An off-duty Wisconsin deputy is facing multiple felony charges after an awful turkey hunting mishap that Outdoor Life reports is reigniting the debate over hunter safety loopholes.
During a youth hunt, James Lehman thought he spotted a turkey, aimed a 12-gauge shotgun, and had his three-year-old daughter pull the trigger. He wasn’t aiming at a bird—he shot two other hunters: a coworker and a child. Both were hit, and the young victim suffered severe injuries, including shotgun pellets lodged in his skull and spine.
The Core Issues
- The Exemption: Lehman barely had any turkey hunting experience and had never taken a hunter safety course. Wisconsin let him bypass the required class simply because he completed U.S. military basic training.
- The Blind Spot: While boot camp teaches weapon mechanics, Outdoor Life notes it doesn’t teach the fundamentals of safe hunting—specifically identifying targets.
- The Reality: Failing to positively identify game accounts for about 60% of all turkey hunting accidents.
Considering an online hunter safety certification takes only about three to four hours to complete, the incident raises serious questions about whether military service should really give anyone a free pass on basic hunting rules.
What do you think?
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