Sad Story - a scout lost - question for Mike Long

[eisely]

A hunting accident. Father shoots son. Is the Mike Long quoted here the same Mike Long who used to be active in this forum?

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Hunting Accident Victim Remembered As True Boy Scout

Thu Jan 22, 7:29 AM ET

 

Family and friends gathered Wednesday morning to remember 14-year-old Alex Plucknett, who was killed Saturday in a hunting accident at a Baker County hunt club.

 

Authorities said the teen was mistakenly shot when his father mistook his black cap for a hog.

 

Services for the Plucknett were held at the Isle of Faith Methodist Church in San Pablo, his family's church where also attended Boy Scout meetings.

 

His mother has asked that, in lieu of flowers, people contribute to the Alex Plucknett Scholarship Fund at any Educational Community Credit Union.

 

Some mourners, like scoutmaster Mike Long, remember Plucknett as a "go-getter," and a good Boy Scout.

 

Long called Plucknett a true outdoorsman and someone who wouldn't let anything stop him from achieving his goals.

 

"When you had something that captured his attention, something that captured his mind, he pursued it with a tenacity that you don't see that often," said Long as he looked through pictures of Plucknett on various outings with the troop.

 

In addition to Troop 623's trips to the Smoky Mountains, Ocala National Forest, and Cumberland Island, Plucknett and the troop also participated in community service projects at schools, churches and parks.

 

Long said he thought the world of Plucknett, saying he showed incredible maturity and that the others boys looked up to him.

 

"He held multiple leadership positions in the troop where he was dealing directly with younger boys and teaching them a lot of skills," Long said.

 

When the scouts learned that Plucknett had been killed, they took it very hard. At the time, the scouts were on an outing that Plucknett had decided not to attend. He went hunting with his father and older brother instead.

 

Long summed up the loss with a quote straight from the Scout tradition.

 

"A Scout is a friend to all and a brother to every other Scout. And they lost a brother," he said.

 

Plucknett also loved baseball, and he pitched a no-hitter game last season. He has been named to the scout's National Honor Society.

 

Baker County Sheriff Joey Dobson said he is meeting with the state attorney's office to review the shooting, but is certain it will be ruled an accident.

 

 

[Bob White]

It is very likely. Mike is a SM in Atlantic Beach, Fl, which is only a couple miles from San Pablo. Our prayers are with Mike, The scouts and scouters of the troop, and the family of the young man. Such a tragedy.

[scoutingagain]

I can think of no greater loss than the loss of a son or daughter. This is just so sad. I'll say a prayer as well.

 

SA

[evmori]

This is tragic. Was Mike the SM of Troop 623?

[SR540Beaver]

This is the website of Troop 623 with a remembrance of the young man.

 

http://www.troop623.com/index.htm

[Eamonn]

There can be no words to express how sad and tragic this is.

My thoughts and prayers are with with the family and the troop.

Eamonn

[NJCubScouter]

I'm sure it is the same Mike Long; the profile for Mike Long in this forum lists the same troop web site address as the one posted above.

 

Obviously this is a terrible tragedy. Even more than just losing a child, can you imagine what this father will go through in his mind? And it will probably never get any better. All from a mistake. It boggles the mind.

[Glenn]

I am terribly saddened to read of this accident. I too will say a prayer for Alex and his family.

 

As has been mentioned, no greater loss than to lose your own child.

[mrs red feather]

They were hunting hogs???? The kid was wearing a black cap???? What a totally stupid, easily preventable tragic loss of a young life.

[Fat Old Guy]

"They were hunting hogs????"

 

Down south, pig hunting is a popular activity. I have a friend who hunts wild pigs with a spear.

 

"The kid was wearing a black cap???? What a totally stupid,"

 

Yep. Also stupid was not knowing where other members of his party were and not being sure of his target. The father will suffer daily torment, a living hell that I wouldn't wish on Osama Bin Laden.

