# 8 Year Old Dies While Turkey Hunting



## Springer (Dec 21, 2004)

I really hate it when these things happen.

My sympathies to the family.

8-year-old Belle Plaine boy killed in hunting accident

A Belle Plaine dad told his son to stay put as he waited for a shot, but the boy didn't and was mistaken for a turkey rustling in grass.

By CHAO XIONG, Star Tribune

Anthony Klaseus had no reason to think that his hunting companion -- his 8-year-old son -- was nearby as he waited for wild turkeys to come within range Saturday evening in Sibley County.

The 39-year-old Belle Plaine man had told the boy, Hunter, to stay where he was -- well out of range -- as he stalked the wildfowl near County Road 6 in Faxon Township, about 3 miles west of Belle Plaine.

But Hunter, caught up in the excitement of the chase and eager to catch up with his dad, headed toward him.

Hunter, dressed in camouflage, was 20 to 30 yards away, in a grassy area near the woods where his father stood, when his father mistook him for a turkey and fired his 12-gauge shotgun, said Sibley County Sheriff Bruce Ponath.

Hunter was hit in the chest.

"To say that he was distraught would be an understatement," the sheriff said of the father.

Klaseus called 911 from his cell phone at 6:25 p.m.

Klaseus then carried his wounded son about a quarter-mile to where emergency personnel could get to him, Ponath said.

But efforts to revive the boy failed and Hunter was pronounced dead at the scene.

The shooting remains under investigation, but the sheriff characterized it as a tragic accident.

Last year, two people died in hunting accidents in Minnesota, according to a report released this month by the state Department of Natural Resources. There were 23 incidents of hunters being shot at, either by themselves, others in their hunting party, strangers or, in one case, a dog.

Hunter's family did not return calls Sunday.

Pat Pribyl, principal at Raven Stream Elementary School in New Prague, where Hunter was a third-grader, echoed the feelings of many when he said, "A lot of people are in shock. It just doesn't seem possible."

Hunter was an active, eager student who wrestled in a children's league and loved the outdoors, Pribyl said. He recently had written and illustrated a book about hunting with his father for a class.

"He was an intelligent little boy," he said. "Fun-loving, full of energy."

On Sunday, Raven Stream's faculty members were informed of Hunter's death. They will meet this morning before school to talk about how to help his fellow students cope with his death.

Teachers will talk to their classes about the accident and counselors will be available, Pribyl said. Counselors also will ride the school bus Hunter took each morning.

Pribyl said that he spoke with Hunter's mother Sunday and that funeral plans are pending. "She was very shook up and for lack of a better word, devastated," he said.

In addition to his parents, Hunter is survived by two sisters, Alison, 11, and Ashley, 12.

Chao Xiong • 612-673-4391


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Very sad story. I hate to bring this up but identify before you shoot. I know I haven't always identified but after hearing this I am going to try harder.


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## USSapper (Sep 26, 2005)

That is no accident. Sad for the family to say the least.


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## jonesy12 (Apr 1, 2008)

I agree, as cold as it sounds. Why would you ever assume when you have a deadly weapon in your hands? Thoughts go out to the family for sure. A completely preventable death. :eyeroll:


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

What part of IDENTIFYING YOUR TARGET do people NOT understand.  :x


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## taddy1340 (Dec 10, 2004)

Always ID the target...the poor kid paid for his dad's stupidity. How does a boy in camo resemble a turkey? Unfriggin' believable!

I feel for the fam...that Dad will never recover...


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## TINGER (Mar 23, 2008)

shooting at something rustling in the weeds if it didnt have to be as tragic as it ended up being he could have ended up poaching a deer or something else. but the worst happened and my thoughts are with the family


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## fox412 (Mar 18, 2005)

Taddy Its not just the boy has paid for his dads stupidity. Dad will undergo hell until he learns to cope with what he did. I don't think you could wish anything worse on a father than killing your own child.

