How do u mistake someone for a turkey. I person weighs 150lb to 250 lb and a turkey weighs 20 lbs. This is so sad and be safe out there everyone. I am scared to hunt state land for this reason. Stupid people who dont identify their target and let their arrows fly. Person needs to be in jail

Does the guy have a sight impairment or what? How do you mistake a guy for a turkey at bow range? WOW

Sad sad sad ..... Another reason I dislike hunting public ground!!! To many idiots!!!

Really? God forbid something like this ever happens to you. We don't know the details and lets just slow down a little before we throw the books at someone who just accidentally shot his close friend here.

This is terrible indeed. Another reason that I don't like to hunt public ground especially off the ground. I feel for all involved.

On first read. there is more to this than just a horrific event.

Wow, so sad

Was turkey seaon even in? Isn't it a little early for that? Another case of a couple young kids out hunting without supervison and turns tragic.

kinda agree with most here............how do you mistake your hunting partner for a turkey??? very very tragic indeed & no matter what - the kid that did the shooting will be doing a 'life sentence' regardless of what the law throws at him.........

No excuse for it. We're out there to hunt, but under the umbrella of safety. If a person isn't 100% sure of the target just pointing a weapon at it is disturbing enough.

I had 2 very foolish women on horses come into my scope last year. They weren't allowed in the area and to make matters worse stepped into a lane I'd seen a very nice buck minutes before. I heard a snort, raised the gun, looked down the scope, saw brown and waited for conformation only to see the head of a horse. I was shaking as these 2 idiots came by me smiling saying out loud how they could see me. My response was short and to the point "I saw you". Still disturbs me greatly.

Fortunately for me and those 2 women I shot a friend with a toy bow as a kid of about ten. The memory still haunts me. The kid suffered no injuries even though I hit him square in the back of the head, right where I was aiming. Kidding around I'd pointed the arrow at him and muttered some words, my vision went black all around except for the center of the target, unconsciously I loosed the arrow and saw it in slow motion fly straight and true. I know what happens when the brain starts to bear down on something. Unless a voice in your head starts screaming STOP, ya wont. I have a different O of kids being allowed to play with toy guns and bows as you can imagine. Saves lives in my book.

Make 100% sure of the target before beginning the shot and pray for a very loud voice in your head that constantly warns of danger. This kid obviously was not sure of his target and never should have begun the shot.

My sympathy for all involved.

There is no excuse for not clearly seeing your target and what's behind it before releasing the arrow. If that means you miss out on the big buck or tom because you can barely see it, so be it. At least you're not taking the chance you're going kill the neighbor dog or kid. Nothing is worth that. And isn't ethical bowhunting about great shot placement that is going to down the animal quickly? How do you achieve that by shooting willy nilly at movement?

Unfortunately, a father killed his 9 year old son in Minnesota last year (hunting with no license and under the influence of drugs and alcohol), shooting again, at movement. It's just so sad. That's why during the 9 day gun season here, the kids and the dogs stay inside, not because of me, but because I'm not willing to take the chance someone out there is going to mistake them for a big buck, which is ridiculous, but necessary to do so I can still tuck them in at night.

One more example, seven years ago in Minnesota, an old-timer decided to shoot the deer he saw 200 yards away from his front porch. After he fired the shotgun slug perfectly into his target, he saw the horse with the 12 year old girl on it crumple to the ground. The slug had just barely missed one of her legs.

Know your target. Maybe that person or animal shouldn't be there for whatever reason, but I'd rather not be responsible for taking their life.