Not only does Iowa have the distinction of a dog shooting a hunter this season, but several youths have been injured or involved in hunting accidents in the state.
Learn about the most recent shootings from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources:
JOHNSON COUNTY, Iowa – An 11-year-old boy was injured in a hunting incident on December 10, 2017. It happened on private property near the intersection of 320th Street Northeast and Prairie Du Chen Road Northeast in Johnson County.
Both minors (11 and 13) were brothers from Iowa City and were deer hunting with their grandfather. The brothers were standing along a fence row between a stretch of timber and a field approximately 160 yards apart. Meanwhile, their grandfather was walking through the timber, pushing any deer out in the field towards the brothers.
A doe came in from the opposite direction of the timber and both brothers took a shot at the deer standing in the field. The deer then ran between the boys when the older brother continued to shoot striking his younger brother in the hip.
The victim was transported to University of Iowa Hospital with non-life threatening injuires.
This incident remains under investigation by the DNR.
The DNR reminds hunters to always be cognizant of the whereabouts of other hunters, at all times. Avoid target fixation and always ensure there is a safe backstop before taking a shot.
Hunter shot, mistaken for deer
TAYLOR COUNTY, Iowa – Iowa DNR Conservation Officers are investigating a shooting involving a New Market man who was searching for an injured deer when he was shot by another hunter who had mistaken him for a deer.
The shooting happened December 10, 2017 around 9:15 a.m., north of New Market on private property. Justin Scroggie, 28, of New Market, was hunting with Brooks Lambert, 42, of Clarinda, while both were attempting to locate an injured deer in a tall, dense CRP field. Lambert mistakenly identified Scroggie as a deer in the dense vegetation and shot him from approximately 40 to 45 yards away, striking him in the left forearm.
Scroggie was airlifted to University of Nebraska Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. He was wearing a camouflaged hat.
This incident remains under investigation by the DNR.
The DNR reminds hunters to not shoot at any movement without always properly identifying the target.
Man shot in foot while hunting
TAYLOR COUNTY, Iowa – On December 5, 2017, John Fish, 65, of Villisca, was hunting five miles southeast of Nodaway when he was struck in the foot by a slug from another hunter in his hunting party.
Fish and a 15-year-old boy were approximately 95 yards on opposite sides of the road (110th Street, east of Denver Ave.) when a doe ran between them. The 15 year old fired a shot, missing the doe and striking Fish in the left foot. Fish was sitting in a fence row of dense vegetation and brush.
Fish was transported to Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines and has undergone surgery. His injuries were non-life-threatening.
This incident remains under investigation by the DNR.
Read more from the DNR: Iowans shoot deer, left to rot
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