A novel hunting accident - Discharge of a firearm by a hunting dog

The authors report the case of a 21-year-old man who was killed while duck hunting when a shotgun accidentally discharged, shooting him in the head. T he loaded weapon, which had been lying on the ground with the safety off an d the muzzle pointed toward a river a few feet away, discharged when a hunt ing dog stepped on the trigger. Scene investigation confirmed that the vict im had been standing in the river, planting decoys, with his head approxima tely level with the adjacent bank. Autopsy examination and ballistic testin g confirmed a range of fire consistent with the witness' statements. Examin ation of the weapon in question documented a light trigger pull but no mech anical defects. The authors review the epidemiology and causality of huntin g accidents and discuss the various safety rules that were violated in this highly unusual case. The importance of a complete death investigation, inc luding autopsy, when dealing with a firearm death is emphasized.