Hunting accident kills teen girl

SDJIM

SDJIM

New member
Friday afternoon South Dakota saw a hunting accident take the life of a 13 year old girl who was hunting doves with her father and brother. She triped and fell with her shotgun discharging and hitting her in the face. This happened near New Underwood in western South Dakota. Her father was stationed at Ellsworth AFB. A very sad day indeed.:(
 
I hunt with my 14 year old twin girls, and that story gives me cold sweats. My heart goes out to the family. I fear it's the kind of event you don't ever recover from. Must have had the safety off, makes auto safetys something to consider for youngsters. One of my girls broke through the ice on the edge of a frozen swamp two years ago, dropped into a hole up to her pits in icy water, I was gratified to see her arms in the air and gun safely over head. But an incident like this could happen in a moment of excitment to anyone. Train, drill, learn, constantly, then pray. I'm off to use this unfortunate incident into a teaching moment.
 
That would be so hard to endure! I cannot even imagine having that happen! Oldandnew, that is a good idea. I feel so sorry for that dad. It would absolutely break my heart!
 
NOT good, sorry to hear of this, tragic situation.

I went dove hunting this morning, expecting to have the field to myself. This was not the situation. There was several hunters that came into the field later, after sun rise. One group of four, two adults and two 12 year olds, got in behind us. One of the 12 year olds shot me in calf. Not peppered, shot into the calf, all most knock me on my rear. Thank God he was shooting through brush or I might have lost my leg. The docters pulled 23 7.5 pellets from my left calf and thigh.

I'm all for taking yougster out to hunt, but some people, Adults must be in charge.

Sorry for the Hijack. I needed to vent. By the way that $hiT hurts.
 
Its ok as I can feel your need to vent and the IDEA of my post was to make people think about safety in the field. Our sport is not without danger and we all need to not forget that cold hard fact.
 
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SDJIM said:
Its ok as I can feel your need to vent and the IDEA of my post was to make people think about safety in the field. Our sport is not without danger and we all need to not forget that hard cold fact.
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You are right, SAFETY in the field. The loss of the little girl is beyond sad. An accident maybe, preventable maybe, the loss unexceptable. Thank you for bringing this our attention. Once again sorry for the Hijack.
 
JMAC, I cringe at the thought! It sounds like you came closer to a bad outcome than you let on! Lucky it didn't hit bone, or artery. I'm an old guy taking blood thinners, I might have bled out! No excuse in either case is acceptable. Age doesn't seem to be an issue with this nonsense as I have been subject to grown "experienced" hunters who swing their gun around indescriminantly as well. Forntunately I have not been shot. Hopefully you have a speedy recovery.
 
jmac said:
NOT good, sorry to hear of this, tragic situation.

I went dove hunting this morning, expecting to have the field to myself. This was not the situation. There was several hunters that came into the field later, after sun rise. One group of four, two adults and two 12 year olds, got in behind us. One of the 12 year olds shot me in calf. Not peppered, shot into the calf, all most knock me on my rear. Thank God he was shooting through brush or I might have lost my leg. The docters pulled 23 7.5 pellets from my left calf and thigh.

I'm all for taking yougster out to hunt, but some people, Adults must be in charge.

Sorry for the Hijack. I needed to vent. By the way that $hiT hurts.
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I wouldn't consider your post an attempted "high-jack" either. It goes right in line w/ the discussion IMO. I'm glad you're okay!

My curiosity makes me wonder how the "adults" handled the situation once it happened.
 
Tragic news for the little girls family and near tragic for JMAC...Praying for the family and hoping you get better soon JMAC.
 
As I ready to take the field this fall with my two sons, reading this saddens me greatly. Can you imagine how this poor guy feels knowing that he will never see his child again, or be able to hunt or anything else without thinking about this tragic event. I know for one we are having training hard the next few weeks to reinforce safe gun handling. One thing that I drill into my kids is the facct that no game animal is worth being unsafe. Let the shot go before shooting in an unsafe manner. JMAC, I am sorry that happened to you. I once had to dig 3 out of my shoulder, I can't imagine 23 out of leg and thigh. I hope you to be well.
 
