8-year old South Carolina boy shot by father while deer hunting

An 8-year old boy was hunting deer with his father in the woods, near Olanta, South Carolina, when his father shot at a deer.  Unfortunately, his father hit the boy instead.

The boy is currently undergoing surgery.

From an article:

Byers said officials were notified at about 4:30 pm Wednesday, that a father had accidentally shot his 8-year-old son while the pair was deer hunting. 

Byers said the boy was struck by stray buckshot during the incident and had to undergo surgery Wednesday evening, though the outcome of the surgery is not known at this time. 

Prior to the surgery, the boy was in stable condition while in the hospital and his injuries did not appear to be life threatening, Byers said.

The article did not say whether the boy was wearing an orange vest or hat.

14 year old boy accidentally shot by hunting gun

A 14 year old Washington boy was accidentally shot in the arm when a hunting gun bumped around in a car and discharged:

 A 14-year old boy was accidentally shot on Monday while on a hunting trip with his father, according to Lewis & Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton.(...) 

According to Sheriff Dutton, the teen had not been hunting before. He used a magazine drop to unload the weapon. It became apparent later, however, there was still one shell in the chamber.

On the drive back to camp, the son had placed the butt of the gun on the vehicle floor and the muzzle toward the roof. They hit a bump causing the rifle to discharge.

The bullet struck the son in the right bicep, exiting the right shoulder. The bullet exited the roof of the pickup truck.

17-year old Pennsylvania girl shot by man for spotlighting for deer

Cortney Snyder, age 17

A 17-year old girl, Cortney Snyder, was using a spotlight from her vehicle to hunt deer, while with her parents, in Uniontown, Pennsylvania.

That's when a man, Jeremy James Pritts, who was fed up with hunters and poachers, shot at her with a shotgun, injuring her.

From an article:

Police have charged a man with aggravated assault for allegedly shooting a teenage girl who was using a spotlight to look for deer near his southwestern Pennsylvania home. 

State police say Jeremy James Pritts shot a 17-year-old girl Sunday night after she used a spotlight from the back of a pickup on an outing with her parents. 

Investigators say pellets from the shotgun struck Cortney Snyder in the arms, face, chest and abdomen. Her parents called an ambulance from their nearby home. 

Police say Pritts admitted firing at the light, saying he was frustrated with spotters and poachers in the area. He was released on bail Tuesday following his arraignment. Court records don't list an attorney for him. 

Snyder is recovering following surgery.

(a related article, photo gallery, and news video).

10-year old New Hampshire boy hunter unintentionally shoots man in arm

Two boys were hunting dear with an adult near Auburn, New Hampshire, when one of them, age 10, unintentionally fired his .22 rifle, hitting the adult in the arm.  The injury is non-fatal.

From an article:

Maniscalchi was hunting in the Dearborn Road area Saturday morning when he was hit in the forearm with a .22-caliber bullet. 

Officials said he was sitting in a ground blind with two young boys, when a 10 year-old boy carrying a .22 caliber handgun inadvertently discharged the firearm inside the blind. 

Maniscalchi was able to walk himself out of the woods and drove to the Elliot Hospital in Manchester for treatment and evaluation. After being treated for his wound, Maniscalchi was released from the hospital later in the day.  

Following a call from the Rockingham County Sheriff's Office, personnel from the Auburn Police Department and Fish and Game Conservation Officers responded to the hospital and to the scene of the shooting to investigate the incident.  

Conservation officers worked through the morning and into the afternoon and were able to identify the specific locations of the shooter and victim, and secured all necessary evidence and information.  

Fish and Game officials urge people to practice caution and safety when handling firearms.

From a related blog post at the Ohh Shoot blog:

There is no minimum age for youth hunting in New Hampshire. Youths under age 16 must be accompanied by a licensed adult hunter. There is also no required hunter education or gun safety course requirements for youth hunters under age 16.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

17-year old Utah boy injured by uncle while hunting

A 17-year old boy was hunting deer with his father and uncle near Logan, Utah.  The uncle unintentionally discharged his muzzle loader, and the boy was injured by debris and shrapnel.

No charges.

From an article:

The boy had been hunting for deer with muzzle loaders in the Boulder Mountain area of Logan Canyon with his father and uncle, according to the Cache County Sheriff's Office. 

While driving in the canyon, the group spotted several deer. The 17-year-old and his uncle jumped out of the truck and put primers on their guns, police said. 

As the deer ran off down a ravine, the teen walked about 10 feet ahead of his uncle. 

