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5 killed, 3 injured in dispute over deer stand
HoustonChronicle.com ^ | Nov. 22, 2004 | AP

Posted on 11/22/2004 5:31:35 AM PST by Max Combined

1 arrested after hunters find a man in their spot and shooting ensues

A dispute among deer hunters over a tree stand in northwestern Wisconsin erupted Sunday in a series of shootings that left five people dead and three others injured, officials said.

Jake Hodgkinson, a deputy at the county jail, identified the suspect as Chai Vang but would give no additional details. Several news organizations in Minneapolis-St. Paul reported the suspect was 36-years-old and from St. Paul.

The incident happened when two hunters were returning to their rural cabin on private land in Sawyer County and saw the suspect in one of their tree stands, County Chief Deputy Tim Zeigle said. A confrontation and shooting followed.

It's not known who shot first, Zeigle said.

Both men were wounded and one of them radioed back to the cabin. Other hunters responded and were shot, he said. Some of the victims may have shot back at the suspect, Zeigle said.

The suspect was ``sniping'' at the victims with a SKS assault-style rifle, Zeigle said. He was ``chasing after them and killing them,'' he said.

The dead included four males, including a teenage boy, and a woman, Zeigle said. The man who radioed for help was not fatally wounded. Some of the victims were shot more than once.

All five were dead when officers arrived, he said.

Authorities found two bodies near each other and the other three were scattered around the area, which is near Town of Meteor in southwestern Sawyer County. Two people who stayed in the cabin emerged safely after the shootings.

The suspect, who did not have a compass, got lost in the woods and two other hunters, not knowing the man was being sought in the shootings, helped him find his way out, Zeigle said. When he emerged from the woods, a Department of Natural Resources officer recognized the deer license on his back, given to police by a victim, Zeigle said.

The man was out of bullets when they arrested him, Zeigle said.

One of the injured hunters was in critical condition at St. Joseph's Hospital. Another was listed in serious condition and the third was in fair condition, both at Lakeview Medical Center.

Wisconsin's statewide deer gun hunting season started Saturday and lasts for nine days.

Bill Wagner, 72, of Oshkosh, was about two miles away near Deer Lake with a party of about 20 other hunters. He said the incident was ``very upsetting.''

After they got word of a shooting, he and others went to round up the rest of the party. He said they heard sirens, planes and helicopters and noticed the surrounding roads blocked off.

``When you're hunting you don't expect somebody to try to shoot you and murder you,'' he said. ``You have no idea who is coming up to you.''

The incident won't stop their hunt, he said.

``We're all old, dyed-in-wool hunters,'' he said. ``We wouldn't go home because of this but we will keep it in our minds. We're not forgetting it.''


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; US: Wisconsin
KEYWORDS: banglist; deerstand; hunting; vang; wihunters
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To: PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain
"to all be that close together? "

Read the story. They called for help.

81 posted on 11/22/2004 7:46:04 AM PST by Deguello
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To: Max Combined
Mai Chu Yang and her husband, Chai Vang Thao, accepted the U.S. invitation in July 1989. Mai Chu was the kind of person the old-timers back home considered a good Hmong girl.

I wonder if this is the same Chai Vang that was identified as the shooter. Maybe Chai Vang is a common name among Hmong.

82 posted on 11/22/2004 7:57:07 AM PST by larrysav
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To: TChris

Yeah, I lived on a bayou, those "sweet" little animals are not something you want to mess with. Plus, try watching discovery. I can't watch because it's so violent.


83 posted on 11/22/2004 7:59:38 AM PST by marty60
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To: Max Combined
When he emerged from the woods, a Department of Natural Resources officer recognized the deer license on his back

A real tragedy! ...but's was this about Wisconsin hunters having to wear a deer license on their backs?

84 posted on 11/22/2004 8:07:03 AM PST by TexasCajun
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To: larrysav
They are both in Wisconsin and they both have a bad attitude.
85 posted on 11/22/2004 8:13:21 AM PST by Max Combined (Clinton is "the notorious Oval Office onanist ")
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To: AlexW

I live on the edge of a wilderness preserve in British Columbia, but haven't owned a rifle since I left the North Peace in '79.

Around here, if you own a rifle, you just end up shooting more bears than I'd ever want to. One of my neighbours pops a half dozen per year, but still has them raiding his fruit trees when they pass through, as they continue to do, generation after generation. Grizzlies avoid humans, so it's only the black bears that come around, anyway.

I just let the dog bark. ;^)


86 posted on 11/22/2004 8:20:19 AM PST by headsonpikes (Spirit of '76 bttt!)
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To: xsrdx

from Yahoo:
About 20 shots were fired but it was unclear if any of the hunters had fired at the suspect or who might have shot first, Zeigle said. There was just one gun among the eight people killed or wounded, he said.

Seems like they came to the recue without coming armed. Perhaps it was unclear to them, or the persons radioing, that the shots were fired purposefully.


87 posted on 11/22/2004 9:48:23 AM PST by Apogee
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To: Apogee
Seems like they came to the recue without coming armed.

