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Drive-By Poacher Kills Teen Goose Hunter
This one comes from F&S Shooting Editor, Phil Bourjaily, who mentions that this is the third such incident he’s heard about in the last two years.
From Kansas City’s KCTV5 News:
Beau Arndt, 18, of Americus, and two friends had placed several dozen goose decoys in a farm field Saturday and were lying in the snow waiting for incoming birds. . . [when according to his companions] a pickup truck stopped along a nearby road and fired a rifle shot into the decoys, [hitting] Arndt . . . .
Sounds like we need at least a 72 hour rule on this one. Let the cops investigate. If the story checks out, it shouldn't be too hard to find this truck and its occupants.
Posted by: jack | December 19, 2007 at 02:27 PM
This was not a "Hunting Accident" it was murder or at least vol. manslaughter. The men or scum in the truck were not hunting. They were breaking laws that lead to a young mans death and should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law!
Posted by: GREG | December 19, 2007 at 02:43 PM
I'm with Greg. This had nothing to do with hunting. Manslaughter at the least. Three guys in a truck, firing a rifle from the cab, then driving off.
Not hunting - whether or not a person was killed.
Posted by: Tommy | December 19, 2007 at 02:57 PM
From the story:
"Arndt was the first person killed in a hunting accident in Kansas since 2005, state officials said."
So, a murder somehow gets classified as a 'hunting accident'? - by a state official no less.
Good grief.
Posted by: jack | December 19, 2007 at 03:37 PM
The scum bags that did the deed (if the story is accurate) should be victims of a tragic "hunting accident"
Posted by: DR | December 19, 2007 at 05:20 PM
I think we need to let the law do its usual investigate-pursue-indict routine here. I'd have a hard time calling this "murder" was I on a jury based on what I've read here.
Posted by: Mike Diehl | December 19, 2007 at 06:05 PM
OMFG!! That is just horrible!
Posted by: Scrap5000 | December 19, 2007 at 06:52 PM
It happened a while back. The guys were hunting geese and some dumb a$$ drives by, sees their decoys, pulls out a .22 and starts shooting, and hit one guy in the head, killing him
Posted by: FishinsMyLife | December 19, 2007 at 08:45 PM
#1 not an accident.
#2 in my home state this would be a criminal murder, reckless endangerment, agg. assault (on the other hunters present) and a myriad of weapons and vehicle violations.
#3 i hope they find the bastard and hang him from the highest tree branch they can find.
Posted by: andy | December 20, 2007 at 12:07 AM
just for the record, my home state is new jersey and here this would meet the statutory requirements for murder, the guy didn't accidently point the gun out there and shoot. he did it on purpose.
Posted by: andy | December 20, 2007 at 12:10 AM
Tragic, yes...Hunting accident, NO WAY! Sorry, but this shooter needs to pay dearly. Society needs to start punishing the stupid.
Posted by: as moeggs | December 20, 2007 at 09:09 PM
Good God! I hope that man is punished for what he has done!>:(
Posted by: NDMan | December 20, 2007 at 09:36 PM
It seems that I keep hearing more and more about decoys bringing out the worst in stupid people. Wasn't there another recent story about a teenager driving his truck into someone's decoy thinking it was a deer? Is decoy hunting becoming more risky than stalking?
Posted by: William | December 21, 2007 at 12:50 AM
Expect an update soon from Hurteau and Bourjaily on this. Authorities have interrogated 3 men in connection with the shooting. Charges are being drawn against a 57-year old man from Topeka. Official announcement forthcoming from Sheriff and local prosecutor.
Posted by: jack | December 21, 2007 at 08:33 AM
Gotta agree with Greg. Let's hope these fools get what's coming to them. We spend enough time rewarding stupidity in our society...and these cretins not only make all hunters look bad in the press but they took an innocent man's life while acting stupid. Someone get a rope.
Posted by: Lone | December 21, 2007 at 08:41 AM
And the press says it's hunters who cause these accidents?
Posted by: Stephen G. Bennett Sr. | December 21, 2007 at 05:48 PM
accident yes I think. You have no clue what everyone involved are going through. Hopefully every can Learn from this and pull there head out and try to teach all of our friends and children alittle safety. I think everyone that gets a hunting liscense should have to take mandatory hunters education class every 3 years or so!!!
Posted by: michael | January 19, 2008 at 11:11 AM
This kind of stuff is starting to happen way too much, and need to have the brakes put on road side hunting with stiffer penalty's.
Posted by: Missouri snows | July 13, 2008 at 12:44 PM