The uncle had cocked his gun but decided not to shoot, police said. The gun then accidentally fired, and the bullet hit the ground in front of the teen, police said. 

Bullet fragments and rocks hit the 17-year-old's right foot, calf, thigh and hand, police said. The teen was taken to Logan Regional Hospital. His injuries were not life-threatening. 

The Cache County Sheriff's Office has deemed the shooting accidental. No criminal charges will be pursued.
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16-year old Minnesota boy injured when shot while duck hunting

Baker Felix (left), age 16.

16-year old Baker Felix was in a canoe, duck hunting, with two 18-year olds near Iron, Minnesota, when he was unintentionally shot by his brother with a shotgun.

From an article:

A rural Eveleth youth has been injured in a duck hunting accident in northeastern Minnesota. 

The Mesabi Daily News of Virginia reports that 16-year-old Baker Felix was hunting Saturday in a canoe on Elbow Lake in Iron with his brother, 18-year-old Bryten Felix, also of rural Eveleth, and 18-year-old Olaf Walkky, of Britt. 

A flock of ducks flew over and the teens stood up to shoot, resulting in the canoe rolling and taking water. The St. Louis County sheriff's office says Bryten Felix fell backward and tried to catch himself. The shotgun he was holding discharged, and the blast hit his brother, Baker Felix, in the knee. 

Baker Felix was taken by ambulance to a Duluth hospital, where he was listed in stable condition. The incident is under investigation.

(a related article).

10-year old Illinois boy unintentionally killed by 7-year old sister handling unsecured rifle

10-year old Christian Clark and his sister, 7-year old Halee Clark, were playing in their grandfather's hunting RV, in Dix, Illinois.  There were a number of unsecured guns in the RV.  Halee picked up a loaded rifle and unintentionally discharged it, striking her brother in the head and killing him.

From an article:

The initial investigation indicates the victim and his seven-year-old sister, Halee Clark, were inside the motor home that is used as a hunting cabin when young Halee picked up a long gun.  Jefferson County Coroner Eddie Jo Marks says a round accidentally discharged and struck Christian in the head, resulting in his death. 

Marks says there were a few guns laying out and the one the young girl picked up contained just the one shell that resulted in her brother's death.  Marks reported the girl immediately left the vehicle to tell family members that her brother had been hurt.  Christian was pronounced dead on the scene.

Mulch says the initial investigation indicates that the recreational vehicle is owned by the grandfather of the two children, Jason Clark, Senior.  He is also from Granite City.   

(a related article)

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

12-year old Virginia boy shot and killed while hunting groundhogs with 15-year old brother

A 12-year old boy, Brandon Lord, was hunting groundhogs with his 15-year old brother in Bristol, Virginia, while under "indirect supervision" by a relative.  That's when the 12-year old was fatally shot in the head.

From an article:

The boy and his 15-year-old brother were hunting groundhogs in a field behind the house when the boy was shot around 6 p.m., said Washington County, Va., Sheriff’s Lt. Byron Ashbrook. No one else was hurt, and the boys were being indirectly supervised by a family member, he said.
....
[the boy's Grandfather, Carl] Richardson, who lives at the home where the incident occurred, said the whole family is grieving. A piece of their lives is missing, he said.

 “It’s a tragic, tragic incident, and my thoughts and prayers go out to the family and community,” Ashbrook said. “It’s a horrible incident, and goes back to show how important gun safety is, period.”

The article did not say who pulled the trigger.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

Teen aged boy shot by brother in hunting accident

These boys were Turkey hunting in New York when things went wrong. One brother accidentally shot the other in the face while on the hunt. From the article:

Caleb Fox, of Sherman Street in Penn Yan, was out hunting with his 12-year-old brother David Fox, at approximately 6 a.m. on farm land at 954 City Hill Road in the Town of Torrey when the incident occurred, according to the Yates County Sheriff’s Office.

While they were hunting, David Fox thought he saw a turkey walking through a wooded area and fired. The moving object turned out to be his brother, who was struck in the face and right shoulder by pellets.

This is not the first time accidents like this have occurred during hunting trips. Young children do hunt and usually with parental supervision. There is no mention of whether parents were with the boys. Children need to be trained, like adults, about hunting and making sure of the target before shooting.

9-year old Florida boy accidentally kills grandfather while hunting

A 9-year old boy was turkey hunting with his grandfather near Wauchula, Florida, when he unintentionally fired his shotgun, hitting his 69-year old grandfather in the head and killing him instantly.  The grandfather was an experienced and lifelong hunter.

