Posted on Mon, Oct. 18, 2004
By Mike Corpos
American News Writer
The opening weekend of pheasant season was not without
incident as a pair of shooting accidents sent a 10-year-old girl and a
61-year-old man to the hospital.
The girl, whose name was not released Sunday, was walking
in a field southwest of Aberdeen on Sunday when she was struck by several
shotgun pellets, said Game, Fish and Parks Officer Bill Antonides. At least
one pellet struck her in the face and others hit her in the leg, Antonides
said.
She was taken to Avera St. Luke's Hospital where she was
treated and released, according to a hospital official.
Antonides said the girl will have to return to the
hospital to have the pellet removed from her face.
"She was really lucky," Antonides said, adding that
another pellet grazed her neck, just missing a major blood vessel.
The pellets came from the gun of a 56-year-old man from
Wisconsin, Antonides said.
In an unrelated incident near Mobridge, John Schlomer, 61,
of Nebraska was hit in the eye by one or more shotgun pellets, according to
Antonides.
That man was taken to St. Luke's as well, where a hospital
official said he was treated and transported to another hospital.
"In most of these cases, the people are far enough apart
that fatality is not an option, but blinding is a serious concern,"
Antonides said. "Eyes just seem to attract shotgun pellets."
Antonides said local GF&P agents responded to the calls.
(605) 622-2310 or 1-800-925-4100 ext. 310;
mcorpos@aberdeennews.com
