I agree that the back yard when others are out there isn't the place for practicing , and a tree definetly isn't a good backstop as Zak say's .I think this guy just isn't very bright and shouldn't have a bow in his hands at all .I'm glad to hear the boy is o.k. I heard a story of a guy and his son hunting sheep and the father took a shot and the arrow hit a rock and deflected right into the boy's heart and killed him . I'm sure this guy will pay for this the rest of his life ,and I hope the guy your talking about has learned a valuable lesson by this.He should consider himself lucky.

nubo