NC: Hunter shot by 10-year-old nephew
Hunting accident renews call for safety ed
By Lance Martin
Daily Herald Senior Staff Writer
Monday, November 10, 2008 4:18 PM CST
A Northampton County hunting accident in which a 35-year-old man was
shot by his nephew demonstrates the need to keep minor hunters within
close range, state Wildlife Resources Commission enforcement officers
say.
The accident occurred off N.C. Highway 186 at the North
Carolina-Virginia line, Officer Dustin Durham said Friday.
The victim, Michael David Harvey of Newport News, Va., was hit with
seven buckshot pellets in the top shoulder, right wrist and left leg.
The shots missed any vital organs, Durham said.
Wildlife officers received the call around 8:30 a.m. and during their
investigation learned Harvey’s 10-year-old nephew accidentally shot him
with a 20-gauge shotgun.
The nephew was standing about 20 yards away from his uncle when the
uncle saw a deer and gave his nephew the signal to aim.
The deer stopped and then turned in the direction of Harvey and his
nephew, leaving the uncle between the boy and the deer.
The boy shot, missing the deer, but hitting his uncle, even though
Harvey made a last-ditch effort to dive behind a tree for safety.
While no charges will be filed, Durham said the case is a dramatic
example of the importance of hunter safety courses, which are open to
hunters of all ages.
Although the boy had been hunting for five years, Durham said, “What
we discussed, from my viewpoint, the boy had not had a hunter safety
course. The way we look at it, if he hadn’t had the course he (the
child) needs to be within arm’s reach (of the adult).”
Children under 16 can hunt with a parent or guardian without their
own license, Durham said.
A hunting license can be issued at age 16 but you must go through the
hunter safety course. “Any age can go through it (the course) as long as
they make a 70 or above on the test.”
Hunter safety education courses are offered by the Northampton County
Recreation Department or through the Halifax County 4-H. More
information can be obtained by logging onto www.ncwildlife.org.