I have two little ones and they are the most important thing to me in this entire world. I personally can not imagine anything worse it makes me sad and sick to even think about it.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the entire family. Especially Dad.


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## honkerslayr (Dec 14, 2006)

Wow can't believe it it truly is a sad happening. Like people said, hopefully this will enlighten people to check the target first, Although I really wish stuff like this wouldn't happen in order to show people what can really happen. I can't imagine what the dad is going through. Hopefully the family recovers.


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## USSapper (Sep 26, 2005)

> I personally can not imagine anything worse it makes me sad and sick to even think about it.


Same here, really hits me and I dont even know the family


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## mamohr686 (Apr 21, 2003)

It is sad that the kid had to pay for his dad's mistake. The childs name was ironically hunter and was already big into the outdoors. I saw the story on the news and they interviewed the landowner. He was turkey hunting at the time, and was suprised that someone else was even hunting his land. It's Sad that he was trespassing and didn't even attempt to look for a beard since spring season is Tom only.


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## BeekBuster (Jul 22, 2007)

Thats sad sad stuff.... uke:


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

Sad story, easy for a guy to jump to assumptions and think lowly of this guy. Poor kid and family!


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## theodore (Nov 3, 2007)

Maybe everyone should have to take hunter safety every five years or something.


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## MOB (Mar 10, 2005)

theodore said:


> Maybe everyone should have to take hunter safety every five years or something.


No. we should all not have to make concessions for one persons bad judgement.


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## h2ofwlr (Feb 6, 2004)

theodore said:


> Maybe everyone should have to take hunter safety every five years or something.


I think a refresher course every 10 years is in order, say a 3 hr evening class on the safety and current laws.


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## hunter121390 (Nov 7, 2006)

sad story. i feel bad for the family andespecailly the dad. if i had a kid, i dont know how i could live with myself after shooting my own son.


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## Eric Hustad (Feb 25, 2002)

The father will never be the same and I can't imagine shooting at something without identifying it when you child is out there. My oldest is about that boys age and it is really hard to read the story without feeling sick to my stomach. My sympathy goes out to the father and family


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## MrSafety (Feb 22, 2005)

Safety's what I do.........I still don't get it............It's one of the MOST VIOLATED commandments of gun safety..........KNOW YOUR TARGET AND WHAT'S BEYOND................we work on this every time we hunt no matter what we hunt. My 11 year old son and I go turkey hunting in two weeks............we'll work in it then too.


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## mrmcgee (Jan 21, 2008)

I truly feel for the father and family. I have a 3 year old son that I will one day take hunting with me. I can't imagine anything more important than keeping him with me and in my sight at all times. I would never tell him to sit still so I could move for a shot. The most important thing to teach anyone you take hunting is safety! The father has now learned this lesson but I don't know that he will ever want to go hunting again.


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## h2ofwlr (Feb 6, 2004)

*Fatality underscores vital principal of being sure of target*
Last update: April 22, 2008 - 8:20 PM
http://www.startribune.com/sports/outdo ... 27324.html

Minnesota had a remarkably safe turkey hunting record -- until last weekend when an 8-year-old boy was shot and killed by his dad in Sibley County.

It was the first turkey hunting fatality in 30 years, since turkey hunting began here in 1978.

Hunter Klaseus was with his dad, Anthony, 39, of Belle Plaine, on Saturday when Anthony Klaseus apparently mistook his son for a turkey and shot him with a 12-gauge shotgun. He had told the boy to stay where he was, then left to stalk a turkey. But Hunter headed toward him.

The case underscores the prime hunter-safety principal: Be sure of your target and what's beyond it, said Mike Hammer, Department of Natural Resources hunter education program coordinator.

Until Saturday, there had been 15 turkey hunting accidents over 30 years, none fatal. Minnesota's turkey season began last Wednesday, and runs through May 29.

Unlike deer hunters or upland bird hunters, turkey hunters aren't required to wear blaze orange. They dress in camouflage clothing to prevent being seen by the sharp-eyed turkeys. And hunters often move through the woods, stalking turkeys and calling them.

