A Racine County sheriff’s deputy faces four felony charges after prosecutors say he allowed his 3-year-old daughter to pull the trigger on a shotgun aimed at what he believed was a turkey during Wisconsin’s 2026 youth hunt. Two nearby hunters were hit, including a 7-year-old boy who suffered serious head injuries.
A Wisconsin hunting accident from this spring has now resulted in felony charges against a Racine County Sheriff’s deputy, drawing attention not only to firearm safety but also to Wisconsin’s rules allowing very young children to participate in mentored hunts.
James D. Lehman, 35, of Union Grove was charged Aug. 17 in Racine County Circuit Court with two counts of second-degree reckless injury with use of a dangerous weapon and two counts of injury by negligent use of a weapon. His initial court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 10. Lehman has reportedly been on administrative leave from the sheriff’s office since the incident.
What Happened During the Turkey Hunt
The shooting occurred at about 2:20 p.m. on April 12 at Cherry Lake Sedge Meadow, part of the Honey Creek Wildlife Area near Burlington. It was the second day of Wisconsin’s two-day youth turkey hunt.
According to the criminal complaint, Lehman was hunting with his 3-year-old daughter when he saw movement approximately 39 yards away that he believed was a turkey. Investigators say Lehman positioned a 12-gauge semiautomatic shotgun, aimed toward the movement and then allowed his daughter to pull the trigger.
The shot instead struck a 40-year-old man and his 7-year-old son, who were also turkey hunting in the area. The adult suffered pellet wounds to his back, torso, hand and arm and was released from the hospital later that day. His son suffered far more serious wounds, including pellets that entered his head, skull and brain cavity. The boy later underwent surgery, though reports say several pellets remained in his spinal cord, skull and brain.
The adult victim reportedly told investigators that he had made a turkey call shortly before the shot. He and his son were wearing camouflage and were not using turkey fans or decoys. According to the complaint, Lehman told wardens that he believed he had seen a turkey head or other turkey movement before the shot.
Wisconsin Allows Children Under 12 to Hunt With a Mentor
The unusual age of the child involved has also generated discussion, but Wisconsin law does allow very young hunters to participate under the state’s Mentored Hunting Program.
There is no minimum age specified for a person participating as a mentored hunter. Hunters under age 12 must remain within arm’s reach of a qualified mentor, possess the necessary licenses and authorizations, and follow the applicable hunting regulations. During the 2026 youth turkey hunt, hunters 15 and younger could participate, while those 11 and younger or those without hunter education certification were required to hunt under the Mentored Hunting Program.
The program is intended to allow new hunters to gain experience under direct adult supervision. The mentor, rather than the young child, consequently carries a significant responsibility for firearm control, target identification and compliance with hunting laws.
Military Training Exempted Lehman From Hunter Education
Another aspect of the case receiving attention is Wisconsin’s hunter-education exemption for military veterans.
Lehman reportedly told wardens that he had not taken a traditional hunter safety course and considered himself relatively inexperienced at turkey hunting. He was nevertheless legally exempt from the hunter-education requirement because he had completed U.S. military basic training.
Wisconsin DNR rules specifically allow people who have successfully completed basic training in the U.S. Armed Forces, Reserves or National Guard to qualify for an exemption from the state’s hunter-education requirement. The same exemption can allow someone to qualify as a mentor.
The incident has prompted some discussion over whether military firearms training necessarily provides the same preparation as hunter education, particularly when it comes to identifying game, understanding hunting situations and recognizing what lies beyond a target. No change to Wisconsin’s exemption has been announced, however.
A Fundamental Turkey-Hunting Safety Rule
Turkey hunting can create particularly difficult target-identification situations because hunters are concealed in camouflage, frequently imitate turkey sounds and may be moving through thick vegetation. That makes one of the most basic firearm-safety rules especially important: positively identify the target and know what is beyond it before firing.
Wisconsin DNR specifically teaches hunters to “be sure of your target and beyond” as one of its four fundamental firearm-safety rules.
The charges against Lehman remain allegations, and he is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty. The Racine County Sheriff’s Office is also expected to conduct its own administrative investigation following the DNR-led criminal investigation.
Stay Current With Wisconsin Hunting Rules in Hunterizer
Wisconsin hunters can use the Hunterizer app to quickly check current hunting seasons, legal weapons, hunting zones, bag limits and other important regulations before heading into the field. Hunterizer covers Wisconsin turkey hunting along with deer, bear, waterfowl, upland birds, small game, furbearers and other huntable species, helping hunters keep the regulations they need available in one place.
Read more:
Wisconsin Youth Turkey Hunt Incident Leaves Two Injured, Raises Questions About Mentored Hunting Safety
April 15, 2026
https://hunterizer.com/wisconsin-youth-turkey-hunt-incident-2026/
