March 28, 2024

Two hunting accidents reported in Taylor County

TAYLOR COUNTY – On Dec. 5, John Fish, 65, of Villisca was hunting five miles southeast of Nodaway when he was struck in the foot by a slug from another hunter in his hunting party.

Fish and a 15-year-old boy were approximately 95 yards on opposite sides of the road (110th Street, east of Denver Avenue) when a doe ran between them. The 15-year-old fired a shot, missing the doe and striking Fish in the left foot. Fish was sitting in a fence row of dense vegetation and brush.

Fish was transported to Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines and has undergone surgery. His injuries were non-life-threatening.

In the second incident, Iowa DNR conservation officers are investigating a shooting involving a New Market man who was searching for an injured deer when he was shot by another hunter who had mistaken him for a deer.

The shooting happened around 9:15 a.m. Dec. 10, north of New Market on private property. Justin Scroggie, 28, of New Market was hunting with Brooks Lambert, 42, of Clarinda, while both were attempting to locate an injured deer in a tall, dense CRP field. Lambert mistakenly identified Scroggie as a deer in the dense vegetation and shot him from approximately 40 to 45 yards away, striking him in the left forearm.

Scroggie was airlifted to University of Nebraska Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. He was wearing a camouflaged hat.

Both incidents remain under investigation by the DNR.

The DNR reminds hunters to not shoot at any movement without always properly identifying the target.