That's a terrible story. I know there was a similar one in Minnesota last year. The MN DNR has an online safety class that has free access. I had my son go through it and he learned a lot. He will turn 10 in a couple of weeks, but it will be another year of walking with the bb gun. I think all hunters should have to review gun safety every so often.
 
Thank you gents, I can't tell you all, How bad the person/ Youngster felt about the incident. The game and fish wanted me to press charges, I could not after the sub-adult agreed to pay for hospital bill. I will never again enter a feild this close to town, to hunt doves. Lesson learned. By the way after the drugs wear off It really hurts. LOL I was mad as heck yesterday, today I am very thankful I have my Life.

Please parents watch your kids, when your take them out to hunt, and prayers go out to the family of the little girl from South Dakota.
 
Sort of reminds me of an incident on a dove field some years back. There were four of us, spread out on one side of a long, narrow field. Another hunter showed up, and took up a spot across the field. He was shooting at low birds, and after a bit peppered my wife (not hard enough to break skin, but scared her). Bud, who was next to her, walked across the field and warned the stranger about shooting low birds.

It wasn't ten minutes later, this guy shot at another low bird, and this time hit Bud. Bud put his hand to his face, and when it came back bloody, he started digging in his bag. About that time the other two of us walked up to Bud and asked him what he was looking for -

%@^&*&!, I know I've got some magnum 4s somewhere in here, and I'm going to teach that @**@!! a lesson he won't forget!!!

Lucky for the stranger, he heard the conversation and took off into the woods before Bud could reload. Bud was a nice guy, but he also had a short fuse, and he would have given the stranger a magazine full of 4s.
 
The frenzy of dove hunting seems to be a central theme in the accident department. I have hunted doves for 40 years and never had a close call, but among experienced friends. Public dove fields seem like a war zone. Don't think there is enough stress put on safety for inexperienced shooters of all ages. The three instances as described, indicate that the shooters had no idea of the leathal range of a shotshell, hence the pointing and shooting across fields with other hunters at low flying birds, and in one case moving swiftly with a loaded gun, pointed in an unsafe manner, with the safety either off or not functioning properly. It is incumbent upon us to be the teachers and assure this behavior is not practiced. Hunter Safety Training, will not suffice, in and of itself, anymore than driver education alone prevents grisly accidents by young, careless drivers, due to speed they cannot control, or achohol impairment. I remember my first shotgun lesson, a 2x4 shot at 20yards, and a warning this could be your face or someone elses!
 
SDJIM said:
Friday afternoon South Dakota saw a hunting accident take the life of a 13 year old girl who was hunting doves with her father and brother. She triped and fell with her shotgun discharging and hitting her in the face. This happened near New Underwood in western South Dakota. Her father was stationed at Ellsworth AFB. A very sad day indeed.:(
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It was a very bad deal. The parents are having a very bad time with it, as any of us would. She did not trip and fall though, those facts were reported wrong. The family was from Florida I think and stationed here in SD. I hope everyone is safe out there and finishes the season with everything they started with. Take care
 
Big T said:
It was a very bad deal. The parents are having a very bad time with it, as any of us would. She did not trip and fall though, those facts were reported wrong. The family was from Florida I think and stationed here in SD. I hope everyone is safe out there and finishes the season with everything they started with. Take care
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I can't even begin to think how one would handle something like this. I spent 20 plus years working at Ellsworth AFB both on active duty or for a contractor and have retired in the local area. I'm sure the entire local community feels for the family. I hunt with several young Air Force members and have watched young hunters grow up as safe and responsible, but it takes just a moment for an accident to happen, so please be safe this year out there.
 
___________
obituary said:
Charity Anne Lacquey (Smith), 13 years old, of Ellsworth Air Force Base, died unexpectedly Friday, September 9, 2011, while participating in a sport she dearly loved. . . . She liked camping, kayaking, hunting, four-wheeling, being in the great outdoors, and sometimes fishing! She said she loved being outside and seeing all the pretty things God has made for us. — http://kirkfuneralhome.com/sitemaker/sites/KirkFu1/obit.cgi?user=456451Lecquey
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As the parent of a 13 year old...I just cannot imagine what they are going thru. To learn from this accident, what did happen here if she didnt trip?
 
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