Turkey hunters shot while "fanning"

[turkeyfeathers]

Two turkey hunters injured in hunting accident



Posted: Wednesday, April 12, 2017 4:32 pm

GIRARD — Two out-of-state turkey hunters received wounds on their faces and upper bodies on Wednesday morning after a fellow hunter mistakenly shot at a decoy they were hiding behind.

The injured turkey hunters, who were not named, walked out of the field and were taken to Girard Medical Center for treatment, according to a release from the Crawford County Sheriff Dan Peak. They were then transferred by air ambulance to Freeman Hospital in Joplin.

The sheriff received a call Wednesday morning of two men with shotgun wounds at the Girard hospital. They had been turkey hunting west of Girard with a third man, also from out-of-state. They had leased private property and that’s where they were hunting at the time of the shooting.

A sheriff’s deputy spoke to the person who shot the hunters. The man reported being dropped off at the hunting area about dawn. His two acquaintances were going to a nearby location to hunt.

At about 8:40 a.m. the man said he shot at a turkey that he had been “calling-in,” but realized immediately after firing a single 12 gauge shot that his two friends had been hunting the same turkey. The two hunters who were injured were just inside of a wooded area, wearing camouflage and laying behind a turkey fan made of turkey feathers. The fan gives the appearance of a decoy turkey and the subjects could not be seen by the shooter, Sheriff Peak reported.

The victims were hit with shotgun pellets in the face and upper body. The hunter who shot them rendered aid and both hunters walked back to their truck, from which they were transported to the hospital.

The three hunters knew each other. One is a good friend of the shooter and the other is the shooter’s brother.
The investigation continues into the shooting. 

Call the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office at 620-724-8274 if you have any information.
 

[WNY_Whitetailer]

Whoops...Pays to know what you're really shooting at.

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[buffalojay83]

Bad tactic, scoot n shoot is a risky idea

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[2012_taco]

I absolutely hate hearing this stuff, but it happens. Gotta be sure that you are shooting a turkey and what is beyond it. I always wonder how do you get shot while turkey hunting when you need to see a beard on the turkey before you can shoot it. Although these xxxfull turkey chokes and XR turkey loads can carry a long distance. The report said they where hiding behind a turkey fan? Sounds like they were trying to stalk a gobbler that was out in an open field by crawling behind the open fan, I heard of this but it really sounds dangerous!

http://www.realtree.com/turkey-hunting/articles/how-to-fan-a-gobbler

[Nomad]

Few years back my friend and his son were walking out , and busted a bird which took off , as it started to take flight another turkey hunter fired.

He hit the son largely in the face . Although I seldom turkey hunt , when I do or if I'm just in my woods in May I have some orange on .

[The_Field_Ager]

Someone recently told me they saw a ground blind netting that had Turkey fan detail on it. Talk about seeking a Darwin Award! 

[TACC]

I absolutely hate hearing this stuff, but it happens. Gotta be sure that you are shooting a turkey and what is beyond it. I always wonder how do you get shot while turkey hunting when you need to see a beard on the turkey before you can shoot it. Although these xxxfull turkey chokes and XR turkey loads can carry a long distance. The report said they where hiding behind a turkey fan? Sounds like they were trying to stalk a gobbler that was out in an open field by crawling behind the open fan, I heard of this but it really sounds dangerous!
http://www.realtree.com/turkey-hunting/articles/how-to-fan-a-gobbler

I saw a video on you tube the other day of a guy doing this . It was pretty impressive. As long as you are the only one in the woods.

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[Lawdwaz]

7 hours ago, buffalojay83 said:

Bad tactic, scoot n shoot is a risky idea

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Define "scoot n shoot".

[buffalojay83]

Mojo has a thing called a scoot and shoot. Basically, you army crawl in a field behind a 1/2 Tom decoy with a spread fan and supposedly turkey will come within pistol or even arms reach. But I feel like that's like hunting while hiding behind a deer decoy in the fall. Bad idea

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[buffalojay83]

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[Pygmy]

That's NUTS !!  It was only a matter of time before somebody got shot.

[maytom]

1 hour ago, Pygmy said:

That's NUTS !!  It was only a matter of time before somebody got shot.

My thoughts exactly Danno!!!

[turkeyfeathers]

Private land or not with nobody else having permission and you have to figure you're still not alone. How many times have you thought you were alone only by having someone else screw up your hunt or you hear someone else calling ?!  Killing a turkey is simply not worth taking a chance at a load of copper #4's in the face.

[rachunter]

when i was in my twenty's i made the mistake of waving at a hunter walking by me,lucky for me his brain reacted before the 10ga. he swung at me. lesson learned   

[turkeyfeathers]

14 minutes ago, rachunter said:

when i was in my twenty's i made the mistake of waving at a hunter walking by me,lucky for me his brain reacted before the 10ga. he swung at me. lesson learned   

I always have my Surefire flashlight ready to signal another hunter if I have to. Don't think they'll miss 120 lumens .I hope !

[NFA-ADK]

This is about as smart as wearing a deer outfit during hunting season.