‘That scares me a bit’: Bow hunter shot in chest by target shooter just days into hunting season

LANSING, Mich. (WILX/Gray News) - Days into bowhunting season in Michigan, questions about safety are being raised after a hunter was shot in the chest.

The hunter was hit by an errant round from a target shooter while they were sitting inside a hunting blind, according to officials.

The injured hunter ended up being taken to an area hospital.

Brent Langenbacher, a lifelong hunter and manager at Moose Creek Sports, said what happened is concerning.

“I hunt up in Clinton County, so that scares me a bit. I hunt right up there,” Langenbacher said.

Langenbacher added that hunting blinds carry their own safety risks.

“Those are fully camouflaged. Unless you have some orange on there, someone could shoot you while you’re sitting in there and they would have no idea they even shot you,” Langenbacher said.

Michigan law requires hunters to wear bright orange, although there are exceptions, including for bow hunting.

According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), this is because typically there are fewer people in the woods, and the arrows hunters shoot won’t travel as far as bullets or penetrate as deeply.

Langenbacher said changes to a hunting blind could help improve visibility.

“Put a blaze orange hat on top of your hut. You can just do that, and that would let people know someone is in there hunting,” Langenbacher said.

The Michigan DNR noted that hunters do have that option.

“If you’re a bow hunter and you’re concerned that somebody is on a neighboring property, or you want people to know you’re out there, there’s nothing that says you can’t wear orange,” Michigan DNR Lt. Richard Nickols said.

State officials said all hunters are responsible for their rounds and where those rounds end up. If a shooter causes damage or recklessly fires rounds, they could be held criminally responsible.