Police: Pa. man charged after mistaking hunter for turkey, shooting him in the face
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A Huntingdon County man is facing charges after police said he mistook another hunter for a turkey and shot him in the face and head.
Scott Huber, 51, is charged with reckless endangerment and violations of Pennsylvania’s hunting laws, according to WTAJ.
The incident occurred on Nov. 9 in Barree Township. According to a criminal complaint, Huber was hunting in the area when he thought he saw the black and white feathers and white neck of a turkey.
Huber then fired his shotgun, only to hear someone yell, “You shot me.”
Huber told police he then walked toward the direction of his shot and yelled “call out,” but did not get a response and was not sure if someone had been joking with him.
The victim, who had been archery hunting at the time, was taken to a hospital. Officials said he had 2 gunshot wounds to the right ear, 2 gunshot wounds to the right shoulder, 7 gunshot wounds to the upper right back, 1 gunshot wound to the right arm, and 3 wounds near the ear.
The unidentified victim told police he had been hunting from a tree saddle when he saw another hunter in blaze orange setting up about 80 yards away. He later changed his location, unaware of Huber’s position. He told police he heard a gunshot before feeling intense pain in his head and face.
Investigators said they used a K-9 unit to retrace the victim’s steps and reconstruct the scene. They determined that Huber was about 52 yards away from the victim when he fired the shot. The area was obscured with thick brush, which could have made visibility an issue, police said.
Huber’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 16.