The DNR Bureau of Law Enforcement reports two people were injured Sunday during the opening weekend of Wisconsin’s gun deer hunting season; no fatalities were reported.
The first injury happened in the Columbia County town of Marcellon, when a 24-year-old hunter shot a 23-year-old man in the foot. Both men were part of the same hunting party, according to the DNR.
The second incident happened at about 5 p.m. on the same day in the Dunn County village of Colfax. DNR officials say a 21-year-old man who was not wearing blaze orange was working on his downed deer when he was hit in the arm by a bullet shot by a 17-year-old hunter. The shooter thought the victim was a deer, officials said.
Wisconsin’s 10-year average is approximately three hunting incidents for opening weekend of the nine-day gun deer hunt. The DNR attributes the decline in injuries to hunter safety education given by Wisconsin’s volunteer instructors and conservation wardens. As part of this push for safe hunting, wardens remind all hunters to use the four firearm safety rules as a cornerstone for safe and successful outings.
- T – Treat every Firearm as if it is loaded;
- A – Always Point the muzzle in a safe direction;
- B – Be certain of your target and what’s beyond it; and
- K – Keep your finger outside your trigger guard until you are ready to shoot.
More than 545,000 hunting licenses were sold as of Sunday, according to the DNR.
