Bird bomb misfire injures Paradise Township man
Dec. 11—TRAVERSE CITY — A 51-year-old Paradise Township man lost his left thumb after a bird bomb went off in his hand Saturday afternoon, the Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Office said.
The man was able to call 911 and Grand Traverse County Dispatch sent a crew to Clark Road near Voice Road where the incident occurred. He told authorities it was an accident, that he was trying to launch a bird bomb and the cartridge wasn't on completely, according to sheriff's office reports.
A bird bomb is defined by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as an explosive pest control device that contains regulated materials, including flash powder, black powder and/or other pyrotechnic combinations. They're designed to be fired from a gun, by hand or a launching device, to scare off birds or other wildlife.
The man was transported to Munson Medical Center, where he was treated for his injuries, which included losing portions of his left hand, including his left thumb.
Some Traverse City area residents reported hearing an explosion late Saturday afternoon but it wasn't the bird bomb, police confirmed.
The "very loud boom" some residents reported hearing was a Tannerite shooting target exploding in East Bay Township, police said.
Tannerite is a brand name for the binary explosive used in firearms practice. These targets consist of two components, neither of which is explosive by itself. They have to be mixed to become explosive, according to the ATF. Then, when hit by a high-velocity bullet, these targets explode with a loud report and a vapor cloud.
They are used for long-range target practice since the shooter can see — and hear — from a distance whether the target has been hit.
The Grand Traverse County Prosecutor's Office is not pressing charges in either explosion.
