Hunter mistook for elk killed

[Hogpatrol]

Be careful out there.

Pa. hunter arrested after fatally shooting man while elk hunting: police

The western Pennsylvania man was arrested on suspicion of criminally negligent homicide, a felony.

www.pennlive.com

 

[sestoppelman]

Probably took a "sound" shot. I dont know how one mistakes a man for an elk.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Yeah, I don't get it. Many states have "point" restrictions for a buck or bull. Even if one has a doe or cow tag, you have to make sure that the doe or cow isn't a "spike" male. I've seen several spike bull elk killed and left laying over the years, mistaken for a cow. So, how does one shoot without verifying the sex and/or points of the animal they have a tag for? "Excitement" is no excuse and in this example, is a devastating outcome for everyone involved.

 

[IvW]

I really fail to understand how this can happen....using black pwder firearm the distance could not have been the greatest...and their where two of them one calling and one shooting....crazy...

 

[JimP]

With Colorado's regulation on having a archery and muzzle loader hunt this was a accident waiting to happen.

The muzzle loader hunters needed to wear orange, the archery hunter can wear full body commo, so ask yourself, who is more likely to get shot? There were also antler point restrictions in this unit for a bull 4 pt or better, but the hunter could of had a cow tag, that hasn't came out yet

 

[IvW]

How does a person in camo look like an elk?

 

[CoElkHunter]

With Colorado's regulation on having a archery and muzzle loader hunt this was a accident waiting to happen.

The muzzle loader hunters needed to wear orange, the archery hunter can wear full body commo, so ask yourself, who is more likely to get shot? There were also antler point restrictions in this unit for a bull 4 pt or better, but the hunter could of had a cow tag, that hasn't came out yet

Yep, I wear all the orange I can put on when hunting big game. A number of years ago, I had a bullet fly 30 feet above my head when someone was shooting at a cow elk which almost ran me over a couple of seconds after the shot. I'll never forget the "buzzing" of that bullet flying over me.

 

[CoElkHunter]

How does a person in camo look like an elk?

They don't. I will tell you however, that scopes aren't allowed on muzzleloaders during muzzleloading season in Colorado, but that's no excuse for what happened in this instance.

 

[crs]

CEH,
When a teenager, I heard that bullet-over-the-head sound while walking through a prairie dog town.
I promptly decided it was time for a nap and laid down in tall Arizona Cottontop grass to look for the shooter.
It was kids near the horse barn some 1/2 mile away and I never knew exactly who it was or what they were shooting at. After a relaxing nap, I arose and went on my way, a bit more conscious of my surroundings.

 

[curtism1234]

That all being said, it is quite rare for someone to be arrested in situations like this. We will have to see if he's charged and how that process goes.

 

[shark_za]

You need to aim for the Elk vitals, a well placed shot into the perfect area.
How is this confused with a man in camo?

 

[John Wasmuth]

A lot of these incidents are from people “Beer” hunting......

 

[Boyd Brooks]

I know I fully agree that the person should be charged with criminally negligent homicide.
Broke every rule of hunter safety, no excuse!
I have let many animals walk away as I can’t guarantee sex or age. We as a group have such an uphill battle to maintain our hunting heritage as it is, without preventable incidents like this in the news.

 

[BnC 04]

Damn shame is what it is. I've read/heard too many stories of slob hunters that shoot on movement/sound. No target verification or anything. Just movement in the trees and bang.
Rediculous.

 

[JimP]

There are all kinds of stories out there right now. On is that the bow hunter had a cow elk decoy on his bow. The other is that he saw something brown and the muzzle loader guy shot at it.

Another is that he hunter had a friend who was bugling in a bull, some say that the archery hunter was doing the same and working his way to the bugle.

But I do know that the muzzle loader did not make sure of his target no matter what that he had in his pocket. From what I understand he was charged yesterday with criminally negligent homicide.

 

[Inline6]

Unfortunately we read about this happening every year. It's sad for everyone involved and something that should never have happened.

 

[Deleted member 46122]

It happened in Alaska as well:

 

[leslie hetrick]

i have passed up more than one shot, because i was not sure and could not make out the whole animal. no animal on this earth is worth the cost of one life because of a blind shot. i watched this whitetail for close to 20 minutes before i got a full body look and taking the shot, he was working scrape and moving around and pissing all over the place before calming down and moving out of the brush.

 

[IvW]

I just cannot see how I could shoot a "kudu cow" and then have Joe soap fall down....
How the hell do you pull the trigger at "something" just because somebody is calling?

Maybe the bownhunter was sneaking in thinking there is a elk calling? Never the less you cannot pull the trigger at just something? Maybe different people have different ways of hunting but just pulling the trigger.....sounds like "as long as there is lead in the air there is hope" is not the best approach.....never has been for me anyway....

 

[CoElkHunter]

I just cannot see how I could shoot a "kudu cow" and then have Joe soap fall down....
How the hell do you pull the trigger at "something" just because somebody is calling?

Maybe the bownhunter was sneaking in thinking there is a elk calling? Never the less you cannot pull the trigger at just something? Maybe different people have different ways of hunting but just pulling the trigger.....sounds like "as long as there is lead in the air there is hope" is not the best approach.....never has been for me anyway....

You could if your “kudu cow” hunt was taking place on public land and six or more hunters were stalking the same kudu from the opposite direction in the bush? Still shouldn’t happen, but it’s the reality of public land hunting in most of the US. One still doesn’t shoot at an animal without identifying THAT animal as their target. In this case there is absolutely no excuse for what happened.