[JimmyD]

This is sad. I don't know about Florida but pennsylvania has fluroscent orange requirments when hunting deer, and when you go out for turkey you hae to wear orange till you ge tsittuated then tkae it off. Just as a reminder for that don't wear colors that are asocated with the animal like black for hogs and red for the beard of a turkey. We always make sure when we go out with the troop on satursdays during a huting season everyone where's orange as a safty precaustion just incase.

[dan]

For he has been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

1 Peter 1:2

 

 

[Fat Old Guy]

" I don't know about Florida but pennsylvania has fluroscent orange requirments when hunting deer"

 

Deer seasons often have different requirements than other seasons.

[KoreaScouter]

I sincerely pray that the parents are surrounded by family and friends who care about them and are offering support and understanding. As a father myself, I can't imagine how one would begin to get over a loss like this.

 

I'm not anti-gun by any stretch, but of all the places I've been, I was most concerned about being shot during the 3 years I lived in Montana, while deer season was underway.

 

KS

[Mike Long]

Yes, it was one of my boys. Thank you for your thoughts and emails. I haven't been active here due to time constraints but I do think about y'all.

 

I guess I'll tell the story.

 

Last weekend we were backpacking Cumberland Island National Seashore. Alex decided he would rather go hunting with his dad and older brother (one of our most senior Eagles) The afternoon of the second day a ranger walks into our camp and asks for myself and an ASM by name. He informs us that there was an urgent message and we needed to contact one of our Scout parents, ALex's mom. We called their house and a neighbor informed us that there was a very serious hunting accident and Alex had been shot. Come back as soon as you can.

 

The adults gathered together and we prayed for Alex. It was too late to get off the island that night so one of my ASMs and his son woke up early the next morning and hiked out to the ferry. Lacking information we decided to not inform the other Scouts untill we knew what Alex's condition was and they had the support of the pastor and their parents with them.

 

The rest of us caught the late ferry home. When we neared the dock we were scanning for Kelly the ASM. I spotted Kelly, he saw me and he shook his head and drew his finger across his throat. When we moored he informed us that the pastor, youth pastor and the parent were waiting for us at the church.

 

When we arrived at the church we gathered the guys in the sanctuary and Alex's brother told the boys what happened. At the hunt camp they were having breakfast and Alex finished early and headed across the field to look for deer sign. Alex wasn't wearing orange which to me is VERY abnormal for Alex. That boy ALWAYS wore orange inn the fall and winter. That was how I used to find him, look for orange and you'd find Alex. Alex was crouching down in a depression.

 

230 yards across the field Alex's dad thought Alex was a hog. He handed the .308 to his older brother and invites him to shoot his first hog. Older brother looks and says I can't see it that well. I can't positively ID it so I'm going to pass. If you can ID it then go for it. Dad says he's sure it's a hog by the shape and movement. Dad takes the shot and hits Alex through the head. Someone else at the camp yells that Alex was over here and they run to find him.

 

Older brother finds the body first. Then dad.

 

The local news has behaved in a subhuman manner in this. They have broken into the camp to take footage, they have trolled the neighborhood for kids to interview, they have jumped the families fence to shoot footage through the window and they have tried everything to get me to give out the personal information of my boys so they could shove a camera in their face. They even tried to show up at our troop meeting this week.

 

The service was Wednesday. The church was completely packed and there were people lined up outside. Our boys presented the colors and the family asked me to speak. We had guys show in uniform who I haven't seen in very long time.

 

Some of the boys are still in shock and we are trying to do what we can to help them. We are looking at creating a summer camp scholarship in Alex's name.

 

Condemnation of the father doesn't help Alex and it certainly won't punish him any worse than what he is doing to himself. I know God and Alex will forgive him. Wether or not you can is irrelevent.

 

Orange is required during hunting season but Orange is not required on private hunt camps in Florida. I would like to see that change.

 

Alex would have been 14 on the 30th. He and I had completed his Star Scoutmaster conference last thursday and was to do his board of review this week. He was awarded his Star Scout Posthumously.

 

Article http://www.news4jax.com/news/2779597/detail.html