This is why hunting on public land sucks.
Roderick Lauer shared this video to remind everyone to know their target and what lies beyond it before pulling the trigger.
A trio of turkey hunters were calling in a pair of Toms when another hunter snuck up behind and tried to fire through them. One of the hunters was hit with the birdshot, but suffered only minor injuries.
Viewers who are not hunters claim that the injury is the victim’s fault for not wearing orange. In most states, blaze orange is worn in rifle season for hunting deer, not turkey season or primitive weapons deer season. During rifle season hunters pursuing deer take shots from inside 30 yards to well over 200 yards depending on their skill as a marksman.
The kill range for turkey hunting is very short and the game is much more sensitive to color. Blaze orange is not worn or required during Turkey season because if you’re close enough to kill a turkey you should be close enough to see a camouflaged hunter. If the shooter is following the basic principles of firearm safety an accident like this should not happen.
It’s hard to gauge the distance from the video, but it sure looks like the shooter was making one hell of a long shot. Furthermore, a hunter does not fire through foliage. The shooter in this video attempted to hit a bird out of distance that was obscured by trees, brush, and three other hunters.
What are your thoughts about this video?