Close Call!

[TylerS]

Dude is LUCKY to be alive. This is why you always, always, ALWAYS practice muzzle control. Uff-DA!

http://www.inforum.com/news/3850102-man-survives-shot-head-while-duck-hunting

Man survives shot to the head while duck hunting

EMILY, Minn. – A shotgun blast grazed the side of an 18-year-old Shakopee man's head Sunday morning while he was duck hunting in Crow Wing County, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reported.

When the DNR and the Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office arrived, several first responders were working on the man identified as Derek A. Bonsante. Bonsante was talking and interacting normally and it appeared he had a grazing head wound from a shotgun blast.

Bonsante was transported by ambulance to Cuyuna Regional Medical Center in Crosby, where he was treated and released.

The incident was reported at 7:23 a.m. near Emily.

According to the report supplied by the DNR, there were five hunters and two of the hunters were in the canoe with Bonsante at the time of the accident. The hunters said some ducks were flying toward them. One hunter said he was going to shoot, and when he stood up to shoot, Bonsante stood up in front of him in the line of fire.

The hunters said when they realized Bonsante was shot, they called the other hunting members and headed toward shore to call for help. The hunters said they heard a shot, then heard someone scream shortly after.

Bonsante told the DNR that when he saw the ducks coming, he thought everyone but himself had shot. He said he was grazed by a shot and it was really loud, the report said.

[paceman]

Wow that kid is lucky! A fraction of a inch and he probably would not be alive.....Scarey.....

[bobberineyes]

Holy moly that could have been bad. Young or old, people need to have a game plan Wether if the birds are not landing where you want someone needs to not shoot . Standing up is no good in a canoe,  cut some weeds back a little so one doesn't have to.

[556LaGue]

I DO NOT advise other people to shoot out of a canoe when I'm hunting with people that use them. I personally dont use one much anymore. 2 years ago me and my bro were in one and jumped a huge flock of mallards. We were in deep open water and both shot at the same time sending us both overboard. Temps were low and the water was freezing. Beside the fact we almost drowned, we were faced with almost for sure hypothermia. We some how managed to get to safety and got to shore as quick as we could. Fired up our truck to warm up and look back on what had just happened. Moral of the story is its not worth your life to shoot out of a canoe. Theres a number of bad circumstances that can and will happen as we both grew up using canoes and are experienced while in them. And yes muzzle control is very key when hunting in groups. Know where everyone is and know where your shooting window is before ever pulling the trigger. Very lucky dude!

[fishuhalik]

I dunno about that. When I was younger, my dad would take me jump shooting all the time. It was the only way I could hit birds Killed a ton of birds (and missed a lot more!!) out of a canoe and never once came close to tipping. But yes, muzzle control & situational awareness is definitely most important 

Edited October 4, 2015 by fishuhalik

[556LaGue]

Nice and weird thats the only way you can or could hit birds. If you hunt with me I will not get in a canoe with you if you plan on swinging and shooting out of it. The one time it does happen could very possibly be your last. As most of us on here do, I have kids and a family at home. Not worth it to me when most of the time I'm using watercraft to get to another piece of somewhat dry land to stand on and hunt from. People have their preferences and I have mine. 

[fishersofmen]

It doesn't sound like the canoe had anything to do with the accident. We have hunted out of a canoe for 20 years and never had a close call as far as someone being shot. Carelessness seems to be the cause here and could happen in any type of boat. For anyone to pull the trigger on a gun so close to another persons head that if they stand up they will be hit is well........stupid at best.

[556LaGue]

It doesn't sound like the canoe had anything to do with the accident. We have hunted out of a canoe for 20 years and never had a close call as far as someone being shot. Carelessness seems to be the cause here and could happen in any type of boat. For anyone to pull the trigger on a gun so close to another persons head that if they stand up they will be hit is well........stupid at best.

well said

[Ufatz]

Right up front  you guys know I'm an old fahrt.  I've been through the small boat/canoe hunting thing, many years ago. Now I would not permit anybody I cared about to hunt that way.  It just is not worth it boys...just not worth it.  A canoe is not meant to be used that way.

I know most won't pay any attention,  but I just want to be on record. Please.....find another way to hunt.

[fishuhalik]

I can respect anyone's opinion, especially when it comes to safety. I can honestly say I never felt the canoe move when my dad or I shot. We were safe about it, there were very clear-cut rules abut line-of-fire and at that point (I was 12) I already had more hours logged in a canoe than most adults. 

And to be clear, I couldn't hit birds because I was a 12 year old kid shooting an adult sized 870. And I was a terrible shot lol 

[Cheers]

We regularly jump shoot from a canoe and never have any issues . It is a great way to hunt and very exciting as well. We only have one shooter in the canoe , the person in the bow . He dosnt paddle except when we are not in the duck areas , he just sits and waits in anticipation . The person in the stern does all the paddling and tries to anticipate where the ducks will jump out from and keep the front of the canoe to the right in order to favor  the shooters preferred swing. He also keeps an eye on where the shot birds fall and keeps the canoe stable . The paddler has his gun in a case to avoid any temptation .

I find this method to be very exciting and productive as well as safe , ps we both wear life vests