Details released in incidents in which turkey hunters were shot in Pa. – AOL
05/23/2026
The Pennsylvania Game Commission has investigated at least two incidents of turkey hunters being shot this month by other hunters.
Both events happened on May 2, which was the opening day of spring turkey season.
John Buffone, press secretary for the state agency, released the summaries of the two incidents.
In Schuylkill County, a father and his two adult sons were turkey hunting together. All three hunters fired at a group of six young male turkeys called jakes.
As the hunters ran to the birds that had been hit, one of the sons, age 19, placed his shotgun on the ground and it discharged, hitting the other son/brother who is age 21. The shot pellets struck his head and both arms. The victim was examined by emergency medical personnel but declined transportation to a hospital.
Buffone said no charges were filed and the cause of the shooting has been listed as unintentional discharge.
The other incident happened in Lancaster County.
Buffone reports a couple was hunting turkeys together. As the female victim, 19, walked a trail behind her boyfriend, a hunter from an adjacent field fired their shotgun. The shot from the male offender, 21, struck the victim in numerous areas across the body.
Buffone said no information regarding medical treatment was mentioned in the initial report. The cause of the incident has been attributed to the victim being shot for a game animal.
The two shootings are on par with what has happened during the spring hunting season over the past five years.
On May 22, Buffone said there were zero hunting-related shooting incidents in the spring of 2022, one in 2023, three in 2024, three in 2025 and two in 2026.
Hunters are required to see a beard on the turkey’s chest before shooting during the spring gobbler season. Fluorescent orange clothing isn’t required while turkey hunting.
Pennsylvania’s spring turkey season runs through May 30.
This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Two hunter-related shooting incidents investigated in Pa. this spring