Hunter shoots pensioner using thermal, says he thought it was a deer

Brian Shaffer

Hog Hunter
SUS VENATOR CLUB
LoneStarBoars Supporter
http://www.ladbible.com/news/weird-...oting-a-75-year-old-jogger-in-sweden-20190326

I hunt with thermal. Thermal offers some challenges to target identification that are more different and sometimes more difficult than hunting with a daylight scope. This hunter claimed he thought he was shooting at a deer. The target in question was a 75 year old jogger. The prosecutor says that from the video, it is obvious that the guy was shooting at a human. From the video shown, that he was shooting at a human is not obvious, but then again, it isn't obviously any animal. It certainly could be a human, or an animal with a quartered-toward approach. I could see where the hunter could not tell that was a human (from the short video shown) but there is no way in hell that he could identify it as a deer. All that the hunter has is a warm-blooded lifeform that is in motion. Maybe there is more video where it is obvious? I don't know.

On top of that, the guy is shooting toward buildings that are the backdrop to the "deer" he was trying to kill. He used illegal ammo, was illegally hunting at night, and apparently needed permission to be hunting with the sight he was using. Everything about this shot is WRONG WRONG WRONG.

Care must be taken when identifying targets with thermal. The scope in question appears to be a Pulsar Trail. Assuming it is on native magnification, it should be the XP50 model. It could be the XP38 zoomed from 1.2x to 1.6x, but I doubt it.

You can ethically hunt with thermal and properly identify targets with thermal. This target obviously was not properly identified and based on the video shared, cannot be identified as the target the shooter claimed he thought it was.
 

der Teufel

Livin' the Dream …
SUS VENATOR CLUB
One night I spent at least ten minutes stalking what I was 90% sure was a hog. I kept moving laterally to get a better view, and it really looked a lot like a hog, but I didn't want to shoot if there was a 10% chance of being wrong.

It was a calf in some tall weeds.
 

J BAR K

Just trying to make a day.
SUS VENATOR CLUB
LoneStarBoars Supporter
I do not use thermal-I have digital night vision. It works well in my application. Watching the video clip on the link I can’t tell what it is. Doesn’t really look like a person to me but I sure can’t identify an animal. Some of that may be my inexperience with thermal. But my Daddy hammered it into me- if you can’t identify your target don’t shoot. Seems pretty simple to me.
In the county where I worked as a LEO we had a man shoot and kill his best friend because he thought he was a turkey in the bushes. Lots of lives ruined that day over a dumbass mistake .
 

Chopperdrvr

Deep East Tx
SUS VENATOR CLUB
The gait doesn't look like any 4 legged animal that I have observed. Keep in mind though, the image available to the shooter is MUCH better than the recorded image. He should have known that wasn't a viable target.
 

Ratdog68

LSB Official Story Teller
LSB TURKEY BUZZARD PRESERVATION SOCIETY
SUS VENATOR CLUB
LoneStarBoars Supporter
Yes, this trigger pull is just WRONG on so many levels. Glad the victim was able to pull through. I just hope he's able to recover from it emotionally enough to be able to tell his tale to his great grandkids about the day he survived a shooting.
 

bar-d

Head Wrangler, Chief Manure Manager: Bar-D Cattle
If I ain't sure, I don't shoot. Simple. Glad the old feller survived.
 

diggler1833

LSB Active Member
With calves on the ground 24/7, I check, double check, and then triple check before firing. Nothing like a thousand dollar "uh-oh" to keep one's head about themselves.
 

ScottJ

LSB Member
I'm always ultra nervous around cattle. Just last trip I got what looked like a very good shot on a big sow in some trees. She squealed and ran. So I went in to look for her. Found her laying on the ground not far away but could see she was still moving a little. Kept creeping up closer and closer (looking through the thermal scope). I thought, "man, I gotta put her down for good before she decides to run off... but gotta make absolutely sure it's her even though I know it is". Got really close and found out it was a calf just chilling out, curled up on the ground. Never did find the sow. There's stuff like that and then there's also the issue of fences all covered in vines/brush which can conceal livestock on the other side of them. Gotta be ultra extra careful with thermal.
 
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