SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Three hunters in southwestern Missouri accidentally shot themselves during last weekend’s opening of firearms deer season, conservation officials said.
None of the shootings were life-threatening. The Missouri Department of Conservation said it will not release details of the shootings until its investigations into them are complete.
Many such accidental shootings happen while hunters are handling or transporting guns, said Justin McGuire, the department’s hunter education and shooting range coordinator.
“Many times, people are injured by firearms that were assumed to have been unloaded," McGuire said. "Keeping the actions open and the muzzles pointed in a safe direction removes all doubt.”