklahoman this morning relating a tale quite close to this one. It seems a 72 year old man was deer hunting and took a shot at some movement in the brush. He didn't hit a deer, but he did his hunting buddy in the head, killing him instantly.

He now faces involuntary manslaughter charges.

[J. Armstrong]

George, I hope all works out in the end. It is easy to criticize, especially in a case like this, but it is important to remember that even a moments ' lapse can cause bad things to occur, and , being human, we are all, despite our best and most diligent efforts, subject to human frailties. There but for the grace of God....goes any of us.
I admire your posting of this to serve as a reminder to all of us to triple-check ourselves at all times - thank you.
I also pray that all turns out okay for all concerned. Please keep us advised.

[dougjones31]

If you cannot count the points on the deer or tell that it is a Doe or Buck, you should not pull the trigger! Your friend is totally at fault for this incident. He pulled the trigger on an unidentified target.

I have let deer walk because I could not see anything but an outline or shadow. I even get out of my stand when it gets Dusk. I cannot understand why some people risk it shooting at a outline right after sundown.

I was sitting in a tree stand one time and it was right after sundown and the last light was going away. I had been listening to a deer that was just over a little hill and I wanted to wait until I could not see at all to see if he would come into range. Then I heard him....leaves rusteling and then I saw something moving. I looked through the scope but all I could see was a dark shape moving. Right at that moment a light came on. My friend was coming to check on me and he flashed the flashlight when I was looking through the scope. ALWAYS identify the target! I cussed him out good for coming to the my stand like that, he will never do that again, but it would have been my fault not his if I shot him.

It is a good thing your friend made a lousy shot! He hit the guy in the shoulder with a .50 cal? If the guy was crawling then he had to be crawling toward or away from your friend and your friend shot wide left or right. I bet he was sitting there before your friend and tried to crawl out of there undetected. What an idiot!

[JohnLewis]

Hmmm wears dark clothing and hunts by crawling around on the ground with a shotgun....was the poachers name John Kerry?
Honestly im sorry that this situation happened to ya'll, and hope it all come out ok. But I have no use for poachers, having been shot at by one.

[mhpoole]

That really sucks. If I were your buddy I would have found a pair of antlers and laid them next to the poacher and shot again. Poachers are one of the lowest scum on the earth.

[justashooter]

Originally posted by JohnLewis
Hmmm wears dark clothing and hunts by crawling around on the ground with a shotgun....was the poachers name John Kerry?
Honestly im sorry that this situation happened to ya'll, and hope it all come out ok. But I have no use for poachers, having been shot at by one.

what, kerry shot at you, too?

seriously,
a shame to hear that another guy is in a bind for making a bad call in the bush. in penna, we have a "3 points" rule, that should require clear identification of the target. having hunted deer maybe 5 seasons over the past 25 years, i'm more comfortable identifying a squirrel over the shotgun bead, but fail to see how even john kerry could draw fire crawling around in the bush (everybody feels sorry for a looser).
your friend will definitely face a charge of some kind for this shoot, but the poacher will get some hell, too. i would guess both will loose their guns, and their hunting liscenses for the next 8 years. with luck, your bud will get a sympathetic judge who will give him a fine under 2K and probation, but he might get 30 days in the poke, and be lucky at that.
shooting another person is one of the few taboos left in our culture, even if the target is in the wrong in some way.

make sure he gets a good lawyer. he's gonna need it.

[motosapien]

One can imagine a situation like that at first light where your mind tells you "thats a deer!". There are many hunting accidents every year where the shooter exhibits poor judgement or just down right stupidity. AD's at the stand or the car or shack come to mind as does opening up on a deer on a ridge and raining shots down on the farmstead in the valley behond.

If I was your friend I'd get a lawyer who would argue passionately in his defense.