Utah hunter shot after another mistakes decoy for live turkey

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — A hunter was shot during the opening week of Utah’s limited-entry turkey season, after another hunter mistook their decoys and fired.

Officials with the Department of Natural Resources said a hunter received emergency medical treatment for a gunshot wound after another hunter fired at them.

They said the victim was hiding in vegetation behind their decoys when a hunter saw a decoy and thought it was a live turkey. The hunter “stalked in and fired” at the decoys, hitting the hunter behind them.

The victim received emergency treatment for the gunshot wound. Their condition was not released.

DNR officials said turkey hunting doesn’t require hunters to wear blaze orange, which increases the importance of positively identifying the turkey before firing a weapon.

“The goal is to bring home a bird, but the priority is making sure everyone makes it home for dinner,” they said. “Stay sharp, stay visible when moving, and always—always—confirm your shot.”

Officials also reminded hunters to verbally announce their location if they see another hunter approaching them.

“Opening weekend should be about the thrill of the hunt and the quiet of the woods. Instead, it served as a harrowing reminder of how quickly a mistake can turn a hunt into a tragedy,” they said.

Utah’s Spring 2026 limited-entry hunts opened on April 11 and closed on Thursday. The youth hunt began on Friday, and the general season opens on Monday.

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