From the article:

Sheriff's officials said Kenneth Lindsey Beach was shot in the head near his hunting camp on land he leased 10 miles southeast of Zolfo Springs in rural Hardee County. The boy, who hasn't been identified because of his age, ran about a mile to get help, but deputies said Beach died instantly.

"There was just nothing anybody could do," said Lee Witt, caretaker for the ranch where Beach leased a hunting cabin. "The boy came and got me, but it was too late. It's just so sad.

....

Authorities said the boy was holding the shotgun when it fired.

"We can only assume that the safety was off and he pulled the trigger," said Hardee County Sheriff's Major Randy Dey. "The first deputy to arrive at the scene said it appeared Mr. Beach died right away."

Authorities said the 8 a.m. shooting appears to be accidental, although it remains under investigation.

Witt said Beach had been coming to that area of Hardee County for about 10 years. His friends called him Fat Cat, Witt said, and he loved everything about the outdoors.

"He liked to hunt and fish and all those things," Witt said. "He was a good guy."

Beach had been hunting wild turkey with the boy for a couple days on this trip, he said.

....
"He was hunting every weekend," said longtime friend Larry Mathis of Lake Hamilton, "He loved it. It was his life. It's strange that he was that good with guns and this could happen. It's just hard to imagine him not being around."

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

15-year old Texas boy accidentally shoots himself in the head

Matthew Spann, age 15

Two 15-year old boys were in a pasture in Texas when one of them, Matthew Spann, accidentally shot himself in the head with a .22 rifle, apparently while hunting. He was the son of a county commissioner.  The boy is now braindead and will soon be taken off of life support, and will be an organ donor.

From the article:

Deputy Sheriff Terry Simons said Matthew had been transferred to the Corpus Christi hospital.

Matthew was in a pasture near Bayer Road with another 15-year-old boy when a .22-caliber rifle accidentally discharged, resulting in a self-inflicted injury to the head, O'Connor said.

"Preliminarily, it looks like it was an accidental discharge," he said.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

16-year old boy wounded in Minnesota hunting accident

A 16-year old Elk River, Minnesota boy was wounded when he shot himself in the foot with a shotgun while hunting pheasants.

From the article:

Benton County Sheriff Brad Bennett says deputies were called to a hunting preserve in Glendorado Township at about 3:15 p.m. Officers found Brandon Rischmiller suffering from a shotgun wound to the foot. 

Rischmiller was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries. 

Deputies learned the trigger had caught on a loop on Rischmiller’s hunting vest, causing the gun to fire.

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15-year old wounded in South Carolina hunting accident

A 15-year old South Carolina boy was hunting wild hogs when his rifle fell and discharged, hitting him in the shoulder.

From the article:

A 15-year-old boy was accidentally shot Tuesday afternoon while he was hunting wild hogs in Starr.

The shooting happened on Bluefield Road, which is off Flat Rock Road in Starr. The boy was walking when his rifle fell and shot him in the shoulder, said Lt. Robert McCullough of the S.C. Department of Natural Resources. The state department is the lead investigating agency because the shooting has been deemed a hunting accident.

Authorities did not disclose the boy’s name.

Chad McBride, a spokesman for the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, said the boy was alert and responsive after the shooting.

McCullough said the boy was able to walk out of the area where he was hunting after he was shot.

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17-year old boy accidentally shoots hunting partner in foot

Three boys, an 18-year old, named Tyler Sumner, and two 17-year olds, Ricky Grivetti and Dakota Bush, were hunting raccoons in the woods of Missouri. One of them injured a coon and held it down with his foot. One of the 17-year olds then tried to finish off the racoon, but missed and hit the 18-year old's foot instead.

From the article:

Twyman did confirm the shooting was accidental and that a .22-caliber rifle was used.

The sheriff's office information stated that it was determined three males were coon hunting in the area. During the hunt, one of the teens wounded a raccoon. A second subject was holding the animal down with his foot to prevent it from getting away.

"The plan was for the subject to remove his foot, and the other subject was to shoot the animal," the press release stated. "When the victim moved his foot, the animal attempted to flee. The victim attempted to put his foot back on the animal, at which time the other subject fired at the animal, striking the victim in the foot."

....

"This serious accident occurred because people were not paying attention while using firearms," said Twyman, who also is certified as a hunting incident investigator. "We always encourage everyone to be safe while hunting. Be sure any weapon is only pointed at the target and not at anyone else."

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