Yikes. Too many people with guns running around to be caught without one.

88 posted on 11/22/2004 10:01:46 AM PST by xsrdx (Diligentia, Vis, Celeritas)
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To: xsrdx
Why didn't the victims shoot back, or did they try?

I've seen this question asked today a few times. There is a world of difference between shooting at an animal and shooting at a human being. Ask anyone who's ever been a soldier or a police officer.

89 posted on 11/22/2004 10:15:18 AM PST by HolgerDansk ("Oh Bother", said Pooh, as he chambered another round.)
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To: AlexW; wardaddy; spectr17

Flame ? I don't flame ignorance. You hate "all" deer hunters ?......LOL. You have issues. Your collective "anger/hate" is laughable based on your reasoning. Post yer property and prosecute the criminal trespass.

Sell a few hunting leases and let the hunters police your property for ya. Nothing quite like a place to hunt these days. The hunter will actually care for your property and it's wildlife better than you will in most cases. Conservation and wildlife management by such law abidding hunters vs the poachers you've encountered will increase the value of your estate.

Just a suggestion of course....... Sit down with the game wardens and LEO's in your area and they'll educate you as to the best solution for "your" problem.

If you still desire to not have any hunting on your property I totally respect that and would stand with you to enforce that wish but to put hunters trying to harvest game for their families table in the same group as the poachers you've caught is silly.


90 posted on 11/22/2004 10:17:29 AM PST by Squantos (Be polite. Be professional. But, have a plan to kill everyone you meet. ©)
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To: hiredhand
Is that Chinese or Russian?

Mine is Chinese, and from what I hear - better shooting than most of the Chinese variants.

I cut off my bayonet lug to make it legal to have other "evil" features - a detachable magazine and possibly an aftermarket stock (which I never got). Mine shoots "minute-of-deer" accuracy at 100 yds. And yes, they are comparable to a 30-30 Win.
91 posted on 11/22/2004 10:19:16 AM PST by TheBattman (Islam - the cult of Satan)
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To: TheBattman
Is that Chinese or Russian?

Mine is Chinese, and from what I hear - better shooting than most of the Chinese variants.

I cut off my bayonet lug to make it legal to have other "evil" features - a detachable magazine and possibly an aftermarket stock (which I never got). Mine shoots "minute-of-deer" accuracy at 100 yds. And yes, they are comparable to a 30-30 Win.

It's one of the Yugoslavian M59/66s that have been on the market lately. Depending on the ammo, we can keep 10 rounds on a 8.5 x 11" sheet at 220 yards. The trigger is TERRIBLE though! But the rifle itself is VERY reliable (or so it seems). Not at all picky about ammo!

I only wish the options for different sights was a little more diverse. I'm looking at the Williams FireSights, but the only decent electronic sight mount platform I've found so far is from D.C. Engineering and it's just a tad over $80.00 for the mount alone!

Ah well....I like it. :-)
92 posted on 11/22/2004 10:25:20 AM PST by hiredhand ( "Pudge the Indestructible Kitty" lives at - http:/www.justonemorefarm.com)
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To: tuffydoodle

The AP on Yahoo is reporting it was an "SKS semi-automatic rifle" a "typical" gun for hunting.

You can see the video linked from the Yahoo story here:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&ncid=716&e=5&u=/ap/20041122/ap_on_re_us/hunters_shot

The link for the AP video is next to the third picture down on the left hand side.


93 posted on 11/22/2004 11:01:36 AM PST by LibertyRocks
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To: LibertyRocks

Is it really a "typical" gun for hunting? Would it be considered a deer rifle?


94 posted on 11/22/2004 11:10:12 AM PST by tuffydoodle
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To: tuffydoodle

That was my question. I was hoping some of the hunters could clear that up. I'm not a hunter, and I don't know much about guns used for hunting...


95 posted on 11/22/2004 11:13:14 AM PST by LibertyRocks
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To: dmz

Yep...you're fishy too.


where in Maryland....Tacoma Park?


96 posted on 11/22/2004 5:23:20 PM PST by wardaddy
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To: AlexW

You need a gun Alex.

Someone should be able to help.

Maybe some Dobies or Rotts if you'd prefer.


97 posted on 11/22/2004 5:24:27 PM PST by wardaddy
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To: dmz; Squantos

lol...

I see you've been ugly to Squantos....


now you really need a gun.....maybe a whole rifle company...lol


do you eat meat by any chance?

ever been in a fight?

talked back to a woman?

just curious.

*you started it btw....


98 posted on 11/22/2004 5:29:20 PM PST by wardaddy
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To: wardaddy

huh ?.......ugly ?


99 posted on 11/22/2004 5:37:43 PM PST by Squantos (Be polite. Be professional. But, have a plan to kill everyone you meet. ©)
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To: AlexW
You deer hunters can flame away at me, but most in my area are the lowest of trash.

i will douse you with water. it's your property. you decide who hunts and who does not. most legal deer hunters would agree with me.

100 posted on 11/22/2004 5:39:43 PM PST by mlocher (america is a sovereign state)
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