2007.02.14
Snorkeler mistaken for rodent shot in head
A sad reality of hunting is that people are sometimes mistaken for game and shot at and, sometimes, hit.
Usually, the shooters think they are firing at something big, such as deer, elk or even turkeys.
That's what makes a story out of Oregon really strange. The victim was mistaken for a rodent.
The man, an avid diver, was snorkeling in Oregon's Smith River when he was shot by a man who mistook the snorkeler for a nutria, a large -- but not that large -- rodent that lives around water.
Although the .22 caliber bullet struck him in the head, the victim is doing remarkably well. The shooter helped get him to a hospital.
The last thing you expect to see in the middle of winter is a snorkeler. But this is just another story that demonstrates how important it is to make a positive identification of your target before pulling the trigger.