"Stalking is not against the law, but it's something we strongly recommend against,'' Hammer said. "Because you're often stalking a sound. You don't know if it's a turkey or another turkey hunter.''

"We also strongly advise people to wear blaze orange when going to or from their hunting location, or whenever they are moving,'' he added.

Hammer offered some other tips:

• Don't wear any clothing with turkey colors -- red, white, blue and black.

• Set up with good visibility so you can see turkeys, but also other hunters approaching. If you see someone else, call out to them.

• Make sure you have a legal turkey in sight. In the spring, that means one with a visible beard.

DOUG SMITH


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## h2ofwlr (Feb 6, 2004)

FYI, He was tresspassing er Mn state law-did not have permission as required. He did not buy a lic. yes he was drawn for a turkey lic and was hunting during the valid period, but did not bother to buy the lic.

Seems a couple of important over sights to me, enough so, that it is no surprise then that he shot an identified target since he already cut 2 corners, so cutting the 3rd corner on safety was right in line. One needs to look at the chain of events that lead up to the shooting. All are not ethical, were ill advised, and were illegal, and his son paid the final price for his recklessness.

A darned shame his son--or anyone for that matter, had to pay the ultimate price for his stupidity.


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## if it flies it dies1 (Mar 22, 2008)

My Prayers go to the family and the dad. Im very sorry that just blew me away reading this. its sad to hear a buddys dog getting shot but to hear this is just so so so SAD.


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## englishpointer (May 16, 2005)

I did not take the time to read all the posts on this. 
I find a few things wrong with the idea of feeling a whole lot of simpathy for the father.

I absultely feel terrible that this young child had to die for something so stupid.

First thing when you take your young child into a hunting enviroment, are we not there to teach them. I would never leave or let my child leave my side when we are out, he is there to learn and appreciate the wild life it isnt all about the killing. At this young age wouldnt you think that he wanted to see what his dad was seeing and learn from it.

Second like many have said KNOW YOU TARGET.

Third KNOW YOUR TARGET!!!!!

In my opinion he should be punished legally for this.

May god forgive this guy for I never will.


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## AlpineArcher24 (Mar 1, 2008)

That is one sad story not sure what to say but that child died for nothing at all.


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## roostman (Jan 20, 2006)

well said Englishpointer, this kid should have never been left alone, my kids can't sit still for two minutes. If that had happened to me I think they would have had two body bags to drag out. Very very sad.


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## tim.sirek (Jun 3, 2007)

I don't feel terribly sad for the trespassing, poaching father. What was he trying to teach his kid, anyway? My sympathy goes out to the rest of the family, though.

The saddest part of this ordeal is that some people refuse to learn from others' mistakes, and must make the same mistake themselves. The old "it won't happen to me" attitude. Some don't even learn when it does happen to them.

I'm reminded of a North Dakota case from some 20 or more years ago. A Bismarck man was convicted of manslaughter for sneaking up on a fellow turkey hunter by listening to the victim's calling, and shooting him. The guy served prison time, probation, and eventually became eligible for hunting licensed again. He drew a spring turkey tag, and shot a second fellow hunter!


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## Ihuntnfish (Sep 13, 2005)

I believe I just heard the father was charged with second degree manslaughter. He had alcohol and marijuna in his blood. :eyeroll:


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## AWO (Mar 9, 2008)

Yep, heard that on the news today, got the old smoke and alcy in the system, he's screwed!!! :eyeroll:


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## h2ofwlr (Feb 6, 2004)

*Charges: Hunter who killed son had beer, pot in his system*
By CHAO XIONG, Star Tribune 
Last update: May 5, 2008 - 11:37 PM

The Belle Plaine man who fatally shot his 8-year-old son in the chest last month while turkey hunting had alcohol and marijuana in his system at the time, according to a felony second-degree manslaughter charge filed Monday.

