A pheasant hunter was shot repeatedly and wounded by a dog when it accidentally stepped on the trigger in the US.
William Rancourt was shot in the back when one of the dogs on his hunting trip stepped on a shotgun trigger guard and the gun fired.
He was reportedly able to walk soon after being wounded and taken to hospital for treatment. It is not clear whether the dog belonged to him or a companion.
The incident occurred at a public hunting area, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
Ken Lonneman, a DNR conservation officer, told CBS News that four hunters and two dogs were looking for game birds when one of the hunters put a loaded shotgun on the ground.
It went off when one of the dogs stepped on the trigger guard, shooting Mr Rancourt who was standing about 22 yards away.
Mr Lonneman said the dogs were one and two-year-old German shorthaired pointers. He told CBS News they were “very good dogs” and not at fault.
"I don't know if we can blame the dog in this case," Mr Lonneman said. "If we're going to blame anyone, I would say the hunters were at fault here" for apparently not activating the gun's safety mechanism before placing it on the ground.
He advised hunters to unload their weapons and turn on the safety mechanism if they were being left unattended.
He claimed that in the last five years this was the third time a dog had stepped on a gun and discharged it in the area.
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