IA: Shotgun accidents injure four hunters
Des Moines Register
Shotgun accidents injure four hunters
By ROSS BOETTCHER
December 8, 2008
Four Iowa hunters were injured in unrelated accidents during the
opening weekend of shotgun deer hunting season, the Iowa Department of
Natural Resources reported Sunday.
Investigators said they believe shotgun slugs that ricocheted were
the cause of three of the four accidents. None of the hunters was
critically injured.
The weekend's first reported accident happened about 11 a.m. Saturday
in western Clinton County to Dale Rowson, 53, of Clinton, when a shotgun
slug ricocheted off of his right pants leg and struck his left calf,
authorities said.
Alan Foster, a spokesman for the DNR, said the second reported
accident happened at 3 p.m. Saturday. David Cheers, 41, of Afton was hit
by a shotgun slug in the lower abdomen. The slug was fired by a member
of his group and did not penetrate his body. Investigators said they
think the slug ricocheted a long distance.
About 10 a.m. Sunday, a Grundy Center man was struck in the chest by
a slug that investigators said may have passed through a deer before
striking him. The slug hit a button on Bradley Lynch's coat. Lynch was
hunting in a cornfield on private land five miles west of Grundy Center.
A fourth accident was reported in southeastern Iowa on Sunday
evening, Foster said. Daniel L. Rickelman, 55, of Fort Madison, was shot
in the upper left thigh while hunting near Fairfield.
So far in 2008, nine hunting accidents have been reported to the DNR,
including seven resulting in injuries, Foster said. In 2007, 20
accidents were reported, 13 of which caused injuries.