Anthony Klaseus, 39, told authorities that he told his son, Hunter, to stay put as he circled a field to approach turkeys sometime after 5 p.m. April 19 in a field east of Crahan Lane near County Road 6 in Sibley County, according to charges filed in Sibley County District Court.

Klaseus called to the turkeys. They called back and moved toward him.

"Then I heard something snap or break near me, and a large figure rose up," he told authorities. "I thought it was a turkey, and I shot and it went down. I thought I shot the turkey. Then my son jumped back up screaming and then fell back down."

Hunter, dressed in full camouflage and wearing a hood, looked like a "turkey fanning out," Klaseus told authorities. Department of Natural Resources regulations only allow hunters to shoot turkeys with visible beards, a feathered appendage on the breast.

Klaseus and paramedics performed CPR on Hunter, but he died at the scene.

Klaseus took a breath test at the scene that registered a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.06 percent, the charges said. A urine test taken three hours after the shooting showed an ethyl alcohol concentration of 0.05 grams per 67 milliliters. It also showed that he had marijuana in his system, although the exact concentration won't be known for a few weeks.

Authorities said it's unclear exactly when he consumed the alcohol and marijuana.

Two 12-packs of beer, three six-packs of beer, an empty 24-pack of beer and a marijuana pipe were found in Klaseus' truck at the scene, the charges say. The packs of beer contained empty and full cans.

"That's just one side of the story," said Klaseus' attorney, Patrick Flanagan. "The family is distraught. They're trying to work through the loss of their son. They were hoping the county attorney would come up with a different conclusion."

Flanagan declined to address details revealed in the charges. The family did not want to comment, said Hunter's grandmother.

Hunter's death was the first turkey hunting fatality since turkey hunting began here in 1978. Last year, two people were fatally shot in hunting accidents in Minnesota. All told, in 2007, there were 23 incidents of hunters being shot at in the state.

"One of the 10 safety rules of hunting, besides being sure of your target, is not to consume ... alcohol or be on any kinds of drugs," said Al Thomas, executive director of Turn in Poachers, a nonprofit that promotes safe and ethical sportsmanship. "By following the rules of safe shooting, maybe it could've been prevented."

Klaseus is also charged with felony reckless discharge of a firearm and two misdemeanor charges: trespassing and hunting turkeys without a license. He was drawn to buy a license, but never made the $18 purchase.

Klaseus is scheduled to make his first court appearance May 22. He will not be arrested in connection with the charges.

He was cited by a DNR official for marijuana possession in 1996.

Chao Xiong • 612-673-4391

--------------------------

Some medical info on alcohol consumption. Upon the 3rd drink/beer, it effects the part of the brain that uses judgement. This is why after 3 or more a guy gets into his vehicle and drives DUI even though if stone cold sober, he would say I never would drink and drive. And is why the guy used poor judgement right before he pulled the trigger too.

And that is why I don't care if a guy has a beer at lunch and couple of hours later we are hunting or skeet shooting. But it is also is why when I see #3 being ordered or opened, I draw the line and do not want to be around the person. The bottom line is their judgement is impaired once the 3rd alcohol beverage is consumed.

Hunting can be dangerous enough due to poor gun safety skills without adding alcohol or other drugs into the mix.

The spring of 08 will go down as the worst for turkey hunting fatalities in the US. 3 deaths now. All 3 were avoidable if the rule of "Always ID the target before you shoot" were followed. Look for an increase in educational awareness on this for the coming year as a result.

If convicted of either of those 2 felonies, he can not ever again have in his possession any gun or weapon (bow), etc... so no more hunting for him the rest of his life.

On a personal note, I was Turkey hunting the last few days, and even though I was on private land and no one else had permission to be there, I was acutely aware of noises behind me, wondering, is that a tresspassing hunter smeeaking up on me? I rarely used to think about it years ago. Not sure if sign of the times, or me getting cynical as I get older, or both....


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## NDJ (Jun 11, 2002)

.05 three hours after incident....if he had no drinks, that would put him at .095 at the time of the incident :******:

anyway this is no accident.


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