BACA COUNTY, Colo. — An Iowa man is facing a misdemeanor charge after allegedly shooting his hunting partner in southeast Colorado.
Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW) said the shooting happened Thursday in Baca County while three hunters were out looking for coyotes.
One of the hunters, a 48-year-old man from Urbandale, Iowa, spotted a coyote about 50 feet away and fired his shotgun, missing the animal, CPW said. He then swung his gun around and fired again, hitting his hunting partner with pellet shots, according to wildlife officials.
“This is a classic example of failure to maintain ‘zone of fire’ awareness,” said Todd Marriott, CPW area wildlife manager based in Lamar. “Hunters must always know where their target is and where the rest of their party is at all times.
The victim, a 70-year-old Iowa man, was taken to a hospital in Baca County and was then flown to a Colorado Springs hospital for treatment, CPW said. Wildlife officers interviewed the shooting victim, who was reportedly in good spirits, and said he only suffered minor injuries. He was treated and released from the hospital, CPW said.
The alleged shooter was given a summons for careless hunting, which is a misdemeanor. The charge carries a fine that ranges from $100-$1,000, and an assessment of 20 hunting-license suspension points.
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